Peace Paz Paix!!!!

DESERT’S UNSPOKEN WORDS: Western Sahara’s Conflict

2010-05-29T03:53:00.000-07:00

This article was originally published here:

http://development.thinkaboutit.eu/think3/post/deserts_unspoken_words_western_saharas_conflict/

“Refugee Camps are in a permanent oblivion situation. There is a constant repression, a quiet one”.
Silvia Garcia talking referring to Western Sahara’s conflict.

"Saharawi refugee in near Smara refugee camp"
Picture posted by Paulo Nunes dos Santos at gaia-photos.com

Western Sahara’s conflict is indeed confusing and, unfortunately not very well known. In this year, this confrontation turned 35 years old. It is here, in Sahara, where the war continues and hope seems to fade away.

BACKGROUND

-Western Sahara fell under Spanish rule in 1884, becoming a Spanish province in 1934.
-On October 1975 the International Court of Justice rejected territorial claims by Morocco and Mauritania. The court recognised the Saharawis' right to self-determination and Spain agreed to organise a referendum.
-Spain never organized the referendum, until today.
-In November 1975, Moroccan King Hassan II ordered a "Green March" of over 300,000 Moroccans into the territory.
-Spain agreed to end colonial rule.
Status: Disputed territory claimed by Morocco and Saharawis seeking self-determination.
- Different NGOs such as Amnesty International or Human Rights Watch have declared different torture cases of Saharawis living under Moroccan government.

Information based on the BBC News website.

"Smara, the biggest refugee camp in Tindouf province"
Picture posted by Paulo Nunes dos Santos at gaia-photos.com

TODAY

“What I try to do is to spread Saharawis cause”, told me some days ago Silvia Garcia Díaz, a journalism student at Madrid’s Universidad Complutense.

I met Silvia in one of our last classes of the course, as she started a discussion about Saharawis conflict. Afterwards I had a very interesting chat with her about this issue.

“A refugee camp is supposed to last 5 years or less, Saharawi people have been there for more than 30 years” she expressed, as the tone of her voice-raised immediately.

Silvia is sure that Spain is responsible for what is happening in Western Sahara, as she explained to me: “Western Sahara was once a Spanish colony, and when it got its independence, Spain did not finished a formal decolonization process. Now it is Morocco who has the power in this territory, even if the United Nations recognizes Spain as the responsible state”.

Silvia went to one of the refugee camps in Algeria, and she got to know the territory in a particular way: “Western Saharawis have been there since 1975, when they improvised their own refugee camps. I believe the most significative problem is that time passes by, and people forget. They only survive from humanitarian aid and nothing else”.

It is important to mention that there are some students from Western Sahara that have the opportunity to attend school abroad with financial aid, and they always come back to wait for the liberation of their own nation. “There are engineers, doctors, teachers who studied outside Algeria or Western Sahara, but they cannot work or practice what they studied inside the refugee camps”, she declared.

Picture taken from nytimes.com website

STUDENT’S MOVEMENT

“My duty is to spread and talk about what is happening. They have been waiting 35 years for a resolution, and not because I go and meet them everything will change”, Silvia explained with a vigorous blow. “When you visit those camps you feel you do not know what to do. You create empathy with the people. Then they ask you just to spread the word. Do not let them forget we are waiting here. Peacefully”.

Silvia, next to other students that have had a closer approach to Saharawi refugee camps, formed the “University Platform in favour of Western Sahara”, where students get together to organize events all over Madrid, and to spread Saharawis message. They feel it is their responsibility as Spanish citizens, in order to inform others what is happening in Western Sahara.

Picture taken by Michelle Brehm from christtherockglobal.wordpress.com

Silvia finished this interview with a smile on her face, as she shared one last message not only for Spanish society, but for all nations in the word: “Let’s not forget that people will never be less important, as a fundamental beginning, like in Western Sahara’s conflict. We are responsible as people for what we do; we create politics, economics, etc. It is us (people) who create conflicts too”.

(Andrea Arzaba, May 2010)

The real story / La verdadera historia / FAROE ISLANDS

2009-11-03T09:53:00.001-08:00

Un reportaje sobre la tradición Danesa.

Great vid. that explains the Danish tradition.

Masacre en Dinamarca / Denmark's Massacre

2009-11-03T09:01:00.001-08:00

Did you know about dolphin/whale slaughter tradition in Denmark?? Let's RAISE AWARENESS!

Sabias de la masacre danesa que ocurre en contra de los delfines y de las ballenas? Vamos a ALZAR LA VOZ!!

LILA DOWNS EN METEPEC

2009-10-21T12:04:00.000-07:00

LILA DOWNS EN METEPEC

Por Andrea Arzaba

¿Cómo se escucharía el tema de “La Cucaracha” con un ritmo de jazz? ¿O acaso “Paloma Negra” podría ser interpretada acompañada de un acordeón? ¿Qué tan bien sonaría la “Cumbia del mole” con toques electrónicos? Al parecer, estas son algunas de las razones por las que Lila Downs ya llegado a como una de las interpretes de música Mexicana más innovadoras y talentosas de nuestros tiempos.

Para leer más da click AQUI (link al BLOG OFICIAL)

Gracias,

Andrea Arzaba

Pray The Devil Back To Hell trailer

2009-10-15T08:38:00.001-07:00

Un documental que no se pueden perder / A documentary that the world cannot miss!

Pray the devil back to hell

2009-10-15T07:59:00.000-07:00

Hace tiempo que no escribo en el blog, y tengo tantas historias en mi cabeza que no estoy segura por donde empezar. Por lo pronto escribiré sobre un documental que tuve la oportunidad de ver en el pasado Festival de Cine en Morelia 2009.

El documental nos transporta a la lejana África, exactamente en Liberia. Un grupo de mujeres se encuentran cansadas de la situación de guerra civil que viven día a día, por lo que deciden formar un grupo y llamar la atención de las autoridades para que escuchen su pedido: ¡PAZ EN LIBERIA!

Es verdaderamente sorprendente la manera en las que las mujeres se organizaron y llegaron a coexistir entre musulmanas y cristianas, formaron un equipo y no dejaron que sus creencias las llevaran a dejar de participar en conjunto. La paz efectivamente no tiene una sola religión, como lo muestra el documental. Las maneras por las que llegan a ser tomadas en cuenta por el gobierno son bastante ingeniosas: al principio comenzaron a reunirse con panfletos y recitando diferentes cánticos y rezos hacia la paz, afuera del Palacio de Gobierno.

El grupo de mujeres también pusó presión a los hombres ya que les negaron el tener sexo hasta que sus peticiones fueran tomadas en cuenta. Por esta misma situación los hombres también presionaron para que el gobierno hablara con el grupo de mujeres. Poco a poco el movimiento se fue dando a conocer hasta que finalmente el gobierno escuchó, las mujeres dieron su punto de vista y ... se los dejo hasta ahí para que ustedes puedan descubrir el final.

Andrea Arzaba

La ecología también tiene letras

2009-09-25T11:26:00.000-07:00

TIPOGRAFÍA ECOLÓGICA. Las impresiones que realizamos día a día no solamente usan hojas de papel sino también tinta. Para reducir el consumo de estos cartuchos y formar una conciencia con el consumo sustentable, ha surgido una nueva fuente ecológica que es totalmente legible y ahorra hasta el 20% de tinta. Para descargar la fuente, la cual es gratuita, visita: http://www.ecofont.eu/

What will matter....

2009-09-07T07:58:00.000-07:00

What Will Matter

by: Michael Josephson

Ready or not, some day it will all come to an end.
There will be no more sunrises, no minutes, hours or days.
All the things you collected, whether treasured or forgotten will be passed on to someone else.
Your wealth, fame and power will shrivel into irrelevance.
It will not matter what you owned or what you were owed.
Your grudges, resentments, frustrations and jealousies will finally disappear.
So too... your hopes, ambitions, plans and “to do” lists.
The wins and losses that once seemed so important will fade away.
It won't matter where you came from or what side of the tracks you lived on in the end.
It won't matter whether you were beautiful or brilliant.

Even your gender and skin color will be irrelevant.
So what will matter? How will the value of your days be measured?
What will matter is not what you bought but what you built, not what you got but what you gave. What will matter is not your success but your significance.
What will matter is not what you learned but what you taught.
What will matter is every act of integrity, compassion, courage, or sacrifice that enriched, empowered or encouraged others to emulate your example.
What will matter is not your competence but your character.
What will matter is not how many people you knew, but how many will feel a lasting loss when you're gone.
What will matter is not your memories but the memories that live in those who loved you.
What will matter is how long you will be remembered, but by whom and for what.
Living a life that matters doesn't happen by accident.
It's not a matter of circumstance but of choice.
Choose to live a life that matters.

Convocatoria Al Gore en México

2009-09-01T20:32:00.001-07:00

Fecha: Del 28 al 30 de septiembre 2009.

Lugar: Centro Banamex, Centro Histórico, Ciudad de México.

Gastos: Los gastos de traslado y hospedaje irán por tu cuenta. Los materiales, desayunos y comidas están incluidos en el entrenamiento.

Creemos que puedes ser tú un excelente candidato. Anímate y llena el siguiente cuestionario para postular tu candidatura (la fecha límite de recepción de cuestionarios es el día 3 de septiembre).

Nota: Tu cuestionario va a ser evaluado por el comité internacional de TCP en Nashville, EUA por lo que con este cuestionario no te aseguramos un lugar en el evento. Si eres seleccionado recibirás una invitación formal de TCP internacional.

...Nightfall

2009-08-22T09:55:00.000-07:00

"Nightfall." / "Al caer la noche."

This picture was taken at The Limberlost Forest and Wildlife Reserve, ON, Canada.
Esta foto fue tomada en el Limberlost Forest and Wildlife Reserve en ON, Canadá.

Crédito: Andrea Arzaba

What is a MARIACHI?

2009-07-25T10:03:00.000-07:00

Hello everybody! I am doing a very interesting research on Mariachis and I believe this will become a very interesting article. Here I am sending you an introduction in case you would like to know a bit more about an important part of Mexican Culture.

Andrea Arzaba

WHAT IS A MARIACHI?

Mariachi tradition in Mexico is a very ancient one. There are not a lot of references about them in the past but historians say that the term “mariachi” comes from the words in Nahuatl “Maria ce son”, which was praise for the virgin “María del Río”. The Cocas, descendents from the Nahuas, had a lot of abilities for music. They used to imitate sounds they liked.

The word mariachi refers to the musicians now commonly seen in restaurants or strolling the streets, dressed in silver studded charro outfits with wide brimmed hats playing a variety of instruments which include violins, guitars, basses, vihuelas (a 5 string guitar) and trumpets.
Their songs speak about love, betrayal, death, politics, revolutionary heroes and even animals; one famous song is "La Cucaracha".

Mariachis have evolved in their music. Before they used to improvise their music but nowadays they became experts in classical Mexican music, with an impressive professionalism. The mariachi is the sum of a cultural evolution that has taken place over the last century in Mexico.

