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Good News Agency – Year VIII, n° 10
Weekly - Year VIII, number 10
– 27th July 2007
Managing Editor: Sergio Tripi,
Ph. D.
Rome Law-court registration
no. 265 dated 20 June 2000.
Good News Agency carries positive
and constructive news from all over the world relating to voluntary work, the
work of the United Nations, non governmental organizations, and institutions
engaged in improving the quality of life – news that doesn’t “burn out” in the
space of a day. Editorial research by Fabio Gatti (in charge) and Elisa Peduto.
Good News Agency is published in English on one Friday and in Italian the
next. It is distributed free of charge through Internet to the editorial
offices of more than 3,700 media in 48 countries and to
2,800 NGOs.
It is an all-volunteer service
of Associazione Culturale dei Triangoli e della Buona Volontà Mondiale,
NGO associated with the United Nations Department
of Public Information. The
Association has been recognized by UNESCO as “an actor of the global movement for a culture of peace” and it has
been included in the web site http://www3.unesco.org/iycp/uk/uk_sum_monde.htm
International legislation – Human rights – Economy and development – Solidarity
Peace and security – Health
– Energy and
Safety – Environment and
wildlife
Religion and
spirituality
– Culture and
education
London, UK, 13 July – After
more than ten years of lobbying by WWF, shipping states within the UN’s
International Maritime Organization (IMO) have ratified legislation that bans
the use of tributyltin (TBT) in anti-fouling systems of ships.
TBT is an organic compound
often used as an additive in many marine anti-fouling paints, which kills algal
and barnacle growth and anything else that attaches to ships. The problem is
that the chemical is highly toxic to many marine organisms. Even at low concentrations
it causes deformations in oysters and genital changes in snails. The decline of
commercial oysters along the Atlantic coast of France and the UK in the 1970s
is attributed to TBT contamination.
“This [the ban] is a
tremendous victory for the marine environment, but one that is long overdue,”
said Dr Simon Walmsley, Head of WWF-UK’s Marine Programme. “It has been over
forty years since TBT’s negative impacts were first identified and seven years
since legislation to ban TBT was agreed, yet we have only now achieved a global
ban.”
Panama, which flags one of the
world’s biggest shipping fleets, helped bring about the ban. A total of 25
states representing 25 per cent of world shipping tonnage had to ratify the
IMO’s anti-fouling systems convention to bring the ban into force globally.
The global ban will be
introduced in 12 months time. Any vessel still using anti-fouling paints which
contain TBT will have to use a safer alternative.
http://www.panda.org/news_facts/newsroom/index.cfm?uNewsID=108960
Trinidad and Tobago: Ministry of Education and ICRC
agree to implement humanitarian law programme in secondary schools
On 10 July the ICRC and the
Ministry of Education of Trinidad and Tobago concluded an agreement in which
they jointly undertook to implement the ICRC's Exploring Humanitarian Law (EHL)
programme in the country's secondary schools. The main purpose of the programme
is to ensure that young people aged 13 to 18 acquire a basic understanding of
humanitarian rules and principles by making the topic an integral part of
secondary-school education.
The agreement was signed,
during the opening ceremony of a two-day workshop on EHL, by Angella Jack,
permanent secretary of the Ministry of Education of Trinidad and Tobago, and
Max Furrer, deputy head of the ICRC's regional delegation in Caracas, which
covers Venezuela, Suriname and the English-speaking Caribbean countries. Also
present were Senator Hazel Manning, the minister of education of Trinidad and
Tobago, and Charles Sabga, head of the ICRC's sub-regional delegation in
Port-of-Spain.
On signing the agreement, Mr
Furrer said that the ICRC and its sub-regional delegation were "fully
committed to supporting the implementation of the EHL programme in the
secondary schools of Trinidad and Tobago." He further stressed the
importance of including international humanitarian law in the civics curricula
of all secondary schools in the twenty-first century and recommended that the
EHL programme be used to do so.
The ICRC's regional delegation
in Caracas has been supporting efforts to introduce the provisions of
international humanitarian law into domestic legislation since it opened in
February 2000.
http://www.icrc.org/Web/eng/siteeng0.nsf/html/trinite-et-tobago-news-100707
29 June - The Ministry of
Foreign Affairs of Denmark and DanChurchAid are pleased to announce the
international seminar "Protection of civilians - Learning from
Darfur" on September 10 - 11, 2007 in Copenhagen. Protection of civilians
is one of the greatest challenges of our times. The rising levels of attacks on
civilians, including women and children are in direct contravention with
international law and the international commitment to the protection of
civilians. (…)
The seminar will discuss
protection of civilians by using the case of Darfur as a learning experience.
