June 13, 2015
Signature Panel for Campaign to End Modern Slavery
Photo: A young visitor to the Palais des Nations in Geneva adds her name to a symbolic signature panel in support of the “50 for Freedom” campaign to end modern slavery. The campaign, which was officially launched today, aims at promoting ratification and implementation of the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) Protocol on Forced Labour, with the first 50 Member States ratifying it by 2018. The Protocol was adopted by the International Labour Conference in 2014 and calls on governments to adopt stronger measures to prevent all forms of forced labour, of human trafficking, and of modern slavery, affecting about 21 million men, women and children in the world at present. June 12, 2015. Geneva, Switzerland. UN Photo/Jean-Marc Ferre.
Photo: A visitor to the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, signs her name on the “50 for Freedom” panel. (Image Credits: Pouteau / Crozet / International Labour Organization).
Photo: Visitors to the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, sign their names on the “50 for Freedom” panel. (Image Credits: Pouteau / Crozet / International Labour Organization).
Photo: Director-General of the International Labour Organization (ILO), Guy Ryder, was the first to sign the ‘50 for Freedom’ panel. (Image Credits: Pouteau / Crozet / International Labour Organization).
Photo: Mr Francois Hollande, President of France, signs the “50 for Freedom” Panel. (Image Credits: Pouteau / Crozet / International Labour Organization).
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“None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free.”
— Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Elective Affinities.
“Excess of liberty, whether it lies in state or individuals, seems only to pass into excess of slavery.”
— Plato, The Republic.
“Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I’m not sure about the universe.”
— Albert Einstein.
Edited & Posted by Editor | 4:01 AM | Link to this Post
April 24, 2015
Cities Worldwide Invited to Apply for a "UNESCO Creative City" Designation
Photo: Graz, Austria - UNESCO City of Design. Signboard outside Graz Opera House. Photo Credit: Creative Industries Styria / © Timski.
Paris, France — UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) has invited cities worldwide to apply for a “UNESCO Creative City” designation. The designation of a city as a UNESCO Creative City is prerequisite for its admission as a full member of the Network.
To become a member of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN), candidate cities must submit an application that demonstrates their willingness, commitment, and potential to contribute to the Network’s objectives, which include cooperation among member cities in fostering creativity for sustainable urban development.
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) covers seven creative fields:
- Crafts and Folk Arts
- Design
- Film
- Gastronomy
- Literature
- Media Arts
- Music
All applications must be submitted online using the official Application Form available at the Network’s website.
Applications must be received by UNESCO Secretariat no later than —
• July 15, 2015 Midnight (Central European Time).
Applications received after this date will not be considered.
Among other documents, the application requires to be accompanied by a formal letter from the Applicant City’s Mayor presenting the candidature and a formal letter of endorsement of the candidature from the National Commission for UNESCO of the country in which the city is located.
After evaluation of the applications by the Network’s internal and external evaluators, the Director-General of UNESCO would designate the UNESCO Creative Cities 2015 and the list of the cities so designated would be published in UNESCO’s website on December 11, 2015.
Taking into account specific geographical or thematic priorities, UNESCO reserves the right to restrict the number of applications and may limit the maximum number of designations. In the framework of the 2015 Call for Applications, a maximum of three applications from the same country, covering at least two different creative fields, may receive a designation following the evaluation process. Only applications from cities with 100,000 or more inhabitants will be evaluated. Finally, in order to further the geographical balance of the Network, applications from under-represented regions and countries, particularly developing countries, would be encouraged.
If your city is looking for an innovative way to showcase its cultural pedigree and develop local creative industries on a global platform, then it should certainly apply for a “UNESCO Creative City” designation.
(GlobalGiants.Com is promoting UNESCO Creative Cities Network under UNESCO auspices.)
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Edited & Posted by Editor | 11:09 AM | Link to this Post
April 17, 2015
Ban Ki-Moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations, Delivers an After-Dinner Address to a Full House at the National Press Club in Washington
Photo: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon addresses the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. 16 April 2015. Washington, D.C., United States. UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe.
Photo: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon addresses the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. 16 April 2015. Washington, D.C., United States. UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe.
Photo: Washington, D.C. Photo Credit: Andrew Baskett.
Washington, D.C., April 16, 2015 — During a speech delivered at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. this evening, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon spoke on the challenges faced by the world community today.
Ban is the sixth U.N. secretary general to speak at the National Press Club.
In his remarks, he devoted the most attention to climate change, noting that it involves “a strong moral dimension.” Ban said he has invited the Pope, President Obama and other world leaders to the U.N. Sustainable Development Summit that would be held in New York in September 2015.
Mr. Ban noted that UN Member States are working very hard to shape a post-2015 development agenda. Beyond a focus on shared prosperity and harmony with the planet, the new agenda will also emphasize the crucial role of justice, institutions and fundamental freedoms. And for the first time, the goals will apply to all countries; even the richest are witnessing rising inequality, and no country has ended violence and discrimination against women.
