Voices from the Wall Speak!

THE RETURN!

2011-11-24T16:08:00.001+02:00

HELLO FRIENDS! I HAVE BEEN AWAY FROM THE BLOG FOR A LOOONG TIME, BUT I AM BACK. I WILL BEGIN POSTING TONIGHT, WHEN I WILL TELL YOU ABOUT MY ADVENTURES IN THE WORLD OF INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN THE PAST 2 YEARS! :)

The topics cover VOLUNTEERING, 'THE PRICE' TO BE A VOLUNTEER, AWESOME SITES, AWESOME BOOKS, AWESOME ORGANIZATIONS TO CHECK OUT :)

How To Use Twitter To Effect Social Change?/ My idea of a virtual HUB-coordinating center for volunteers(ing)/community service in Bulgaria!

2009-10-26T02:57:00.000+02:00

source: http://socialchangenews.com - it's a really great site.
This is a really nice video :)

i still don't think in Bulgaria people really use Twitter so much, especially for bringing virtual ideas into real meetings/events with real supporters,activits fighting/standing up for real causes. Yet, i hope it will soon become a social space for uniting change-makers, like-minded people who want to make a positive difference in the world!
Any ideas of how to make it more popular among such people?...I'm not even sure how to find them in the first place...

I reaaally want to establish a network of people who want to volunteer in various areas, around Bulgarian institutions, for improving the Bulgarian society as a whole! I want to create a HUB for people willing to share their time, their efforts, their money, their skills etc. with underprivileged people in our society!!! and excited about making this world, our society and each small community - a better, more equal and just place for everyone!!!

So, i began by creating a survey, see earlier post, about volunteering/community service among young Bulgarians. Still don't have any results, want to get the word spread around to as many people as possible and get a somewhat clear picture of the current situation.

While waiting for the results, I will prepare a list with various possible areas for volunteering, collect info on institutions that need and desire volunteers (this will be a tough one!, I already found a website that lists all orphanages in Bulgaria, which is a start!), assess what kind of skills, activities etc. can volunteers get involved in etc. Then I wish to go to schools, get in touch with some media (online), as well as companies (plus governmental institutions?). I will make a proposal to them to create a volunteering/community service club/office/or sth of the sort. A place where employees/students etc. can see available volunteer opportunities divided by areas of interest, institutions, skills required, age?, gender? (if any preferences) time available, place (first, mainly in Sofia) etc. They will have the right to choose and apply, organize groups and GET INVOLVED. The HUB will coordinate, inform, organize, recruit, train, and make people excited about sharing their available resources with others. :) Therefore, I need to make this proposal exciting, interesting, and attractive to each individual group, like for students in schools/headmasters..I can explain the benefits of such a volunteer club, or an extracurriculum activity, optional class or sth. Then to companies, I can try to 'sell' the idea of CSR-Corporate Social Responsibility, stress the benefits that will come out of such activities-team bulding, networking, better working atmosphere as well as better results for the company etc. (The hub can also provide help for companies to become members in the UN Global Compact, see its Principles) etc.

People will have the option to become members - either as individuals, as organizations, institutions or else. Also, there will be a need of really dedicated people who will help run the coordination, organization etc. work. E.g., people who will lead the groups to the designated places, explain and introduce volunteers to the tasks etc. I already created a Social Network at Ning (it's just a sample now) that will enable us all to stay connected by chat rooms, forums, blogs, photos etc. We can post maps to guide to the places, explain how to reach, share info/guidelines etc. etc.

Some companies may decide to "Adopt" a certain cause, like an orphanage, or a park/part of a park, or creating banners for other events etc. They can choose to simply use their professional knowledge/resources and thus support a certain cause or the HUB as a whole. I wish to get some of the online media sources to devote a column or so to volunteering opportunities, stories about development issues etc. etc. - social focus that invites people to become Active, to Care and Take Action! :) Students can teach lessons, (Musical School- can perform or teach kids how to play instruments), (Drawing School- can teach kids Art, get super creative), (Drama School - can organize and perform in orphanages or teach kids exciting and interesting stuff).

Of course students can do so many other cool things! They (people from the HUB) can also get together to
watch interesting and provocative documentaries, form debates, give voice to their points of view, share their experiences, ideas, projects etc. They can organize/participate/sponsor etc. diferent events, different activities, conferences, meetings etc. the HUB can become the Number 1 Spot for SociallyMinded Active and Responsible Bulgarian Citizens! A place where people gather to think positive, to learn, to make a difference, to help those in need, to fight poverty, injustice, climate change and a whole lot of other issues!
The list of ideas is endless indeed. I think some funding will be necessary, and I definetely need some help in how to go about this, how to approach institutions, how to get people interested in things like volunteering etc!

I think that Social Media (like Twitter, Facebook, Blogger etc.) and all kinds of Cool and Useful Web Applications will be of great use towards achieving this project, so I wish to get the most useful ones and master them! :)

Anyways, I am really really really excited about the possibility of seeing a DIFFERENT/CHANGED/TRANSFORMED BULGARIA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

There will grow a community that will have a shared Honour Code, a shared code of Moral standards that will unite people of all walks of life, all colors, all genders, all ages, ALL-who desire to help, to give, to make our society one made up of true CITIZENS with great and good convictions, high-moral standings, with spirits full of enthusiasm, commitment, love and compassion!

Together WE CAN make a REAL and LASTING POSITIVE DIFFERENCE and make our World a better home for All Inhabitants (of all kinds)! :)

Please share any comments, advice, ideas etc. concerning the realization of this Vision! I truly, greatly appreciate this! Thank you so very much in advance!

May we all, each one in their own way, using their unique set of talents and God-given resources, bear good fruit and nourish our World with more goodness, with more love and compassion!

Yours truly,

Uwera

Because the World Needs to Know!

2009-10-24T00:17:00.001+03:00

BE the difference that you want to see! Live sustainably and responsibly! Leave a rich and beautiful heritage to the next generation! Don't Waste the Planet away! It's only 1... Don't make nature...history!! Make history NOW! You've got the POWER :) and the WILL! Now is the time to show you care!

Love and respect the people around you and Nature. Ride your Bike. Help the needy. Don't waste valuable resources. Live simple. Enjoy life to the fullest!

Multimedia | 350.org

350.org PowerPoint Slideshow

View more presentations or Upload your own.

A SURVEY About Volunteering/Community Service Among (Young) Bulgarians

2009-10-23T23:52:00.001+03:00

BULGARIA NEEDS MORE ACTIVE, RESPONSIBLE AND SOCIALLY AWARE CITIZENS TO GET INVOLVED IN COMMUNITY SERVICE AND VOLUNTEERING AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE IMPROVEMENT OF OUR SOCIETY AND COUNTRY AS A WHOLE.

WE NEED A NEW GENERATION OF YOUNG, EDUCATED AND ACTIVE CITIZENS WILLING TO TAKE THE EXTRA MILE, SHARE THEIR SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE AND OTHER RESOURCES WITH THE UNDERPRIVILEGED IN OUR COMMUNITIES!

THERE IS AN URGENCY IN THIS MESSAGE, BECAUSE SOME OF THE SOCIAL TRENDS THAT CAN BE OBSERVED IN BULGARIA ONLY REVEAL INCLINATIONS TO SELF-DESTRUCTION AND DEGRADATION RATHER THAN IMPROVEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT!

YOUNG PEOPLE NEED GUIDANCE AND OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE RIGHT CHOICES AVAILABLE TO THEM (JUST LIKE CIGARETTES AND ALCOHOL, THE INTERNET AND MEDIA SOURCES ARE ALL AVAILABLE TO THEM!)

THEY NEED TO BE MOTIVATED, INSPIRED AND STIMULATED. THEY NEED TO BE TOLD THAT EACH OF THEM IS SPECIAL AND UNIQUE AND THAT THEY CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

WITH THIS SURVEY I WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE LEVEL OF ENGAGEMENT OF (YOUNG) BULGARIANS IN VOLUNTEER/COMMUNITY SERVICE ACTIVITIES AND TO ASSESS THE OBSTACLES THAT EXIST FOR INCREASING THEIR ENGAGEMENT.

YOU CAN SEE THE QUESTIONS AND LEARN MORE ABOUT MY EFFORT. ANY COMMENTS AND ADVICE ARE WELCOME!

