Good News Agency
Weekly – year 12th, number 202 – 18th
May 2012
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 1,600 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.
In the final report of the Decade
for a Culture of Peace project (2001-2010) presented to the UN General
Assembly, Good News Agency is included among the three NGOs that have been
playing a major role in the field of Information via Internet*.
International
legislation – Human rights – Economy
and development
– Solidarity
Peace and
security – Health – Energy and Safety – Environment and
wildlife
Religion and spirituality – Culture and education
International legislation
(top)
Ban praises Algerian elections and greater
representation of women
New
York, May 14 - Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today congratulated the people and
the Government of Algeria for the peaceful conduct of legislative elections
last week, and welcomed the increased representation of women in the new
parliament, according to his spokesperson.
The
Secretary-General had, at the request of the Algerian Government, sent a
High-Level Panel to the North African country to observe the electoral process
involved in choosing members of its People’s National Assembly and keep him
abreast of developments.
The
spokesperson said Mr. Ban reiterated the continued commitment of the United
Nations to support Algeria’s efforts to achieve socio-economic development and
democratic reforms.
Countries adopt global guidelines on land tenure
Historic international agreement on how tenure and
access rights to land, fisheries, forests should be handled
11
May, Rome - In a landmark decision the Committee on World Food Security (CFS)
today endorsed a set of far-reaching global guidelines aimed at helping
governments safeguard the rights of people to own or access land, forests and
fisheries.
The
new Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land,
Fisheries and Forests in the Context of National Food Security outline
principles and practices that governments can refer to when making laws and
administering land, fisheries and forests rights.
The
aim of the guidelines: to promote food security and sustainable development by
improving secure access to land, fisheries and forests and protecting the
rights of millions of often very poor people.
http://www.fao.org/nr/tenure/voluntary-guidelines/en
Sweden ratified the Convention on Cluster Munitions
(CCM) on 23 April 2012 becoming the 71st State Party to the treaty.
Sweden has
never used cluster bombs, but has produced and stockpiled them. However,
Swedish representatives said at both the Second Meeting of States Parties to
the Convention on Cluster Munitions in Beirut in September 2011, and at the CCM
intersessional meetings in Geneva last week, that stockpile destruction is well
under way and should be finished by the end of 2014.
“It is thanks
to a long-standing commitment of civil society around the world that the treaty
banning cluster munitions became a reality in 2008. I am happy that Sweden now
finally is also a State Party to the CCM and is joining the other 70 states
that have already banned this terrible weapon,” said Cluster Munition Coalition
(CMC) member Anna Ek, from the Swedish Network Against Cluster Bombs.
Sweden
engaged in the Oslo process that created the lifesaving ban and considerably
changed its position from being a producer of cluster munitions to supporting
the adoption of the Convention, and signing it in December 2008. Now that it
has ratified Sweden will formally become a State Party on 1 October 2012, after
the waiting period mandated by the Convention.
Sweden is one
of 20 European Union (EU) member states who have joined the Convention.
http://www.stopclustermunitions.org/news/?id=3648
Human rights
(top)
Pathways To Peace/Culture of Peace representatives
participated at the United Nations World Press Freedom Day - 3 May
World
Press Freedom Day (WPFD) was jointly established in 1991 by UNESCO and the
United Nations Department of Public Information (DPI), in the framework of a
conference held in Windhoek, Namibia. More than two decades after the Windhoek
conference, WPFD celebrated on 3 May each year, continues to resonate in
defense of media freedom.
This
year, we all have been encouraged by the unprecedented global socio-political
democratic developments in which various media played an important part.
Indeed, though many factors were at play in the events taking place,
particularly in north Africa and the Middle East, including underlying economic
woes and political suppression, which elicited mass organization especially by young
people, we cannot deny the fact that the freedom to harness the power of
information and communication technologies (ICTs), especially those of new
media, played a significant role.
This
coming together of press freedom and freedom of expression, through various
traditional as well as new media, has given rise to an unprecedented level of
media freedom. It has enabled the emergence of new ways to communicate, to
share information and knowledge and has also allowed civil society, young
people and communities to bring about massive social and political
transformations.
http://cultureofpeace.org/news/401-pressfreedom
Forest Peoples: numbers across the world
Forest Peoples Programme - supporting forest peoples'
rights
By
providing estimated figures for indigenous and forest peoples’ populations in
countries and regions across the globe, this new Forest Peoples Programme
report seeks to raise awareness of the existence of peoples who primarily
depend on forests for their livelihoods, and to enhance their visibility as key
actors and rights-holders in the management and use of forests and forest
resources. These figures may serve as a useful reference in advocacy for the
recognition of forest peoples’ legal and human rights.
Contemporary slavery: understanding the new face to an
old evil
Conference in the European Parliament - 27 June
On
27 June 2012, Metin Kazak MEP will open a conference in the European Parliament
organised in conjunction with UNPO examining the current extent and forms of
slavery across the world. Discussing
cases from the Haratin in Mauritania to the human trafficking that afflicts
Europe, the conference will raise awareness of contemporary slavery and, in
bringing together policy makers and experts, posit possible solutions to the
mitigation and halting of the practice.
http://www.unoy.org/unoy/blog/unoy-news/newsletter/newsletter-events/2012/05/contemporary-slavery/
Economy and development
(top)
Saudi Arabia and FAO step up in-country cooperation
Over $66 million for FAO technical assistance projects
Rome,
17 May - The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is to allocate $66.7 million to implement
FAO's technical assistance projects in the country, according to an agreement
signed today at FAO Headquarters during the FAO Regional Conference for the
Near East.