Since 2003 protection of civilians from targeted attacks, murder, rape and
looting has been a key challenge in Darfur. To meet this challenge local and
international humanitarian, political and military actors have employed various
strategies. When assessing Darfur’s current situation it must be concluded that
despite achieving some positive results, the majority of protection efforts
have had disappointing outcomes.
Based on an examination of
practical experiences with protection of civilians the seminar will focus on
the following aims: Clarify roles, responsibilities, mandates and capacities of
humanitarian, political and military actors in protection work; discuss
obstacles, weaknesses and strengths and come up with recommendations on
strengthening implementation of protection measures, improve cooperation
between actors and strengthen protection strategies. (…)
Refugees, internally displaced
return to Kosovo
Ad Melkert,
Under-Secretary-General and Associate Administrator for the United Nations
Development Programme (UNDP), urged continued support for returning refugees
and internally displaced persons in Kosovo, and stressed the importance of
creating employment and livelihood opportunities for them on the last day of a
4 day visit to Kosovo and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM).
"It is important to provide a future for the young people in Kosovo so
that they are not only encouraged to stay, but also are reintegrated into a
society that has a place for everyone,
Melkert said after a visit with two families who have returned. “It is encouraging to see that there is an overwhelming
wish on the part of the returnees to be able to continue their normal lives and
that tolerance can reign again for the future development of Kosovo.In 1999,
after the conflict in Kosovo ended, all of the Serbian inhabitants in the
village of Vidanje in central west Kosovo fled to Serbia and their houses were
completely destroyed. In 2004 the first group of Kosovo-Serbs returned to the
village through the Government Assistance to Returns project, implemented by
UNDP. This project has resulted in the full reconstruction of more than
50 houses, a community centre, the electrical and sewage systems, and a
road.(…)
http://content.undp.org/go/newsroom/2007/july/refugees-kosovo-20070709.en
Views on Development in Latin
America
New publication presents 14 articles on economic
growth, poverty and inequality.
20
July - The formulation of effective policies
that contribute to greater well-being is based on accurate diagnosis. The need
to assess diverse views and combine efforts grows in urgency in a world where
interdependence is increasingly the norm. In this respect, the Economic
Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) and the CIDOB Foundation (Center for Research in
International Relations and Development) have dedicated years to the study of
the most relevant aspects of development. To contribute to the discussion of
regional development, these two organizations are launching a new publication
entitled "Visiones del Desarrollo en
América Latina" ("Views on
Development in Latin America"), on Monday, 23 July 2007 at
3:00 p.m. at ECLAC
headquarters in Santiago. Commenting on the publication will be Alejandro Ferreiro, Chile's Minister
of Economy.
José
Luis Machinea, ECLAC Executive
Secretary, and Narcís Serra,
CIDOB Foundation president, are the editors of this collection of 14 articles
contributed by leading Latin American economists and political figures,
including vice presidents, ministers, academics and top-ranking officials of
key finance institutions. The articles focus on the macroeconomic
dimensions of regional policies - fiscal discipline, financial markets,
currency exchange - and on analysis of the social institutions and policies
that are charged with overcoming poverty and persistent inequalities. (…)
Secretary-General’s
report shows continued strong economic performance of Least Developed Countries
New York, 19 July (UN
Headquarters) -- The Secretary-General’s fifth results-oriented annual progress
report on the implementation of the Programme of Action of the Least Developed
Countries for the Decade 2001-2010 shows continued strong economic performance
by least developed countries, with fewer countries, mainly Pacific islands,
lagging behind. It also suggests that social indicators are also improving, but
overall socio-economic progress in African least developed countries has been
significantly compromised by continuing population growth driven by the highest
fertility in the world. (…)
The report recommends greater
donor focus on enhancing the productive capacity of least developed countries,
particularly in agriculture. (…) It calls upon donors to make significant
efforts to increase their aid volumes in order to achieve the internationally
agreed goals of 0.15 - 0.20 per cent of their Gross National Income (GNI) as the
Official Development Assistance (ODA) to the least developed countries by 2010
and improve aid effectiveness (ownership, harmonization, alignment, results and
mutual accountability) as agreed in Rome and Paris.
