Good News Agency – Year X, n° 158
Weekly - Year X, number 158 – 3rd
July 2009
Managing Editor: Sergio Tripi,
Ph. D.
“…In conveying the appreciation of the Head of
State for the passion and the professionalism with which you spread, above all among the young, the culture of
"good news", I would like to take this opportunity of
adding my personal greeting”. (From the letter of
the Adviser for the Press and Information of the President of Italy, Giorgio
Napolitano, to the Editor of Good News Agency, 12 October 2007.)
Good News Agency carries
positive and constructive news from all over the world relating to voluntary
work, the work of the United Nations, non governmental organizations, and
institutions engaged in improving the quality of life – news that doesn’t “burn
out” in the space of a day. It is
distributed free of charge through Internet to 6,000 editorial
offices in 49
countries and to 2,800 NGOs and 500 high schools, colleges and universities. It is an all-volunteer service of Associazione
Culturale dei Triangoli e della
Buona Volontà Mondiale, NGO associated
with the United Nations Department of Public Information. The Association has been recognized by
UNESCO as “an actor of the
global movement for a culture of peace” and it has been included in the web
site http://www3.unesco.org/iycp/uk/uk_sum_monde.htm
International legislation – Human rights – Economy and development – Solidarity
Peace and security – Health
– Energy and Safety – Environment and wildlife
Religion and
spirituality
– Culture and education
In a global perspective: as wars decrease, peace culture and
human rights spread
Record turnout for Arms Trade Treaty week of action
22
June - Last week, campaigners in the largest number of countries so far took
part in an annual worldwide Week of Action, aimed at highlighting the need for
an effective Arms Trade Treaty (ATT). NGOs in over 90 countries organized
activities to draw attention to the treaty, and the rapid rise in the human
cost of armed violence. Over 30 Amnesty International sections took part in the
biggest ever Week of Action since the campaign was launched eight years ago.
(...) This year’s Week of Action brought together NGOs from all continents,
through demonstrations, public meetings, the
collection of petitions, concerts, popular campaigning stunts and meetings with
officials. (...) In many countries Amnesty International national sections and
other NGOs campaigned for an effective Arms Trade Treaty, based on
international human rights and humanitarian laws and covering all types of
transfers and transactions of conventional arms and ammunition. In July,
Amnesty International and its partner NGOs will continue lobbying a United
Nations Open Ended Working Group on the ATT when it meets in
SCT examines Trademark and Design Law and Practice
Geneva, 29 June - WIPO’s
Standing Committee on Trademarks, Industrial Designs and Geographical
Indications (SCT), meeting from June 22 to 26, 2009, examined areas of possible
convergence in industrial design law and practice, as well as questions
relating to grounds
for refusal of all types of marks and technical
and procedural aspects of the registration of certification and collective
marks.
This work will continue at the next
session of the SCT from November 23 to 26, 2009.
In discussions relating to the
Article 6ter of the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property,
(“the Paris Convention”), SCT members agreed to further examine the protection
of state names against registration or use as trademarks. Responses to a
proposed questionnaire will serve as the basis of future deliberations on this
topic. Article 6ter of the Paris Convention provides for the protection of
flags, armorial bearings and other state emblems. (...)
http://www.wipo.int/pressroom/en/articles/2009/article_0018.html
Baltic countries to join EU internal power market
18
June - Yesterday, the Memorandum of Understanding of the Baltic Energy Market
Interconnection Plan (BEMIP) was signed by the relevant Heads of State and the
European Commission. This is a timely step underpinning the integration of
large quantities of wind power in
Timor-Leste ratifies first ILO Conventions
16
June - Timor-Leste has ratified four conventions of
the International Labour Organization (ILO),
concerning forced labour, freedom of association and
protection of the right to organize, the right to organize and collective
bargaining, and the elimination of the worst forms of child labour.