Under
the five-year programme from 2012 to 2016, FAO shall provide technical
assistance and expertise for 17 specific projects in Saudi Arabia covering
several areas.
This
will include the transfer of technology, sustainable management of natural
resources including water and forests, sustainable crop production and
protection, the rational management of animal and fisheries resources, animal
health, capacity building and the strengthening of rural institutions.
The
programme aims to benefit small-scale agricultural producers and fishers who
will be able to increase and diversify food production.
http://www.fao.org/news/newsroom-home/en/
Development cooperation will play key role in gaining
sustainable development – UN
14
May – Partnerships and development
cooperation among countries will play a key role in accelerating sustainable
development, a top United Nations official said today, stressing that
assistance will need to focus on helping developing countries find longer-term
solutions to eradicate poverty and transition into a green economy.
“If
ongoing preparations for Rio+20 have resulted in any insights, a basic one is
that development cooperation will play a key role in expediting implementation
in sustainable development,” the Secretary-General of the UN Sustainable
Development Conference (Rio+20), Sha Zukang, told a conference in Brisbane,
Australia, on the implications for development cooperation of the transition
towards sustainable development.
The two-day Australia High-Level Symposium,
‘Shaping a Sustainable Future – Partners in Development Cooperation,’
which began today, seeks to facilitate an informal dialogue on development
cooperation among high-level policymakers, multilateral and civil society
organizations, philanthropic foundations and the private sector.
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=41989&Cr=sustainable+development&Cr1=
UN experts call for global financial tax to offset
costs of economic crisis
New
York, May 14 - A group of United Nations independent experts today called on
the European Union (EU) to take the lead in promoting the adoption of a global
financial transaction tax that would offset the costs of the current economic
crisis and protect basic human rights.
“Where
the world financial crisis has brought about the loss of millions of jobs,
socialized private debt burdens and now risks causing significant human rights
regressions through wide-ranging austerity packages, a financial transaction
tax (FTT) is a pragmatic tool for providing the means for governments to
protect and fulfil the human rights of their people,” said the Special
Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, Magdalena Sepúlveda.
According
to a news release by the UN office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights
(OHCHR), estimates suggest that at its lowest rate the FTT would yield about
$48 billion across the Group of Twenty (G-20) major economies, with higher
rates offering up to $250 billion dollars per year to offset the costs of the
enduring economic, financial, fuel, climate and food crises.
The
call from UN experts comes a day ahead of the Group of Eight (G-8) Summit of
industrialized countries, which will take place in Camp David in the United
States.
“EU
countries must take bold leadership now to pave the way towards what should
eventually be a global FTT,” the UN experts urged, welcoming recent EU
proposals to implement the financial transaction tax across the Eurozone.
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=41988&Cr=economic&Cr1=crisis
Contemporary slavery: understanding the new face to an
old evil
Conference in the European Parliament - 27 June
On
27 June 2012, Metin Kazak MEP will open a conference in the European Parliament
organised in conjunction with UNPO examining the current extent and forms of
slavery across the world. Discussing
cases from the Haratin in Mauritania to the human trafficking that afflicts
Europe, the conference will raise awareness of contemporary slavery and, in
bringing together policy makers and experts, posit possible solutions to the
mitigation and halting of the practice.
http://www.unoy.org/unoy/blog/unoy-news/newsletter/newsletter-events/2012/05/contemporary-slavery/
Food vouchers boost nutrition and markets in
Somalia
Nairobi,
May – Thousands of people in Somaliland are getting more fresh meat in
their diet as a result of an innovative project that provides parents with
vouchers to help them afford nutritious food from local traders. Under the
programme people receive US $80 of vouchers each month, and can use them to buy
a variety of food including rice, cooking oil and fresh camel and goat meat. So
far, around 15,000 people in north-western Somaliland are being given the
vouchers as an alternative to food rations, and WFP plans to expand the
initiative to other areas later this year.
The
first phase of the voucher project is linked to WFP’s nutrition programme for
young children in Burao, Somaliland. In the past, the family of each child
being treated for moderate malnutrition received a monthly ration of food from
WFP, but now WFP has switched to providing a set of vouchers that families can
use to buy food from local retailers. In the first phase of the voucher
project, there are 13 local traders registered to accept the vouchers,
including those who sell fresh camel and goat meat, which are staples of the
diet for most people in the largely pastoralist region and can play a vital
role in improving nutritional status.
http://www.wfp.org/stories/food-vouchers-boost-nutrition-and-markets-somalia
African nations discuss creation of an
African food security trust fund
FAO to
help draft details of proposal
30 April,
Brazzaville – The creation of an African-funded trust fund to support
food security in the continent was discussed at FAO’s Regional Conference for
Africa, held last week in Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo. Complementing
international resource mobilization, the Africa Trust Fund would raise
resources in the continent to fight hunger and would also allow for the scaling
up of successful activities to prevent and respond to food and agriculture
crises in the region.
FAO will
engage in countries-led consultations in order to draft a detailed proposal for
approval by participating member countries.
