Good News Agency – Year VII, n° 5
Weekly - Year VII, number 5 – 14th
April 2006
Managing Editor: Sergio Tripi,
Ph. D.
Rome Law-court registration
no. 265 dated 20 June 2000.
Good News Agency carries
positive and constructive news from all over the world relating to voluntary
work, the work of the United Nations, non governmental organizations, and
institutions engaged in improving the quality of life – news that doesn’t “burn
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Elisa Peduto. Good News Agency is published in English on one Friday and
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International Legislation – Human rights – Economy and
development – Solidarity
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Religion and spirituality – Culture and education
(top)
The
Russian Federation joins FAO. The Organization now has 190 Members
Rome, 13 April 2006 – The
Russian Federation has taken up membership of FAO by sending a letter accepting
the Constitution of the Organization to Director-General Jacques Diouf more
than 60 years after FAO’s foundation. In
his letter, Russia’s Foreign Affairs Minister Serguei Lavrov informed Dr. Diouf
of his country’s acceptance of the Constitution of FAO and Russia’s willingness
to carry out the obligations of a Member of the Organization. Dr. Diouf said:
“I warmly welcome the Russian Federation’s historic decision to take up its membership
of FAO. Russia is a major agricultural economy and membership of FAO will have
advantages both for itself and for the Organization as a whole.”
The decision means that FAO
now has 189 member countries and one member organization, the European Community,
following the admission of the Russian Federation.
FAO, following the practice of
the United Nations, recognized the right of the Russian Federation to take on
the rights of the former USSR. (…)
Before becoming a member of FAO, the Russian Federation had the status
of Observer.
2nd
ACP (African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States) Civil Society Forum
19-21
April, ACP House, Brussels
Brussels, 31 March (ACP
Secretariat) - The 2nd ACP Civil Society Forum will be held in ACP House,
Brussels, from 19 to 21 April 2006 to facilitate general political dialogue
between ACP States and non-state actors. The Forum will emphasise the
participation of non-state actors as stipulated in the Cotonou Agreement,
especially in the areas of trade cooperation, political cooperation,
implementation of cooperation projects and programmes, the fight against
poverty, support for democracy and the Rule of Law, and the promotion of
economic growth and sustainable development.
The discussions will lay the
foundation for an ACP strategy to update the Plan of Action adopted in 2001 at
the 1st ACP Civil Society Forum, and ensure the circulation of information on
the ongoing programmes under the intra-ACP chapter of the 9th EDF. The meeting
will examine the issue of civil society participation in the fight against
HIV/Aids and the implementation of the ACP-EU Natural Disaster Facility. It
will also deal with the promotion of Human Rights and democratic processes, the
negotiation of the Regional Economic Partnership Agreements, the implementation
of ACP-EU programmes in the area of ICT and the promotion of cultural
industries. For further information: Holy Ramanankasina rholy@acpsec.org
http://www.acpsec.org/en/forum.htm
Ethiopia-Sudan:
Repatriation of Sudanese refugees underway
Addis Ababa, 6 April (IRIN) - The United Nations refugee agency
will repatriate some 4,500 Sudanese refugees from Ethiopia during the next two
months, an exercise made possible by the restoration of peace in southern Sudan
after two decades of civil war, officials said.
Civil conflict pitting the
Sudanese government and the former rebels of the Sudan People's Liberation
Movement (SPLM) ended in January 2005, when the two parties signed a definitive
peace agreement after several years of peace talks in Kenya. The SPLM is now a
partner in Sudan's government of national unity and administers southern Sudan.
The first group of 300
refugees from Ethiopia arrived in southern Sudan on Wednesday, after traversing
820 km in a convoy of vehicles. They had left a refugee camp near the town of
Gambella in western Ethiopia on Friday, according to Fernando Protti, the
deputy representative in Ethiopia of the United Nations High Commissioner for
Refugees (UNHCR). "Since Monday, 300 refugees have crossed the border to
south Sudan, marking the beginning of the long-awaited repatriation of Sudanese
refugees from Ethiopia," Protti said. "We are planning to repatriate
4,000 more refugees until the end of May, before the rainy season starts."
He said the rainy season would make roads impassable.(…)
There are an estimated 613,000
southern Sudanese refugees, and some 4.5 million people are displaced within
Sudan.
United
Arab Emirates: Union Rights
announcement a positive sign
Brussels, 3 April (ICFTU OnLine): The announcement by
the United Arab Emirates on 30 March of a planned amendment to the labour law
which would allow workers in the Emirates to join unions, take strike action
and engage in collective bargaining with employers was described by the ICFTU
today as a positive sign. The
announcement was made against a backdrop of recent protests by migrant workers
against exploitation and hazardous working conditions, pressure on the Emirates
authorities by international bodies, and negotiations between the UAE and the
USA on a trade pact.
The Emirates is one of the
Gulf countries where trade unions are totally banned. It has not ratified either of the two International Labour
Organisation Conventions, 87 and 98, on freedom of association and collective
bargaining. Some positive steps have
been taken in recent years in the Gulf, in particular in Bahrain, where
restrictions on trade union rights have been lifted. (…)
The ICFTU represents 155
million workers in 236 affiliated organisations in 154 countries and
territories. www.icftu.org The ICFTU is also a partner in Global
Unions: www.global-unions.org
Senegal:
ICRC aids people displaced by fighting
31
March - The ICRC has come to the aid of people affected by fighting that erupted
in Senegal's southern Casamance region along the border with Guinea-Bissau
following tensions within the Movement of Democratic Forces in the Casamance as
well as action by the armed forces of Guinea-Bissau.
The
clashes have displaced as many as 7,000 civilians on both sides of the border.
Though most of the people driven from their homes are being looked after by
relatives and friends, some 700 – half of them children – are living in a
makeshift camp on the Senegalese side. The ICRC facilitated their transport to
the camp in order to get them away from the fighting. Given the tense
situation, they are unlikely to return home in the foreseeable future.
Working
closely with the Senegalese Red Cross Society, ICRC staff are supplying
displaced people with food, drinking water, basic hygiene items and cooking
utensils. (…)
The
ICRC calls on all groups and all individuals to prevent suffering among the
civilian population and to comply with the rules of international humanitarian
law, which protect the life and the dignity of those not, or no longer, taking
part in the fighting. The presence of landmines and other unexploded munitions
is of great concern given the threat they pose to people living in the area.
The
ICRC has been present in Senegal since 1991 with a delegation that also covers
the organization's activities in Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Gambia, Mali and
Niger.