25 June - This month saw an important victory by Indigneous Peoples in
Because of President Obama’s
strong support for the Free Trade Agreement, MADRE called on him to renegotiate
the deal and commit to embedding strong human rights standards in all trade
agreements. Many of you signed our petition, which we shared with CHIRAPAQ, our
sister organization in
For those in
Kabul/Geneva,
24 June (ICRC) - The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) welcomes
the accession of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan to the 1977 Protocols
additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, relating to the
protection of victims of international armed conflicts (Protocol I) and
non-international armed conflicts (Protocol II). (...) In
http://www.icrc.org/Web/Eng/siteeng0.nsf/html/afganistan-news-240609
23
June -
UNFPA
applauds the adoption of a landmark resolution on maternal health
http://www.unfpa.org/public/News/pid/2975
Working
women changing traditional roles in Latin America and
11
June - An increase of Latin American and
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=31111&Cr=women&Cr1=labour
Two
UN agencies partner to make world’s cities safer for women
4
June - Two United Nations agencies have teamed up to combat violence against
women and girls in the world’s cities, including by proposing measures such as
improved street lighting and female-only modes of transportation. UN-HABITAT,
the agency charged with ensuring adequate shelter for all, and the UN
Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) have signed a memorandum of understanding
that brings the shelter agency into UNIFEM’s existing
Global Programme on Safe Cities Free of Violence
against Women and Girls, the agencies announced today. The Executive Director
of UN-HABITAT, Anna Tibaijuka, and the Executive
Director of UNIFEM, Ines Alberdi,
signed the agreement in
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=31022&Cr=Women&Cr1=violence
New publication shows index insurance has potential to help manage climate
risks and reduce poverty
http://www.ifad.org/media/press/2009/33.htm
Helen Keller International
New
York, 22 June - Out of 250 applicants, Helen Keller International’s (HKI)
Homestead Food Production (HFP) program in Bangladesh has been selected to be
one of twenty-seven case studies for “Millions Fed: Proven Successes in
Agricultural Development.” The
International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) initiated this research
project with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. IFPRI will
present evidence from case studies of current policies, programs, and
investments that demonstrate success in reducing poverty and hunger. Learning
from successes in agricultural development has become more urgent recently due
to the volatility of global food prices and increasing food insecurity. The
“Millions Fed” project offers a unique opportunity to showcase success stories
that will reach a broad audience, including policymakers, development
practitioners, donors, scholars, NGOs, entrepreneurs, students, and citizens
concerned about the future of global agriculture. (…)
http://www.hkworld.org/about/press_releases/Millions_Fed.html
People’s Voices on the Crisis
On
20 June, a coalition of civil society organizations, and UN- NGLS, organized “People’s
Voices on the Crisis”. This event brought together activists from civil society
organizations, trade unions and grassroots groups on a local, national and
international level, who gave testimony on how their lives and communities are
being directly affected by the current economic crisis. Held in advance of the
UN Conference on the World Financial and Economic Crisis and its Impact on
Development, (…)
The
event showcased the testimonies of grassroots activists from diverse regions of
the world working with many of the world’s forgotten victims, who will give
evidence on how the financial, as well as food, energy and climate change
crises, are affecting their lives and their work. In his keynote address the
President of the 63rd General Assembly, H.E. Miguel d’Escoto
Brockmann stated that the upcoming UN Conference
“should be seen as an opportunity to initiate a global conversation about
global economic governance and ways to make our international institutions more
representative and inclusive, now and in the decades to come”. (…)
http://www.un-ngls.org/spip.php?article1396
IFAD provides US$13.2
million to
Co-financed
by the Global Environmental Facility (GEF), the project will protect, conserve
and rehabilitate some 15,000 km2 of degraded lands in the Lake Tana Watersheds, which will improve agricultural
productivity, food security and incomes for about 450,000 poor rural households
that depend on agriculture as their primary or only source of livelihood.
