In the 1970s, long before the word “globalization” achieved common currency, the buzzword in India was “brain drain” -- an apparent problem that almost everyone in my family and circle of friends wanted to be part of. Many young men and women educated at highly subsidized public institutions started leaving the country in the 1960s to deepen or monetize their skills in First World countries. Unlike short-term contract workers servicing the construction boom in the Persian Gulf and … [Read more...]
International Day of Non-Violence celebrates Gandhi’s Birth, Oct 2
As we celebrate around the globe this day, International Day of Non-Violence, we also Celebrate the Life of its namesake. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born on 2 October 1869 in Porbandar, a coastal town on the Kathiawar Peninsula and then part of the small princely state of Porbandar in the Kathiawar Agency of the British Indian Empire. His father, Karamchand Gandhi (1822–1885), served as the diwan (chief minister) of Porbander state. His mother, Putlibai, who was from a Pranami Vaishnava … [Read more...]
India celebrates Independence Day on August 15
India became an independent nation on August 15, 1947, so a gazetted holiday is held annually to remember this date. What do people do? Independence Day is a day when people in India pay homage to their leaders and those who fought for India's freedom in the past. The period leading up to Independence Day is a time when major government buildings are illuminated with strings of lights and the tricolor flutters from homes and other buildings. Broadcast, print and online media may have … [Read more...]
Franz Gastler – MAN of ACTION™
A Celebration of Women™ is elated to Celebrate the Life of this extremely rare and wonderful awakened male soul. Born in the west, and guided to the east, this gentle man devotes his life to the betterment of the lives of women and girls inside the slums of India. He is a testament to the belief that women will always work for their growth, and usually carry most of the weight in any situation of struggle. His work thrives through a philosophy that athletics and education are the keys … [Read more...]
UN Public Service Awards 2013 – celebrated WINNERS
United Nations Public Service Awards 2013 The United Nations Public Service Awards is the most prestigious international recognition of excellence in public service. It rewards the creative achievements and contributions of public service institutions that lead to a more effective and responsive public administration in countries worldwide. Through an annual competition, the UN Public Service Awards promotes the role, professionalism and visibility of public service. The UN has … [Read more...]
UNHCR Special Envoy Angelina Jolie Recounts 5-year-Old Girl’s Ordeal
SECURITY COUNCIL ADOPTS TEXT URGING TARGETED SANCTIONS AGAINST PERPETRATORS OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE DURING ARMED CONFLICT Rape Largely ‘Cost-free’, Says Special Representative As UNHCR Special Envoy Angelina Jolie Recounts 5-year-Old Girl’s Ordeal The Security Council today urged the United Nations sanctions committees to apply targeted sanctions against parties committing sexual violence during armed conflict. Ahead of a debate on the subject that attracted more than 60 speakers, the … [Read more...]
Mary D. Moore is Taking Action for World Peace!
Throughout human history, war and violence defined whether territorial boundaries would expand or constrict. The Rule of Law seldom became the standard of societal life; too often, it was might over right. But evolution and the refinement of human morals and ethics have moved mankind, from the mid-20th century, to rise above the pattern of war and violence towards the higher invitation of sustainable peace and the rule of law. For that purpose, the United Nations was … [Read more...]