In spite of everything, a culture of peace is emerging in all fields of human endeavour
monthly, year 17th, no. 258 – 16 June 2017
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 media and editorial journalists, NGOs, service associations and high schools and colleges around the world.
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 It is a supporter of the Global Movement for the Culture of Peace. In the final report of the Decade for a Culture of Peace project (2001-2010) provided to the UN Secretary-General for presentation to the UN General Assembly, Good News Agency is included among the three NGOs that have been playing an active role in the field of Information through Internet.*
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UN chief congratulates people of Lesotho on peaceful national elections
8 June 2017 – United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres today congratulated the people of the Kingdom of Lesotho on the conclusion of a peaceful National Assembly election. “He commends the work of the Independent Electoral Commission in organizing the election and the role played by the Southern African Development Community (SADC) in assisting the Kingdom of Lesotho to ensure a peaceful political environment,” said statement issued by his Spokesman Stéphane Dujarric.
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=56936#.WT0lc5DyjIU
UN-backed treaty on mercury to enter into force; ‘pivotal moment’ in combat against harmful chemicals
19 May 2017 – The world took an historic step forward in the fight against mercury poisoning as the European Union and seven of its member States ratified the first new global convention related to the environment and health in close to a decade, according to the United Nations. Having been signed by 128 countries, the Minamata Convention on Mercury will come into force in 90 days – on 16 August 2017 – after being ratified by Bulgaria, Denmark, Hungary, Malta, the Netherlands, Romania and Sweden. According to the UN Environmental Programme (UNEP), the Convention commits governments to specific measures to control the entire “lifecycle” of man-made mercury pollution, one of the world’s top ten chemical threats to health. This includes banning new mercury mines, phasing-out existing ones, regulating artisanal and small-scale gold mining, and reducing emissions and mercury use. Since the element is indestructible, the Convention also stipulates conditions for interim storage and disposal of mercury waste. UNEP also pointed out that there are no safe levels of exposure to mercury and everyone is at risk because the dangerous heavy metal has spread to the remotest parts of the earth and can be found in everyday products, including cosmetics, lightbulbs, batteries and teeth fillings. Children, newborn and unborn babies are most vulnerable, along with populations who eat contaminated fish, those who use mercury at work, and people who live near of a source of mercury pollution or in colder climates where the dangerous heavy metal tends to accumulate.
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=56799#.WTp3osZabo0
New progressive law on domestic violence adopted in Kyrgyzstan
10 May 2017 - Recently adopted law on domestic violence in Kyrgyzstan aims to improve protection measures for survivors, simplifies reporting procedures and introduces behaviour correction for perpetrators. The law was welcomed by gender equality advocates and the public alike, as it improves protection measures for survivors and addresses implementation gaps in the previous domestic violence legislation.
International Criminal Court may investigate migrant-related crimes in Libya, Security Council told
8 May 2017 – The Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) today told the United Nations Security Council that her Office is considering launching an investigation into alleged migrant-related crimes in Libya, including human trafficking. “My Office continues to collect and analyze information relating to serious and widespread crimes allegedly committed against migrants attempting to transit through Libya,” said Fatou Bensouda during a Security Council meeting on the North African country’s situation. “I’m similarly dismayed by credible accounts that Libya has become a marketplace for the trafficking of human beings,” she added, noting that her Office “is carefully examining the feasibility” of opening an investigation into migrant-related crimes in Libya should the Court’s jurisdictional requirements be met. Ms. Bensouda said that reports indicate the country is at risk of returning to widespread conflict, and such an outcome would not bode well for the rule of law in Libya, and will surely aggravate a climate of impunity, which could in turn lead to widespread human rights abuses and violations of international humanitarian law.
http://www.inoreader.com/article/3a9c6e7f0442b774-
UN Women highlights women’s role in the energy of the future during EXPO 2017
9 June 2017 - UN Women will showcase its best solutions on women’s role to boost the world’s access to energy, while at the same time fighting climate change, at this year’s EXPO in Astana, Kazakhstan, from 10 June to 10 September 2017. Themed “Future Energy”, this year’s EXPO will be hosted for the first time in Central Asia and expects 5 million visitors. UN agencies, governments, international organizations, civil society organizations and technology companies from more than 100 countries will explore strategies, programmes and technologies aimed at sustainable energy development, promoting energy security and efficiency, and encouraging the use of renewable energy.
http://www.unwomen.org/en/news/stories/2017/6/
World Refugee Day - June 20
June 2017- In a world where violence forces hundreds of families to flee each day, the UN Refugee Agency believes now is the time to show world leaders that the global public stands with refugees, and it will launch its #WithRefugees petition on June 20th to send a message to governments that they must work together and do their fair share for refugees. The #WithRefugees petition will be delivered to UN headquarters in New York ahead of the UN High Level Meeting on Refugees and Migrants, scheduled for the 19th September. The petition asks governments to:
Ensure every refugee child gets an education.
Ensure every refugee family has somewhere safe to live.
Ensure every refugee can work or learn new skills to make a positive contribution
to their community.
World Refugee Day has been marked on 20 June, ever since the UN General Assembly, on 4 December 2000, adopted resolution 55/76 where it noted that 2001 marked the 50th anniversary of the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, and that the Organization of African Unity (OAU) had agreed to have International Refugee Day coincide with Africa Refugee Day on 20 June.
http://www.un.org/en/events/refugeeday
From housewives to local councils, rural women in Kyrgyzstan shift gears
30 May 2017 - In villages across Kyrgyzstan, rural women are taking charge of their lives and livelihoods after completing leadership and skills training programmes. Most of the participants are now running small-scale businesses and some have joined local councils to shape laws and policies. Temirbek kyzy is among 1,500 rural women across 45 villages in Kyrgyzstan who have received training from the ‘Accelerating Progress Towards Economic Empowerment of Rural Women’ (RWEE) project implemented by UN Women, WFP, FAO and IFAD since 2014. In the Naryn region, where Temirbek kyzy lives, the poverty level is 38 per cent—higher than the national average of 32.1 per cent—and women earn 3.8 per cent less than men (as per the National Statistical Committee, 2015). The project aims to increase income opportunities and enhance leadership skills of rural women. The participants received training on women’s economic empowerment, including gender-responsive budgeting, sustainable farming, and livelihood skills—such as handcraft, photo and cellphone repair services, baking and sewing. Of the 1,500 women who benefited from the training, 805 are now running small scale businesses and have increased their income by 29.5 per cent on average.