The report underscores that
strong commitment by least developed countries and their development partners
to the objectives, goals and targets of the Programme and full adherence to the
principles of country ownership, an integrated approach, result-orientation,
genuine partnership and market considerations in its implementation are crucial
to make further progress in the implementation of the Brussels Programme. (…)
Conference
on happiness examines different approaches to development
UN in Bangkok, 18-19 July
Bangkok, 17
July – The Asia-Pacific region has
shown enviable economic growth as measured by GDP. However, this growth has
come at a heavy environmental cost and has been accompanied by a host of social
problems, calling into question whether GDP-driven development brings people
more happiness. To examine these issues, the United Nations Economic and Social
Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) is co-sponsoring an International
Conference on Happiness and Public Policy which will be held 18-19 July at the
United Nations Conference Centre in Bangkok.
The meeting, organized by the
Public Policy Development Office (PPDO) of the government of Thailand, is an
effort to establish a new paradigm for development that stresses the quality of
growth over quantity. The meeting is expected to attract over 300 participants
from the region and beyond and will feature high-level government officials such
as the Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand, Paiboon Wattanasiritham, the Minister
of Home and Cultural Affairs of Bhutan, Lyonpo Jigmi Thinley. Kim Hak-Su,
United Nations Under-Secretary-General and UNESCAP Executive Secretary, will
speak at the opening.
http://www.unescap.org/unis/press/2007/jul/n32.asp
July 13 - ACDI/VOCA has been awarded
a multimillion dollar contract to implement the three-year Enterprise
Development and Training Program (EDTP) being funded by BP and its co-venturers
in Azerbaijan through their Regional Development Initiative (RDI).
The EDTP will be involved in the identification of potential local suppliers, introductory workshops for local companies, gap analysis for potential suppliers and, where appropriate, the creation and implementation of a tailored development plan. (…)
ACDI/VOCA will establish a new
private company called Solutions, LLC, to provide financial training and
business advisory services in cooperation with other local business service
providers. The company will be commercially viable by project’s end. (…)
In Azerbaijan ACDI/VOCA also
implements the SME Support through the Financial Sector Development Project and
the Farmer-to-Farmer Program, and continues to support the activities of
CredAgro, an Azeri rural finance institution founded by ACDI/VOCA in 2000.
http://www.acdivoca.org/acdivoca/portalhub.nsf/ID/news_EDPTaward
Turkish
Prime Minister receives Agricola Medal
New
FAO Subregional Office inaugurated in Ankara
11
July, Ankara – FAO Director-General Jacques
Diouf today conferred FAO’s highest award, the Agricola Medal, on Turkish Prime
Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan in recognition of his contribution to
agricultural and social development in Turkey. The ceremony took place at FAO’s
new Subregional Office for Central Asia which the Director-General, together
with Prime Minister Erdogan, formally inaugurated today. The Office was set up
last year as part of FAO’s ongoing decentralization policy, with Turkey
providing premises and contributing staff and funding. (…)
Under Prime Minister Erdogan,
Turkey has launched a major Agricultural Reform Project which aims to provide
direct incentives to farmers to significantly increase production and exports
and raise rural incomes and food security.
Dr Diouf noted that Turkey is one of the few emerging countries directly
participating in food aid operations, to which it has donated millions of
dollars through the World Food Programme over the past few years.(…)
The newly inaugurated Subregional
Office for Central Asia offers agricultural policy and technical expertise to
seven countries – Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan,
Turkey and Uzbekistan. (…)
http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2007/1000626/index.html
Counterpart International selects communities for
participation in a new community empowerment program
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, 10
July – On May 31, 2007, Counterpart International Turkmenistan selected 48
target and nine alternate communities across Turkmenistan to participate in the
three-year, USAID-funded Turkmenistan Community Empowerment Program (TCEP). The program is designed to promote greater
participation of citizens in local governance at the community level. (…)
All selected target
communities will have access to the program technical assistance, such as civic
and business training, consultations, and access to information and grants. As
a result, the communities are expected to benefit as follows: have stronger and
more active adult and youth leadership, better project planning and management
skills, stronger social partnership with local governments and businesses,
better access to improved services, strengthened networks with other
communities, stronger economies measured in terms of jobs, investment, easier
access to credit and economic opportunities for youth, and access to legal
services and resources through a combination of direct consultations, seminars
and dissemination of materials. (…)
For more information, please
contact Counterpart's Turkmenistan office at: hotline@cpart.org
http://www.counterpart.org/Default.aspx?tabid=340&metaid=H8BM0727-6f3
UNECE
Countries in Figures 2007 released
Fast facts about the 56 UNECE countries
·
Did you know that 46% of Armenia’s population is employed in the
agricultural sector?
