Good News Agency – Year X, n° 170
Weekly – Year X, number 170 – 9th
April 2010
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 10,000
media and editorial journalists in 54 countries and to 3,000 NGOs and 1,700
high schools, colleges and universities. It is an all-volunteer
service of Associazione Culturale
dei Triangoli e della Buona
Volontà Mondiale, an
educational charity 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 is a
member of the World Association of Non Governmental Organizations.
International
legislation – Human rights – Economy
and development
– Solidarity
Peace and security – Health – Energy and Safety – Environment and wildlife
Religion and spirituality – Culture and education
UNESCO,
ILO and UNICEF welcome Right to Education Act
“Tens of millions of children
will benefit from this initiative ensuring quality education with equity,” said
Karin Hulshof, UNICEF Representative in
There are an estimated eight
million Indian children and young people between the ages of six to 14 out-of-school, the majority of whom are girls. Without
RTE provides a platform to
reach the unreached, with specific provisions for
disadvantaged groups, such as child labourers,
migrant children, children with special needs, or those who have a “disadvantage
owing to social, cultural, economical, geographical, linguistic, gender or such
other factor.” (...)
http://www.unicef.org/media/media_53230.html
Renewed
impetus for food security: the EU tackles hunger in developing countries
http://europa-eu-un.org/articles/en/article_9639_en.htm
UNFCCC
publishes reports summing up results of 2009 UN Climate Change Conference in
The reports detail the outcomes
of the UNFCCC Conference of the Parties at its 15th session (COP 15) and of the
Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto
Protocol on its fifth session (CMP 5). Each report is in two parts: one on
formal proceedings and one on the decisions adopted by the relevant body. The
reports can be found on the <unfccc.int> web
site at: http://unfccc.int/5257.php.
Since the closing of the UN
Climate Change Conference in
41 industrialised
countries have formally communicated their economy-wide targets to the
UNFCCC.
35 developing countries have
communicated information on the nationally appropriate mitigation actions they
are planning to take, provided they receive the appropriate support in terms of
finance and technology. These communications can be found on the <unfccc.int> web site at: http://unfccc.int/5265.php. (...)
24 March - Bangladesh has
become the first South Asian country to ratify the pact that established the
International Criminal Court (ICC) and gave it a mandate for trying people
accused of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.
The Bangladeshi Government
ratified the 1998 Rome Statute yesterday, according to a press release issued
by the ICC in
The court’s President, Judge
Sang-Hyun Song, noted that
The ICC is currently investigating
events in four countries or regions:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=34176&Cr=international+criminal&Cr1=
Ban
stresses promotion of human rights on visit to
2 April - Secretary-General
Ban Ki-moon on Friday called on authorities in
ICC
Prosecutor welcomes decision to move forward with
1 April - The Prosecutor of
the International Criminal Court (ICC) today welcomed the body’s decision to
grant his request to investigate alleged crimes against humanity committed in
the wake of disputed Kenyan elections two years ago, and said he expects at
least two cases to result from the probe. Last November, prosecutor Luis
Moreno-Ocampo sought authorization to open an
investigation into the violence - claiming 1,000 lives and uprooting more than
300,000 others - that erupted after the disputed December 2007 polls in which
President Mwai Kibaki was
declared winner over opposition leader Raila Odinga, who is now Prime Minister. (...) Mr. Moreno-Ocampo underscored the need to protect witnesses, which the
ICC will do “independently.” But he also emphasized that it is the
responsibility of Kenyan authorities to “ensure that all those who speak in favour of justice are duly protected.” (...)
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=34264&Cr=kenya&Cr1=
CWLA
marks child abuse prevention month by rallying support for White House
Conference on Children and Youth; the first in 40 years
Arlingrton, VA, 1 April - The
Child Welfare League of America (CWLA), the nation’s largest and oldest
membership-based child welfare nonprofit, is marking April’s National Child
Abuse Prevention Month by campaigning to have a White House Conference on
Children and Youth. The last such conference was held in 1970. (...)