The
IFAD-funded project will also help mitigate climate change by increasing carbon
sequestration, which will contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
(...)
http://www.ifad.org/media/press/2009/32.htm
The
TTWT project is directly contributing to
http://www.adra.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=10197&news_iv_ctrl=1141
ESPN promotes ‘Soccer Saves’ program with Save the
Children to help African youth
Sports network to air new public service announcement
featuring
26
June - Seattle Sounders FC, the newest soccer franchise in Major League Soccer
in the
http://www.savethechildren.org/corporate/soccer-saves/?print=t
New
report shows over 2.5 million Iraqis received UN assistance in 2008
25
June - The United Nations and its partners provided some $207 million worth of
humanitarian assistance to over 2.5 million Iraqis in 2008, according to a
report by the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA),
highlighting the successes and challenges for aid organizations in the
strife-torn country. (…) Last year, some 600,000 people in
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=31266&Cr=iraq&Cr1=humanitarian
RI Covention,
by
Rotary
International News, 23 June - Two children who decided to do what they could to
rid the world of polio received thunderous applause 23 June during the third
plenary session of the 2009 RI Convention in
Anna
and her fifth-grade classmates in Mantova raised
about US$164 in only two days after her mother, Rotarian Patrizia
Zanotti, told her how Rotary and its partners in the
Global Polio Eradication Initiative have worked since 1988 to eradicate the
disease. Cases of polio worldwide have declined by more than 99 percent, her
mother explained, but the disease still threatens children in parts of Africa,
Asia, and the
“I
thought of how many children like me I could save with my money,” said Anna,
who came up with the idea of collecting donations as a class project. She used
recycled chocolate boxes to make her own collection boxes, one of which she
brought on stage. She and her classmates thought of the donations in terms of
actual lives, each represented by the 60 cents it costs to immunize a child.
“Imagine a chocolate box that contains so many lives,” she said. (…)
Joshua,
an eighth grader at
http://www.rotary.org/en/MediaAndNews/News/Pages/conv09june23_poliokids.aspx
Having completed its tsunami programmes the Australian
Red Cross continues to work with the Indonesian Red Cross in other areas of
by Cici Riesmasari, Communications Officer, IFRC
12
June - After more than four years the Australian Red Cross (ARC) has completed
its projects in tsunami affected areas of
http://www.ifrc.org/Docs/News/09/09061201/index.asp
ANERA to deliver needed hygiene kits to
ANERA
has been working in
http://www.anera.org/newsResources/600000forHygieneSupplyDeliverytoGaza.php
More than 80 Governments meet in
The
new international convention banning cluster bombs is already delivering
results as signatories plan the destruction of these
indiscriminate weapons even before it has entered into force, said the Cluster Munition Coalition (CMC) on the eve of a major international
conference in
Since
the Convention on Cluster Munitions opened for signature in December
http://www.icbl.org/index.php/icbl/Library/News-Articles/Work/berlinconference
African Union wraps up hearings aimed at speeding up
25
June - The latest round of public hearings examining the origins of the ongoing
conflict in Darfur, which erupted in 2003 and has led
to over 300,000 deaths, wrapped up today, a United Nations spokesperson told
reporters in
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=31270&Cr=darfur&Cr1
Sometimes opportunity doesn’t just knock. Sometimes
opportunity practically bangs the door down.
In
27 years of working for nuclear disarmament, the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation
has never seen a better opportunity to make significant progress towards our
goal of a safer and more secure world through the phased, verifiable and
irreversible elimination of all nuclear weapons. That’s why we created our new
DVD featuring U.S. President Barack Obama.