During the
Regional Conference, the President of the Republic of the Congo, Denis Sassou
Nguesso and FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva called for African
solidarity to help respond to recurring food security crises in the continent,
with the Sahel and the Horn of Africa currently most affected. The President of
the Republic of the Congo stressed the value of political commitment in
ensuring food security and made a “vibrant appeal” for African governments to
show solidarity with countries in the Horn of Africa and the African Sahel
regions, where millions are currently in need of assistance.
http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/141707/icode/
International media and knowledge centre
inaugurated
United Arab Emirates donates facility for
communication, knowledge sharing and e-learning
24 April,
Rome - An international media and knowledge centre was inaugurated at FAO
headquarters today by His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan,
Minister for Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates and FAO
Director-General José Graziano da Silva.
Funded by
the United Arab Emirates, the Centre is named for the country's founder and
late president Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahyan, who once said, "Give me
agriculture and I will give you civilization". With FAO's support, Sheikh
Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan helped turn large tracts of the desert green by
investing in agriculture, and in particular in date palm production.
The new
facility covers some 260 square metres of floorspace and was designed by
Italian architect Marco Felici. The Sheikh Zayed Centre features a conference
hall allowing for live TV transmissions and debates, a new TV studio with
post-production suites and e-learning facilities. It boasts state-of-the-art
broadcasting and communication technology.
http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/141430/icode/
Solidarity
(top)
Vulnerable communities, ADRA responds
May 10,
Silver Spring, Md., USA - The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) is
assisting families in Peru's southeastern region, who have been enduring harsh
weather conditions during this year's first quarter. The region has been
severely affected by heavy rainfall, thunderstorms, and strong winds, leading
to the overflow of rivers and landslides. Below-freezing temperatures have
followed this rainy season, which has triggered the threat of frostbite to
vulnerable residents, amongst them children and the elderly.
ADRA is
delivering blankets to an estimated 700 families affected by the cold spell in
the District of Velille. The blankets will serve as a protective barrier
against the cold, with priority given to children, elderly, and families living
in higher-altitude areas. In total, ADRA will be distributing approximately 1,400
blankets to its beneficiaries, equating to two blankets per family. ADRA's
12-day intervention will complement aid distributed by local government
institutions that are also responding to the current situation.
http://www.adra.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=11798&news_iv_ctrl=1141
Building connections to improve aid to the needy
By
Hildy Gottlieb
May
9 – Nonprofit aid groups working to provide services in foreign countries
often do not share results or coordinate their efforts, although doing so would
benefit them greatly, says Alanna Shaikh, creator of AidSource. That concern
prompted Ms. Shaikh to build a network that would make it easy for aid
providers to share their stories of success and failure online.
In
the latest episode of Making Change, Ms. Shaikh describes how social networks
are helping people and organizations build new connections that improve the
ability of nonprofit workers to serve needy communities.
Hildy
Gottlieb is the co-founder of Creating the Future and author of "The
Pollyanna Principles: Reinventing 'Nonprofit Organizations' to Create the
Future of Our World." In this podcast, Making Change, she interviews
leaders to discuss how those who are working for the greater good can effect
more social change. New episodes of Making Change appear once a month.
http://philanthropy.com/article/Building-Connections-to/131834/
Ambassadors and IFRC together for Africa
By
Siddharth Chatterjee
May
4 – Africa’s most pressing humanitarian and development challenges were
top of the agenda at a high-level Ambassadorial event organized by the
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) on 4
May. The event was attended by 26 African Ambassadors from the Permanent
Missions to the United Nations in Geneva and the African Union representative,
and was co-hosted by IFRC Secretary General Bekele Geleta and His Excellency
Minelik Alemu Getahun, Ambassador of the Permanent Mission of Ethiopia.
Discussions
included how best to strengthen the partnership between African governments and
their National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, known as the auxiliary role,
with particular focus on the current food security crisis in Sahel and
elsewhere on the continent.
The
group heard of the outcomes of a high-level Sahel food insecurity meeting
co-organized by the African Union and the IFRC in Dakar, Senegal, on 25-26 April.
These included an agreement on a twin-track approach that focuses on African
solutions and joint advocacy on the worsening Sahel food crisis, and a
commitment to addressing policy and financial barriers to successful food
production through sustainable and equitable agricultural growth and
development. (...)
EU provides additional € 16.5 million to UNICEF for
Sahel food crisis
4
May, Brussels – European Union Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection
(ECHO) has decided to fund several UNICEF projects in the Sahel for a total
amount of € 16.5 million. Funds will be used to provide treatment for children
suffering from severe acute malnutrition in west and central Africa.
Unilever Food Solutions and WFP work together
to guarantee school meals to 40,000 students in the Philippines
Manila, May – Through its innovative
“Sandwich Heroes” campaign, Unilever Food Solutions, a subsidiary of Unilever,
has raised Php 400,000 in the Philippines for the United Nations World Food
Programme (WFP). The donation will allow WFP
to feed 40,000 children under its school meals programme in conflict-affected
areas of Central Mindanao.
Thirteen
restaurants took part in Unilever Food Solution’s pioneering project, which
involved each restaurant offering their signature or best sandwiches for the
campaign. Unilever Food Solutions made a donation to WFP for each featured
sandwich sold from October 2011 to January 2012.
