Why I Chose the Gun, Peter van Uhm
“When I look around, I see people who want to make a contribution, I see people who want to make a better world, by doing ground-breaking scientific work, by creating impressive works of art, by writing critical articles or inspiring books, by starting up sustainable businesses. All of you have chosen your own instruments to fulfil this mission of creating a better world….I chose this instrument. I chose the gun.” – Peter van Uhm
The idea of guns being used as a tool for peace is counter-intuitive. In his talk, Uhm explains how weapons can be used not as a source of violence, but as a protective measure against injustice. It is a talk that is full of controversial ideas, and worth listening to and thinking about. In a world where it is overly idealistic to imagine that it is possible to develop a blanket ability to avoid all conflict, Uhm’s outlook is one that does not immediately sit well with our gut, but it all the more important to listen to because of it.
Fighting with Non-Violence, Scilla Elworthy
“The training of troops has to change. And I think there are signs that it is beginning to change. The British military have always been much better at this. But there is one magnificent example for them to take their cue from, and that’s a brilliant U.S. lieutenant colonel called Chris Hughes. And he was leading his men down the streets of Najaf — in Iraq actually — and suddenly people were pouring out of the houses on either side of the road,screaming, yelling, furiously angry, and surrounded these very young troops who were completely terrified, didn’t know what was going on, couldn’t speak Arabic. And Chris Hughes strode into the middle of the throng with his weapon above his head, pointing at the ground, and he said, “Kneel.” And these huge soldiers with their backpacks and their body armor, wobbled to the ground. And complete silence fell. And after about two minutes,everybody moved aside and went home.” – Scilla Elworthy
Elworthy’s talk stands in stark contrast to Uhm’s. Speaking through her personal experience, and the histories of famous non-violent leaders like Mandela and Suu Kyi, Elworthy explores the alternative to military power. Elworthy has no illusions about the difficulty of non-violent reactions; it goes against our instincts and she speaks about the necessity of developing our ability to understand before we react. A relatively short but powerful talk, Elworthy manages to show us how hard and how important it is to rethink how we fight our battles.
Ending Hunger Now, Josette Sheeran
“I believe we’re living at a time in human historywhere it’s just simply unacceptable that children wake up and don’t know where to find a cup of food. Not only that, transforming hunger is an opportunity, but I think we have to change our mindsets. I am so honored to be here with some of the world’s top innovators and thinkers. And I would like you to join with all of humanity to draw a line in the sand and say, “No more. No more are we going to accept this.” And we want to tell our grandchildrenthat there was a terrible time in history where up to a third of the children had brains and bodies that were stunted, but that exists no more.” – Josette Sheeran
Often, people think of the world’s greatest crises as enormous, separate challenges. World peace as separate from world hunger, poverty and women’s rights and education all distinct entities with unique challenges. The truth is they are all connected, feeding into each other. The presence of one almost inevitably creates breeding grounds for the others. Sheeran, head of the UN World Food Programme, walks us through the practicalities of ending hunger, and the potential ramifications of doing so. Though it sounds like a huge project, Sheeran uses real-life examples to show how innovative thinking and concerted effort can lead to real, large-scale change. Sheeran’s passion and pragmatism make ending hunger seem infinitely achievable.
Why To Believe in Others, Viktor Frankl
“If you don’t recognise a young man’s will to meaning, man’s search for meaning you make him worse. You make him dull, you make him frustrated, you still add and contribute to his frustration. While, if you presuppose in this man, in this so called criminal or juvenile delinquent or drug abuser, or so forth, there must be a – what do you call it – a spark, a spark of search for meaning. Let’s recognize this…let’s presuppose it and then you will elicit it from him and you will make him become what he in principle is capable of becoming.” – Viktor Frankl
Better spoken than summarized, holocaust survivor and psychologist Viktor Frankl explains, in four humorous and poignant minutes, why to believe in others.
– Farahnaz Mohammed
5 Statistics About Child Poverty
Though poverty is measured according to dimensions that include mortality, morbidity, hunger, sickness, illiteracy, homelessness and powerlessness, these measures do not fully encompass the conditions of children living in poverty. Rarely differentiated from poverty in general, child poverty affects individuals at the most crucial stage of their lives, hindering not only their physical development but also their emotional development. Listed below are five statistics about child poverty.
