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Good News Agency

In spite of everything, a culture of peace is emerging in all fields of human endeavour

monthly, year 19th, no. 282 – 13th September 2019

 

Good News Agency carries positive and constructive news from all over the world relating to voluntary work, the work of the United Nations, non governmental organizations and institutions engaged in improving the quality of life – news that doesn’t “burn out” in the space of a day. It is distributed free of charge through Internet to media and editorial journalists, NGOs, service associations and high schools and colleges around the world.

It is an all-volunteer service of Associazione Culturale dei Triangoli e della Buona Volontà Mondiale, an educational charity associated with the United Nations Department of Public Information It is a supporter of the Global Movement for the Culture of Peace. In the final report of the Decade for a Culture of Peace project (2001-2010) provided to the UN Secretary-General for presentation to the UN General Assembly, Good News Agency is included among the three NGOs that have been playing an active role in the field of Information through Internet.* 

 

 

Contents

International legislationHuman rightsEconomy and developmentSolidarity

Peace and securityHealthEnergy and SafetyEnvironment and wildlife

Religion and spiritualityCulture and education

 

International legislation
(top)

 

Germany ratified the Additional Protocol to the Council of Europe Convention on the Prevention of Terrorism

30 August 2019 - The Protocol to the Council of Europe Convention on the Prevention of Terrorism (CETS No. 196) makes a number of acts, including taking part in an association or group for the purpose of terrorism, receiving terrorist training, travelling abroad for the purposes of terrorism and financing or organising travel for this purpose, a criminal offence. The Protocol also provides for a network of 24-hour-a-day national contact points facilitating the rapid exchange of information.

https://www.coe.int/en/web/conventions/full-list/-/conventions/treaty/217

News related with SDGs number 17-Partnerships for the Goals

 

Italy ratified the Second Additional Protocol to the European Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters

30 August 2019 - The Protocol is intended to improve States' ability to react to cross-border crime in the light of political and social developments in Europe and technological developments throughout the world. It will therefore serve to improve and supplement the 1959 Convention and the 1978 Additional Protocol to it, in particular by broadening the range of situations in which mutual assistance may be requested and making the provision of assistance easier, quicker and more flexible. It also takes account of the need to protect individual rights in the processing of personal data.

https://www.coe.int/en/web/conventions/full-list/-/conventions/treaty/182

News related with SDGs number 17-Partnerships for the Goals

 

COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DECISION (EU) 2019/1310 of 31 July 2019 laying down rules on the operation of the European Civil Protection Pool and rescEU (notified under document C(2019) 5614) (Text with EEA relevance)

2 August 2019 – THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION (…) HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1- Subject matter

This Decision lays down rules for the implementation of Decision No 1313/2013/EU as regards:

(a)  the commitment to the European Civil Protection Pool of capacities receiving funding for adaptation costs;

(b)  criteria for deployment decisions on rescEU capacities, including in the event of conflicting requests;

(c)   criteria for demobilisation and disengagement decisions;

(d)  national use of rescEU capacities;

(e)  refusal to deploy personnel outside the Union

(f)   the general content of operational contracts;

(g)  visibility requirements for the use of rescEU capacities;

(h)  certification and registration of rescEU capacities;

(i)    total estimated costs of aerial forest firefighting rescEU capacities; and

(j)   arrangements for requesting financial assistance for operational costs.

Article 3- Criteria for deployment decisions on rescEU capacities

1.   Upon receiving a request for assistance, the ERCC shall assess whether existing capacities offered by Member States through the Union Mechanism and those pre-committed to the European Civil Protection Pool are sufficient to ensure an effective response to that request. Where an effective response cannot be ensured, the Commission through the ERCC shall decide on the deployment of rescEU capacities in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 12(6) of Decision No 1313/2013/EU.

https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=uriserv:OJ.L_.2019.204.01.0094.01.ENG&toc=OJ:L:2019:204:TOC

 

The Generation Equality Forum – Save the date!

23 July 2019 - The Generation Equality Forum is a global gathering for gender equality, convened by UN Women and co-chaired by France and Mexico, with the leadership and partnership of civil society. The Forum will kick-off in Mexico City, Mexico, on 7-8 May 2020 and culminate in Paris, France, on 7-10 July 2020. Twenty-five years after the historic Fourth World Conference on Women and the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, the most comprehensive blueprint to achieve women’s empowerment and gender equality, the Forum will take stock of progress and chart an agenda of concrete action to realize gender equality before 2030, as part of the ground-breaking, multigenerational campaign, “Generation Equality: Realizing women’s rights for an equal future”. (…)

https://www.unwomen.org/en/news/stories/2019/7/announcer-generation-equality-forum

News related with SDGs number 5-Gender Equality

 

 

Human rights
(top)

 

The Courage of Saying No: Children, Rebellion and Greta Thunberg

(By Dr Binoy Kampmark)

7 September 2019 – There is something to be said of wariness when it comes to revolutionary voices.  As Albert Camus argued in that beautiful tract of illumination and contradiction, The Rebel, “All modern revolutions have ended in the reinforcement of the power of the state.” But he also argued that humankind were the only creatures refusing to be what they are, a permanent self-deluding bunch bound to cause various neuroses.  The true rebel, then, is the one who says no, and can maintain credibility even as he risks becoming an ideologue, another dogmatist. When children find themselves in the saddle, things get a bit more complicated.  Hypocrisy and power are seemingly adult games: the supposedly innocent child is discouraged from expressing views and opinions.  When they do, the accusation of hijacking, innocence gone wrong, and manipulation, is bound to be made: behind the child lies an adult Svengali, or at least something approximating to him.

https://www.pressenza.com/2019/09/the-courage-of-saying-no-children-rebellion-and-greta-thunberg//

News related with SDGs number 15-Life on Land

 

EqualiTECH 2019 Human Rights Hackathon to launch in Kosovo

2 September 2019 - Civil Rights Defenders, in partnership with Innovation Centre Kosovo (ICK) is hosting the first ever regional hackathon to tackle human rights issues – ‘EqualiTECH 2019’ – on 27-29 September 2019. Fighting for the advancement of human rights is an ongoing battle and as such, it demands the abutment of modern technological advancements. However, there is a clear shortage in the interplay of technological investments around human rights issues, frequently materialising as a roadblock for its advocates.

https://crd.org/2019/09/02/civil-rights-defenders-and-innovation-centre-kosovo-present-regions-first-human-rights-hackathon-equalitech-2019//

 

Italy grounds two planes used to search for migrant boats

27 August 2019 - Lorenzo Tondo and Sam Jones - Italy has grounded two planes used by NGOs to search for migrant boats in distress in the Mediterranean. The planes – Moonbird and Colibri – are operated by the German NGO Sea-Watch and the French NGO Pilotes Volontaires respectively and have been flying reconnaissance missions over the Mediterranean since 2017. For the past month neither has been able to take to the skies after the Italian civil aviation authority said they could “only be used for recreational and non-professional activities”. Last year, Malta blocked Moonbird from operating out of the country and the aircraft stood still for over three months. Since 2017, the NGOs have been the subject of numerous investigations in Italy and Malta that critics say have slowed down rescue operations. Thousands of people have died in the Mediterranean from among hundreds of thousands attempting the crossing from North Africa to Europe in recent years, although the number making the voyage has been declining.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/aug/27/italy-grounds-two-planes-search-mediterranean-migrant-boats