ILO
Governing Body concludes 295th Session
- Considers labour situation in Myanmar and Belarus, as well as
globalization and migration issues
Geneva, 31 March
(ILO News) - The Governing Body of the
International Labour Office (ILO) concluded its 295th session here following
discussions by tripartite delegates on issues ranging from respect of basic
labour rights in Myanmar, Belarus, Colombia and other countries, to issues
pertaining to globalization and migration. The Governing Body's Working Party
on the Social Dimension of Globalization discussed the 2005 UN World Summit
outcome and follow-up, the link between growth, investment and employment and
the idea of an ILO Forum on Decent Work for a Fair Globalization to be held in
2007. Addressing the Working Party on Monday, 27 March, Mr. Louis Michel,
European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid said "it is not
work which is lacking but the financial resources to promote it". The
Commissioner called for closer cooperation between the ILO and the European
Union to promote "decent work for all".(…)
The Committee requested the
Government to carry out an independent inquiry into the allegations of
ill-treatment of detainees, arrest and threats of arrest, and if the
allegations of continued threats of arrest are confirmed, to take steps to
ensure that trade union leaders may freely exercise their trade union
rights. Finally, the Committee
requested the Government to examine the possibility of a direct contacts mission
to the country in order to promote the full implementation of freedom of
association.
http://www.ilo.org/public/english/bureau/inf/pr/2006/10.htm
Communities nationwide will
fly Children's Memorial Flag on April 28 to support child abuse prevention
March 27, Washington, DC --
CWLA launched the Children's Memorial Flag Campaign in 1998 to draw public
awareness to the problem of nearly 3 million children reported abused and
neglected each year. The campaign's centerpiece is the Children's Memorial
Flag. The banner, designed by a 16-year-old California youth, depicts five
doll-like figures of children standing side-by-side, holding hands against a
red backdrop. A sixth child in the center is represented by a thin, white chalk
outline, symbolizing a child lost to violence.
In 2001, a Congressional bill
designated the fourth Friday in April National Children's Memorial Flag Day. On
this day, local leaders, lawmakers, law enforcement, educators, organizations,
families, and individuals fly the flag and conduct ceremonies and related
activities to memorialize children and advocate ending violence. This year,
many organizations and communities will fly the flag on April 28 as well as
throughout April to recognize Child Abuse Prevention Month. (…)
The Child Welfare League of
America is the nation's oldest and largest membership-based child welfare
organization. It is committed to engaging people everywhere in promoting the
well-being of children, youth, and their families, and protecting every child
from harm.
http://www.cwla.org/printable/printpage.asp
Securing Children’s Rights in Cambodia is a project managed by DanChurchAid Cambodia. The project aims to decrease the level of excessive pre-trial detentions and to work towards ensuring that offenders obtain appropriate punishment for their crimes.
By Fiona Donson
(…) because Cambodia does not
yet have a juvenile justice system, young people are often sentenced to long
periods in prison even for minor offences. Although the courts are supposed to
consider reducing the sentence of a convicted child because of their age the
law is unclear. The courts are therefore often reluctant to be lenient
especially in the face of political and social pressure to be tough on young
criminals. (…)
Children
are offered legal assistance as part of the Securing Children’s Rights in
Cambodia project. The project, funded by the European Union, is managed by
DanChurchAid Cambodia working with LAC and LICADHO. The main activities in this
area are carried out by LAC which provides legal services to juveniles accused
of crimes and child victims. The project aims to decrease the level of
excessive pre-trial detentions and to work towards ensuring that offenders
obtain appropriate punishment for their crimes.
As
part of this work LAC has carried out research into excessive pre-trial
detention and access to legal representation in four prisons in the project
areas. (…) The findings of the report were presented at a National Workshop on
Juvenile Justice held in Phnom Penh in February 2006. The Workshop, organised
by UNICEF, DanChurchAid and AusAid, with the financial assistance of the
European Union, was hosted by the Ministry of Justice. (…)
Austria contributes to
reducing rural poverty and achieving the Millennium Development Goals
Rome, 10 April - The
International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) welcomed Austria's
pledge to contribute US$10.8 million to the Seventh Replenishment of its
resources for the period 2007-2009. The contribution will benefit poor people
who live in rural areas and who depend on small-scale agriculture for their
livelihoods. "We are very appreciative of Austria's generous pledge,"
said IFAD's Director of Resource Mobilization, Vera Weill-Hallé. "The
contribution will enable IFAD to invest in rural development programmes over
the three-year period."
About 1.1 billion people live
on less than one dollar a day, of whom 800 million, or 75 per cent, live in
rural areas. IFAD works to increase poor rural people's food production, raise
their incomes and improve their health, nutrition, education standards and
general well-being on a sustainable basis. (…) A founding member of IFAD in
1977, Austria plays an important role in steering the Fund's policies and
operations. Over the past 28 years Austria has contributed US$40.7 million to
IFAD’s regular resources.
http://www.ifad.org/media/press/2006/17.htm
2005,
a record-breaking year for the world rice economy
FAO
forecasts a contraction in trade in 2006
Rome, 7 April
- was a record-breaking year
for the world rice economy, according to the FAO Rice Market Monitor published
today. “For the third consecutive season, global paddy production experienced a
brisk expansion, which lifted it to an all time high of 628 million tonnes.
Growth reflected relatively favourable weather conditions in Asia, western
Africa and South America and the positive effects of high prices in 2004, which
had fostered a general increase in plantings,” according to the report. Based
on a first and very tentative forecast, global paddy production in 2006 could
rise to 634 million tonnes, 6 million or 1% more than in 2005. However,
forecasts will remain highly tentative, at least until August/September, when
more information on the South-West monsoon in Asia will be available.(…)
The FAO Rice Market Monitor is
a service provided by FAO’s Commodities and Trade Division to facilitate access
to and exchange of information of relevance to rice markets. It is published
four to five times a year.
http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2006/1000269/index.html
European
Commission and FAO put food security information at policy-makers’ fingertips
Rome,
7 April -- The EC-FAO Food Security
Information for Action Programme, which provides 20 countries subject to
chronic food insecurity, protracted crises or undergoing rapid economic
transformation with the technical assistance and tools to obtain high-quality,
timely food security information to formulate more effective anti-hunger
policies, has launched a new Web site.
Among the site’s features is a Food Security Analysis toolkit, which provides
access to tools for early warning, food insecurity and vulnerability mapping,
conducting nutritional surveys, harmonizing statistical databases, needs
assessments, policy analysis and formulation and more.
The site also includes a
distance learning course and training materials aimed at improving the
collection, management, analysis and dissemination of food security information
to improve decision-making. Food security news and alerts, as well as best
practice case studies, are also available.
The use of on-line communities
and other collaborative tools to promote dialogue and raise awareness of food
security issues among policy-makers will be explored. (…)
http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2006/1000268/index.html
Hope on the horizon for Democratic Republic of Congo
But
needs still enormous – over $50 million required for agricultural assistance
activities
Rome,
5 April -- With nearly 80 percent of
its population trapped in extreme poverty and more than 70 percent
undernourished, the Democratic Republic of Congo faces enormous challenges.
Agriculture, which supports two-thirds of the population, will play a key role
in the country’s future economic growth and poverty reduction efforts,
according to FAO. As part of the 2006 Action Plan for the DR Congo recently launched
by the UN and its humanitarian partners, FAO is appealing for over $50 million
in funding to support its emergency-related agricultural activities in the
country.