Called
U.S. Leadership for a Nuclear Weapons-Free World, the 8-minute educational
video shows how the
Efforts to disarm Sudanese ex-combatants making
headway, reports UN official
18
June - The United Nations reports that progress is being made in the
disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) of soldiers in north and
south
“Some
180,000 members of the armed forces and women who have helped the armed forces
will be given the possibility to make a living as a civilian. Any child
soldiers will be reunited with their families,” he added. Mr. Verheul said that more than 5,000 soldiers have now gone
through the demobilization process, which was launched in February. The DDR
process is a key component of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA),
which was signed by the Government of Sudan and the Sudan People’s Liberation
Movement/Army (SPLM/A). Other key benchmarks of the pact include border
demarcation and preparations for national elections in 2010 and a referendum on
the final status of areas of
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=31191&Cr=southern&Cr1=sudan
Darfur returnees can count
on UN, African Union support to rebuild, says official
16
June - The joint African Union-United Nations Mission in Darfur
(UNAMID) will do all it can to help civilians who have started returning voluntarily
to their villages in the strife-torn Sudanese region to rebuild their
livelihoods, a senior official pledged today. Deputy Joint Special
Representative Henry Anyidoho said it was critical to
provide returnees with the necessary support so that their returns are not
temporary, as he addressed community leaders in the West Darfur
“We
will take up the challenge - UNAMID, together with UN agencies and NGOs
[non-governmental organizations], as well as the Government - to see how
quickly we can come to your aid,” he said. Mr. Anyidoho
said priority tasks included improving security, providing water and
rehabilitating infrastructure in villages such as Seraf
Jidad, which is located some
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=31166&Cr=&Cr1
The Komala Party of Iranian
Geneva,
16 June - The quest to rid the Middle East of anti-personnel mines has taken a
step forward today with another armed non-State actor signing Geneva Call’s
Deed of Commitment in Geneva. By signing this document, the “Komala Party of Iranian Kurdistan” has pledged to ban
anti-personnel mines, as well as carry out, or co-operate in, necessary mine
action. The Komala Party of Iranian Kurdistan has its
roots in the “Komala”- party that was formed in the
late 1960s. Today, the Komala Party of Iranian
Kurdistan demands the right to self-determination of the Kurdish population in
Geneva
Call is an international humanitarian organization dedicated to engaging armed
non-State actors to respect and to adhere to humanitarian norms, beginning with
the ban on anti-personnel mines. (…)
http://www.genevacall.org/news/testi-press-releases/gc-16jun09.html
4 June - On June 2, the
The Cluster Munition
Coalition (CMC) welcomes
http://www.stopclustermunitions.org/news/?id=1580
MAG
has begun a project in
MAG
has been tasked to train AMISOM’s peacekeeping
troops, predominantly from
International Council of Nurses –
The
International Council of Nurses (ICN) is a federation of more than 130 national
nurses associations representing the millions of nurses worldwide. Operated by nurses and leading nursing internationally since 1899,
ICN works to ensure quality nursing care for all and sound health policies globally.
Monrovia,
26 June (ICRC) - Fourteen health clinics renovated by the International
Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) between 2005 and 2008 will be handed over to
Liberia’s Ministry of Health and Social Welfare by the end of June. The clinics
are located in Grand Kru and Lofa
counties and serve the basic health-care needs of over 107,000 people. The
facilities had been damaged during 14 years of armed conflict, which ended in
http://www.icrc.org/Web/Eng/siteeng0.nsf/html/liberia-news-260909
International Drugs Day: launch of the European Action
on Drugs – 26 June 2009
Through
its EU Drugs Action Plan for 2009-2012, the European Union aims to provide a
strong, coordinated and balanced answer to a growing problem that affects
European society as a whole. Through the European Action on Drugs the European
Commission, Directorate-General for Justice, Freedom and Security, invites
national and local authorities, institutions, state bodies, regions,
municipalities, educational institutions and schools, research institutes,
media and public services, associations and NGOs, companies of all sizes,
individuals, etc. to make a concrete commitment. Alongside the various drugs
policies and schemes run in the Member States, the European Action on Drugs
will serve as a new tool for everyone in the European Union - whatever their organisation, approach, national policy or attitude towards
drugs.
The
European Commission plays an important role in this joint effort to reduce
drug-related problems in EU society. It is keen to stimulate dialogue so that
all stakeholders can share their experiences and help each other in their
shared goal of increasing awareness about drugs among young people.
http://ec.europa.eu/ead/docs/action_plan/anti-drug_v12_EN.PDF
Rotary raises over US$ 90 Million towards polio
eradication
UN Secretary General recognizes polio workers and
volunteers.