AS SOON AS I GET A CONSIDERABLE NUMBER OF PEOPLE TO FILL IN THE SURVEY, I WILL EVALUATE THE RESULTS AND I WISH TO CONNECT WITH SOME NGOS/ORPHANAGES/OTHER INSTITUTIONS/MEDIA AND TRY TO MAKE SOME OPPORTUNITIES FOR VOLUNTEERING AVAILABLE TO PEOPLE WILLING TO COMMIT TIME/MONEY OR OTHER RESOURCES TOWARDS WORTHY CAUSES!

I THANK IN ADVANCE ALL THE PEOPLE WHO TAKE THE SURVEY OR CONTRIBUTE TO THE DISCUSSIONS! THE FUTURE DEPENDS ON WHAT WE DO TODAY! THE FUTURE DEPENDS ON US. LET'S MAKE IT BETTER!!!

Click here to take our Online Survey

TEN THINGS YOU CAN DO TO HELP END POVERTY!

2009-10-17T14:27:00.000+03:00

1. STOP WASTING FOOD, instead, buy and use only what you need. Make a budget of your expenses for food when you are not AWARE of how you spend. The following week, make a day by day account of what you buy and why, being AWARE that there are over ONE BILLION hungry people around the world...and you can help SOME of them!

2. INSTEAD OF BUYING SOMETHING THAT YOU DO NOT NEED, INVEST THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY IN EITHER MICRO-CREDITING with Givology, Kiva etc. organizations, FEED A HUNGRY CHILD/PERSON in your neighbourhood, SAVE and ACCUMMULATE IT with the intention to donate it in a cause you support later. (check Givology-invest in small businesses,provide opportunities for poor women etc. or Kiva-microcredits 2 empower people around the world or Concern Gifts-affordable gifts that can lift families out of poverty or FILL THE CUP-provide school meals, keep children in school! etc.)

3. If you do not have the means to donate actual money toward a cause that you are otherwise very passionate about, use all the online FREE opportunities to engage in ACTION, whether by SPREADING the WORD via your favortie social media, by playing cool games etc. e.g. Choose a cause, earn points by completing activities, spread the word! or play a cool word game for free and earn points that turn into rice grains which will feed the hungry! choose a cause, earn points 4 it, spread the word etc.). If you need more ideas get in touch with me!

4. Open an account/or have a special box in which you collect money which will later be INVESTED in improving the life of someone impoverished! You can also put such a box in your office and then decide together with your co-workers how to spend this money. (you can make an alternative box with Ideas how to tackle such issues or Wishes/Needs that people know about in your area etc.)

5. Write about POVERTY/HUNGER/WAYS to EMPOWER poor people/etc. etc. and share these thoughts/articles with your friends (by e-mails or social media outlets), e.g. instead of sending them FORWARDs which they probably don't bother to read, make it PERSONAL - tell them 'YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE'!

6. INSPIRE others for ACTION. Bring AWARENESS about poverty etc. in your country or around the world. Bring the ATTENTION of the public to these issues, e.g. write to your government, to all the media in your city etc.

7. Be an EXAMPLE to others! Don't indulge yourself in endless, futile consumerism/shopping. Don't buy stuff for the sake of buying it, for the sole sake of having the MOST fashionable look! Rather, set boundaries for yourself, invest your money wisely (no matter how much you actually have)!

8. Apart from money, what really matters is your ATTITUDE! Your willingness to DONATE your TIME and HEART into improving the lives of those in need, e.g. volunteer in an orphanage, for an organization delivering food to the hungry, organize a small group with which to discuss issues, to organize events, to share info. BE ACTIVE!!! (it can be people from your workplace, or church, or school, or neigbours).

9. Find a cause/an organization that interests you, that fascinates you, then get in touch with it, learn more about it, get involved in it! It does NOT matter how educated you are, what job position you have, how you look, or what your faith is, just BE COMPASSIONATE (check this)!

10. Use your talents, your professional skills, your social or work position to advance human efforts toward achieving the Millennium Development Goals (see here for more info) and ENDING POVERTY in all its dimensions! (Poverty is MULTIDIMENSIONAL and it limits the choices of people to develop and reach their full potential, it hinders them from living their lives to the fullest, therefore it restricts and robs them from FREEDOM!) “Poverty is lack of access to basic human needs such as food, clean water, health care, clothing, education and shelter.” (see here). If you are an architect, put your skills and knowledge in use for the poor in your community (cool projects to improve communities or volunteer with Habitat for Humanity); if you are a teacher, share with your children about the world, engage them in action, whether by organizing volunteer trips to nearby orphanages, or get them to collect goods, make sells of crafts they make in class and donate the money toward a cause, make them AWARE and ENGAGED young citizens!; if you are a student, get involved in social clubs that have community service programs etc. , get together with like-minded people, organize events on campus, inspire others with your own actions! if you are a businessman, make your business truly SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE, share your skills and resources with the poor, invest in such communities (building wells, providing micro-credits etc.), offer scholarships to students from impoverished communities etc.

YOU ARE SPECIAL AND UNIQUE! YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

THERE ARE A BILLION WAYS TO HELP THE BOTTOM BILLION!

IT'S YOUR CHOICE AND RESPONSIBILITY TO ACT! NOW!

STAND UP AGAINST POVERTY!TAKE ACTION TODAY!

2009-10-17T11:51:00.000+03:00

Waste = Food - A film about amazing and life-changing ideas and the people behind them!

2009-10-07T00:30:00.002+03:00

Waste = Food | Watch Free Documentary Online

Posted using ShareThis

Main 'characters' in this film - designer and architect William McDonough and ecological chemist Michael Braungart!!!!
This documentary is life-changing!!!! I will soon explore the issue of waste, sustainability and go in-depth about some of the ideas in the film, as well as other similar solutions to waste problems etc.
For now, watch this and tell me what you think! I am very very impressed and moved! Still need time to swallow and comprehend fully what these ideas mean for me and for my way of life, as well as what my role is to contribute to a future based not on blind and brutal consumerism, with no concern for nature, for our place in nature, for our impact and Print on it, but rather, on the "cradle to cradle protocol", or circular economy as it is called.

Watch out for an extensive study on these issues! It should be a lot of fun!! and a lot of fascinating info!
Ideas and opinions are welcome!

Recycle me!..and I'll be new!

2009-10-05T23:04:00.002+03:00

Recycle me - my dreams my thoughts

recycle every inch of me

i want to be Reused

i want to be Renewed

i want to be sustainable

an eco system that's alive

i want my veins and brains to flow

in one consistent entity

i want to be organically grown!

throw out the filth that crowds my head

spinning images of new and fancy things

i really don't need

money in bulk, extravagant life

rid me of the unnecessary trash

that i bear and that bends me

with the aim to erase

every living particle that screams

for honesty, for humanity,for modesty... for Breath!

but i'm choking in this polluted world

inside me growing - monstrous, industrial images

i'm told i need, in order to develop

i'm told to buy something new every day

i'm told that mine is old, is worse, is uglier too!

it's not up-to-date, i'm told,

so.. i Have to 'Choose'

advertisements wash away

my senses, dry my ideas, crush my creativity and

pump nonsense, oh, a whole lot of nonsense

so my head is a spinning sphere

stuffed with images, facts, opinions, beliefs - vague, shallow and unclear

i cannot hear the laugh of a child anymore

i cannot feel the warmth of your embrace, my dear one

i cannot taste the sweetness of a cube of sugar

i cannot...

it seems i cannot see what life, what life i once

longed to follow...

Save me! Recycle me! Reuse me! Renew me!

I beg you Life! ... Reclaim my freedom truly!

heal my spirit, my mind, my body...

Take me Life, take me or I'll surrender to this

horiffic/all-covering/encompassing brutal folly!

its victims already are Many...

it's a massacre and it's a crime against humanity,

i warn you...

I'm genetically modified at every corner

one, hands me a tomato red and pretty

yet injected with an animal's gene, it's creepy

another, hands me milk to refreshen

yet i know it's not from a cow, like on TV, 'Milka' fashion

there's also the eggs that i buy to cook

yet, i've seen the prisoners of this experiment crude!

Stop using me, you trashy consumerism, you misunderstood development,

you wrongly preached prosperity, you economic disbalance,

you lying politicians, greedy multinationals, you mocking preachers,

Stop using me as if I'm trash!

as if i'm replacable, one-time hit

Stop playing games that screw me up,

that leave my being like total Crap!