And there is no spectacle, wherever it might be, where Mexicans feel not attracted to mariachis, just like one of the most famous songs goes "México lindo y querido/ si muero lejos de ti/ que digan que estoy dormido/ y que me traigan aquí". (Wonderful and beloved Mexico /if I die far away from you/ they should pretend that I am sleeping/ and they better bring me back to you)

I also encourage you to watch some of the next videos which are examples of a real Mexican Mariachi songs:

"Cielito Lindo"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjJDv1IeF8I&feature=related

"Huapangos de Moncayo"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1RWewM74T8&feature=channel_page

This are the sites I used to get more information on Mariachis. I invite you to visit them:

El Mariachi, un Gran Pedazo del Corazón Mexicano (Contacto Magazine) http://www.contactomagazine.com/mariachi.htm

El Mariachi (Terra) http://www.terra.com/ocio/articulo/html/oci59984,7.htm

What is a Mariachi? http://www.mexconnect.com/articles/1875-what-is-the-mariachi

Picture taken from:
http://membership.kmbh.org/donations/images/Mariachi.jpg

Neil Armstrong's Moon Memories

2009-07-20T10:45:00.001-07:00

Celebrando el 40º Aniversario del Apolo 11

Afghan Shopping

2009-07-17T09:59:00.000-07:00

An Afghan woman looks at merchandise at a burqa shop in Herat in western Afghanistan July 2, 2009. Burqa seller Nehmatullah Yusefy's (not in picture) sales at the shop have dropped 50 percent since the Taliban were toppled in 2001 and he says he will soon need to start stocking competing styles of Islamic dress to make up for lost profits. Picture taken July 2, 2009. (REUTERS/ Mohammad Shoiab)

I found this picture on the web and found it very interesting :)
xoxo

TAKEN FROM: http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/07/in_afghanistan_part_two.html

VISAS,VISAS and more VISAS!

2009-07-15T16:24:00.000-07:00

Todo lo teniamos planeado perfectamente. Mi familia y yo saliamos de vacaciones de verano a Canadá, un viaje que ya se había planeado desde meses atrás y en el cual, todo ya estaba listo. Hoy les escribo a una semana de mi viaje, el cual corre un alto riesgo de ser cancelado subitamente.

El lunes pasado comenzó toda la pesadilla. En la mañana se anunció en el noticiario que a partir de ese momento, los Mexicanos que viajaban a Canadá necesitaban tener una visa, una nueva legislación impuesta por el gobierno Canadiense. Me quedé en shock, no lo podía creer.

Inmediatamente buscando en internet, encontré las formas necesarias para comenzar con el papeleo, no podíamos perder tiempo ya que necesitabamos 4 VISAS para el sábado. Junto con mi familia, comenzamos a imprimir las formas, a ver todos los requisitos que solicitaban y a planear como sacaríamos todo de inmediato. Tuvimos que ir con un notario, por antecedentes penales, redactar todos los documentos en inglés, adjuntar vuelos, demostraciones de tener dinero para gastar en Canadá como cuentas bancarias, escrituras.... o cualquier cosa que sugiriera que teniamos dinero y que no nos quedariamos en Canadá.

Tardamos más de dos días en juntar los papeles y en la madrugada del miércoles nos dirigimos a la embajada. Era una locura. Al llegar a la embajada, la fila era tan larga que rodeaba a la cuadra y sobrepasaba las calles. Estuve formada más de cinco horas, junto con gente frustrada, cansada y desolada por el repentino aviso e imposición del nuevo trámite. Muchos llevaban sus maletas ya que de ahí se iban directo al aeropuerto, pues ese mismo día volaban a Canadá (si les daban la visa). El nerviosismo reinaba entre la gente esperando, pues no podríamos saber si la visa sería aceptada o denegada hasta futuro aviso.

En general, las personas no estaban molestas por el trámite y el requisito pues se entiende que es una manera de parar el flujo de inmigrantes al país, sin embargo, lo que nos molestó a todos fue la manera en la que se aviso. ¡DE UN DÍA PARA OTRO!

Después de las 3 de la tarde, pude entregar mis papeles, los cuales se encontraban en un sobre. Era imposible formular preguntas a las autoridades ya que de una manera bastante impertinente te ignoraban, argumentando que todo se encontraba en la página web. Me pareció una falta de respeto tremenda debido a que el trámite tenía 3 días de haber sido requerido.

Ahora me queda solamente esperar. El 21 de julio me daran una respuesta...y si no me la dan se perderan mis vuelos y el tour. Ahora es cuando nos empezamos a preguntar...¿Qué pasaría si solo se la dan a la mitad de la familia? ¿Qué pasaría si nos la niegan ... la volveriamos a tramitar? Creo que las personas que se encuentran en mi casi... lo único que podemos hacer es mantener una mentalidad positiva y esperar. Ahora me preguntó...¿Qué tan diferente hubiese sido que México le hubiera impuesto VISA a los visitantes canadienses de un día para el otro? Creo que todos sabemos que tan diferente hubiera reaccionado su gobierno....

Fotografía tomada de NOTIMEX

El Clima y Las Necesidades de Agua.

2009-07-13T11:28:00.000-07:00

¿Qué pasa con nuestros recursos hídricos?

Por Andrea Arzaba.

El agua es un elemento de vital importancia en nuestra vida. Por lo tanto, la información sobre lo que sucede con los recursos hídricos es muy importante para todas las comunidades. En todo el planeta, el crecimiento demográfico y el cambio climático están progresivamente alterando las existencias y el empleo del agua. Las fuentes de agua dulce se están degradando mientras que fenómenos meteorológicos extremos y el aumento del nivel del mar conllevan la amenaza de una mayor frecuencia de inundaciones en algunas regiones y del aumento de sequías en otras.

Algunos datos importantes:

- Para 2050 se prevé que la población mundial alcance los 9000 millones frente a los más de 6000 millones con los que se cuenta actualmente. La demanda del agua aumentará.

- Es posible que las precipitaciones disminuyan en la mayoría de las regiones subtropicales y que aumenten en latitudes elevadas.

- Se piensa que habrá un empeoramiento de la calidad de los recursos hídricos a causa de la elevación de las temperaturas del agua y de los cambios en condiciones extremas, como inundaciones y sequías.

- La agricultura consume más del 75 por ciento de los recursos mundiales de agua dulce. Conocer con anticipación las estaciones lluviosas o secas ayuda a los agricultores a planificar sus cultivos.

- Más de 1000 millones de personas en el mundo ni pueden disponer de agua pura (Naciones Unidas)

- Cerca de 200 millones de personas viven en zonas litorales en situación de peligro a causa de las crecidas: solamente en Asia Meridional, el número de habitantes expuestos al riesgo de inundaciones costeras supera los 60 millones (IPCC)

Fuente: www.wmo.int/wcc3

Photo: A Young Barack ...

2009-07-11T12:33:00.000-07:00

Una fotografía del actual Presidente de los Estados Unidos en su juventud A picture of the current president of the US when he was younger :)

"LA BIBLIOTECA"

En donde todos los chicos "cool" pasan el tiempo :)

Fuente: http://punditkitchen.com/

Happy Influenza :)

2009-07-06T10:58:00.000-07:00

I would like to share some funny pictures I found related to those "INFLUENZA TIMES" we witnessed some months ago...Disfruta :)

Me gustaria compartir con ustedes algunas fotos graciosas sobre aquellos "Tiempos Influenzosos" que vivimos algunos meses atrás...enjoy :)

1. A new movie is coming out...

2. A sick piggy ;)

3. The miraculous tea that can cure it ALL!

4. Influenza MSN

5. Even Twitter got an "Influenzial" idea

6. Original surgical masks.

7. The origin of it ALL!

8. Our new money lol

9. This might sound crazy but IT IS REAL. The first boy that got the virus in Mexico and survived got a statue in the country!

10. A souvenir when u come to Mexico: Influenza's Cuddly Toy!

There were a few songs and videogames that had the Influenza as their main theme or principal enemy. To play one of them you can enter here: http://www.swinefighter.com/

También salieron diversas canciones y videojuegos en donde la influenza era el enemigo principal, o al contrario,lo más importante. Para jugar alguno te recomiendo el siguiente: http://www.swinefighter.com/

Equidad Género y Sexo / Sex and Gender Equity.

2009-06-28T21:22:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I had the chance to attend a Sex and Gender Equity Workshop @ Mexico City. At first, I had no idea what to expect, because I was invited by a friend I did not see for a long time, and to be honest, that was my main reason for participating.

Ayer tuvé la oportunidad de ir al taller de Equidad de Sexo y Género en la Ciudad de México. Para ser sincera, no tenia idea de que esperar ya que me invitó una amiga junto a su organización. A mi amiga no la había visto en mucho tiempo, por lo que decidí aventurarme y ver lo que sucedería.

As soon as I arrived, I perceived that there where only 3 guys out of 20 participants. It felt funny, and I thought it might have been a workshop directed to girls. As soon as I stepped in the room, I felt integrated to the group and I knew this was going to be another new adventure I had to share with the world :)

Desde que llegué, me di cuenta de que solamente habían 3 hombres de 20 participantes. Pensé que quizás era un taller dirigido a mujeres. Desde que entré a la habitación, me sentí integrada al grupo y supe que sería una nueva aventura que tendría que compartir con el mundo.

In the main activities, we discussed the differences between sex and gender. We agreed that sex is the biological characteristic of every human being, while gender is a construction, our mentality. Society prefers both of them to match, but sometimes people can be born with a particular sex and an opposite gender.

En las actividades principales, discutimos las diferencias entre sexo y género. Concluimos en que el sexo es una característica biológica de los seres humanos, mientras que el género es una construcción, nuestra mentalidad. La sociedad prefiere que los dos sean concuerden, sin embargo, muchas veces la gente puede tener un sexo y un género diferente.

We had another activity when we discussed about the role of women and men in our society and in our generation. It is really interesting how some of the activities that were only for women (such as cooking, cleaning the house, picking up the children from school) are also for men today. It was important to know that some of the participants have mothers that work fulltime and fathers that do the house work. Roles have changed and the sexist taboo has been broken in a lot of families.

Tuvimos otra actividad en donde discutimos el papel de la muher y el hombre en nuestra sociedad y en neustra generación. Fue muy interesante ver como muchas actividades que antes eran solamente para mujeres (como el cocinar, limpiar la casa, ir por los niños a la escuela) también son para los hombres. Fue importante el saber que muchos de los participantes tienen madres que trabajan tiempo completo y padres que se dedican a las labores caseras. Los papeles han cambiado y el tabú sexista se ha roto en muchas familias mexicanas.

We also discussed about gender empowerment. How women have succeeded, leaving their prejudices behind and standing for their rights. There was a great example about some women from an indigenous community where their husbands left them, following the american dream and going to the US. They had to find a way to survive and they started making marmelades for a big restaurant company in Mexico called Toks. Now, they are the main producers and they found an amazing way to support their kids, without depending on men.

También discutimos el empoderamiento de género. Vimos ejemplos de mujeres que dejaron sus prejuicios atrás y fueron por sus derechos. Hubi un ejemplo perfecto de algunas mujeres indígenas de la comunidad mazahua en donde sus esposos e hijos las dejaron, por seguir el sueño americano y se fueron a los Estados Unidos. Ellas tuvieron que encontrar una forma de sobrevivir y comenzaron a hacer mermeladas, las cuales al final pudieron vender a la franquicia de restaurantes mexicanos Toks. Ahora ellas son las únicas productoras y ellas encontraron una manera maravillosa de mantener a sus hijos, sin depender de los hombres.

