Good News Agency – Year VIII, n° 15
Weekly - Year VIII, number 15
– 7th December 2007
Managing Editor: Sergio Tripi,
Ph. D.
Rome Law-court registration
no. 265 dated 20 June 2000.
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. Editorial research by Fabio Gatti (in charge) and
Elisa Peduto. Good News Agency is published in English on one Friday and
in Italian the next. It is distributed free of charge
through Internet to the editorial offices of more than 3,700 media in 48 countries and to 2,800 NGOs.
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
Human rights – Economy and development – Solidarity
Peace and security – Health
– Energy and Safety – Environment and wildlife
Religion and
spirituality
– Culture and education
ITUC and
ILO develop a strategy to fight racial discrimination and xenophobia
Brussels, 3 December (ITUC
Online) - The ITUC and the International Labour Organisation (ILO) are jointly
holding a seminar in Geneva from 4 to 7 December aimed at developing a trade union
strategy to fight racial discrimination and xenophobia.
Although a large majority of governments have ratified ILO
Conventions 100 and 111, millions of working men and women suffer
discrimination based on colour, cultural differences, ethnic or national
origin. They are prey to racism, xenophobia, intolerance, ethnic and religious
tensions, both in the world of work and in society in general.
The fight to combat racism and xenophobia and to promote human
rights, equality and diversity forms an integral part of every trade union
organisation’s mission. During its Founding Congress in November 2006, the ITUC
decided to take action. The action programme against racism and xenophobia, to
be developed during the joint seminar with the ILO, will be equipped with an
international monitoring, implementation and assessment mechanism. (…)
In addition to drawing up an
action plan to fight discrimination based on race, national or ethnic origin,
the seminar will also propose capacity building tools to empower these
discriminated groups. Finally, another challenge to be met is awareness raising
on a massive scale, both in the workplace and within trade unions.
Founded on 1 November 2006,
the ITUC represents 168 million workers in 153 countries and territories and has
305 national affiliates. For more information, please contact the ITUC Press
Department on +32 2 224 0204 or +32 476 621 018.
MADRE
Delegation to Travel to UN Climate Change Conference
November 30 - New York, NY -
In preparation for next week’s United Nations (UN) Conference on Climate
Change, MADRE today emphasized that human rights must be the starting point for
international negotiations on climate policy. MADRE also announced the launch
of its climate change blog, inaugurated for the conference.
From December 3-14,
representatives of over 180 countries will gather in Bali, Indonesia to outline
steps for the international community to address the crisis of climate change.
(…) MADRE representatives in attendance during the first week of the conference
will be available by email beginning December 3 for comment. In addition, MADRE will provide daily
updates in a blog, titled "All Eyes on Bali," to monitor the latest
developments at the conference, comment on the trajectory of the discussions,
and transmit perspectives from non-governmental organizations. This blog is now available here: http://bloggingonbali.blogspot.com
MADRE is an international
women's human rights organization that works in partnership with
community-based women's organizations worldwide to address issues of health and
reproductive rights, economic development, education, and other human rights.
MADRE provides resources, training, and support to enable our sister
organizations to meet concrete needs in their communities while working to
shift the balance of power to promote long-term development and social justice.
(…)
Democratic
Republic of the Congo: ICRC steps up presence at victims' side
Geneva (ICRC)November 29 –
Following a sharp deterioration in the security situation in the province of
North Kivu and a dramatic rise in the need for humanitarian aid there, the
International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has decided to step up its
operations in that part of the Congo. The decision was announced by Dominik
Stillhart, the organization's deputy director of operations, following a visit
to the country during which he had talks with Congolese officials in Kinshasa,
Goma and Bukavu.
The upsurge in hostilities,
which began in late August, has caused hundreds of thousands of people to flee
their homes. The fighting has been accompanied by serious violations of
international humanitarian law by people bearing weapons. These acts have
included rape, forced recruitment, pillaging of civilian property and
destruction of infrastructure essential to the population's survival. (…) The
ICRC has therefore decided to significantly expand its programmes to come to
the victims' aid. The expansion will focus on helping displaced persons and on
support for medical facilities treating war-wounded people.
Stepped up ICRC operations
will enable delegates to remain at the side of the people affected by the
violence and will help the organization maintain a consistent dialogue with all
parties to the conflict, reminding them of their obligation under international
humanitarian law to respect the lives and health of civilians. Under no
circumstances may persons be attacked who are not taking part in the
hostilities.
http://www.icrc.org/web/eng/siteeng0.nsf/html/79EENU
UNIFEM
launches campaign on ending violence against women with Nicole Kidman
On Monday, 26 November, the
United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), in partnership with its
Goodwill Ambassador Nicole Kidman, and a large number of global partners
launched an Internet campaign on ending violence against women. The campaign,
entitled “Say NO to Violence against Women,” invites supporters to add their
names to a virtual book and urges hundreds of thousands — even millions — of
people around the world to send a strong message to decision-makers to place
ending violence against women high on the global agenda. Major civil society
organizations, UN partners and private sector companies have come on board to
Say NO to Violence against Women. The campaign will run until 8 March 2008,
International Women’s Day. “Violence against women is an appalling human rights
violation,” said UNIFEM Goodwill Ambassador Nicole Kidman in a statement. “But
it is not inevitable. We can put a stop to this. (…)
UNIFEM’s Internet campaign
highlights the system-wide UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women, through
which more than 250 initiatives in close to 120 countries have received
much-needed support in the past 10 years. UNIFEM also announced today, close to
US$5 million have been awarded this year to 29 initiatives, involving 35
countries. (…)
According
to ECLAC's Panorama Social 2007:
Positive
Scenario for improving health programmes for Indigenous Peoples States need to
reformulate concepts and goals in this area, while indigenous organizations
need to make use of and defend this basic service.
22 November - In Latin
America, the emergence of indigenous movements as political actors in
democratic contexts more open to the creation of pluricultural States has
enabled progress to be made towards the recognition of the rights of indigenous
peoples. Another factor is the recent Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous
Peoples, which reinforces the existence of minimum standards for the human
right of this population. So states the Social Panorama of Latin America, 2007,
the recent ECLAC publication that covers, among other topics, progress and
obstacles regarding indigenous health policies and programmes in the
region.
"Health sector reforms
geared towards the equity, efficiency and quality of health benefits are
conducive to furthering the application of indigenous health rights, with priority
given to the active participation of the communities themselves," the
document states. According to ECLAC, most Latin American countries have made
advances in legislation on access to health services by indigenous peoples. But
progress is still needed in comprehensive provision of the right to health,
incorporating the use and development of traditional medicines and protection
of indigenous territories as living areas, as well as the full participation of
indigenous peoples in the policies and programmes that affect them.(…)
Germany commits over US$7.5 million for food
security, livelihoods projects
Funds support FAO activities in Afghanistan, Kenya
and Tanzania
Rome,
4 December - The Government of Germany has committed more than US$7.5 million
to support food security, nutrition and sustainable livelihoods in Afghanistan,
Kenya and Tanzania, under an agreement signed last week with FAO.
Afghanistan -
The new funds bring Germany’s extrabudgetary contributions to FAO in 2007 up to
US$13 million, with more than half going to support nutrition, livelihoods and
food security activities in Afghanistan. A new three-year project with a budget
of nearly US$2.8 million will build on the achievements of earlier
German-funded activities by continuing to integrate nutrition, food security
and livelihoods objectives and activities in government policies and
programmes, notably in agriculture, rural development, health and education.
(…)
Participatory forestry -
Concerned about the depletion of forests and woody rangelands, the Government
of Afghanistan has endorsed a new forest and rangeland policy that involves
local communities in the management of forests and other natural resources. A
new legal framework providing access and rights to local communities has been
formulated and a draft Forest Law is now available. To ensure the effectiveness
of the proposed forestry policy and legislation, another three-year project,
funded by Germany with over US$2.5 million, will pilot participatory forest
management practices in three provinces of northern and eastern Afghanistan
where security conditions are satisfactory. (…)
Dynamic conservation
- In Kenya and Tanzania, Germany is
providing over US$2 million to enhance the viability of smallholding and
traditional agriculture and agro-pastoral systems and the food and nutritional
security of the indigenous communities depending on them. Part of FAO’s global
initiative to preserve globally important agricultural heritage systems, the
project will target the Masaai agropastoral and Tapade agroforestry systems.
(…)
Helping farmers export "forgotten" crops
Lack of pesticide data hampers trade in specialty
commodities
Rome,
3 December - In a global first, over 300 crop safety and pesticide management
officials and other experts are meeting this week at FAO to discuss challenges
associated with pesticide use on "speciality crops" like garlic,
ginger and chilies. The event starts today and runs through December 7.
Unlike
large-area crops such as corn, wheat, cotton or rice, specialty crops have
traditionally been produced in relatively small amounts. As a result, studies
on the proper use of pesticides in their cultivation have not been as
systematic or widespread as they have been for major cash crops. This poses
problems for producers, many of them in the developing world, who are
struggling to export their goods to overseas markets with strong safety
standards for imports. (…)
The
event includes two days of hands-on training aimed at spreading knowledge and
building the technical expertise of participants, who are drawn from over 60
countries. (…) In particular, following the summit FAO hopes to see more MRLs
for pesticides used on specialty crops established at the international Codex
Alimentarious level. Codex is a joint FAO-World Health Organization body that
sets international standards for food safety, standards which are relied upon
by the World Trade Organization when resolving trade disputes concerning food
safety and consumer protection.