A White House Conference on
Children and Youth will be a two-year process that culminates in a national
event that brings together stakeholders in communities across the nation to seek
solutions for the most pressing issues confronting children. Such a conference
would examine the latest research and numbers, setting policy and reform
recommendations to protect children into the next decade. For the Conference to
become a reality, the President and Congress will have to act on legislation
(HR 618 & S 938). Incredibly effective policy has come from past White
House Conferences on Children, which convene child welfare experts from around
the nation. (…)
http://www.cwla.org/newsevents/news201041abusemonth.htm
31 March - Amnesty International
has welcomed a decision by the Philippine government to implement a United
Nations (UN) Security Council resolution, which aims to ensure the protection
of women’s rights during armed conflict and post-conflict situations. The
Philippine government launched the National Action Plan (NAP) on Women Peace
and Security in
The
http://www.hrea.org/index.php?base_id=2&language_id=1&headline_id=11100
EU
Commission strengthens the fight against trafficking in human beings
The Commission today proposed
EU rules that would oblige EU Member States to act on the three fronts of
prosecuting criminals responsible for trafficking human beings, protecting the
victims and preventing the offences. The Commission will also soon take steps
to appoint an EU “Anti-Trafficking Co-ordinator to
make the EU anti-trafficking policy more efficient, visible and coherent,
including in relation to addressing root causes and working with third
countries. (...)
UNESCO
supports Namibian participation in conference on gender in media education
“Setting
things right towards gender equality and equity”
UNESCO supports this
participation as its contribution to gender perspectives promoted through
journalism education, and in line with the UN Joint Gender and Development Programme entitled “Setting things right towards gender
equality and equity”. (...)
The Southern African
Development Community (SADC) Protocol on Gender and Development, signed and
adopted by SADC Heads of States in August 2008, calls “to ensure that gender is
mainstreamed in all information, communication and media policies, programmes, laws and training”. The regional conference in
http://portal.unesco.org/ci/en/ev.php-URL_ID=29718&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html
28
million USD closing for first Private Equity Fund targeting small and medium
sized enterprises in Angola
– European Investment Bank
to provide 6 million USD for fund
29 March - Fundo
de Investimento Privado
EIB Vice-President Plutarchos Sakellaris,
responsible for Africa, Caribbean and the Pacific, said: “We are pleased to
work closely with FIPA to enhance equity finance available for Angolan small
and medium sized companies, a crucial issue for companies across
The investors in FIPA are: the
European Investment Bank (EIB), Danish International Investment Funds (IFU), Banco Privado Atlântico
(BPA), Banco Africano de Investimentos (BAI) and Norfund.
(...)http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=BEI/10/54&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en
South-South
Cooperation accord signed at FAO
The activities, which involve
irrigation for rice growing and horticulture, increased cereals production, artisanal fishing, bee-keeping and food processing, are
part of Chad’s five-year, $200 million National Programme
for Food Security, which FAO helped design. Fifteen Vietnamese experts and
technicians will help
http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/40998/icode/
President
Clinton to host third
Special
programming to focus on moving forward in
http://press.clintonglobalinitiative.org/index.php?s=43&item=82
This project brings to an end
a vast programme launched in 2000 by the ICRC
delegation in
http://www.icrc.org/web/eng/siteeng0.nsf/html/rwanda-news-250310
P4P
breaks new ground in
Source: United Nations World
Food Programme (WFP)
15 March - The Koinadugu Women’s Vegetable Farmers’ Cooperative delivered
the first consignment of rice ever purchased by WFP in
For the Koinadugu
Women’s Vegetable Farmers’ Cooperative, which represents 750 women, the contract
to supply rice to WFP at a cost of US$560 per metric ton was a major
breakthrough. “P4P has given us an income that allows us to expand our
production, educate our children and take care of the needs of our families”,
said Haja Marah chairwoman
of the Koinadugu Women’s Vegetable Farmers’
Cooperative.
http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900SID/EGUA-83KP6S?OpenDocument
EU
pledges over 1.2 billion euros at International Donors’ Conference ‘Towards a
New Future for
Brussels, 30 March - EU High
Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Commission
Vice-President, Catherine Ashton along with Commissioner for Development, Andris Piebalgs and Commissioner
for International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response, Kristalina Georgieva will attend
the ministerial-level International Donors’ Conference “Towards a New Future
for Haiti” that will take place on March 31 at the UN Headquarters in New York.
