In spite of everything, a culture of peace is emerging in all fields of human endeavour
monthly, year 23rd, number 318 – 31st October 2023
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.*
Government and politics – Education and teaching – Economy, finance and planning
Arts of living and relationships – Work, science and industry
Society and communication –Rules, regulations and environment
California law launches West Coast offshore wind market
(by Sean Wolf)
October 9, 2023 - Gov. Gavin Newsom signed AB 1373 into law, a clean energy bill authorizing the Department of Water Resources to serve as a new central procurement entity for large-scale, long-lead-time renewable energy resources including offshore wind, along with provisions promoting energy reliability and California’s transition to 100% clean energy. (…) In 2022, the California State Assembly directed the California Energy Commission (CEC) to evaluate the maximum capacity of offshore wind development and establish planning goals for 2030 and 2045. The CEC concluded that California could feasibly and responsibly develop as much as 3 GW of offshore wind by 2030, 10-15 GW by 2045, and 20 GW by 2050. Later that year, Newsom called on energy regulators to increase the state’s offshore wind target to at least 20 GW by 2045, and the CEC set its sights on a new 5 GW goal for 2030. (…)
News related with SDGs number 12-Responsible Consumption and Production
European Council adopts revised Renewable Energy Directive
(by Robin Whitlock)
October 9, 2023 - The European Council of the European Union (European Council) has adopted the revision of the Renewable Energy Directive (RED3), an important pillar of the Fit for 55 Package proposed by the European Commission in 2021. The directive is instrumental in achieving the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 55 percent by 2030 and achieving climate neutrality by 2050. It is a key framework for the European energy transition, calling for the active promotion and deployment of solar heating and cooling, as a ready-to-deploy technology enabling the decarbonisation of a vast number of buildings, district heating and industries. (…)
News related with SDGs number 12-Responsible Consumption and Production
United Nations – General Assembly – Human Rights Council – Fifty-fourth session – Agenda Item 3 – Draft Resolution: Promoting and protecting economic, social and cultural rights
within the context of addressing inequalities
October 6, 2023 - The Human Rights Council (…)
1. Stresses the importance of respecting, protecting and fulfilling economic, social and cultural rights within the context of addressing inequalities within and among States, as envisaged in the Sustainable Development Goals;
2. Emphasizes that States have the responsibility to use their maximum available resources to respect, protect and fulfil economic, social and cultural rights in responding effectively to global challenges, including to provide adequate investments, in accordance with the national legislation of each State and its international human rights obligations, in public health systems, education, social protection, decent work, housing, food, water and sanitation systems; (…)
https://documents-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/LTD/G23/205/40/pdf/G2320540.pdf?OpenElement
News related with SDGs number 10-Reduced Inequalities
INTERNATIONAL ENERGY AGENCY - International Climate and Energy Summit in Madrid builds momentum behind efforts to reach 1.5 °C goal
October 3, 2023 – (…) Ministers and senior officials from close to 40 countries around the world joined heads of international organisations and representatives from industry, civil society and youth organisations in Madrid on Monday for the International Climate and Energy Summit. Co-hosted by the Government of Spain, which currently holds the Presidency of the European Union, and the International Energy Agency, the Summit sought to build a broad coalition behind efforts to keep the Paris Agreement goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 °C within reach. (…)
News related with SDGs number 13-Climate Action
COUNCIL DECISION (EU) 2023/1974 of 18 September 2023 on the signing, on behalf of the European Union, of the Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction.
September 25, 2023 - The Council of the European Union (…) has adopted this Decision:
Article 1
The signing on behalf of the Union of the Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction (the ‘Agreement’) is hereby authorised, subject to the conclusion of the said Agreement.
Article 2
The President of the Council is hereby authorised to designate the person(s) empowered to sign the Agreement on behalf of the Union.
Article 3
This Decision shall enter into force on the date of its adoption.