I'll resist your attacks - one at a time!

switch off the TV when you're on

throw out Mr.Greedy from my home

buy all that i need from the people near home

won't fall for your lies, even when they're shiny with glow

I'll clean out my house, leave space to love

leave space, time, resources to invest in others' lives

i'll rebel, stand up, fight,

i'll recycle my apetites, prejudices, misconceptions

i'll flush in the toilet all tabloid papers

i'll bury the poisons of Reality shows

i'll move away from the grandeur that obssesses the polls

i might be tempted, fall, yet in the end, i will Arise,

that you should know!

cause let me tell you one little truth,

even though you tried to kill me

I got the jackpot

I got something renewable and lasting

it's my humanity put in action

So, listen you, I claim back my life! A new era has begun!

I'm new, i'm real, i'm here now

I'm sustainable, rechargable, a new breathing EcoMan/Woman!!!!

p.s.And all of you, dear friends, get recycled now, because the nature of this evil is destructive and conniving,

leaving us feeling empty, in delusion and confusion~

Reclaim what's ours!Our planet and lives!

SPONSOR A CHILD!

2009-10-05T01:08:00.001+03:00

Get this widget!

Compassion – Make a Donation – Sponsor a Child

The Girl Effect Video!Get Inspired! (including a poem i wrote)

2009-10-03T14:23:00.013+03:00

http://www.girleffect.org/

WE CAN HELP HER (AND OTHER GIRLS LIKE HER) BECOME

ALL THAT THEY WANT TO BE!

GIVE THAT A CHANCE TO BELIEVE, TO HAVE DREAMS AND
TO LEAD DIGNIFIED LIVES!

A Poem in Their Honour and Support!

The Girl Effect

Put it in motion
stir it for action
cause an equation
that will shake the foundations
of all preconceptions, all dogmas, traditions
and will release from prison these beautiful hidden treasures!

Each girl is precious, each one is a star
light the flame in her life
give her freedom at once!
She'll sparkle and shine
She'll be glorious, a fruitful vine!

YOU HAVE THE POWER TO SET HER FREE

Free from all the unwanted
marriage, labour, abuse
Free to make her own choices
to depend on herself
Free to control her destiny too
free to embrace life that is good!
free to plan, to save, to grow and develop
to explore her talents to the full
Free to dream, to aspire
to play and to learn
Free to be a happy child,
free to become a dignified woman
able to give birth and survive
take care of her child
free to laugh and to love...
to be a citizen ...
a mother a wife.

Press the button, stir the wheel
you have the tools, she needs to succeed
you can give her a chance,
she'll take it, you'll see
you can lend her a hand
she won't disappoint u,
believe me!

A child, a girl, a woman, a human at last
will you light the flame of her future?
will you give her a chance?
then, as if by some magic
you'll see multiplied
this equation growing bigger
including many lives

she began as a girl,
who received education
then she found a job better
and provided for her old parents
she planned her family and brought to life
children that she cared for
and sent to school at last

and here the magic is unfolding
one life put in place
changes so many around it,
and the poverty cycle is
broken alas!
oh, invest in this girl!
bring the magic to life!
change the course of history,
bring Justice the victory!

INVEST IN A GIRL!
SET THE MAGIC OF THE GIRL EFFECT IN MOTION!

Addis wanted a CHANCE to CHOOSE how to live! She wanted to KNOW!Now She is POWERFUL!..so is her son!

Shumi is POWERFUL!She is COURAGEOUS!She was given a chance..then..

the Girl Effect began!

Sanchita took a small loan...which changed her life and the life of her family...

it doesn't take much to start the Girl Effect!Support it!!!

An investment in one girl's future...will reap a rich harvest!!!

THE GIRL EFFECT!

THE FUTURE IS IN OUR HANDS!

WE CAN MOLD IT TODAY!

WE HAVE THE TOOLS,

THE KNOWLEDGE

THE RESOURCES...

THE QUESTION IS

DO WE HAVE THE COURAGE?

THE WILL?

THE PASSION...?

TO TAKE A STAND

TO BREAK THE SILENCE

TO MAKE A STEP

TO PLANT THE SEEDS...

AND REAP THE HARVEST!!!

(the poem is in the honour & support of the Girl Effect movement and all girls and women around the world)!
p.s. i will include a ppt with recitation of the poem soon! upcoming!

World Food Programme!Make a Difference!!!TODAY!

2009-10-03T12:43:00.000+03:00

THE GIRL EFFECT!GIVE HER A HAND!SHE WILL DO THE REST!

2009-10-03T12:39:00.002+03:00

Link your site to ours

2009-10-03T00:37:00.001+03:00

Link your site to ours

Shared via AddThis

THE COMPASSION REVOLUTION!JOIN IT NOW!

2009-10-02T23:28:00.006+03:00

BE PART OF THE MOVEMENT BE PART OF THE CHANGE BE THE AGENT THAT STIRS THE WORLD TOWARDS A BETTER PLACE BE THE GOLDEN RULE ITSELF!

BE FREE FROM HATRED JEALOUSY GREED

BE FREE TO LOVE ALL PEOPLE DESPITE DIFFERENCES

BE PASSION

BE KINDNESS

BE MERCY AND LOVE

BE TO SOMEONE AROUND YOU THE HOPE THAT WILL LAST

BE THE SUNSHINE AND THE SPRING

IN A PERSON'S BROKEN HEART

BE THE BANDAGE AND THE HEALING

BE THE POWER TO REVIVE

HAVE COMPASSION

HAVE DESIRE

TO FOLLOW THE DREAM THAT IS HIGHER

HIGHER THAN ME HIGHER THAN YOU

THE DREAM THAT SPEAKS OF UNITY AND TRUTH

HAVE THE COURAGE TO STAND UP

HAVE THE HEART TO ACT WITH LOVE

HAVE THE FAITH TO PERSEVERE

THROUGH TRIALS OBSTACLES PROBLEMS

HAVE A FRIEND TO SHARE

BE A FRIEND TO SOMEONE WITH CARES

ACT NOW DON'T WAIT FOR TOMORROW

LEND A HAND NOW DON'T SAY YOU CAN'T FOLLOW

OVERCOME YOUR PASSIVITY

OVERCOME YOUR IGNORANCE

OVERCOME YOUR SELFISHNESS

AND BECOME A MEMBER THE COMPASSION MINISTRY!!!

REMEMBER THAT WHEN YOU FOLLOW THE GOLDEN RULE

YOU ARE/WILL BE RICH!

SO, SEARCH NO MORE FOR TREASURES AND WEALTH -

YOUR WEALTH IS IN THE HEART, SHARE IT AND YOU WILL HAVE PLENTY IN FACT!

THE MORE YOU GIVE THE MORE YOU RECEIVE, AND THIS GOLDEN TREASURE NEVER GETS EXTINCT.

AIM HIGH. BECOME A MILLIONAIRE!

BECOME A GOLDENRULAIRE! :)

CHARTER FOR COMPASSION-NOVEMBER 12TH!

2009-10-02T17:25:00.004+03:00

CHARTER FOR COMPASSION TRAILER from TED Prize on Vimeo.

There is an urgent need for a new focus on compassion.

Bringing together voices from all cultures and religions, the Charter seeks to remind the world we already share the core principles of compassion.

On November 12, thousands of people across the globe will listen together.

Participate and engage with the Charter now at charterforcompassion.org

Director: Gilly Barnes
Music: Fredo Viola
Additional Footage: Peter Roger

LET US ALL JOIN HANDS TO BRING A JUST, A GOOD, A COMPASSIONATE WORLD TO OURSELVES AND TO OUR CHILDREN!

BE PART OF THE CHANGE
BE PART OF THE REVOLUTION FOR COMPASSION!

BE A COMPASSIONATE CITIZEN, ONE READY TO TREAT ALL OTHERS, AS YOU YOURSELF WISH TO BE TREATED!

I JOINED! WILL YOU?

please share any interesting ideas about events that can be held during the celebrations, ways to raise awareness among the people about the importance of becoming compassionate towards one another and making a positive change in our world!

not separated by small differences but united by common core principles we share, not separated but UNITED WE STAND, and when we are united, nothing, absolutely nothing can defeat us...!

humanity's main characteristic will be compassion, our greatest achievement - fair and equal treatment of all people, our biggest victory - the one over selfish and greedy existence, our most valued principle of existence THE GOLDEN RULE!