 

Venezuela: Civil society coalition calls for UN Commission of Inquiry on human rights violations

21 August 2019 - In a public statement issued today, a coalition of 11 Venezuelan and international human rights organizations that have been monitoring and documenting Venezuela’s spiralling human rights and humanitarian emergency for years are urging the United Nations Human Rights Council to establish a Commission of Inquiry on Venezuela during its 42nd session in September 2019. “The international community seems to have forgotten victims of human rights violations who are suffering the consequences of crimes under international law. It is high time for the UN’s human rights body to take a decisive, victims-first approach towards an unprecedented human rights crisis in the country that continues to deepen. Meanwhile, millions are fleeing the country. The Human Rights Council has no time to waste,” said Erika Guevara-Rosas, Americas director at Amnesty International. In their statement, the coalition of human rights organisations explain the situation in Venezuela today and why a Commission of Inquiry is the best answer the international community can offer the victims.

https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2019/08/venezuela-coalicion-de-sociedad-civil-pide-a-onu-comision-de-investigacion/

News related with SDGs number 16-Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

 

In Rwanda, weaving baskets and brighter futures

19 August 2019 - The Kigeme Refugee Camp, the second largest in Rwanda, is home to over 20,000 refugees, 61 per cent of whom are women. Research shows that working-age refugee women are less likely to be economically active, in comparison with both local women and refugee men, which increases vulnerability of women in the refugee camps, and particularly for female heads of households. Striving to ensure their families’ livelihoods, many of the economic activities that refugee women undertake prove unstable and sometimes expose them to unexpected dangers such as sexual and gender-based violence. To support livelihoods of women in Kigeme Refugee Camp, UN Women funded the Women Opportunity Centre, supported by the Government of Sweden. The Centre provides women a safe space, trainings and a showroom for their products to improve their livelihoods at the camp and beyond. The Centre officially opened on World Refugee Day in June 2019.

https://www.unwomen.org/en/news/stories/2019/8/feature-in-rwanda-weaving-baskets-and-brighter-futures

News related with SDGs number 5-Gender Equality

 

 

Economy and development
(top)

 

Civil Society urges inclusive, resilient & sustainable urban areas of the future

(By Cristina Fan)

9 September 2019 - The United Nations held its first major international conference in one of America’s mountain states, bringing scores of civil society organizations (CSOs) to discuss ways on making “cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable by 2030.” The annual UN Civil Society Conference, which had been meeting mostly in New York, site of the UN world headquarters, and in some foreign capitals, was hosted by Salt Lake City’s Mayor’s office August 26-28 under the title “Building Inclusive and sustainable cities and communities.” More than half of the current world population of 7.7 billion now live in cities big and small. The UN has projected that the world population will reach 9.7 billion by 2050 and 5 billion of them will be in living in urban areas. Megacities of 10-20 million people each will be even bigger. The conference adopted a lengthy outcome document that pledged to implement one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which calls for focusing on cities and human settlements throughout the world buffeted by climate change, insecurity and economic problems.

http://www.ipsnews.net/2019/09/civil-society-urges-inclusive-resilient-sustainable-urban-areas-future/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=civil-society-urges-inclusive-resilient-sustainable-urban-areas-future//

News related with SDGs number 11-Sustainable Cities and Communities

 

Silver Spring- USA - Jackson Charitable Foundation and Discovery Education launch Third Annual “Cha-Ching Money Smart Kids Contest” to encourage K-6 grade Students to become Financially Empowered Adults

6 September 2019 -   Jackson Charitable Foundation, a nonprofit with the mission to advance financial knowledge on a national scale and Discovery Education, the global leader in standards-aligned digital curriculum resources, engaging content and professional learning for K-12 classrooms, today announced the third annual Cha-Ching Money Smart Kids! Contest. Open to elementary school teachers and families of students in grades K-6, entrants take a pledge to teach kids how to earn, save, spend, and donate. Now through Dec. 12, teachers and families can enter the contest for the chance to win $10,000 for their school, plus an additional $1,000 to donate to charity. In addition to cash prizes, the winning school will also receive a fun financial literacy event at their school.  Cha-Ching Money Smart Kids! is a financial education program designed to train the next generation of financially empowered adults. The program provides youth with critical 21st century skills by beginning high-quality financial literacy education in elementary school, where it can be fundamentally embedded in core learning experiences at a young age. Available at no cost to classrooms nationwide, the program provides educator resources, family activities, animated videos, and more. Cha-Ching Money Smart Kids! program elements include:
Music Videos and Game — Helping children learn money management concepts with lively cartoon characters from the Cha-Ching band. Storylines spotlight the importance of earning, saving, spending, and donating. They also help reinforce healthy money habits.

Classroom Activities — Providing K-6 educators with standards-aligned activities that pair with music videos to teach students how to be money smart.

Educator Guides — Enhancing educators’ background knowledge of financial literacy to better equip them to facilitate the classroom activities.

Family Activities — Offering parents, families, and communities helpful tools to teach their children how to be money smart. 

https://www.csrwire.com/press_releases/42476-Jackson-Charitable-Foundation-and-Discovery-Education-Launch-Third-Annual-Cha-Ching-Money-Smart-Kids-Contest-to-Encourage-K-6-Grade-Students-to-Become-Financially-Empowered-Adults?tracking_source=rss

News related with SDGs number 8-Decent Work and Economic Growth

 

Turkcell joins Business Call to Action with women developers of the future project

4 September 2019, Istanbul /CSRwire/ - Digital Operator Turkcell has joined Business Call to Action with a commitment to provide training opportunities to approximately 4,000 low income women in Turkey and upskill a total of 200 female employees to become tester experts by 2021. As a digital operator, digital technology and innovation is at Turkcell’s core. Recognizing that it had the ability to help close the gap in female labor participation and unleash the potential of women in the digital workforce, Turkcell partnered with the Union of Chamber and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) in 2017 to launch Women Developers of the Future, a project to promote women’s social and economic empowerment by upskilling them through training. TOBB’s Women’s Entrepreneurs Council located in every city of Turkey helps Turkcell to reach women to train and make them join the project, and also in finding the mentors for women entrepreneurs. (…) Under this project, Turkcell first provided mentorship and training to thousands of women on mobile application development and entrepreneurship. The programme then offers two opportunities. Firstly, their Entrepreneurship Journey supports women to develop their own mobile apps and launch a business using these platforms. Secondly, the Tester Journey employs 100 women to contribute to Turkcell’s strategic product and services by conducting end user tests(…)

https://www.csrwire.com/press_releases/42462-Turkcell-Joins-Business-Call-to-Action-With-Women-Developers-of-the-Future-Project