http://www.unwomen.org/en/news/stories/2017/5/feature-kyrgyzstan
Romania: 65th country to endorse Safe Schools Declaration
29 May 2017 – Education International welcomes the move by Romania to endorse the Safe Schools Declaration, a commitment to protect students, teachers, schools, and universities during times of war. With Romania’s endorsement of the Safe Schools Declaration on 24 May, the same day that the Committee on the Rights of the Child reviewed its country report in Geneva, Switzerland, one-third of the world’s countries have now committed to the global movement to protect learning at all levels during armed conflict. Implementation of these commitments is imperative: the Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack (GCPEA) has found that schools have been attacked in at least 21 countries experiencing armed conflict and insecurity since 2013. In addition, armed forces and armed groups have used schools and universities for military purposes, such as bases, barracks, firing positions, armouries, and detention centres in at least 24 countries experiencing armed conflict around the world, placing these institutions at risk of attack by opposing forces. The GCPEA is an inter-agency coalition formed in 2010 to address the issue of targeted attacks on education during armed conflict. The UN Secretary General, António Guterres, has also highlighted the urgent need to protect against attacks on schools, universities, their students and staff. In his report to the Security Council on the protection of civilians in armed conflict, released earlier in May, Guterres urged member states to endorse the Declaration. The Safe Schools Declaration, an inter-governmental political commitment developed in a state-led process headed by Norway and Argentina, was opened for endorsement in Oslo in May 2015.
https://ei-ie.org/en/detail/15081/romania-65th-country-to-endorse-safe-schools-declaration
Alicia Keys and the Indigenous rights movement in Canada receive Amnesty International award
27 May 2017 - Celebrated global music artist and activist Alicia Keys and the inspirational movement of Indigenous Peoples fighting for their rights in Canada have been honoured with the 2017 Amnesty International Ambassador of Conscience Award at an evening ceremony in Montreal, Canada.
The award is the organization’s highest honour for human rights work. This is the first time the award was given to a Canadian recipient. “Amnesty International’s Ambassador of Conscience awardees this year stand in the tradition of past winners such as Vaclav Havel and Malala Yousafzai – people who have shown exceptional leadership and courage to champion human rights, often in the face of great difficulty,” said Salil Shetty, Secretary General of Amnesty International.
https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2017/05/alicia-keys-and-the-indigenous-rights
National Geographic society commits $50 million of endowment to impact investments
Creation of new impact investment program, managed by CA Capital Management, will accelerate the organization's funding of research, exploration and education, inspiring solutions for the global good
8 June 2017-Washington/CSRwire/ - The National Geographic Society today announced it is dedicating $50 million from its $1.1 billion endowment to impact investments, furthering its commitment to understanding our planet and generating solutions for a healthy, more sustainable future. "At National Geographic, we are committed to changing the world through science, exploration, education and storytelling," says Gary E. Knell, president and CEO of the National Geographic Society. "We recognized the opportunity to double down on our ability to make an impact -- contributing to a better society not just through the grants we make, but by making investments that deliver both financial and societal returns." "Nonprofit institutions are increasingly seeking ways to develop and implement an impact investing program that aligns their philanthropic and investment goals," says David Druley, chairman and CEO of Cambridge Associates.(…) The National Geographic Society is a mission-focused nonprofit organization that invests in bold people and transformative ideas.(…)
Canada funds strategic humanitarian response facility in Gilgit Pakistan
1 June 2017, Islamabad - The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is constructing a Humanitarian Response Facility (HRF) in the Gilgit Baltistan (GB) –the northern area of Pakistan, thanks to funding from the Government of Canada. This will be the seventh HRF built in Pakistan as part of a strategic network of storage facilities to help the Government and humanitarian community better prepare for and respond to disasters. WFP has been working with the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and the Provincial Disaster Management Authorities (PDMA) to build HRFs in strategic locations in the most vulnerable parts of Pakistan. HRFs provide a central storage facility for government relief stocks to be rapidly deployed in emergencies. While WFP designs and builds the HRFs, the Government provides land for construction and takes over operation and maintenance. WFP provides training to government staff in technical areas such as warehouse management, facilities management and firefighting. The Government of Canada is providing CDN$2.2 million (1.7 million USD) for the construction of the HRF in GB. With an estimated population of 2 million, GB has a hilly terrain with few roads that are often blocked during emergencies by landslides, damage to bridges or congestion, leaving communities isolated. Instead of having to resort to aerial operations, which are expensive and can only bring a limited volume of assistance, the HRF will provide a central storage hub for critical humanitarian supplies.
First IFAD-financed project in Montenegro to support economic and climatic resilience
12 May 2017, Rome – The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and Montenegro signed a financial agreement today to launch a project to transform the lives of over 16,000 smallholder farmers. The Rural Clustering and Transformation (RCTP) project will be the first that IFAD has supported since Montenegro became a Fund member in 2015. In recent years, Montenegro’s economy has seen growth in some regions, while others have been left behind. For example, tourism and construction sectors have grown in coastal and central areas, while northern mountainous areas languish with higher poverty, depopulation, limited employment opportunities and poor infrastructure. Agriculture, the key economic activity in the region, suffers from low productivity which has been even further impacted by climate change. The aim of the new project is to help farmers become more competitive economically and resilient to the effects of climate change. In addition to financing, poor rural people need experience, skills and knowledge management which will be the focus of IFAD's intervention. Environmental sustainability will be the key guiding principle of the project, which seeks to leverage some of the unique characteristics of the mountainous area (the relative purity of the environment, the absence or limited use of pesticides) as a commercial benefit for farmers. The project will focus on rural areas in the northern mountainous region, where farmland is mostly over 600 metres above sea level. Berane, Bijelo Polje, Mojkovac, Niksic, Petnijica, Svnick and Zabljak are the counties that will initially be involved.
https://www.ifad.org/en/newsroom/press_release/tags/p30/y2017/43047917
FAO and World Bank step up partnership to end hunger and poverty.