The
announcement came at the Rotary International Convention, where UN Secretary
General Ban-ki Moon was presented with a Polio
Eradication Champion award, which he dedicated to polio workers who were killed
last year in
http://www.polioeradication.org/content/general/LatestNews200906.asp#05
MSF increases medical assistance to those affected by violence in north DR
Congo
16 June - In
the areas of Haut-Uélé and Bas-Uélé,
in the northeast of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Ugandan rebels of
the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) have committed violent attacks in response to
military operations launched by the armies of
MSF is
providing assistance to this abandoned population, which has been left to its
fate in a highly isolated region. It has therefore decided to open two new
projects. The MSF Congo Emergency Pool started providing support to a health
centre and two referral hospitals in Faradje and Niangara one week ago. MSF has been working in this region
since last September, notably at the hospital in Dungu.
The organisation has now decided to step up its
activities in light of the increased attacks on the civilian population
resulting in an influx of displaced people deprived of all medical assistance. (...)
AmeriCares delivers $1 billion
in medical aid
Reaching
the $1 billion aid mark is an extraordinary feat given the challenging economy.
AmeriCares has been able to deliver the same volume of medical assistance as last
year through ongoing product donations from many pharmaceutical companies and
medical manufacturers which are delivered to help restore health around the
world and increasingly, throughout the United States. (...)
Over the past 12 months, AmeriCares delivered aid to
94 countries from
Polio
eradication cited as example of successful partnership
As
UNICEF Executive Board discusses global health.
10
June - International partners welcomed UNICEF’s appraisal of partnerships - in
particular of the agency’s unique role in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative
- during its Executive Board meeting this week. In comments to the Executive
Board session on global health, Dr. Robert Scott of Rotary International noted
that polio eradication efforts provide an example of a successful partnership
among governments, donors and international organizations.
The
Executive Director of
For
more than 20 years, the World Health Organization, Rotary International, the US
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and UNICEF have worked jointly
through the Global Polio Eradication Initiative. It is one of the largest
public-private partnerships for an internationally coordinated public health
goal. (...)
http://www.polioeradication.org/content/general/LatestNews200906.asp#05
(top)
President Obama launches
new energy efficiency schemes
30 June - US President Barack Obama and US Energy Secretary Steven Chu
have launched a new energy efficiency effort. ‘One of the fastest, easiest, and
cheapest ways to make our economy stronger and cleaner is to make our economy
more energy efficient,’ said President Obama. ‘That’s
why we made energy efficiency investments a focal point of the Recovery Act. And
that’s why today’s announcements are so important. By bringing more energy
efficient technologies to American homes and businesses, we won’t just
significantly reduce our energy demand; we’ll put more money back in the
pockets of hardworking Americans.’
The announcement includes significant changes to
energy conservation standards for US household and commercial lamps and
lighting equipment. The changes aim to avoid emissions of up to 594 million tonnes of CO2 from 2012 through 2042. (...) The pair announced a $346m investment from the American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act to expand and accelerate the development of energy efficient
technologies in commercial buildings, as well as new and existing homes.
Findings show that almost three-quarters of the nation’s 81 million buildings
were constructed before 1979 and therefore require significant retrofits or
replacement. (...)
The EU establishes a common binding framework on
nuclear safety
"Nuclear safety is an absolute priority for
the EU. This Nuclear Safety Directive brings legal certainty by clarifying
responsibilities and provides increased guarantees to the public as required by
EU citizens. It sets binding principles for enhancing nuclear safety to protect
workers and the general public, as well as the environment. Continuous
development of nuclear safety is a responsibility not just for
BKW FMB Energy acquires 33 per cent share in Italian wind company
29 June - BKW FMB Energy has acquired a 33 per cent share
in new company Fortore Wind, founded by Italian
energy company Fortore Energia.
The acquisition is part of a strategic partnership
between the two to build and operate wind farms with a total capacity of around
600MW between now and 2016. The agreement immediately incorporates wind farms
already implemented and operated by Fortore with a
total output of around 140MW. In addition, the wind projects transferred by Fortore to the partner company will be jointly implemented
and operated between now and 2016.