ECLAC
and the Kellogg Foundation hold Latin American and Caribbean Social Innovation
Fair
Seventeen ground-breaking projects will be showcased
to demonstrate how community participation at reasonable costs can help
overcome poverty in the region
29 November - The Social Innovation Fair, organized
by the Economic Commission for Latin America and Caribbean (ECLAC) with support
from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, will take place Tuesday 4 to Friday 7
December in the Plaça da Alfândega, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil,
sponsored by the Porto Alegre Mayor's Office, State government, Santander
Cultural Center and Rio Grande do Sul Federation of Municipalities.
Representatives of 17 most innovative projects presented over the past two
years to the Experiences in Social Innovation competition will be on hand. The
event seeks to identify and promote the creative replication of social projects
within a framework of active community participation, as a means of
strengthening citizenship and achieving greater social cohesion in the region.
Enrique V. Iglesias, former President of the Inter American Development Bank
and current Secretary-General of the Ibero-American Secretariat, will deliver a
presentation on social development in Latin America on Wednesday 5 December as
part of the Fair. The 12 projects from eight Latin American and Caribbean
countries at the fair are finalists in the 2006-2007 round of the competition.
Each participating project will present its experiences before a Committee of
Notables. The five top prize-winners of the 2005-2006 round will also
attend.(…)
Rate
of increase is slightly higher than that of GDP growth:
Public Social Expenditure Shows Per Capita Growth of
10% Between 2002 and 2005
According to the ECLAC report, in some countries,
levels of expenditure are insufficient due to low tax burdens.
16
November - Sustained increases in public social expenditure as a percentage of
regional GDP since 2002 slowed in accordance with high per capita GDP growth
for the 2003-2007 period (more than 3% per annum). This has allowed most Latin
America countries to maintain macroeconomic equilibrium without having to stop
expanding social spending to attend problems of unemployment, poverty and
indigence. The institutional framework delivering greater financial stability
and legitimacy for social policy is becoming more consolidated. This is the
view of the Economic Commission for Latin America and Caribbean (ECLAC) in its
Social Panorama of Latin America, 2007 report, launched yesterday by ECLAC
Executive Secretary José Luis Machinea. According to the document, public
social expenditure as a percentage of GDP has tended to converge at 16% of GDP
over recent years. Parallel to the strong recovery of growth during this
period, per capita public social expenditure rose by 10%. But important
differences persist among countries, attributable, with few exceptions, to
diverse levels of economic development. Only five of the 21 countries analyzed
allocate resources at levels over the regional average. (…)
Cisco "Say on Pay" shareholder
resolution wins strong 48% support
San
Jose, CA., USA, November 15 - At the annual meeting of shareholders, almost
half (48 percent) of Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) shares voted were cast in support of
a "say on pay" proxy resolution asking the leading U.S. high-tech
company to put to a vote the Cisco board's compensation report. ICCR Member
Christian Brothers Investment Services, Inc. (CBIS) was the lead sponsor of the
resolution, which was submitted this year for the first time at Cisco. (…)
The
CBIS-sponsored shareholder resolution reads, in part: “RESOLVED, that
shareholders of Cisco Systems Inc. urge the board of directors to adopt a
policy that Company shareholders be given the opportunity at each annual
meeting of shareholders to vote on an advisory resolution, to be proposed by
management, to ratify the compensation of the named executive officers set
forth in the proxy statement’s Summary Compensation Table and the accompanying
narrative disclosure of material factors provided to understand the SCT (but
not the Compensation Discussion and Analysis). The proposal submitted to
shareholders should make clear that the vote is non-binding and would not
affect any compensation paid or awarded to any [named executive officer].”
The
vote is advisory in nature -- the shareholder vote would not override
compensation decisions, but instead, would allow shareholders to weigh in on
whether they believe the executive compensation package at the company is
reasonable.
http://www.iccr.org/news/press_releases/2007/pr_cisco11.16.07.htm
by Anne Moore Odell
A group of shareholders have come together to demand safer working
conditions for workers along the toy supply chain.
SocialFunds.com
- November 14 - The holidays are approaching and the toy-buying season is
starting its annual frenzy. However, the large number of recalls by toymakers
such as Mattel, RC2 and Toys R Us has highlighted consumers' worries that
unsafe toys are making children sick. Yet little has been made of the dangers
that the workers who make the toys face on a daily basis. (…)
A
large number of concerned shareholders have banded together to focus on the how
well companies are monitoring the product safety of toys and the working
conditions along the toy supply chain. Coordinated by the non-profit investor
organization As You Sow, the shareholder effort is confronting publicly held
toy companies and licensors.
The
Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (ICCR), a non-profit coalition of
275 faith-based institutional investors, and the Investor Environmental Health
Network (IEHN), which represents over 20 investment organizations with $22
billion in assets under management, are partners with As You Sow in the toy
supply chain shareholder project. (…)
The
first concern of this shareholder effort is to confirm if companies have in
place occupational safety protocols in their supply chain facilities. These
shareholders also want to make sure that companies have protections in place to
prevent exposure of dangerous chemicals and other hazardous substances to
employees. (…)
http://www.socialfunds.com/news/article.cgi/2415.html
New
project won – West Africa: African Union-Funded Farmer Organizations and Trade
Associations activity
November
14 - ACDI/VOCA has won a new activity funded by the African Union (AU)—a first
for ACDI/VOCA—to provide expert support in the development of a framework by
AU’s New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) to better support farmer
organizations and trade associations in West Africa. (…) Through this initiative,
AU aims to ensure that African organizations and associations have the capacity
to provide high-quality technical and commercial services to their members and
serve as credible actors in public and private sector partnerships and
business-to-business ventures, in order to support the development of
agribusiness enterprise in Africa.
ACDI/VOCA’s
work will be important in the implementation of the Comprehensive Africa
Agricultural Development Program, which was established by AU’s NEPAD and has
been endorsed by African heads of state and governments as a vision for the
acceleration of agricultural growth, food security and rural development in
Africa. (…)
http://www.acdivoca.org/acdivoca/PortalHub.nsf/ID/news_newbizNEPADproject
Tides of change: a project makes a difference in
the livelihoods of artisanal fishers
Fighting
rural poverty is a multifaceted challenge. It is not only about increasing the
incomes of poor rural people, and
providing them with access to safe water, health and education. It is also
about transferring knowledge and know-how. And more importantly, it is about
implementing policies that empower people and lead to reducing rural poverty. This
is what the IFAD-funded Sofala Bank Artisanal Fisheries Project is doing in
Mozambique.
The
Sofala Bank, which is rich in fishing resources, lies off the coast of
Mozambique. (…) The project is implemented by the Institute for the Development
of Small-Scale Fisheries (Instituto de Desenvolvimento de Pesca de Pequena
Escala (IDPPE)), which is under the authority of the Ministry of Fisheries.
IDPPE is in a good position to lobby on behalf of artisanal fishers and
advocate for their cause. (…)
Before
the Sofala Bank project helped change things, fishery regulations and law
allowed both industrial and semi-industrial fishers to fish as close as one
nautical mile from the shore. This meant that trawlers could pass over and
destroy the nets of artisanal fishers. A fisher's net is like a businessman's
blackberry or cellphone – it is his lifeline. The one-mile regulation had a
devastating impact on the livelihoods of fishers and the more than 12 people
who work in each fishing unit. It also affected fishers casting beach seines
from the shore. The IDPPE team through their advocacy work managed to change
national maritime fishery regulations. They lobbied with the Ministry of
Fisheries to raise awareness that the narrow, one-mile fishing zone was
disastrous for artisanal fishing. (…) Now that the area to be fished
exclusively by artisanal fishers has been extended, they can catch high-value
species in the open sea up to three miles off the coast, and they no longer
have to compete for space with industrial and semi-industrial fishers. (…)
http://www.ruralpovertyportal.org/english/regions/africa/moz/voices/sofala.htm
WFP to feed worst affected by Bangladesh cyclone
for six months
Dhaka,
29 November - The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) today announced a
plan to provide emergency food aid to 2.2 million people left hungry and
homeless by this month’s cyclone in Bangladesh over the next six months, while
applying the lessons of past floods and cyclones to prevent a surge in
malnutrition in the aftermath of the disaster.