“Next week in New York, I along with the President of the General Assembly are going to convene a high-level thematic debate on reconciliation and tolerance, how we can address violent extremism by levelling up, enhancing mutual respect and reconciliation. All these are very important issues and without addressing these issues, we will not be able to have sustainable peace and sustainable development of our society. I have invited many world-renowned religious leaders. I believe that there are very important roles to be played by religious leaders and educators, to teach their followers, their students what are the correct mutual respect, understanding and reconciliation and harmonious living together.”
“This is a time of test but far more one of tremendous opportunity. As the distinctions between the national and the international continue to fall away, we can and must come together to chart a course towards a safer and more sustainable future for all of us,” the UN chief declared.
His remarks drew applause from the full house comprising Press Club members and their guests attending the dinner in the club’s ballroom. The dinner and the remarks were followed by a question-and-answer session.
(The Editor of GlobalGiants.Com is a Member of The National Press Club, Washington, D.C.)
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Edited & Posted by Editor | 9:31 AM | Link to this Post
April 10, 2015
India’s Prime Minister Modi highlights the Importance of UNESCO
Photo: UNESCO Headquarters, Paris, France. Photo Credit: Anna Armstrong.
Photo: UNESCO Annex Building, Paris, France. Photo Credit: Chris Freeland.
Paris, France, April 10, 2015 — The Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, visited UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) headquarters to mark its 70th anniversary. Speaking to a cheering, overflowing audience on his first official visit, he used the occasion to emphasize the importance of India’s relationship with the Organization.
“I am truly honoured to address UNESCO.”
“I feel specially privileged to visit this great institution in its 70th anniversary year.”
“No organization serves our cause more than this one.”
“It draws strength from the basic character of nature - the harmony and unity in diversity.”
“That is why UNESCO was among the first missions of the United Nations.”
“That is why India values the work of UNESCO so deeply; and, cherishes our partnership so immensely.”
In his speech, he explained why UNESCO’s mandate is so important to India, and to the world.
India has a strong relationship with UNESCO. It has inscribed 32 properties on the World Heritage List, including the Taj Mahal, the Red Fort Complex and the Manas Wildlife Sanctuary. The country has listed seven elements of documentary heritage on UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register, nine reserves under UNESCO’s Man and Biosphere Programme and supports 10 UNESCO Chairs in a range of educational fields.
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Edited & Posted by Editor | 12:00 PM | Link to this Post
January 29, 2015
World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2015 Ends
Photo: A participant checks her smartphone during the opening day at the Annual Meeting 2015 of the World Economic Forum at the congress centre in Davos, Switzerland, January 20, 2015. © WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM/Valeriano DiDomenico.
Photo: Pedro Sander, Associate Professor of Computer Science and Engineering, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong SAR, captured during the session “Merging Virtual and Physical Worlds” in the congress centre at the Annual Meeting 2015 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 21, 2015. © WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM/Benedikt von Loebell.
Photo: Ajit Gulabchand, Chairman and Managing Director, Hindustan Construction Company, India, captured during the session “Forum Debate The Bottom Line” in the congress centre at the Annual Meeting 2015 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 24, 2015. © WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM/Benedikt von Loebell.
Photo: Asher Hasan, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Naya Jeevan, Pakistan; Social Entrepreneur, captured during the session “Designing Out Poverty” in the congress centre at the Annual Meeting 2015 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 22, 2015. © WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM/Benedikt von Loebell.
Photo: Kurt Tidd, Vice-Admiral, Departement of Defence, USA, makes a statement during the session “The Future of the Military” at the Annual Meeting 2015 of the World Economic Forum at the congress centre in Davos, Switzerland, January 24, 2015. © WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM/Valeriano DiDomenico.
Photo: Julia Novy-Hildesley, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Resilience in Action, USA, captured during the session “Thinking Ahead with the New Champions” in the congress centre at the Annual Meeting 2015 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 24, 2015. © WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM/Benedikt von Loebell.
The World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, has ended with a debate on the Global Agenda 2015. The session closed a week-long meeting on the world’s most pressing issues and long-term challenges, including inequality and climate change.
The meeting created momentum for the Forum’s regional agendas, thanks to strong representation from governments and business leaders from emerging markets, including Mexico, Indonesia, Nigeria, Turkey and South Africa, in addition to those from Brazil, Russia, India and China.
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Edited & Posted by Editor | 12:36 AM | Link to this Post
November 23, 2013
International New York Times Luxury Conference 2013
Photo: Copies of the International New York Times on display on November 20, 2013 in Singapore. The 13th annual International New York Times Luxury conference was a premier meeting point for the luxury industry. 500 delegates from 30 countries gathered in Singapore to hear from the world’s most inspirational fashion designers and luxury business leaders. (Photo © Suhaimi Abdullah/Getty Images).