Years of conflict have left
over four million dead in the DR Congo, with 1 200 continuing to die every day
from violence, disease and malnutrition. More than 1.7 million people remain
displaced, and an additional 1.7 million have recently returned to their
communities and are trying to re-establish their homes and livelihoods.
Agriculture has suffered tremendously, according to Anne M. Bauer, Director,
FAO Emergency Operations and Rehabilitation Division. (…)
FAO’s proposed activities
address malnutrition, support families affected by HIV/AIDS, assist in the
reintegration of returnees as well as ex-combatants and promote the
coordination of emergency agriculture operations, including distribution of
seeds and tools and seed multiplication, and the strengthening of food security
information. Other projected activities seek to rehabilitate infrastructure,
including rural roads, support a rapid response capacity through
pre-positioning of strategic stocks of agricultural inputs, and promote
marketing of agricultural products.(…)
http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2006/1000265/index.html
Democratic Republic of Congo:
Food drops begin to people displaced in Katanga
Kinshasa, 6 April (IRIN) - The
United Nations began airdrops of food relief on Wednesday to tens of thousands
of people displaced by fighting between the national army and Mayi-Mayi
malitiamen in Katanga, the south-eastern province of the Democratic Republic of
Congo, a UN official said. "With the logistical problems of transport and
the very bad state of the roads, as well as the prevailing insecurity in the
region, we are obliged to proceed with aerial food distribution," said
Claude Gibidar, a senior official for the World Food Programme (WFP), on
Wednesday.
Airdrops are being made to
40,000 displaced people in the villages of Dubie, Mitwaba, Sampwe and
Kasongeji, he said. Some 80 tonnes of food, mostly flour and beans, would be
parachuted in over 10 days, at a cost of US $1,200 a tonne. "We are facing
a very serious situation, which is why we have resorted to such an expensive
operation." Gibidar said. "Truck convoys have been trying to get to
the zone for months."(…)
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=52650&SelectRegion=Great_Lakes&SelectCountry=DRC
Horn of Africa: Regional
response to crisis will ensure fairness
Nairobi, 7 April (IRIN) -
Humanitarian agencies launching an appeal for funds in response to the drought
crisis affecting more than eight million people in the Horn of Africa said they
would focus on a regional response to ensure fair distribution of available
resources and strengthen joint coordination of services.
Because most of the communities
affected by drought were nomadic pastoralists, who often moved with their herds
across international borders, a regional approach would enable aid agencies to
focus attention on all the countries affected, especially those that often
received less attention from international donors, the agencies said on Friday
when they launched an appeal for US $425.7 million to respond to the crisis
Djibouti, Eritrea, Kenya and Somalia.(…)
Twenty-two agencies, including
UN agencies and nongovernmental organisations, said a regional approach would
reduce the possibility of inequitable interventions that would create
"pull-factors" across borders, as affected populations converged on
areas where services were being provided.(…)
Chad:
ICRC aids families driven from homes by fighting
7 April
- This week, the ICRC has launched an operation that may eventually help some
30,000 to 40,000 people displaced as a result of insecurity in eastern Chad. In
the first phase, non-food aid was distributed to over 2,500 people congregated
in the village of Dogdoré, south of Adré and close to the border with Sudan.
Lack
of security in the region has caused between 6,000 and 8,000 families to flee
their villages since the start of the year, taking with them only the bare
necessities and seeking refuge in villages such as Dogdoré, where they live in
makeshift shelters affording scant protection from the harsh conditions in the
area. However, the solidarity shown towards the displaced by local residents is
no longer enough and the village has reached the limits of its capacity to take
in new arrivals.
Since
the start of 2005, the ICRC has been working to improve access to water in host
villages such as Dogdoré. It is also supporting the village dispensary. (…) The
ICRC's activities in Chad focus on restoring links among families separated by
the conflict in Darfur, visiting detainees, and protecting and assisting people
displaced within the country. The organization also works closely with the Red
Cross of Chad, promotes international humanitarian law within the Chadian armed
forces and encourages the incorporation of that law into national legislation.
World
Vision Romania launched a nationwide awareness campaign on March 29, with the
slogan, ‘Equal Opportunities for All Children’.
The
aim is to increase the level of Romanian social responsibility by utilising the
two per cent clause from the Romanian Fiscal Code. All taxpayers have the
opportunity to direct two per cent from their income tax to an NGO. Yet, in
2005, just 2.23 per cent of taxpayers chose to exercise this right.
“Through
the two per cent campaign, World Vision wants to increase the number of people
involved in charity from 2.5 per cent to 10 per cent,” said Violeta Moisa,
World Vision Romania Marketing Manager. (…) World Vision Romania plans to use
any money donated to them for educational purposes in rural areas, many of
which haven’t seen renovation or school supplies for over 30 years. Only five
per cent of students from these rural schools go to high school and continue on
to higher education. (…)
http://www.wvi.org/wvi/news/latest_news.htm#Romania
ADRA
provides shelter for displaced flood survivors in Indonesia
Silver
Spring, Maryland, USA, April 7 - After flooding and landslides displaced more
than 17,500 people in Indonesia during heavy rain in February, the Adventist
Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) provided relief for families whose homes
have been severely damaged or destroyed to repair their homes, and regain their
lives. (…)
ADRA
provided basic repair materials for 140 families that were displaced by the
rains or whose homes heavily damaged. The project, which is worth $10,000,
provided plywood and zinc roofing sheets for families to aid them in repairs,
or to provide temporary shelter. The project is funded in partnership by ADRA
International, the ADRA Regional Office in Asia, and the ADRA office in
Indonesia. ADRA is present in 125 countries, providing community development
and emergency management without regard to political or religious association,
age, or ethnicity. Additional information about ADRA can be found at www.adra.org.
http://www.interaction.org/newswire/detail.php?id=4928
Cote
D’Ivoire: AU chairman arrives to kick start talks
Abidjan, 7 April (IRIN) -
African Union Chairman and President of Congo Denis Sassou Nguesso arrived in
war-divided Cote d’Ivoire’s main city Abidjan on Thursday promising to
kick-start progress at talks between the five key players this Sunday.
President Nguesso told reporters on his first trip to the troubled West African
nation that the AU would do “everything it could” to yield progress on
disarmament and voter identification, critical issues in the run up to
elections just six months away. “The AU president’s presence is really needed
to speed things up. Certainly we have the impression of progress, but in
reality the political and military actors are getting nowhere,” said a western
diplomat.(…)
Northern
Caucasus: €22 million of humanitarian aid to support victims of conflict in
Chechnya
Brussels,
6 April - The European Commission has approved a €22 million humanitarian aid
package to support victims of the ongoing conflict in Chechnya. Since the beginning
of the current conflict in autumn 1999, and including this new decision, the
European Commission humanitarian aid department (ECHO) has provided €196
million, making the EU the largest donor in the region. The recipients will
include internally displaced persons (IDPs) and vulnerable groups in Chechnya
as well as IDPs in Ingushetia and Dagestan and Chechen refugees in Azerbaijan.
Funds are being allocated via the European Commission Humanitarian Aid
department (ECHO) under the responsibility of Commissioner Louis Michel.