When
previous cyclones have hit Bangladesh, there is often a surge in the rates of
malnutrition, as those who lose their homes and livelihoods struggle to feed
their families. “This time, WFP will start longer-term distributions to
families with hopes of preventing increases in malnutrition throughout the
region,” said WFP Executive Director Josette Sheeran. (…) More than four
million Bangladeshis were hit by the cyclone on 15 November and within hours
WFP food assistance including high energy biscuits were reaching thousands of
the most vulnerable victims. So far WFP has delivered more than 300 metric tons
of biscuits by road and by Bangladesh Air Force helicopter and C130 Hercules
aircraft. It has also dispatched more than 430 tons of rice, using trucks
provided by WFP’s corporate partner TNT, who have also supplied personnel to
help with logistics. Even during normal years, acute malnutrition rates tend to
peak at over 15 percent prior to the main harvest, reflecting an increase in
food insecurity as stocks of the previous season’s crops dwindle. (…) http://www.wfp.org/english/?ModuleID=137&Key=2704
Democratic Republic of the Congo: drinking water
for the people of Kongolo
November
26 - The Kongolo city pumping station and drinking water treatment and supply
plant, which the ICRC and the Redigeso (the national water authority) have just
restored to working order, was inaugurated on 23 November. (…)
Kongolo,
which is the capital of Kongolo territory in Katanga province and has a
population of 57,000, has suffered the effects of armed conflicts that have
ravaged the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo since 1996. The city’s
pumping station and drinking water treatment and supply plant, which entered
service in 1954, had been damaged, leaving the city without any facility to
supply drinking water. For years, this state of affairs was the cause of
water-related disease and cholera epidemics. Kongolo’s population was reduced
to drawing water from the River Congo and shallow wells, which were sometimes
polluted.
The
ICRC and the Regideso worked in partnership to repair the drinking-water supply
system and the water production, storage and distribution facilities with a
view to achieving a daily capacity of 1,300 cubic metres. The ICRC renovated
the buildings and the water tower, provided catchment and delivery pumps, a
generator and accessories for repairing the water supply system, and
transported all of the materials and equipment to the various sites. The
Regideso installed the new settling tank, built sand filters, repaired the
mains network and constructed 12 water distribution points. (…)
http://www.icrc.org/web/eng/siteeng0.nsf/html/congo-kinshasa-news-261107
Relief to cyclone survivors
By Malene Haakansson
November
23 - DanChurchAid gives relief aid worth 300.000 DKK to the worst hit areas in
Bangladesh. The survivors of the brutal cyclone Sidr, which recently hit the
coast of Bangladesh, are in great need of help. Villages and crops have been
washed away, and livestock have drowned.
DanChurchAid’s
local partner Dushtha Shasthya Kendra, DSK, is distributing blankets, food and
soap to the most vulnerable families and the partner is also providing tube
wells because the remaining wells are contaminated by salt water. The relief
aid from DanChurchAid is so far worth 300.000 DKK. One million people are
affected by the cyclone in Bangladesh’s coastal districts. More than 10.000
people are feared dead. DSK will distribute the relief items in two of the worst
hit districts of Bagerhat og Khulna.
Chile: A child-friendly space in the midst of
quake's devastation
By Marta Gazzari
22
November - In the heart of the destruction in Tocopilla, World Vision is
raising an oasis of peace and hope. A huge weatherproof tent in a fenced
playground will host the “Club de Niños y Niñas"—a World Vision child
friendly space.
A
group of young volunteers, experienced in working with children in summer
camps, is training volunteers from Tocopilla to help staff the club in coordination
with World Vision specialists.
Once
completed, the club will receive 100 children between the ages of four and 12
and serve them three meals a day while they participate in cultural and
recreational activities to help them deal with their traumatic experiences and
memories of the earthquake.
The
club's services will help fill a gap created by an early end to the school year
due to earthquake damage.
The
services will free up families to start rebuilding their houses and to complete
the paperwork necessary to access government services offered during emergency
situations.
The
club will also offer special psychological counselling to children who need
support.
November
21 - The British Department for International Development (DFID), which has
since 2004 financed Air Serv International’s humanitarian flights in The
Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), recently expanded its support to add a
Cessna Caravan in Lubumbashi.
Air
Serv International opened its Lubumbashi base in 2004 with DFID funding, to
serve the growing needs of the humanitarian community supporting internally
displaced persons (IDPs) in Katanga Province. The DRC, roughly the size of
Western Europe and home to over 60 million people, has been plagued with
violence, instability, disease and extreme poverty. Of some one million IDPs
nationwide, almost 100,000 live in Katanga, served by 23 NGOs that rely on Air
Serv International for aviation support. World Vision, Concern, MSF ACF and
others provide relief and rehabilitation for these people, while Air Serv
International flies them to the camps where these IDPs and returnees live.
Air
Serv International has more than 23 years and over a quarter of a million hours
of flight time with no flight related fatalities, and currently operates 19
aircraft worldwide. It is committed to improving conditions and become a
catalyst for positive change by helping the peoples of our host countries help
themselves, and supporting our partner humanitarian aid agencies with air
service to some of the most remote and underserved places in the world.(…)
http://www.interaction.org/newswire/detail.php?id=6074
Hunger Bytes! WFP and YouTube viral video
competition
21
November - The World Food Programme calls on students, would-be filmmakers and
any other interested folks in the web universe to put their creativity towards
raising awareness about hunger through a unique, international competition -
the best short video about ‘byting’ global hunger . (…)
To
show video-makers just how far they can go to stir-up the online community, WFP
has produced its own provocative 30 second video. This edgy clip shows
competitive eaters wolfing down hotdog after hotdog played out in slow motion
before reminding viewers that “850 million go to bed hungry every night
…Share.” To enter the contest, videos are submitted to WFP. The five most compelling
clips, between 30 to 60 seconds in length, will then be let loose on the web
through YouTube. Competitors can increase their chances of winning by sharing
the link with friends and online communities such as Facebook, MySpace and
through blogs. The video that gets the most views by World Food Day - October
16, 2008 - will win. (…)
http://www.wfp.org/english/?ModuleID=137&Key=2698
ADRA responding with aid for survivors of
Bangladesh cyclone
Silver
Spring, Maryland, USA, November 21 - The Adventist Development and Relief
Agency (ADRA) is on the ground and responding to the immediate needs of
survivors after Cyclone Sidr made landfall over the low-lying southwestern
coast of Bangladesh on Thursday, November 15.
Emergency
response teams based out of the ADRA Bangladesh office in Dhaka have assessed
the damage and the most urgent needs in cyclone-affected areas. ADRA is
initially responding with relief food items, including two types of rice,
sugar, salt, lentils, and oral rehydration solution for 927 households (about
5,000 individuals) in the hard-hit district of Barguna, specifically the
villages of Chorpara and Sadagorpara. In these two villages, 36 people are
confirmed dead and 100 percent of houses have been destroyed. (…)
Latest United Nations and news reports
indicate at least 3,100 have died as a result of the storm, with the death toll
expected to climb. At least three million people have been affected. The
Government of Bangladesh estimates that over 273,000 homes were destroyed and
an additional 650,000 damaged. Public buildings were affected as well, with 75
educational institutions destroyed and another 4,231 partially damaged. More
than 760,000 acres of crops were damaged.
(…) ADRA is present in 125 countries, providing community development
and emergency management without regard to political or religious association,
age, gender, or ethnicity.
Additional
information about ADRA can be found at www.adra.org.
http://www.interaction.org/newswire/detail.php?id=6071
Vatican
City, 20 November - Caritas has started the first round of food distribution
for 120,000 people (23,500 families) in coastal Bangladesh in the aftermath of
Cyclone Sidr.
The
storm hit the coast of Bangladesh on 15 November, killing over 2,600 people,
although that figure could rise towards 10,000 people as more remote areas are
reached. At least 1.2 million have been made homeless in the worst disaster to
hit the country in over a decade.
The
Caritas Confederation, one of the largest aid networks in the world, has
responded to the emergency with initial pledges of financial support of over
USD 2 million. (…)
Caritas
Bangladesh has long-term development and disaster preparedness programmes in
the worst-hit areas, which helped with the speed of response. Under the first
round of food distribution each of these 23,500 families will get 13 kg of rice
and other food to last one week.
After
completing the first round, Caritas will repeat food assistance to these same
families. Under the second round, Caritas will add plastic sheets, bedding,
mosquito nets, and cooking utensils for these families.
Over
USD3.2 billion worth of crops have been destroyed resulting in the loss of food
and income for millions of people. Caritas will be looking at the medium to
long-term impact after the initial phase of the relief effort has ended.
Caritas
Bangladesh started relief and rehabilitation activities in 1970 after a
devastating cyclone to the coastal areas of the country. Since then, Caritas
has been responding to various natural and man-made disasters in order to meet
the basic needs of the affected people. So far, Caritas has spent over US$100
million for its relief and rehabilitation activities.
http://www.caritas.org/jumpNews.asp?idLang=ENG&idChannel=35&idUser=0&idNews=5358
MAG
features at exhibition in German parliament
November 29 - Numerous
pictures highlighting the work of MAG in various countries are part of the
‘Explosive Legacy of War’ exhibition that went on display this week at the
German parliament in Berlin. Opened by the vice-speaker of the German
parliament, the exhibition marks the 10th anniversary of the Ottawa Treaty,
which bans the production, distribution and use of most landmines. Initiated
and organised by Landmine.De, a coalition of German charities, the exhibition
shows the impact of all kinds of landmines and cluster munitions and their
devastating effect on the lives and livelihoods of their victims. The
exhibition, previously on display at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, can
be visited until 11 January 2008 in the foyer of the Paul Loebe Haus, Konrad
Adenauer Street 1, Berlin.