Photo: President, International, International New York Times, Stephen Dunbar-Johnson speaks at a press conference on November 20, 2013 in Singapore. The 13th annual International New York Times Luxury conference was a premier meeting point for the luxury industry. 500 delegates from 30 countries gathered in Singapore to hear from the world’s most inspirational fashion designers and luxury business leaders. (Photo © Suhaimi Abdullah/Getty Images).
Photo: Guests arrive for a cocktail reception at the Caplla Hotel on November 20, 2013 in Singapore. The 13th annual International New York Times Luxury conference was a premier meeting point for the luxury industry. 500 delegates from 30 countries gathered in Singapore to hear from the world’s most inspirational fashion designers and luxury business leaders. (Photo © Nicky Loh/Getty Images).
Photo: Delegates arrive at the Capella Hotel ahead of the conference on November 21, 2013 in Singapore. The 13th annual International New York Times Luxury conference was a premier meeting point for the luxury industry. 500 delegates from 30 countries gathered in Singapore to hear from the world’s most inspirational fashion designers and luxury business leaders. (Photo © Suhaimi Abdullah/Getty Images).
Photo: Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana of Thailand attends dinner at the Flower Dome on November 20, 2013 in Singapore. The 13th annual International New York Times Luxury conference was a premier meeting point for the luxury industry. 500 delegates from 30 countries gathered in Singapore to hear from the world’s most inspirational fashion designers and luxury business leaders. (Photo © Nicky Loh/Getty Images).
Photo: Pearl Lam, Founder, Pearl Lam Galleries speaks on stage at the International New York Times Luxury Conference on November 21, 2013 in Singapore. The 13th annual International New York Times Luxury conference was a premier meeting point for the luxury industry. 500 delegates from 30 countries gathered in Singapore to hear from the world’s most inspirational fashion designers and luxury business leaders. (Photo © Nicky Loh/Getty Images).
Photo: Guests arrive at the International New York Times Luxury Conference gala on November 21, 2013 in Singapore. The 13th annual International New York Times Luxury conference was a premier meeting point for the luxury industry. 500 delegates from 30 countries gathered in Singapore to hear from the world’s most inspirational fashion designers and luxury business leaders. (Photo © Suhaimi Abdullah/Getty Images).
Photo: Princess Marie-Chantal of Greece, Founder and Creative Director, Marie-Chantal; Board Director, DFS Holdings, in conversation with Suzy Menkes, International Fashion Editor at the International New York Times, on November 22, 2013 in Singapore. The 13th annual International New York Times Luxury conference was a premier meeting point for the luxury industry. 500 delegates from 30 countries gathered in Singapore to hear from the world’s most inspirational fashion designers and luxury business leaders. (Photo © Nicky Loh/Getty Images).
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Edited & Posted by Editor | 2:27 AM | Link to this Post
September 5, 2013
G20 Heads of State meet in St. Petersburg, Russia
Photo: President of the United States of America Barack Obama at the second working meeting of the G20 heads of state and government, heads of invited states and international organizations. G20 Summit, September 6, 2013, St. Petersburg, Russia. © Host Photo Agency.
Photo: Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and President of the United States of America Barack Obama during the official welcome of heads of delegations of G20 member states, invited countries, and international organizations. G20 Summit, September 5, 2013, St. Petersburg, Russia. © Host Photo Agency.
Photo: Russian President Vladimir Putin and Federal Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel during an official welcome of G20 heads of state and government, heads of invited states and international organizations. G20 Summit, September 5, 2013, St. Petersburg, Russia. © Host Photo Agency.
Photo: Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and Prime Minister of the Republic of India Manmohan Singh during an official welcome of G20 heads of state and government, heads of invited states and international organizations. G20 Summit, September 5, 2013, St. Petersburg, Russia. © Host Photo Agency.
Photo: Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and Ibrahim bin Abdulaziz Al-Assaf, Minister of Finance of Saudi Arabia, during an official welcome of G20 heads of state and government, heads of invited states and international organizations. G20 Summit, September 5, 2013, St. Petersburg, Russia. © Host Photo Agency.
Photo: Russian President Vladimir Putin and President of Argentina Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner during the official welcome of heads of delegations of G20 member states, invited countries, and international organizations. G20 Summit, September 5, 2013, St. Petersburg, Russia. © Host Photo Agency.
Photo: Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland David Cameron and Federal Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany Angela Merkel at the first working meeting of the G20 heads of state and government, heads of invited states and international organizations. G20 Summit, September 5, 2013, St. Petersburg, Russia. © Host Photo Agency.
Photo: President of the Republic of South Africa Jacob Zuma’s wife Gloria Bongi Ngema visits the Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet. G20 Summit, September 5, 2013, St. Petersburg, Russia. © Host Photo Agency.