– Katie Bandera
Sources: UNICEF DoSomething.org Global Issues
Photo: Flickr
Top 5 Global Development Indicators
There are many global development indicators that are worth mentioning, however the five apex indicators are discussed below.
Top 5 Global Development Indicators
– Thomas van der List
Sources: FAO, The Economist, World Bank
Photo: The Guardian
Top 5 Martin Luther King, Jr. Quotes
On April 4, 1968, the world lost one of the greatest advocates for social change in history. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., as the face of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference–one of the most influential civil rights organizations of the era, ushered in a new age of race relations in America. His pacifist demonstrations against racial segregation–from the Montgomery Bus Boycott to his famous March to Selma–caught the attention of journalists, the public and elected officials alike. By demonstrating compassion for all, regardless of color, Dr. King was able to stir the heart of the American people–thereby forming a successful biracial coalition behind the enactment of groundbreaking civil rights legislation that permanently changed millions of lives.
Just as Dr. King’s story continues to inspire progressive social change through political advocacy, grassroots organization and mobilization of the masses today, his words remain relevant to the current sociopolitical context. Although he dedicated his life to addressing domestic injustices, Dr. King was keenly aware of the importance of individual responsibility and collective conscience in an increasingly interconnected world. –His top five offerings of wisdom below:
– Melrose Huang
Sources: The Huffington Post Nobel Prize Goodreads The King Center
Photo: Russell Moore
Read Humanitarian Quotes.
What are CDA’s Collaborative Learning Projects?
Without getting too technical, collaborative learning is essentially a highly applicable, catchall term for just about anything involving group efforts seeking a shared solution. The inclusive nature of it fosters greater understanding of the issues at hand, inviting different ideas and problem solving methods. There are no concrete answers to problems, only a continual coming together for improvement.
We see collaborative learning in pockets in the developing world, sometimes fostered by nonprofit groups. The goals of alleviating global poverty, having accessible and quality education for all, and possessing the right tools and technology to actualize that progress are all shared by many groups including those in the nonprofit sector. However, it can be said that of these well meaning groups not everyone is exactly on the same page. This is where the CDA Collaborative Learning Projects group steps in to amplify the effectiveness of active nonprofits and aid groups. Think of them as NPO consultants.
By pouring over the experiences, findings, and work of a collection of organizations with shared goals and functions, CDA can pinpoint what could’ve been done better. Based in Cambridge, MA, a small staff of highly trained professionals from government ranks, humanitarian groups, development organizations, and the private sector form these highly poignant assessments. They’re funded by world governments and international agencies and championed for their pragmatic approaches to obstinate issues like global poverty alleviation. CDA is most known for their “Do Not Harm” (DNH) conflict assessment approach, which helps actors in the field gauge how their effort affect societal conflicts where they work. The goal of DNH is to ensure peace and as little sociocultural kerfuffle as possible.
The innovative approach CDA employs is rooted in fieldwork and not theory, combining the experiences of many aid organizations into a broad knowledge base. The experience is obtained in the field by workers who author case studies which are later analyzed. When a given amount of case studies are explored, CDA calls on aid groups for workshops where findings are shared and feedback is encouraged. Tools like handbooks are developed to help in the field next time.
In January 2013, a report from IRIN News indicated that busy aid workers make time to speak with and most importantly listen to their beneficiaries. One worker interviewed in Lebanon said that it took three weeks of listening to get an honest perspective from the community. Responses like this from 6,000 aid workers operating in 20 nations were pooled and released in a CDA account entitled “Time to Listen.” Results indicated that while their assistance was noted and appreciated by their respective communities, it wasn’t as potentially effective as it could be. For instance, the arrival of supplies is a valued, momentous event for communities. However, the manner in which it’s delivered is what dispirited them; it became very impersonal and fostered feelings of dependency from the community rather than cooperation with benefactors. Aid was just dispensed with no thought to ask what the beneficiaries wanted.
If communities were part of the process, CDA posited that aid would’ve been streamlined, transparent, and correctly targeted. Collaboration also would’ve allowed for future planning once projects concluded, eliminating feelings of desertion. Many communities asked for less and wanted to eradicate notions of dependency. Another issue is the misappropriation of funds. With donors, there exists an idea that funding must be focused which earmarks money only for certain things. Once the money makes it to the community, it can’t be applied to local priorities due to predetermined conditions. “Time To Listen” calls for just that so that the proper aid is doled out, money is saved and spent correctly, and most importantly key emotional connections are made and partnerships between benefactor and beneficiary strengthened. People don’t want money thrown at them, they want to play an equal part in the solution to poverty.