I leart a lot from this experience, I shared stories and listened to inspiring ones. It was such delight to discuss with different people, with various points of view. I believe we should support this type of activities and let people learn from each other, as well as discover what is changing in our generation in order to become a better society every day.

Aprendí mucho de esta experiencia, compartí historias y escuche otras bastante inspiradoras. Fue una gran oportunidad el compartir diferentes puntos de vista, con gente con ideas distintas. Creo que debemos apoyar este tipo de actividades y dejar que la gente aprenda una de otra, para asi descubrir que esta cambiando en nuestra generación para asi poder formar parte de una mejor sociedad día a día.

Gracias. Thank you.
Andrea Arzaba

We Are The World - Michael Jackson

2009-06-28T14:11:00.001-07:00

I would like to share this special video because as all of you might now, we lost a magnificent star some days ago: Michael Jackson.
RIP.

Voto En BlancO

2009-06-25T11:40:00.000-07:00

VOTO EN BLANCO
Por Andrea Arzaba

Muchos la han calificado como una campaña de gente incoherente y ofensiva que quiere dar un fin a la “democracia” que vivimos de una manera radical, muchos otros se refieren a ella como una polémica nueva en donde el pueblo demuestra sus impresiones ante la inconformidad de sus próximos representantes, de una manera diferente. Pero ¿De que trata la campaña del voto en blanco? Muy simple, a la hora de votar se tacha toda la planilla, cancelando el voto por algún candidato en particular.

Es erróneo pensar que al votar en blanco se apoya a la abstención puesto que al anular el voto aún se sigue participando y existe la obligación de ir a las urnas, pedir una planilla y la única diferencia es que en lugar de elegir a un candidato, se tachan todas las opciones. De ésta manera, los ciudadanos muestran su descontento ante la democracia que se vive en el presente en México, y al mismo tiempo en muchos otros países del mundo.

El voto en blanco incita a las autoridades a cambiar de actitud ya que el pueblo se manifiesta mostrando una inconformidad ante la forma de gobierno existente. De esta manera, se reclama una nación que busca una representación justa, que quiere dejar atrás a las viejas generaciones conformistas y llenas de corrupción. Muchos jóvenes han decidido apoyar ésta nueva propuesta, ya que posiblemente desde este punto podamos comenzar con un nuevo partido político, una esperanza latente para las nuevas generaciones.

Día Mundial del Refugiado 2009

2009-06-21T14:29:00.000-07:00

Un mensaje de Ban Ki-moon, Secretario General de la Organización de las Naciones Unidas

20 de junio de 2009

La violencia, la persecución y los conflictos han obligado a abandonar su hogar a millones de personas de todo el mundo. La mayoría de esas personas y familias proceden de países en desarrollo y son también especialmente vulnerables a las graves consecuencias de la crisis económica que se ha desencadenado a nivel mundial.

El tema del Día Mundial de los Refugiados de este año, "Gente real, necesidades reales", pone de relieve cuánto han perdido los refugiados -incluso sus países- y cuánto debe hacer la comunidad de asistencia humanitaria para ayudarlos.

Hay carencias en la atención de las necesidades básicas: alojamiento, servicios sanitarios, educación, alimentos, agua no contaminada, saneamiento y protección frente a la violencia y los abusos.

Los niveles de malnutrición suelen ser más elevados en la población desplazada, lo mismo que las tasas de mortalidad.

Las mujeres solteras y las niñas y adolescentes corren un peligro especial de explotación. La experiencia demuestra que asistir a la escuela reduce el riesgo de ser víctima de tales abusos. Hacen falta más recursos para construir y mantener centros de enseñanza destinados a los refugiados.

Hacer frente a esas y muchas otras carencias exige compromiso y acción. La solidaridad debe ser el fundamento de nuestra respuesta. Y ello es especialmente así en un momento en que la crisis económica redunda en detrimento de los presupuestos de asistencia humanitaria y desarrollo.

En este Día Mundial de los Refugiados, aseguremos que las personas desplazadas por los conflictos, la persecución y los desórdenes reciban el apoyo y los servicios que necesitan para construir una vida mejor.

Fuente: http://www.acnur.org

ZANA MUHSEN

2009-06-16T13:40:00.000-07:00

LAS HIJAS PERDIDAS DE INGLATERRA
Por Andrea Arzaba

You will find the english version of this article bellow.

Hoy me gustaría escribir un poco acerca de un libro que he leido entre ayer y hoy, ya que desde que lo comencé a leer, no lo pude soltar hasta el final.

El libro se llama VENDIDAS -escrito por Zana Muhsen- y nos habla de la historia de dos hermanas, Zana y Nadia, de padre yemenita y madre inglesa, quienes viven en Birmingham hasta los 15 y 14 años respectivamente ya que son vendidas por su padre y enviadas a Yemen, en donde se enfrentan con una vida de abusos, maltratos, violaciones y sufrimiento. Cuando Zana y Nadia emprenden el viaje, ellas tenían la idea de que se trataba simplemente de unas vacaciones en el país de su padre, sin embargo, todo fue una trampa ya que todo se encontraba arreglado. Ambas adolescentes son obligadas a guardar silencio, a obedecer a sus "maridos", a sus suegros y a continuar con una vida totalmente diferente a la que conocian, en un pueblo rural muy tradicionalista, en donde la voz de la mujer queda opacada junto a la sombra del hombre.

Es muy explícito el odio que siente Zana por los maltratos que ella y su hermana sufren, incluso los hijos que son obligadas a tener, las malas palabras que deben soportar, los golpes y la vida de sumisión a las que se encuentran expuestas sin remedio alguno.

Durante años, la esperanza de regresar a Inglaterra se va desvaneciendo poco a poco, hasta que Zana logra ponerse en contacto con su madre por medio de una carta. Es así como la esperanza regresa a sus corazones y después de ocho largos años de espera, Zana puede abandonar a su esposo gracias a la presión de los medios de comunicación, de la diplomacia y de su madre. Sin embargo, su hijo Marcus se queda en Yemen con su hermana Nadia, ya que les permiten salir solas, sin sus hijos. Zana acepta irse sin su hermana prometiendo regresar por ella de alguna otra forma. Esa fue la última vez que la vio.

Tengo entendido que Zana vive en Birmingham y ha tenido una nueva famlia, sin embargo Nadia y Marcus siguen en Yemen. Existe una continuación del libro llamada: UNA PROMESA A NADIA. Es bastante triste el seguir siendo testigos de tantas atrocidades que ocurren en nuestra llamada sociedad moderna, debemos de crear una conciencia para terminar con las violaciones de los derechos humanos y exigir nuestra libertad como ciudadanos del mundo.

ENGLAND'S LOST DAUGHTERS

By Andrea Arzaba

Today I would like to write about a book I read between yesterday and today, because since I started reading it I could not stop until I was done with it.

The book is called SOLD - and it was written by Zana Muhsen- it tells the story of two sisters, Zana and Nadia who live in Birmingham up to 15 and 14 years respectively since they are sold by their father and sent to Yemen, where they face a life of abuses, mistreatments, violations and suffering. Their mother was from England and their dad was from Yemen. Zana and Nadia where fooled because they thought they were going on vacations to discover their dad's homeland, but everything was arranged by their father in order to start a new life as yemeni wives. Both teenagers are forcer to remain silent, to obey their new "Husbands" and "In Laws" and to continue with a life that was very different from the one they had back in England, in a yemeni rural and traditional town, where women's voices remain under men's shadows.

In the book it is very explicit the hate that Zana keeps because of the suffering she and her sister have to stand, even the children they are forced to have, the bad words and insults they have to put up with, the mistreatment and sumision they live every single day for years.

Coming back to England was some hope that kept on fading away little by little, until one day Zana gets in touch wit her mother by mail. Hope comes back into Nadia and Zana's heart and after 8 long waiting years Zana is able to leave her husband, thanks to media's pressure, diplomacy and her mother. Nevertheless her son, Marcus, stays in Yemen with Nadia, because both women are alowed to leave the country without their sons and daughters. Zana accepts to leave, promissing she will come back for Nadia and the children. That was the last time she saw her.

I have read that Zana lives in Birmingham and has brought up a new family, but Nadia and Marcus are still in Yemen. There is a second part of the book called A PROMISE TO NADIA. It is very sad that we keep on being witnesses of this type of atrocities that remain existing in our so called modern society.We need to raise awareness and create a conciousness in order to erradicate Human Rights Violations. We need to demand pour freedom as citizens of the world.

South African Smile

2009-06-15T08:01:00.000-07:00

WHAT A SMILE!

A South African spectator cheers in the stands @ a FIFA Confederations Soccer Cup Football Match in Bloemfontein.

Image taken from BBC NEWS IN PICTURES
Monday, 15 June 2009 15:41 UK

No te comas el malvavisco: Do not eat the marshmallow

2009-06-09T17:14:00.001-07:00

Una carta del Futuro / A letter from the Future

2009-06-05T08:09:00.000-07:00

Hola...me gustaría compartir una historia que escribí especialmente para el Día Mundial del Medio Ambiente, la cual fue publicada en el blog de UNICEF Latinoamérica.

Hello! I would like to share with you a short story that I wrote specially for the World Environment Day and that was published in UNICEF Latin America's Blog:

Hace 40 años, Una Carta del Futuro/40 Years Ago, A Letter from the future

This article is both in Spanish and English. For the English version, please scroll down.

By Andrea Arzaba

Marzo 29, 2050 Apenas ayer encontré mi diario, el cual escribí cuando era niña, hace ya casi cuarenta años. Y pensar que el mundo ha cambiado tanto desde aquel entonces. Aún recuerdo los automóviles que contaminaban nuestras calles, convirtiéndolas en lugares descoloridos para vivir, quitándonos toda esperanza. También recuerdo el gran desperdicio de agua que producíamos en cada momento, sin importar lo poco que nos quedaba y las guerras que comenzaron a generarse por las sequías que provocamos nosotros mismos. Además de que la electricidad aun se producía a partir de petróleo o carbono, lo cual dañaba demasiado al ambiente. Cuando yo era niña, la gente no tenía una cultura de reciclar, por flojera o simple ignorancia, de manera que la basura no era aprovechada y se formaban imponentes montones de basura en las ciudades.

Me alegra tanto el saber que ahora la humanidad ha cambiado para bien. Las que antes eran fábricas contaminantes ahora sirven de museos, en donde se muestra todo lo que alguna vez dañó al medio ambiente, como lo fueron los automóviles que funcionaban por gasolina, las botellas y envases de plástico, la ropa sintética, etc. El transporte que usamos hoy día es a base de la energía solar, y además gran cantidad de gente se transporta en bicicleta, manteniendo una comunidad saludable. El agua en su mayoría es recolectada de la lluvia, la cual antes de usarse es desalinizada por plantas que funcionan con turbinas de viento.

La gente cambió mucho desde hace cuarenta años entonces, y todo esto, se generó gracias al entusiasmo, iniciativa y ejemplo de las generaciones jóvenes.