Unilever
has contributed to WFP and its fight against hunger in the Philippines since
2008. Globally, Unilever has been a WFP corporate partner since December 2006,
donating a total of US$17.7 million to support WFP’s work around the world.
United States underlines strong support for
Nutrition And School Meals Programme in Lao PDR
Vientiane,
May – A delegation of representatives from the United States Embassy in
Lao PDR, the Ministry of Education and Sports, and the United Nations World
Food Programme (WFP), has completed a three-day visit to Saravane Province
where they observed activities under WFP’s School Meals programme. The visit
followed a generous US$10 million contribution by the United States to WFP’s
School Meals programme, which provides daily nutritious snacks to 150,000
schoolchildren in six provinces in Lao PDR.
The
visit was part of the joint effort by the U.S. Embassy and WFP to raise
awareness of malnutrition in Lao PDR. Malnutrition is the single biggest
contributing factor to infant mortality in the country and can cause long-term
damage to brains and bodies from childhood. WFP and the U.S. Embassy are
committed to working with other development partners to identify and develop
effective solutions to address malnutrition.
In recent years, WFP’s School Meals programme
has proved an effective tool to improve both educational achievement and
nutrition among Lao children. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, through the
McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition grant, is
the programme’s largest donor.
Peace and security
(top)
Sustainable Peace for a Sustainable Future
Sustainable
Peace for a Sustainable Future is the United Nation's 2012 theme for the
International Day of Peace (September 21). This is an important theme for our
times which you can build upon. What ideas does this bring to mind? What can
you create, what actions can you take to bring this theme to life? There is an
added dimension if we take this theme in relation to a Culture of Peace, and
view it through the Peace Wheel from Pathways To Peace. Let us know what
Sustainable Peace looks like to you when applied to GOVERNANCE, LAW, SECURITY,
ENVIRONMENT, HABITAT, ECONOMICS or BUSINESS? Please send your comments to: info@cultureofpeace.org
We will collect your suggestions and and post them in future newsletters.
The
Culture of Peace Initiative (CPI) is a cooperative local-global Peacebuilding
Initiative uniting the strengths of organizations, networks, projects and
people to realize a Culture of Peace for the Common Good.
Health
(top)
From the community, for the community
Volunteer community mobilizers’ network fully
operational in Kebbi State, northern Nigeria
Kebbi
(Nigeria), May 11 – Selected from their respective settlements
(villages), 200 volunteer community mobilizers (covering 200 high risk
settlements) are now fully operational in Kebbi State, in northern Nigeria.
Their mission is to reduce the percentage of missed children through targeted
house-to-house interventions to generate demand for and acceptance of oral
polio vaccine.
These
volunteers have been trained to work as “change agents” in the community and
are responsible for house-to-house mobilization for polio and routine
immunization and introduce some key household practices.
http://www.polioeradication.org/Mediaroom/Newsstories.aspx
Mali: Gao hospital operational again
May
10 – Access to health care is a major challenge for people in northern
Mali affected by armed violence. In Gao the hospital is operational again
thanks to the efforts of the ICRC, which among other things has delivered
surgical supplies.
"Only
a few weeks ago, the hospital was deserted by its personnel and looted. It did
not have water or electricity, because there was no fuel to run its
generator," said Attaher Maiga, the head of the ICRC office in Gao.
"People living in and around Gao were in considerable distress. There were
pregnant women who died because they could not obtain suitable care, and
victims of gunshot wounds who found themselves in appalling circumstances."
Today,
10 May, the ICRC is delivering to the hospital a large quantity of surgical
supplies brought in from Niamey, in neighbouring Niger. This aid is in addition
to two deliveries of medicines and medical supplies to Gao that took place in
April. Altogether, enough aid has been supplied to care for nearly 500 patients
suffering from illness and around 100 requiring treatment for injury. The
return of some hospital staff made it possible for the ICRC to support the
resumption of activities in the hospital, which is the referral medical
facility for the entire region.
http://www.icrc.org/eng/resources/documents/update/2012/mali-update-2012-05-10.htm
Rotarians celebrate milestones in the fight to rid the
world of polio
By
Ryan Hyland
May
8, Rotary International News – Rotarians Tuesday celebrated two major
milestones in the organization’s decades-long fight to rid the world of polio.
During
the third plenary session of the 2012 RI Convention in Bangkok, Thailand, which
was also made available through a live webcast, Rotarians were congratulated
for meeting and exceeding Rotary’s US$200 Million Challenge, Rotary's response
to $355 million in matching grants from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
for polio eradication efforts. Attendees also celebrated India’s removal from
the polio-endemic list in February, which leaves only three countries where
transmission of the virus has never been stopped. But speakers reminded the
festive assembly that the work is far from complete, because the ultimate goal
has not been reached.
“We
know that we haven’t reached our goal. We haven’t ended polio,” said John F.
Germ, chair of Rotary’s US$200 Million Challenge Committee. “Our clubs are
still planning polio fundraisers for the coming years and encouraging donations
from people in their communities.”