Done at Brussels, 18 September 2023. (…)
News related with SDGs number 14- Life below Water
New UN Guidance on Children’s Rights and the Environment
September 18, 2023 - Today, the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child launches new guidance for governments on protecting children’s rights in the face of climate change and other environmental crises. From toxic pollution in Zambia and harmful plastics recycling in Turkey, to rising sea levels affecting housing in Panama and higher temperatures diminishing food supplies in Canada, environmental crises pose immense risks to children worldwide. Children from poor and marginalized communities are particularly at risk. (…)
News related with SDGs number 3-Good Health and Well-Being
Storytelling Nonprofit Narrative 4 receives its largest gift of $25M from Bezos Family Foundation to encourage community engagement in schools across the United States
October 17, 2023, New York - Narrative 4, a global nonprofit that harnesses the power of storytelling to encourage action and change among young people, has announced a groundbreaking $25 million gift from the Bezos Family Foundation. The investment will be used to encourage community engagement in thousands of schools across the United States. The gift comes on the occasion of the organization's 10th anniversary and will allow Narrative 4 to reach over half a million students and almost 20,000 teachers in the next five years. Narrative 4's work is grounded in the idea that through the exchange of personal narratives, young people will see the world, themselves and one another more empathetically — and learn, in the process, to act more compassionately. The Story Exchange program, available virtually and in schools globally, involves a facilitator-guided exercise where students exchange, recount and take on another's story, building deep empathetic connections along the way.
News related with SDGs number 4-Quality Education
Everyone wins with school meals
October 17, 2023 - Nearly a third of the world’s population experienced food insecurity in 2022. Children, who need enough diverse nutritious food to develop healthily, are most affected. Concurrently, small-scale farmers are disproportionately poor and often find it hard to find reliable buyers for their produce. Home-grown school feeding can square the circle. With well-balanced, fresh meals at school, every child can get the right nutrition at the right age and learn to make food choices that set them up for a life of good health, while small-scale farmers have a reliable buyer. The Vakhsh village school in southwestern Tajikistan is one of 28 schools producing fresh food thanks to the IFAD-funded School Feeding Support Programme, which supports more than 10,000 school children aged between seven and 10. Similar models are cropping up around the world, many with IFAD support. Serving nutritious school meals ensures that even the poorest children have the foundations for a healthy life. Small-scale farmers can get locally grown food to the children who need it, when they need it, while earning a decent income. It’s a win-win!
News related with SDGs number 4-Quality Education
African Union supports education for health and well-Being to transform Young African’s future
October 11, 2023 - The African Union (AU), through the Department of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation (ESTI), in collaboration with UNESCO, IPPF, UNFPA, and WHO, launched and broadcasted the Continental Strategy on Education for Health and Well-being of Young People during the Global Forum for Adolescents. The forum is the largest-ever gathering focused on adolescent well-being and is expected to engage over 1 million young people in 2023. The AU EHW Strategy aims to enhance the physical, mental, and reproductive health of young people while contributing to the achievement of education goals. By recognizing the profound connection between health and education, this strategy provides a solid framework for African nations. It ensures that young people not only gain vital knowledge but also acquire life skills, values, attitudes, and agency necessary for improved health, well-being, and learning. The EHW Strategy holds immense importance for adolescents and young people in Africa, as it encompasses a holistic approach to their well-being.
By educating today's young people, the strategy lays the foundation for nurturing informed, empowered, and resilient future leaders who will drive Africa's progress.
News related with SDGs number 3-Good Health and Well-Being
Ukraine: UNESCO trains 50,000 teachers on digital pedagogy
UNESCO and Ukraine’s Ministry of Education and Science are launching an online training in digital pedagogy for 50,000 teachers, while the education of many Ukrainian students is disrupted by the war.
11 October 2023 - Many of Ukrainian students were unable to start the academic year in the classroom. According to the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, 25% of them are studying remotely and 30% are studying in a hybrid format. Last year, UNESCO and partners provided 50,000 teachers with computers. Now, UNESCO is providing teachers with an online training and a suite of resources to further develop their digital skills and help them deliver quality distance and hybrid learning.
The new “Digital Teacher” training launched by UNESCO with funding from Google.org will address these challenges – by strengthening teachers skills and ability to leverage digital tools, while improving their working conditions and well-being. Alongside the course, UNESCO is establishing a Community of Practice and a mentoring network to support educators in developing their competencies.
https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/ukraine-unesco-trains-50000-teachers-digital-pedagogy?hub=701
News related with SDGs number 16-Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell visits India to spotlight progress on Global Goals for children. On her visit to New Delhi and Lucknow, UNICEF Executive Director commends the efforts of frontline community workers to improve health services for women and children
October 6, 2023,New Delhi/ New York– UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell concluded a four-day visit to India today to highlight life-saving progress in health and development for millions of vulnerable children, while calling on global leaders to prioritise investment in children to deliver on the world’s Sustainable Development Goals. The visit comes on the heels of the United Nations General Assembly last month, where global leaders reached a consensus on the crucial role of children in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals. “India has shown the world that progress is possible when children are prioritized. Countries around the world can draw valuable insights from India's experience,” added Russell. “However, we must build on this momentum to overcome existing challenges and ensure a better future for every child. There is still a long way to go.”