New agreement aims to facilitate countries’ progress in improving rural livelihoods and safeguard natural resources
10 May 2017, Rome - The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Bank are strengthening their cooperation to end hunger and poverty at global and national levels. The two organizations will work closely together to support the member countries in meeting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG's), improve rural livelihoods, enhance efficiency of food production and distribution, and ensure sustainable management of natural resources worldwide. A framework agreement was signed in Rome today by Daniel Gustafson, FAO Deputy Director-General for Programmes, and Hartwig Schafer, the Vice-President of the World Bank's Operations Policy and Country Services. It provides essential new tools to implement this cooperation, to be used for the provision of FAO technical expertise to governments for projects funded by the World Bank. During the signature ceremony, both parties recognized the critical role of partnerships in order to meet the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including the use of the new modalities for faster mobilization of FAO assistance to the member countries.
http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/885326/icode/
WFP Tajikistan and The Committee Of Emergency Situations And Civil Defense Enter A New Stage Of Cooperation
8 May 2017, Dushanbe - The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) in Tajikistan and the Committee of Emergency Situations and Civil Defense (CoES) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for collaboration in the area of Emergency Preparedness and Response, Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Climate Change Adaptation (CCA). The main objective of the MoU is to strengthen the bilateral cooperation, establish and advance the systems, modalities and procedures for knowledge and information sharing on climate change adaptation, disaster risk reduction and to effectively manage response to natural disasters. Present in Tajikistan since 1993, WFP has always been among the first organisations with CoES to respond to humanitarian emergencies. WFP has been providing technical and financial support to CoES to strengthen Emergency Preparedness and Response mechanisms. CoES is responsible for population protection and civil defense in emergency situations. It assures the secretariat of the National Platform for Disaster Reduction in Tajikistan and co-chairmanship of Rapid Emergency Assessment and Coordination Team (REACT) in emergency situations, disaster prevention and response phases at the National, Regional and Local level.
The Garden Toothbrush. How a traditional vegetable is helping bring healthy smiles to displaced families in northern Nigeria
8 May 2017, Maiduguri - African eggplant lives up to its name: as it grows it bears white, oval-shaped fruits that look just like eggs before they ripen and turn green. It is one of the vegetables grown by farmers displaced by Boko Haram violence in northern Nigeria who are participating in an FAO project to kick-start local food production. Here, this traditional vegetable is known as gorongo and it is an important social ingredient as well as a nutritious one. The raw fruit of the gorongo is often chewed by women to clean their teeth. Violence related to Boko Haram has spilled across the Lake Chad Basin and is affecting Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad and Niger - with devastating effects on food security and livelihoods. Some 7.1 million people are now severely food insecure across the four countries. FAO is supporting displaced families to grow their own food so they can avoid slipping into long-term dependency on food aid. On a recent visit to an FAO-supported dry season vegetable production site, FAO's Director-General José Graziano da Silva met a group of women working together in a field growing gorongo among other crops. FAO provided seeds for vegetables such as cabbage, while the women were able to source the gorongo seeds themselves. FAO has developed a long-term strategy for the Lake Chad region that puts emphasis on supporting refugees, internally displaced families and host communities to resume their agriculture-based livelihoods. The vegetables grown by the women at the farm near Maiduguri are one small part of the plan to restore peace and pave the way to recovery.
http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/884715/icode/
British Red Cross raises over £10m for Manchester terror attack victims
By Laura Oakley, British Red Cross
6 June 2017 – The We Love Manchester Emergency Fund has raised £10.2 million since its launch two weeks ago by Manchester City Council and the British Red Cross.The fund will support those injured or bereaved by the attack at the Manchester Arena following an Ariana Grande concert on 22 May, and ensure that victims and their families do not face short-term financial difficulties. Ariana Grande, along with some of the biggest international names in music, contributed to the fundraising campaign by returning to the UK for the One Love Manchester benefit concert on Sunday 4 June. Justin Bieber, Coldplay, Katy Perry, Miley Cyrus, Pharrell Williams, Usher, Take That, Niall Horan and Liam Gallagher all joined the singer in the show of solidarity that took place at the Old Trafford Cricket Ground in Manchester and was streamed in 50 countries over YouTube, Twitter and Facebook. Ariana Grande said: “Music is meant to heal us, to bring us together, to make us happy. So that is what it will continue to do for us. We will continue to honour the ones we lost, their loved ones, my fans and all affected by this tragedy.” (…) The We Love Manchester Emergency Fund is still open, and will support the people affected by the attack in Manchester.
Enrique Iglesias gives a healing hand to kids in Mexico
Singer working with Save the Children to help children affected by poverty and violence in Mexico heal emotionally
5 June 2017-Fairfield, Connecticut — For his North American tour with Pitbull, and two years after injuring his hand at a concert in Mexico, Grammy Award-winning artist Enrique Iglesias has once again teamed up with Save the Children to launch a new #Hearts4Kids T-shirt promotion to help children affected by poverty and violence in Mexico heal emotionally. The new #Hearts4Kids T-shirt campaign builds on Enrique’s 2015 partnership with Save the Children to provide immediate relief to children after a natural disaster. The new T-shirt campaign will help children who face extremely frightening events and devastating tragedy recover emotionally and thrive for years to come. Eleven dollars ($11) from the sale of each T-shirt will go to Save the Children’s Healing and Education through the Arts or HEART program in Mexico. HEART uses the arts to help children who experience chronic stress from their life circumstances of poverty and other distressing events tell their personal, often painful, stories. Through drawing, dance, drama and other art activities, children learn how to express their feelings, such as fear, anger and grief, so they can thrive. "My heart goes out to kids who live in a state of constant turmoil and stress," said Enrique Iglesias. "I feel fortunate to partner with Save the Children once again to make the world a little better for children(…)”
China delivers food assistance to Somalia through the “Maritime Silk Road”
1 June Beijing - Today, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) began the dispatch of Chinese rice through the ‘Maritime Silk Road’ to support hundreds of thousands of people in need of food assistance across drought-stricken Somalia. This contribution is a concrete outcome following China’s commitment to food assistance at the Belt and Road Forum held in May this year. With this contribution, WFP has procured more than 2821.75 metric tonnes of rice from China. Distribution of the Chinese rice will begin as soon as it arrives in Somalia and will provide critical food assistance to drought-affected people in 18 regions of Somalia. Together with China’s contributions of rice, sorghum and Plumpy Sup (a nutritious paste), there is enough food to feed approximately 223,500 people for four months. As the drought intensifies, particularly in the southern and north-eastern parts of Somalia, severe food insecurity has spread. Half of the population, including 363,000 acutely malnourished children under five, is in need of urgent assistance. WFP will continue to ramp up its assistance to reach 3.4 million people over the next six months through emergency food assistance as well as specially fortified nutrition support for women and young children.