ENGLISH

March 29th, 2050 Yesterday I finally found my diary, the one I wrote when I was still a girl, forty years ago. I can’t believe how much the world has changed. I remember all the automobiles that used to contaminate the streets, turning our cities into colourless, hopeless places to live. I also remember the enormous quantity of water we used to waste at any time, without even thinking about it, and the wars we produced in the end because of the drought that we generated. In addition to those problems, we had electricity that was created by petroleum or carbon, something that damaged the environment too much. When I was a girl, most of the people did not have a recycling culture, because they where lazy or they ignored the problems, the garbage was not reused and we only got humongous piles of trash in the cities.

It makes me so happy to know that humanity has changed for good. Factories that used to pollute environment now stand as museums, where you can observe some of the things that used to cause damage to the environment, like cars that used to work with gas, plastic bottles and packs, synthetic clothes, etc. The transportation we use everyday works with solar energy, and most of the people use bicycles, which keeps people healthy. Water is collected from the rain, and plants that work with wind turbines desalinate it.

People changed a lot since then, and this happened thanks to the enthusiasm, initiative and example of the young generations.

LACVOX UNICEF:
http://www.lacvox.net/?p=762

Buddhist Tale / Historia Budista.

2009-05-29T19:26:00.000-07:00

Un viejo indio estaba hablando con su nieto y le decía:

"Me siento como si tuviera dos lobos peleando en mi corazón. Uno de los dos es un lobo enojado, violento y vengador. El otro está lleno de amor y compasión."

El nieto preguntó:

"Abuelo, dime, ¿Cuál de los dos lobos ganará la pelea en tu corazón?"

El abuelo contestó:

"Aquel que yo alimente".

An old indian man was talking to his grandson and he was saying:

" I feel as If I had two wolves fightinh inside my heart. One of them is a very violent, angry and vengative animal. The other one is full of love and compassion".

The grandson asked:

"Grandpa tell me: Which of the wolves will win the fight in your heart?".

And the old man answered:

" The one I feed the most".

SIGNATURE!

2009-05-22T23:05:00.001-07:00

One of the funniest videos I have ever seen!!!!!

PeacE SymboLS!

2009-05-19T11:14:00.000-07:00

And while I was finishing writing my semester's last ESSAY (YES!! Welcome SUMMER TIME) I just found this awesome website, where you can upload your own PEACE SYMBOLS. I would like to share some of my favourite with you...

Y mientras terminaba de escribir mi ultimo ensayo del semestre (¡SI! ¡BIENVENIDO VERANO!) Encontré una página asombrosa, en donde los usuarios pueden subir sus simbolos personales de la PAZ. Me gustaría compartir algunos ejemplos contigo...

Images taken from / Imagenes tomadas de:

http://www.happybirthdaypeace.com/ (Art Gallery Section)

La PAZ para los jóvenes...

2009-05-19T10:31:00.000-07:00

Haciendo una encuesta sobre lo que es la paz para algunos estudiantes universitarios en la Ciudad de México, de manera personal y nacional, estas fueron algunas de las respuestas que dieron:

“ Es un estado que difícilmente alguna sociedad puede alcanzar; de alguna manera, es la ausencia de conflictos y problemas, es aprender a convivir aceptando las diferencias y semejanzas entre las personas. Actualmente México tiene muchos conflictos relacionados con el crimen organizado, esto en consecuencia crea una sociedad con miedo e inseguridad, con tan solo salir de tu casa. Además de las zonas rurales en México, los derechos humanos son violados constantemente; me atrevo a decir que lamentablemente no hay paz en ningún lugar del país”.

Sandra Apolinar, 20 años.

“ La PAZ es una etapa de tranquilidad y armonía, ya sea a nivel individual o colectivo, lo cierto es que para poder impartir la paz, ésta debe de comenzar siempre en uno mismo. La paz también puede significar el punto de unión o reconciliación ante una situación de conflicto. No podemos generalizar diciendo si hay o no hay paz en México. Como dije anteriormente, la paz empieza desde uno mismo. La paz esta en quien quiera hacer las cosas, en pro del país, de la sociedad, de la pobreza, en contra de la delincuencia, etc”.

Sofía Chabaud, 21 años.

“ Para mi la PAZ es un estado que no es fácil de alcanzar, como sociedad lo veo casi imposible. El sueño de la PAZ mundial lo veo como un sueño, gracias a las ambiciones del ser humano. La PAZ en México no existe, ni en el mundo, ni en ningun lado. México esta lleno de impunidad, narcotráfico, pobreza, corrupción. Situaciones que no pueden generar un ambiente de PAZ”.

Diego Aragón, 21 años.

Es necesario cambiar nuestra visión sobre la PAZ como un camino imposible en nuestra sociedad, ya que de ésta manera, la PAZ no es algo viable si mantenemos nuestra mente cerrada. Si creemos que es posible un cambio, se hará realidad. Simplemente debemos comenzar creyéndolo, y así, actuando. ¡Seamos el cambio que queremos ver!

PeacE CamP WaLK 2009

2009-05-13T21:51:00.001-07:00

Video of the Peace Camp Walk in 2009 in Amman, Jordan. Peace Through Understanding.

2009-04-30T18:49:00.000-07:00

A Mexican student writes on the influenza H1N1.

By Andrea Arzaba

It all started on Thursday 23^rd of April, right before going to sleep. I had just finished my last paper due on Friday, the next day, for University. It was about midnight when I heard my mom calling me. “You will not have classes tomorrow, there is a strange virus and nobody in the State and in the City will be attending school”. I could not believe. It sounded like a joke. I quickly called a friend and she told me it was real, everybody was talking about it. Quickly, I went back to my computer and entered Facebook, where I saw in most of my friends status statements related to influenza, not going to school and confusion. It was real. Something that we had never experienced in our lives was happening.

Now, a week later, I am still missing classes, and this is why I decided to write this blog entry, because I would like people from other countries to know what is happening in my own.

On Friday the 24^th, nobody went out of their houses unless they really had too. You could see empty streets and sense the fear and uncertainity in the city. Some people were wearing surgical masks, something right out of horror movies, but it was actually happening in our city!

On the news, all we could hear was INFLUENZA, INFLUENZA and MORE INFLUENZA. And it was then, that all our doubts started to get answered. Apparently swine flu is a respiratory disease, caused by influenza A which infects pigs. There is not only a single type, and it keeps on changing, that was why the government decided to suspend classes. They were afraid, and they wanted people to prevent getting infected by getting together in groups or crowds.

A week has passed now since schools were closed. Time is passing very slowly, and still media keeps on talking about the swine flu. We keep on getting the same information every 30 minutes. I believe that in some way, they have contributed in the creation of a collective paranoia. Everybody is afraid of getting infected, even with their own family and friends. If somebody gets a symptom, from a headache to sore throat or coughs, this collective fear pulls at you and makes you think you are infected. I believe this is a crucial issue happening in our country, and in the world, but people feel even worst when they try to get information, because they are only getting negative messages all the time.

It is also a reality that certain countries are closing borders, which makes it even scarier. Now, just because our nationality is Mexican, we cannot step into some places. It is important to mention that this disease has a cure, and If you are taking the precautions that have been mentioned, it is not easy to get infected.

I would like to invite people who are reading this not to lose hope, to not consider Mexico as a sick country, because that would be generalizing, and instead to stay informed. Try to look on this issue in more than one source, newspapers from different countries, tv stations, websites. And one of the most important things is to stay positive, have a good attitude towards life, because the secret of health is not only in our body but in our mind too.

This article was published in LACVOX: Unicef 's blog today.

http://www.lacvox.net/?p=694

Thank u!!!!

K'NAAN - Dreamer

2009-04-24T13:20:00.001-07:00

Great video!!!!!!!!

WORLD WIDE HUG PARTY

2009-03-08T11:35:00.000-07:00

March 21st 2009 a World Wide Hug Party will take place in clubs and galleries all over the world. We invite every city, village or town to join this initiative. Will you organise a World Wide Hug Party in your hometown?

We all are part of the collective consciousness, in which everything is connected with the universal energy. We are able to heal our planet and unite everybody in peace and tolerance. So let us demonstrate our unity, let us show our fellow-human beings that we all are One, no matter what kind of religion, race or culture we represent. We are able to love and respect each other.

In the evening of March 21st in Oceania, New Zealand and Australia people will start the Hug which will go around the world in 24 hours, the biggest chain of peace that you can imagine.

The idea is as simple as it is effective: just hug! When we hug each other we open our heart and we can feel the loving energy pounding between us. When we open our heart we unite our energy.

Be part of this event!
Be a witness of this event!

All the events will be broadcasted through the internet, to watch, to be watched, to hug and to be hugged.

Want to join in?
Every individual person is invited to participate in the Worldwide Hug Party in his or her home town. Just find a central meeting location for this party, a club, gallery, community centre; a place with internet access (preferable high speed internet). It will not be difficult to find such a place, because March 21 will be on a Saturday night, so everybody will be in the mood for dancing and hugging for peace and tolerance. Gather up all your friends at the chosen location to come together.

How to contact other places where the Worldwide Hug Party takes place?
You can start your Worldwide Hug Party with some specific rituals to express the Oneness. You can for example sing , pray or meditate together and tune in on the collective consciousness and become aware of the fact that all over the world people are also tuning in on the collective consciousness at the same moment. At the end of these sessions everybody will give hugs to each other and will dance together. You can perform any ritual that suits you and your group.

Have a webcam to register this celebration and broadcast it live through internet to the other clubs in the world. The participants are able to watch and follow the Hug Parties in other locations on a flat screen or on a computer, where the images will be projected. You can switch to other locations, 24 hours long, to all the cities where the Worldwide Hug Party will be organized. So check out every party on the website http://www.worldwidehugparty.org

You can also make a movie of your event and put that on YouTube. Send the link to us for our achieve.

You can join in yourself or your club as participant. On a world map with time zones, you can find other clubs that join the Worldwide Hug Party and with one touch on your computer you will be connected with them live!

We ask you to contact all your friends in the world in order to join the Worldwide Hug Party in their own city. Please go to the following link and download a free and safe video program. It will make it possible to show live images of our hugs to each other. This program is able to expose 6 locations on your computer screen at the same time, including your own hug session.

Why....

2009-01-25T21:06:00.000-08:00

WHY IS IT A CRIME TO HAVE A DIFFERENT COLOUR OF SKIN???

PUBLICIDAD DE UNITED COLORS OF BENETTON 2006.

OBAMA BRINGS HOPE!

2009-01-23T08:20:00.000-08:00

GUANTANAMO WILL BE CLOSED.

At least that is what President Obama confirmed, after signing three executive orders. He also stablished a group of professionals that will help him by developing the end to this jail, even if some experts afirm that this might even take one year long.

But...What is the Guantanamo Bay??

Guantánamo Bay Detention Camp, also known as Gitmo or GTMO, is a group of high security prisons or detainee centers, run by the US Military and located in Cuba at the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base. The base was first used in the early 70s to hold refugees of Haiti and Cuba who were discovered trying to enter the US via the waters around Florida. In 1993, the US Supreme Court declared that the base couldn’t legally hold Haitian refugees in this manner, and for a time, any holding facilities were abandoned.

