Global Village News and Resources Issue 97 - April, 2005

Photo: © World Spirit Forum

Opening Hearts in the Mountains

A candle of peace, burning throughout the second World Spirit Forum in the Swiss resort of Arosa, was delivered to the World Economic Forum in Davos ­ a symbolic gesture that the 'Spirit' of Arosa might also embrace leaders and decision-makers convening a few days later in the neighbouring valley. The World Spirit Forum sees itself as an addition to the World Economic Forum and a platform for spiritual ideas and thoughts.

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http://www.gvnr.com/97/1.htm

Photo: © Mayors for Peace

Mayors across the globe are joining Mayors for Peace in their Campaign for Global Nuclear Disarmament by 2020. The idea is to rally as many Mayors as possible to New York City this May for the Nuclear Proliferation Treaty Review Conference. They propose that negotiations begin this year, concluding by 2010 with implementation of disarmament no later than 2020.

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http://www.gvnr.com/97/2.htm

• US Urged to Join Kyoto
• Chinese Effort to Combat Climate Change

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http://www.gvnr.com/97/3.htm

Power to the People

A unique experiment in Canada offers a democratic model for citizens world-wide. In May 2005, a referendum will decide whether British Columbia (BC) will adopt a new voting system pro-posed by a randomly selected Assembly of 160 citizens.

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http://www.gvnr.com/97/4.htm

• KidCast for Peace Storytelling Adventure
  Earth Day 2005 features KidCast for Peace Digital (or not) Storytelling Adventure, Video Conference and Art Competition!
   

• British schools warmly welcome young Tibetan refugee children
  A group of eleven Tibetan refugee children recently travelled across the UK visiting schools, colleges and art centres to present their traditional Tibetan songs, dance and music with the hope of raising awareness of Tibetan culture and Buddhism in the West.
   

• GenerationWhy: Young people acting for social change by doing what they love.
  "Do what you love doing. Just change the world while doing it." This is the spirit behind Oxfam's new youth website, GenerationWhy. The site is aimed at young people who question what is going on in the world and what to help make the world a fairer place. With information on issues, news, opportunities and even merchandise, GenerationWhy is a positive resource for those seeking to make a difference.
   

• National Environmental Education Week
  From April 10-16, young people and those who work with them from all across America will be celebrating National Environmental Education Week. Everything from classes, discussions, trips, campus ecology projects and community service projects will be held recognising the importance and benefits of environmental education.
   

• Northwest Students join the Clean Energy Revolution
  Northwest students are joining the clean energy revolution in America through their Northwest Clean Energy Summit. Organised by the students themselves, as part of the Envirocitizen network, the event will bring together students from all over the region to learn about positive change that they can be involved with, and get the skills to make these changes happen.

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http://www.gvnr.com/97/5.htm

Photo: © Playright

Play Makes Good Medicine

Playright, a Hospital Play Service, has been using fun and play to help young patients and their families in 10 Hong Kong hospitals. Since 1994, they have been building playgrounds, organising community fun days, setting up centres with toys for loan and equipping play buses which visit local housing estates.

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http://www.gvnr.com/97/6.htm

Removing the Walls that Divide Us

In previous articles, Peter Williams, International Consultant for Values Education, wrote about schools in Kuwait and Pakistan where he helped implement the values approach to learning and witnessed its success. Recently, the Beijing Institute of Education invited him to China to share his expertise and help develop a new Living Values Model for Chinese schools. During his time there, he went to Dongzhimen Middle School, in Beijing, to meet the students who, 5 years earlier, had forged links with his own pupils in Hexham to encourage international understanding and remove the 'mind walls' that cause cultural stereotyping.

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http://www.gvnr.com/97/7.htm

Complementary Currencies CD

A CD, Complementary Currencies in Europe, containing information on 23 European complementary currency projects from 11 countries has just been published. It is the first of its kind and presents a wide variety of different models of local and regional currencies, their ways of functioning and relevance to the present challenges of our society.

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http://www.gvnr.com/97/8.htm 

Photo: © Oxfam/Alice Dunhill

Make Poverty History 2005

In February, Nelson Mandela addressed a huge crowd in Trafalgar Square, London, and appealed for an end to poverty and inequality.

Nelson Mandela began his speech by saying that he had recently announced his retirement from public life and should not have been there at all, but as long as poverty, injustice and gross inequality persist in the world, nobody can truly rest.

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http://www.gvnr.com/97/viewpoint.htm

There is now an ever-increasing acceptance that Global Warming is happening and soon we will reach a point of no return. Delay could have huge implications for humanities survival on this planet.

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http://www.gvnr.com/97/editorial.htm

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