Photo: City of St. Petersburg, Russia. © Host Photo Agency.
The participants of the G20 Leaders’ Summit have arrived at their first working meeting. Over the two days, they will discuss the priorities of Russia’s G20 Presidency in 2013 and outline future plans. The Summit is expected to conclude with a joint declaration from the leaders.
Prior to the meeting was the official welcome of the G20 heads of state and government and heads of invited states and international organizations.
Russia assumed the G20 presidency for the first time on December 1, 2012. The G20 is the leading international cooperation forum, focusing on the most important international economic and financial issues. The G20 Leaders’ Summit, being held in St. Petersburg on September 5-6, 2013, is the main G20 event of 2013.
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“There must be, not a balance of power, but a community of power; not organized rivalries, but an organized peace.”
— Woodrow Wilson (28th President of the United States, from 1913 to 1921. President of Princeton University from 1902 to 1910).
Edited & Posted by Editor | 12:42 PM | Link to this Post
April 4, 2013
L'OREAL-UNESCO Awards For Women in Science 2013
Photo: For Women in Science - La Sorbonne. Jean-Paul Agon, Chairman and CEO, L’Oréal, delivers opening remarks. © For Women in Science 2013.
Photo: Professor Deborah S. Jin, University of Colorado, USA, L’ORÉAL-UNESCO Awards 2013 Laureate for North America “For having been the first to cool down molecules so much that she can observe chemical reactions in slow motion which may help further understanding of molecular processes which are important for medicine and new energy sources”. With Jean-Paul Agon, Chairman and CEO, L’Oréal, and Irina Bokova, Director General, UNESCO. © For Women in Science 2013.
Photo: 2013 L’Oréal-UNESCO Awards ceremony. © For Women in Science 2013.
Photo: Grand Salon, La Sorbonne, Paris, France. 2013 L’Oréal-UNESCO Awards ceremony. © For Women in Science 2013.
Photo: Photo Exhibition “Femmes de Science” - Avenue des Champs-Elysées, Paris. Photo Credit: Micheline Pelletie. © For Women in Science 2013.
• The L’OREAL-UNESCO For Women in Science program awarded five exceptional women scientists from around the world with the 2013 L’OREAL-UNESCO Awards in the Physical Sciences. The award ceremony took place on March 28 at Sorbonne University in Paris, France.
Since its inception, L’OREAL-UNESCO For Women in Science has honored 77 Laureates, including two who subsequently were awarded the Nobel Prize. The program has also supported more than 1,652 Fellows who have made contributions in every field of scientific research. By the end of 2013, a total of 1,729 women scientists from over 100 countries will have benefited from the program.
An international network of nearly 1,000 scientists nominates the candidates for each year’s Awards. The five Laureates are then selected by an independent, international jury. Each Laureate receives $100,000 in recognition of her contribution to the advancement of science.
Irina Bokova, Director General of UNESCO remarked, “This program embodies UNESCO’s founding principles. It is based on the idea that science has no gender and no frontiers; that scientific knowledge must be shared; that the curiosity of all girls and boys must be nurtured and encouraged as much as possible for the benefit of all.”
The five Laureates recognized for their scientific achievements are:
NORTH AMERICA
Professor Deborah S. Jin, University of Colorado (USA)
AFRICA and ARAB STATES
Professor Francisca Nneka OKEKE, University of Nigeria, Nsukka (Nigeria)
ASIA / PACIFIC
Professor Reiko Kuroda, Tokyo University of Science (Japan)
EUROPE
Professor Pratibha Gai, University of York (United Kingdom)
SOUTH AMERICA
Professor Marcia Barbosa, Federak University if Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre (Brazil)
The 2013 L’OREAL-UNESCO Awards Jury is made up of 13 eminent members of the international scientific community. The President of the jury is Professor Ahmed Zewail, Nobel Prize in Chemistry 1999. Professor Christian de Duve, Nobel Prize in Medicine 1974, is the Founding President of the Awards, while Irina Bokova, Director General of UNESCO, is Honorary President.
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July 2, 2012
Ratan Tata Receives Lifetime Achievement Award from The Rockefeller Foundation
Photo: Mr. Ratan N. Tata, Chairman of Tata Sons, receives the Rockefeller Foundation’s Lifetime Achievement Award for Innovation in philanthropy from Dr. Judith Rodin, President of The Rockefeller Foundation, in New York on June 26, 2012. The annual Rockefeller Foundation Innovation Forum brought together some of the most creative and inventive minds from the worlds of business, government and civil society to explore how the benefits of new technologies can positively impact the world’s poor.
The Rockefeller Foundation, celebrating 100 years of global innovation, honored individuals and institutions as part of its second annual Innovation Awards ceremony on June 26, 2012 in New York.