Fortore Wind is aiming to invest more than €1bn in
implementing the planned wind power capacities over the next seven years.
Wind Power Works: Global
Wind Day reaches tens of thousands of people
17 June - On 15 June, tens of thousands of people from around the world
joined in celebrating the enormous benefits of wind power during the first ever
Global Wind Day. “Wind energy is a driving force for climate protection,
economic development and the creation of future-proof jobs”, said German
Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel. “The Global Wind
Day 2009 demonstrates the enormous potential of wind energy to the public.”
In a joint
effort between the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA), the Global Wind
Energy Council (GWEC) and many national wind energy associations, over 200
events and activities were organised in 35 different
countries, spreading the Wind Day messages to around a million people. Ranging
from wind farm open days, conferences, exhibitions, workshops and information
days to regattas, sporting contests and theatre shows, there was something for
everyone, everywhere. (...)
EEA report confirms wind
energy could power
11 June - “The extent of wind energy resources in
UNESCO to investigate threats to
Proposed coal mine in BC’s
Seville,
Spain, 26 June - The World Heritage Committee of the United Nations voted today
to promptly send a mission to Canada to investigate threats to Glacier National
Park (Montana) and Waterton Lakes National Park
(Alberta) posed by coal mining and gas drilling proposals in British Columbia’s
adjacent Flathead River Valley. Together these parks make up
The
committee’s action was in response to a petition written by Earthjustice
on behalf of eleven environmental groups in the
Red Locust disaster in
Biopesticides
being used on a large scale
Aerial survey and control operations will continue
during the next weeks in
http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/21084/icode/
Bathing water quality improving in the EU
11
June - The annual bathing water report presented by the European Commission and
the European Environment Agency reveals that the large majority of bathing
sites across the European Union met EU hygiene standards in 2008. During that
bathing season some 96 % of coastal bathing areas and 92 % of bathing sites in
rivers and lakes complied with minimum standards. The report provides useful
water quality information for the millions of people who visit
http://www.eea.europa.eu/pressroom/newsreleases/bathing-water-quality-improving-in-the-eu
Meeting of Religions: final
statement for the G8
Written by Administrator
Rome, 18 June (SIR) -
“We, leaders of the world’s religions and spiritual traditions gathered in Rome
on the eve of the G8 Summit of 2009, are united in our common commitment to
justice and the protection of human life, the building of the common good and
the belief on the divinely established and inviolable dignity of all people
from conception to death”. So begins the final statement issued by the 129
attendees at the IV Summit of Religious Leaders which finished yesterday in
According to the
religious leaders “a new moral paradigm is essential to address today’s
challenges”. Hence the notion of “shared security” according to which “the
security of one actor in international relations must not be detrimental to
another”. As for the economic and financial crisis, religious leaders call for
“a new financial pact” namely a “concerted action to close down the unregulated
off shore banking system”. Regarding development assistance, “the inclusion as
partners of civil society organizations including especially religious
communities” is another request put forward by religious leaders who call on
the G8 to fulfil “the Millennium Development Goals”
by 2015. (…)
Bible is the “ultimate
immigration handbook”
In a worship service opening
the “Churches against Racism” conference in
15 June - Kobia asked
Christians to apply the parable of the “good Samaritan” to the current context
in which they live. (...) The service was held to give thanks for the WCC Programme to Combat Racism. Launched 40 years ago the programme assisted the victims of racial discrimination in
different parts of the world, most prominently in
The conference was organized by the WCC in cooperation
with the Council of
Churches in the Netherlands, the association of migrant churches in the Netherlands SKIN, the missionary and diaconal agency KerkinActie, the interchurch organization for development
cooperation ICCO and the ecumenical advocacy group Oikos.
http://www2.wcc-coe.org/pressreleasesen.nsf/index/pr-09-40.html
In 20 years the school has been attended by 5.000
foreigners.