The Conference will be co-chaired by
Caritas
reinforcing communities one year after
30 March - Caritas has
completed major rebuilding projects in the central Italian town of
The 6.3 magnitude earthquake
on 6th April 2009 left over 66,000 people homeless and 308 people dead. Not
only did historical buildings collapse, but also ones recently built structures
such as schools and the local hospital. (...) Over the past year Caritas has
built three schools, five community centres and other
buildings that will benefit the community and parishes. Caritas is also
constructing accommodation to re-house those made homeless during the
earthquake. There is a particular focus on helping the elderly, children,
immigrants, families in difficulty and people with mental health issues. Apart
from rebuilding communities, Caritas’ long-term goal in
http://www.caritas.org/newsroom/press_releases/PressRelease30_03_10b.html
ADRA
set to provide water access to flood affected southeastern
The project aims to help 6,000
families affected by the recent flooding, and is being implemented by ADRA with
funding worth $50,000 from the United States Agency for International
Development’s Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA). Project
partners include Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and the Land O’Lakes International Development Division, two entities
already working with ADRA to improve food access in the region. (...)
This assistance follows heavy
rains and flooding that isolated several communities and caused widespread
damage affecting some 32,000 people in the region. (...)
http://www.adra.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=10873&security=1&news_iv_ctrl=1141
Interactors
build homes, dreams for
By Ryan Hyland
Rotary International News, 29
March - The Interact Club of
Through Project Mercy, Interactors have built 11 homes for families in the last
three years. A group of about 15 to 20 Interactors,
parents, and Rotarians can build a home in one day. Interactors
raise $3,500 per home through school fundraising activities and Rotarian
contributions. Project Mercy works with communities to identify needy families,
many of whom live in flimsy shacks with dirt floors and tarp roofs. The
organization hires local construction workers to pour concrete foundations, then brings in volunteers to build the homes.
The project is just one of
five stories highlighted on the new Interact promotional DVD, Interact: Make a
Difference, designed to inspire young people to join Interact and to motivate
Rotarians to sponsor a club in their community. (...)
http://www.rotary.org/en/MediaAndNews/News/Pages/100329_news_interactpromo.aspx
ICRC
in action: two of its African projects
Abidjan, 29 March (ICRC) - The
International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), in cooperation with the Red
Cross Society of Côte d’Ivoire, is mounting an aid operation from 29 March to 1
April for some 15,000 people in the Moyen-Cavally
area near the border with Liberia. It is distributing 50 tonnes
of rice seed, 25 tonnes of corn seed and 2,500 hoes
in 37 villages in the departments of Toulepleu, Bloléquin and Duékoué. Those
receiving the aid are mainly people who had been displaced but returned to
their homes after February 2009 and are now unable to meet their basic needs.
Aid is also being distributed to the host families accommodating them, to widows
and to people made vulnerable by the crisis. (…)
http://www.icrc.org/web/eng/siteeng0.nsf/html/cote-d-ivoire-news-290310
http://www.icrc.org/web/eng/siteeng0.nsf/html/niger-news-190310
Aid
reaches 200,000 families as
29 March - Essential aid from
Caritas has reached 200,000 families in
Caritas Argentina is
supporting a special sports event, bringing together some of the continent’s
most famous soccer stars, in particular the captain of Chile’s national team Iván Zamorano, in a charity match
on March 29. (...)
http://www.caritas.org/newsroom/press_releases/PressRelease29_03_10.html
CARE:
Quick work on water has prevented disease after
On the occasion of World Water
Day, CARE is emphasizing the crucial need for safe drinking water in the
aftermath of major emergencies like the January 12 quake.