Germ
announced that, as of 4 May, Rotarians and supporters have raised $215.7
million for the challenge, which runs through June. But with the Global Polio
Eradication Initiative facing a significant funding shortfall for 2012 and
beyond, it is vital for clubs and districts to keep pushing forward with their
many creative fundraisers. (...)
http://www.rotary.org/en/MediaAndNews/News/Pages/120508_IC12_polio.aspx
Nepal: doctors hone trauma management skills
Kathmandu
(ICRC) 07-05-2012 – The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
and Dhulikhel Hospital of Kathmandu University are jointly organizing an
emergency-room trauma course that will be given in Kavre from 6 to 8 May.
Twenty surgeons and other medical personnel will attend.
The
vice-chancellor of Kathmandu University, Dr Suresh Raj Sharma, inaugurated the
course together with the deputy head of the ICRC delegation in Nepal, Jerome
Fontana, at a ceremony in Dhulikhel Hospital on 5 May. "Strengthening the
capacity of medical professionals to deal with trauma cases is crucial in Nepal
– especially since the country is earthquake-prone and runs the risk of
an overwhelming number of casualties in the event of such a disaster,"
said Mr Fontana in his address. Since 2011, Dhulikhel Hospital and Kathmandu
University have been working together with the ICRC to take over full
responsibility for the course.
Since
2001, the ICRC has been providing training and support for medical personnel in
Nepal treating people wounded in connection with the conflict and other
violence.
http://www.icrc.org/eng/resources/documents/news-release/2012/nepal-news-2012-05-07.htm
Poll shows strong U.S.
support for UN health work
UN Wire, 4 May - More than 8 in 10 American voters say they support an
active role of the country in the United Nations, especially in matters of
women's health and disease monitoring and control, for which World Health
Organization support reached 89%, according to a poll released Thursday by the United
Nations Foundation and its sister organization, the Better World Campaign.
"As election-year polls continue to show the American electorate split on
a wide variety of issues, a vast majority of voters agree on one issue in
particular: the value of a strong U.S.-WHO relationship," said Timothy E.
Wirth, UN Foundation president.
The
Huffington Post (5/3), The
Hill/Global Affairs blog
(5/3)
Eyeglass distribution changing lives in Vietnam
Kon Tum,
Vietnam, April 19 – Learning got a whole lot easier for 94 students in
Dak To District when they received new eyeglasses from ChildSight®, a program
that improves the vision of children in Kon Tum Province, Vietnam and
strengthens the ability of health personnel to provide pediatric eye care
services. Uncorrected refractive errors (myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism) can
lead to visual impairment, blindness and disability, especially in developing
countries. It is estimated that one in five Vietnamese children suffers from
refractive error, yet the vast majority remain undiagnosed and untreated.
To remedy
this, school children in primary and secondary schools are screened by trained
teachers. Those who do not pass the visual acuity examination are tested by
specialists from the Community Eye Unit at the Kon Tum Center for Social
Diseases Prevention and Control. Students determined to have refractive errors
receive free eyeglasses.
http://www.hki.org/press-room/archive/2012/04/19/eyeglass-distribution-changing-lives-in-vietnam/
Red Cross targets mothers with mass media campaign for
‘polio free’ Haiti
April
19, Port au Prince – The Red Cross is launching a countrywide public
awareness campaign today to encourage mothers to get their children vaccinated,
as the country makes a bid to become officially certified as polio free –
the last country in the Western Hemisphere to achieve this recognition.
The
awareness campaign is in support of the upcoming vaccination programme, led by
the Haitian Ministry of Health and other partners including WHO/PAHO and
UNICEF, which will provide vaccines for all Haitian children, up to the age of
10, against measles and rubella in addition to polio in order to keep them
healthy. Vitamin A and albendazole (a de-worming medicine) will also be offered
as will vaccines to combat tetanus. The American Red Cross is also supporting
the programme by providing $2 million to the United Nations Foundation.
The
nationwide vaccination programme is due to start 21 April which marks the beginning
of World Immunisation Week.
Energy and safety
(top)
Solar Electric Light Fund receives grand challenges
explorations grant for groundbreaking research in global health and development
Washington,
May 9 (CSRwire) - The Solar Electric Light Fund (SELF) announced today that it
is a Grand Challenges Explorations winner, an initiative funded by the Bill
& Melinda Gates Foundation. Steven
McCarney, SELF Project Manager, will pursue an innovative global health and
development research project, titled, “Development and Field Testing of a
“Battery Free” Solar Freezer for Immunization Support.” Grand Challenges Explorations (GCE) funds individuals
worldwide to explore ideas that can break the mold in how we solve persistent
global health and development challenges.
SELF’s project is one of over 100 Grand Challenges Explorations Round 8
grants announced today by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Mr.
McCarney’s project is designed to accelerate the development and field testing
of two solar powered, battery-free vaccine icepack freezers to support
immunization efforts. Currently, the World Health Organization (WHO) does not
have such a prequalified freezer system; this project will conduct field tests
of solar powered, battery-free freezers alongside WHO prequalified battery-free
vaccine refrigerators at remote health posts in two Colombian indigenous
villages in the Sierra Nevada mountains. If successful, immediate deployment of
the freezers will begin.