After 9/11 and the attacks on America, the government reestablished Guantánamo Bay Detention Camp as a holding facility for people deemed “ enemy combatants.” This could include US citizens or residents, and was primarily meant to hold anyone suspected of terrorism, and the various prison camps, of which there are several, have also held people from Afghanistan and other countries who are supposed to have links to al-Qaeda, the Taliban and other Islamic terrorist organizations.

Since the establishment of Guantánamo Bay Detention Camp for this purpose, the US and the camp has come under fire from some US citizens, from a number of human rights organizations, and from other countries. Most detainees are held without the right to legal counsel, and since they are considered enemy combatants rather than prisoners of war, rules on the safe and humane treatment of prisoners do not have to conform to the Geneva Code. Detainees are investigated through a number of practices, which some may define as torture. This includes the practice of water-boarding, other aggressive interrogation techniques, and some denial of basic rights accorded to most US prisoners, such as allowing people to continue to live in accordance with their religious beliefs.
There have been a number of media reports of abuse of prisoners at Guantánamo, and this abuse includes chaining prisoners to beds for longer than 24 hour periods, not allowing prisoners who have been cleared of suspicion of being enemy combatants to leave, and sexual abuse of prisoners. In 2008, the Supreme Court ruled that detainees should be allowed to pursue their cases in federal courts and be heard on the subject of their detention. This access has long been denied to detainees, who were only able to plead their cases in the past before military tribunals.

The debate on Guantánamo Bay has become a very politically and emotionally charged subject, and many American politicians, private citizens, leaders of foreign countries and world organizations have called for its closure. The future of the facility is dependent upon the current administration's priorities, and if they deem it necessary for national security.

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-guantnamo-bay-detention-camp.htm

Picture taken from: http://www.lacoctelera.com/myfiles/lafullpicture/guantanamo1.jpg

Conflict in Gaza and Southern Israel

2009-01-17T20:39:00.001-08:00

This is an interesting video, in order to undertsand what is happening in Gaza right now.

Peace!

A role model: Leni Riefenstahl

2009-01-10T21:58:00.000-08:00

I would like to share the biography of an OUTSTANDING and AMAZING WOMAN: Leni Riefenstahl.

Yesterday, I finally finished reading Riefebstahl's biography, and I found myself trully inspired by her. I believe that she was an important part of the "femenine empowerment puzzle". But...must of you might not have heard abou this german lady... Here's some important data of her life (as a movie star, as a director, as an artist, as a WOMAN)
LENI RIEFENSTAHL was born in Berlin, Germany in 1902. She studied painting and started her artistic career as a dancer. Her mom would always suppoert her and take her into the art's world. She became already famous after her first dance hat Max Reinhardt engaged her for the »Deutsches Theater«.

After a small accident she had with her knees, her acting career in 'mountain movies' that glorified rural german life. Riefenstahl gave up dancing all together (she had a small accident and dedicated herself to the acting only. After acting, she realized she loved editing movies. Her greatest success she made with the documentary film »Triumph des Willens« named after the Reich Party Congress 1934 in Nuremberg which got the highest awards: The gold medal in Venice in 1935 and the gold medal at the World Exhibition in Paris in 1937. However, at the end of the war this film destroyed Leni Riefenstahl's career, for now it had no longer been recognized as a piece of art but been condemned as a National Socialist propaganda because of Hitler's masacre. Some people accussed her, because she was related to the Nazi party, but the truth is that she only filmed those documentaries from the beautiful, estetic point of view.

She also dedicated herself to the photography, and she had the chance to travel to Africa and take pictures of the Nubas, a tribu in Kenya that had no contact with occidental life.At the age of 71, Leni Riefenstahl fulfilled a dream to herself, she had cherished for long: She attended a diving course to be able to also work as an underwater photographer in the future. Soon she became a master in this profession too. With her two illustrated books, »The coral gardens« and »The wonders under water« she had caused a worldwide sensation and got further honours and awards for them. ublished her Memoirs.
Leni Riefenstahl died on Monday 8 September 2003, in Poecking, Germany. She died a few weeks after her 101st birthday.

Information and pictures taken from:

http://www.leni-riefenstahl.de/eng/bio.html
http://www.designboom.com/portrait/leni2.html

Photos: Archives Riefenstahl

2009-01-04T12:38:00.000-08:00

NEW YEAR! NEW GOALS!

I'd ike to share some goals that I have for myself for this 2009. I think it would be nice if we could all post our different goals, and in that way, inspire others!!!

1. Be grateful everyday with my surroundings and people I love.
2. Admire and take care of nature.
3. Write more! Keep on making time for reading what I like.
4. Smiling more than once a day!
5. Try to eat less meat and more organic food.
6. Willing to do everything I can to help people.
7. Meditate more and relax.
8. Become a better person everyday
9. Keep on with my projects with indigenous people.

Cuba & México: WORKING TOGETHER!

2008-12-16T12:41:00.000-08:00

MEXICO AND CUBA: A Great Example!!!

Relations between Cuba and Mexico, "are starting to get better"Raúl Castro Ruz, actual president of Cuba, confirmed.

Castro and Calderón got together in the MERCOSUR celebration. The problems started developing when Vicente Fox was the president, but now, everything is going back to normality. This two countries are fighting for a better world, with no fights or violence between them.

Both presidents talked about decreasing different problems, such as illegal migration, security and human rights. They also agreed in working together for fighting against drug dealing and organized crime.

Now we areally want this to be a real commintment, and wishing the best to both countries, hoping they will become an example to be followed by other nations.

A.

Info taken of: http://www.cronica.com.mx/nota.php?id_nota=404232

Try a different Xmas this year...read this!

2008-12-07T16:38:00.000-08:00

MAKE A DIFFERENCE THIS XMAS!

Today, as I was reading my email before going for a walk, the subject of the last one got my attention "Celebrate Xmas in a different way this year". I could not read it in that very moment, so I left it there. And days passed by, and weeks. I checked my email several times, but I was always too lazy to read it.

So at last today, I had no other email to read. And I opened the misterious email I got. It showed me an amazing advice I would like to share with every single person that reads this post, and I hope you will share it with more people, so in the end we get to the whole planet!!!
It said that this Xmas you should buy a gift and leve it under yout Chrstmas tree. "This will be your gift dedicated to Jesus. It does not have to be anything very expensive, i could be a little card or some chocolates. Then, when Christmas happens, the gift will still be there. Then is when you will put it in your car, or take it close to you everywhere you go. Then you will see somebody who needs it, and you will give it to him/her. That is the real gift to Jesus".

I think this is a great idea to celebrate this Christmas differently.
Peace,

Andrea

Already Xmas before December....

2008-12-02T19:00:00.000-08:00

I still remember entering to a mall, in the middle of October, and seeing the storewindows and furnitures covered by snowmen, santa claus toys and xmas trees, full of lights and fake snow, covering around the place. This is when we start to wonder...Is Christmas really only focused in selling products, in merchandising and in entering, as soon as it is possible, in order to wake up the "christmas spirit" in everyones life?? (even If we lose the real concept of Christmas spirit). It is kind of unpleasant to think about this, but we have to accept that we live in a society where Christmas products start filling up the stores 3 or 4 months before december!!!

I will confess I am a Christmas Lover. I love the concept of an ideal Christmas dinner, being together with our families, celebrating Jesus birthday, having a special dinner and sharing food with our beloved ones. But I also believe that the whole Christmas Merchandising Concept brings a deficient concept of Christmas. It is very common to hear this everywhere we go, in religious groups or discussions with people, but If we really think about it they have a very important point. Are we letting the real Christmas dissapear and entering a marketing era, where having the most beautiful christmas tree, is all that matters???

Andrea Arzaba

Time to listen to the Afghans...

2008-11-25T15:17:00.000-08:00

I found this new, and I believe it is very interesting for understading the current issues happening in Afghanistan. Let's hear the other side of the "story"...

Afghanistan on the edge

Adaptability is plentiful, as this family in Herat Province demonstrates. But after seven years of occupation, where is Afghanistan heading? Fardin Waezi / AINA PHOTO AGENCY / AFGHANISTAN www.ainaphoto.org

Living on the edge is nothing new to Afghanistan. The country and its people are familiar with extremes of most kinds – geographic, political, religious. But today they are well and truly on the brink.

During 2008 the conflict in Afghanistan has escalated dramatically, claiming some 3,000 lives, almost half of them civilians. This is worse than at any time since the US-led invasion seven years ago. The monthly death toll of international servicemen and -women in Afghanistan has topped that of Iraq. The Afghan police force has lost no fewer than 700 personnel this year, while the targeting of aid agencies by militants has led to a doubling of charity workers killed.

The Taliban is resurgent; its fighters determined to get foreigners off Afghan soil, to topple the Western-backed Government of Hamid Karzai and to impose sharia law. ‘No negotiations with invaders’ is their line – reiterated recently as US and British military top brass were saying: ‘We need to talk to the Taliban.’

The fundamentalists aren’t behaving quite as before, however. As well as engaging in conventional fire-fights with international and Afghan troops, they are also planting IEDs – improvised explosive devices – by roadsides. And they have resorted to a tactic that was previously taboo in Afghanistan – suicide bombing. It’s beginning to look and sound like… Iraq.

But Afghanistan isn’t Iraq. This, remember, was meant to be the ‘good’ invasion; or at least the ‘not so bad’ one. It had the tacit support of most of the country’s people. After all, it was Afghans who did most of the fighting to oust the hated Taliban.

Increasingly insurgents are using Iraq-style tactics such as suicide and roadside bombings. Fardin Waezi / AINA PHOTO AGENCY / AFGHANISTAN www.ainaphoto.org

So what’s gone so badly wrong?

The Afghan Government has been quick to blame its neighbour Pakistan. Since its defeat in 2001 the Afghan Taliban has been able to launch sporadic attacks from safe havens in the tribal areas across the border in Pakistan. Under the watch of former President Pervez Musharraf, Taliban militants enjoyed the support of their Pakistani equivalents and, it is said, Pakistan’s Interservices Intelligence (ISI).

But militant and meddling neighbours are not the sole reason for Afghanistan’s woes, as the contributors to this magazine show. The fact that the despised Taliban are regaining a measure of popular support, to the extent that in some regions they are operating parallel administrations, is indicative. It tells us what Afghans think about the performance of their own Government and of the US and NATO occupation forces.

At the time of writing, a bloody battle is raging across the border in Pakistan’s tribal area of Banjaur. Pakistan’s new President Asif Ali Zardari has launched an offensive against Taliban militants in one of their strongholds. For the moment, the Pakistani army has the support of local tribal groups who also want to see the back of the Taliban. However, their greater hatred is reserved for the US forces which have been conducting ground and air attacks against militants in their area, killing and displacing many civilians in the process. The situation is delicate and explosive. Al-Qaeda and the various groups associated with them are clearly dangerous. But so is the US, whether by design or blunder.