·
Did you know that in 2005, exports of goods and services accounted for
87.1% of Belgium's GDP?
·
Did you know that Iceland has the lowest youth unemployment rate (7.2%)
within the UNECE nations?
The United Nations Economic
Commission for Europe’s Statistical Division has developed and recently
released a new fast fact guide - UNECE
Countries in Figures 2007 . Each and every UNECE country in
Europe, North America, the Caucasus, and Central Asia* has a two-page
profile of social and economic indicators.
Data is presented for the most recent whole year available. The latest
data is available on-line through the UNECE Statistical Database (http://www.unece.org/stats/data ). The UNECE
Statistical Database contains internationally comparable statistics, and is
regularly updated by statistical experts. UNECE Countries in Figures 2007 provides an example of the
types of data available in that database. This publication is also intended for
readers who are not so familiar with statistical terms or with interpreting
statistical tables. It includes explanations of the terminology used, and
translations of that terminology into French and Russian. (…)
http://www.unece.org/press/pr2007/07stat_p02e.htm
How the Kenya Women Finance
Trust became a model lender
Kudos
to Kenyan Women
Sometimes, numbers speak
louder than words. Six years ago, the Kenya Women Finance Trust (KWFT) was
losing around US$290,000 a year. By 2006, it was posting annual profits of
US$1.87 million and changing the lives of more than 100,000 poor women. By any
standard, this is a remarkable turnaround. But behind the numbers lies an even
more remarkable story. The trust’s outstanding growth is testament to the
importance of taking risks, and to not giving up on a good idea.
There is nothing magical about
what KWFT has done. Its growth and success are based on sound financial
practices that can be replicated in other rural areas of Sub-Saharan Africa. As
its name suggests, the Kenya Women Finance Trust is a microfinance institution
established by Kenyan women and offering services only to low-income Kenyan
women. IFAD, in partnership with the Belgian Survival Fund, has been a major
donor since 1992. (…) Management had to decide between two basic development
options. The first, and safest, was to consolidate operations in existing
areas, slowly increasing the amount and number of average loans and focusing
increasingly on easy-to-reach clients in urban areas. This was an almost
guaranteed way of providing slow, sustainable growth. The second, riskier,
option was to aim for a bigger impact by expanding aggressively into rural
areas, including the poorest parts of the country, to become a truly national
institution. KWFT chose the second option. It paid off. By 2006, its financial
self-sufficiency ratio had increased to 105 per cent; KWFT’s own income was
more than enough to cover all its operating and financial expenses. This level
of financial independence is rare for any microfinance institution, let alone
one operating in rural areas of Sub-Saharan Africa.(…) Looking ahead, KWFT
plans to expand into two new regions in the next year. It aims to reach about
250,000 members by 2011, with an outstanding portfolio in the region of US$120
to US$140 million. (…)
http://www.ruralpovertyportal.org/english/regions/africa/ken/voices/kwft.htm
17 July - From today, over
10,000 people reliable access to drinking water, thanks to a new ICRC-built
water tank at the Luzira Prison Complex in Kampala. "The ICRC built the
new tank to improve the water supply for the 4,500 inmates of Luzira’s four
prisons.
We are very happy that a total
of 10,000 people, including prison staff and their families, will ultimately
benefit from this project," said Beat Mosimann, the ICRC’s deputy head of
delegation. He added: "The ICRC works to improve the living conditions of
detainees in countries affected by violence all over the world. We have
cooperated with prison authorities to bring safe water to prisons in a number
of African countries, including Burundi and Rwanda."
The old water tank had been
leaking badly, wasting large amounts of water – and money. Less water in the
tank meant less pressure in the pipes, making the prisons’ water supply
unreliable. The new tank sits 12 metres above ground level and can hold up to
330,000 litres, providing a reliable water supply to the Luzira Prison Complex
and minimizing wastage.
The ICRC funded the tank, with
both the ICRC and the Uganda Prison Services (UPS) contributing to the
technical aspects. In cooperation with the UPS, the ICRC delegation in Uganda
is currently improving access to safe water in Gulu, Ruimi and Ibuga prisons.
As well as conducting
protection and assistance activities for people affected by conflict in the
north of Uganda, the ICRC is monitoring the material and psychological
conditions of detainees in prisons, police stations and military barracks
countrywide. The ICRC discusses its observations regularly with the Ugandan
authorities. These discussions are confidential.