Website: www.landmine.de (German and English options
available)
MAG (Mines Advisory Group)
expertly clears abandoned weapons and landmines, but that isn’t what makes us
unique. What sets us apart is our focus on the impact our work has on people’s
lives. We move into conflict zones to further the road to peace and
development. We work with communities to lessen the threat of death and injury,
while releasing safe land and other vital resources back to the people who need
them. Our approach is long-term, enabling countries to rebuild and develop
their social and economic potential.
http://www.mag.org.uk/news.php?p=10844&a=0
Gambia: Nova Scotia-Gambia
Association assists in landmine risk awareness in the Foni region
allafrica.com, 28.11.2007
The Nova Scotia-Gambia
Association (NSGA), in collaboration with UNICEF, is set to embark on a
landmine awareness campaign in the Fonis. The campaign is one of the most
important activities in UNICEF's Child Protection Project in The Gambia.
For many years NSGA has worked
extensively in schools and communities across the country with their Peer
Health Education Programme, drama troupes, community film shows and group
discussions. All of these efforts have focused on promoting health awareness
issues, including HIV/AIDS, STIs, reproductive health, and malaria and gender
equity. Now NSGA, in partnership with UNICEF, is tackling the vital topic of
landmines. (…)
Using their expertise in
education techniques, NGSA will go to communities and villages to show films,
and then lead interactive community information sessions. About 15 communities
have been identified in the Foni region along the Gambia-Cassamance border, an
area occupied by a large number of refugees, who have been displaced by the
civil war in the Cassamance region. This campaign will have immense importance
to the people of the Foni region, especially the refugees who are expected to
return to their villages in the Cassamance where there remains a high volume of
unexploded landmines. (…)
http://www.landmine.de/en.titel/en.news/en.news.one/index.html?entry=en.news.0f53155129360000
Somaliland
on the way to adopt a legislation banning anti-personnel mines
Hargeisa/Geneva, 27 November –
In collaboration with the Institute for Practical Research and Training (IPRT),
Geneva Call and the Somaliland Mine Action Center (SMAC) held a workshop for
members of the Somaliland Parliament to prepare the adoption of mine ban
legislation. The workshop, which took place from 27 to 29 October in Hargeisa,
brought together approximately 50 people from the House of Representatives, the
House of Elders, the Government and mine action stakeholders (United Nations
Development Programme, Danish Demining Group, Halo Trust, Handicap
International, Disability Action Network and Police Explosive Ordnance teams).
(…) Somaliland authorities
have on many occasions expressed interest in joining the 1997 Mine Ban Treaty
but cannot do so as long as Somaliland is not recognized by the international
community as an independent State. In 1999, the House of Representatives of
Somaliland passed a non-binding resolution calling for the elimination of
anti-personnel mines. However, no formal measures have been taken yet to
prohibit use, possession and transfer of these weapons.
The workshop provided an
opportunity to discuss in detail the content of the draft legislation prepared
by Geneva Call, SMAC and IPRT, in consultation with expert organizations. The
draft bill is now being finalized by the House of Representatives Sub-Committee
for Internal Affairs and Security before consideration by the full House. The
President of Geneva Call, Elisabeth Decrey Warner, said that Somaliland has to
be commended for demonstrating such a firm commitment against landmines despite
having an insecure and instable environment.
http://www.genevacall.org/news/testi-press-releases/gc-27nov07-somaliland.htm
Sister
Cities International lays foundation for peace with the Muslim world
Grassroots
Diplomacy Report Highlights Nearly 90 Citizen-led Programs With Islamic
Communities
Washington, November 27 - As
leaders and diplomats from a host of countries gathered in Annapolis, Md. this week for a summit discussing the Middle
East's rocky journey toward peace, Sister Cities International released a new
report that highlights steps U.S. communities are taking to build peace with
the Islamic world. (…) With nearly 90 examples of model sister city programs
between U.S. and predominantly-Islamic communities, the report provides a look
at the grassroots activities being conducted by ordinary citizens to build
peace. The report is available for free at www.sister-cities.org/ipi.
Profiled in the report are sister cities like Baltimore, Md. and
Luxor, Egypt, which organized a medical exchange that brought doctors and
nurses to the renowned Valley of the Kings to train Egyptian heath
professionals. Sister cities Chicago , Ill. and Amman , Jordan held an economic
development summit in October 2007 to stimulate business relationships and
networking.
The report also explores the growing trend of trilateral sister
city relationships. It shows dramatically different methods communities are
using to build peace. Gainesville , Fla. has a trilateral sister city
relationship linking itself with Qalqilya, Palestinian Authority and Kfar Saba
, Israel that explored good governance. Their projects encourage all three
communities to implement exemplary city management practices. While rarely
delving into politics, organizers believe they are fostering peaceful
relationships. (…)
Sister Cities International's
Islamic Partnership Initiative aims to develop and energize sister city
relationships between U.S. communities and communities in predominantly-Islamic
countries and to breakdown stereotypes between the western and Muslim worlds.
In the five years since its launch, the Islamic Partnership Initiative produced
a 33% increase in U.S. communities partnering with the Middle East, an 18%
increase in partnerships with Africa , and a 3% increase in Eurasian sister
city relationships. (…)
A list of cities currently
seeking sister cities is available online at www.sister-cities.org under Cities
Seeking Cities. To get involved with the Islamic Partnership Initiative,
contact Jenny Oliver joliver@sister-cities.org
Uganda:
over 900 bombs detonated in the north
allafrica.com,
26.11.2007
The national anti-mine team
has destroyed over 900 bombs and ordinances in northern Uganda. The northern
team leader, Emmy Katukore, said most of the bombs were found in Gulu and Amuru
districts. They were recovered between
February and November. In Gulu, the bombs were mainly in Odek sub-county, Omoro
county, the home area of Joseph Kony, the leader of the Lord's Resistance Army
(LRA) rebels. Katukore added that the ordinances included 11 landmines, 82
rocket bombs, 560 bullets and 12 airdrops. Others were 156 bomblets and five
projectile bombs. He said their work was affected by the vegetation, thick
bushes in the region and the recent floods. The community helped the team
identify the bombs.
http://www.landmine.de/en.titel/en.news/en.news.one/index.html?entry=en.news.0f53160d2bc60000
Launch of
first Arabic website on landmines
Author(s):
Site Admin
Amman, Jordan, 17
November - The International Campaign
to Ban landmines (ICBL) is pleased to annunce the launch of the first
information website on landmines in Arabic. The website www.mena-protection.org
will be managed by Cairo-based ICBL member organization Protection and will
contain background sections about the landmine problem, the 1997 Mine Ban
Treaty and developments in the struggle against landmines with a special focus
on the Middle East and North Africa. This unique, comprehensive on-line
resource on the issue in Arabic is being launched on the eve of the Eighth
Meeting of the Sates Parties to the Mine Ban Treaty, which will take place in
Amman, Jordan, from 18 to 22 November 2007. (…)
http://www.icbl.org/news/first_arabic_web
November 14 - International
Trust Fund for Demining and Mine Victims Assistance (ITF) received a donation
from Switzerland in the amount of
450.700 CHF. The donation agreement was signed today at the Embassy of
Switzerland in Ljubljana, by H.E.
Stefan Speck, Swiss Ambassador to
Slovenia and Mr. Goran Gačnik, ITF Director. The latest Swiss donation,
thirteenth in row, is earmarked for
demining activities in Sarajevo Canton in Bosnia & Herzegovina which will
be carried out by the NGO Norwegian People's Aid.
In total, Switzerland has contributed to ITF more than 3.66 million US$ and remains one of the most regular and recurring donors to the ITF since 1999.
http://www.itf-fund.si/news/news.asp#m226
NPA and
the Government of Jordan break mine clearance records
November 14 - The Government
of Jordan has made a strong commitment to destroy all landmines in the country
by 2009 in accordance with its signatory to the International Mine Ban Treaty.
As the task is significant in scale and impact, the Government of Jordan has
asked for assistance by Norwegian People’s Aid to clear all anti-personnel and
anti-tank mines along the border to Israel from the Red sea to the Dead Sea
within this time. Funding has kindly been made available by the Government of
Norway and also by the Governments of Germany, Finland and Japan.
http://otto.idium.no/folkehjelp.no/?module=Articles;action=Article.publicShow;ID=4393;lang=eng
November 13 - Federal Republic
of Germany has supported the activities of the International Trust Fund for
Demining and Mine Victim Assistance (ITF) for the third time this year. (…) The
donation in the amount of EUR 95.000 is Germany's twelfth donation to ITF and
is earmarked for demining activities in Albania. Germany is one of the most
regular donor countries and has contributed on a yearly basis to ITF ever since
ITF's inception in 1998. Donations from Germany to ITF now amount to over 14
million EUR. Donations were earmarked for demining activities in South East
Europe, namely in Bosnia & Herzegovina, Serbia and Albania.