WE CAN MAKE IT HAPPEN. I HAVE A DREAM AND I BELIEVE IN IT, DO YOU? IF YOU SHARE IN THE DREAM, COME AND JOIN! :)

IT ALL DEPENDS ON US!

BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH BEGINS TODAY!

2009-10-01T16:37:00.003+03:00

Here there are nice posters and other materials concerning breast cancer-self-examinations,signs etc. check them out! There is an education pamphlet - front

and back!

Are you taking part in a breast cancer walk or another event this month? please let me know.

Choose an organization and donate, e.g. for research, become an advocate for the cause, or check these 20 proactive ways to fight and prevent Breast Cancer, find out some fast facts about breast cancer here or on this site, or on this fact sheet.

This site http://www.breastcancer.org/ as well as http://ww5.komen.org/ provide comprehensive information on symptoms & diagnosis, treatment & side effects, as well as information on how to lower the risk of breast cancer and other useful info. There are also articles about some of the Myths that exist about BC risk.

TIME magazine's special report on Breast Cancer!!!!!Good stuff~!

Here's a video about Breast Cancer that is quite helpful and also some Stories of Hope of survivors. There are other videos here. There is also a video on which Eva Vertes talks at TED about cancer.

Disarm from your passivity and Arm with passion in action! (The International Day of Peace-September 21st)

2009-09-15T17:08:00.010+03:00

Dear fellow citizens, respected politicians, dignified statesmen, all people of the earth,

I plead with YOU:

Cast off your shadow of vanity

tear apart those imbecile lies

cut off the chains of arrogant misery

forget about your selfish self/plot!

Let gentle winds and pure waters

cover you with new sensations

Let children's laughter and human's touch

permeate within your twisted vapors.

Oil spilled and blackened the water

Diamonds glittered and caused massive slaughter

Gold, Silver, Jade and Gems,

oh, Nature's wonders revealing

the ugly face of humanity

in total disgrace!

And power balance, games unfold

nuclear warheads and missiles,

they are all part of the plot

cruel dictators, ambitious politicians

merciless and greedy multinational corporations...

will anyone "surrender" their greedy wishes?

And favor the excluded, the poor, the needy?

will anyone stand up and speak out the truth?

will Any powerful person dare make a move?

and once, once and for all end this theatre brutal, absurd?

will anyone raise the banner of peace?

without just being all self-righteous, full of pretense!?

it's not too late for a total make-over

our world still has a chance to survive

our destruction total

Nature is weeping for the oppressed

their bodies, their bruises, their hunger and grieves

they'll flood the earth, Nature will revenge!

the tides are changing...

So, dismantle the weapons, forget ancient ways

let 21st century be remembered as the age of the The Change

a grand and magnificent, an all-encompassing sublime phase

of human's highest moral standing and unselfish acts/deeds

change your weapons of destruction

to such that yield mass Construction (development)

create a Force of children-

empowered by knowledge and wisdom!

take oil, take diamonds,

take all that you like

turn it in Precious investments

in real human lives

Recycle your weapons

Recycle your ways

Recycle your governance

Lead your people with humility and grace!

No, don't wait for the government or for someone else

YOU are the change!

the citizen, the fighter, the voice of the oppressed,

Raise the banner and with peaceful voices, actions and faith

Speak Justice, Speak PEACE! in this torn land

in this confused and twisted world

there is a truth that lies in you:

Raise the white flag! Let PEACE be the fruit!

DISARM from your passivity, your neglect, your diconcern

and ARM with the truth, passion (in action), and a heart of love full!

p.s. in some tribes in Nigeria the raising of a white flag signifies PEACE

HAPPY INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PEACE...

I WISH FOR A DAY TO COME, WHEN WORDS LIKE WAR, VICTIMS, WEAPONS, PAIN...

WILL BE ONLY PART OF HISTORY, NOT AN EVERYDAY REALITY!

Water your cracked soul! (Volunteering Part II)

2009-09-14T12:10:00.004+03:00

The cracked earth beneath my soul
Cries out in need of my support
Invest in me! Water me! Plant seeds in me!
And I’ll grow crops
Don’t let me wither and be gone…
It cries through me, when I see pain
When I see suffering it calls my name
It says I have a mission here…

Yet I am bothered by its cry
Why can’t it be happy with what I have now?
Why does it scratch me every now and then
As if trying to press me to go another way?
Why can’t it be quiet and leave me alone
Undisturbed and self-absorbed, why can’t I be so?
It says it’s not about me…that I am a part of a whole…

The squealing, shrilling voice beneath,
Comes out through every hole, indeed
Through the cracks it travels straight to me

And says – you ARE a part of HUMANITY

Yet, I don’t see what all this means,
After all, around me I see only this:
Crashed/destroyed lives vs. wealthy chaps
Forgotten lives vs. remembered/glamorous lives
People who need vs. such who have much
Displaced vs. those with A mile-long p(a)lace
…
Isn’t it nature’s order to attempt to balance this mess (the scales)?
Is this a fair and just verdict? I don’t really ask this!

I go on my way, without a concern
For the problems of others,
After all, am I not immune?
Yet, that little voice rising to speak
Is up for some campaigning and debating with me
It shows me my blessings and gives me some time
Until I start feeling a growing emptiness right in the core
I have everything that one really needs
And yet, I feel somewhat Incomplete
…
Then I start to listen, to hear this voice
And slowly to realize one truth that beats the odds:

I AM A PART OF A WHOLE,
AND I HAVE A CRUCIAL ROLE:
TO MAKE SURE THAT THE SCALES
DON’T LEAN ON ONE SIDE,
WITH NO REGARD FOR THE REST!

So I water the earth, I start planting seeds
And see how in time
It yields rich harvest
Now it’s all different, what I hear in me
It’s a chorus of voices that make my soul leap
A joyous song, a re-MIX of
The transformed lives of those I have reached!

Arise, oh, Human, arise and shine! Let lives be touched by your HumanE role!

You are a crucial part of HUMANITY! Play your role! Be HumanE!

p.s. the photo is from Hannah's facebook profile

Activate/Press your humanE button! (Volunteering Part I)

2009-09-13T10:29:00.007+03:00

I'll change the world

One child/life at a time

I'll raise the banner

DO IT NOW!

We live to love

And love to live

Yet, unconcerned we stroll the streets

Window-shopping, mesmerized by things

We go to work and pay the bills

Raise kids in bulk and go on trips

We say we live, yet only breathe

We have enslaved the truth and exist

Under the tyranny of a world flooded by a material feast.

Oh, how is it that we don't see:

The least, the least is to help those in need!

Then one ordinary day...we realize our priorities are messed up, we're incomplete,

unsatisfied, unfit...we've simply forgotten what determines our "breed".

I press my button to release

The humanE spirit that lies beneath

To free the ME that wants to live

By making time to love the unreached.

Instead of luxury and empty wealth

of empty words, empty promises and perishing things

I'll indulge myselg in a life-long drill

To learn how to enRich one life at a time,

Not mechanically - drop a coin,

But investing time and effort to care and transform

Not by counting what I'll get

But by giving all that I have

Then, I believe that I'll be complete!

I'll leave the chair, comfort, bed,

I'll merge into the world where magic is made

I'll be the magician, I'll see/be the change!

***

Make time to love and none to hate

Make time to see and some to hear

Make time to help, give more than you think you can spare

Make time to count your blessings many

Make time to smile and be happy

Yet don't forget

Make time for others, make THEM happy!

Make time to make a difference big

One life at a TIME, one-person-focused-reach!

***

To love is simple, yet so grand

To live is simple, yet so profound

Don't ponder over simple truths

Just live the moments and love the world

Don't get discouraged from the system

Corrupt officials, scandals, people

See there, beyond the rising sun

it's your day, dear, grab it and run!

Press your humanE button. Make time to LOVE. Be a magician.

p.s. i'll make time for you my friend,thanks for inspiring me!

Global WarmingG20~~etc...

2009-04-02T12:44:00.008+03:00

disabilities and discrepancies

in the main system...will it crash?

dislocation and displacement

of people and places...will it all melt?

derangement and deficiency

in the economies and people...will it all collapse?

degradation and distortion

in every corner and in every 'fact'...will it cause a domino effect?

who serves whom?

who gives and who gets?

beneficiaries and benefactors

companies and organizations

structures, institutions, posts and roles

all pre-assigned, all secured and bought

preconceived notions and post-conflict left-over explosions
rulers inept to rule, defenders obscure in their missions and goals

following assignments blindly,

copying information no one really regarding

in a chaotic, nervous vacuum that will burst

people spin and spin until they are all... flushed...