News related with SDGs number 5-Gender Equality

 

Mechanization helps outgrower business owner support 750 farmers in Ghana

30August 2019 – Fusseini Abubakar cultivates maize, rice, soybean, groundnut, and cowpea on his farm in the Karaga District of Ghana’s Northern Region. In 2010, when Fusseini first became involved with USAID’s Agricultural Development and Value Chain Enhancement II (ADVANCE II) Project, a project implemented by ACDI/VOCA that supports the scaling up of agribusinesses, he learned new farming techniques and applied them to his farm. From planting in rows and properly applying fertilizer to using certified seeds, Fusseini gained new skills and knowledge. He also took part in trainings in business management, learning recordkeeping, budgeting, and contract negotiation. Now, he considers his farm to be a profitable business and serves as vice chairman of the Karaga Outgrower Network. USAID’s ADVANCE II Project has supported 424 outgrower businesses that serve 131,493 smallholder farmers in Ghana to improve their yields and gross margins in maize, rice, and soybean. Since 2010, that has meant training 124,572 people, 49 percent of whom have been women, in good agricultural practices, post-harvest handling, quality standards, and business management to improve farmers’ long-term productivity and income. At the start, Fusseini offered services using his one tractor. By 2016, the boost in income he experienced thanks to the trainings allowed him to procure two tractors, two corn shellers, and two ploughs as well as a ripper, manual planter, and harrow (…)

https://www.acdivoca.org/2019/08/mechanization-helps-outgrower-business-owner-support-750-farmers-in-ghana/

News related with SDGs number 8-Decent Work and Economic Growth

 

Government of Sri Lanka, KOICA and WFP renew partnership to help rural communities withstand climate change

9 August 2019, Monaragala – The Government of Sri Lanka, together with the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), today launched a three-year, US$ 6 million project to build resilience of communities against the impact of natural disasters. The project, “building resilience against recurrent natural shocks through diversification of livelihoods for vulnerable communities”, consists of key activities such as building household water harvesting and storage facilities, rehabilitation of irrigation schemes and skills development for youth in agriculture. Some 21,600 people in Moneragala, Matale, Mullaitivu, Mannar and Batticaloa districts will take part. This project builds on an existing partnership between the Government of Sri Lanka, KOICA and WFP, which has provided resilience building and livelihood support to communities in 13 districts over the past two years. Results include farmers profiting from two cultivation seasons (both the Maha and Yala), the creation of critical water sources to mitigate drought conditions, utilisation of increased cultivation area and higher household incomes, as well as the needed training for youth on skills development in agriculture, intensification of agriculture livelihoods, diversified income generation activities, and value chain opportunities.

https://www.wfp.org/news/government-sri-lanka-koica-and-wfp-renew-partnership-help-rural-communities-withstand-climate

News related with SDGs number 8-Decent Work and Economic Growth

 

 

Solidarity
(top)

 

Laos: EU supports inclusive and sustainable development with two new programmes worth €55 million

9 September 2019 - During his first official visit to the Lao People's Democratic Republic, Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development Neven Mimica reconfirmed the EU's commitment to working with the country's government to support sustainable development, especially in rural areas. On this occasion, Commissioner Mimica also launched two new programmes on nutrition and sustainable growth. He said: “These new programmes worth €55 million reaffirm our strong commitment as reliable and long-term partner for the Lao People's Democratic Republic. We will continue to support the Lao government in assisting the most vulnerable communities. Together, we are investing in a diversified and sustainable economy that protects our environment and tackles inequalities”.

The two new programmes are:

https://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-19-5535_en.htm//

News related with SDGs number 8-Decent Work and Economic Growth

 

Conrad N. Hilton Foundation announces METAdrasi, a frontline refugee organization, as 2019 recipient of $2 million Humanitarian Prize

19 August 2019 – The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation announced today that the Greek NGO METAdrasi – Action for Migration and Development is the 2019 recipient of the Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize. A distinguished panel of jurors selected METAdrasi, whose mission is to support the reception and integration of refugees and migrants with consistency, compassion, and the flexibility to adjust to needs as they emerge. UNHCR estimates that over 80,000 refugees and migrants are “trapped” in Greece, of which over 4,100 are unaccompanied children. In 2009, Lora Pappa founded METAdrasi, to fill crucial gaps in the delivery of basic humanitarian services to refugees, migrants and unaccompanied children. METAdrasi has developed a host of pioneering programs—primarily focused on interpretation, protection and education—to support the needs of unaccompanied minors and other vulnerable groups entering Greece. The organization’s first key programs included professionalizing the role of interpreters who provide vital communication for refugees and migrants throughout the asylum process; and training escort teams to provide safe passage for unaccompanied children to accommodation facilities. METAdrasi has since expanded its services to include legal support, certification of victims of torture, education, integration, and a comprehensive safety net to protect unaccompanied minors. (…)

https://www.hiltonfoundation.org/news/450-conrad-n-hilton-foundation-announces-metadrasi-a-frontline-refugee-organization-as-2019-recipient-of-2-million-humanitarian-prize

 

European Union supports Sudan in challenging times

14 August 2019, Khartoum - The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has welcomed a top-up contribution of €7 million, following the €6 million provided to WFP in 2018. Funding will support emergency operations in Sudan from the European Commission’s Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection department (ECHO). ECHO funding will support critical activities including nutrition assistance to mothers and children in remote areas where WFP provides food supplements for treating and preventing malnutrition as well as nutrition awareness sessions. Malnutrition affects some 1.8 million children under five across Sudan. The funds will also support cash-based transfers for vulnerable and food-insecure communities, providing much-needed assistance to as many as 600,000 people including internally displaced people and refugees across North and South Darfur states. Research has shown that cash-based transfers give food-insecure people a sense of independence and guarantee their ability to cover their most basic needs including food, shelter and water, while alleviating hardship and giving a boost to the local economy. Sudan is one of the least developed countries in the world and continues to face the impacts of protracted conflict and harsh climatic conditions. ECHO’s generous contribution enables WFP to continue the roll-out of its innovative ‘hybrid’ transfer modality, whereby food-insecure populations are provided with a mixture of food, cash and vouchers for food.

https://www.wfp.org/news/european-union-supports-sudan-challenging-times

News related with SDGs number 8-Decent Work and Economic Growth

 

Contribution from Germany supports WFP food assistance in Sahrawi refugee camps in Algeria

6 August 2019, Algiers – The Government of Germany has contributed €1 million to cover the basic food needs of Sahrawi refugees the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is assisting in Algeria. WFP will use the German funds to provide each beneficiary with a monthly food ration that includes cereals (rice, barley and wheat flour), pulses, vegetable oil, sugar and fortified blended foods. A part of the contribution will be used to feed more than 40,000 children in camp schools. Each child receives a mid-morning snack at school that includes nutritious biscuits and milk to fight short-term hunger. For more than 40 years, the Sahrawi have been living under extremely harsh conditions in the Sahara Desert in southwestern Algeria. Hosted in five refugee camps, near the Algerian town of Tindouf, refugee families rely primarily on WFP assistance for their food needs as employment and livelihood opportunities are limited. WFP has been supporting refugees from Western Sahara in Algeria since 1986.