USA - Energy Department announces guide for 50% more
energy efficient hospitals
May
8 - The Energy Department today announced the release of the final installment
in a series of four 50% Advanced Energy Design Guides (AEDGs). This latest
guide will help architects, engineers, and contractors design and build highly
efficient hospital buildings, helping to save energy and cut facility
operational costs. The 50% AEDG series provides a practical approach for
designers and builders of large hospitals, and other major commercial building
types, to achieve 50% energy savings compared to the building energy code used
in many parts of the nation.
http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/news/progress_alerts.cfm/pa_id=725
Renewable energy generation is big business in Kenya
By
Peter Kahare
1st
May, Kenya -- Take an exponentially rising need for clean, reliable energy; add
a new renewable energy feed-in tariff (REFITT); and then consider erratic
weather conditions that have affected over-relied upon hydropower generation in
Kenya and you get an influx of interest in renewable energy by Independent
Power Producers (IPPs).
The
Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) is one IPP that has decided to venture into
wind energy generation. General Manager of KTDA Power Company, Lucas Maina,
said in an interview that the decision to venture into wind energy production
was based on the fact that wind power is cheap to produce compared to
hydropower. (...) KTDA plans to sell energy from the wind project to the
national grid, therefore generating more income to sustain its operations. (…)
Israeli public hearing on launch of lower Jordan River
master plan
April - This month,
the Israeli Lower Jordan River Drainage Authority held its first public hearing presenting the
Authorities' plan to produce a master plan from Naharayim to Bezek Stream on
the Israeli side. Findings of initial studies on ecology, archeology and
cultural heritage were presented as well as an overview of future project
outputs.
The hearing was very well attended, including
the participation of many residents and former mayors and municipal staff, who
over the years have participated in many of FoEME's activities along the river
valley. The need for a regional effort was highlighted during the public
hearing, including the opportunity presented by the regional NGO master plan
that FoEME will launch in the coming weeks.
The Jordan River Rehabilitation Project
is supported by the Swedish International Development Agency, the Richard and
Rhoda Goldman Fund, the Global Nature Fund / Ursula Merz Foundation and the
Osprey Foundation.
Environment and wildlife
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Greenpeace is leveraging social media in its push for
a zero deforestation target in Brazil
May
13 - The environmental activist group has launched a "Brazilian
Friend Finder" to
support its petition drive to counter a proposal to weaken Brazil's Forest
Code, which mandates how much forest farmers and ranchers are required to
maintain on their land. If the petition gets 1.4 million signatures – one
percent of Brazilian voters - then Congress must formally consider and vote on
the proposal.
http://news.mongabay.com/2012/0512-greenpeace-brazilian-friend-finder.html#ixzz1upx504Uf
Disaster risk reduction: a global advocacy guide
May
11 – Disaster risk reduction (DRR) initiatives encapsulate the growing
recognition that relief is not enough in mitigating disasters and that
resilient communities in fact are the key to reducing the impact and severity
of natural hazards when they strike. The challenge remains in keeping the
spotlight on DRR efforts and maintaining the engagement of concerned actors
including governments and donors on the issue at hand.
Although
relief and emergency appeals procure greater investment and garner greater
global advocacy and resource mobilization, studies have indicated that
investment in DRR is highly cost-effective and more importantly has a profound
impact in saving lives and livelihoods when natural hazards strike. The
challenge remains in mainstreaming a ‘culture of preparedness’ and accruing the
necessary financial investment and institutional support to maintain it.
This
global guide to advocacy for DRR aims to strengthen the skills, knowledge and
proficiency of practitioners in advocating on DRR approaches to
decision-makers, donors and policy-makers. It is designed to help National
Societies meet those challenges.
http://reliefweb.int/node/496117
Eco-innovation: when business meets the environment
2012 Eco-innovation call for proposals is open
Bruxelles,
11 May - The European Commission grants up to 50% co-funding to finance green
ideas: the total budget available for the 2012 Call is 34.8 million Euros. The
call will close on 06 September 2012 at 17:00, Brussels local time.
With
3.4 million jobs in eco-industries and a growing demand for environmental
products and services, Europe has the potential to meet the environmental
challenges of the future. The EU's Eco-innovation initiative was set up to tap
this potential to the fullest by giving clever ideas and new
environmentally-friendly solutions a chance to reach an EU-wide market.
Eco-innovation boosts economic growth whilst protecting the environment.
The
cross-cutting initiative provides funding for projects in various sectors that
mitigate environmental impacts or promote a more efficient use of resources.
Priority areas include material recycling, buildings, the food and drink sector
as well as greener business.
Ecology
goes hand in hand with innovation. Projects must be environmentally beneficial,
innovative and economically viable in the medium to long-term. Eco-innovation
funding is only there to help ideas get off the ground - the project must be
able to carry on without EU funding.
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/eco-innovation/index_en.htm
Protecting oceans equals protecting our planet
United
Nations, May 9 (IPS) - The U.N. Environment Programme (UNEP), whose mandate
includes the preservation and protection of the world's fast-degrading oceans,
will play a pivotal role in Expo 2012, an international exhibition to be
formally opened later this week in the coastal town of Yeosu in South Korea.
"From
the U.N.'s perspective, the seas form part of what is commonly referred to as
the 'global commons', and as such, any threat to this global resource ought to
be addressed," Amina Mohamed, a U.N. assistant secretary-general and
UNEP's deputy executive director, told IPS.
She
pointed out that the largest creatures in the world live in the oceans (blue
whales) as well as the smallest (bacteria). "Protecting our oceans is
tantamount to protecting our planet and is critical for long-term sustainable
development," said Mohamed, who is also co-commissioner-general of Expo
2012 and a former Kenyan ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva.