'friendship' is a political slang

to mean 'mutual' selfish exploitation and achieving one's quest

'harmony' is an illusionary state

which is to lure the already deceived into a net

'peaceful rise', peaceful fall, what rises eventually falls

climb the snowy peaks you liars, while they still have snow!!!

'melting pot' becomes a truth

with every living creature under the doom

of involuntarily becoming a participant in this soup

but who dares complain to the great cooks?

prideful, arrogant, obnoxious -

people without values, unable to make right choices!

the climate is warming...it is a theory

are people warming?...not towards each other

are countries warming?...not to become blends, they aren't

these processes lead us into the infernal fire

of our own sins and selfish desires...

consumption, money, and the things we rave
will keep the fire burning till it all ends.

the power to stop? - switch off the plug?

the power to stop? - pick yourself up!

don't trust in those whom you see on the TV upclose

don't follow the crowd when it drags your values like a rag

don't put up with the abuse of all that is sacred and good!

Stand up to put down the fire

Stand up to bring to close the chaos

Stand up to what you believe

and be courageous when 'accidentally' the system presses...
on you with the button delete...

WORLD WATER DAY - THE RIGHT TO QUENCH ONE'S THIRST WITH SAFE DRINKING WATER!

2009-03-22T11:16:00.005+02:00

when you have to count your drops of water to survive

you are thirsty - physically

when you cannot voice your need to the authorities

you are thirsty - for freedom

when you are denied the access of safe drinking water

you are thirsty - for your rights

when you are left to die of preventable water-borne diseases

you are thirsty - for justice

when your story remains untold and unheard

you are thirsty - for someone to stand up and plead for your cause and for the cause of the other 1.1 billion people without access to safe drinking water!!!

where shall thou seeketh justice?

indeed many a path leadeth to the truth...where shall i begin?

thou shall seeketh responsibility in the 'wells (oil)' of the rich?
in the lavish lifestyles of corrupted officials?
in the judicial courts serving the ruling clicks?

in the 'dirty hands' of puppet politicians?

or in those who toil for the prosperity of all these?

shall thou sayeth thouest 'cup' is half fulleth or half empty after all?

consider this as a call:

who shall we put as a witness to test what is said?

if they agree to drink from the sewage, (rather than from a bottle)

if they consent with washing in the drainage, (rather than in a proper sink )

if they don't object walking 5 miles to obtain water, (instead of having it delivered)

if it's alright to swallow bits of dirt etc. with the fluid, (instead of minerals, which will nourish)

if it all agrees with you 'most honored',

then sure as the day is, no one shall complain,

but propose a statement to be released, pronto, today:

Let all who are thirsty come drink from the well,

that these 'brothers' of ours so freely will lend

but if for some reason, you all become sick,

or if Fortune has it, that you are deceased,

then a note from a different kind

will surely be posted to say this:

They died believing that they were right,

not quenching the thirsty of the billion in need.

They died disregarding the welfare of all -

defending till the end - their own right and wrong

yet I doubt my fellows,

that any shall dare

to grab a cup and fill it with filth and swear:

that it is safe to draw and to quench

your physical thirst with a 'fresh' filthy sip!

So, for Your story to be heard I say

for Your voice to gain power I proclaim

for Your life to be un-forgotten I state:

THE ACCESS TO SAFE DRINKING WATER IS A FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN RIGHT!

THE ACCESS TO SAFE DRINKING WATER IS A FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN RIGHT AND EVERY GOVERNMENT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ENSURING AT LEAST 20 LITRES OF SAFE WATER PER DAY TO EACH PERSON. THESE 20L OF WATER MUST BE FREE FOR THE POOR, ACCESSIBLE AND SECURE!!!

“Access to safe water is a fundamental human need and, therefore, a basic human right. Contaminated water jeopardizes both the physical and social health of all people. It is an affront to human dignity.” — Kofi Annan, prior United Nations Secretary-General

p.s. the photos are from various sites and initiatives for saving water etc.
I made a presentation on the water crisis and its negative impact on the development of impoverished societies, as well as the importance of achieving MDG7, Target3 - "Halve, by 2015, the proportion of the population without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation"
for the overall achievement of the MDGs and the sustainable development of all societies. If anyone is interested, please contact me for more info.

Dealers disguised like Leaders

2009-03-20T06:04:00.008+02:00

Leaders are dealers of souls and of lives
Mugabe, Kibaki, they are all in the pack
wolves dressed like sheep
they roam in this world
robbing the welfare of the destitute
disguised and shameless they trade all
for their own prosperity and as they see fit (well)

The church is an accomplice, a terrorist too
with pastors in Armani, driving Benz among their flock
they are the false prophets, the 'good shepherds',
rotten and defiled
conforming with every vice with sinful desire and lust
instead of healing they corrupt
instead of giving they rob

Who is to intercede for the victims of this wrong?
Who is to stand up for the helpless and abused?
Who is to proclaim justice and punish those in charge?

for the sheep have been silenced, muted and crushed
or they are simply lured by small bits of hope and crumbs
they yield to the beatings, they bow to the whips
or shout out their grievances but all is lost in the empty fields...

it's not their agenda, nor it is their choice
it's a life pre-ordained, it's a struggle to survive

is the harvest insufficient?
that some would have abundance while others have none?
or is it the avarice of the 'leaders'?
that brings forth unspoken pain and misfortune to the ill?

Let the heavens judge and the earth obey,
as it's written it shall come to stay
but this remains true:
there is no change, if no one who cares
does anything to prevent
the injustice and untruth
that so awfully prevails!

So, as a word in conclusion
i would dare say
that my humble prayer is
for true leaders to be made
amolded and shaped
not so as conspiring evil and gain,
but as humble servants willing to give and to reign
with just and honest hand their people
for the better today!


"There arose a dispute among the twelve, which of them was reputed to be the greatest. But Jesus said to them, The leaders of the Gentiles lord it over them, and they who exercise authority over them are called benefactors. But not so with you. On the contrary, let him who is greatest among you become as the least, and him who is chief become as the servant." Luke22:24-26

In flames for FREEDOM

2009-03-09T20:54:00.012+02:00

In flames and on fire, they are 'burning with desire'
denied the choice to live as they wish

they expose/dispose their flesh

They can kill the body and destroy it

yet the spirit remains unbroken and holy

so, we see in the distance - fire -

man's first really important discovery

this time burning to leave a trace in the barren land

of what would be remnants of freedom, people extinct.

Weapons of the weak

they seek freedom and peace
they seek 'liberation' for their souls and flesh

yet the government declares it has already bestowed

a full liberation-redemption to the slaves

the only difference is it's just an economic fact

lacking spiritual dimension and freedom to breathe

they all forget that freedom can't be bought

at the price of a few celebrations or new clothes

or food and drink for that matter indeed,

for life is more than all these, they should consider this (the truth)!

but how would they know?
who bow but before the golden calf

and worship his tangible 'holiness'

wishing he grants them 'eternal' (above)10% growth?

so, the fires burn, the flesh in flames

yet what really counts is the sacrifice they make

their spirit willing, their flesh weak,

but the spirit conquers EVERYTHING!!!

thus, Hush!, all you voices

stinging with lies

why should anyone believe you?

when you're all actors in a big venomous farce

let your drama continue,
let the curtains remain pulled

because sooner or later

your fakeness will be utterly exposed

they don't fear the ones who kill the flesh

only the One who can destroy the spirit!

as for you, I advice, you should consider this too!

In memory of all the Buddhist monks, in China and elsewhere, who have sacrificed their lives to express their discontent with the oppression of their governing regimes!

http://www.worldsfamousphotos.com/burning-monk-the-self-immolation-1963.html (photo from the site)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7916544.stm

p.s. Special remark to Dessi, a good friend of mine, with whom I have the honour of discussing relevant issues. Thank you!