https://www.wfp.org/news/contribution-germany-supports-wfp-food-assistance-sahrawi-refugee-camps-algeria

 

Germany contributes €1 million to support families in the dry corridor of Honduras

2 August 2019, Tegucigalpa – The Federal Republic of Germany contributed €1 million to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), supporting emergency food assistance to more than 16.000 families severely affected by the drought in the Dry Corridor of Honduras. Most of these families are subsistence farmers and daily wage labourers, who have lost their crops to the drought in the departments of Choluteca, Valle, La Paz, El Paraíso y Francisco Morazán. For the past five years, people in the Dry Corridor have been affected by recurrent droughts, irregular rains and agricultural pests. This has resulted in the loss of staple crops, namely maize and beans. The German contribution will bring relief to families through the months of July and August. It will also strengthen humanitarian assistance coordination with the Honduran Civil Defence authorities. The cumulative impact of droughts and losses in agricultural production have weakened the response capacity and survival mechanisms of families, especially among the most vulnerable, as they have exhausted their food reserves.

https://www.wfp.org/news/germany-contributes-eu1-million-support-families-dry-corridor-honduras

 

 

Peace and security
(top)

 

The Chinese vision of a “Community of Shared Destiny for Humanity”: a prelude to a universal humanist moment?

(By Javier Tolcachier)

9 September 2019 - Argentina - The 70th anniversary (1/10) of the founding of the People’s Republic of China is approaching. (…) China is today spreading, through its highest representative, a message of high moral standing: the so-called “Community of Shared Destiny for Humanity”. Mentioned for the first time in 2011 in a document of the Information Office of the Council of State, the idea appears as overcoming the “dangerous mentality of cold and hot war and all the worn roads that have repeatedly led humanity to confrontation and war”. The White Paper on China’s Pacific Development mentions the alternative of finding “new perspectives from the angle of the community of common destiny, sharing advances and afflictions, seeking mutually beneficial cooperation, exploring new ways of improving exchanges and mutual learning among different civilizations, determining new dimensions of humanity’s common interests and values, and seeking new ways of addressing multiple challenges through cooperation among countries and achieving inclusive development.” The White Paper also mentions the alternative of finding “new perspectives from the angle of the community of common destiny, sharing advances and afflictions, seeking mutually beneficial cooperation, exploring new ways of improving exchanges and mutual learning among different civilizations, identifying new dimensions of humanity’s common interests and values, and seeking new ways of addressing multiple challenges through cooperation among countries and achieving inclusive development”

https://www.pressenza.com/2019/09/the-chinese-vision-of-a-community-of-shared-destiny-for-humanity-a-prelude-to-a-universal-humanist-moment//

News related with SDGs number 16-Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

 

CELEBRATE The International Day of Peace 21 September 2019 – Plant a Peace Pole!

7 September 2019 - Plant a Peace Pole for International Day of Peace CELEBRATE The International Day of Peace 21 September 2019 2019 Theme: CLIMATE ACTION FOR PEACE Each year the International Day of Peace is observed around the world on 21 September. The United Nations General Assembly has declared this as a day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace, both within and among all nations and peoples. May Peace Prevail On Earth International will attend The International Day of Peace Student Observance at the United Nations Headquarters, New York City September 20th. Peace Day celebrations will take place at the United Nations Headquarters on Friday, 20 September 2019, The Secretary-General will commence the celebration at 9:00am in the Peace Garden by ringing the Peace Bell and observing a minute of silence followed by a Student Observance from 9:30 a.m. till noon organized by the Education Outreach Section of the Department of Global Communications.

http://goodnewsplanet.com/celebrate-the-international-day-of-peace-21-september-2019-plant-a-peace-pole//

News related with SDGs number 16-Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

 

2nd Walk for the Culture of Peace in Cotia, receives support from the World March for Peace and Nonviolence.

31 August 2019, Cotia (Brazil)- On Sunday 09/18/2019, people from the city of Cotia and neighboring municipalities attended the program of the 2nd edition of the Walk for a Culture of Peace, which took place on Sunday (18), in Cotia. The event had the participation of the World March for Peace and Nonviolence, several cultural, ethnic, religious and popular movements.  The Walk is carried out by the City of Cotia, through the Secretariat of Sports, Culture and Leisure, and by the Peace Commission, composed of the Department of Culture and representatives of civil society: Casa de Airá – Tradition and Culture; Instituto Gira-Sol; Casa Olê Orixá Obá Ayrá; Lazaro de Aruanda Flight Temple and The Message from Silo – Parque de Estudos e Reflexão Caucaia. The walk, the universal color of Peace, the white, was predominant and the atmosphere of fraternity hovered over the participants. “This event is the celebration of our Movement of the Culture of Peace, of resistance and defense of the rights of people, of cultural and religious diversity. Several fronts and ideologies join hands against prejudice, violence and intolerance.”

https://www.pressenza.com/2019/08/2nd-walk-for-the-culture-of-peace-in-cotia-receives-support-from-the-world-march-for-peace-and-nonviolence//

News related with SDGs number 16-Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

 

Dogs that save lives

29August 2019 – Dogs vs. landmines in Colombia: Given the need to provide communities with cleared and safe land as fast as possible, efficiency is key to perform effective and timely land release. Therefore, since Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA) began its work in Mine Action in the 1990’s, the organization has always sought new resources and skills for the detection of antipersonnel mines or other explosive devices found on the ground. As part of this search, NPA included Mine Detection Dogs (MDD) on its humanitarian demining toolbox. Dogs became an essential part of the organization (…) Eight MDD members from the Bosnian Global Training Center and the Cambodia Training Center, Hapai, Tika, Anette, Diva, Gumo, Zarex, Divix and Rambo, all Belgian Shepherd Malinois, are an important part of the organization. Their keen sense of smell, hardworking and protective personality makes them suitable for this work. These dogs are characterized by their agility, hyperactivity and intelligence, but that does not detract from the strict training they must receive in order to develop and maintain detection and clearance skills. Dogs receive lessons in several spaces for approximately five (5) available hours a day, seeking to ensure their adaptability and state of alert in the different areas and situations. Trainings begin with activities that encourage playing in order for the dog to become familiar with a toy or object that will then be impregnated with the smell of the explosive. Consequently, the dog will relate its work with the usual playful activities. Coaches often use the Kong to motivate and incentivize the dogs’ searching abilities. (…)

https://www.npaid.org/News/News-archive/2019/Dogs-that-save-lives

News related with SDGs number 16-Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

 