News related with SDGs number 4-Quality Education
France Announces €40 Million in New Funding to Education Cannot Wait at Global Citizen Festival
September 23, 2023, New York - At this weekend's Global Citizen Festival in New York, France's Minister of State for Development and International Partnerships, Ms. Chrysoula Zacharopoulou, and Education Cannot Wait Executive Director Yasmine Sherif announced €40 million in new, additional funding from the Government of France. Education Cannot Wait (ECW) has now mobilized US$870 million toward its 2023-2026 Strategic Plan to reach 20 million crisis-impacted children with the safety, hope and opportunity of a quality education. Globally, around 224 million children are deprived of a quality education due to armed conflicts, forced displacement, climate-induced disasters and other protracted crises. They need urgent support to fulfil their right to a quality, inclusive education. Together with strategic partners, ECW has already reached close to 9 million girls and boys in some of the harshest crises around the globe. While donors are stepping up, the funding gap has actually widened in recent years. Humanitarian appeals for education in emergencies have nearly tripled from US$1.1 billion in 2019 to almost US$3 billion at the end of 2022.
News related with SDGs number 4-Quality Education
EUROPEAN INVESTMENT BANK - Italy: EIB provides €50 million to support Bocconi's green investments
September 28, 2023 – Highlights
News related with SDGs number 4-Quality Education
Belize to launch project to produce biofuel from sargassum and solid waste
(by Juan Pedro Tomas)
October 6, 2023 - In Belize, VOA reported that Belize is developing a pilot project to convert the masses of sargassum seaweed swamping its beaches into biofuel. Belize Prime Minister John Briceno said in a statement that a $50 million facility, which will be the result of a public-private partnership with German company Variodin, would convert municipal solid waste and sargassum into diesel fuel replacements. The facility could be scaled up with additional financing, he said, adding that it would sign a power purchase agreement for energy generated from the plant. (…)
News related with SDGs number 9-Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
Sustainable support: Humanitaria designs cheap, flat-pack cardboard beds for humanitarian crisis
(by Rebecca Coons)
October 3, 2023 - In New York, a startup nurtured by UNICEF Lab Program has unveiled cardboard beds that can be assembled quickly for deployment to emergencies. Humanitaria’s beds are also tool-free and 100% recyclable and biodegradable. The company can produce 24,000 beds a day, and will begin testing with the Red Cross shortly. (...)
News related with SDGs number 9-Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
Cupffee edible coffee cups offer true zero waste solution to Zero Green café
(by Rebecca Coons)
October 3, 2023 - In Bristol, England, zero-waste shop Zero Green is using edible coffee cups from Cupffee so it can more closely live up to its name. Based in Bulgaria, Cupffee produces the plastic cup alternative from wheat and barley. The low-calorie cups can hold a drink—hot or cold—for 40 minutes and either be eaten or composted following use. (…) Approximately 400 million plastic cups are used daily, according to Cupffee. Less than 1% of these cups are recycled.
News related with SDGs number 12-Responsible Consumption and Production
European Parliament’s transport committee recognizes renewable fuels’ role in decarbonisation
(by Meghan Sapp)
September 20, 2023 - In Belgium, on Tuesday, the European Parliament’s Committee on Transport and Tourism (TRAN) voted its Opinion on the Revision of Regulation EU 2019/1242 setting CO2 emission performance standards for new heavy-duty vehicles, a milestone legislation to curb the segment emissions. The European Biogas Association applauds the TRAN Committee for recognizing the long-term contribution of renewable fuels, including biomethane, to the decarbonization of the sector, via the introduction of a sound Carbon Correction Factor and CO2 Neutral Fuel definition. (…)
News related with SDGs number 12-Responsible Consumption and Production
World's first bio methanol ship
(by Charley Rattan)
September 17, 2023 – (…) Three years ago, no container ships were able to sail on green methanol. Today, the world's first container vessel sailing on green methanol docked in Copenhagen on its maiden voyage, proving to the world and the maritime industry that green shipping is not some distant dream. The Laura will help reduce its CO2 emissions by 100 metric tons a day, compared to the same vessel running on fuel oil, Maersk said. Built in South Korea by Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) and fitted with a dual-fuel engine, the Laura is a relatively small model that will be able to transport 2,136 20-foot (TEU) containers. It will begin operating in the Baltic Sea in October (…)
https://energycentral.com/c/og/worlds-first-bio-methanol-ship
News related with SDGs number 12-Responsible Consumption and Production
Training for new generation of facilitators from Africa and the Arab States
October 10, 2023- During five days in Sharjah, the United Arab Emirates, 25 new facilitators –from Africa and from the Arab States – participated in a training of trainers’ workshop to learn about the core concepts, methodologies, and mechanisms of the 2003 Convention. The participants, coming from diverse fields, including anthropology, heritage studies, archaeology, and museums among others, also learnt about their new role as members of the global facilitators network to support the implementation of the Convention on the ground and participated in a field exercise with communities around their living heritage.