– David Smith
Sources: Oregon State, CDA, Time to Listen
Photo: Calvin
What Malala Means to Women Worldwide
In a piece on the Huffington Post website on July 8, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon highlighted the young Pakistani girl Malala Yousafzai as an example of the empowering effect of education.
Malala entered the public domain in 2009 when she was in a BBC documentary about life under the Taliban. Three years later, in October 2012, she was shot in the head by a member of the Taliban who boarded her school bus because of her fight for girls’ education. The story gained international recognition. Since then Malala has been named one of TIME magazine’s most influential people of 2013, and has continued to advocate for girls’ education. On July 12, Malala was joined by hundreds of students from more than 80 countries in a unique Youth Assembly where they demanded quality education for children across the globe.
Ban Ki-Moon contended that violent actions against Malala, her teachers, and her fellow students prove how frightened extremists are of empowering women. For every year of schooling she attends, a girl’s future earnings increase by 20%. Ban asserts that Malala and her colleagues are teaching the world the lesson that “education is the pathway to saving lives, building peace, and empowering young people.”
With this in mind the Secretary-General enacted the “Global Education First” Initiative, a program with the goal of getting all children in schools with an improved quality of education that prepares them to grow up to be global citizens. The 57 million children out of primary school deserve a proper education because education is a fundamental human right.
July 12 marks the United Nations’ Malala Day, where Malala addressed over 500 youth at the UN and celebrated her birthday. The Secretary-General recognized in his article for the Huffington Post the importance of the courageous actions of students like Malala, and how the education which they advocate for is crucial for development and growth in the global system.
– Martin Drake
Source: Huffington Post, BBC
Photo: Mid Day
5 Poverty Statistics on Sub-Saharan Africa
Leading Facts on Poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa
– Josh Forgét
Sources: The World Bank, The New Times, Farmers Weekly, The National, Rural Poverty Portal, World Concern
Photo: City Data
4 TED Talks on Peace
Why I Chose the Gun, Peter van Uhm
“When I look around, I see people who want to make a contribution, I see people who want to make a better world, by doing ground-breaking scientific work, by creating impressive works of art, by writing critical articles or inspiring books, by starting up sustainable businesses. All of you have chosen your own instruments to fulfil this mission of creating a better world….I chose this instrument. I chose the gun.” – Peter van Uhm
The idea of guns being used as a tool for peace is counter-intuitive. In his talk, Uhm explains how weapons can be used not as a source of violence, but as a protective measure against injustice. It is a talk that is full of controversial ideas, and worth listening to and thinking about. In a world where it is overly idealistic to imagine that it is possible to develop a blanket ability to avoid all conflict, Uhm’s outlook is one that does not immediately sit well with our gut, but it all the more important to listen to because of it.
Fighting with Non-Violence, Scilla Elworthy
“The training of troops has to change. And I think there are signs that it is beginning to change. The British military have always been much better at this. But there is one magnificent example for them to take their cue from, and that’s a brilliant U.S. lieutenant colonel called Chris Hughes. And he was leading his men down the streets of Najaf — in Iraq actually — and suddenly people were pouring out of the houses on either side of the road,screaming, yelling, furiously angry, and surrounded these very young troops who were completely terrified, didn’t know what was going on, couldn’t speak Arabic. And Chris Hughes strode into the middle of the throng with his weapon above his head, pointing at the ground, and he said, “Kneel.” And these huge soldiers with their backpacks and their body armor, wobbled to the ground. And complete silence fell. And after about two minutes,everybody moved aside and went home.” – Scilla Elworthy
Elworthy’s talk stands in stark contrast to Uhm’s. Speaking through her personal experience, and the histories of famous non-violent leaders like Mandela and Suu Kyi, Elworthy explores the alternative to military power. Elworthy has no illusions about the difficulty of non-violent reactions; it goes against our instincts and she speaks about the necessity of developing our ability to understand before we react. A relatively short but powerful talk, Elworthy manages to show us how hard and how important it is to rethink how we fight our battles.