The
primary theme of Expo 2012, which runs May 12 May through Aug. 12 - is
"the living ocean" and the protection of the world's marine
ecosystems. The U.N. Pavilion located in the exhibition site will bring
together more than 20 U.N. agencies and international organisations, primarily
to showcase their collective efforts at the sustainable use of oceans and coasts.
http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=107729
WWF Climate Savers companies cut 100 million tonnes of
greenhouse gases
May
9, Gland, Switzerland - Corporate members of WWF's Climate Savers programme cut
their carbon dioxide emissions by more than 100 million tonnes over the period
1999 to 2011, according to an independent review of the programme released
today. The figure is equivalent to double the current annual emissions of
Switzerland. The review, conducted by
the international energy consultancy Ecofys, also finds that as Climate Savers
companies continue to deliver on their commitments up to 2020, overall
emissions savings since 1999 could exceed 350 million tonnes. This is roughly
equivalent to the current annual emissions of Spain.
Current
Climate Savers members include Alpro, Arjowiggins Graphic, Catalyst, The
Coca-Cola Company, Collins Companies, Diversey, Elopak, Eneco, Fairmont, HP,
IBM, Johnson & Johnson, KPN, Lafarge, National Geographic, Natura, Nike,
Nokia Siemens Networks, Novo Nordisk, Resolute Forest Products, Sofidel,
Sprint, Tetra Pak, Sagawa, Sony, Supervalu and Volvo. Commitments by former
members Nokia, Polaroid and Spitsbergen were also included in the analysis.
WWF
is releasing the results to coincide with three days of meetings it is holding
in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, where it will encourage existing Climate Savers
companies and other corporations to further boost industry efforts against
global warming.
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Sharing Sacred Spaces
May
9 - The Downtown Islamic Center (DIC) will open its doors to visitors and
friends from other religious and spiritual communities on Saturday, May 12. The
event is the eighth and final installment of the Council for the Parliament of
World Religions’ “Sharing Sacred Spaces” project, which has brought together
eight different religious and spiritual communities in Chicago's Downtown. Each community has opened its doors on one
afternoon during the year to showcase its sacred space and to share the history
of its community and traditions.
The
culminating event for this phase of the Sacred Spaces project will occur on
June 10th, 2-4pm in Chicago. A
solidarity pledge will be signed by all eight religious and spiritual
communities. This will be a celebration for all who participated in this eight
month project as well as the general public. The pledge, written by the eight
communities themselves, will celebrate the significance of eight diverse communities
agreeing to stand in solidarity with one another. For questions or information
about these events, contact Kathy Dale McNair kathy@parliamentofreligions.org.
Buddhist teachings offer insights into achieving a
sustainable future -- Ban Ki-moon
New York, May 5 - The
teachings of Buddhism can offer significant insights on how to improve the condition
of the planet and lead the way to a more sustainable future, Secretary-General
Ban Ki-moon said today, in a message marking Vesak Day, which commemorates the
birth, enlightenment and passing of the Buddha.
"The spirit to
care not just for ourselves but for others based on an awareness of our
interlinked fates lies at the heart of Buddhism," Mr. Ban said."These
teachings challenge families, communities and nations to act in concert of the
advancement of our common well-being. That is the best way to secure individual
and collective progress in an interdependent world," Mr. Ban added. He
noted that Buddha's teachings are particularly relevant now as countries
prepare for the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) in Brazil
next month, which Mr. Ban referred to as a "once-in-a-generation
opportunity to set the world on a more equitable and sustainable path of
development."
"We must also
change longstanding assumptions and open our minds to new ideas and possible
solutions if we are to address major global threats, from the proliferation of
deadly weapons to intolerance and inequality," Mr. Ban said. He invited
Buddhists and people of all traditions to use the Day of Vesak to reflect on
how they can change their actions to pave the way for a more sustainable
future.
Culture and education
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Ford Foundation gives $50-million to push for longer
school days in USA
By
Caroline Preston
May
10 – Calling efforts to extend school days “the beginnings of a national
movement,” the Ford Foundation today announced it will put $50-million into
efforts to push for additional learning time at schools in poor neighborhoods
across the country. In 2009, Ford pledged $100-million to improve high-school
education; with today’s announcement, half that money will be narrowly focused
on lengthening school time.
“Over
the past few months, the idea of expanding and redesigning learning time for
our kids, for America’s children, has been gaining the kind of momentum very
few movements have gained in a short period of time,” said Luis Ubiñas,
president of Ford, in making the announcement. (...)
Mr.
Ubiñas and other coalition members who participated in the announcement said
that extended school time is a proven way to improve education and student
achievement. All of the schools in Phoenix’s Balsz Elementary School district,
for example, are now labeled as “performing” or better, compared with half that
were “underperforming” or “failing” before the district expanded its school
year to 200 days in 2009.
Africa acknowledges crucial role of qualified
teachers
May 8 -
Teachers’ professional development represents one of the three main pillars of
the Second Decade of Education for Africa. The other two pillars are formal and
non-formal vocational education and training, and higher education. These
pillars were reaffirmed by the Conference for Ministers of Education of Africa
(COMEDAF V) in Abuja, Nigeria, on 23-27 April.