Southern Africa: Website launched to help families find missing relatives

29 August 2019, Pretoria (ICRC) — Families in southern Africa who are looking for a missing relative now have a new online tool to help them in their search. Trace the Face, a secure website created and run by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in collaboration with National Red Cross Societies, has been launched to reconnect families who have been separated by violence, natural disasters, or migration."Families with missing relatives suffer from the anguish and uncertainty of not knowing the fate and whereabouts of their loved ones," said Marie-Astrid Blondiaux, Protection Coordinator for the ICRC in southern Africa. "In southern Africa, families often lose touch because a person disappears along a migration route or in the destination country. This can lead to years, if not decades of separation. We hope that Trace the Face will give families an avenue to search for and reconnect with one another."The Trace the Face website allows people searching for their missing relative to upload a photograph of themselves as well as details of who they are searching for. People can then search the website for photographs of their family members.Over 16,000 enquiries have been registered on a similar platform by families searching for their loved ones in other parts of the world since 2013, enabling one successful family reconnection per week on average in 2018(…)

https://www.icrc.org/en/document/southern-africa-website-launched-help-families-find-missing-relatives

 

 

Health

(top)

 

Milk, fruits and vegetables distributed to schoolchildren thanks to EU programme

2 September 2019 - With the start of a new school year, the EU school fruit, vegetables and milk scheme will resume in participating EU countries for 2019-2020.The EU school scheme aims at promoting healthy eating and balanced diets through the distribution of fruit, vegetables and milk products while also proposing educational programmes on agriculture and good nutrition. More than 20 million children benefited from this programme during the 2017-2018 school year. Each school year, a total of €250 million is allocated to the scheme. For 2019-2020, €145 million were set aside for fruit and vegetables, and €105 million for milk and other dairy products. Although participation in the scheme is voluntary, all EU Member states chose to participate. National allocations for EU countries taking part in the scheme for this school year were approved and adopted by the European Commission in March 2019. Countries can also top up EU aid with national funds. Member States can decide on the way to implement the scheme. This includes the type of products children will receive or the theme of the educational measures put in place. Nonetheless, the choice of products distributed needs to be based on health and environmental considerations, seasonality, availability and variety.

https://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-19-5501_en.htm//

News related with SDGs number 3-Good Health and Well-Being

 

Nigeria three years free from wild poliovirus

23 August 2019– 21 August 2019 marks three years since Nigeria last reported a case of wild poliovirus. This is an important public health milestone for the country and the entire Africa Region, which is now a step now closer to polio-free certification. At the press conference in Abuja, the Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr Faisal Shuaib, acknowledged that the three-year mark is an important moment in the fight against polio but also emphasized the need for vigilance  ̶ “one which we must delicately manage with cautious euphoria.” Innovation, partnership and resolve have all underpinned advancements made in Nigeria, together with the commitment of tens of thousands of health workers. “Since the last outbreak of wild polio in 2016 in the northeast, Nigeria has strengthened supplementary immunization activities and routine immunization, implemented innovative strategies to vaccinate hard-to-reach children and improved acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) and environmental surveillance. These efforts are all highly commendable,” said WHO’s Officer in Charge for Nigeria, Dr Peter Clement.

http://polioeradication.org/news-post/nigeria-three-years-free-from-wild-poliovirus/

News related with SDGs number 3-Good Health and Well-Being

 

World Bank and WHO statement on partnership & deployment of financing to WHO for ebola response in DRC

22 August 2019 – The World Bank and the World Health Organization (WHO), along with the Government and other key partners, are working in close partnership on the Ebola Crisis Response in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Central to this partnership is the assessment of the financing needs, and deployment of resources, with the goal to put an end to the current deadly outbreak.  The World Bank is today announcing that US$50 million in funding is to be released to WHO for its lifesaving operational work on the frontlines of the outbreak. The WHO is announcing that this US$50 million in funds will close the financing gap for its emergency health response in DRC through to the end of September 2019. The funding comprises US$30 million from the Pandemic Emergency Financing Facility (PEF) and US$20 million from the World Bank. The US$50 million in grant funding is part of the larger financial package of approximately US$300 million that the World Bank announced last month to support the fourth Strategic Response Plan for the DRC Ebola outbreak. The DRC government, working in collaboration with the World Bank, WHO, and other key partners, has finalized the Fourth Strategic Response Plan (SRP4), which outlines the total resources needed for the DRC Ebola Crisis Response from July to December 2019. https://www.who.int/news-room/detail/22-08-2019-world-bank-and-who-statement-on-partnership-deployment-of-financing-to-who-for-ebola-response-in-drc

News related with SDGs number 3-Good Health and Well-Being

 

FAO Director-General inaugurates the World Sustainable Urban Food Centre (CEMAS)

22 July 2019, Valencia (Spain) - FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva urged cities around the world today to redouble their efforts to promote healthier and more sustainable urban diets and food systems to tackle the increasing levels of overweight and obesity. In general, he said, when the resources are scarce, people tend to choose less expensive foods, which are usually "very high in calories but not very nutritious".

Graziano da Silva made his remarks at the launch of the World Sustainable Urban Food Centre (CEMAS), chaired by Her Majesty Queen Letizia of Spain, FAO’s Special Ambassador for Nutrition. CEMAS is an initiative of the city of Valencia, with technical support from FAO, to strengthen, advise and coordinate cities around the world in management and exchange of knowledge on sustainable local food systems. The new centre will also carry out dissemination and public awareness activities on issues related to food, nutrition, the fight against hunger, climate change and food systems. Graziano da Silva called for an “urgent transformation” of food systems to ensure that they provide healthy and nutritious food for all, while preserving natural resources and biodiversity. Cities, said Graziano da Silva, have a fundamental role to play, noting that "to combat obesity there are many effective measures, but the fundamental factor is that fresh and healthy foods are available for the consumption of their citizens."

http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/1202814/icode/

News related with SDGs number 11-Sustainable Cities and Communities

 

 

Energy and safety
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Copenhagen Sets a Global Standard with 2025 Carbon Neutrality Goal

6 September 2019 – A vision of a “five-minute city”, restrictions on polluting cars, an awesomely effective transit system, and a shift to renewable energy are centrepieces of the effort to make bicycle-friendly Copenhagen a carbon-neutral city, a couple of decades ahead of most other leading municipalities and just a dozen years after it first set its 2025 target. The city has already cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 42%, and is trending far ahead of other communities with deadlines as late as 2050. (…)

https://www.energycentral.com/c/ec/copenhagen-sets-global-standard-2025-carbon-neutrality-goal

News related with SDGs number 11-Sustainable Cities and Communities

 

Australia’s Large-scale Renewable Energy Target (LRET) has been met more than a year early

(by Robin Whitlock)

6 September 2019 – The LRET has delivered dozens of wind and solar projects along the way, taking the country closer to a clean energy future, the Clean Energy Council revealed this week. With the completion of Goldwind’s Cattle Hill Wind Farm in Tasmania, the Clean Energy Regulator has officially confirmed that enough renewable energy has now been built to guarantee that the target will be met in 2020. Clean Energy Council Chief Executive Kane Thornton said meeting the target had been a massive effort for the clean energy industry for close to two decades, which had transformed renewable energy from one of the most expensive kinds of energy generation to the cheapest. (…)

https://www.renewableenergymagazine.com/panorama/australiaa-s-largescale-renewable-energy-target-lret-20190906/

News related with SDGs number 12-Responsible Consumption and Production 

 

WindEurope's 5 priorities for the incoming European Commission

September 6, 2019 – European citizens have succeeded in putting climate change onto the political agenda in a way never seen before. As Ursula von der Leyen's European Commission takes shape, it will be looking to deliver an ambitious climate strategy that works for all Europeans. Here's how they can do it.