Peru: Red Cross volunteers help families reconnect
31 May 2017 – A series of devastating floods and mudslides in Peru, caused by coastal weather phenomenon El Niño, forced tens of thousands from their homes in the first few months of 2017. Many people lost contact with their loved ones as they fled to safety. They had no idea what had happened to them and no way of finding out. (…) Volunteers from the Peruvian Red Cross were sent out to the affected area to help those in need. Through the organization's tracing service, the volunteers helped people make telephone calls, charge mobile phones in places without electricity, and search for missing relatives in emergency shelters. Proper training is essential for volunteers involved in this kind of work, which is why the ICRC strives to build local capacity. We recently supported the Peruvian Red Cross in running a "train the trainer" workshop focused on tracing. The idea was for participants to receive training and then pass on their skills and knowledge to other volunteers at their respective branches of the Red Cross. Volunteers from 18 different branches took part in the workshop. They were taught how to record the details of separated family members and how to track and support people affected by a crisis. They were also given training in basic emotional support and self-care.
https://www.icrc.org/en/document/peru-red-cross-volunteers-help-families-reconnect
European Union contributes to WFP’s life-saving work in South Sudan
26 May 26, Juba - The European Commission has reaffirmed its commitment to saving the lives of conflict-affected people in South Sudan with a US$ 12.9 million contribution to the emergency operation of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP). This is in addition to the US$ 32 million contribution that was already confirmed for 2017. The contribution from the European Commission’s Humanitarian Aid department (ECHO) for WFP South Sudan will provide emergency food and nutrition assistance to about 890,000 people facing hunger as a result of conflict and seasonal food insecurity, including an estimated 165,000 children under the age of five and pregnant and breastfeeding women. WFP is purchasing about 4,000 metric tons of cereals, 500 metric tons of beans, 800 metric tons of oil and 1,000 metric tons of the specialized nutritious food (CSB++) using this donation. An additional US$ 5.4 million is being provided by the European Commission to support the UN Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) and Logistics Cluster, which are managed by WFP on behalf of the humanitarian community to facilitate access to affected people. South Sudan is experiencing the worst levels of food insecurity since independence with up to 5.5 million people facing severe hunger. Since the start of this year, WFP has provided food and nutrition assistance to 2.8 million people across South Sudan and expects to reach 4.1 million people by the end of the year.
http://www.wfp.org/news/news-release/european-union-contributes-wfps-life-saving-work-south-sudan
WFP welcomes Japan’s support for refugees in Rwanda
25 May 2017, Kigali - The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) today expressed gratitude to Japan for its latest contribution of 165 million Japanese Yen (US$ 1.46 million), which will be used to provide food and nutrition assistance to over 55,000 Burundian refugees residing in Mahama refugee camp and reception centres. WFP is currently providing food assistance to more than 150,000 people each month under its refugee operations in Rwanda. These include 138,000 Burundian and Congolese women, men and children residing in refugee camps in Rwanda, who depend entirely on WFP assistance to meet their daily food needs, having limited access to income generating activities; 12,200 school children from the host community attending the same schools as the refugee children; and one-off nine months food distributions to an average of 500 Rwandan returnees, on monthly basis. In addition to the monthly general food distribution to refugees, WFP also provides specialized nutritious foods for the treatment of moderate acute malnutrition for children under five years of age; prevention of malnutrition for children aged six months to two years of age and pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers; and people living with HIV/AIDS & TB patients in the camps. At the sixth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD VI), held in Nairobi in August 2016, Japan reaffirmed the importance of nutrition as “the very foundation of health,” and is stepping up its support for the alleviation of hunger and malnutrition on the continent.
http://www.wfp.org/news/news-release/wfp-welcomes-japans-support-refugees-rwanda
Canada supports vulnerable families in the West Bank and Gaza
25 May 2017, Ramallah - The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) today welcomed a US$3.6 million contribution from the Government of Canada to support nearly 200,000 of the most vulnerable non-refugee Palestinians living in Gaza and the West Bank. The Canadian contribution will enable WFP to provide assistance through electronic vouchers, or cash-based transfers, to nearly 130,000 vulnerable people in Gaza and the West Bank for up to two months. Families receiving assistance, many of them headed by women, will be able to use their vouchers to buy nutritious and fresh foods at local retailers. An additional 68,000 Palestinians in the West Bank will receive a three month supply of food packages consisting of fortified wheat, pulses, vegetable oil and salt. Canada’s funding will also help WFP to continue to provide family nutrition awareness trainings for women, men and elementary school children in Gaza. The significant contributions from Canada have allowed WFP to maintain assistance to the poorest non-refugee Palestinians, as well as to make investments in the local economy. Since 2011, WFP has injected more than US$230 million into the Palestinian economy through local food purchases and cash-based transfers.
http://www.wfp.org/news/news-release/canada-supports-vulnerable-families-west-bank-and-gaza
EU support for WFP adds freedom of choice to refugees’ food assistance in Djibouti
23 May 2017, Djibouti - The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has welcomed continued support from the European Commission to provide assistance to refugees and asylum seekers in Djibouti. Funding from the European Commission’s Humanitarian Aid department (ECHO) has been instrumental in enabling WFP to provide an innovative package of cash assistance alongside food rations to refugees and asylum seekers from Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea and Yemen who live in the Ali-Addeh, Hol-Hol and Obock camps. Given the arid conditions and lack of sustainable livelihood options, WFP food assistance remains the only viable source of support for refugees in the camps. Over the last two years, EU humanitarian funding has contributed €2.1 million, including €300,000 so far in 2017. This has allowed WFP to provide the cash component of assistance to all refugees, including recently-arrived asylum seekers from Ethiopia, to date reaching a total of 18,500 people per month. Thanks to EU humanitarian funding, WFP's cash assistance allows refugees to conduct their lives with self-respect and in harmony with the local people.