In Uganda, as everywhere, the
ICRC carries out its humanitarian activities in an impartial, independent and
neutral manner.
http://www.icrc.org/Web/eng/siteeng0.nsf/html/uganda-news-170707
15 July - The ICRC has just
finished delivering rice seed, maize seed and fertilizer to 3,696 households in
122 villages in the departments of Korhogo, Ferkéssédougou, Boundiali and
Bouna. The organization has been supporting 11 associations and 3 agricultural
cooperatives as part of the same project.
The ICRC delegation in Abidjan
issued the following press release on 15 July 2007. With the support of
volunteers from the Red Cross Society of Côte d’Ivoire and an NGO, Animation
rurale de Korhogo, the ICRC supplied 30,000 people with 42 tonnes of maize
seed, 38 tonnes of upland rice seed, 18 tonnes of lowland rice seed, 370 tonnes
of NPK fertilizer and 185 tonnes of urea.
At the end of April, the ICRC
distributed 95 tonnes of maize, rice and yam seed to 1,274 households (11,083
individuals) in the region of Satama Soukoura, east of Bouaké.
The aim is to ensure a degree
of food security for people living in rural areas that the ICRC has identified
as particularly vulnerable. In 2006, the ICRC ran a similar programme in other
regions.
As always, before launching
the programme the ICRC carried out an analysis. This revealed that a number of
areas were particularly vulnerable. It also highlighted the general
impoverishment of the population. Factors include problems in the agricultural
sector on account of the crisis in Côte d’Ivoire, i.e. isolation, a fall in
prices and the disappearance of State support. The lack of rainfall has also
hit agricultural production.
The ICRC will be providing
technical support to farmers until the harvest is in.
http://www.icrc.org/Web/eng/siteeng0.nsf/html/cote-ivoire-news-150707
July 11 - Episcopal Relief and
Development (ERD) is providing emergency aid to people in Southern Pakistan
after flooding caused severe damage in the region.
Heavy rains caused flooding in
Karachi, the largest city in Pakistan, in the Sindh Province and surrounding
areas. Over 300 people have died from storm-related damage and flooding. Many
areas of Karachi are without electricity and basic amenities, and there is
concern of the development of water-borne diseases due to slow cleanup efforts.
In the Balochistan province, 200 people are missing and two million people in
15 districts were affected by flooding.
Gadap, the city worst affected
by flooding, is located 34 miles outside of Karachi. Over 24 people were
killed, over 200 others were injured, and one thousand homes were heavily
damaged or completely ruined. The destruction was caused by 69 mile per-hour
wind gusts followed by torrential rain that caused many of the homes and
buildings in less developed areas to collapse. Residents are now dependent on
contaminated water after the covers of the town’s concrete water tanks were
blown away. The floods killed livestock and destroyed 75 poultry farms. So far,
the storms have caused damage estimated at 200 million rupees, close to $3.5
million U.S.
ERD is working in partnership
with Church World Service to provide emergency relief to 250 of vulnerable
families in Gadap. Critical food supplies such as wheat flour, rice, cooking
oil, sugar, tea leaves, iodized salt, powdered milk, and matches will be
distributed to each family, particularly those most vulnerable such as widows,
children, and the elderly.
http://www.interaction.org/newswire/detail.php?id=5869
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon will keynote 2007
Hilton Humanitarian Prize events
Los Angeles, July 10 – United
Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will be the keynote speaker at the Conrad
N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize Dinner on Wednesday, September 12, 2007, in New
York City at The Waldorf-Astoria Hotel.
The $1.5 million Hilton Prize, largest in the humanitarian world, will
be awarded to an organization selected by an independent international jury for
its work in alleviating suffering. (…)
This year marks the 12th
anniversary of the Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize, which is designed to honor
charitable organizations that are effective, innovative leaders in addressing
the most pressing needs of humanity.
Each year more than 200 nominations are received from around the world. The process includes a rigorous examination
of each candidate’s work. A distinguished international jury makes the final
selection. (…)
The Conrad N. Hilton
Foundation is named for its founder, the late hotel entrepreneur, who left
virtually his entire fortune to the foundation with instructions to help the
most disadvantaged and vulnerable throughout the world. The Hilton Foundation, based in Los Angeles,
California and Reno, Nevada (USA), and its related entities have assets of
approximately $3.1 billion and to date has distributed close to $500 million
for charitable projects throughout the world.