Ending Hunger Now, Josette Sheeran
“I believe we’re living at a time in human historywhere it’s just simply unacceptable that children wake up and don’t know where to find a cup of food. Not only that, transforming hunger is an opportunity, but I think we have to change our mindsets. I am so honored to be here with some of the world’s top innovators and thinkers. And I would like you to join with all of humanity to draw a line in the sand and say, “No more. No more are we going to accept this.” And we want to tell our grandchildrenthat there was a terrible time in history where up to a third of the children had brains and bodies that were stunted, but that exists no more.” – Josette Sheeran
Often, people think of the world’s greatest crises as enormous, separate challenges. World peace as separate from world hunger, poverty and women’s rights and education all distinct entities with unique challenges. The truth is they are all connected, feeding into each other. The presence of one almost inevitably creates breeding grounds for the others. Sheeran, head of the UN World Food Programme, walks us through the practicalities of ending hunger, and the potential ramifications of doing so. Though it sounds like a huge project, Sheeran uses real-life examples to show how innovative thinking and concerted effort can lead to real, large-scale change. Sheeran’s passion and pragmatism make ending hunger seem infinitely achievable.
Why To Believe in Others, Viktor Frankl
“If you don’t recognise a young man’s will to meaning, man’s search for meaning you make him worse. You make him dull, you make him frustrated, you still add and contribute to his frustration. While, if you presuppose in this man, in this so called criminal or juvenile delinquent or drug abuser, or so forth, there must be a – what do you call it – a spark, a spark of search for meaning. Let’s recognize this…let’s presuppose it and then you will elicit it from him and you will make him become what he in principle is capable of becoming.” – Viktor Frankl
Better spoken than summarized, holocaust survivor and psychologist Viktor Frankl explains, in four humorous and poignant minutes, why to believe in others.
– Farahnaz Mohammed
Will Africa be Middle-Class by 2040?
The issue of Africa’s emerging economy has been a staple of global news for the past few years. Many realize now that political stability is starting to become common throughout many African nations, and economic stability is following suit. The recent case of Somalia is a good example. Somalia has had its first fair election since the start of its civil war and even established a new constitution. And now they are enjoying the benefits of an improving economy, particularly in the capital city of Mogadishu.
Carlos Lopes, the UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), is one of the experts who is extremely optimistic about Africa’s economic future. He explains that African economies are gradually shifting from a reliance on the agricultural sector to a reliance on the industrial sector. He claims that the economic conditions are in place for most African countries to be middle income level by the year 2040.
Lopes argues that in the coming years, African nations should not have to rely as much on the export of soft commodities (e.g. cocoa, cotton, and sugar) to other countries, and that there will be a transformation into an industrialized economy. “Yes, we need to produce agricultural products big-time—but for Africa,” not for export to other countries, says Lopes.
We are already seeing signs of the growth of the middle class in Africa. Over the last decade, six of the world’s 10 fastest growing economies were African nations, and the World Bank even recently stated that about half of the countries in Africa had attained middle-class income status. Jacob Zuma, President of South Africa, recently argued that the emerging middle class and the youthful population are going to be game-changers in how Africa deals with economic issues in the future. Zuma noted that the expansion of the middle class is beneficial for Africa, because it means a growth in a population with skills to help manage the economy.
Regional executive for Starwood Hotels in Africa recently said that “Africa’s middle class is almost as large as the entire populations of Russia and Brazil combined.” At this rate, it seems that Lopes’ prediction of a complete middle-class transformation in Africa is not so far off.
– Sagar Desai
Sources: IOL South Africa, AllAfrica, HowWeMadeItInAfrica
Photo: Boing Boing
5 Facts about Clean Water and Sanitation
– Ali Warlich
Sources: Water.org, UNDP, WHO
Photo: Blogspot
3 Incredible Accomplishments of the Carter Center
“We can choose to alleviate suffering. We can choose to work together for peace. We can make these changes—and we must.” These words of our remarkable former President Jimmy Carter form the foundation of a center striving for a better world. In 1982, former President Carter and wife, Rosalynn founded a non-profit organization “committed to advancing human rights” named, “The Carter Center.” In partnership with Emory University, the Atlanta-based organization has made great strides in improving the human condition worldwide. Here are three noteworthy initiatives of the Carter Center:
Learn more at https://www.cartercenter.org/index.html.
– Lina Saud
Sources: Carter Center, CDC