India’s Mr. Ratan N. Tata, Chairman of Tata Son’s, received a lifetime achievement award for innovation from the Foundation for thoughtfully incorporating the public good into the business model of the Tata Group.
The operations of the Tata Group, which include companies like Tata Motors, Tata Steel, Tata Consultancy Services and Tata Global Beverages, span more than 80 countries across six continents. Since the company’s founding in 1868, the Tata Group has made it their mission to return wealth to the communities in which it operates. Sixty-six percent of Tata Sons is owned by philanthropic trusts founded over 120 years ago.
“At the Rockefeller Foundation, we are constantly searching for innovative solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges, and we have admired Mr. Tata’s work in both the corporate sector and in his personal philanthropy to find these types of solutions as well,” said Dr. Judith Rodin, President of The Rockefeller Foundation. “We are honored to celebrate Mr. Tata tonight for his vision, the Tata group’s leadership, his commitment to innovation in the area of corporate social responsibility and for his commitment to the poor and underserved.”
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Edited & Posted by Editor | 1:09 AM | Link to this Post
May 29, 2012
International Olympic Committee Executive Board Meeting concludes in Quebec City, Canada
Photo: The IOC (International Olympic Committee) Executive Board wrapped up its two-day meeting and met with the Olympic Summer and Winter International Federations in Quebec City, Canada. May 24, 2012. Photo © IOC/Renaud PHILIPPE.
Photo: IOC and USOC (United States Olympic Committee) sign important financial accord. (L. to R.) USOC President Larry Probst - IOC President Jacques Rogge. Photo © IOC/Renaud PHILIPPE.
Photo: Rocio Sanchez Moccia of Argentina battles for the ball with Hyelyoung Han of Korea during the Women’s preliminary match between Argentina and Korea during the Visa International Invitational Hockey Tournament as part of the London Prepares series at Riverbank Arena - Hockey Centre on May 3, 2012 in London, England. (Photo © Paul Gilham/Getty Images)
Photo: Radosav Jovetic of Montenegro in action during the Men’s Trap Qualification on day seven of the ISSF Shooting World Cup LOCOG Test Event for London 2012 at The Royal Artillery Barracks on April 25, 2012 in London, England. (Photo © Lars Baron/Getty Images)
Photo: Jessica Steffans of USA scores past Robyn Nicholls of Great Britain during the Visa Water Polo International test event match between Great Britain and USA ahead of the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Water Polo Arena on May 5, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)
Photo: Marine Tripier Mondancin of France competes at Kuhtai during the Freestlye Ski Ladies’ Ski Halfpipe final of the Innsbruck 2012 Winter Youth Olympic Games in Innsbruck, Austria, January 15, 2012. Photo © Liao Yujie/Xinhua/IOC.
Photo: Michael Ciccarelli from Canada competes during men’s slopestyle snowboard of Innsbruck 2012 Winter Youth Olympic Games in Innsbruck, Austria, January 19, 2012. Michael Ciccarelli won the gold medal. Photo © Wu Wei/Xinhua/IOC.
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July 24, 2011
Heidi Klum and Tim Gunn Deliver for God's Love We Deliver
Photo: Heidi Klum and Tim Gunn deliver meals for God’s Love We Deliver during Friday’s heat-wave in New York City.
Photos: Diverse Volunteers at God’s Love We Deliver.
On July 22, the hottest day of the year, model, television personality and entrepreneur Heidi Klum and fashion guru Tim Gunn joined forces to deliver life-saving meals to vulnerable clients in New York City. They were joined by volunteers, Board member Desiree Gruber and Karen Pearl, President & CEO of God’s Love We Deliver.
“It is only through the dedication of our thousands of volunteers - like Heidi and Tim - that God’s Love is able to ensure that its sick clients receive nutritious meals when they need them most,” said the organization. “We especially appreciate the service of our 7,600 volunteers on difficult days like today.”
God’s Love is a not-for-profit organization in New York City that provides individually-tailored life-sustaining meals and nutritional counseling to people living with life-threatening illnesses and those who are too sick to shop or cook for themselves.
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Edited & Posted by Editor | 12:56 AM | Link to this Post
June 6, 2011
Miss Universe attends to Poor Children in her hometown in Mexico
Miss Universe 2010 Ximena Navarrete reaches out to help poor children in the unseen side of her hometown of Guadalajara, Mexico, through Children International, a U.S.-based humanitarian organization.
“It was difficult for me to see the poverty and how these families struggle to get by in the city where I grew up,” said Navarrete. “But now I have seen the life-changing work Children International is doing with children and teens in Mexico. They are giving impoverished children a chance to live better lives.”
The Mexican native recently embarked upon a 3-day visit of Guadalajara where she met with several children and their families supported by the charity.