Ongoing implementation of
demining strategy in Albania, since year 2000, remains one of the crucial
conditions for reconstruction and socio-economic development of Northern
Albania. The most recent donation from Germany is intended for a successful
conclusion of 2007 demining season, which is being carried out by the Albanian
Mine Clearance Organization and aided by the international NGO Danish Church
Aid (AMCO/DCA). (…)
http://www.itf-fund.si/news/news.asp#m225
For a
nonkilling world
Report
of the First Global Nonkilling Leadership Forum
Honolulu, Hawai‘I, November
1-4, 2007 (…) The Forum was organized by the nonprofit Center for Global
Nonviolence and was co-sponsored by the Spark M. Matsunaga Institute for Peace,
University of Hawai‘i, and the Mu Ryang Sa Buddhist Temple of Hawai’i. Forum
Co-chairs were Nobel Peace Laureate Mairead Corrigan Maguire and Dr. Balwant
(Bill) Bhaneja, Senior Research Fellow, Program for Research in Innovation
Management and Economy (PRIME), School of Management, University of Ottawa.
Over 30 participants from 20 countries of Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America,
the Middle East, North America, and Pacific shared experiences. (…)
The Forum arose from reader
responses to the book Nonkilling Global Political Science (Gandhi Media Centre,
2002; Xlibris 2002, 2007), which is being translated into 26 languages with 13
already published. The full English
text is universally accessible at www.globalnonviolence.org. The book advances the thesis that it is
possible for humans to stop killing each other. This thesis is supported by the conclusion of the WHO, World
Report on Violence and Health (2002) that human violence is a “preventable
disease.” (…)
We reaffirmed the presence of
the Global Nonkilling Spirit in religious and humanist faiths: Hawaiian,
Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Humanist, Islam, Jainism, and Judaism. We reviewed
and reaffirmed the thesis that, viewed globally, human beings can stop killing
each other on at least seven grounds:
spiritual, scientific, skill, institutional artistic, historical, and
predecessor demonstration. (…)
The
Global Link Teleconferences
Voices of global citizens from
every continent calling for peace to prevail on earth will be connected Live by
Teleconference. Your active prayers for peace will commune with voices from
around the world to inspire, awaken and further elevate the conscious evolution
of humanity. A multi-cultural, interfaith opportunity for the global heart to
merge as ONE.
Two Teleconferences are
scheduled in December:
A Call to Peace in the USA
–Saturday, December 15th, 4pm EST, USA,in celebration of World Day of Unity and
Union.
World Peace Prayer Ceremony
Saturday, December 22nd, 9am EST, USA linking with the Global Celebration of a
New Dawn .
Both Teleconferences will be
broadcasted live by the All One Now Network webcast service. The Global Link Teleconferences are hosted
by The World Peace Prayer Society. To learn more and register please visit: http://www.worldpeace.org/teleconference.php
Colombia: ICRC boosts
production of artificial limbs and orthotic devices in Norte de Santander
November 30 - To enable
victims of anti-personnel mines and unexploded ordnance to benefit from a
faster and more efficient service, the ICRC is working with various local
organizations specializing in the manufacture of artificial limbs and orthotic
devices and in rehabilitative treatment.
The ICRC recently donated
equipment and materials to the Centre for cardiac and neuromuscular
rehabilitation in the Colombian department of Norte de Santander to enable the
Centre to modernize its workshop. It also provided support and advice for
training of staff. As a result, it will now be possible to produce orthopaedic
articles locally using polypropylene, a high-quality, low-cost technology used
and promoted by the ICRC all over the world. (…)
The ICRC is also working with
other similar centres in Cali, Bogotá, Cartagena and Medellín in order to
improve victims' access to rehabilitation services countrywide. (…)
http://www.icrc.org/web/eng/siteeng0.nsf/html/colombia-news-301107
World
AIDS Day: Teachers take the lead
November 27 - To mark World
AIDS Day, Education International is challenging educators around the world to
teach the same lesson as part of a new initiative called "One Hour on
AIDS." The aim is to create a great global learning experience that will
increase awareness of the disease and show solidarity with the millions of
people suffering from it.
Education International has
been at the forefront of AIDS prevention through education since 2001, and now
delivers its EFAIDS programme in 46 different countries through 71 affiliated
teacher unions. EI General Secretary Fred van Leeuwen said that teachers are
determined to confront the HIV and AIDS pandemic in their classrooms because
they see its devastation in their communities. (…) To that end, EI has created
an activity kit to help teachers teach about HIV and AIDS. It contains
introductory materials, a one-hour lesson plan that can be adapted to the age
of students, and a "Take the Lead" poster that highlights ways to take
action against AIDS. The activity kit is not exclusively for use in schools. It
can also be used to raise awareness among union members. To download the kit in
English, French, Spanish and Portuguese, please go to: http://www.ei-ie.org/efaids (…)
http://www.ei-ie.org/en/news/show.php?id=671&theme=hivaids&country=global
Rotary International and Gates
Foundation together commit $200 million to eradicate polio
Evanston, Ill., U.S.A.,
November 26 -- Rotary International today announced a partnership with the Bill
& Melinda Gates Foundation that will inject a much-needed US$200 million
into the global campaign to eradicate polio, a crippling and sometimes fatal
disease that still paralyzes children in parts of Africa, Asia and the Middle
East and threatens children everywhere.
The Rotary Foundation has
received a $100-million Gates Foundation grant, which Rotary will raise funds
to match, dollar-for-dollar, over three years. The Evanston-based volunteer
service organization will spend the initial $100 million within one year in
direct support of immunization activities carried out by the Global Polio
Eradication Initiative (GPEI), a partnership spearheaded by the World Health
Organization (WHO), Rotary International, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention and UNICEF.
"The extraordinary
dedication of Rotary members has played a critical role in bringing polio to the
brink of eradication," says Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda
Gates Foundation. "Eradicating polio will be one of the most significant
public health accomplishments in history, and we are committed to helping reach
that goal." The polio eradication grant is one of the largest challenge
grants ever given by the Gates Foundation and the largest grant received by
Rotary in its 102-year history. Polio eradication has been Rotary’s top
priority since 1985. Since then, Rotary has contributed $633 million to the
eradication effort. (…)
Last month, WHO released data
confirming that all four remaining polio-endemic countries are on track to
achieve eradication. In particular, significant progress has been made in India
and Nigeria, which together account for 85 percent of the world’s polio cases.
Nigeria has reported 226 cases so far this year, compared with 958 at the same
time last year. In both countries, more effective oral polio vaccines have
contributed to steady progress in reducing polio cases. (…)
Contact: vivian.fiore@rotary.org www.polioeradication.org
India-Pakistan
cricketers team up to "bowl out" polio
25 November - Children’s
mouths literally fell open when they lined up for their polio drops yesterday.
Instead of the usual volunteers, there to vaccinate them were celebrity cricket
players from the national teams of India and Pakistan.
India and Pakistan – whose political differences are often in the
news – share a common passion for cricket and are among the four remaining
countries which have never stopped polio. The “Bowl Out Polio” campaign in
India supports the government’s efforts to immunize children and is supported
by Rotary International, UNICEF and the National Polio Surveillance Project
(NPSP), a joint Government of India-WHO programme. To drive home the message
that polio should be eradicated and parents must immunise children repeatedly,
cricket players use opportunities such as the current cricket series between
India and Pakistan , which are closely followed by millions of people in both
countries. (…)
Pakistan has reported 17 cases
of polio this year, and India has
reported 392 (as of 20 November). Both have seen a decline in cases over the
same period last year, particularly with regard to the more paralytic of the
two types of poliovirus, type 1. (…)
http://www.polioeradication.org/content/general/LatestNews200711.asp#IND_PAK_CRICKET
Americares
sends emergency aid to Bangladesh
Stamford, CT, November 21,
2007 – AmeriCares is sending emergency shipments of critical medicines to
Bangladesh in response to Cyclone Sidr, which devastated coastal towns
throughout the country and has left hundreds of thousands homeless and killed
more than 3,000 people. (…)
Two emergency shipments, which
include medicines and other relief supplies essential to treating health
conditions during and after a disaster, are scheduled to arrive in Dhaka. The
first is enroute from our warehouse in Stamford, CT, USA, and scheduled to
arrive on Thursday with the second scheduled to arrive later in the week.
Combined, the two shipments include over 40,000 pounds of essential medicines
and emergency supplies including, antibiotics, analgesics, topical creams and
IV solutions.
AmeriCares is a nonprofit
international disaster relief and humanitarian aid organization, which provides
immediate response to emergency medical needs and supports long-term
humanitarian assistance programs around the world. Since it was established in
1982, AmeriCares has distributed more than $7 billion in humanitarian aid to
137 countries. For six years in a row, AmeriCares has been given a four-star
rating from Charity Navigator, the highest possible rating, indicating
effective management practices. For more information, log onto
www.americares.org.
http://www.interaction.org/newswire/detail.php?id=6069
Project HOPE to lead
first-ever, large-scale diabetes education and training initiative in India
Corporate Partners BD, Eli
Lilly and Company, and Bayer Diabetes Care to sponsor four-year program
intended to educate more than 5,000 health care professionals to address the
needs of nearly 41 million people with diabetes in India
Millwood, VA, November 12 - The India Diabetes Educator Project, the first large scale initiative to train and educate health care professionals in India about the disease, was announced today by Project HOPE, an international health education and humanitarian assistance organization, and its corporate partners, BD, Eli Lilly and Company, and Bayer Diabetes Care. The four-year, multi-million dollar collaborative program is designed to help health care workers in India reduce morbidity and mortality related to diabetes and to combat the rapidly growing threat of diabetes there. With an estimated 40.9 million people currently living with the condition, India leads the world in the prevalence of diabetes.