EU-Funded cash assistance programme reaches half a million refugees in Turkey
17 May 2017, Ankara - The number of refugees in Turkey receiving monthly cash assistance through an innovative relief programme has now reached 500,000 and continues to rise. The EU-funded Emergency Social Safety Net (ESSN) supports the most vulnerable refugee families in Turkey with a debit card to cover basic needs such as food, rent, medicine and clothes. The cards can be used in shops, like any debit card, or they can be used to withdraw cash from an automated teller machine (ATM). The programme provides 100 Turkish Lira (roughly €26) for each member of vulnerable families every month. Registration began in November 2016 and continues across the country with the goal of assisting at least one million refugees in 2017. The ESSN programme is a partnership between the European Union Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid (ECHO), the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), the Turkish Red Crescent and the Turkish government. Turkey is generously hosting the largest refugee population in the world, an estimated three million people, the majority of whom were uprooted from their homes in neighbouring Syria. With more than 90% living outside refugee camps, in cities and villages across Turkey, hundreds of thousands are struggling to overcome challenging conditions and rely on this form of assistance to get by. Refugees living in Turkey are able to apply for the programme through the offices of the Turkish Red Crescent and the Social Assistance and Solidarity Foundations of the Ministry of Family and Social Policies. http://www.wfp.org/news/news-release/eu-funded-cash-assistance-programme-reaches-half-million-refugees-turkey
China contributes US$5 million to WFP to support refugees in Kenya
16 May 2017, Nairobi - Today the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has welcomed a US$5 million contribution from the Government of China to support 420,000 refugees living in camps in northern Kenya. After more than a year of ration cuts caused by a shortage of funding, new donor contributions from China and other countries have allowed WFP to resume full food rations to refugees from April to July. In Kenya, refugees cannot work outside the refugee camps and with limited sources of income, they are heavily dependent on WFP for food. Every month, refugees collect a general food ration from WFP of cereals, pulses, vegetable oil, and a nutrient-enriched flour made from soya and maize. The Chinese contribution has enabled WFP to buy 9,000 metric tonnes of cereals, the main staple in the food basket. In addition to the monthly food ration, WFP sends a monthly cash transfer through mobile telephones, which is equivalent to one third of the minimum food requirement. The cash transfers are giving refugees a chance to diversify their diets while also increasing livelihood opportunities for both refugees and the surrounding communities.
http://www.wfp.org/news/news-release/china-contributes-us5-million-wfp-support-refugees-kenya
DATES From Saudi Arabia To Enhance WFP School Meals For Thousands Of Children
9 May 2017, Manila - The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is providing dates to thousands of school children in Central Mindanao through the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP). A gift from the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KS Relief), the 30 metric tonnes of dates will be distributed by WFP through its school meals programme. Over 60,000 school children and their families in Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, and Maguindanao are set to receive the dates, which are a common food in several vulnerable communities and are customarily eaten to break the day-long fast during Ramadan. Since 2010, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has worked with WFP to give 250 metric tonnes of dates to families in Mindanao in time for the holy month of Ramadan. WFP distributes hot and nutritious meals to students in more than 200 schools of Central Mindanao as a long-term investment to reduce hunger. School meals work to improve nutrition and health among students, and also to increase access to and achievement in education, by helping children to concentrate and by providing a strong incentive for parents to send their children to school.
http://www.wfp.org/news/news-release/dates-saudi-arabia-enhance-wfp-school-meals-thousands-children
Europe is stepping up its support for the Central African Republic with aid of EUR 382 million
7 June 2017 - The European Union is supporting the people of the Central African Republic (CAR) by promoting peace-building and economic and social development. Mr Neven Mimica, European Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development, and Mr Félix Moloua, CAR Minister of the Economy, Planning and Cooperation today signed a programme of support for the CAR worth EUR 382 million over the period 2014-2020.
http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-17-1543_en.htm
Madagascar ratifies Global Cluster Bomb Ban
Madagascar becomes 101st State Party. Congratulations!
23 May 2017 – The Republic of Madagascar has become the 101st State Party to the Convention on Cluster Munitions, having deposited its instrument of ratification with the Secretary-General of the United Nations on 20 May 2017. The Convention will enter into force for Madagascar on 1 November 2017. Madagascar has never used, produced, transferred, or stockpiled cluster munitions. In 2013, Madagascar condemned the use of these weapons and later urged all countries that have not yet acceded to join the Convention on Cluster Munitions in solidarity with those who have suffered from the use of the weapons. Madagascar participated in the Oslo Process that created the Convention on Cluster Munitions and was among the states who advocated for a strong convention text.
Ebola: Red Cross volunteers continue community surveillance as DRC enters 42 day surveillance period
By Mirabelle Enaka Kima, IFRC
6 June 2017 – The Red Cross of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) continues to support enhanced community surveillance and engagement as the country enters its 42 day period of intensive surveillance for additional Ebola cases. The DRC’s national authorities reported a confirmed case of Ebola virus disease (EVD) on 11 May 2017 in the remote Bas-Uele province in the northern part of the country(…). According to WHO protocols, a country is declared to be Ebola free after 42 days have passed since the last confirmed case. After the 42-day period has elapsed, it is recommended that each country maintains a system of heightened surveillance for a further 90 days, and ensure ongoing EVD surveillance and notification. (…) The Red Cross of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with support from the IFRC, has mobilized and trained more than 150 volunteers on community mobilization and providing health education sessions in affected communities. (…) Together with the Ministry of Health, Red Cross volunteers were also trained in water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH). These volunteers are in responsible for preparation of chlorinate solutions and disinfection at the Likati district hospital, the Ebola treatment centre of Mouma, and other health centres. In addition, they carry out sensitization sessions on environmental sanitation and hygiene promotion with nearby communities (…).