Napoli, 26 June (Agenzia Fides) -
Sunday 28 June at 5pm at the S. Egidio Community in
http://www.fides.org/aree/news/newsdet.php?idnews=24565&lan=eng
UNESCO World Conference on
Higher Education
26 June - Over 1,000 participants will discuss the
future of Higher Education and research at the 2009 World Conference on Higher
Education, to be held at UNESCO Headquarters in
http://portal.unesco.org/education/en/ev.php-URL_ID=59298&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html
Solferino: Making their move
for a better world
by Rosemarie North
26
June - Five hundred youth from 149 countries at the third Red Cross Red
Crescent world youth meeting Solferino in
Hadhya Al Zawm,
a volunteer co-ordinator in the Yemen Red Crescent
Society, said she was inspired by the Red Cross Red Crescent’s global values of
humanity, independence, neutrality, impartiality, voluntary action,
universality and unity. “I am here to meet our other brothers and sisters in
the Movement. It was my dream to be here and to participate with
other youth. And not to see not only in
http://www.ifrc.org/Docs/News/09/09062603/index.asp
A Free online University, courtesy of the UN
by Jason Williams
24
June - (…) The UN Global Alliance for Information and Communication Technology
and Development introduced the University of the People, or UoPeople
this spring, when classes began in April. The university will charge an admission
fee only - $15 to $50 (depending on the country of origin) - and places
students in classes of 20 for two majors: computer science and business
administration. The university will not confer degrees. For now, the goal is to
provide students a chance to continue their education without physical or
financial restrictions. Similar to traditional universities, UoPeople holds online courses over fall and spring academic
semesters. The first semester begins this fall and consists of two sessions; enrollment began April 27 for classes that run from Sep. 9
through Jan. 20. Registration for spring semester begins Jan. 21. (…)
UofPeople is a prime example of
how the UN is carrying out its mission of equality and education through the
Internet and new-media communications. Besides the UN, nongovernmental
organizations like UNA are increasingly using communication technologies to
improve outreach and exposure. UNA-USA, for example, has begun to formally
switch gears from a print-based approach to an online and interactive move to
communicate its activities to members and the diplomatic community. (…)
http://www.unausa.org/Page.aspx?pid=1331
Afghan children heading to school despite attacks
by Giselle Chang
24
June - Despite the ongoing violence in
In
an e-mail message to UNA-USA, Falzul Haque, chief of education at the Unicef office in
Haque added that 3,724 community-based
schools have been established in remote rural areas for more than 160,000
children who were previously not in school and the majority of which are girls.
Unicef has helped about
100,000 teachers receive training on pedagogy and has developed new curriculums and textbooks for students. Unicef
also reported that almost 3,500 former child soldiers in
Although
progress has been made in spreading literacy and offering health care in
http://www.unausa.org/Page.aspx?pid=1323
2010
European Union Prize for Cultural Heritage / Europa
Nostra Awards
The awards celebrate exemplary
restorations and initiatives of the many facets of
Information:
Elena Bianchi, Europa Nostra Heritage
Awards Coordinator: eb@europanostra.org
Entry Forms now available at www.europanostra.org
Europa
Nostra represents some 250 non-governmental organisations, 150 associate
organisations and 1500 individual members from more than 50 countries who are
fully committed to safeguarding
CO2 Offset: FEE´s CO2 Compensation Fund
The CO2 Fund
will support environmental education activities.
The funding
derived from CO2 compensation will be entered into a CO2 Fund administrated by
the International Learning about Forests (LEAF) Coordination.
Schools
involved in the environmental education programmes of
FEE (LEAF, Eco-Schools and YRE) can through their national coordinator apply
for funding from the CO2 Fund for planting of trees. The tree planting must be
combined with environmental education activities. Schools from countries
outside the FEE network can also apply for funding from the CO2 Fund and a
national NGO must apply on behalf of the school. (...)
http://www.fee-international.org/en/Menu/CO2+Offset
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Anti-crisis global measure: increase awareness that
what many do for a better future is already changing
the world.