Established in 1936, Children International is a 75 year-old humanitarian organization with its headquarters in Kansas City, Missouri, USA. Children International helps more than 335,000 children and their families in 11 countries around the world including Chile, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Zambia, Honduras, India, the Philippines and the United States.
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Edited & Posted by Editor | 12:11 PM | Link to this Post
March 15, 2011
11-year-old Boy from India Wins Lions International Peace Poster Contest
Photo: 11-Year-Old Boy From India to Be Awarded Lions International Peace Poster Contest Grand Prize at the United Nations.
Raj Phairembam, an 11-year-old boy from Manipur, India, will be recognized at Lions Day with the United Nations in New York City for winning this year’s grand prize in the Lions International Peace Poster Contest. At the event on Friday, March 18, 2011, Phairembam will receive an award and US$5,000.
Phairembam said when he found out he won, he was overwhelmed with disbelief and excitement.
“We live in different continents but our feelings are the same. We want to be where there is peace. We don’t want to be where there is violence and war,” said Phairembam. “We want a kingdom of peace where love prevails and where we can enjoy the freedom to play fearlessly with our friends - be it an American, an African, a European, an Australian or an Asian.”
• An estimated 350,000 children, ages 11, 12 and 13 in 70 countries around the world, participated in this year’s contest. His poster was chosen for its originality, artistic merit and portrayal of this year’s contest theme, “Vision of Peace.”
Lions Clubs International President Sid L. Scruggs III said, “I commend Raj and all these young people for sharing their personal visions of peace with the world around them. They are truly beacons of hope for us all.”
Lions created the Peace Poster Contest to foster a spirit of peace and international understanding in young people worldwide.
• Lions Clubs International is the world’s largest service club organization with 1.35 million members in more than 45,000 clubs in 206 countries and geographic areas around the world.
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Edited & Posted by Editor | 1:04 PM | Link to this Post
March 2, 2011
Promoting Universal Education
Photo: Petra Nemcova, model, television host and Founder of the Happy Hearts Fund (HHF), addresses a joint press conference at UN Headquarters on “Partnering with the Philanthropic Community to Promote Education for All”. The Event was organized by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the United Nations Office for Partnerships and the Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy. February 28, 2011. United Nations, New York. UN Photo/Mark Garten.
Joining Ms. Nemcova at the press conference were Susan Durston, Associate Director of Education Programmes for UNICEF, Olav Seim, Director of the Education for All Global Partnership Team; Danielle Ryan, Representative of the Cathal Ryan Trust; Carlos Domínguez, Senior Vice-President of Cisco Corporation; Hikmet Ersek, President, Chief Executive Officer and Director of Western Union; and Jaime Barclay, Senior Philanthropy Specialist of the Symantec Corporation. Ms. Barclay said that Symantec had donated funds, time and software to causes around the world in the area of education through such proven organizations as Room to Read, to which it was announcing a $1 million grant for literacy facilities and related initiatives in India.
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Edited & Posted by Editor | 6:21 AM | Link to this Post
September 5, 2010
UNESCO launching Knowledge and Innovations Network for Literacy (KINL) on International Literacy Day - September 8
• The highlight of the International Literacy Day celebrations on September 8 at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris would be the launch of a new Knowledge and Innovations Network for Literacy (KINL) that will enable researchers and practitioners all over the world to link up and share information and best practices.
• The Knowledge and Innovations Network for Literacy (KINL) has been created with support from Verizon Foundation and Microsoft.
The Network is a virtual workplace where literacy researchers and practitioners can link up, share knowledge and debate literacy topics on line. The network will generate knowledge and innovation in support of the acquisition and use of literacy, and promote advocacy, policy formulation and program delivery, as well as cooperation and partnerships.
Photo: Early Childhood Care and Education. Dublin Community Program. A young girl chats with her Dad during the associated parent and toddler group meeting. Dublin, Ireland. (© UNESCO/Niamh Burke).
Photo: Early Childhood Care and Education. The Dublin Community Mothers' Program operates through experienced local mothers who give guidance to first-time mothers in certain communities. In this image, a young boy learns to read with one of the Programs' community mothers. Dublin, Ireland. (© UNESCO/Niamh Burke).
Participating in the KINL launch will be UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Cheick Modibo Diarra, who is Microsoft Corporation's Chairman for Africa and Literacy Champion; and Marc Gosselin, representative of Verizon Foundation.
"Promoting literacy requires action from both the public and private sectors; we are all stakeholders in the fight to eradicate illiteracy," said Dr. Diarra about KINL. "Microsoft shares UNESCO's belief that technology can play an important role in doing so by providing access to education solutions and curriculum for both basic and digital literacy and helping more people participate in the global information society."
Verizon Foundation President Patrick Gaston said, "If we are to create a seismic shift in the literacy landscape, education and literacy leaders from around the world must be able to communicate with one another and collaborate. The Knowledge and Innovations Network for Literacy will provide literacy leaders from every nation with easy access to the resources needed to ensure that every child is literate. The Verizon Foundation is proud to partner with UNESCO on this transformational project."