RWANU empowers northern Ugandan villages to build latrines
31 May 2017 – In May, Uganda’s Ministry of Water and Environment declared three villages in the Karamoja region of northeastern Uganda open-defecation free. Before, the practice of defecating close to living spaces and without latrines left people in the villages exposed to the spread of water- and sanitation-related diseases, especially childhood diarrhea. Now the villages of Kalawani and Namodo in Amudat District and Loojor in Nakapiripirit District join four other villages that achieved open-defecation free status thanks to the USAID-funded Resilience through Wealth, Agriculture, and Nutrition (RWANU) project. This five-year project, implemented by ACDI/VOCA in partnership with Concern Worldwide and Welthungerhilfe, provides training to promote positive health-seeking behaviors. The RWANU project shared best practices in water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) with the three villages through a process called Community Led Total Sanitation Plus (CLTS+). Each village’s health management committee received supplies like spades, hoes, nylon strings, and metallic pails. RWANU staff then provided training on how to use the materials to construct latrines. (…)
http://www.acdivoca.org/2017/05/rwanu-empowers-northern-ugandan-villages-to-build-latrines/
End of outbreak in Lao People’s Democratic Republic
The Emergency Committee of the International Health Regulations removes Lao PDR from list of infected countries
29 May 2017 – As of May 2017, Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR) is officially no longer infected with circulating-vaccine derived polio virus (cVDPV), according to the International Health Regulations (IHR) Emergency Committee on the international spread of poliovirus. After an outbreak of circulating vaccine derived poliovirus type 1 (cVDPV1) in 2015 and 2016, the country has now been without cases for over 12 months, with the last case reported in January 2016. Since the outbreak, WHO, UNICEF and other partners have supported Lao PDR in their outbreak response efforts. This included support for multiple rounds of supplementary immunization activities, expanded social mobilization to raise community awareness and desire to vaccinate, and enhanced acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) surveillance activities to find the virus. An outbreak response assessment (OBRA) team visited the country in March to confirm the virus had, in fact, been stopped. The team, made up of representatives from WHO, UNICEF, and the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, concluded that all evidence suggested the outbreak had been successfully stopped, with all immunity and surveillance indicators meeting rigorous international standards. Tremendous progress was made in micro-planning, cold chain and vaccine storage at all levels, as well as nationwide social mobilization and strengthening of AFP surveillance.
http://polioeradication.org/news-post/end-of-outbreak-in-lao-peoples-democratic-republic/
WFP and J-PAL partner to promote child growth and immunization in Moyamba District
23 May 2017, Freetown - The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab for Africa (J-PAL Africa) are partnering on a programme to promote children’s health in Moyamba district, one of the districts in Sierra Leone most affected by chronic malnutrition. Children born with low birth weight are commonly stunted (displaying low growth for age). Later in life, they are at increased risk of chronic conditions including diabetes, hypertension and coronary heart disease. Much of the damage done by early childhood undernutrition is irreversible after what is known as the “thousand-day window” – the period covering pregnancy up and the first two years of life. This is why under the pilot programme, set to continue through 2018 in Moyamba district, 60,000 pregnant and nursing women, and 40,000 children aged six to 23 months, will receive monthly rations of specialised nutritious food when they visit a health clinic. During the period between birth and 6 months, support will be given to nursing mothers in order to promote exclusive breast feeding.
Advancing clean energy at the State level — an imperative
By Dana Drugmand
8 June 2017 – In the wake of President Trump's recent decision to withdraw the U.S. from the Paris Climate Agreement, one thing seems abundantly clear, and that is that the role of states in advancing clean energy becomes even more important. Now more than ever, policies and programs to promote sustainable energy resources will come from the state level. Although the states are getting a lot of attention now, a focus on clean energy will not be a radical departure for most of them. Both red states and blue states have already made significant commitments to support clean energy technologies and markets. For one thing, 29 states have Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS), which require utilities to purchase a certain amount of power from designated clean energy sources. In 2015, Hawaii became the first state in the nation to mandate 100 percent renewable energy for electricity by 2045. The California Senate just recently passed a bill (Senate Bill 100) for the same target, 100 percent by 2045. New York's Clean Energy Standard sets a target of 50 percent renewable energy by 2030. (…)
Mexico commits to critical measures to save vaquita
7 June 2017 – In response to the agreement signed today by the Government of Mexico, the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation and the Carlos Slim Foundation to support emergency measures to conserve the critically endangered vaquita porpoise and the Upper Gulf of California ecosystem, WWF issued the following statement:today’s agreement marks a key step forward in the fight to save the critically endangered vaquita and ensure a sustainable future for the people and wildlife of Mexico’s Upper Gulf of California. Importantly, the agreement includes a permanent ban on gillnets by Mexico and the retrieval of all abandoned or lost “ghost” nets within vaquita habitat, as well as the development of new fishing gear and techniques to allow local communities to resume legal, sustainable fishing activities – measures urgently requested that WWF considers imperative to preventing the vaquita’s extinction. WWF looks forward to supporting the implementation and monitoring of these efforts alongside our partners. At the same time, WWF continues to urge the development of a comprehensive vaquita recovery plan.
http://wwf.panda.org/wwf_news/?302050/Mexico-commits-to-critical-measures-to-save-vaquita
Environmental awareness in Uganda and at home
6 June 2017 – (…) Under ACDI/VOCA’s Resiliency through Wealth, Agriculture, and Nutrition (RWANU) project, communities in the Karamoja region of Uganda became more aware of the benefits of their ecosystem. The project implemented community-managed activities to replenish forests once diminished by the gathering of firewood and charcoal, successfully establishing 233 acres for farmer-managed natural regeneration. Participants learned how to care for tree stumps to promote regrowth and how to cultivate plants for livestock fodder. Several participants also started small businesses, such as beekeeping, to diversify their incomes. In Karamoja communities, and anywhere deforestation occurs, these efforts help mitigate the effects of decreasing bee populations, which can impact birds and other species. RWANU participants highlight the relationship we should all have with our natural environment. Otherwise, we risk our own food security. For example, trash dumped into our oceans releases large amounts of CO2 and causes major coral beds, like the Great Barrier Reef, to die along with the fish they support. Less food for bigger fish means less seafood for human consumption on the market. http://www.acdivoca.org/2017/06/environmental-awareness-in-uganda-and-at-home/
Ocean Conference - United Nations, New York, 5-9 June 2017
Our oceans, our future: partnering for the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14
5 June 2017 -The high-level United Nations Conference to Support the Implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development will be convened at United Nations Headquarters in New York from 5 to 9 June 2017, coinciding with World Oceans Day, to support the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14. The Governments of Fiji and Sweden have the co-hosting responsibilities of the Conference. The Conference aims to be the game changer that will reverse the decline in the health of our ocean for people, planet and prosperity. It will be solutions-focused with engagement from all. The Conference shall adopt by consensus a concise, focused, intergovernmentally agreed declaration in the form of a "Call for Action" to support the implementation of Goal 14 and a report containing the co-chairs' summaries of the partnership dialogues, as well as a list of voluntary commitments for the implementation of Goal 14, to be announced at the Conference. Mr. Wu Hongbo, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations is the Secretary-General of the Conference. Mr. Miguel de Serpa Soares, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs and United Nations Legal Counsel is the special advisor to the Presidents of the Conference on oceans and legal matters.