“We are relieved that there
have been no large-scale reports of diseases, such as cholera, that are
frequently a risk after major disasters,” said Sophie Perez, CARE Haiti country
director. “Our work providing safe water, sanitary facilities, and hygiene
supplies, and our outreach to the public promoting good hygiene practices, has
been largely successful in this regard.” (...)
http://www.care.org/newsroom/articles/2010/03/haiti-world-water-day-sanitation-20100322.asp
Caritas
inaugurates
18 March - Caritas has
inaugurated 78 houses in Pisco, as part of its
rebuilding programme following
http://www.caritas.org/newsroom/press_releases/PressRelease18_03_10.html
WFP
airlifts food to thousands of Congolese refugees
Brazzaville, 12 March - The
United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) today
started to airlift urgent food assistance from Pointe Noire to Impfondo in Likouala province to reach
tens of thousands of Congolese refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo
(DRC) who have moved into northern Republic of Congo (RoC).
“Getting regular food supplies
to such a remote area has been a major logistical challenge, and we had no
other resort than to start airlifts from Pointe Noire to beef up our food
stocks,” said Alix Loriston,
WFP Representative in the
More than 120,000 Congolese
have fled violent clashes in the DRC since October last year and crossed the
river westwards into the
The airlift will allow WFP to
replenish food stocks with 600 metric tons of maize, pulses and salt, enough to
distribute emergency rations for two weeks to some 100,000 refugees. (...)
http://www.wfp.org/news/news-release/wfp-airlifts-food-thousands-congolese-refugees
The
New START Treaty and Protocol
Posted by
Earlier today, President Obama and President Medvedev of
Read the Treaty (pdf) - Read the Protocol (pdf)
After signing these documents,
both presidents gave remarks and answered questions. Read the full transcript, video will be posted here later
today. An excerpt of President Obama's opening remarks is below:
Finally, this day demonstrates
the determination of the
While the New START treaty is
an important first step forward, it is just one step on a longer journey. As I said last year in
http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2010/04/08/new-start-treaty-and-protocol
International
Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action - 4 April
On 8 December 2005, the
General Assembly declared that 4 April of each year shall be officially proclaimed
and observed as the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine
Action (A/RES/60/97).
It called for continued
efforts by States, with the assistance of the United Nations and relevant
organizations, to foster the establishment and development of national
mine-action capacities in countries where mines and explosive remnants of war
constitute a serious threat to the safety, health and lives of the civilian
population, or an impediment to social and economic development at the national
and local levels.
http://www.un.org/en/events/mineawarenessday/
1 April - MAG
With funding from the Irish
Government, MAG has cleared and released more than
http://www.maginternational.org/news/iraq-mag-releases-land-benefitting-thousands/
1 April - From high-level
political meetings to workshops and sporting events, the United Nations mission
in
UNOCI is “following very
closely” consultations between Côte d’Ivoire’s President, Laurent Gbagbo, and President Blaise Compaoré of Burkina Faso, the African mediator in the
crisis that began in 2002 when civil war divided the country into a rebel-held
north and Government-controlled south, mission spokesman Hamadoun
Touré said today. (…) “All these initiatives have the
same objective, revolving around three major principles: maintaining peace and
security, preserving the achievements made so far including the provisional
electoral list, and producing the definitive electoral list as soon as
possible,” UNOCI said in a news release.
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=34269&Cr=ivoire&Cr1=
Noting
progress, Ban encourages Cypriot leaders to continue efforts to end dispute
30 March - Secretary-General
Ban Ki-moon today welcomed the progress achieved by
the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders in their United Nations-backed
reunification talks and encouraged them to continue
working towards a solution that takes into account the legitimate rights and
concerns of both sides. (...) In their joint statement, which was read out on
their behalf by the Secretary-General’s Special Adviser for Cyprus, Alexander
Downer, after the latest round of talks in Nicosia, the leaders said important
progress in the areas of governance and power-sharing, European Union (EU)
matters and the economy has been achieved recently. (...)