Photo: Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon meets with Irina Bokova, newly-elected Director General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). 19 January 2010. United Nations, New York. UN Photo/Paulo Filgueiras.
Following are the two other main events that will take place at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris on the International Literacy Day:
1. Annual 2010 International Literacy Prize Awards Ceremony.
2. Round Table on "Literacy and Women's Empowerment".
UNESCO's Director-General Irina Bokova is, however, flying to New York to give a keynote address at the United Nations international conference "Literacy: an essential foundation for development".
There, the former First Lady of the United States, Laura Bush, who is Honorary Ambassador for the UN Literacy Decade (UNLD), will give the opening address.
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Edited & Posted by Editor | 12:41 PM | Link to this Post
July 5, 2010
Science Serving Society: Nobel Laureates Gather in Lindau, Germany
Photo: Howard Shapiro, Global Staff Officer of Plant Science and External Research, Mars, Incorporated and Françoise Barré-Sinoussi, Physiology or Medicine Nobel Laureate, discuss the impact science can have on society with Tanya Petrossian, a selected young researcher from UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles) during Scientific Panel Discussion at one of the Largest Ever Gatherings of Nobel Laureates in Lindau, Germany. Adam Smith, Editor in Chief, Nobelprize.org, moderated the panel and chaired an in-depth Q&A session with the diverse student audience.
The Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings are a globally-recognized forum which has been bringing Nobel prizewinners and the world's most promising young scientists together since 1951. The week-long, annual event takes place in Lindau, set on the banks of Lake Constance between Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The meetings consist of panel discussions, lectures, seminars and social events.
This year's meeting was an interdisciplinary event bringing together young researchers from all continents and 61 Nobel Laureates in physiology, medicine, physics and chemistry. Following more than 30,000 applications, 650 young researchers were selected to participate in the meetings that took place from 27th June - 2nd July 2010.
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Edited & Posted by Editor | 9:11 AM | Link to this Post
June 23, 2010
Global CEO Study by IBM Pinpoints Most Crucial Factor for Future Success -- CREATIVITY
• According to a major new IBM survey of more than 1,500 Chief Executive Officers from 60 countries and 33 industries worldwide, chief executives believe that -- more than rigor, management discipline, integrity or even vision -- successfully navigating an increasing complex world will require creativity.
Conducted through in-person interviews with consultants from IBM's Institute for Business Value, less than half of global CEOs believe their enterprises are adequately prepared to handle a highly volatile, increasingly complex business environment.
• CEOs are confronted with massive shifts - new government regulations, changes in global economic power centers, accelerated industry transformation, growing volumes of data, rapidly evolving customer preferences - that, according to the study, can be overcome by instilling "creativity" throughout an organization.
• More than 60 percent of CEOs believe industry transformation is the top factor contributing to uncertainty, and the finding indicates a need to discover innovative ways of managing an organization's structure, finances, people and strategy.
Managing Complexity
The CEOs interviewed told IBM that today's business environment is volatile, uncertain and increasingly complex.
Eight in ten CEOs expect their environment to grow significantly more complex but only 49 percent believe their organizations are equipped to deal with it successfully - the largest leadership challenge identified in eight years of research.
The CEOs said that the complexity of an interconnected world is aggravated by a number of factors. For example, CEOs expect revenue from new sources to double over the next five years and 76 percent of CEOs foresee the shift of economic power to rapidly developing markets.
Over the last four studies, the expected impact of technology on organizations has risen from 6th to 2nd place in importance, revealing that CEOs understand that technology and the interconnection of the world's infrastructures is contributing to the complexity they face, and also reveals that they need more technology-based answers to succeed in a world that is massively interconnected.
One World, Diverging Views
Vast complexity is further intensified by regional differences. The study noted that perspectives varied with geography - differences of opinion about what changes to make, what new skills will be needed and how to succeed in the new economic environment. These regional variations also compound the complexities with which CEOs must contend.
China proved much more resilient than the developed nations during the economic downturn. So, CEOs in China are, understandably, less concerned about volatility than CEOs in other regions. In fact, they are becoming increasingly confident of their place on the world stage.
But if China is to fulfill its global aspirations, it will need a new generation of leaders with creativity, vision and international management experience. Many of the country's CEOs recognize this; 61 percent believe "global thinking" is a top leadership quality.
• In North America, which faced a financial crisis that led to governments becoming major stake-holders in private enterprise, CEOs are more wary of "big government" than CEOs elsewhere. A full 87 percent anticipate greater government intervention and regulation over the next five years, compounding their sense of uncertainty.
In Japan, 74 percent of CEOs expect the shift of economic power from mature to rapidly developing markets to have a major impact on their organizations. By contrast, the European Union is less concerned about this shift, with only 43 percent of CEOs expecting to be impacted.