https://oceanconference.un.org/about
June 5, World Environment Day - 2017 Theme: Connecting People to Nature
5 June 2017- Observed since 1972, World Environment Day is "considered by many to be the most important event on the environmental calendar". UNEP reports that the Day "inspires action by governments, individuals, non-governmental organisations, community and youth groups, business, industry and the media to improve their environment, including clean-up campaigns, tree planting, street rallies, exhibitions, green concerts, essays, painting and photographic competitions, recycling efforts and much more".This years theme chosen by Canada implores us to get outdoors and into nature, to appreciate its beauty and its importance, and to take forward the call to protect the Earth that we share.
http://worldenvironmentday.global/en/news/highlights-world-environment-day
Business will continue the journey to deliver the Paris Agreement
2 June 2017 - Geneva /CSRwire/ - Adoption of the Paris Agreement in December 2015 was a watershed moment for the world in tackling climate change. At the Paris conference, governments, science, city mayors and company leaders came together to address one of the great challenges of our time. Leading businesses have the solutions, the innovation and the will to reduce the global emissions needed to deliver the Paris Agreement.(….) The targets fixed in the Paris Agreement are there to ensure a safe space for humanity. The agreement will protect businesses against environmental instability; it will determine the future competitive positioning of companies through the development and roll out of new technologies and business models; and it will create millions of jobs in green energies and local communities. Companies that have invested in climate action are already rewarded from an increasingly climate-conscious customer base. These factors make clear why more than 1,000 leading companies have, in recent weeks, re-confirmed their commitment to the Paris Agreement. They are demonstrating today that the journey to reduce emissions and future proof business will not be derailed. At the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), we represent 200 of the world’s largest companies. Together, we work on collaborative business solutions under the framework of the Paris Agreement and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.(…)
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Celebrate an Interfaith Ramadan through Stories of Service, Gratitude and Community
26 May 2017 - Ramadan Reflections to Highlight Muslims and All Faiths Making a More Peaceful, Just and Sustainable World. Interfaith Stories of Service, Gratitude & Community Will Celebrate the Holiest Islamic Month.
As the month of Ramadan is set to begin this eve, the Parliament of the World’s Religions wishes our Muslim siblings around the globe a blessed time of worship, reflection, and community. As the Parliament of the World’s Religions cultivates harmony among the world’s religious and spiritual communities, celebrating with our Muslim neighbors and honoring their traditions is a concrete way to cultivate such harmony. Ramadan offers a time for Muslims to reflect on what the values of gratitude, service, and community means to them. It is also a time of intentional, heightened solidarity between Muslims and their neighbors across the spectrum of faith, philosophical, and ethical traditions. Muslim and non-Muslim communities alike are increasingly partnering together and utilizing Ramadan as an important touchstone for interfaith engagement through iftars, community events, and other outreach activities.
https://parliamentofreligions.org/blog/2017-05-26-1555/celebrate-interfaith-ramadan
PALESTINE - Russia finances the restorations of "Star Street" in Bethlehem
16 May 2017 - Bethlehem (Agenzia Fides) - The Russian government has decided to finance $ 4 million in restoration and reconstruction work in the historic center of Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus. In particular, urban renovation works will focus on "Star street", which crosses the old city of Bethlehem, and the adjacent streets. The project for renovating streets and buildings of the Palestinian city - explained Sputnik Aydar Aganin, head of the Office of Representation of Russia to the Palestinian National Authority - will be realized in collaboration with the Palestinian Ministry of Finance and the authorities of the municipality of Bethlehem, led by mayor Vera Baboun. The renovation works will start in September 2017.
http://www.fides.org/en/news/62286_ASIA_PALESTINE_Russia_finances
INDIA - Focolare Movement: unity and peace among young people belonging to different religions
11 May 2017 - New Delhi (Agenzia Fides) - Promoting unity, peace and solidarity among young people belonging to different religions in India: this is the aim of a series of events that the Focolare Movement in India have organized in May, especially to strengthen the path of interreligious dialogue. The theme of the special week, celebrated by young Focolare people at an international level, was "Change your heart to change the world".
http://ASIA_INDIA_Focolare_Movement_unity_and_peace
UNITED STATES - Jesuits return the lands of the Rosebud Indian Reservation to the Sioux
11 May 2017 - Dakota (Agenzia Fides) - The Jesuits are returning more than 500 hectares of land to the Rosebud Indian Reservation (RIR), the Sioux Indian reserve in South Dakota. The operation should be completed at the end of May. The United States government had granted the property to the Jesuits in 1880 for churches and cemeteries, according to a video by Jesuit John Hatcher, president of St. Francis's mission. "At the beginning of the mission, we had 23 missionary stations - recalls Fr. Hatcher -. But over the years, as people moved away from the countryside, those churches were closed because they were no longer used". "It is time to return all those plots of land, that were handed over to the Church for religious purposes, to the tribe" adds Hatcher, who emphasizes the opportunity to return the land that rightly belongs to the Lakota people, including the Rosebud Sioux.
http://www.fides.org/en/news/62259
144 Countries and the EU to set Guidelines to protect and promote the diversity of cultural expressions in the digital environment
8 June 2017 -Representatives from the countries* that have ratified UNESCO’s Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions will examine ways to apply the guiding
principles of the Convention in the digital environment, when they hold their biennial meeting at UNESCO Headquarters from 13 to 15 June. During the event, participants will approve Operational Guidelines on the Implementation of the Convention in the Digital Environment. These Guidelines will help countries ensure that artists and producers benefit fully and fairly from the information technologies’ potential both at the stages of creation, production and distribution.
They also address concerns such as: fair pay for artists and content producers, ensuring a culturally inclusive offer of content to the public that will not discriminate against cultural goods based on provenance, language or social factors, as well as respect for human rights in the digital environment, notably freedom of expression, artistic freedom and gender equality.