Humanitarian
needs deriving from the conflict in Chechnya remain acute. (…)
This new funding decision will
continue to support protection activities in Chechnya, Ingushetia and Dagestan.
It will finance the distribution of basic and supplementary food for the most
vulnerable people and develop income generation and food security activities.
It will support primary education, vocational training and psychological
assistance for the people, especially children, affected by war-related trauma,
as well as mine risk education. The funding will also cover health services and
the improvement of water and sanitation facilities in Chechnya, including
water-trucking in Grozny, as well as the basic rehabilitation of private
houses. This decision also includes an action to support the most vulnerable
refugees living in Azerbaijan.
http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/RWB.NSF/db900SID/LSGZ-6NLG23?OpenDocument
The
United Nations General Assembly has declared April 4th the International Day
for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action.
Chicago, IL (PRWEB) April 4 -
The United Nations General Assembly has declared April 4th the International
Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action. The day will raise
awareness about landmines and unexploded ordnance (UXO) and progress toward
their eradication. The mine ban
movement continues to make good progress toward eradicating antipersonnel
landmines and saving lives and limbs in every region of the world. However,
significant challenges remain. (…)
Landmines Blow is a grassroots
non-governmental organization (NGO) dedicated to raising awareness of the
global landmine crisis, the education and engagement of civil society, and
raising funds to build wells and latrines in mine affected communities. It is a
proud member of The U.S. Campaign to Ban Landmines (USCBL), a coalition of
approximately 500 U.S.-based human rights, humanitarian, faith-based,
children’s, peace, disability, veterans’, medical, development, academic, and
environmental organizations dedicated to a total ban on antipersonnel
landmines. It is one of 90 country campaigns that form the International
Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL).
Mine
Risk Education saves children's lives
Story by project officer Emily Reilly
"Mine
Risk Education is very important, especially for those who do not know what
landmines are or look like. They may play with them and get killed, as happened
to four of my friends." Zaynab Yassen Dewali is an 11-year old pupil at
Brayeti primary school in Domeeze, North Iraq. Since 2003, this small town has
witnessed eleven casualties as the result of landmines or unexploded ordnance
(UXO).
Mine Risk Education (MRE)
provides appropriate knowledge for those at risk to live more safely in
contaminated areas. It's now part of the curriculum at the school and a number of
the teachers have been trained by MAG to educate the children about the dangers
from the remnants of conflict, and what safe actions they should take if they
discover such an item. Children are taught about the physical appearance of
landmines and UXO and given basic safety guidelines and emergency measures,
involving how to mark and report dangerous items. (…)
MRE is now a crucial part of
the children's education at Brayeti primary school. Zaynab expresses how
important it is to her and her classmates: "We enjoy learning MRE because
we learn how to protect ourselves. I tell my parents what MRE messages I
learned at school. I also tell my cousins, who visit me from Baghdad. I keep
away from dangerous areas."
MAG (Mines Advisory Group) is
one of the world's leading humanitarian organisations providing
conflict-affected countries with a real chance for a better future.
http://www.mag.org.uk/news.php?s=2&p=2628
Ethiopia:
EC funds mine clearance
Addis Ababa, 5 April (IRIN) - The European Commission will
provide 8 million euros (US $9.7 million) to Ethiopia to support humanitarian
demining in the Horn of Africa nation, which is one of the most heavily mined
countries in the world. The funds will be channelled through the United Nations
Development Programme (UNDP) and the Ethiopian Mine Action Office (EMAO) to
finance demining in Tigray and Afar regions over the next three years. Tim
Clarke, head of the EC mission in Ethiopia, told reporters on Tuesday that the
effort would benefit an estimated 500,000 people in the two regions. He was
speaking on the occasion of the first International Day for Mine Awareness and
Assistance in Mine Action, which will be observed on 4 April every year.(…)
Max Gaylard, the director of UN Mine Action Service, said on Monday that
although 15,000 men, women and children around the world lose their lives or
limbs to landmines each year, sustained international action could eradicate
the problem. In the late 1990s, he said, there were around 25,000 landmine
victims annually. The number is decreasing every year due to the mobilisation
of the international community, the international mine-ban treaty signed in
Ottawa, Canada, in 1997, and the completion of comprehensive surveys in mine-affected
countries.(…)
http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=52622&SelectRegion=Horn_of_Africa&SelectCountry=ETHIOPIA
Tanzania: New dosage for TB
patients introduced
Dar Es Salaam, 6 April (IRIN/PLUSNEWS) - Tanzanians suffering from
tuberculosis (TB) now have fewer pills to swallow, thanks to a new treatment,
which reduces the daily dosage of tablets from between 11 and 12 to three or
four.(…) James Kamala, a programme officer in charge of the health ministry's
TB and leprosy unit, said on Wednesday that the government began dispensing the
new medication in March in seven out of 21 regions in mainland Tanzania.
"We hope to cover the whole country by the end of the year," he said
from country's commercial capital, Dar es Salaam.
Kamala said the new treatment,
known as the four-drug, fixed-dose combination (4-drug FDC), is widely used in
many countries on recommendation of the United Nations World Health
Organization. The previous 11-12-tablet dosage, he said, was too heavy,
especially for patients who were also taking other drugs, such as antiretrovirals
for HIV/AIDS. (…)
Government statistics have
shown the number of TB patients in the country to be growing at an alarming
rate, from 39,000 in 1995 to at least 66,000 in 2004. HIV/AIDS is to blame for
this trend, according to Health Minister David Mwakyusa. (…)
The
second round in 2006 of the Polio Immunization Campaign to reach all children
in Sudan
Khartoum,
3 April – As part of the global initiative to eradicate polio, the Sudanese
Federal Ministry of Health of the Government of National Unity and Ministry of
Health of the Government of Southern Sudan, in collaboration with the World
Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and
other partner organizations, launched the second round of the national polio
immunization campaign, 03 to 06 April 2006.
Over
50,000 health care workers, volunteers and community health workers have been
mobilized for the campaign which targets the estimated 8.1 million children
under five years of age in Sudan, particularly those living in the poorest
communities or those intermittently cut off by conflict. These children are the
key to stopping the spread of the disease. Although the transmission of wild
polio virus has apparently been interrupted in Sudan with no new cases of polio
reported since June 2005, continued attention and vigilance is needed. (…)
During
the first round of the 2006 campaign, approximately 8 million children were
immunized against polio. However, over 120,000 children in Darfur were not
reached due to the insecurity in the region. This is of grave concern to
Sudan. (…) Ensuring the safety of
vaccinators, supervisors and volunteers is the responsibility of every person
in Sudan, including the armed groups and community leaders.
In
2006, UNICEF, WHO, Rotary International and the Centres for Disease Control,
among other partners, are supporting the cost of vaccines, logistics, and
social mobilization efforts in Sudan.
http://www.polioeradication.org/content/pressreleases/20060403press.asp
Nationwide
mosquito net distribution completed in Niger
3
April - In an intensive distribution campaign completed last week in Niger,
more than 2 million mosquito nets were delivered in two week-long phases, to
mothers of children under age 5 throughout the country. With Niger’s rainy
season due to begin in May, the programme aims to protect 3.5 million children
from malaria.