The India Diabetes Educator
Project offers a comprehensive and sustainable approach that will provide
diabetes training to more than 5,000 health care professionals, including
nurses, dieticians and nutritionists in India. (…) The training will be based
on the International Curriculum for Diabetes Health Professional Education
developed by the International Federation Consultative Section on Diabetes
Education (IDF-DECS) curriculum, adapted for use in India. (…)
http://www.projecthope.org/newsupdate/currentnews/view.asp?id=100219
(top)
Shipping
industry subject of new emissions-reduction
moves
Oakland, (California),
December 4 - The country’s two busiest shipping ports are taking steps to also
become more environmentally friendly. The ports in Long Beach and Los Angeles,
California, have begun implementing a new program to reduce the emissions and
air pollution from the ships and trucks that make these two facilities among
the world’s most-trafficked shipping hubs.
Beginning in September 2008,
the two ports will prohibit the entrance of any trucks built before 1989, when
pollution controls began coming installed in big rigs. The next phase of the
project, which will go into effect in 2012, moves that manufacture date up to
bar any trucks made prior to 2007 from operating in the ports.
In addition to working on the
trucks that offload products for delivery nationwide, the ports will also
implement solutions that affect the ships bringing goods from overseas. The
ports will soon require ships to turn off all on-board power systems while at
the docks, another major contributor of air pollution and greenhouse gas
emissions. (...)
http://www.greenbiz.com/news/news_third.cfm?NewsID=36347
Xerox
hits GHG reduction goal six years early, sets target higher
Oakland (California), December
3 - Four years ago, Xerox set a goal of reducing its absolute greenhouse gas
emissions by 10 percent by 2012.
Last year, innovation and an
emissions reduction program allowed the company to surpass this target by 80
percent. Six years ahead of schedule, the company reduced its GHG emissions in
2006 by 18 percent, based on a 2002 baseline. (…)
http://www.greenbiz.com/news/news_third.cfm?NewsID=36341
WRI joins Greenhouse Gas Management Institute to train on
emissions accounting
Bali (Indonesia), December 3 -
The World Resources Institute (WRI) and the Greenhouse Gas Management
Institute are joining forces to train professionals on the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, the most widely
used international accounting tool for government and business leaders to
understand, quantify, and manage greenhouse gas emissions. (…) WRI’s Greenhouse
Gas Protocol is a perfect fit with the new nonprofit organization’s focus on
training and education and offering of online courses on how to measure,
account and manage GHG emissions. (...)
WRI developed the GHG Management
Institute’s first course on corporate GHG emissions accounting and is working
with the new Institute to develop and instruct additional courses on emissions
estimation methodologies and building GHG reporting programs.
The GHG Management Institute and
WRI will officially announce their partnership at an event in Bali, Indonesia on December 7 during the United
Nations annual conference on climate change.
4th Annual Canadian
Renewable Summit 2007
Quebec City, December 2-4 - The 4th Annual
Canadian Renewable Fuels Association (CRFA) Summit will bring together a
diverse and influential group of approximately 800 professionals from
throughout North America whose common goal is to promote and discuss the
production and utilization of renewable fuels.
http://www.crfs2007.com/DisplayPage.aspx?pageId=Program
1st International
Conference on “Advances in Energy Research” 2007
Bombay (India), 12-14 December
- The conference will be held at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)
Bombay in Mumbai. IIT Bombay is one of the premier technological institutes in
India with students and faculty who are comparable with the best in the world.
The institute has a vibrant research culture and has several linkages with
Indian and international industries and institutes. Energy Systems Engineering
(ESE) is an inter-disciplinary programme with a mission to develop sustainable
energy systems and solutions for the future. ESE currently has about 30 M.Tech’s
and Ph.D graduating annually. The ESE is expanding into a School with new
academic programmes and an increased research thrust.
IIT Bombay is celebrating its
Golden Jubilee from 2007 to 2008. The International Conference on
"Advances in Energy Research" is part of the Golden Jubilee
celebrations.
http://www.ese.iitb.ac.in/~icaer2007/venue.php
http://www.iitb.ac.in/index.html
United Nations Climate Change Conference - Bali, 3
- 14 December
The
Conference, hosted by the Government of Indonesia, brings together
representatives of over 180 countries together with observers from intergovernmental
and nongovernmental organizations, and the media. The two week period includes
the sessions of the Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC, its subsidiary
bodies as well as the Meeting of the Parties of the Kyoto Protocol. A
ministerial segment in the second week will conclude the Conference.
What
is needed is a breakthrough in the form of a roadmap for a future international
agreement on enhanced global action to fight climate change in the period after
2012, the year the first commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol expires. The
main goal of the Bali Conference is threefold: to launch negotiations on a
climate change deal for the post-2012 period, to set the agenda for these
negotiations and to reach agreement on when these negotiations will have to be
concluded.
Today’s
UNFCCC press briefing at the thirteenth Climate Change Conference in Bali
opened with a statement by Kishan Kumarsingh, Chairman of the Subsidiary Body
for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA) on the importance of reducing
emissions from deforestation.
Mr.
Kumarsingh explained that forest ecosystems play a key role globally, both in
tackling climate change - by absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere - and
in adaptation to climate change by maintaining ecosystem services and providing
livelihood options.
Deforestation
is estimated to have occurred at the alarming rate of 13 million hectares per
year in the period 1990-2005, accounting for 20% of global annual greenhouse
gas emissions in the late 1990s and making it the world’s second largest source
of greenhouse gas emissions.
The
Conference is expected to adopt a decision on reducing emissions from
deforestation in developing countries. The text under consideration, Mr.
Kumarsingh said, recognizes the urgency to take action on this issue and lays
the groundwork for an early start to capacity-building activities and pilot
projects in these countries. It also addresses mobilization of resources by
governments as well as the methodological work needed to estimate emissions
from deforestation. These decisions, he added, are important in paving the way
for an arrangement on reducing emissions from deforestation in a future climate
change agreement.
http://unfccc.int/meetings/cop_13/items/4049.php
Climate change and the EU’s response
Brussels,
27 November – (…) Europe’s drive towards a low-carbon future will be further
underpinned by the Strategic Energy Technology Plan presented by the Commission
on 22 November 2007. The EU’s greenhouse gas emissions are falling due to the
combined impact of policies and measures resulting from the European Climate
Change Programme, domestic action taken by Member States and the restructuring
of European industry, particularly in central and eastern Europe. These factors
have enabled the EU to ‘decouple’ emissions from economic growth.
The
'EU-15' Member States reduced their collective emissions by 2% between the base
year (1990 in most cases) and 2005 while the economy grew by more than 35% over
the period. EU-25 emissions were down 11% over the same timeframe. These
reductions compare, for instance, with a 16.3% rise in US emissions between
1990 and 2005 as the US economy expanded by 54.7%.
Under
the Kyoto Protocol the EU-15 are committed to reduce their collective emissions
in the 2008-2012 period to 8% below base year levels. Latest projections from
Member States indicate that measures already taken, together with the purchase
of emission credits from third countries and forestry activities that absorb
carbon from the atmosphere, should achieve a cut of 7.4% by 2010. Additional
policies and measures under discussion at EU and national levels will allow the
target to be reached, and could even take the reduction to as much as 11.4% by
2010, if implemented promptly and fully. (…)
For
the EU it is therefore imperative that the next UN climate change conference,
taking place from 3 to 14 December 2007 in Bali, reach consensus to launch
these negotiations and fix an end-2009 deadline for completing them so there is
enough time to ratify the new agreement before the end of 2012. The window of
opportunity to keep global warming below 2°C is narrowing as temperatures rise,
and the costs associated with climate change will keep increasing the longer
further action is delayed. (…) Comprehensive information about EU climate
change policies is available at: http://www.europa.eu.int/comm/environment/climat/home_en.htm
Information
about the UN framework can be found at: http://unfccc.int
Ten millionth tree planted in Congo's gorilla
habitat
Gland,
Switzerland/Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo, 24 November – WWF and Congolese
authorities are celebrating the ten millionth tree planted around Virunga
National Park in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a crucial
habitat for the endangered mountain gorilla. The WWF tree-planting project,
launched in 1987 — and continuously operated despite recurrent armed conflicts
in the region — aims to reduce the shortage of firewood for neighbouring
communities. Strong demand has led to illegal wood harvesting and charcoal
production within the park, a major threat for the protected area. (…)
In
time of peace, Virunga National Park is the DRC’s most visited place by
tourists, who come to see the endangered mountain gorilla in its natural
habitat. However, the recent clashes between rebels and the regular army in the
area are keeping people away. Over 300,000 people have fled the fighting,
setting up makeshift camps on the edge of the park. Over the past two months,
WWF provided over US$150,000 for purchasing wood to supply the camps near Goma.