They stated that they were
convinced that their “mutual concern for the common good of the Greek Cypriots
and the Turkish Cypriots” and their will for a “comprehensive solution” will
soon lead to an exhaustive discussion of the remaining aspects of the problem
and the gaps between their positions to achieve a mutually acceptable solution
that will be put to simultaneous referenda. (…)
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=34241&Cr=Cyprus&Cr1=
More
than 110,000 explosive devices destroyed in
29 March - The United
Nations-supported mine action centre in
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=34236&Cr=afghan&Cr1=
UN hails milestone as Timorese
police celebrate tenth anniversary
29 March - The National Police of Timor-Leste
(PNTL), which was set up by the United Nations in the wake of the country’s
vote for independence, has celebrated its 10th anniversary, making it one of
the oldest institutions in the fledgling South-East Asian nation.
Parades and activities were held in the capital, Dili,
on Saturday to mark the first decade of existence of the PNTL, established on
27 March 2000 by the UN Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET), set
up to assist the country during its transition to independence in 1999.
“The continued development of the professionalism of the national police
service is an essential element to a peaceful, stable Timor-Leste,
where citizens can have trust in the rule of law,” Ameerah
Haq, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative,
said, following a ceremony attended by Government officials and diplomats.
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=34229&Cr=Timor&Cr1=
10
Years: it wasn’t always so
25 March - To be sure, a great
deal has been achieved: Since 2000, 39 armed non-State actors on three
continents have pledged not to use anti-personnel mines. In its 10 years of
activity, Geneva Call has gone from non governmental outlier to a respected
partner of many of the actors who work in the area of the protection of
civilians caught up in conflict. It has extended its operations towards
non-State actors and the protection of women, and children in armed conflict.
It wasn’t always so. In the
beginning, Geneva Call’s proposal was met with disbelief in some quarters. The
international community was skeptical. (...)
Events on the ground quickly
proved that Geneva Call was on the right path. The Moro Islamic Liberation
Front from the
http://www.genevacall.org/10-years/10-years.pdf
Cooperation
between ITF and Demining Fund of
22 March - The International
Trust Fund for Demining and Mine Victim Assistance
(ITF) and Vukovar Srijem
County Demining Fund signed on 22 March 2010 yet
another Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in the
amount of 1,5 million Croatian kunas.
(...) This year’s donation will be matched with funds provided by the
http://www.itf-fund.si/news/news.asp#m303
The Italian Government,
through the Cooperation Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, acted
resolutely and pragmatically by funding urgent demining
activities. A contribution of 3 Million of Euros has been granted to the United
Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) in order to clear the most affected areas
in
17 March - The top United
Nations drug and crime official and Guatemalan President Alvaro Colom oversaw the destruction of some 6,000 illegal
firearms today at the launch of a national programme
to fight organized crime in a country that has a gun for every 10 people. (...)
The three-year programme – worth $16 million – is designed to strengthen
Guatemala’s capacity in the areas of criminal justice, police reform,
anti-corruption, firearms control, prison reform, cybercrime,
and human trafficking. (...) As part of the programme,
UNODC will establish a Centre of Excellence on Organized Crime in
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=34115&Cr=drugs&Cr1=
Progress
for Rotary's US$200 Million Challenge for polio eradication
Rotary International News, 8
April - As of 31 March, Rotarians have raised about $117.5 million for Rotary's
US$200 Million
Challenge. These contributions will help Rotary raise $200 million to match
$355 million in challenge grants received from the Bill & Melinda Gates
Foundation. The resulting $555 million will directly support immunization
campaigns in developing countries, where polio continues to infect and paralyze
children, robbing them of their futures and compounding the hardships faced by
their families.
As long as polio threatens
even one child anywhere in the world, children everywhere remain at risk. The
stakes are that high.
ADRA
improves health and nutrition for women in tsunami-ravaged Sri Lankan
communities
Silver Spring, Md., USA, 30
March - In southern Sri Lanka, where many tsunami-affected communities have
made significant strides toward finding long-term stability, the Adventist
Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) is implementing a new project that is
helping women improve their health and nutrition, as well as that of their
future children.
Through the Health and
Nutrition Assistance (HANA) project, which is being implemented in the Hambantota District, ADRA is teaching 500 women of child-bearing
age ways to better care for themselves and their families through improved
nutrition, health care and sanitation, prenatal care, breastfeeding, and early
childhood development. (...)