The
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies which acts as
the Principal Recipient for a Global Fund grant to Niger together with the
Niger Ministry of Health began distributing mosquito nets on December 19, in
tandem with a house-to-house effort to vaccinate ‘under-fives’ against Polio.
The initial week of vaccination and bed net distribution in rural Niger was
followed by a second ‘push’ on March 17, through 54 distribution centers in the
capital city of Niamey. The campaign made use of a voucher scheme, whereby
mothers were presented with a voucher for a free mosquito net once their child
had been vaccinated against Polio.
The
program is supported in part by an US$11 million Global Fund grant, as well as
US$2 million from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) through
the Canadian Red Cross and the International Federation’s Malaria Initiative.
In an example of strong collaboration among partners, additional support for
the programme was provided by the Norwegian and American Red Cross societies,
Rotary, the Center for Medical Research (CERMES), the Measles Partnership, the
Polio Eradication Programme, the Roll Back Malaria Partnership, which includes
the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF and the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC).
The
campaign also drew upon a clear commitment from the people of Niger, including
3850 Red Cross volunteers and another 16,150 other vaccinators and community
workers who played an essential role in accessing even the remotest areas of
Niger. (…)
http://www.ifrc.org/docs/News/pr06/2406.asp
UNICEF-funded
project focuses on protecting children from accidents
28
March, Ha Noi, Vietnam - A UNICEF-funded project on child injury prevention,
having ended its 2003-05 phase, enters a new phase with a new name, the
Programme to Prevent Child Accident and Injury. The programme, co-ordinated by
the National Committee for Population, Family and Children and the Health
Ministry, is expected to receive funding of about US$4 million from UNICEF. The
2003-05 project received non-refundable grant funding of $548,000 from UNICEF.
Its main goals were to raise community awareness in order to change the
behaviour of parents and caregivers and give impetus to government officials to
prevent child injury. (…)
The 2006-10 programme would
focus on three areas: landmine injury prevention, raising community awareness,
and increasing safety in and around the home.
http://vietnamnews.vnagency.com.vn/showarticle.php?num=01OWN280306
“HELP”
for Lithuania: Project HOPE, Lithuanian AIDS Centre announces HIV/AIDS
management courses for professionals
28
March - Millwood, Va. - Project HOPE, an international health education and
humanitarian assistance organization, today announced the start of its HIV/AIDS
Education for Lithuania Program (HELP), a March to June 2006 program made
possible by a partnership with Johnson & Johnson, to expand the skills of
Lithuanian professionals caring for patients with HIV/AIDS and related health
illnesses.(…) HELP will provide trainees with an understanding of case
management and network development; skills for developing and conducting
prevention programs; and the ability to impart knowledge that reduces the risk
of passing HIV/AIDS or re-infection. (…)
Sixty
trainees will engage in team exercises involving professionals of different
disciplines whose work benefits the same municipality— family physicians,
social workers, health policymakers and specialists from the national HIV/AIDS
centre. This is in keeping with Project HOPE’s commitment to plan solutions
appropriate to the health and cultural environment of those served.
Consistent
with Project HOPE’s training-of-trainers (TOT) methodology, it is intended that
one-fifth to one-half of the initial course’s trainees will acquire the
knowledge and skills to teach future courses. Project HOPE’s partner in HELP,
the Lithuanian AIDS Centre, was created by Lithuania’s Ministry of Health in
1989.
Founded
in 1958, Project HOPE (Health Opportunities for People Everywhere) is dedicated
to providing lasting solutions to health problems, with the mission of helping
people to help themselves. (…)
http://www.projecthope.org/news/032806.htm
(top)
UNESCAP Initiating Review of
Developing Country Options for Climate Change Actions beyond the Kyoto Protocol
Bangkok, 27 March (UN Information Services) -- Experts from Asian countries will
gather in Bangkok to review the options for developing country actions to
reduce green house gas emissions. Developing countries, or “Non-Annex I
Countries of United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)”
will attend the “Asia-Pacific Dialogue on Innovative Options for Non-Annex I
Countries Participation for Climate Change Action” at the United Nations
Conference Centre, Bangkok on 29 March 2006. UNESCAP will put forth a new
option which proposes to discount the Certified Emission Reductions (CERs) from
Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects to generate net global emission
reductions and to promote more widely unilateral CDM as an incentive for
developing country to voluntarily initiate emission reduction projects. One of
the most important issues for the future of any climate regime is the active
participation of developing countries. Little progress has been made, because
many developing countries are worried that binding targets to reduce greenhouse
gas emissions will limit economic growth. (…)
http://www.unescap.org/unis/press/2006/mar/n15.asp
Largest
tent camp in Azerbaijan receives clean drinking water, just ahead of bird flu
Residents of the Sabirabad tent camp
joined forces with Counterpart and the US State Department to refurbish water
tanks and purification systems, making clean water a reality.
31
March - Until recently, the nearly 10,000 residents of Azerbaijan’s largest
Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) settlement faced a constant shortage of
clean drinking water. (…) After witnessing the harsh conditions at the
Sabirabad camp and the urgent need for clean water, Counterpart appealed to the
US Department of State’s Office of the Coordinator for Europe and Eurasia
(EUR/ACE) for funding to improve and reconstruct the settlement’s drinking
water system. Under the EUR/ACE’s Small Reconstruction Projects Program,
Counterpart received a $10,000 grant to provide a water sanitation project. (…)
At a
cost of only $1 per person, the reconstructed Sabirabad water tanks greatly
decreased the residents’ risk of contracting water-borne illnesses, spreading
contagious diseases such as dysentery and hepatitis, and becoming affected with
malaria and other parasitic illnesses.
There have been no reports of the avian flu in the region. (…)
http://www.counterpart.org/dnn/Default.aspx?tabid=49&metaid=G4WL0334-26c
World Telecommunication
Development Conference sets agenda to connect the world by 2015
Doha, 15 March — The Doha Action Plan adopted by the World
Telecommunication Development Conference sets out a road map to implement the
global objectives of harnessing the power of information and communication
technologies (ICT) to accelerate the pace of development. Work was conducted under the chairmanship of
Dr Hessa Al-Jaber, Secretary-General of ictQatar whose deft handling of the
debates led to the successful outcome of the conference on a broad front. (…)
The Action Plan is based on a
mutually reinforcing strategy for telecommunication development to be
implemented at the global, regional and national levels. The Plan is based on
six programmes, five global initiatives, two cross-cutting activities and a new
regional approach where each region defined the framework of action for all
stakeholders based on agreed categories and region-specific priorities. The
Doha Action Plan offers a comprehensive package that provides the elements
needed to make an impact on the ground together with clear guidance for
achieving universal access.(…) The six programmes encourage actions to be taken
on women, youth and children, indigenous people and communities, people with
disabilities and communities living in underserved areas and become important
tools for achieving universal access. In addition, ITU’s work programme for the
next four years now includes a new subject of study to examine the question of
access to telecommunication services for people with disabilities.
http://www.itu.int/newsroom/press_releases/2006/04.html
WWF
welcomes launch of Forest Stewardship Council in China
Beijing,
China, 7 April – The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), an independent,
non-government organization aimed at promoting responsible forest management,
has launched an initiative in China that marks the first formal steps toward the
development of a forest certification scheme within the country. China is a
major player in the global forest products market, both as a producer and
consumer. Its market for industrial timber, pulp, and paper is the second
largest in the world, outranked only by the United States. It has relatively
limited forest resources and a great potential for increases in consumption of
wood and paper products.