An International Essay Contest: “Can Character and Communities Survive in an Age of Globalization?” - an essay for a contest

2008-12-15T11:31:00.008+02:00

it's a pity I didn't have time to work on this essay! I think it's a rather interesting topic and it's worth writing about...and the prizes are not bad at all. haha. anyways, next time I will know in advance and prepare better. so far so good :) hope you enjoy. comments are welcome. i will try to polish it later! :)

Ivana Koleva

“The principal dilemma provoked by globalization is inequality” [1] This sentence is derived from the book “Getting Globalization Right: The Dilemmas of Inequality”, in which the authors state that the question that still remains unsolved around the issue of globalization is not whether it should be supported or refuted but how to get it right, “in the sense of making its benefits more available and making them more equitable between countries and within countries” [2] by making a set of policies aimed at solving the existing problems. During the 2007 United Nations Ministerial Conference on ‘Making Globalization Work for the Least Developed Countries (LDCs)’[3], held in Istanbul (Turkey), the participants agreed that the central question and challenge remains how to maximize the gain while minimizing the pain in LDCs . All the parties who were there emphasized that “the current phase of globalization will be judged by whether it is able to transform itself into a vehicle of eradicating poverty, marginalization and inequality, and for promoting sustainable development.” The voices of the people who took part in this conference proclaimed that “This is the imperative of our time. Putting LDCs in the driver’s seat will be a prerequisite for this”[4] .

So, what is the optimal way of achieving this goal? How to make globalization work for the poor as well as the rich? Can it serve as a driving force for the development of all mankind or just a handful of corporations and powerful people? What did globalization bring with it and what are the prospects for its future? Did it undermine character and community or enhance their strength and role?
The answers to these questions can give us a glimpse of the work accomplished and that still unfinished in the process of globalization and will help us assess its influence on communities and character.

After the Cold War, there was a period marked with exhilaration over the victory of democracy and consequently liberal markets and free trade. The ‘Washington consensus’, promoting the liberalization of markets and opening of free trade, despite its positive effects though, eventually proved rather unsuccessful in various countries, often increasing tremendously the inequality gap between the poor and the rich, thus making the rich richer and the poor poorer. These have been referred to as the winners and the losers of globalization. When the prescribed medicine proved to be short of panacea capabilities, the world reconsidered its views on development and its true definition. Through this process of reassessment and redefining, the development concept evolved and transformed from simply meaning economic growth measured in GDP (in the 50’s-60’s), to a more comprehensive definition, acknowledging that development should be essentially used to mean human development and therefore it should encompass areas like health, life longevity, education access etc. This was a revolutionary transformation which led to many subsequent improvements and progress.
In 1987, the concept of sustainable development was put forward officially for the first time in the UN World Commission on Environment and Development, called “Our Common Future” [5]. It was used to mean "development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs". Nevertheless, it was not until the mid-90’s and especially in the new millennium, that people have started to really understand, appreciate and pursue sustainable development, as a comprehensive, effective and necessary development approach. Before this, multinational corporations (MNCs) benefited largely from the unequal distribution of wealth, served political interests, used ‘sweat shops’ to pursue higher profits and were considered the biggest beneficiaries of the process of globalization. Many people blamed both, governments for their inability to control the MNCs and the corporations themselves, for impoverishing the already destitute people and becoming rich through sacrificing the development of these people.
In these rather uncertain, transitional times, a new phenomenon arose. Of course, it has existed in many forms since the early mission trips across the globe started, but its extent and functions had never been as broad and as distinguished as they have been since the 90’s. This phenomenon is known as ‘community service’ and ‘community-based development’. Despite the various programs the UN and its agencies had launched throughout the years, it was increasingly apparent that the gap between the rich and the poor in many countries is broadening rather than shrinking and it was becoming more difficult to reach the really poor and needy and provide them with the necessary services. Not only this, but, since most ‘third world’ countries were (and some continue to be) under a semi-authoritarian, authoritarian regime and lacked transparency, suffered from chronic corruption and regularly misused the funds they received, therefore, the provision of help was undermined and often, the most destitute never saw the humanitarian aid sent through big agencies.

I first became acquainted with the term ‘community service’ when I arrived in the USA. It was the year 2001 and I was sponsored by Rotary International with a full-year ambassadorial scholarship. The spring of 2002 a bunch of ladies from my college and I went off to Macon, Georgia to participate in a one week spree of constructing 12 houses for a poor neighborhood, with another 300 students from around the US. The experience taught me what it means to belong to a community and to serve a community. The entire community was involved in its own reconstruction (renovation) and everyone was a part of everyone else’s life, committing their time and efforts to assure each other’s wellbeing and better future. This is the principle by which Habitat for Humanity, the organization in holding the event, operates, and it has contributed to the building of thousands of affordable houses around the globe, but even more importantly, it has built communities, which are now better equipped to face the challenges of life. The spirit of belonging to a community truly inspires people to put more efforts, to perform better; it also gives them a sense of belonging and dignity. In the bible Jesus said, ‘love your neighbor as yourself’ [6] and through community service and community building, one can truly learn to love, appreciate and cooperate with his/her neighbor. This is, one of the foundations for sustainable development.

More and more non-profit organizations started working on the ground, establishing grass-root organizations which possessed the knowledge of the specific needs and desires of the given communities and therefore were quite successful in delivering just the right services to the most needy. The bottom-up development approach transformed the landscape of development. In this new landscape, the most important engines of development became the citizens and members of the community, as parts of a whole, not separate parts. They were not to remain passive recipients of aid anymore, but they were to be empowered to realize their full potential and escape the vicious cycle of poverty.

In the beginning of this process of transformation, private enterprises did not play a significant role and were rather isolated, only participating in the development process through seldom charity events and donations. This was largely due to their own wrong perception that no profit could be generated through helping the poorest, and as companies, their goal is to generate as much profit as they can, whilst the role of the government is to provide for the poor. Another obstacle for the active involvement of corporations in the development process was the suspicion with which they were looked upon by skeptics, who believed that nothing good can come out of engaging the ‘profit-generating machines’ in non-profit generating activities. Corporations were often associated with immoral and unethical behavior, mostly comparable with the Karl Marx’s description of capitalism and the monopolists who exploited the working class. Such stories were not rare, especially the evidence of wide-spread use of child labor and ‘sweat shops’ established in various developing countries. At the same time, the belief that many corporations used neocolonial style techniques to strip the raw- material rich countries from their resources and not really bring any development to them, was pervasive [7]. Nevertheless, this was soon to change. First of all, the concept of sustainable development gained ground and prompted many companies to reconsider their activities and especially the impact they have on the environment and on human development. The UN Global Compact Initiative, the world’s largest corporate citizenship and sustainability initiative, was established. The companies participating in this initiative, have to adhere to the ten universally accepted principles in the areas of human rights, labor, environment and anti-corruption [8] . These principles have served to assure the important role that private enterprises have come to play in the process of development and globalization. The principle of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) also became popular and is increasingly becoming imperative for companies to adopt as part of their core programs. People demand transparency and accountability from companies and it is increasingly becoming a common knowledge that the role of private enterprises and businesses, in general, in achieving the common goals of humankind for development is crucial. CSR does not simply imply charity events and donations, but a transformation of the core values of private enterprises, working together with all other international and local actors to establish a society based on the principle of sustainable development.
A development that brought all actors on the international stage together is the so-called ‘international community’ phenomenon. This concept has gained much interest and attention in the last decade and it is increasingly believed that an international community is arising, which shares common goals and ideas, and which, united, can achieve much progress and development.
In the year 2000, during the Millennium Summit, the UN General Assembly adopted the “Millennium Declaration”, focusing on the essential principles of sustainable development that all countries should adhere to. Following the adoption of the declaration, the international community, including governments, government-based organizations, non-government organizations etc. actors, all agreed upon eight common development goals, later known as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which have to be achieved by the year 2015 [9]. These common goals have urges and stimulated the entire international community to unite efforts in the fight against poverty, inequality, and towards justice, peace, and sustainable development. Goal number 8 recognizes the significant role that the economy and especially free markets, play in enhancing the development of the least developed countries. Some of its targets include more cooperation with the private sector in bringing new technologies to the poor and increasing their opportunities for more fair access to markets.
Since the adoption of the MDGs by the international community, a multitude of different efforts, varying in scope and success, have been launched to assure the achievement of the goals. One of the key features of these efforts has been the active participation of the local communities and their empowerment. Despite the definite need of the state to create and implement pro-poor development policies, like poverty reduction plans etc., the need for bottom-up development approach has become more and more widely accepted. It is exactly there that a new kind of economic activity has spread and has born many fruits. Microfinance. In the past, private enterprises, banks, etc. considered microfinancing, especially microfinancing targeted towards the poorest, a waste of time and resources, since it was believed that these people cannot benefit from it, cannot generate profit, and cannot operate efficiently. Therefore, often times, companies and other donors preferred to send aid, rather than to invest in equipping the poor communities with entrepreneurship skills. Nevertheless, this time has passed and “to date, a successful microfinance industry has been built that is effective in reaching millions of poor people, in providing them with financial services, and in reducing their poverty”[10]. Even though “like many other development tools [microfinance] has insufficiently penetrated the poorer strata of society”[11] , in recent years more and more emphasis is put on the improvement of the services of microfinance institutions (MFIs) to ensure their successful outreach to the most underprivileged communities and people. MFIs have been instrumental in empowering entire communities, especially women, previously denied the right to perform economic activity. The importance of entrepreneurship has been widely acknowledged as a rather optimal choice for development. One of the recent examples of a leader in great favor of promoting empowerment of the communities through entrepreneurship is the Rwandan president, Paul Kagame, who has put forward an ambitious plan to transform its country into an entrepreneurship society.