Part of the global expansion of the facilitators network, this training responds to the evolving geographic and thematic demands for capacity building under the 2003 Convention. The training was organized by the UNESCO Beirut Office, in collaboration with the Living Heritage Entity, and with the generous support of the International Centre for Capacity-Building in Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Arab States, a category 2 institute under the auspices of UNESCO. Training workshops for incoming facilitators to the network are planned in all regions for 2023 and early 2024.
News related with SDGs number 17-Partnerships for the Goals
Teacher’s social dialogue paves the way for World Teacher's Day Celebrations in Uganda
October 9, 2023- As Uganda joined the rest of the world in commemorating the World Teachers Day 2023, the Central Regional Social Dialogue for teachers brought together a diverse group of participants, including educators, government officials, and education advocates. The two-day social dialogue was a precursor for the WTD celebrations, held every year on 5 October to recognize the contribution of teachers towards education in Uganda. Jointly organized by UNESCO, the Norwegian Teacher Initiative (NTI), Ministry of Education and Sports, the Uganda National Association of Teacher Unions (UNATU) as well as UNICEF, the event was hosted at Ridah Hotel in Seeta Mukono District. It was well attended by more than 140 stakeholders, ranging from teachers and school managers to government representatives. The Central Regional Social Dialogue served as a platform to address the challenges, accomplishments, and opportunities within Uganda's education system. It emphasized the need for teacher empowerment and professional development as critical elements in shaping the future of education. To enhance the role of education stakeholders in improving the quality of teachers' well-being, performance and welfare, participants were invited to propose strategies for empowering teachers.
News related with SDGs number 4-Quality Education
Inking Brains: A Tale of Art, Freedom, and Expression
October 9, 2023- A group of digital artists came together for a unique journey that would not only test their creative boundaries but also challenge their understanding of human rights. At the Al Balad Theater, a group of aspiring digital artists came together for a unique journey that would not only test their creative boundaries but also challenge their understanding of human rights. Among these artists were Layan Abu Atia and Aram, two talented individuals whose stories serve as a testament to the power of art in shedding light on the fundamental principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Layan Abu Atia, 20 years old, a Multimedia – Visual Arts student at the University of Jordan, embarked on this creative adventure with a passion for digital art and a deep desire to explore the connection between art and human rights. With graduation on the horizon, Layan saw this workshop as a chance to make a meaningful impact on society through her art. During the workshop, Layan partnered with a fellow participant named Leeyan Ghonajoq, 21 years old, and together, they embarked on a project titled "Inking Brains." This project aimed to explore the right to free expression, a cornerstone of human rights, along with the right to think critically and quality education. Their artwork revolved around the concept of the brain as the starting point for expression, the epicenter of thought, and the catalyst for speech. "Inking Brains" beautifully represented these interconnected ideas by incorporating three primary colors: red, yellow, and blue. Each color symbolized the essence of free expression, a fundamental aspect of life itself. Layan and her partner's work emphasized the role of communication, media, and education in shaping our perceptions of the world. Through their art, they highlighted the vital importance of these mediums in ensuring that the right to free expression thrives and flourishes.
https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/inking-brains-tale-art-freedom-and-expression
News related with SDGs number 4-Quality Education
Teachers’ continuous development as a catalyst for inclusive education
World Teachers' Day has been observed on 5 October since 1994 to honor educators worldwide. The Day provides a moment to recognize the ways in which teachers are improving education, but it's also a day to consider the support they need to utilize their skills to the fullest, and to reconsider the future of the profession worldwide.