In addition, ADRA has also
renovated various community centers within the targeted areas, providing
furniture and other basic equipment to give women a safe place where they can
visit and share information, have access to monthly medical care for themselves
and their children, and attend nutrition sessions and cooking demonstrations.
(...)
http://www.adra.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=10877&security=1&news_iv_ctrl=1141
Psychological
support remains vital one month after
26 March - As Chilean Red
Cross relief distributions to families affected by the massive earthquake that
struck central
The 14-member psychological
support team provided by the Spanish Red Cross, supported by staff from the Red
Cross Societies of Colombia, Ecuador and Nicaragua, as well as by Chilean Red
Cross volunteers, have treated nearly 1,700 adults and children since the
disaster. They are working in the region of Maule,
and in
http://www.ifrc.org/docs/news/pr10/2110.asp
26 March - Ten weeks after the
January 12 earthquake that left up to 300,000 people injured, medical needs
remain immense in
In recent weeks, more than 200
patients have been referred to MSF medical facilities by other medical teams
leaving the country. MSF is also focusing on primary health care, with the
opening of new out-patient departments and the creation of additional capacity
for secondary health services, including emergency obstetrics, intensive care
for malnourished children, and inpatient care for paediatrics
and adults. (...)
Improving
care for TB patients, Wardher, Somali
25 March - (...) To date, MSF
outreach teams have extended health care to five health posts in nearby
villages, along with referring TB patients from the new MSF/BoH
health centre in nearby Galadi. There remain,
however, many people in the wider Wardher area who do
not have access to such care. Although the Somali Region has the least TB case
detection rates in the country, the TB incidence rates is suspected to be high;
yet another reason why increased assistance and unfettered access by medical
providers is crucial if lives are to be saved.
MSF has a long experience of
implementing TB projects in Somali Region (Jijiga, Gode and Afder zones). At the
national level, MSF is also involved in the technical working group for multi
drug resistant-tuberculosis (MDR-TB) led by the National TB Program which
developed “The National Guideline and Strategy for MDR-TB”. MSF has worked in Wardher, Somali region,
24 March - (...) Research
shows that earthquakes increase the rates of mental health problems in the
communities they strike. (...) Art therapy services were found to be
instrumental in accessing the children’s internal processes and helping them
return to normal functioning.
For the Haiti Healing Arts
Program, ICAF will train and send groups of art therapists to Port au Prince
starting in May 2010. Severe cases will be identified for psychological
treatment, and the program results will be independently evaluated. (...) The
program will continue throughout 2010 and beyond, if the necessary funding
becomes available. (...)
ICAF’s program partners
include the Center for Rebuilding Sustainable Communities after Disasters (
See also:
Breathing
Lessons - Path to a cure
By Emma Carew
24 March - At
The organization represents
more than 10,000 patients, family members, and medical professionals and has an
annual budget that was nearly $8-million last year, Ms. Dern
says. Because the disease is fairly rare, Ms. Dern
says the organization relies heavily on word-of-mouth and the personal stories
of its patients to build awareness. Last year, the charity received
contributions from 13,000 donors.
http://philanthropy.com/article/Breathing-Lessons/64720/
Psychosocial
support, one more step towards normality in
By Enrique Santo in
22 March - (…) The
According to José Luis Camisón Sánchez, member of the
psychosocial support ERU, “this project is based on preparing teachers and
caretakers with basic tools to respond to any traumatic experiences that the
children may have had, and help them recover. This allows the affected
community to participate in its own psychological recovery.” (...) The Spanish
Red Cross psychosocial support ERU sent to
http://www.ifrc.org/Docs/News/10/10032204/index.asp
(top)
7 April - Only a short time
ago the idea of wind turbines becoming an integral part of residential tower construction would
have been relegated to the overly imaginative realm of science fiction.