Understanding these and other sharp differences emerging by region is increasingly important as economies and societies become more closely linked. Organizations confront these differences as they increasingly operate across boundaries and across different regions.
• This study is the fourth edition of IBM's biennial Global CEO Study series. To better understand the challenges and goals of today's CEOs, IBM consultants met face-to-face with the largest-known sample of these executives. Between September 2009 and January 2010, IBM interviewed 1,541 CEOs, general managers, and senior public sector leaders who represent different sizes of organizations in 60 countries and 33 industries.
Source: IBM
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"I have only one counsel for you -- Be Master."
-- Napoleon Bonaparte to his brother, King Joseph of Spain.
Edited & Posted by Editor | 1:01 PM | Link to this Post
June 4, 2010
World Environment Day: United Nations International Children's Painting Competition
Photo: Sylvia Gong, an eighth grader at Hopkins Junior High School in Fremont, California, won the United Nations Environment Programme's (UNEP) International Children's Painting Competition (ICPC) in North America. Gong's painting portrays a tiger grieving over a world where human activities are depleting resources.
• Sylvia Gong, an eighth grader at Hopkins Junior High School in Fremont, California, received the top North American prize in the United Nations Environment Programme's (UNEP) 19th annual International Children's Painting Competition (ICPC). Her painting addresses the theme, "Biodiversity - Connecting with Nature."
Gong was honored at the Children's Museum of Pittsburgh as Bayer Corporation and UNEP unveiled the 2010 ICPC Exhibition to herald World Environment Day celebrations in Pittsburgh, this year's North American host city. The 77-picture exhibition features the three winning paintings, including Gong's portrayal of a tiger grieving over a world where human activities are depleting resources.
Her first place award included a $1,000 cash prize and an all-expense paid trip for her and a chaperone to UNEP's TUNZA International Children's Conference in Nagoya, Japan, in October. While there, she will join the first place winners from UNEP's six global regions. This year, nearly 1.1 million paintings from 88 countries were received.
The ICPC is a signature event of UNEP's annual World Environment Day celebrations. The painting competition is sponsored globally by Bayer AG, an international health care, nutrition and high-tech materials group headquartered in Germany.
Established in 1991 and organized annually by partners UNEP, Bayer AG, Nikon and the Foundation for Global Peace and the Environment, the ICPC invites elementary and middle school students, ages six to 14, to learn about the environment and express that knowledge creatively through art.
Regional winners are selected from UNEP's six regions including North America; Africa; Asia and the Pacific; West Asia; Latin America and the Caribbean; and Europe. They are announced during the six-week period between Earth Day in April and World Environment Day on June 5.
|GlobalGiants.Com|
Edited & Posted by Editor | 11:26 AM | Link to this Post
May 12, 2010
CARE's 2010 Conference
Photo: U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton speaks about the importance of empowering women and girls to nearly 1,000 CARE advocates at CARE's Conference in Washington, D.C., May 11, 2010. CARE is one of the world's largest private international humanitarian organizations.
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Edited & Posted by Editor | 1:11 PM | Link to this Post
April 15, 2010
Nuclear Security Summit 2010
On April 12-13, 2010, President Obama hosted a Nuclear Security Summit in Washington, DC. President Obama invited over 40 nations to participate, representing a diverse set of regions and various levels of nuclear materials, energy, and expertise.
The Summit focused on the security of nuclear materials, leaving other broad topics such as nonproliferation, disarmament, and peaceful nuclear energy to different forums.
• Key Facts about the Nuclear Security Summit
• Communiqué of the Washington Nuclear Security Summit
• List of World Leaders and Heads of Delegation attending the Nuclear Security Summit
Photo: President Barack Obama talks with President Lee Myung-bak of Korea during the first plenary session of the Nuclear Security Summit at the Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C., April 13, 2010. President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner of Argentina works at right. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy).
Photo: Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov signed the Plutonium Disposition Protocol on Tuesday, April 13. (State Department Photo by Michael Gros).
The Plutonium Disposition Protocol represents an essential step in the nuclear disarmament process. The Protocol makes arms reductions irreversible by ensuring that United States and Russia will transparently dispose weapon-grade plutonium from their respective defense programs, thereby preventing the plutonium from ever being reused for weapons or any other military purpose.
By updating the 2000 Plutonium Management and Disposition Agreement (PMDA), each country will proceed to complete and operate facilities that will dispose of at least 34 metric tons of this plutonium by using it as fuel in civil power reactors to produce electricity. Combined, this represents enough material for approximately 17,000 nuclear weapons.
Earlier, the United States and Russia signed the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) in Prague, reducing the number of strategic nuclear warheads in their arsenals.
Source: U.S. Department of State
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Edited & Posted by Editor | 9:34 AM | Link to this Post