October 5, 2023 - “Access to continuous professional development is crucial to us teachers as it allows us to evolve and enhance our performance in classrooms.” Meet Ahlam Tlaib, a Chemistry teacher at a secondary school in Beit Our El-Foqa, a village west of Ramallah. Ahlam is one of around 2,500 teachers across Palestine who took part in Inclusive Education training provided by UNESCO within the framework of the Multi-Year Resilience Programme (MYRP), funded by Education Cannot Wait. Ahlam has been in the teaching profession for over 15 years. For her, teaching is one of the most rewarding professions. However, the limited access to continuous professional development and the Palestinian context increases the number of hurdles facing Palestinian teachers. However, despite the difficulties facing Ahlam and her colleagues, she is determined to continue to enhance the educational experience for her students.
News related with SDGs number 11-Sustainable Cities and Communities
2023: A new important step in the protection and promotion of Africa's World Heritage
October 2023-Sub-Saharan Africa only represents less than 10% of the sites inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. This figure highlights our shared responsibility to make more room to the rich heritage of this region. The 45th session of the World Heritage Committee resulted in undeniable progress in addressing this challenge. To move towards better representation of Africa, the Committee adopted the first ever Strategy for World Heritage in Africa. The strategy sets out concrete targets and actions on the horizon of 2029 to better protect and promote African heritage – these include expert training, financial and technical assistance for the protection of heritage sites, as well as support in the preparation of World Heritage nomination files. To move towards better representation of Africa, the Committee adopted the first ever Strategy for World Heritage in Africa. The strategy sets out concrete targets and actions on the horizon of 2029 to better protect and promote African heritage – these include expert training, financial and technical assistance for the protection of heritage sites, as well as support in the preparation of World Heritage nomination files. While African heritage is under-represented on the World Heritage List, it is on the other hand over-represented on the World Heritage List in Danger. UNESCO is working with African States Parties to save the sites concerned. This approach succeeded this year for the site of the Tombs of Buganda Kings at Kasubi (Uganda). The site was devastated in 2010 by a violent fire which resulted in its inscription on the List of World Heritage in Danger. (…)
News related with SDGs number 17-Partnerships for the Goals
New single-use plastics ban comes into force this weekend
(by Amber Rolt)
September 29, 2023 - From 1 October 2023 businesses must no longer supply, sell or offer a range of single-use plastic items in England. New bans and restrictions on a range of polluting single-use plastic items are to come into force this weekend in a bid to cut littering, drive up the reuse of materials, and contribute to worldwide efforts to eliminate all avoidable plastic waste by 2042. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) confirmed this morning that some of the most polluting single-use plastic items are to be banned from 1 October. (…)
https://www.businessgreen.com/news/4130088/single-plastics-ban-comes-force-weekend
News related with SDGs number 12-Responsible Consumption and Production
Q&A with Xiaohan Yang: transforming plants for a cleaner future
September 28, 2023 - Scientist Xiaohan Yang’s research at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory focuses on transforming plants to make them better sources of renewable energy and carbon storage. He works with the ORNL-led Center for Bioenergy Innovation, or CBI, a DOE Bioenergy Research Center where scientists are developing feedstock crops like poplar trees that grow quickly, require less water and fertilizer and are easily broken down and converted into sustainable aviation fuels. (…)
News related with SDGs number 7-Affordable and Clean Energy
25 utilities commit to ambitious 2030 carbon reduction targets
September 25, 2023 - The Smart Electric Power Alliance (SEPA) announced the 2030 Club to recognize twenty-five electric utilities across the country that have established the strongest near-term voluntary carbon reduction targets. These utilities are committed to achieving at least an 80% reduction in carbon emissions or transitioning to a generation supply of at least 80% clean energy resources by 2030. (…) SEPA will explore the characteristics that enabled these utilities to become early adopters in the utility carbon reduction arena, with the intention to provide benchmarking and best practices for utilities that are preparing to meet their own carbon-reduction targets. The members of the 2030 Club include large multi-state investor-owned utilities and local public power and electric cooperatives. (…)