First, they should focus on both ambition and delivery on decarbonisation. Zero-net carbon by 2050 is technically and economically feasible. The 2030 National Energy & Climate Plans should make clear progress towards this goal - not least to meet the growing demand for renewable energy from consumers and industry.

Second, the Commission should take a smart approach to electricity and gas. The share of electricity in the energy mix has to rise from 24% today to at least 60% by 2050. It's the most cost-effective and energy-efficient way to decarbonise heating, transport and much of industry. Hydrogen from renewable electricity will also have a role to play.

Third, infrastructure investment. The energy transition requires major investment in grids, storage, electric vehicle charging points and other infrastructure, such as ports for offshore wind. InvestEU and any new Europe Future Fund will play a key role, alongside Structural Funds and other existing instruments.

Then Research & Innovation. Renewable energy needs to be a priority for the EU's new 100bn research programme, Horizon Europe. And the Commission needs to support continued innovation in technologies where Europe has led, such as onshore wind, as well as emerging technologies.

Finally, a low-carbon industrial policy with renewable energy as the backbone. The wind industry employs more than 300,000 people in Europe today and exports 8bn worth of high-tech equipment outside the EU each year. Being able to import components and materials without barriers is central to the competitiveness of the European wind industry. (…)

https://electricenergyonline.com/news.php?ID=786935&cat=;141;88&niveauAQ=0

News related with SDGs number 13-Climate Action

 

Electric Car charge posts to be installed in every new home in England

(by Johnna Crider)

3 September 2019 – What comes to your mind when buying a new home? (…) Perhaps you are on the lookout for a home that has an electric car charging post already installed. When it comes to this idea, England is making it easier for owners of EVs as well as future EV owners by introducing a mandatory electric car charging point for each newly built home. This means that every brand-new home, by law, will have to have a charging port for your electric vehicle — even if you don’t yet own one. (…)

https://cleantechnica.com/2019/09/03/electric-car-charge-posts-to-be-installed-in-every-new-home-in-england/

News related with SDGs number 11-Sustainable Cities and Communities

 

EIA Monthly Report Documents decline of coal in US Electricity Generation

(by Steve Hanley)

2 September 2019 – the numbers show the amount of electricity generated in the US by coal fell by more than 13% in the first half of this year. During that same time, electricity from solar power grew by more than 10%. Natural gas also saw an increase of 6%. The EIA says it expects coal to generate less than one quarter of the nation’s energy this year compared with about half only a decade ago. Clearly, coal power is in decline and sinking fast. (…)

https://cleantechnica.com/2019/09/02/eia-monthly-report-documents-decline-of-coal-in-us-electricity-generation/

News related with SDGs number 12-Responsible Consumption and Production 

 

 

Environment and wildlife
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COP14: 2-13 September New Delhi, India

7 September 2019 - Reversing land degradation and its outcomes while accelerating positive achievements for people and for ecosystems with a view to deliver on Sustainable Development Goals is the core agenda of the fourteenth session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (COP14). COP14 will take place on 2-13 September 2019 at the India Mart and Expo, in the Greater Noida area of New Delhi, India. The UNCCD’s Conferences of the Parties (COP) is the place where governments agree on strategic and effective land use and sustainable land management goals to ensure nature and ecosystems thrive. COP14 will focus on the critical gaps in land management and planning, but also on practical actions to ensure the successes we are achieving, which are becoming more evident on the biophysical level, increase human well-being everywhere. 

https://www.unccd.int/conventionconference-parties-cop/cop14-2-13-september-new-delhi-india//

News related with SDGs number 13-Climate Action

 

104 new whale shark individuals, including juveniles, spotted in Donsol, Philippines – the highest number in several years

30 August 2019 Donsol (Philippines)– 104 new whale shark individuals have been identified in Ticao Pass off the coast of Donsol, in the Philippines, between January and June 2019, according to a report from the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Philippines. Whale shark (Rhincodon typus), classified as Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) on their Red List of Threatened Species, is a filter-feeding carpet shark and the largest living fish species in the world. Each whale shark can be identified based on the unique pattern of spots behind its gills, which serves as a “fingerprint” for identification. Just as no two human fingerprints are alike, no two whale sharks have the same spot pattern. The addition of these new sightings puts the total number of whale shark individuals spotted in Donsol at 676 since the monitoring began in 2007. This represents nearly 40% of all the 1,724 whale sharks identified in the Philippines. The number of individuals spotted in 2019 is also the largest in several years, with only 22 new individuals spotted in Donsol between 2017 and 2018 by comparison.    
The whale sharks were sighted during this year’s photo identification activities conducted by WWF-Philippines. In the first half of this year, 168 individuals – with 64 re-sightings alongside the 104 newly identified ones – were noted. Very young whale shark juveniles were also identified among the 168 individuals that were spotted. Their presence suggests that the Ticao Pass may be a pupping ground for whale sharks, further increasing the ecological significance of the area.

http://wwf.panda.org/wwf_news/press_releases/?352373/104-new-whale-shark-individuals-including-juveniles-spotted-in-Donsol-Philippines--the-highest-number-in-several-years

News related with SDGs number 14- Life below Water

 

Mass tree-planting in Ethiopia broke world records, but its impact will take time.

Planting billions of trees can help tackle the climate crisis

(By Sheila Halder)

30 August 2019 – There’s no doubt about it — trees are good for the planet. The power of trees has dominated headlines all summer. In late July, Ethiopia claimed to have set a world record by planting 350 million tree saplings in a single day. The initiative was part of a wider tree planting policy launched by Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, whose administration aims to tackle deforestation and climate change by planting 4.7 billion trees by October this year. Also in July, The Crowther Lab of ETH Zurich published a study which found that planting billions of trees across the world was the most affordable and effective way of tackling climate change. Not only do trees clean our air and help fight climate change — but they also promote biodiversity. A study carried out in Costa Rica found that planting a single tree could boost the number of bird species from near zero to 80. Trees also offer infinite, tangible benefits to farmers. They improve soil quality, reduce soil erosion, and provide shelter for livestock and crops. This is important considering how much fertile land farmers own globally – that’s a huge amount of tree planting potential.