Yet soon in southeast
Commonly called the Electric
Razor because of its futuristic design, the skyscraper’s real name is the
The iconic building cost about
€130 million and is expected to house more than 1,000 people in 408 homes. Its
successful completion will also prompt developers to speed up their efforts to
become more eco-friendly while complying with British regulations requiring all
new structures to be zero-carbon by 2019. (...)
By Chris Rose, EWEA
1 April - The expanding
European offshore wind sector is once again the recipient of exciting news,
this time in the form of planned market investments and new government policies
designed to help the marine-based industry prosper, create thousands of
well-paying jobs and harnessing increasing amounts of green electricity. On
Monday, Siemens Energy announced it anticipates investments in the “high
double-digit million range” for a new production plant it intends to build in
In making its announcement,
the company also said the new plant would create more than 700 new jobs. (...)
The company said it was confident that the British offshore wind sector will
grow significantly in the future and it is reviewing possible sites for the
production plant on
The announcement follows news
from GE a week earlier that it plans a major offshore wind expansion with a
€340 million investment in manufacturing, engineering and service facilities in
EIB
supports
Moscow/Luxembourg, 26 March -
The European Investment Bank (EIB) is lending EUR 250 million to Russian
company Enel OGK-5 to finance the upgrading of a gas
fired power plant located in Nevinnomyssk,
Through its loan to Enel’s Russian operations, EIB therefore supports European
Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in
Renewable
energy agency and UNOPS to work together
Mandated by governments
worldwide, IRENA's mission is to promote the
widespread and increased adoption and sustainable use of all forms of renewable
energy. With the global population projected to reach 10 billion in 2050,
abundant renewable energy sources worldwide can make a significant contribution
to the world’s growing demand for energy. IRENA was officially established in
http://www.unops.org/english/whatwedo/news/Pages/Renewable-energy-agency-UNOPS-work-together.aspx
Obama
Administration finalizes move to limit climate change caused by autos
Standards
will make cars cleaner, cut dependence on foreign oil
The final rule on these
tailpipe emissions standards, released today by the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) in tandem with the Department of Transportation’s rule
on corporate average fuel economy standards, will make cars and trucks cleaner,
greener, and less costly to fill at the pump. The standards are expected to cut
global warming pollution from these vehicles by 21 percent and produce net
benefits of $190 billion.
It is the last step in a
process initiated by President Obama in May 2009,
when he announced that, in response to the country’s critical need to address
global climate change and to reduce oil consumption, his administration would
set new requirements for light-duty vehicles that will reduce greenhouse gas
emissions and improve fuel economy. This process required a series of intense
negotiations and discussions with automakers and ultimately ended with their
signoff and endorsement. (...)
New
funding will create jobs and accelerate cleanup efforts
These projects and the new
funding are managed by the Department’s Office of Environmental Management,
which is responsible for the risk reduction and cleanup of the environmental
legacy from the nation’s nuclear weapons program, one of the largest, most
diverse and technically complex environmental programs in the world.
http://www.energy.gov/news2009/6899.htm
Smart
Water for Green Schools breaks ground in
25 March - The Smart Water for
Green Schools project at the
Holy
Land: Greek-Catholic Church, a prayer for peace and reconciliation
7 April - On April 10th, the
Church of the Annunciation of the Catholic Melkite
Greek Patriarchate in
From
In an
Easter message, more than 60 South African church leaders and Christian, Jewish
and Muslim lay theologians have conveyed their solidarity with Palestinian
Christians in their Kairos call.