2017 National Youth Summit on Crime Prevention
5 June 2017 - The 2017 National Youth Summit on Crime Prevention, which took place on the 25th of May 2017, was hosted by African Youth Summit on Crime Prevention in Partnership with the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, Lagos. It ended in a high note, with a call for the government and the private sector to be prevention-conscious if Nigeria and the rest of Africa must win the fight against crime. The Summit, under the theme “value-based leadership; a panacea for the fight against crime in Nigeria,” saw speakers upon speakers re-emphasize the importance of a prevention approach in crime fighting, as compared to the reactionary approach being used by Nigeria and most African countries, because it is cheap and safe.
http://uri.org/the_latest/2017/06/2017_national_youth_summit_on_crime_prevention
Albania launches SDG4-Education 2030 and the Education Policy Review
2 June 2017 - A special event to highlight SDG4-Education 2030 and launch the Albania Education Policy Review was held in Tirana, Albania. The event was jointly organized by the Ministry of Education and Sport and the Institute for Educational Development of Albania in cooperation with UNESCO and UNICEF. The review analyses three key policy domains: curriculum development and reform; ICTs in education; and teacher and school leadership policies along with issues in each domain and makes actionable recommendations, together with indicative priorities.
http://www.unesco.org/new/en/media-services/single-view/news/albania_launches
Art and Peace Education Meet with Girls' School Partnership
30 May 2017 - CARAVAN partnered with The Ahliyyah School for Girls, in order to develop the educational component for youth around the I AM exhibition. (I AM is an art exhibition featuring the work of 31 premier Middle Eastern women artists from 12 countries of Muslim and Christian background, visually celebrating the rich, diverse and pivotal contribution that Middle Eastern women make to the enduring global quest for harmony and peace.) The educational program focuses on teenage girls in both public and private schools. The objective is that the artwork provides a starting point for discussion and interaction, serving as a creative and entertaining way to introduce youth to the subjects of gender equality, cultural diversity, intercultural and interreligious understanding and the need for peace.
http://uri.org/the_latest/2017/05/art_and_peace_education
How a literacy programme in Somalia changed the life of a teenage girl
29 May 2017 - "Iam a very different person ever since I have been able to read and write,” says seventeen-year old Fardowsa Bile Abdullahi from Mogadishu, Somalia. “My family trusts me with their business since I am able to calculate money and do the business transaction, as result of the knowledge I gained at the centre.” Fardowsa is among the young women who benefitted from a literacy and life skills project funded by Al Maktoum and implemented by UNESCO in Somalia. She lost both of her parents at a young age and is currently staying with relatives. Fardowsa did not have the opportunity to learn and access education as a child due to civil unrest and bitter clan rivalry in her country. Basic education was only accessible to the few who could afford it, as most education institutions were private.
http://www.unesco.org/new/en/media-services/single-view/news/how
First cash assistance to secondary girl students using Biometrics in Fata
24 May 2017, Fata - The World Food Programme (WFP) has launched its first cash-based assistance for secondary school girls in Pakistan and is using biometric attendance data for the first time as part of its support to the FATA Secretariat education programme. About 15,000 female students in 179 middle and high schools in 7 FATA Agencies and the Frontier Regions will take part in the innovative programme. Girls who attend at least 80% of classes each month will receive a cash grant of PKR 1000 (just under US$10). Before each monthly cash disbursement, students and their mothers will receive information to raise their awareness of nutrition and general health and hygiene within the family. The government chose to use biometrics to ensure that the girls attending classes are the girls receiving the cash assistance at the end of the month. It will also free up teachers from manually keeping attendance records. The machines for capturing the girls’ fingerprints are solar powered with an energy storage battery that is securely stored in the classroom. FATA suffers from exceptionally low levels of female literacy and most girls of high school age are not in class. WFP has established a feedback mechanism at each school to involve the local community in monitoring the schools receiving assistance, which is a standard practice for WFP programmes. WFP has been providing education support in FATA since 2008 and has assisted nearly 300,000 students in 1,700 government primary (boys & girls) and secondary schools. In partnership with UNICEF and UNESCO, WFP will further explore possibilities of joint programmes to promote quality education in FATA, building on previous joint initiatives.
Education to prevent violent extremism in West Africa and the Sahel
24 May 2017 - UNESCO (Dakar, Headquarters and IICBA), the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Centre for International Understanding (APCEIU) and the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF), represented by its Institut de la Francophonie pour l’éducation et la formation (IFEF), organized a capacity-building workshop on prevention of violent extremism through education (PVE-E) in West Africa and the Sahel. This event took place in Dakar, Senegal, from 9 to 11 May 2017. In today’s globalized and interconnected world, the growing threats and acts of violent extremism in West Africa and the Sahel create climates of fear and insecurity, which are adversely affecting peace and development efforts. Providing young people with knowledge, skills and values for them to nurture respect for all, building a sense of belonging to a common humanity and helping them to become responsible and active citizens is critical for a more just and sustainable world.
http://www.unesco.org/new/en/media-services/single-view/news/education
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Next issue: 14 July 2017.
Good News Agency is published monthly (except August) in English, Italian and Portuguese (the Portuguese edition is temporarily suspended). Past issues are available at www.goodnewsagency.org . Rome Law-court registration no. 265 dated 20 June 2000. Managing Editor: Sergio Tripi (sergio.tripi@goodnewsagency.org). Editorial research by Fabio Gatti (fabio.gatti@goodnewsagency.org), Isabella Strippoli, Community of Living Ethics, Elisa Minelli. Webmaster, media and NGO coverage: Simone Frassanito (simone.frassanito@goodnewsagency.org)
Good News Agency is distributed free of charge through Internet to media and editorial journalists of the daily newspapers and periodical magazines and of the radio and television stations, NGOs, service associations, high schools and colleges as well as over 26,000 Rotarians around the world.
It is an all-volunteer service of Associazione Culturale dei Triangoli e della Buona Volontà Mondiale, a registered, not-for-profit educational charity chartered in Italy in 1979 The Association operates for the development of consciousness and promotes a culture of peace in the ‘global village’ perspective based on unity in diversity and on sharing. It is based in Via Antagora 10, 00124 Rome, Italy. The Association is a member of the World Association of Non Governmental Organizations.
* http://decade-culture-of-peace.org/2010_civil_society_report.pdf - In section A - International Organizations, page 12, the Report says: ”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.”