Working across six African countries, Send a Cow, a nongovernmental organization, encourages smallholder farmers to plant multi-purpose trees that offer more than one output. For example, growing tree species that provide fruit to eat and sell but also provides firewood or introduce nitrogen into the soil (…)

https://globalvoices.org/2019/08/30/mass-tree-planting-in-ethiopia-broke-world-records-but-its-impact-will-take-time//

News related with SDGs number 13-Climate Action

 

 

Religion and spirituality
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ASIA/PHILIPPINES - A new College of Theology with specialization in interreligious dialogue

9 September 2019 - Zamboanga - The "Silsilah" movement for dialogue has launched a new educational institute in the city of Zamboanga: the Emmaus College for Theology, which offers a Bachelor's degree in Theology, with specialization in interreligious dialogue. The new College obtained permission to operate from the "Commission for Higher Education" in the Philippines and will start lessons in August 2020, just as the new academic year 2019-2020 will coincide with the special "Year of interreligious dialogue, of ecumenism and of indigenous peoples", proclaimed by the Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, which will begin with the Feast of Christ the King, on November 24, 2019. In fact, the Catholic Church in the Philippines will pay particular attention to interreligious dialogue, ecumenism and indigenous peoples in preparation for 2021, when Christians in the Philippines will recall the 500th anniversary of the arrival of Christianity in the archipelago.

http://www.fides.org/en/news/66591-ASIA_PHILIPPINES_A_new_College_of_Theology_with_specialization_in_interreligious_dialogue//

 

AFRICA/TANZANIA - Women's participation in politics: interreligious symposium ahead of the elections

7 September 2019 -Dodoma - "The Constitution of Tanzania states that authority and control belong to the people, and all women have the right to participate in the promotion of the economy of the country. This is an expected constitutional right", said Fr. Charles Kitima, Secretary General of the Tanzania Episcopal Conference (TEC), in a symposium organized in recent days by the Episcopal Conference, the Christian Council of Tanzania (CCT), and the Muslim Council of Tanzania (Bakwata) which saw the participation of 100 women from all over the country. The seminar, which comes as Tanzania prepares for the November 2019 local elections and the 2020 general elections, focused on women's political participation.

http://www.fides.org/en/news/66586-AFRICA_TANZANIA_Women_s_participation_in_politics_interreligious_symposium_ahead_of_the_elections//

 

ASIA/INDIA - Peace in the name of Mother Teresa of Calcutta

7 September 2019 - Calcutta (Agenzia Fides) - Build peace in India, in the Indian society crossed by violence and religious hatred; promote peace between India and Pakistan, while there is still tension in the tormented region of Kashmir, entrusting these processes to the intercession of Mother Teresa of Calcutta. In this spirit, on the occasion of the feast of the saint, which is celebrated on September 5, a national gathering for peace was organized in Calcutta to honor the 22nd anniversary of the death of Mother Teresa. The Missionaries of Charity, the Church of Saint Teresa of Avila, the Forum of all faiths and other associations and organizations of Indian civil society were among the organizing bodies. The demonstration for peace began from the Church of Saint Teresa of Avila and ended at the Mother House of the Missionaries of Charity, where those present lived a prayer meeting open to the faithful of religion.

http://www.fides.org/en/news/66582-ASIA_INDIA_Peace_in_the_name_of_Mother_Teresa_of_Calcutta//

 

AFRICA/IVORY COAST - A song, poetry and theater competition in view of the Extraordinary Missionary Month

7 September 2019 - Abidjan (Agenzia Fides) - "We wanted to let our creativity speak, we discovered that these are initiatives that arouse interest and that allow to spread the event of the Extraordinary Missionary Month better in pastoral life and in the heart of Christians", says the  National Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies (PMS) in the Ivory Coast, presenting the program of activities planned for the Extraordinary Missionary Month of October 2019. These include singing, poetry and theater competitions.

The competition is open to Catholics aged 15 and over throughout the Ivory Coast.

http://www.fides.org/en/news/66584-AFRICA_IVORY_COAST_A_song_poetry_and_theater_competition_in_view_of_the_Extraordinary_Missionary_Month//

 

SINGAPORE - ASIA/SINGAPORE - Protecting religious harmony: government and communities agree on changes to the law

5 September 2019 - The Catholic Church and the leaders of other religious communities are supportive of the proposed changes to Singapore's religious harmony law. As reported to Agenzia Fides, the Archdiocese of Singapore expressed its full support for the changes proposed to the "Maintenance of Religious Harmony Act" (MRHA), a provision currently in force. The communications department of the diocese of Singapore points out, in a note sent to Fides, that the amendments could not be timelier, given that the law was passed in 1990 to ensure the maintenance of religious harmony in Singapore.
Although Singapore has enjoyed peace and stability over the years, religious harmony cannot be taken for granted. As a multi-religious society, Singapore is vulnerable to foreigners who can make use of religion to divide society, influencing religious organizations through aspects such as donations, leadership or strong foreign affiliations. The Ministry of the Interior, after a series of consultations with all religious groups, proposed a series of amendments to the law. With the proposed amendments, the government is given full powers to issue restraining orders, with immediate effect, against those who cause enmity, hatred, ill will or hostility between religious groups, or use religion to cause political subversion..

http://www.fides.org/en/news/66570-ASIA_SINGAPORE_Protecting_religious_harmony_government_and_communities_agree_on_changes_to_the_law

News related with SDGs number 16-Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

 

NEWARK– AMERICA/UNITED STATES - Newark’s Cardinal Tobin joins Catholics protesting immigration detention

5 September 2019 Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, CSsR, Archbishop of Newark, yesterday joined a demonstration of hundreds of people that took place in Newark to denounce the inhuman treatment of immigrant children. About 500 people participated in the event, which included a procession toward the ICE (United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement) building, a US federal agency responsible for border security and immigration control. From the various videos sent to Fides we see the protest that took place on the sidewalk, in order, in silence and in prayer, with small signs, so as not to go against the road rules of free circulation. The Faith in Action association released the complete video of the celebration.
While the protest was taking place, the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General released a report warning that migrant children separated from their parents "exhibited more fear, feelings of abandonment and poThough Cardinal Tobin was the only prelate present, the note sent to Fides informs that several Bishops sent statements in support of the protest, which was attended by several groups of priests, women religious and lay groups. st-traumatic stress" than migrant children who had not been separated from their loved ones.

http://www.fides.org/en/news/66571-AMERICA_UNITED_STATES_Newark_s_Cardinal_Tobin_joins_Catholics_protesting_immigration_detention

 

Templeton's new grant program seeks to connect art, spirituality

5 September 2019 - A global charitable trust dedicated to proving the existence of spiritual realities recently committed millions of dollars in funding to projects that seek to find a connection between art and spiritual insights. Through its new Art Seeking Understanding initiative, the Templeton Religion Trust anticipates granting $12 million in funding over the next five years to projects to that will search for an empirically demonstrable connection between art and the understanding of "spiritual realities," a term coined by John Templeton, the deceased philanthropist and trust founder. The Art Seeking Understanding program is based on a theory called "aesthetic cognitivism," which argues that art is a source for understanding and not merely a source for entertainment and pleasure. A promotional video for the program says that Art Seeking Understanding hopes to put aesthetic cognitivism to the test by posing the question, "Can art unlock new spiritual information?"

https://www.ncronline.org/news/media/templetons-new-grant-program-seeks-connect-art-spirituality//

 