A new US Administration takes charge of the White House this month. Will it do any better? The arrogance of power, displayed so nakedly during the Bush years, led to the deaths of thousands as the advice of regional experts was repeatedly ignored in favour of simplistic, vote-winning, sound-bite solutions. If the new US Administration is deaf to the voices of those it carelessly tramples underfoot or sweeps to one side in the ‘war on terror’ then hatred of the US and its allies will only grow.

So far, American and British politicians have responded to the escalating conflict in Afghanistan by proposing that more international troops be sent to the region. But what do Afghans want? Is anyone asking? Defence journalist Khabaryal (see page 6) has a rather different view on what a foreign troop ‘surge’ would achieve in his country – and his analysis is shared by many Afghans and Afghanistan experts. While the ‘surge’ that journalist Horia Mosadiq wants to see in her country is one of democracy, justice and accountability (see page 16).

In a world of instant-access global news it’s easy to imagine we know exactly what’s happening in distant parts. We may, for example, interpret images of girls in school and women presenters on Afghan TV as indicators of liberation. But it takes an Afghan writer, Zuhra Bahman, to unpick the far more complex and intriguing daily lives of her compatriots, and enable us actually to understand what life is like for women in Afghanistan today (see page 11).

The contributors to this magazine – who are all Afghans – are outspoken and critical. But they are also practical and ready to suggest alternative ways forward. Their frustration is palpable at times, but they have not given up hope. ‘All is not yet lost,’ as Abdul Basir, writing about the scandal of official aid to Afghanistan, says.

But it might be if we don’t pay attention. History has taught us that the capacity of outsiders to mess up in Afghanistan is formidable – not for nothing has the region been dubbed ‘the graveyard of empires’. And if we can’t even listen to the voices of the country’s thoughtful journalists and commentators, disaster is more-or-less guaranteed.

Text taken from:
http://www.newint.org/features/2008/11/01/keynote-afghanistan/

Viewd on the 25 of November, 2008.

OBAMA'S FASHION in Kenya!

2008-11-14T07:35:00.000-08:00

Barack Obama's new fashion has arrived in the whole world.The BBC news reported this morning that more than half of the babies born in a Kisumu Hospital on the day after the election were named either Barack or Michelle Obama.

Apparently Kisumu is close to the village where Mr Obama's father was born and raised and Mr Obama is a local hero.

The region erupted in celebration after he won the race for the White House.

Out of 15 babies born in the New Nyanza Provincial Hospital in the western city of Kisumu on Wednesday, five boys were named Barack Obama and three girls were called Michelle.

Pamela Adhiambo, who gave birth to twins – a boy and a girl - on the night after the elections, named them Barack and Michelle Obama.

"I made up my mind to name them long before the elections, and even if Obama had not won, I would still have done the same," she said.

Hopefully, the names will inspire them to become great human beings willing making a change in their communities for the best.

I wouldn't be surprised if that happened in my country, Mexico, too.

More information....

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7712560.stm

Inspiring story from India....

2008-11-05T20:18:00.000-08:00

Bringing "Colorss" to the world...

Hello! I would like to share with you an interview with an amazing person and co-worker, Anand, who is an indian advocate ready to change the world, bringing "colorss" into people's lives! To know more about him...keep on reading! xx

Andie

1. Name : Anand Koti
2. Age : 30
3. Country : India

4. Tell us a little bio. A bit about who you were until today.:

Anand Koti is a graduate in Industrial Psychology (H), PG in Industrial Relations and Personnel Management, PG in Hospital and Health Management (H) and has done his foundation course in Education with special needs children (Rehabilitation Council of India). He is a 2nd Dan Black Belt in Karate. He has an expertise in rehabilitation and vocational training. He is presently writing a couple of articles on mental health and a book on mental health and martial arts. He is based in India. You can get more information about my work, my experience and me as a person from below url's
http://www.takingitglobal.org/express/panorama/article.html?ContentID=7016 http://www.changemakers.net/node/2798 http://www.comminit.com/en/node/278924

5. Tell us about your project/organization

Founder of Colorss Foundation: The Foundation works towards the mainstream integration of the marginalized population through psychological, social and professional training and rehabilitation. Through the broad spectrum of its goal, the foundation handles various disability issues involving physical and mental handicap.

6. Do you have any dream/goal in life!?

Colorss is my dream and I wish to give the best to the humanity.

Day of the Death in MEXICO

2008-11-02T10:34:00.000-08:00

Halloween????
No..... Day of the Death in MEXICO.

I would like to share a bit about my culture in this special days. We are used to celebrate Halloween around the world, dress with funny and scary costumes, go to parties and ask for trick or treat on the streets. In Mexico, we have a shock of cultures when it comes with the Day of the Death, from our prehispanic culture, and Halloween, from the American Influence. I would like to tell you more about our national celebration, in order to keep it alive! xx

More than 500 years ago, when the Spanish Conquistadors landed in what is now Mexico, they encountered natives practicing a ritual that seemed to mock death.

It was a ritual the indigenous people had been practicing at least 3,000 years. A ritual the Spaniards would try unsuccessfully to eradicate.

Unlike the Spaniards, who viewed death as the end of life, the natives viewed it as the continuation of life. Instead of fearing death, they embraced it. To them, life was a dream and only in death did they become truly awake.

However, the Spaniards considered the ritual to be sacrilegious. They perceived the indigenous people to be barbaric and pagan. In their attempts to convert them to Catholicism, the Spaniards tried to kill the ritual. But like the old Aztec spirits, the ritual refused to die.

To make the ritual more Christian, the Spaniards moved it so it coincided with All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day (Nov. 1 and 2), which is when it is celebrated today.

In rural Mexico, people visit the cemetery where their loved ones are buried. They decorate gravesites with marigold flowers and candles. They bring toys for dead children and bottles of tequila to adults. They sit on picnic blankets next to gravesites and eat the favorite food of their loved ones.

In the United States and in Mexico's larger cities, families build altars in their homes, dedicating them to the dead. They surround these altars with flowers, food and pictures of the deceased. They light candles and place them next to the altar.

The altar includes four main elements of nature — earth, wind, water, and fire.

Earth is represented by crop: The Mexicans believe the souls are fed by the aroma of food.

Wind is represented by a moving object: Tissue paper is commonly used to represent wind.

Water is placed in a container for the soul to quench its thirst after the long journey to the altar.

Fire is represented by a wax candle: Each lit candle represents a soul, and an extra one is placed for the forgotten soul.

Information taken from:
Altar Information:
http://www.dayofthedead.com/TraditionAltars.html

Day of the Dead history:
http://www.azcentral.com/ent/dead/articles/dead-history.html

Picture taken from:
jornada.unam.mx
dayofthedead.com
hispanopolis.biz

Datos Curiosos sobre el Halloween...

2008-10-26T18:48:00.000-07:00

Datos Curiosos sobre el Halloween
Por Andrea Arzaba

Aquí tenemos algunos datos interesantes, y quizás inservibles, de lo que es ésta fiesta tan celebrada en todo el mundo: La noche de Halloween.

- Los antiguos celtas pensaban que los espíritus y los fantasmas rondaban entre los vivos la noche de Halloween. Ellos comenzaron a usar máscaras y disfraces para que los espíritus no los reconocieran como humanos.

- El Halloween es la segunda fiesta más comercial después de la Navidad.

- Halloween es el 31 de Octubre, el último día del calendario celta. Originalmente era una fiesta para honrar a la muerte.

- En Irlanda, los campesinos pedían comida a los ricos. La gente que no les daba nada, tendría una broma como recompensa así que para no ser victimas de las bromas se les daban galletas, fruta o dulces. Es de ahí de donde viene la tradición de “dulce o truco”.

- Las mujeres aceptan más fácilmente que creen en los fantasmas que los hombres.

- La próxima luna llena que caerá en Halloween será el 31 de Octubre del 2020.

- Uno de los personajes más filmados en la historia es Drácula.
- Se dice que las películas que dan más miedo de todos los tiempos son El Exorcista, El silencio de los inocentes y Psicosis.

- Los juicios de las brujas de Salem en 1692 son conocidos por quemar a las mujeres acusadas de “brujas”, aunque la mayoría murieron colgadas. Muchas otras murieron en las cárceles también.

Fuentes:
http://www.halloween-website.com/trivia.htm
http://www.rexanne.com/hwn-facts.html
http://www.doityourself.com/stry/halloweenfacts
http://www.butlerwebs.com/holidays/halloween.htm

Inspiring image.... /Imagen que inspira!

2008-10-24T07:38:00.000-07:00

I want to share this picture with you....I'd like to know what u think of it
xx

Me gustaría compartir esta foto con ustedes y saber que piensan sobre ella
xx

Poverty QUOTES

2008-10-15T05:04:00.000-07:00

Hello! I would like to share this quotes with you. I hope this will make you think more about the current issue we are living alla round the globe... Peace xx

You can't get rid of poverty by giving people money. ~P.J. O'Rourke, A Parliament of Whores

Poverty is like punishment for a crime you didn't commit. ~Eli Khamarov, Lives of the Cognoscenti

The prevalent fear of poverty among the educated classes is the worst moral disease from which our civilization suffers. ~William James

It would be nice if the poor were to get even half of the money that is spent in studying them. ~Bill Vaughan

Affluence creates poverty. ~Marshall McLuhan

The trouble with being poor is that it takes up all your time. ~Willem de Kooning

Poverty is the mother of crime. ~Marcus Aurelius

The poor are poor because the rich are rich. ~Author Unknown

Hunger makes a thief of any man. ~Pearl S. Buck

To a man with an empty stomach food is God. ~Gandhi

Almsgiving tends to perpetuate poverty; aid does away with it once and for all. ~Eva Perón

There are people in the world so hungry, that God cannot appear to them except in the form of bread. ~Mahatma Gandhi

You will find more here: http://www.quotegarden.com/poverty.html

Tanks in Palestine / Tanques en Palestina

2008-10-13T21:59:00.000-07:00

Tanks in Palestine/ Tanques en Palestina

(Español abajo)

"This picture comes from Palestine. Two kids walking in the street while the Israel tanks arrive in their home street, which is not the fit place for it.

So we are as Palestine Youth Committee guiding peace movement against any violent actions include the Israel occupation for Palestine lands. in the same time this pic talks about human rights and children rights without use bloody way in showing suffering of Palestinian people and children.

What do you think if this pic without tanks?

It means we need our freedom and we are seeking for our children's rights and protection.

Our group http://groups.takingitglobal.org/youthh?langrand=269589518."

Jahjooh Belal .

Esta imagen viene de Palestina. Dos niños caminando por las calles cuando los tanques israelíes en la calle cercana a su casa, lo cual no es un lugar adecuado para ello obviamente.

Entonces aquí tenemos el grupo del PALESTINE YOUTH COMITTEE guiando un movimiento de paz contra las acciones violentas incluyendo la ocupación israelí en tierras palestinas. Al mismo tiempo esta foto habla de Derechos Humanos y de Derechos de los niños sin tener que ser sangriento.

¿Que pensarias de la foto sin tanques?

Significa que necesitamos nuestra libertad y estamos buscando por la protección de nuestros derechos y el de los niños.

Nuestro grupo

http://groups.takingitglobal.org/youthh?langrand=269589518."

Jahjooh Belal .