In a
global perspective: as wars decrease, peace culture and human rights spread
By Michele Dotti
It is
true that a lot still needs to be done but it is not
correct to maintain that things are getting worse and worse. Such an attitude
could lead to a perilous sense of impotence, which represents the first step to
resignation and inertia: paradoxical feelings at a moment when the possibility
of reaching meaningful results for humanity is truly possible, results which
were unimaginable even for the generation of our grandparents.
Wars
decrease - From the end of the Cold War until today world conflicts have diminished
by 41%. This is one of the most astonishing findings of the Human Security
Report, a piece of research carried out by the
“Furthermore, starting from
the ‘90s, thanks to the strong pressure of western public opinion, the idea of
a humanitarian “right of intervention” in local conflicts, in order to avoid
violence against civilians, has emerged among several UN Member States. This
has led to a widening of UN involvement, resulting in a 40% drop in civil wars
worldwide from the ‘90s up to the present day. Moreover, in the last fifteen
years more internal conflicts have been solved diplomatically than in the last
two centuries.” (from Italy-UN: 50 Years,
a dossier issued by the Press and Information Office of the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs, Ed. Voices, Milan, February 2006).
Peace
culture spreads - But the most important thing, in my opinion, is the
fact that lately, though not without difficulties and impediments, a culture of peace has gained ground,
which is imposing also for war a taboo
like that established
over the centuries for slavery, pedophilia, incest and crimes of
passion. If we study the language related to wars, we easily realize that we have
gone from “holy” wars, that is wars blessed by God and therefore indisputable, to
“just” wars, that is wars still made legitimate but in this case by earthly justice, to “humanitarian wars”, which are no longer even founded
on justice but only on human pity, with a progressive regular decrease in considering
legitimate the use of military force. Nowadays not only have such adjectives
disappeared but the mere word “war” has become embarrassing for politicians on
all sides to pronounce and in fact they prefer to use different expressions and
talk about “peace missions”, often without any supporting evidence. What has
changed and keeps on changing is the collective idea, which now largely refuses war as an instrument for resolving conflicts and
has understood that it is of no benefit to anyone except arms dealers.
Human
rights extended - Furthermore, according to the findings of the Human
Security Report, the research carried out by the
Nevertheless this does not
mean that significant
and complementary contributions cannot come from the various
cultures to the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights. A very interesting
example is represented by the African Charter of the Rights of Peoples, which
draws attention not only to individual rights but also to collective ones. It
was adopted by the Organization for African Unity (OAU) in 1981 and became
effective in 1986, when 35 out of 50 OAU Member States ratified it. As of
January 2004, 53 nations had adhered to it, that is
all the States belonging to the African Union. The Charter, which protects
human rights in the territory of
(Extract
from the book “It is not true that
everything gets worse” written by Michele Dotti
and Jacopo Fo, published by
EMI 2008. The English version of the book is being prepared by the author. Translation by Angela Lombardi.)
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Good News Agency is
published in English on one Friday and in Italian the next. Past issues
are available at www.goodnewsagency.org
.
Managing Editor: Sergio Tripi,
Ph.D. Editorial research by Fabio Gatti, Maria Grazia Da Damos, Arianna
Cavallo, Azzurra Cianchetta. Editorial Secretary: Maria Grazia
Da Damos.
Good News Agency is distributed free of charge through Internet to 6,000 editorial offices of the daily newspapers and periodical magazines and of the radio and television stations with an e-mail address in 49 countries: Albania, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Bosnia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Costa Rica, Croatia, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Holland, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Lebanon, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, Portugal, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, Uruguay, Venezuela, USA. It is also distributed free of charge to 2,800 NGOs and 500 high schools, colleges and universities.
It is an all-volunteer service of Associazione Culturale dei Triangoli e della Buona Volontà
Mondiale, a registered educational charity
chartered in Italy in 1979 The Association operates for the development of
consciousness and promotes a culture of peace in the ‘global village’
perspective based on unity in diversity and on sharing. It is based in Via Antagora 10, 00124