Given
China’s massive role in the world’s timber market, the FSC initiative in China
is a critical strategy for mitigating the destructive environmental impacts of
poor forest management on a worldwide scale. In addition, China is increasingly
exporting wood in value-added products so a growing share of its wood imports
represents the ecological footprint of end-consumers in other countries. (…)
http://www.panda.org/news_facts/newsroom/index.cfm?uNewsID=66040
Montreal, 6 April– Churches in
34 states helped protect rainforests, stimulate jobs and create education
scholarships with the purchase of over 80,000 ‘eco-palm fronds’ for Palm Sunday
services this week. The palm fronds, imported from Mexico and Guatemala, are
being certified as environmentally sustainable by Rainforest Alliance under a
project of the University of Minnesota’s Center for Integrated Natural
Resources and Agricultural Management (CINRAM).
Dean Current, program manager
for CINRAM, says 282 congregations paid up to double the normal price for
chamaedorea palm fronds to ensure that they were harvested in a sustainable
manner to avoid damaging the palms themselves, as well as to provide improved
income to the harvesting communities. (…)
The certification and improved
quality empowers harvesters to negotiate with wholesalers like Continental
Floral Greens—a partner in the project—extra funds that stimulate local job
growth and contribute to community funds allocated to educational scholarships.
This year, the second of the project, 20 temporary jobs were created and an
extra US$4,000 contributed to two community funds. The palm fronds, which
symbolized triumph and victory in ancient times, are gaining new significance
in rainforests of Mexico and Guatemala. (…)
http://www.cec.org/news/details/index.cfm?varlan=english&ID=2700
Ozone-Friendly
Agricultural Products - Goal of New Global Initiative
Thousands of Farms Join with
UNEP to Phase-Out Methyl Bromide
4 April - More than 5000
farms and organizations today joined forces with the United Nations Environment
Programme (UNEP) to accelerate the phase-out of an agricultural pesticide that
damages the ozone layer, the Earth’s protective shield. Methyl
bromide has been used by farmers to kill pests in the soil before planting
crops like tomatoes, strawberries, melons and flowers. But in 1992 it was officially controlled as an
ozone-depleting substance and is scheduled to be phased-out under the Montreal
Protocol, the international treaty set up to protect the ozone layer.
The
new International Partnership for Phasing-out Methyl Bromide brings together
many farms and companies that have shown leadership in protecting the ozone
layer.
These include farmers’ associations and supermarkets
such as Marks & Spencer and Co-op – with international organizations such
as UNEP, FAO, UNIDO, UNDP, GTZ, MPS and CAB International. The Partnership
plans to establish a business-to-business (B2B) net-based service, linking
grocery stores seeking goods produced without methyl bromide with farmers and
suppliers who do not use methyl bromide. This will link with agricultural
certification organizations (e.g. MPS, AENOR) so that companies can confidently
purchase flowers, strawberries, tomatoes, melons, and other products that are
certified as grown without methyl bromide.
Farms
and companies that join the Partnership have already stopped using methyl
bromide or will pledge to halt their use of methyl bromide by September 2007,
in celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Montreal Protocol.(…)
http://www.unep.org/Documents.Multilingual/Default.asp?DocumentID=475&ArticleID=5244&l=en
Mediterranean
threatened by development, says Blue Plan report
Study also recommends solutions for minimizing the
damage
Geneva,
4 April - A 400-page report commissioned by the 21 nations bordering the Mediterranean
Sea extrapolates from current trends in environment and development to paint a
grim picture of the region in the year 2025. But the report also describes an
alternative pathway based on the principles of sustainable development that
could dramatically boost the quality of life over the coming decades. (…)
The
report, "A Sustainable Future for the Mediterranean: the Blue Plan’s
Environment & Development Outlook", was written by some 300 experts
assembled under the auspices of the United Nations Environment Programme’s
Athens-based Mediterranean Action Plan. It was funded by the participating
countries with special support from the European Commission, France, and the
European Environment Agency.
The
report concludes that many of the more pessimistic predictions that the first
Blue Plan study made in 1989 have come true. Looking ahead now another 20
years, the Blue Plan examines how current baseline trends will affect the
Mediterranean Basin by 2025. (…)
http://www.unep.org/Documents.Multilingual/Default.asp?DocumentID=475&ArticleID=5247&l=en
White
House spokesman expresses President's concern over worsening situation of the
Baha'is in Iran
Washington, 29 March (BWNS) --
At the 28 March 2006 White House press briefing, Spokesman Scott McClellan said
President George Bush is concerned over last week's announcement by a UN
official that government persecution of the Baha'is in Iran is intensifying.
In response to a reporter's
question, Mr. McClellan called on the Iranian regime to respect the religious
freedom of all of its citizens and indicated the President would continue to
monitor the situation of the Baha'is very closely. He also said the United
States would continue to speak out and urge other countries in the region and
the United Nations to defend the rights of the Baha'is and other religious
minorities in Iran.
http://www.bahaiworldnews.org/story/432
Earth
Charter International Council Sets Bold New Course; Delegates Meet
President-Elect Oscar Arias
7 April - The newly formed
Earth Charter International Council, holding its first meeting at the
UN-affiliated University for Peace in Costa Rica, has approved a plan for
reorganizing and expanding the Earth Charter Initiative. The aim of the reorganization is to greatly
expand the impact of the Earth Charter as a framework for action to achieve
sustainable development.
The Earth Charter is a global
consensus declaration on ethics, values and principles for a sustainable
future. The document, developed over
ten years by an exhaustive process of global consultation and
consensus-building, has been endorsed by over 2,400 organizations, including
prominent global institutions such as UNESCO and the World Conservation Union
(IUCN). It is often referenced as a defining statement on sustainable
development by other international documents and processes, and it has inspired
many action projects around the world.
During the International
Council meeting, a special ceremony was also held to mark the strengthening of
ties between Earth Charter International (ECI), the organization that
coordinates and supports the global civil society effort known as the Earth
Charter Initiative, and the University for Peace (UPEACE) in the field of
education. The two organizations will
be working together to promote a more integrated understanding of the peace and
sustainable development issues, through a variety of courses, curriculum
development projects, and strategic initiatives.