What is, after all, the link between globalization, community and character? In recent years, globalization, defined as the rising global civic community, involved in the building of a better future for all, fighting for the eradication of extreme poverty and striving to bring equality and justice to all communities, has been instrumental in empowering local communities and bringing the benefits of the process to the poorest. The catch phrase “Think globally, act locally” is not simply a phrase anymore, it is reality. It is the way forward, the right development approach which builds active and socially responsible citizens, aware of the problems of their communities and involved in solving these problems! Therefore, globalization has the potential to bring up a new generation of global citizens, who think both globally and locally, as well, as contribute to the development of even the most impoverished communities.

The pursuit of human development, and not just blind economic growth has become the core goal of the international community. It is true that globalization has contributed greatly toward the increased levels of inequality present in the world now, but globalization is also the key to solving this problem, and delivering a better future to all.
The key to the success in the fight against poverty is for communities, enterprises, governments, NGOs etc. members of the international community to unite efforts and meet the challenges and opportunities together. United, their unique contributions of funding, technical skills, know-how or strategy are able to bring about tangible, positive and lasting change in the world.

Can character and communities survive in an age of globalization then? Yes. Even more so than before, because communities have started to arise, to unite, to be empowered and to seek their own well-being, while globalization has the potential to equip them with the necessary tools to reach their goals faster, more efficiently. People’s mind-sets have started to transform as well, and from being self-centered and seeking their own good alone, they have began to realize the great joy and harmony that exist in sharing responsibilities and benefits. Now, this is a major shift in character! Globalization has lured us with prospects for quick success and development, but here and now, we have the chance to experience a different aspect of its multi-faceted nature. Globalization has stirred the passion and desire in communities and individuals to unite and act together, to fight and achieve together, to become confident and responsible citizens, whose aim is to make their backyard, neighborhood, village, town, country and ultimately the world a better, more just and more equal place! All that is needed is enough will and faith in the power that arises when people are willing to put aside their differences and focus their strengths, talents, and resources on achieving their common goals!
[1] Tulchin S. Joseph, Gary Bland ed., Getting Globalization Right – the Dilemmas of Inequality, (Lynne Rienner Publishers, Boulder London), 2005, p.2

[2] Ibid, 2

[3] The United Nations Ministerial Conference of the Least Developed Countries, ‘Making Globalization Work for the LDCs’, Turkey, 2007

[4] Ibid, 5

[5] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Common_Future

[6] Bible, NIV, Rom.13:9

[7] Moon Jeremy, The Contribution of Corporate Social Responsibility to Sustainable Development, Sustainable Development, 15, 206-306 (2007) (accessed through Wiley InterScience, www.interscience.wiley.com)

[8] http://www.unglobalcompact.org/AboutTheGC/index.html

[9] http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/

[10] Daley-Harris Sam ed., Pathways out of Poverty, Kumarian Press, Inc, 2002, p.4

[11] Ibid, 5

"I AM POWERFUL!"

2008-12-11T20:55:00.004+02:00

SHE HAS THE POWER TO CHANGE HER WORLD!

YOU HAVE THE POWER TO HELP HER DO IT!

www.care.org - Defending Dignity. Fighting Poverty.
Read my blog post from Nov.30 - "SHE is!"to read more about the power potential hidden within a single woman!
I cannot remember the name of the song playing on the background of this video clip, so, please, if anyone knows it, please share it with me!

As for the women in these video, all I can say is, these are the heroes of our world, often abused, mistreated, enslaved, forgotten, silenced, ignored or else...they, nevertheless, persevere and and look bravely into the eyes of the Future..with Hope and Faith, that they will have a chance to live better lives...or that they will at least have a chance to provide their kids with better lives!
I admire these women. For me, they are the pillars of society, the strongholds of all families, the fighters for survival!
Let us honor them instead of neglecting them, exalt them instead of humiliating them, empower them instead of ignoring them! Only then, will the world become a better place and we, all, will have equal chances to develop our full potential and enjoy free and happy lives!!!
My call is for all those who have ever mistreated a woman in any way, even only by verbally harassing her, to stop and think about it.

Women are no threat to men's power or honor, they are a power on their own. One kind of power does not necessarily have to collide with another, they can complement each other.
But this can happen only when men realize that women are created to be their partners, not subordinates, not slaves, not objects of sexual desire, but equal partners. Only then, can there be true partnerships between men and women and true human development based on equality and justice!
Nevertheless, we still see so many abuses against women and girls, all around the globe. Most of these 'incidents' (evil deeds) have been the acts of weak and insecure men who need to find victims to pay for their failures or just to assert their position and 'power'. Many cultures still tolerate, to say the least, these crooked 'values' and deny women free access to education, property, and equal treatment, view my article "The High Price for Pursuing Knowledge in Some Parts of the Developing World" .
We need to also acknowledge the affects that modernization and globalization have brought upon women and men alike, around the world. Often times, this transitional period - the process of modernization and development of a society - has caused much damage to women, has shaken the traditional values and cultural habits of many communities and has brought fear, insecurity and chaos. Recently, I listened to BBC news and the reporters talked about the rising degree of sexual harassment among young people in Egypt. They conducted interviews with victims of sexual harassment and with sociologists and other experts, who tried to explain the reasons behind this new disturbing trend. I wanted to write about it in a separate article, but I will just sketch briefly their arguments here. The experts (women) talked about the transitional period in which the Egyptian society is, the transformation of power relations, the hard economic times etc. They emphasized that the increase of violence against women is the symptom of the deeply embedded social problems within the society. For example, economic problems lead to the inability of young men to pay dowries, which in turn impedes them from getting married and being recognized as successful and mature men. The sense of failure leads to intensified frustration, which in turn is materialized in the form of sexual harassment. In comparison with the past, now,many more young people postpone marriage. The estimated number of single men and women over 30years old in Egypt, at the moment, is 9million! This is a striking figure for a society, in which traditionally, girls were getting married before their 20s. Of course, another reason for the delay in marriage is that women have been given the chance to pursue higher education. This trend, on the other hand, just like we discussed earlier, constitute a threat to men (or so they believe) and again materialize in the form of violence. Traditional ways have been disrupted and the process of modernization hasn't been completed, therefore, many social problems arise, and often the victims are no one else, but women!

Stereotypes, stigmas, and cultural prejudices have been serious obstacles to the empowerment of women as well, but there is one sure way out of this unequal equation and it is education! education = empowerment ! Education not just for girls and women, but also for boys and grown-up men (some Microfinance institutions have already set special courses to break the existing stigmas and stereotypes within the given communities and to assure men that it is beneficial to all if women are empowered and that they do not constitute a threat to them). More efforts need to be put in offering courses that offer redefining of the meaning of 'man' and 'masculine', because often, men act upon a certain situation as they believe their society expects them to, in order to fit the role of 'men', which they have been assigned. Failing to play that role, they believe, will cause them shame and rejection by other men. NGO's need to put more emphasis on empowering both men and women, by building up man and women who respect each other and complement each other! Men need to be told that there is nothing manly to hit a woman or rape a girl! Men have been created physically stronger, but not to hit women, but to protect them!
Women are not a threat to society but a blessing! Their self-sacrificial nature and fearless spirit are sure cornerstones for building up a truly harmonious community! Don't step on them, but let them grow and they will bear good fruits from which we, all, will benefit! Don't silence them, but let them speak up, and you will see unleashed a powerful source of energy, inspiration and love! Don't be silent! Speak up on their behalf today! Don't remain indifferent, invest in the life of one woman...and you will see big harvest!

she has the power to change her world! you have the power to help her do it!