News related with SDGs number 7-Affordable and Clean Energy
INTERNATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY AGENCY - IRENA Innovation Week Spurs Renewable Solutions to Decarbonise End-use Sectors
September 22, 2023 – (…) Leading companies, innovators and policymakers are convening at the 2023 edition of the IRENA Innovation Week from 25-28 September in Bonn to drive ground-breaking innovative renewable solutions that cut CO2 emissions in end-uses and accelerate the global energy transition. According to IRENA, innovation is critical to ensuring that countries can reap the benefits of low-cost renewables and reliably integrate high shares of them into their energy systems. IRENA's World Energy Transitions Outlook calls for a tripling of annual renewable power additions until 2030. It also advocates for a meaningful increase in the use of renewables in end-use sectors such as industry, buildings, and transport to meet the objectives of both the Paris Agreement and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. (…)
News related with SDGs number 7-Affordable and Clean Energy
Climate protesters throng New York, demand end to fossil fuels
(by Ana Fernandez)
Sep 17, 2023 - Tens of thousands of people took to the streets of New York on Sunday, calling for increased action against climate change ahead of the opening of the UN General Assembly. Taking up multiple city blocks, protesters from some 700 organizations and activist groups carried signs reading "Biden, end fossil fuels," "Fossil fuels are killing us" and "I didn't vote for fires and floods" in a demonstration that came on the heels of a summer marked by multiple climate change-linked disasters. (…)
News related with SDGs number 11-Sustainable Cities and Communities
Spirituality helps health: here's how meditation and kindness change our DNA
October 2023- This is the topic of the conference 'Spirituality and Science: the last frontier of health' which was held in Florence to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the monthly magazine Vita&Salute, the information body of the Foundation of the same name. Spirituality is good for your health, science says so. Mental and physical health therefore go hand in hand: cultivating "an active inner life" by seeking forgiveness, compassion, altruism and kindness increases well-being and has positive effects on health. It has been shown how a healthy and strong spiritual dimension is correlated with: fewer hospitalizations, better management of the disease and adherence to prescribed treatment, decreased use and abuse of substances, decreased depression and suicide attempts.
News related with SDGs number 3-Good Health and Well-Being
No meaning lost in translation: the United Nations' most bizarre competition
October 2023- Filled with translation anticipation, a bizarre United Nations competition saw translators, interpreters, students and lovers of a good multilingual idiomatic challenge submit entries from around the world to the 2023 St. Jerome Translation Competition. After a three-year hiatus, the competition is back and participants from all over the world warmed up for a new linguistic gymnastics match. This year's glottologists united in their love of philology were current and former United Nations staff and interns, staff from UN-accredited diplomatic missions, and students from partner universities.
https://news.un.org/en/story/2023/10/1141877
News related with SDGs number 4-Quality Education
Beautiful animated film of Kahlil Gibran’s ‘The Prophet’
October 2023- A breathtaking animated film based on Khalil Gibran’s critically acclaimed 1923 book of poems, ‘The Prophet,’ which ran in a very limited release in theaters, was co-produced by Salma Hayek and features the voice talents of Hayek, Liam Neeson, Quvenzhané Wallis, and John Krasinski, and a performance by Yo-Yo Ma. The filmmakers chose eight of the most beloved of the book’s 26 prose poetry essays and assigned them to eight innovative animators from around the world to interpret them in their own distinct styles. The lush visuals accompany chapters on love, children, freedom, marriage, good and evil, eating and drinking, work, and death, while the works are read by Liam Neeson, the poet in the film.
https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/know-kahlil-gibrans-prophet-beautiful-animated-film/
News related with SDGs number 4-Quality Education
Religion and Spirituality: tools for better well-being?
Over the past 20 years, countries around the world have aimed education, research and policy at combating the world's growing mental health crisis. While many strategies have been examined, the relationship between mental health and spirituality, religion, or faith has been largely underexplored. Faith and Wellness: The Worldwide Connection Between Spirituality & Wellbeing, a new report from Gallup and Radiant Foundation, uncovers fresh insights into the relationship between religion/spirituality and wellbeing. It also adds to the existing body of research finding that religious people often enjoy better well-being.