After the Council meeting,
delegates from Earth Charter International and the University for Peace met
with President-Elect Oscar Arias of Costa Rica to discuss areas of potential
collaboration during Mr. Arias' term of office. Mr. Arias, a Nobel Peace Prize winner who was recently re-elected
after years away from political office, will be inaugurated on 8 May 2006. The
Costa Rican government has traditionally been a strong supporter of the Earth
Charter in international fora, such as the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable
Development and the 2004 World Congress of the IUCN (World Conservation Union).
(…)
Earth Charter Initiative
info@earthcharter.org
European Parliamentarians
visit youth projects in Bangladesh
Bangladesh, 5 April - Grinning
with nervousness and excitement, a group of teenagers stands up and asks
rapid-fire questions: What’s your name? How old are you? Are you married? How
old were you when you were married? How and where did you learn about sex?
Smiling in return, the Members of Parliament respond in kind: What are you
learning that is useful? When do you want to get married? How do you stop an
early marriage from happening? What do your friends and family members think
about what you’re doing? What impact has this programme had on your life? The
discussion took place during a recent visit of Members of Parliament from
Belgium, Germany, Portugal and the United Kingdom to Bangladesh, one of the
most densely populated countries in the world, with almost 142 million people
living in 147,570 km2. By the year 2050, the population of the country is
projected to increase to 242 million. As a result of continuing high fertility
rates, especially in poor rural areas, the country’s population is young. A
full 40 per cent of the entire population is under the age of 24, while one
quarter are adolescents between the ages of 10 and 19. Teenage marriage is
highly prevalent. To address these and other concerns, the European Union (EU)
and UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, joined forces to fund the Reproductive Health Initiative for
Youth in Asia (RHIYA) in seven South and Southeast Asian countries:
Bangladesh, Cambodia, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri
Lanka and Viet Nam. (…)
During the 6-day journey, the
parliamentarians met with government officials (…)The Bangladeshi Government
highly appreciates the RHIYA-Initiatives, one of the many reasons that made the
European legislators confirm that they would persuade their respective
governments to enhance assistance for developing the health sector of
Bangladesh.
http://www.unfpa.org/news/news.cfm?ID=768
UNESCO Guillermo Cano Press Freedom Prize 2006 awarded
to Lebanese journalist May Chidiac
29
March - On the recommendation of an
international jury of media professionals, UNESCO Director-General Koïchiro
Matsuura designated Lebanese journalist May Chidiac, winner of the
UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize 2006. May Chidiac is a popular
television presenter, whose news bulletins and Sunday programmes - Naharkoum
Saïd and Bonjour – on LBC (Lebanese Broadcasting Corp.) are among the most
widely followed in Lebanon. Ms Chidiac’s popularity owes as much to her professionalism
as to her direct and open approach in a country traumatized by years of war.
The
victim of a car bomb attack on 25 September 2005, Ms Chidiac had one of her
hands and her left leg amputated. The tragedy shook Lebanese opinion, which
came to see the journalist as a symbol of freedom of expression. (…) May
Chidiac was proposed as a candidate for prize by the Lebanese minister for
culture.(…)
http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=32344&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html
EDC’s
Adult Literacy Media Alliance receives grant for Investor Education Video
Programming
Newton, MA, USA, March 27 -
EDC’s Adult Literacy Media Alliance (ALMA) has been awarded a grant of $210,000
from the NASD Investor Education Foundation to produce investor education video
programming that teaches key math concepts and makes investment language more
meaningful to public television viewers, particularly women with low literacy
skills.
The
project, called Calculating Women: Smart Investors-A TV Special and a
Multimedia Investor Literacy Project, will produce three educational video
segments and other teaching materials aimed at American women with a 5th to 8th
grade reading level. (…)
The
content of this program will be broadcast as part of ALMA’s television series
TV411, which airs primarily on national public television and non-commercial
cable stations. Through ALMA's network of adult education providers and state
departments of education, the program will make available student and teaching
materials, including Web lessons and a DVD for teachers in community-based
classrooms around the country.
ALMA,
which is based in EDC’s New York offices, receives support from foundation,
government, and industry partners. For more information, contact ALMA at
800-304-1922 or ALMA@edc.org . Visit the web site at www.TV411.org
The NASD Investor Education Foundation, established in 2003, supports innovative
research and educational projects that give investors the tools they need to
better understand the markets and the basic principles of financial planning.
To learn more, go to www.nasdfoundation.org Education
Development Center, Inc. (EDC) is one of the world’s leading nonprofit
education and health organizations, with 335 projects in 50 countries.
http://main.edc.org/newsroom/press_releases/nasd.asp
‘Every
Child Needs a Teacher’ campaign: Global
Action Week 2006 – 24-30 April
In
2006 Education International and its partners in the Global Campaign for
Education (GCE) are organising the ‘Every Child Needs a Teacher’ campaign to
build pressure on politicians to provide more funding and demonstrate greater
political leadership to achieve Education for All. This year EI and its GCE
partners aim to mobilise more than 5 million people worldwide and rely on the
participation of teachers to do so!
In
April 2000 in Dakar, Senegal, 185 governments committed to provide Education
for All (EFA) by the year 2015. Global Action Week is one of several events
organised by the Global Campaign for Education (GCE) with the intention of
mobilising public opinion to exert pressure on governments and
intergovernmental agencies to provide free, quality Education for All (EFA).
During
this week, millions of people around the world organise activities in their own
country to remind their governments to fulfil the promise made in Dakar.
This
year the theme of Global Action Week is “Every child needs a teacher.”
Today
over 100 million children wake up every day without the hope that education
offers. These children know AIDS, know poverty, know hard labour , know hunger,
but they will never know a teacher.
http://www.ei-ie.org/en/index.php
UNTV - 21st Century magazine to be launched
this Fall
This
fall, UNTV will launch 21st Century, a new half-hour monthly TV magazine that
will highlight 3-4 feature-length reports from producers dispatched across the
globe, covering the most compelling international stories from the field
including conflicts, crises and other gripping global
issues. Highly-produced, highly-stylized and language-adaptable, 21st
Century will incorporate narrative storytelling with solid reporting and
coverage of some of the world’s most important stories. The series will
be carried by the many international, national and regional television networks
which are UN broadcast partners.
UNTV
produces several series, including UN in Action, a series of short features
that cover the work of the United Nations and its Specialized Agencies around
the world. The programme is available in Arabic, English, French, Russian
and Spanish, and 57 reports are produced every year. Also, UNTV's
Year in Review , an annual 15-minute documentary that recaptures the major
highlights of UN activities and initiatives during the past year. It is a
fast-paced presentation of a year in the life of the United Nations that
provides an excellent overvie of events that affected the world.
Broadcasters
and members of the public can preview these programmes through the programmes'
websites. Also, exclusively for broadcasters, the UNiFEED service
provides a daily 10-minute feed of UN TV material, including news stories,
features and expert interviews on a variety of international issues, often
highlighting countries rarely visited by broadcast journalists. UNiFEED
will soon make material available on the web for free download of
broadcast-quality video.
http://www.un.org/av/tv/unia/latestunia.asp http://www.un.org/av/unfamily/yir2005.htm
UN
Radio promotes its programmes in the upcoming media markets
Las Vegas, Nevada, 24-26 April --
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 29-31 May
UN
Radio along with UN TV will be attending the Radio and Television News
Directors Association (RTNDA) market, which is held in conjunction with the
National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) convention in Las Vegas, Nevada,
from 24 to 26 April. NAB is one of the largest media markets in the world
and attracts attendees from around the world, not just the United States.