ACTUA contra el CALENTAMIENTO GLOBAL

2008-10-08T10:06:00.000-07:00

Cada habitante del planeta tiene su propio efecto sobre el problema del CG (calentamiento global) y tu puedes hacer la diferencia.

Reduce el impacto en casa:

La mayoría de las emisiones de los hogares son de combustibles quemados para generar energía y calor así que…

- Cambia una luz. Cambiar un foco normal por uno ahorrador o también llamado flouresente compacto dejaras de crear 68 kilogramos de DC (dióxido de carbono) al año.

- Recicla más. Puedes dejar de producir 1.2 toneladas de DC al años si reciclas la mitad de la basura de tu casa

- Verifica tus llantas. Mantener las llantas infladas en su nivel correcto puede mejorar el consumo de gasolina y por cada litro que ahorres de gasolina dejas de emitir 2.40 kilogramos de DC así que también procura caminar mas.

- Usa menos agua caliente. Se consume mucha energía para calentar el agua así que puedes usar menos si disminuyes el chorro de agua durante la ducha y así dejaras de producir alrededor de 160kg de CO2 por año.

- No uses productos con mucho empaque. Puedes dejar de producir 550kg de DC si disminuyes tu basura en un 10%.

- Ajusta el termostato. Bajar el termostato 1 o 2 grados en invierno y subirlo 1 o 2 grados en verano. Con ese simple ajuste se pueden dejar de crear 900kg de DC.

- Planta un árbol. Uno solo puede absorber una tonelada de DC durante su vida.

- Desconecta los aparatos eléctricos. Desconecta los aparatos que no estés utilizando como el DVD, la secadora o hasta el cargador de tu celular ya que aunque el aparato este apagado sigue consumiendo energía y así dejaras de producir miles de Kg. de DC al año

- Compra productos de papel reciclado. Ya que se utiliza menos de 70% al 90% de energía para fabricar papel reciclado y previene la perdida de los bosques.

- FOMENTA EN TU ESCUELA O EMPRESA LA REDUCCION DE EMISIONES. Puedes extender tu influencia positiva sobre CG mas allá de tu casa persuadiendo la manera activa a otros a tomar acción

- Haz que tu voz sea escuchada. Practica, impulsa, fomenta, pide, exige y sobre todo realiza acciones encaminadas al cuidado del ambiente. Escribe, habla, publica y vota sobre asuntos relacionados con el calentamiento global.

www.stopglobalwarming.org

UNICEF México

2008-10-06T10:25:00.001-07:00

Un pequeño video...creando conciencia de la niñez en México

Tlatelolco killings anniversary...

2008-10-04T21:52:00.000-07:00

40th Anniversary of Tlatelolco massacre:
Amnesty International calls for justice

02 October 2008

Forty years after one of the worst incidents of mass killing in Mexico's history, the Mexican government still hasn't given answers to questions surrounding the massacre that took place in Mexico City, said Amnesty International.

Estimates vary on how many were killed when the Mexican army opened fire on students peacefully demonstrating in Tlatelolco on 2 October 1968.

The massacre began at about 6 pm, when police, military and unidentified armed men surrounded the square and opened fire from armoured cars and tanks, using heavy weapons. They fired on students gathered in the square and on surrounding residential buildings. 44 bodies were eventually released by the government - ten have still not been identified.

'Forty years on from the Tlatelolco massacre, so many disturbing questions remain unanswered,' said Javier Zúñiga, now a special advisor at Amnesty International who witnessed the arrival of government troops from a nearby bridge overlooking the square.
'Who ordered the massacre? For how long had it been planned? How many were killed? Who are those whose bodies still have not been identified?'
Zúñiga continued:

'It was getting dark at the time the gunfire started, so it was difficult to see exactly what was happening. But I remember, as clearly now as at the time, that the army moved into the square before the gunfire started and not as a consequence of it, as many government sources have maintained. People panicked and started running in different directions crying 'the army is coming, the army is coming!' Before long, it seemed as if the square was full with bodies.

'I went back early the following morning and saw piles of belts and shoes. Pools of blood remained on the ground despite obvious efforts to wash them away. I also saw large bullet holes on concrete pillars at adult head height.'
Despite continuous efforts by victims, relatives and participants in the student movement to establish the truth of what occurred that night, the full facts have never been established and those responsible have not been held to account.

The failure of the Mexican government to establish the truth of what happened on the night of 2 October 1968 has left a deep scar in Mexican society that can only be healed by full disclosure, bringing the perpetrators to justice, and providing reparations to the victims or their families.'
Amnesty International 's Deputy Americas Programme Director Kerrie Howard said:
"President Calderón's government has been all but silent on this dark chapter in Mexico's history. We challenge this administration to open all relevant archives and records, establish a new and independent inquiry, and lift the obstacles preventing those responsible for this horrific crime being brought to justice.'

Source: http://www.amnesty.org.uk/news_details.asp?NewsID=17893

Las irrealidades de la realidad....

2008-09-26T06:28:00.000-07:00

"LA REALIDAD ESTA HECHA DE IRREALIDADES".

Ésta es una frase que escuche alguna vez, en alguna clase de mi tercer semestre en Comunicación. Recuerdo que no estaba prestando mucha atención ese día al profesor, pensando en lo que haría después de la clase o en lo que pasaría el fin de semana, sin embargo, al escuchar estas palabras mi mente regreso al salón de clases de inmediato.

Creo que cada persona hace su realidad. Cada ser tiene la capacidad de influir en lo que sucede a su alrededor, por lo tanto, al querer realizar alguna acción o al idealizar y creer en algo, esta "irrealidad" hecha en nuestra mente se puede volver material. Simplemente hay que creer en ello. Es muy interesante analizar como aquello que es real, tangible, vivido, es simplemente la evolución de una idea o producto de nuestra imaginación. ¡Cualquier cosa! Todo lo que vemos a nuestro alrededor estuvo en la mente de alguien, alguna vez, apareciendo como una chispita de luz en su ser. Cualquiera de nosotros puede crear simplemente con la mente.

Solo hay que creer....y recordar esa famosa frase "Cuidado con lo que deseas, porque se puede hacer realidad".

Andrea Arzaba

Bus ride in Cuba!

2008-09-18T07:17:00.001-07:00

3rd Prize, Magazine Feature Picture, Pictures of the Year International. Cubans stand inside a bus in Havana.

REUTERS/ Carlos Barria

Ramadán (english and spanish)

2008-09-14T10:54:00.000-07:00

September, a month of celebration in the Middle East

More than 300 million muslim in the whole world started in the beginning of this month the sacred celebration of Ramadan, when they avoid eating, drinking, smoking and sexual relations from the dawn until the sun rises.

Fasting is the most common practice between muslim people, because this is the way they dedicate their devotion, even if they have to leave their normal activities and go to the mosques, where they keep on praying and reading the Koran. This practice is well know related to love one's neighbour, because people share their food with low income people, sharing and dedicating their actions to Alá. Ramadán is over on the beginning of October with a 3 days long ccelebration called 'Id-al-Fitr', where muslim exchange gifts and spend time with their family and friends.

So now we know....not only in Mexico we have a big celebration in September!

Septiembre, también una celebración en el Medio Oriente.

Más de mil trescientos millones de musulmanes de todo el mundo iniciaron a principios de éste mes de Septiembre la sagrada celebración del Ramadán, en la que se abstienen de comer, beber, fumar y tener relaciones sexuales desde el amanecer hasta la puesta del sol.

El ayuno es la practica más común entre todos los musulmanes, ya que de esta manera se dedican por completo a la devoción, con lo que deben dejar de lado todas su actividades cotidianas y asistir a las mezquitas, donde permanecerán en oración continúa y leyendo el Corán, libro sagrado musulmán. Ésta práctica esta muy ligada con el servicio al prójimo, ya que se debe de dar de comer a la gente de bajos recursos, compartiendo los alimentos y ayudando es una forma de alabar a Alá. El Ramadán termina el primer día del décimo mes con la celebración de una fiesta de tres días llamada 'Id-al-Fitr', en la que los musulmanes se intercambian regalos y se reúnen con sus seres queridos.

Así que ya sabemos, no solo en México el mes de Septiembre es para celebrarse.

Fuente:

http://www.cronica.com.mx/

UN against sexual abuse / La ONU contra el abuso sexual

2008-09-08T18:47:00.000-07:00

UN against sexual abuse

Spanish Version after this one.

UN Security Council demanded sexual violence end, as a war strategy saying that it is a very common situation in conflict countries. Sexual Violence, as a war weapon, is being used in different countries and that is why UN’s Seurity Council decided to stop this tendency last thursday. “In some conflicts being a woman is more dangerous than being a soldier”. One of the most important issues is that this type of violence has not only been commited by soldiers from the other side of the war, but also by members from peace missions. One example is Congo. In this country, Turing the most recent conflicto, more than 32000 cases of violence and other sexual violence were registered in the Kivu, a southern parto of this country.
Some UN soldiers where acused and they were liberated without any punishment. “When the member States have qualified women we can demonstrate the central role of women in the reconstruction of devastated countries in war”.

La ONU contra el abuso sexual

El Consejo de Seguridad de Naciones Unidas exigió el fin de la violencia sexual como una táctica de guerra al afirmar que es una situación bastante común en los países en conflicto.La violencia sexual, como arma de guerra, está siendo utilizada con una impunidad casi universal y por eso el Consejo de Seguridad de la ONU se comprometió este jueves a ponerle un alto a esta tendencia.
"En algunos conflictos ser mujer es más peligroso que ser soldado".
Una de las graves preocupaciones es que la violencia no sólo ha sido cometida por los bandos en guerra, sino también por miembros de las misiones de paz. Un ejemplo es la República Democrática del Congo.En este país, durante el conflicto más reciente, más de 32.000 casos de violación y otras formas de violencia sexual fueron registrados en la provincia sureña de Kivu.
Algunos soldados de la misión de la ONU -basados ahí- fueron acusados de abusos sexuales, para ser liberados después sin castigo. "Cuando los estados miembros nos proporcionan personal femenino calificado podemos demostrar el papel central de la mujer en la reconstrucción de países devastados por la guerra".

Fuente:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/spanish/international/newsid_7464000/7464854.stm Consultada el 08/septiembre/2008.

UN World Youth Walk 2008 in Quebec, Canada!

2008-08-25T13:25:00.000-07:00

WORLD YOUTH WALK

(12 / August/ 2008, UN World Youth Day)

A MULTICULTURAL MOMENT! All together for one cause...
And we left at 6pm... everybody was looking forward for this day, when we were going to be able to celebrate the United Nations International Day of Youth! We walked from Laval Université to Downtown Quebec, around a two hour walk. Young people from all around the world came together, singing songs in different languages, shouting and showing their national flags, proudly showing and carrying different banners with peaceful and meaningful messages to the world, specially youth.

"Peace" ,"Unity", "We want love not war", "Stand up for your rights", and a hundred of other messages where shown during this event.

I believe that this moment was very important because we had the chance to express ourselves, to say what we wanted to say and to show the world that we are there, that we are young people trying to make a difference in our world!

There were some people waving at us from their balconies when we were on our way, people saying hello and even joining us. This was very important because this shows that we are not alone!