1 April - Recognizing
Palestinian Christian “history of keeping the faith in the
http://www.oikoumene.org/en/news/news-management/eng/a/article/1634/from-south-africa-to-pale.html
29 March - (...) While much ink has been spilled about
Anand Krishna, a
prominent author and interfaith activist, recently wrote in the Journal
of Inter-Religious Dialogue of his conceptualization of inter-religious work and
the potential for
http://www.tikkun.org/tikkundaily/2010/03/29/indonesia-emerging-leader-in-inter-religious-diplomacy/
European
Commission, Europa Nostra - European Heritage Awards
2010
Celebrating
Excellence -
The awards will be presented
during the 8th Annual European Heritage Awards Ceremony, taking place in Aya Irini in
The Awards celebrate not only
outstanding initiatives, conservation projects, research, and education
successes within
Among the 29 selected winners
of the European Union Prize for Cultural Heritage / Europa
Nostra Awards, 6 Grand Prix winners will be announced at the European Heritage
Awards Ceremony on 10 June in
Register now for the Annual Congress: www.europanostra.org/istanbul
Improving
care for TB patients, Wardher, Somali
25 March - (...) To date, MSF outreach
teams have extended health care to five health posts in nearby villages, along
with referring TB patients from the new MSF/BoH
health centre in nearby Galadi. There remain,
however, many people in the wider Wardher area who do
not have access to such care. Although the Somali Region has the least TB case
detection rates in the country, the TB incidence rates is suspected to be high;
yet another reason why increased assistance and unfettered access by medical
providers is crucial if lives are to be saved. MSF has a long experience of
implementing TB projects in Somali Region (Jijiga, Gode and Afder zones). At the
national level, MSF is also involved in the technical working group for multi
drug resistant-tuberculosis (MDR-TB) led by the National TB Program which
developed “The National Guideline and Strategy for MDR-TB”. MSF has worked in Wardher, Somali region,
30 March - The United Nations
Mission in
The programmes
are produced in simple Arabic. (...) Radio drama is considered an effective way
of promoting debate on sensitive social and political issues in a compelling
way, while also reaching populations with low literacy rates and who have
limited access to information because they live in remote areas. (…)
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=34246&Cr=sudan&Cr1=
EDC
breaks ground on new radio station in
The studios and transmitter
being built in
Education Development Center,
Inc. (EDC), is a global nonprofit organization that
addresses some of the world’s most urgent challenges in education, health, and
economic development. EDC manages 350 projects in 35 countries.
http://www.edc.org/newsroom/press_releases/edc_breaks_ground_new_radio_station_sudan
Three
education institutions win new prize for boosting effectiveness of teachers
24 March - Education
institutions in
Green
Cross International engages youth to work towards a more secure future
23 March - At the fifth annual
European Global Issues Network (GIN) conference for over 400 students from
around the world, Green Cross International’s (GCI) Value Change Programme organised two workshops
designed to engage students on environmental issues. Hosted by Earth Focus and
the International School of Geneva, the Conference was held 21-23 March in
The mission of the Global
Issues Network is to help students realise they can
make a difference by empowering them with knowledge on the current issues,
while creating an international platform to develop solutions for global
issues. Other GIN conferences will be held this year in Africa, Asia and the
World
Book and Copyright Day, 23 April
23 April is a symbolic date
for world literature for on this date in 1616, Cervantes, Shakespeare and Inca Garcilaso de
It was a natural choice for
UNESCO's General Conference, held in Paris in 1995, to pay a world-wide tribute
to books and authors on this date, encouraging everyone, and in particular
young people, to discover the pleasure of reading and gain a renewed respect
for the irreplaceable contributions of those who have furthered the social and
cultural progress of humanity. In this respect, UNESCO created both the World
Book and Copyright Day and the UNESCO Prize for Children's and Young People's
Literature in the Service of Tolerance.
http://www.un.org/Depts/dhl/book/index.html
IRFF’s
Discover True Friendship Service Tour - July 7 – 19, San José,
Building
a Culture of Service and Peace
IRFF’s Discover True
Friendship Service Tour is an experiential learning program that brings young
men and women to a developing country to work on a service project, learn about
the challenges facing the people of that country, and experience its culture
and customs firsthand.
This year, IRFF is working
with the Fundación Luz Para Las Naciones
(the Light for the Nations Foundation), a Costa Rican organization that serves
needy children and families outside the capital city of San José, to renovate
the facilities of their dining and community centers.
In a world divided by
religion, race, nationality and language, this is your opportunity to create
understanding and friendships with our brothers and sisters of other countries
and cultures in a way that will change your life, as well as theirs. Be a part
of bridging these differences. (...)
http://www.irff.org/areaofinvolvement/ifst/costarica/intro.html
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