UN Radio will also be exhibiting at the Asia Media Summit from 29 to 31 May in
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. UN radio and UN TV will welcome Good News
Agency's readers going to either or both of these markets to discuss possible
partnerships.
UN
Radio produces a 15-minute weekday news programme in the UN's six official
languages (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish), plus two
5-minute editions in Portuguese (for Brazil and Africa). In addition, UN
Radio produces 20 weekly radio magazines in some 14 languages. UN Radio
currently has over 180 partner stations in 76 countries and continuously aims
to find new audiences. The programmes can be heard by satellite (World
Radio Network, http://www.wrn.org/),
and, in the Middle East and Africa, through shortwave. Those with
Internet access can visit UN Radio's website and listen to its programmes.
Rhapsodies
for Humanity: the first annual Glorious Beings Award
To
Robert Muller and Barbara Gaughen-Muller, 14 April, Santa Barbara, California
This award will be presented
to PAX 2100 Advisory Council member Robert Muller, former Secretary-General of
the United Nations; and Barbara Gaughen-Muller, President of PAX 2100's board
of directors.
The Glorious Beings Award
recognizes visionary human beings whose work has made lasting contributions to a more peaceful future for humanity.
"You see, love for peace is not enough. Beyond it we need a vision of
peace, a science of peace, a strategy for peace and innumerable actions for
peace." (Robert Muller)
The occasion will be
celebrated with a concert featuring Stephen Kelley, piano; Carol Ann Manzi,
soprano; and Ray Tischer, viola and violin. At the Music Academy Of The West,
Abravanel Hall, Santa Barbara, California. Music by Brahms, Chopin, Beethovin,
Shostakovich, Saint-Saens, and V. Kelly. Friday, April 14, 2006 8:00pm For
inquiries or to reserve a ticket, call (805)569-0389 or go to www.sonneblauma.com/rhapsodies.php
Terra
City – "A Concrete Step into a Human Era"
Is it
possible to build a better world? How? Based on what premise? What would be the
first step to make? An answer to these questions, and others, is being offered
by a 12 minute video presentation called: "Terra City".
Montreal, Canada (PRWEB) April
12 -- This thought-provoking blend of imagery, narration and music is the
result of an original synergy of over 100 talented artists worldwide -
painters, photographers, narrators and musicians. The work represents the
essence of a humanitarian project called Terra City, initiated in Montreal,
Canada and intended to benefit the entire world.
Interestingly enough, none of
the co-producers - Tom Vernon (USA), Janusz Rebis (Poland), Dan Bostan (Canada)
and their worldwide collaborators, has ever met in person. “It is amazing what
people can create by putting their minds, talents and souls together,” says Dan
Bostan, founder of Human Wisdom – the organization that initiated the project.
(…) Tom Vernon, one of the narrators and project coordinators summed it up this
way: “When I learned of this, there was no hesitation on my part to get
involved immediately. It was something I had been waiting to do for a long
time. (…) The Terra City project allows
every human being on this planet to have a say and an input in our common
future. This project is being presented in six languages: English, French, Spanish,
Italian, Polish and Romanian, and can be seen at this internet address:
http://www.humanwisdom.ca/terracity.html
Prizewinners at the first
World Road Safety Film Festival
Geneva, 24 March -- On 23 March, the
Palais des Nations hosted the first World Road Safety Film Festival on the
occasion of the 48th session of the UNECE Working Party on Road Traffic Safety
(WP.1). The festival was organized by UNECE in cooperation with LaserEurope.
“This is the first time that such a festival has been held at the Palais des
Nations and it illustrates one of the major concerns of our member States –
road safety, said José Capel Ferrer, Director of the UNECE Transport
Division, opening the Festival. Films were shown from over 30 countries representing
all regions of the world.
Selected by an international
jury composed of experts in communication for road safety, the films were
classified in the following five categories: communication and campaigns,
education for road safety and driver training, risk prevention for professional
drivers, road safety innovations, and television broadcasts. In the category
Communication, first prize was awarded to Denmark for the film «Dead Man
Walking», by Jonas Arnby. In the category Education, first prize went to Israel
for the cartoon film for children entitled «Zoo on wheels», by Einat Bilitzki.
In the Professionals category, first prize went to «Portrait of Claude
Nurdin », by Fouad Benhamou. First prize in the Innovations category went
to the Develter driving simulator. In the TV broadcast category first prize was
awarded to «Secours pour un cerveau câblé pour ça », prepared by Romain
Cipière for the town of Aubagne in France. The jury awarded special prizes to
films from the Sultanate of Oman, Morocco and Cambodia. http://www.unece.org/press/pr2006/06trans_p03e.htm
International
Forum for the Literature and Culture of Peace
September
17-21, 2006 - Haifa, Israel
With great pleasure we invite
you to participate in the 6th IFLAC Mediterranean Congress. Its central theme is: Creating Bridges of
Conflict Resolution, through Communication, Literature, Poetry and Culture.
Writers, Poets, Researchers, Experts in Conflict Resolution, Media, and Women Leaders,
will jointly explore the role of culture, literature, poetry, and other means
of artistic expression and communication in guiding society towards a better
world beyond war and hunger.
Call for Artistic Submissions
and Participation - At IFLAC, we believe that culture and literature can
promote peace, freedom, and the enrichment of the quality of life. On the
threshold of the 21st century, we shall endeavor to pave the way towards the
fulfillment of our main ideal: One world and one humanity, living together in
peace. Our goal is to help build a Middle East and a world beyond war in the
21st century, by means of literature, culture and art.
At ILFAC, we strive for
freedom of speech and expression and for freedom from hostile and oppressive
violence of all forms. We believe in the right of people everywhere to live in
peace, with equal civil justice, and the rights to pursue their cultures,
beliefs and human endeavors.
If you would like to
participate in the 6th IFLAC Congress, please visit our website at: www.iflac.com or contact IFLAC
Secretary, Kristina Barger at kristina.barger@gmail.com
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Next issue: 5 May 2006
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Good News Agency is distributed free of charge through Internet to over 3,700 editorial offices of the daily newspapers and periodical magazines and of the radio and television stations with an e-mail address in 48 countries: Albania, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Bosnia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Costa Rica, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Holland, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Lebanon, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, Portugal, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, Uruguay, Venezuela, USA, and it is also available in its web site: http://www.goodnewsagency.org
It is a service of Associazione Culturale dei Triangoli e della Buona Volontà Mondiale, a registered non-profit educational organization chartered in Italy in 1979 and associated with the Department of Public Information of the United Nations.
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.
Via Antagora 10, 00124 Rome, Italy. E-mail: s.tripi@tiscali.it
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