On
average, these camps need a daily supply of 50 metric tons of wood. The wood
comes from the plantations established through the WWF project. (…)
WWF
also announced the launch of a new forestry project, jointly funded by the
European Union, which will help individuals and communities plant over 2,000
hectares in North Kivu during the next five years.
http://www.panda.org/news_facts/newsroom/index.cfm?uNewsID=117961
UNEP
and WMO Panel puts final full stop behind risks and rewards of combating
climate change
Pocket Guide for Policy Makers agreed by IPCC in run
up to Bali Conference
Valencia,
17 November - The challenges and opportunities facing the world as a result of
climate change have been distilled into a concise and sobering guide by the
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
The
guide, launched today after five days of discussions in the Spanish city of
Valencia, will be essential reading for delegates attending the upcoming UN
climate convention meeting in Bali, Indonesia. The guide, officially known as
the Summary for Policy Makers, underlines the urgency to act to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions alongside the economic costs of a transition to a low
carbon society. It also argues strongly in favour of stepping up support and
action on adaptation. "Neither adaptation nor mitigation alone can avoid
all climate change impacts. However, they can complement each other and
together can significantly reduce the risks of climate change," says the
report by the IPCC, a panel jointly established by the UN Environment Programme
(UNEP) and the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO). It also highlights five
"reasons for concern" which are now stronger than before. This is
because scientists now conclude that they may happen at lower increases in
temperature or because the risks may be larger than had previously been
supposed. These include the impacts on species and biodiversity hotspots as
temperatures rise including polar and high mountain communities and ecosystems.
(…)
http://www.unep.org/Documents.Multilingual/Default.asp?DocumentID=521&ArticleID=5707&l=en
New York rotarians plant 100 miracle trees to
address asthma and global warming
New
York, November 16 - Members of the Rotary Club of New York, along with their
young Rotaract group, will bring their shovels tomorrow, November 17th, at 1:
pm, as they prepare to plant 100 unusual trees in Inwood Park at the Inwood
Hill Park Nature Center( entrance on 218th Street.) The "Fast Tree"
planting project, which the club's Foundation has sponsored, will be done in
cooperation with the Green Apple Core and the NYC Parks Department. These unique
trees are expected to speed to maturity three times faster than the average
tree. The project will be called "Trees for Public Health" and will
address the overwhelming asthma situation in Inwood, as well as the Global
Warming issue.
The
Rotary organization is composed of 1,221,298 men and women in 32,747 Rotary
clubs in 168 countries around the globe. These humanitarians address poverty,
health, education, and conflict resolution issues 365 days a year.
Contacts:
Andreas Runggatscher, RC of New York, Ny.rotary@verizon.net
Marek
Belka: “Europe moving towards sustainable forest management. The next challenge
will be to develop a consensus on the role of wood in renewable energy supply”
Geneva,
13 November – The ministers responsible for forestry of 38 countries met at the
fifth Ministerial Conference on the Protection of Forests in Europe (MCPFE)
from 5 to 7 November 2007 in Warsaw on the theme of Forests for Quality of
Life. They adopted a Ministerial Declaration and two Resolutions, containing
commitments on promotion of wood as renewable energy carrier and the role of
forest in water protection in the context of climate change for implementation
at a national level.
The
Conference had before it the most complete and balanced assessment ever of the
state of Europe’s forests, prepared by the MCPFE Liaison Unit with UNECE and
FAO. The report addresses all criteria of sustainable forest management,
provides relevant information for policymakers and points to potentially unsustainable
situations in some indicators in a few countries. It concludes “Overall, are
European forests sustainably managed? The answer is a qualified “yes” with
caveats in all three areas of sustainable development: economic, social and
environmental”. The Executive Secretary of UNECE, Marek Belka, addressed the
Conference. He pointed out the need to balance different positions and
interests to find a sustainable solution, rather than imposing a “winner” in a
contest of political strength. (…)
http://www.unece.org/press/pr2007/07tim_p07e.htm
Earth
Day Network, Clinton Climate Initiative and U.S. Green Building Council team up
to Green Schools
Chicago,
November 7 - Today at the world’s largest green building exposition in Chicago,
Greenbuild 2007, former President Bill Clinton announced a joint commitment to
green all of America’s schools within a generation. Earth Day Network (EDN) – a Clinton Climate Initiative (CCI) and
Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) partner – and the U.S. Green Building Council
(USGBC) joined former President Clinton in making this announcement to the
American public and media. Today’s
event formally kicked-off EDN’s national GREEN Schools campaign, which includes
three major initiatives: greening all
new and existing school structures within a generation; developing and building
healthier play areas and recreational facilities for all students; and working
to greatly improve the food children eat in K-12 schools. Along with USGBC and the Clinton Foundation,
EDN will expand the green schools movement through legislation, education, and
corporate and community volunteer greening efforts. (…)
http://www.earthday.net/news/greenbuild.aspx
South
Korea contributes more than US$4 million to first environmental project between
two Koreas
Nairobi/Bangkok,
22 November - The United Nations Environment Programme and the Republic of
Korea today signed an agreement for establishing a Trust Fund that addresses
key environmental issues in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).
The Republic of Korea will contribute US$4.4 million in total for this project.
The first venture of its kind on the environment between the two Koreas, the
Trust Fund will tackle forest depletion, declining water quality, air
pollution, land degradation and biodiversity in DPR Korea. It will also support
eco-housing initiatives as well as conservation and management of the Taedong
watershed, environmental education, integrated environmental monitoring system,
clean development mechanism and renewable energy technology. (…)
http://www.unep.org/Documents.Multilingual/Default.asp?DocumentID=521&ArticleID=5710&l=en
International conference
“Europe and Asia: between Islam and the United States: the lessons of Afghanistan,
Iraq, Lebanon, and Iran”
Melbourne (Australia), 5-7
December - Jointly sponsored by the Centre for Dialogue (La Trobe University),
the Innovative Universities European Union Centre, the Contemporary Europe
Research Centre (University of Melbourne), "L’Orientale" (Università
degli Studi di Napoli, Italy), the Institute for Social Ethics (Nanzan
University, Japan), the Institute for International Relations (Warsaw
University, Poland) and the Cold War Studies Centre (London School of Economics
and Political Science, UK).
The Centre for Dialogue is a
major initiative of La Trobe University. It comes after several years of
preparation and close collaboration with Australian and international partner
organisations.
http://www.latrobe.edu.au/dialogue/events.html
http://www.latrobe.edu.au/dialogue/index.html
Genetics, new
biotechnologies and the ministry of the church
Johannesburg (South Africa), 2-6 December - Some fifty church
representatives, scientists, youth, indigenous people, people with disabilities
and theologians are expected at a global consultation on genetics and new
biotechnologies in Johannesburg, South Africa, on 2-6 December. Ethical and
moral issues related to genetics and new biotechnologies facing the church and
the ecumenical movement will be approached both from a global perspective and
through an inventory of issues from different regions.
Issues such the aggressive promotion of
genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in agriculture, the hybridization of
human and animal cells for basic research, the use of genetics for
surveillance, efforts to enhance human performance through genetic engineering
along with other technologies, will be addressed from a theological perspective
After
examining how human rights legislation and conventions address these issues,
participants will discuss priorities for a strategic faith-based response, and
clarify personal and organizational commitments. The communication platform
offered through this event fosters the creation of a network of concerned
people in the churches and ecumenical partner organizations.
The
event is organized by the World Council of Churches (WCC) in collaboration with
the South African Council of Churches (SACC), the National Council of Churches
USA (NCCUSA) and the Canadian Council of Churches (CCC). The CCC and the NCCUSA
strongly contributed to make the emerging applications of life sciences an
ecumenical concern through an international consultation they organized in 2006
and which created momentum for a WCC project on faith, science and technology.
The Rumi Forum’s Center for Interfaith and Intercultural
Dialogue hosted the Luncheon Speaker Series: “How the Media Covers
Religion”
with Sr. Maureen Fieder, SL, Ph.D, Host of Interfaith Voices.
28 November - Sr. Maureen
Fiedler, SL, Ph.D. offered her perspectives on how religion is discussed in the
media. She discussed mainstream media coverage in print and on TV/radio,
new efforts at interfaith programming and publishing, and the “new media” of
the Internet. Sr. Maureen also shared how religion has been discussed or
referred to in different media outlets over the years and she provided
different media sources where religion is discussed in a positive and fair
manner. The talk also included the treatment of Islam in the media and the
right of “free speech” and how media professionals should exercise that right
with responsible reporting. At the conclusion of her talk Sr. Maureen
Fiedler offered ideas on how the media could cover the moderate view of Islam,
the future of religious discussions in various media outlets and how important
it is for all to have a world view in an effort to shape our perspectives about
the “other” whether it be about religion, culture, race, etc.. Following the
talk participants asked questions and discussed with Sr. Maureen various topics
some of which included how the media’s coverage of religion can improve, social
action perspectives in religion and the moderate voices of religion.
Sr. Maureen Fiedler, SL, Ph.D.
is the host of Interfaith Voices, an hour-long radio magazine show,
heard on 40 public and community radio stations in the U.S. and Canada, including
WAMU 88.5 FM in Washington, DC. She has been involved in interfaith
activities for more than three decades as an active participant in coalitions
working for social justice, racial or gender equality, and peace. Her
special interests lie at the intersection of theology and public policy.