ASIA/INDIA - A new institute to promote peace and interreligious harmony

4 September 2019 - Patna - The Archdiocese of Patna, in the Indian state of Bihar, has inaugurated the new Institute of interreligious dialogue of Rajgir (IRDIR) to promote peace, harmony and solidarity among the different religious communities of Northern India. “It is our duty to promote goodwill and religious unity. This Institute is committed to peace, unity and the unity of people", said to Fides Jesuit Archbishop William D'Souza, at the head of the diocese of Patna, at the inauguration ceremony held on September 1. The event was attended by over 450 Christians, about 250 Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Buddhist monks, Jainist nuns and numerous government officials.

http://www.fides.org/en/news/66562-ASIA_INDIA_A_new_institute_to_promote_peace_and_interreligious_harmony//

 

 

Culture and education
(top)

 

South Africa: Schools to Make Learners Aware of GBV

8 September 2019 - The Department of Basic Education is currently testing scripted lesson plans that are aimed at making learners more conscious of issues of Gender Based Violence (GBV).The scripted lesson plans are being tested in five provinces, with the intension of strengthening the Life Skills curriculum offering in the schooling system while seeking to make learners more conscious on issues of GBV. The Scripted Lesson Plans (SLPs) have been designed to assist educators to teach scientifically accurate, evidence-informed, incremental, age appropriate and culturally appropriate sex education within the Life Skills and Life Orientation (LO) Curriculum Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) in the classroom.

The SPLs uses a human rights approach which allows adolescents and young people to develop appropriate life skills to support healthy choices and promote gender equality. The SLPs are additional resource tools for educators and learners to enhance pedagogy and teaching methodologies in the classroom.

https://allafrica.com/stories/201909090089.html//

News related with SDGs number 4-Quality Education

 

AFRICA/CENTRAL AFRICA - Carmelites: "Education and development are our mission in the young heart of Africa"

7 September 2019 - Bangui - Creating jobs in Africa, giving birth to small entrepreneurial experiences, giving opportunities to men and women who live in a country at the top of the poverty ladder: is the commitment of the Discalced Carmelite religious working in Bangui, capital of the Central African Republic. "The serious poverty of the population has led us to believe that an intervention in the field of training and development is necessary, even more so in these times when the Country is trying to return to normal, after years of bloody war".

http://www.fides.org/en/news/66580-AFRICA_CENTRAL_AFRICA_Carmelites_Education_and_development_are_our_mission_in_the_young_heart_of_Africa//

News related with SDGs number 4-Quality Education

 

Parma (Italy) to host UNESCO World Forum on Culture and Food

06 September 2019 - The UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy,  Parma, will host the first UNESCO World Forum on Culture and Food: Innovative Strategies for Sustainable Development, to promote the contribution of culture and food to environmental preservation, as well as strengthening social cohesion through the safeguarding of cultural traditions and know-how, from 12 to 13 September. The Forum will provide a platform for dialogue in five discussion panels that will bring together some 150 international experts, academics and food industry practitioners, alongside representatives of governments and intergovernmental organizations, as well as NGOs. They will examine ways in which culture and food can contribute to the achievement of the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Along the way, they will explore the interaction between culture and food, and the impact of both on societies and the environment, with particular attention to societal and climate change, poverty reduction and education for sustainable development.

https://en.unesco.org/news/parma-italy-host-unesco-world-forum-culture-and-food//

News related with SDGs number 4-Quality Education

 

International forum on inclusion and equity in education

4 September 2019 - Every learner matters. All children and young people should learn together, wherever possible, regardless of any difficulties or differences they may have. Inclusive schools and learning settings must recognize and respond to the diverse needs of their students. UNESCO’s International forum on inclusion and equity in education - Every learner matters is being held in Cali, Colombia from 11 to 13 September 2019. The International Forum, organized by UNESCO in cooperation with the Ministry of Education of Colombia and the City of Cali, will commemorate the 25th anniversary of the World Conference on Special Needs Education held in Salamanca. It will explore challenges and strategies to overcome persistent barriers for vulnerable and marginalized groups and celebrate progress in moving towards education systems that leave no one behind, promise of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

https://en.unesco.org/themes/inclusion-in-education/international-forum-2019//

News related with SDGs number 4-Quality Education

 

Mozambique: educators set up a trade union to open social dialogue and improve teachers’ conditions

3September 2019 – Crowning a global development cooperation initiative, the 4th Congress of the Organizaçao Nacional dos Professores modified the organisation’s constitution to become a trade union able to engage in social dialogue and improve teachers’ working and living conditions. The main objective of the 4th Congress of the Organizaçao Nacional dos Professores (ONP) was to change ONP’s constitution so that it could become a union. This aim was fully achieved when delegates adopted the constitution of the National Union of Teachers of Mozambique (ONP/SNPM). Held on 21-22 August in Mantola, the ONP congress debated the theme of “Unionisation of ONP: guaranteeing social dialogue to improve the condition of the teaching profession” and adopted a strategic plan for the coming years. Delegates elected the new members of the union’s National Council, the National Secretariat and the Fiscal and Jurisdictional Council.

Addressing the 350 delegates coming from all provinces of the country, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Mozambique acknowledged the importance of the ONP. This gave the congress and its resolutions great visibility in national media, a very important factor for a union taking its first steps (…)

https://ei-ie.org/en/detail/16399/mozambique-educators-set-up-a-trade-union-to-open-social-dialogue-and-improve-teachers%e2%80%99-conditions

News related with SDGs number 4-Quality Education

 

 

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Next issue: 11th October 2019.

 

Good News Agency is published monthly (except August) in English, Italian and Portuguese. Past issues are available at www.goodnewsagency.org . Rome Law-court registration no. 265 dated 20 June 2000. Managing Editor: Fabio Gatti (fabio.gatti@goodnewsagency.org). Editorial research by Fabio Gatti, Isabella Strippoli, Elisa Minelli, Salvatore Caruso Motta, Chiara Damilano, Francesco Viglienghi, Carlo Toraldo, Andrea Landriscina, Nazzarena Franco. Webmaster, media and NGO coverage: Simone Frassanito (simone.frassanito@goodnewsagency.org

 

Good News Agency is distributed free of charge through Internet to media and editorial journalists of the daily newspapers and periodical magazines and of the radio and television stations, NGOs, service associations, high schools and colleges as well as over 26,000 Rotarians around the world.

 

It is an all-volunteer service of Associazione Culturale dei Triangoli e della Buona Volontà Mondiale, a registered, not-for-profit educational charity chartered in Italy in 1979 The Association operates for the development of consciousness and promotes a culture of peace in the ‘global village’ perspective based on unity in diversity and on sharing. It is based in Piazzale degli Eroi 8, 00136 Rome, Italy. The Association is a member of the World Association of Non Governmental Organizations.

 

* http://decade-culture-of-peace.org/2010_civil_society_report.pdf - In section A - International Organizations, page 12, the Report says: ”Diffusion and exchange of culture of peace information via the Internet has become the major instrument for several international organizations, notably the Culture of Peace News Network, the Good News Agency and the Education for Peace Globalnet.”


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