Thanks to every single person that participated in this event, as well as the congress. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
xx

A MULTICULTURAL MOMENT. Todos juntos por una causa...

Y decidimos partir a las 6pm... todos estabamos esperando ansiosos por este momento, en donde celebrariamos el DÍA INTERNACIONAL DE LA JUVENTUD de las NACIONES UNIDAS. Caminamos desde la Universidad Laval hasta el centro de la ciudad de Quebec, siendo alrededor de 2 horas de caminata, o un poco más. Jóvenes de todas partes del mundo juntos cantando canciones en diferentes idiomas, gritando y mostrando las diversas banderas de sus naciones, con carteles que tenian mensajes de :

"Paz", "Unidad", "Si al amor, no a la guerra", "Levantate por tus derechos" y cientos de diferentes mensajes fueron mostrados en este evento.

Creo que este evento fue muy importante ya que tuvimos la oportunidad de expresarnos, decir lo que queriamos decir y enseñarle al mundo que estamos aquí, que somos gente jóven tratando de hacer una diferencia en el mundo!!!

Habia gente que desde los balcones de sus casas nos decian hola, y algunos hasta se unian a la marcha. Esto es muy importante ya que muestra que no estamos solos y que la gente nos escucha.

Gracias a toda la gente que participó en el evento, así como en el congreso. Fue una experiencia única!

xx

Andrea Arzaba

World Youth Congress 2008: Meet The Peace Child Team

2008-08-15T19:50:00.001-07:00

World Youth Congress The Beginning!

2008-08-15T19:49:00.001-07:00

3 days b4 the congress..... a 3 días del congreso....

2008-08-07T15:09:00.000-07:00

UUUFF!!!! Is only the first week of university and I am already leaving for 2 weeks! As you might now by now, I will be a mexican delegate for the WORLD YOUTH CONGRESS 2008 in Quebec, Canada. To be honest, I Can't believe it yet!!! I feel like everything is going so quickly because I remember when I was just applying for it...and then when I knew I was accepted....it seemed to be so far away....and now is less than 72 hrs away!!! I feel very excited and lucky to be a part of this awesome congress. I know I'll meet a lot of interesting people as well as learn from different problematics that we'll be shown in the convention. I will be giving a workshop 2 about indigenous situation in my country, Mexico.

=) I know it will be a great experience!! And I hope this is the first of many more to come!
xx

AHHHHH! Es la primera semana de universidad y ya me estoy yendo las próximas dos. Fui elegida como una delegada mexicana para el CONGRESO MUNDIAL DE JÓVENES 2008 en Quebec, Canadá. Para ser sincera....aún no puedo creerlo!! Siento que todo esta pasando tan rápido porque me acuerdo perfectamente del momento cuando aplique y después que supe que fui aceptada...se veía tan lejano....y ahora en menos de 72 horasestaré ahí! Me siento muy felíz y afortunada de ser parte de este maravilloso proyecto. Sé que conoceré a mucha gente interesante al igual que aprenderé de diferentes problemáticas que serán enseñadas en la convención. También daré un workshop (taller) sobre la situación indígena en mi país, México.

Será una gran experiencia. Espero que sea la primera de muchas por venir!!
xx

Olympic HaiR!! / PeinadO OlimpicO!!

2008-08-05T19:49:00.000-07:00

A woman styles the hair of a performer with Olympic rings during a ceremony in the Olympic Village ahead of the Beijing 2008 Games August 5, 2008. / Una mujer estiliza el cabello de una performer con los anillos olímpicos en durante una ceremonia en la Villa Olímpica antes de los juegos en Beijing 2008. % de Agosto del 2008.

REUTERS/Hannibal Hanschke

Atomic Bombs Everywhere!!! / Bombas atómicas en todos lados...

2008-08-05T14:36:00.000-07:00

(En Español) Ban Ki-moon, el secretario general de las Naciones Unidas, indicó a pocos días de cumplirse el 63 aniversario del bombardeo de Hiroshima y 40 años del Tratado de Tlatelolco se estima que actualmente hay un inventario de 26 mil armas nucleares en todo el mundo. “La mayoría de la población mundial aún vive en países que poseen bombas atómicas”.

Advirtió también que si los recursos que se destinan al armamentismo se canalizaran al desarrollo económico y social, se podrían lograr avances significativos en las Metas del Milenio ( y bien LO SABEMOS!)

Perla Carvalho Soto( La secretaria de OPANAL) afirmó que a 41 años de existencia del Tratado de Tlatelolco éste sigue siendo un “ejemplo de éxito, ya que garantiza la ausencia total de armas nucleares en la región mexicana, refuerza la seguridad de cada uno de sus miembros y evita de esta manera las posibilidades de un conflicto con el uso de estas armas”.

(in English) Ban Ki-moon, the general secretary of the UN, indicated that soon will be the 63 anniversary of Hiroshima's incident and soon the Tratado de Tlatelolco will be 40 years old. In this days there is an inventory of 26 thousand nuclear weapons all around the world. "Most of the worlds population still live in countries with atomic weapons".

He also said that if this money was used in achieving the Millenium Goals, a lot of things would be done already! Perla Carvalho Soto(OPANAL secretary) afirmed that El Tratado de Tlatelolco is an "example of success because it assures that there is a total absense of nuclear weapons in Mexico and it avoids conflicts with the use of this type of weapons".

Fuente: La Jornada

Violencia contra las mujeres(A I).... Violence against women (A I)

2008-08-02T09:32:00.000-07:00

La justicia en México no toma en serio la seguridad de mujeres que sufren violencia

Una de cada cuatro mujeres ha sufrido agresiones por parte de su pareja en nuestro país...

Los sistemas de procuración e impartición de justicia en México, “a menudo no toman en serio” la seguridad de las mujeres y por ello las que sobreviven “a la violencia en sus hogares corren peligro de sufrir nuevos abusos”; además, de acuerdo con “un estudio realizado a nivel nacional en 2006, una de cada cuatro mujeres afirmó haber sufrido agresiones físicas o sexuales a manos de su pareja”, reveló la organización Amnistía Internacional (AI).

Liliana Quintanilla, de la comisión Independiente de Derechos Humanos de Morelos, Alberto Herrero de AI, y María de la Luz Estrada Mendoza, integrante del Observatorio Nacional del Feminicidio, presentaron el estudio La lucha de las mujeres por la seguridad y la justicia: violencia familiar en México, en el cual se afirma que “algunos estados y también el Distrito Federal se han mostrado más activos que otros a la hora de mejorar las medidas de prevención y castigo de la violencia contra las mujeres y combatir la discriminación.

“Sin embargo, AI ha constatado que muchas mujeres que han sido víctimas de violencia en México siguen encontrando graves impedimentos para acceder a la seguridad y la justicia.

“Un factor importante que disuade a las mujeres a la hora de denunciar los abusos de los que son víctimas, es la respuesta por parte de las autoridades locales, entre ellas la policía y el Ministerio Público. Varias contaron a AI que los funcionarios no habían querido aceptar la denuncia al considerar que se trataba de un asunto familiar privado, al dar por sentado que ellas retiran la denuncia más tarde o porque en su opinión la violencia no era suficientemente grave para merecer atención”.

Entre las recomendaciones hechas por la organización defensora de los derechos humanos se encuentran: condenar la violencia contra las mujeres en el ámbito familiar; aumentar el conocimiento público sobre los abusos; utilizar el sistema educativo para cuestionar los prejuicios; abolir la legislación que tolera la discriminación; asegurar que la violencia contra ese sector se trate como delito; investigar las denuncias de violencia en el ámbito familiar y procesar a los responsables, y eliminar los obstáculos que impiden los procesamientos por actos de agresiones contra las mujeres en el ámbito familiar.

Fuente: Amnistia Internacional y La jornada
http://www.jornada.unam.mx/2008/08/02/index.php?section=sociedad&article=038n1soc

Amnesty International Report Says Mexican Authorities are Failing to Protect Women on Domestic Violence

(New York) -- Thousands of Mexican women who survive violence in their homes are being put at risk of further abuse by the country's justice system, which often fails to take their safety seriously, Amnesty International said in a new report today.

Amnesty International's report explores the obstacles Mexican women face when trying to report cases of domestic violence, including being rebuffed by officials when they make complaints. The report also cited deficient investigations and poor enforcement of protective measures. The report is being published 18 months after Mexico passed a law to counter violence against women.

"Over a year ago, Mexico took the positive step of passing a new law to protect women from violence, but a law will not prevent women from being beaten, raped and abused unless it’s implemented rigorously at the federal and state level," said Kerrie Howard, deputy director for the Americas Program at Amnesty International.

Domestic violence is endemic in Mexico, as it is in many other countries. A national survey conducted in 2006 showed one in four women in Mexico have suffered abuse at the hands of their partner and 82 per cent of women decided not to report it.

Women who find the courage to report the abuse are often treated with indifference and have to prove they are subject to violence. In many cases officials even ask them to deliver summons to their aggressor, according to the Amnesty International report, "Women's Struggle for Safety and Justice: Violence in the Family in Mexico."

In February 2007, Mexico enacted a law to help protect women and prevent violence, but the law is not properly funded or enforced.

Amnesty International is calling on Mexico's federal and state authorities to:
Make a public commitment to implement the 2007 legislation to protect women from violence and invest the necessary funds to put it into practice.
Investigate and publish findings on why reporting, prosecution and conviction rates for violence against women remain so low and take specific measures to tackle obstacles identified by these investigations.

The report, "Women's Struggle for Safety and Justice: Violence in the Family in Mexico," is available at:
http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/AMR41/022/2008/en/c0396f13-5191-11dd-ad62-d31ddb019522/amr410222008eng.pdf

2008-08-01T18:38:00.000-07:00

COMING SOON........

MUY PRONTO....

NeW BLOG / Un NueVO BlOg

2008-08-01T18:10:00.000-07:00

AboUt ThiS BLOG...

Better than a thousand hollow words is one word that brings peace.
-- Buddha (560-483 B.C.)

Why starting a new blog??

- I wanted to write about the global issues that are happening for becoming a better world!!!

- Being a mexican delegate for the next WORLD YOUTH CONGRESS 2008 in Quebec was one of the most important inspirations to start writing because I wanted to show WHAT IS CURRENTLY HAPPENING WITH YOUTTH and ACTION WORLDWIDE!!!

- I want to share my experiences, and show a bit about my country to the world!

So enjoy this blog! I'd love to get feedback from all of u!!!
PEACE!
xx

Andie Arzaba

NUEVO BLOG!!!!!

Estoy comenzando a escribir en un nuevo blog porque....

- Quiero escribir sobre las acciones globales que estan pasando en estos momentos para ser un mundo mejor!!!

- Como delegada mexicana para el Congreso Mundial de Jóvenes en Quebec fue una de las inspiraciones más importantes para comenzar a escribir. Quiero mostrar lo QUE OCURRE AHORA CON LOS JÓVENES Y SUS ACCIONES EN EL MUNDO!!

- Quiero compartir experiencias y mostrar mi país al mundo!

Porfavor disfruten este blog!!! Me gustaría obtener feedback y comentarios!
Gracias!!!
xx

Andie Arzaba