More than 50% of its grants fund international projects. The foundation is an independent nonprofit
organization and is not part of the Hilton Hotels Corporation.
http://www.hiltonfoundation.org/press_release_details.asp?id=58
Atlanta, GA, USA, July 6 -
CARE has begun emergency operations in some of the areas most heavily affected by
Cyclone Yemyin that hit southwestern Pakistan last week, but relief supplies
are running out. The storm brought widespread rain, high winds, and flooding
particularly in the Baluchistan and Sindh regions. At least 150,000 people are
left homeless and hundreds were killed in the disaster.
Immediate relief efforts have
been hampered by limited communications and severe road damage in the worst
affected areas. The casualties have gone into the hundreds, and are likely to
rise as hundreds more people are still missing. The Baluchistan Province is
said to be the worst affected, with a million people affected by the floods.
Although relief and rescue
operations are underway by the government, United Nations and aid agencies,
communities are facing severe shortages of medicines, food supplies, health
facilities, safe drinking water and sanitation services.
CARE is providing emergency
packs including water purification items, hygiene kits and kitchen sets to
around 5,000 most vulnerable families, many headed by women with children. To
meet the mounting health needs in the flood affected areas, CARE is also
providing mobile medical health care facilities to hundred of patients. The
medical facilities are focusing on the primary and reproductive health care
needs of mothers and children. CARE is
now seeking funding to expand services immediately to 30,000 people. (…)
http://www.care.org/newsroom/articles/2007/07/20070706_pakistan_cyclone.asp
Mansehra, Pakistan, July 3
- World Vision and other local and
international humanitarian agencies will convene in Islamabad today in response
to a request for aid by the Pakistani government, as some 1.5 million people in
South Asia have been affected by Cyclone Yemyin and flash flooding. World
Vision relief staff in India are already supplying hot meals to families who
have been displaced by the storms. The consortium of aid agencies will
determine needs and decide on a course of action. “The access to scattered
groups of populations is very difficult,” said Graham Strong, World Vision
Pakistan national director. “We can count on the technical capacity and
experience of our team, and the collaboration with our partners, but there are
considerable logistical challenges.”
The Pakistani Meteorological
Department issued a warning that in the next two days heavy winds and rains
will hit already damaged areas. Torrential rains have left an estimated 500
dead and missing and 250,000 homeless. Rising water levels have forced
thousands of families to flee their homes and devastated buildings and grain
stores, destroying food, clothing and school supplies.
Monsoons have wreaked havoc in
six communities in India where World Vision runs programs for sponsored
children. The agency is planning to help families rebuild their homes and is already
providing support to minimize the disruption of schooling for children.
In India, one World Vision
project is organizing medical camps, as many children are suffering from fevers
and colds. Staff members on the ground continue to work alongside the
government, completing assessments and monitoring the situation in other areas.
(…)
http://www.interaction.org/newswire/detail.php?id=5860
Rotary
- New intercountry committee stresses U.S.-Russian club ties
By Dean Golemis
13 June - Rotarians in Russia,
the United States, and Canada took a big step toward promoting fellowship and
coordinating international projects by launching the United States-Russia
Intercountry Committee. The ICC chartering ceremony on 8 June coincided with
the 12th annual Rotary in Russia Conference, held this year in Skokie,
Illinois, USA. The new ICC, which encompasses 10 districts, is the largest
intercountry committee in the Rotary world. (…)
Eighty delegates from all
participating districts gathered at the three-day Rotary in Russia Conference
to discuss projects, membership, and youth programs in their home clubs and
districts, and chart a course for the new ICC.
Past District 5890 Governor
Jon Eiche, who chaired the conference, said the ICC will form committees to
promote twin club relationships, hold annual meetings hosted by member
districts, identify RI materials and documents to be translated into Russian,
and launch a bilingual Web site. Gian Paolo Marello, of the Rotary Club of
Moscow Arbat and ICC national coordinator for District 2220, stressed that
"club twinning" between Russian and North American clubs is an
important first step for the ICC. (…)
http://www.rotary.org/newsroom/programs/070613_moscow.html
Resolution against depleted uranium weapons is issued
by Church of the Brethren General Board
Elgin, IL, USA, July 13 - A
resolution against the use of depleted uranium weapons has been approved by the
Church of the Brethren General Board. The action came at a meeting on June 30,
held in conjunction with the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference in
Cleveland, Ohio.
Declaring the use of depleted
uranium weapons to be "a specific and compelling example of the sinfulness
of war," the resolution appeals for a halt to their manufacture, lifts up
the work of Christian Peacemaker Teams and the World Council of Churches, and
directs the Brethren Witness/Washington Office to advocate for elimination of
the weapons, among other actions.