She is a Sister of Loretto, and holds a Ph.D. in Government from Georgetown
University in Washington, DC. www.rumiforum.org/server/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=334&Itemid=76
http://www.rumiforum.org/server/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=5&Itemid=30
Grassroots
Films of Brooklyn, New York, comes “The Human Experience”
Synopsis
of the Film - From Grassroots Films of Brooklyn, New York comes “The Human
Experience”, the story of a band of brothers who travel the world in search of
the answers to the burning questions: Who am I? Who is Man? Why do we search
for meaning? Their journey brings them into the middle of the lives of the
homeless on the streets of New York City, the orphans and disabled children of
Peru, and the abandoned lepers in the forests of Ghana, Africa. What the young
men discover changes them forever. Through one on one interviews and real life
encounters, the brothers are awakened to the beauty of the human person and the
resilience of the human spirit.
http://www.grassrootsfilms.com/thehumanexperience/
Grassroots
Films is an independent film company catalyzed by the Franciscan Friars of the
Renewal in response to JPII’s message,
“The
film industry has become a universal medium exercising a profound influence on
the development of people’s attitudes and choices, and possessing a remarkable
ability to influence public opinion and culture across all social and political
frontiers.” Pope John Paul II
http://victorialabecki.wordpress.com/2007/04/01/grassroots-films-the-human-experience/
Essay contest
to mark the 60th anniversary of the WCC
“Making a
Difference Together - Prospects for Ecumenism in the 21st Century.”
The World Council of Churches (WCC) invites young
theologians and students of theology to submit essays addressing the theme:
“Making a Difference Together - Prospects for Ecumenism in the 21st Century”.
The WCC would like to receive essays from different church traditions,
contexts and perspectives. The best six essays will be presented by their
authors at an international consultation on Ecumenism in the 21st Century to
take place in Bossey, Switzerland during late 2008. Other selected essays will
be published by WCC Publications.
The essay contest is part of the programme to
commemorate the Council’s 60th anniversary in 2008.
Study
programme on inter-civilizational dialogue
Kuala
Lumpur, Penang, Singapore & Istanbul - 10 December 2007 to 5 January 2008
We are pleased to bring to you
the 2nd installment of our very successful inter-religious study programme.
Last year the theme of the programme was Contemporary Muslim Societies and this
year, the focus will be on inter-religious, inter-faith dialogue. Therefore we
are pleased to announce the Study Programme on Inter-Civilizational Dialogue
2007 - Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Singapore & Istanbul is now open for
application! (...)
The purpose of the dialogue is
to create tolerance, mutual understanding, interest, and concern among such
groups. However, the consideration of such dialogue should not be confined to
its literal sense. Dialogue among civilizations is also a metaphor for
the process of the implantation and cultivation of an orientation and attitude
that is founded on the attributes of tolerance, mutual understanding, interest,
and compassion. This amounts to no less than the inculcation of the spirit of
multiculturalism, that is, the celebration of cultural variety and diversity. A
very effective way of bringing about such dialogue or creating the conditions
for successful dialogue is to expose young minds to a variety of culture and
religions. USP will do just this, by bringing a group of students to Istanbul,
Penang & Kuala Lumpur this December, to be immersed in various academic and
cultural activities that involve in an intensive manner, the religions of Christianity,
Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam and Judaism.
http://www.usp.nus.edu.sg/events/2007/tricity.html
Global Celebration of A New
Dawn - Saturday, December 22nd
This is the 2nd
Timely Transformation Event of The Global Peace Meditation and Prayer Day
following the May 20th event that enjoyed participation by tens of
thousands around the world to envelope the world in prayers and meditation for
peace on Earth and the awakening of human consciousness. This event will be celebrated worldwide in a
24 hour marathon of meditation and prayer events to usher in A New Dawn as the
New Sun rises after the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. This event is sponsored by The Club of
Budapest and The World Peace Prayer Society. The last event was monitored by a
number of scientific devices indicating shifts in random number generators, the
human organs including the creation of a ‘Buddha effect”. For more information please visit: www.globalpeacemeditationprayerday.org
Just launched: the Education for All Global
Monitoring Report 2008
30
November - The Report“Education for All by 2015: Will we make it?” asks the
title of the 2008 edition of the Education for All Global Monitoring Report,
launched on 29 November at the United Nations in New York. Published by UNESCO
and Oxford University Press, the sixth edition of the annual Report is a
mid-term review of progress towards the six EFA goals established in 2000.
On
the positive side, there is a rise in the number of children starting primary
school, the number of girls in school, and spending on education and aid.
However, poor quality, the cost of schooling and high levels of adult
illiteracy rates need to be tackled in order to meet the EFA goals by 2015.
The
Report’s findings were used to prepare the Seventh Meeting of the High-Level
Group of Ministers on EFA from 11-13 December 2007 in Dakar, Senegal. The
Report will be presented on 12 December at the meeting.
http://portal.unesco.org/education/en/ev.php-URL_ID=54891&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html
Farm schools for vulnerable rural youth on the
rise in Africa
Millions of orphans and vulnerable children in need
of support – new manual published
Rome,
28 November – Farm schools for vulnerable children affected by the HIV/AIDS
epidemic are playing an increasingly important role in sub-Saharan Africa, FAO
said today. The schools are teaching orphans vital farming and life skills
ensuring them sustainable livelihoods and long-term food security. A new manual
on how to set up a Junior Farmer Field and Life School (JFFLS) has just been
published by FAO and the World Food Programme (WFP).
HIV
and AIDS have a tremendous impact on rural communities in Africa, particularly
on children. “Children and youth are charged with the heaviest burden of the
AIDS crisis,” said Marcela Villarreal, Director of FAO’s Gender, Equity and
Rural Employment Division. “Without their parents, they become more vulnerable
to hunger and poverty, disease, conflict, sexual exploitation, forced migration
and environmental degradation.
The
schools are an attempt to give orphans the means and the confidence to survive
in an often very difficult environment,” she added. The number of orphans and
other vulnerable children is growing in sub-Saharan Africa as a serious
consequence of the AIDS epidemic, conflicts and displacement. To date,
sub-Saharan Africa accounts for more than 40 million orphans, with an estimated
11.4 million children orphaned by AIDS.
Since
2004, FAO has established highly successful JFFLS projects targeting several
thousand youth in eleven African countries: Cameroon, Kenya, Malawi,
Mozambique, Namibia, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Collaborating partners are national governments, non-governmental organizations,
local institutions and WFP.(…)
http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2007/1000707/index.html
Activists and youth workers came together in
Johannesburg to learn from each other.
November
18 - Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA) supports youth initiatives in many countries
in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. For one week around 30 active volunteers
and professionals were gathered in Johannesburg, South Africa, to exchange
information, experiences and working methods. (…)
Although
there is considerable variation between different countries with regards to
youth’s situation, the methods for involving and activate young people are
surprisingly similar. During the conference in Johannesburg, good ideas were
collected in a bank of ideas. The aim is to develop the bank of ideas into a
workshop style course which can encourage young people’s participation in their
communities. For NPA it is important to support young people’s right to speak
out, be listened to and have influence on their communities. There is no doubt
that youth both can and will have a say when the world’s future is decided
upon.
http://otto.idium.no/folkehjelp.no/?module=Articles;action=Article.publicShow;ID=4403;lang=eng
Brazil: marvellous results with street children
About
100 km from São Paulo, in the town of S.J. Campos, a group of educators,
psychologists and others were trained in the LVE street children programme in
March 2007. Thanks to Fundhas, a large governmental foundation that through its
30 units assists more than 7000 at-risk children, they have since then been
applying the programme at Fundhas’ central unit. “They have had challenges and
difficulties, but passed through them and become fully confident,” reported
Rodrigo Brito who coordinates LVE street educator training in Brazil. “Their
enthusiasm at a meeting this August was very much visible. Further LVE training
and regular follow-up for the teams of all 30 units is already planned for
2008.
The
initial results have been marvellous. For instance, one young mother who has
been in the Living Values programme since March was formerly considered unable
mentally to take care of her children. Now she is taking care of them. Fundhas
is already thinking of promoting Brazil’s 1st Regional Conference on Values
Education!”
* * * * * * *
On this Human Rights Day, we launch a
year-long commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights. The entire UN family will
take part in a campaign to promote the Declaration's ideals and principles of
justice and equality for everyone.
The campaign reminds us that in a world
still reeling from the horrors of the Second World War, the Declaration was the
first global statement of what we now take for granted -- the inherent dignity
and equality of all human beings.
The extraordinary vision and determination
of the drafters produced a document that for the first time set out universal human
rights for all people in an individual context. Now available in more than 360
languages, the Declaration is the most translated document in the world -- a
testament to its universal nature and reach. It has inspired the constitutions
of many newly independent States and many new democracies. It has become a
yardstick by which we measure respect for what we know, or should know, as
right and wrong.
The Declaration remains as relevant today
as it did on the day it was adopted.
But the fundamental freedoms enshrined in it are still not a reality for
everyone. Too often, Governments lack
the political will to implement international norms they have willingly
accepted.
This anniversary year is an occasion to
build up that will. It is a chance to ensure that these rights are a living
reality -- that they are known, understood and enjoyed by everyone, everywhere.
It is often those who most need their human rights protected, who also need to
be informed that the Declaration exists -- and that it exists for them.
May this year reinvigorate us in that
mission. Let us make the Universal Declaration of Human Rights an integral part
of everyone’s life.
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