Education
International actively participated in this event, which was hosted by the
Africa Union Commission and the Federal Ministry of Education of Nigeria.
Among the
other participants were Peter Mabande of the Pan African Teachers’ Centre,
Ministers and top officials of 34 countries, and representatives of the
Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA), UNESCO, UNICEF,
civil society organisations, the Africa diaspora, and partners from Europe and
America.
EI
participated in discussions by the civil society round table. It also presented
its Quality Educators project, a response to the lack of qualified teachers in
Africa, and engaged in working sessions with partners such as UNESCO and ADEA.
http://www.ei-ie.org/en/news/news_details/2158
CISR and JMU College of Business awarded $629,513
USAID contract to work in Iraq
May
4 - The Center for International Stabilization and Recovery (CISR)
at James Madison University (JMU), is pleased to announce the receipt of a
$629,513 USAID grant to provide information and guidance regarding
accreditation of two Iraqi universities through the Association to Advance
Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International).
The
challenges facing business and finance education in post-conflict Iraq at the
university level and the tertiary education system as a whole are immense, and
no single program will be able to sufficiently address every deficiency
identified. However, by focusing on manageable components, changes can be introduced
into Iraqi institutions of higher learning that will smooth the process by
filling skill gaps identified by professors, administrators, and researchers.
The
Iraqi university participants in this program will gain a greater perspective
on subjects specific to finance/business education, enabling them to enhance
their degree programs.
The
program is being funded by the United States Agency for International
Development and part of a larger USAID initiative to directly contribute to
Iraqi Private Sector Development.
http://cisrjmu.tumblr.com/post/22394260644/cisr-and-jmu-college-of-business-awarded-629-513
Rotary Centers for International Studies in peace and
conflict resolution
Rotary
Peace Fellows are leaders promoting national and international cooperation,
peace, and the successful resolution of conflict throughout their lives, in
their careers, and through service activities. Fellows can earn either a
master’s degree in international relations, public administration, sustainable
development, peace studies, conflict resolution, or a related field, or a
professional development certificate in peace and conflict resolution.
Fellows are chosen
from countries and cultures around the globe based on their ability to have a
significant, positive impact on world peace and conflict resolution during
their careers. Learn more about program eligibility and deadlines on site:
Bulgari partners with "Evita" to raise funds
for Save the Children's HEART program - healing and education through the arts
April
27, Westport, Conn., USA – Bulgari announced that they will celebrate the
much anticipated return of "Evita" to Broadway with an exclusive
private event and performance benefitting Save the Children's HEART program,
dedicated to Healing and Education through the Arts.
Starting
April 25, tickets will be available to the public for this exclusive
celebration package including a private event on June 25 hosted by Bulgari at
their flagship store on Fifth Ave. Bulgari has been supporting Save the
Children's global education efforts since 2009, raising funds that have totaled
nearly $16 million, partly through the sales of these special-edition rings.
Save
the Children's Healing and Education through the Arts ( HEART) program is a new
and innovative global education program. HEART brings the proven power of
artistic expression — drawing, painting, music, drama, dance and more
— to some of the world's most vulnerable children, helping them heal and
learn so they can reach their highest potential. HEART is currently carried out
by Save the Children in preschools, primary schools, and after-school programs
in Haiti, Malawi, Mozambique and Nepal. For more information, visit www.savethechildren.org/HEART.
http://www.savethechildren.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=8rKLIXMGIpI4E&b=7942601&ct=11731225
15th UNAFF (United Nations Association Film Festival):
Human Dignity - October 18-28
Call for entries
October 18-28, 2012
Palo Alto, East Palo Alto, San Francisco and Stanford University - celebrates
the power of international documentary films dealing with human rights, the
environment, protection of refugees, famine, homelessness, racism, disease
control, women's issues, children, universal education, war and peace. In
addition to our ongoing celebration of the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights, this year we emphasize the theme Human Dignity
Formats: 16mm and
35mm, Beta SP, Blue Ray DVD, DVD (NTSC)
Entry fee: $25 for
films up to 30 min. (late deadline $35) and $35 for films longer than 30 min.
(late deadline is $45). Regular deadline – May 22, late deadline
–June 2. The entry form: www.unaff.org
or www.withoutabox.com
*
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Next
issue: 8 June 2012.
Good News Agency is
published in English on one Friday and in Italian the next. Past issues
are available at www.goodnewsagency.org . Rome Law-court
registration no. 265 dated 20 June 2000.
Managing
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Isabella Strippoli. Webmaster and media and NGO coverage: Simone Frassanito (simone.frassanito@goodnewsagency.org)
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*In the final report of the Decade for
a Culture of Peace project (2001-2010) presented to the UN General Assembly
(http://decade-culture-of-peace.org/2010_civil_society_report.pdf),
Good News Agency is included among the three NGOs that have been playing a
major role in the field of Information.
In section A - International Organizations, the Report says:
"Participatory Communication and Free Flow
of Information and Knowledge has been advanced largely through use of the
Internet by civil society corresponding to para 6 in the 1999 Programme of
Action calling for the promotion of a culture of peace through sharing of
information among actors in the global movement for a culture of peace (p.7). Diffusion
and exchange of culture of peace information via the Internet has become the
major instrument for several international organizations, notably the Culture
of Peace News Network, the Good News Agency and the Education for Peace
Globalnet (p.12).
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