Phil Jones, director of the
Brethren Witness/Washington Office, introduced the resolution as a partnership
with Christian Peacemaker Teams and the World Council of Churches, which have
worked against depleted uranium weapons and/or have made statements regarding
use of the weapons. (…)
The Church of the Brethren is
a Christian denomination committed to continuing the work of Jesus peacefully
and simply, and to living out its faith in community. The denomination is based
in the Anabaptist and Pietist faith traditions and is one of the three Historic
Peace Churches. It celebrates its 300th anniversary in 2008. It counts almost
130,000 members across the US and Puerto Rico, and has missions and sister
churches in Nigeria, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and India.
http://www.iccr.org/news/press_releases/2007/pr_dubrethren071607.htm
Cambodian National Volleyball League (Disabled): ICBL
acknowledged through Pailin Hawks Volleyball Team
Author(s): Nathaniel Powell
5 July - In acknowledgement of
the ongoing need to keep the International Campaign to Ban Landmines high on
the international public agenda, the Pailin Hawks volleyball team will carry
the ICBL logo on their uniforms for the 2007 National A-League season.
The Pailin Hawks debuted
during the 2006 National League season and impressed everyone with their dignity,
determination and team spirit. Pailin Hawks Coach Khem Peng Thong subsequently
won the 2006 Best New Athlete prize presented at the 2006 National League Grand
Finals.
By acknowledging the
International Campaign to Ban the Landmine through the Pailin ICBL Hawks, the
CNVLD recognises that there has been a fundamental shift in public focus away
from the Landmine issue even though the production, use, stockpiling and cruel
legacies of the Landmine continue. This shift has come in favour of more
‘fashionable’ initiatives, focusing on the G8, demonstrating the largesse
involved when celebrities take on high visibility causes for short – term
publicity. The CNVLD and the Pailin ICBL Hawks urge the international community
to re-invigorate the debate on the Landmine and the long-terms effects of UXO
and not forget the daily casualties across the world without a public voice.
The CNVLD and the
International Campaign to Ban the Landmine – Standing Up together in support of
the Cambodian Survivors of the Landmine.
http://www.icbl.org/layout/set/print/news/icbl_volleyball_in_cambodia
Contact: Sandra Prufer at
+1-847-866-3208
Evanston, Ill., USA, 1 July -
Amid today’s headlines of war, suicide bombings and ethnic and religious
violence emerges some welcome positive news: Rotary International has named a
new class of World Peace Fellows to study peacemaking and conflict resolution
at the six Rotary Centers for International Studies.
Launched in 2002, this
innovative approach to world peace is a master’s level program aimed at
equipping the next generation of government officials, diplomats and
humanitarian leaders with skills needed to reduce the threat of war and
violence. The Rotary World Peace Fellows are selected every year in a globally
competitive selection process based on their professional, academic and
personal achievements.
The Rotary Centers are located
on the campuses of leading universities in five countries: International
Christian University, Japan; Universidad del Salvador, Argentina; University of
Bradford, England; University of Queensland, Australia; University of
California, Berkeley; and — in a shared arrangement — Duke University and
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Like the members of the five
classes preceding them, the 60 students in the 2007-09 class are a diverse
group, representing 32 countries and a wide array of professional and cultural
backgrounds. Their interests and areas of expertise include public health,
education, international law, public policy, economic development, journalism,
and social justice. (…)
The program is already showing
results. Dozens of Rotary Peace Fellow alumni are making a difference in jobs
within the United Nations, the World Bank, governmental agencies and
international non-governmental organizations where their skills are tipping
balance in favor of peace and conflict resolution.
Rotary is the world's largest
privately-funded source of international scholarships and has more than 30,000
Rotary clubs in over 200 countries and geographic regions. For more information about the Rotary
Centers for International Studies, please visit:
www.rotary.org/foundation/educational/amb_scho/centers/index.html
http://www.rotary.org/newsroom/presscenter/releases/2007/323.html
PeaceInsight - A
new project by the Center for Peace
Peace in Sight is a joint initiative of the “PeaceInsight”
Organization in Sussex, England, the Jewish-Arab Center for Peace at Givat
Haviva, and “PCAS” Organization of Ramallah.
At the base of the initiative
is a program for bringing young Israelis and Palestinians - ages 16 to 18 -
together with the goal of creating acquaintance, holding dialogue and forming
an ongoing connection to influence the communities and the schools from which
the participants come. The public and educational strength and power of the
program is in its being a three-year program, enabling wide ranging
acquaintance and dialogue over the long term.