https://news.gallup.com/opinion/gallup/512216/religion-spirituality-tools-better-wellbeing.aspx
News related with SDGs number 3-Good Health and Well-Being
Rules, regulations and environment
(top)
Indian government releases roadmap for national green hydrogen mission
(by Juan Pedro Tomas)
October 12, 2023 - In India, Daiji World reported that the government of India has unveiled a R&D roadmap for the “National Green Hydrogen Mission”, which seeks to provide guidance for developing a vibrant research and development ecosystem which can help commercialize green hydrogen. It focuses on developing new materials, technologies, and infrastructure to improve the efficiency, reliability, and cost-effectiveness of green hydrogen production, storage, and transportation. (…)
News related with SDGs number 9-Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
GLOBAL WIND ENERGY COUNCIL - Wind energy playing key role in Africa's energy supply but transformational potential still untapped, finds GWEC report
October 9, 2023 – (…) The Global Wind Energy Council's Africa WindPower initiative is delighted to launch the inaugural Status of Wind in Africa report, which provides a stocktake of the wind industry in Africa and delivers a forecast of the continent's wind energy pipeline. The Status Report provides the foundation for policy discussions and project development to build on and drive the region's wind development forward through the rest of this decade. The report identifies 83 installed wind farms across Africa, providing 9 GW of clean power. An analysis of the continent's project pipeline finds that capacity could increase by more than 900%, with 140 projects planned across Africa, representing another 86 GW of installed capacity on the horizon. (…)
News related with SDGs number 9-Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
Sumitomo signs MOU with KC&A to develop Japanese ethanol market
(by Meghan Sapp)
October 5, 2023 - In Japan, Sumitomo Corporation has signed a memorandum of understanding with KC&A, a Korean chemical/alcohol manufacturing and trading company affiliated with the Korea Alcohol Group, on developing the Japanese market for bioethanol. The two companies will jointly work to expand the applications, and ensure stable supplies, of bioethanol in Japan as a biomass-derived raw material for plastics and fuels that is seeing rapidly growing demand amid efforts to achieve a decarbonized society. (…)
News related with SDGs number 17-Partnerships for the Goals
US Air Force Pioneering Innovative Geothermal Energy Solutions
October 3, 2023 - Seeking to fortify defense infrastructure, the Department of the Air Force has signed agreements for groundbreaking geothermal energy prototype facilities at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, and Joint Base San Antonio, Texas. When operational, the new facilities will deliver continuous clean energy for direct consumption at the installations. (…)
News related with SDGs number 7-Affordable and Clean Energy
Scania and Flix Promote Biogas in Bus Travel
September 21, 2023 - Flix and Scania have formed a long-term partnership to enable more sustainable long-distance travel. The two companies see this cooperation as an opportunity to accelerate the transition to sustainable mobility by developing new solutions and influencing the design of the needed infrastructure. (…)
https://www.inoreader.com/article/3a9c6e7546fc1e05-scania-and-flix-promote-biogas-in-bus-travel
News related with SDGs number 12-Responsible Consumption and Production
Community Offshore Wind signs agreement with NOAA for First-of-Its-Kind Marine
Monitoring & Research Partnership
September 18, 2023 – Highlights
News related with SDGs number 17-Partnerships for the Goals
INTERNATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY AGENCY - Stronger International Cooperation in high emissions sectors crucial to get on track for 1.5°C Climate Goal
September 15, 2023 - Countries must supercharge international collaboration on technologies and markets for sectors such as power, transport, industry, buildings and agriculture, new report finds. Insufficient progress in transitions to clean technologies and sustainable solutions over the past year highlights the need for strong and targeted international collaboration in high emissions sectors to deliver transitions that are faster, easier and cheaper for all, according to the latest Breakthrough Agenda Report. (…)
News related with SDGs number 13-Climate Action
18 new major clean energy projects were announced in August
(by Sean Wolfe)
September 14, 2023 - Businesses announced plans for at least 18 new large-scale clean energy projects in 11 states and Puerto Rico in August, according to national nonpartisan business group E2’s monthly analysis of new clean energy and clean transportation projects. Based on publicly available information from 17 of the 18 announcements that included jobs and/or investment estimates, the projects would create more than 9,500 jobs and bring about $6 billion in new private investment. (…)
News related with SDGs number 7-Affordable and Clean Energy
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Good News Agency is published monthly (except August) in English, Italian and Portuguese. Past issues are available at www.goodnewsagency.org . Rome Law-court registration no. 265 dated 20 June 2000. Managing Editor: Fabio Gatti. Editorial research by Fabio Gatti, Isabella Strippoli, Elisa Minelli, Salvatore Caruso Motta, Chiara Damilano, Francesco Viglienghi, Carlo Toraldo, Andrea Landriscina, Nazzarena Franco. Webmaster, media and NGO coverage: Simone Frassanito (simone.frassanito@goodnewsagency.org)
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