The Peace in Sight program is aimed at a target population of young
and future leadership within Israeli and Palestinian society.
We believe that only an
in-depth and long term education program can achieve the objective - shattering
stereotypes, acquaintance with and acceptance of the other, internalization of
values of respect, coexistence and peace.
Web:
http://www.givathaviva.org.il/english/
19 July - A study conducted by
the Royal Free Centre for HIV Medicine and the Royal Free and University
College London Medical Schools, and funded by the European Commission, shows
that long term treatment of HIV-infected patients with the combination
antiretroviral therapy (cART) effectively restores their immune function levels
to levels similar to those found in healthy individuals. These findings are
derived from an analysis of a long-standing European collaborative study,
EuroSIDA, a research project that has been funded by the European Commission
since 1994. (…)
The authors of the EuroSIDA
study, Dr Amanda Mocroft of the Royal Free and University College London
Medical Schools, and Prof Jens D. Lundgren, University of Copenhagen, can therefore
conclude that a normalisation of the CD4 cell count in the blood of
HIV-infected patients can be achieved if viral suppression with the cART
therapy can be maintained for a sufficiently long period of time. The EuroSIDA
study has shown that most HIV positive patients who can maintain a viral load
at less than 50 copies per ml of blood continue to have significant rises in
their CD4 cell counts even after five years of cART treatment. The EuroSIDA
study also shows that HIV positive patients who started the cART therapy with a
CD4 cell count of above 350 cells per microlitre of blood had CD4 cells counts
approaching the level seen in HIV-negative individuals after more than three
years of cART therapy.
Somali religious leaders join
the fight against polio
80
Sheikhs from Puntland and Somaliland mobilize support for polio prevention
Nairobi, 18 July – The
Puntland Minister of Justice and Religious Affairs, Abdirizak Yasin Abdulle, led
40 religious leaders from North East Somalia in a joint declaration of support
for polio prevention and immunization today. "We have a big
responsibility,” said Minister Abdulle. “It is now time for the Sheikhs to take
in front of Allah their responsibilities for the eradication of polio. We must
call for the vaccination of all children under five years of age and work for
the benefit of the children."
The declaration could be a
major breakthrough for the polio programme in Somalia, which has faced resistance
from some parents who have cited religious beliefs as a reason to refuse
immunization for their children. Polio re-emerged in Somalia in July 2005,
after almost three polio-free years, with 185 cases confirmed in 2005, 36 in
2006 and eight in 2007. Announcing the declaration on behalf of the religious
leaders, Somaliland Minister of Religious Affairs, Mahamoud Sheikh Sufi Mohamed
said, "Islamic Scholars are required to effectively support community
awareness about polio eradication and immunization in general. Knowing the
facts and proving things is what Islam calls for on any issue. It refuses to
follow untrue things and rumours that are not based on knowledge." The
official support from the group of influential Sheikhs followed their participation
in a two-day workshop in Garowe. During the workshop they met with Dr. Ahmed
Ragaa A. Ragab, a well-known Islamic scholar at Al Azhar University and medical
doctor, who dispelled rumours, myths and misconceptions about polio
immunization and the polio vaccine. (…)
http://www.unicef.org/media/media_40360.html
The European Regional and
Local Health Authorities Platform (EUREGHA) organised this summer 2007 the
conference Health and Nutrition in the Regions of Europe that took place on 5
July in the Committee of the Regions, Brussels. The EUREGHA conference focused
on exploring regional nutrition best practice examples from across the European
Union.
During the event, the European
Commission presented two nutrional initiatives, the White Paper on a strategy
for Europe on nutrition, overweight and obesity and the EU Mini-chefs
initiative, that aims to promote healthy cooking for young Europeans.
For more information about the
event please contact health@nwhbo.org
July - When a storm at sea
sunk a crucial shipment of medical supplies and medicines on route to a Malawi
health organization, the Ministry of Health in Malawi turned to Project HOPE
for help.
CHAM, a network of health
facilities in Malawi provides 40 percent of the health services in the country
through its education and health facilities that include nine nursing colleges,
18 hospitals, 17 community hospitals and 128 health centers. Close to 90
percent of these facilities are located in rural settings.
Four of CHAM’s facilities were on the verge of closure this month because their annual shipment of medicines and medical supplies on route from Europe to South Africa sunk in a storm at sea this spri