The Voice of Chinese Intellectuals Hungry for Freedom and Democracy!- CHARTER 08

2008-12-11T08:08:00.001+02:00

This is something I read about today in the Time magazine www.time.com. The Charter, I copied from N.Y.T. book review. I failed to find the Chinese version, but when I do, I will post it.

my nota
In the light of the celebrations of the 60th anniversary of the signing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights this year, and the celebrations of the World Human Rights Day, yesterday (10.12.08), this charter gives voice to the aspirations and dreams of millions of people around the world, and in this case, particularly in China.
This is a remarkable document outlining some of the essential reforms which China needs to undertake in order to become a truly democratic and constitutional great power!
I am fascinated by the explicit content, simple, yet provoking, subtle, yet deep and truthful.
You have to be aware that by making this document public, these brave men have exposed their lives to great danger and threat of detention and imprisonment (as some already were) or persecution!
The fight for freedom is a noble one and I fully support it. One of the greatest Bulgarian writers during the Bulgarian fight for independence from the Ottoman rule, Luben Karavelov, has said about freedom: "Without freedom, a person cannot call him/herself a person, he/she is half a person; without freedom, a person cannot be such, as he/she was created to be, therefore, he/she cannot be happy." When we consider the voices of these people, their vision for modern China, their 'prescriptions' for 'healing' the country's longstanding 'diseases', let us reason together, not be extreme in our views, but rather envision the process of transformation that China needs to choose, in order to become a country of free men and women, who fully enjoy all their human rights and live happy and 'harmonious lives'.
After all, isn't this exactly what the Communist Party strives for? If so, then it shouldn't feel threatened by calls for change and transformations, but rather engage in meaningful debates and consider all opinions. It is said in the bible that a king with many advisers will prosper, therefore, I urge the ruling party to use this opportunity and show the world that it has the will to become not only an economic miracle, but a human rights miracle! This is not to say that China needs to follow the western democratic model and copy blindly and rapidly all aspects of it. On the contrary, the great demand for more open and engaging debates is necessary to facilitate the process of determining a rather fitting model of democratization and political reforms. Let us not forget that Deng Xiao Ping, himself, said political democratization will come after stability and economic progress. Well, is the time ripe? These intellectuals believe it is.

Translated from the Chinese by Perry Link

The following text of Charter 08, signed by hundreds of Chinese intellectuals and translated and introduced by Perry Link, Professor of Chinese Literature at the University of California, Riverside, will be published in the issue of The New York Review dated January 15, which goes on sale on January 2.

—The Editors

The document below, signed by over three hundred prominent Chinese citizens, was conceived and written in conscious admiration of the founding of Charter 77 in Czechoslovakia, where, in January 1977, more than two hundred Czech and Slovak intellectuals formed a

loose, informal, and open association of people... united by the will to strive individually and collectively for respect for human and civil rights in our country and throughout the world.

The Chinese document calls not for ameliorative reform of the current political system but for an end to some of its essential features, including one-party rule, and their replacement with a system based on human rights and democracy.

The prominent citizens who have signed the document are from both outside and inside the government, and include not only well-known dissidents and intellectuals, but also middle-level officials and rural leaders. They have chosen December 10, the anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, as the day on which to express their political ideas and to outline their vision of a constitutional, democratic China. They intend “Charter 08” to serve as a blueprint for fundamental political change in China in the years to come. The signers of the document will form an informal group, open-ended in size but united by a determination to promote democratization and protection of human rights in China and beyond.

On December 8 two prominent signers of the Charter, Zhang Zuhua and Liu Xiaobo, were detained by the police. Zhang Zuhua has since been released; as of December 9, Liu Xiabo remains in custody.

—Perry Link

I. Foreword

A hundred years have passed since the writing of China’s first constitution. 2008 also marks the sixtieth anniversary of the promulgation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the thirtieth anniversary of the appearance of Democracy Wall in Beijing, and the tenth of China’s signing of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. We are approaching the twentieth anniversary of the 1989 Tiananmen massacre of pro-democracy student protesters. The Chinese people, who have endured human rights disasters and uncountable struggles across these same years, now include many who see clearly that freedom, equality, and human rights are universal values of humankind and that democracy and constitutional government are the fundamental framework for protecting these values.

By departing from these values, the Chinese government’s approach to “modernization” has proven disastrous. It has stripped people of their rights, destroyed their dignity, and corrupted normal human intercourse. So we ask: Where is China headed in the twenty-first century? Will it continue with “modernization” under authoritarian rule, or will it embrace universal human values, join the mainstream of civilized nations, and build a democratic system? There can be no avoiding these questions.

The shock of the Western impact upon China in the nineteenth century laid bare a decadent authoritarian system and marked the beginning of what is often called “the greatest changes in thousands of years” for China. A “self-strengthening movement” followed, but this aimed simply at appropriating the technology to build gunboats and other Western material objects. China’s humiliating naval defeat at the hands of Japan in 1895 only confirmed the obsolescence of China’s system of government. The first attempts at modern political change came with the ill-fated summer of reforms in 1898, but these were cruelly crushed by ultraconservatives at China’s imperial court. With the revolution of 1911, which inaugurated Asia’s first republic, the authoritarian imperial system that had lasted for centuries was finally supposed to have been laid to rest. But social conflict inside our country and external pressures were to prevent it; China fell into a patchwork of warlord fiefdoms and the new republic became a fleeting dream.

The failure of both “self-strengthening” and political renovation caused many of our forebears to reflect deeply on whether a “cultural illness” was afflicting our country. This mood gave rise, during the May Fourth Movement of the late 1910s, to the championing of “science and democracy.” Yet that effort, too, foundered as warlord chaos persisted and the Japanese invasion [beginning in Manchuria in 1931] brought national crisis.

Victory over Japan in 1945 offered one more chance for China to move toward modern government, but the Communist defeat of the Nationalists in the civil war thrust the nation into the abyss of totalitarianism. The “new China” that emerged in 1949 proclaimed that “the people are sovereign” but in fact set up a system in which “the Party is all-powerful.” The Communist Party of China seized control of all organs of the state and all political, economic, and social resources, and, using these, has produced a long trail of human rights disasters, including, among many others, the Anti-Rightist Campaign (1957), the Great Leap Forward (1958–1960), the Cultural Revolution (1966–1969), the June Fourth (Tiananmen Square) Massacre (1989), and the current repression of all unauthorized religions and the suppression of the weiquan rights movement [a movement that aims to defend citizens’ rights promulgated in the Chinese Constitution and to fight for human rights recognized by international conventions that the Chinese government has signed]. During all this, the Chinese people have paid a gargantuan price. Tens of millions have lost their lives, and several generations have seen their freedom, their happiness, and their human dignity cruelly trampled.

During the last two decades of the twentieth century the government policy of “Reform and Opening” gave the Chinese people relief from the pervasive poverty and totalitarianism of the Mao Zedong era and brought substantial increases in the wealth and living standards of many Chinese as well as a partial restoration of economic freedom and economic rights. Civil society began to grow, and popular calls for more rights and more political freedom have grown apace. As the ruling elite itself moved toward private ownership and the market economy, it began to shift from an outright rejection of “rights” to a partial acknowledgment of them.

In 1998 the Chinese government signed two important international human rights conventions; in 2004 it amended its constitution to include the phrase “respect and protect human rights”; and this year, 2008, it has promised to promote a “national human rights action plan.” Unfortunately most of this political progress has extended no further than the paper on which it is written. The political reality, which is plain for anyone to see, is that China has many laws but no rule of law; it has a constitution but no constitutional government. The ruling elite continues to cling to its authoritarian power and fights off any move toward political change.

The stultifying results are endemic official corruption, an undermining of the rule of law, weak human rights, decay in public ethics, crony capitalism, growing inequality between the wealthy and the poor, pillage of the natural environment as well as of the human and historical environments, and the exacerbation of a long list of social conflicts, especially, in recent times, a sharpening animosity between officials and ordinary people.

As these conflicts and crises grow ever more intense, and as the ruling elite continues with impunity to crush and to strip away the rights of citizens to freedom, to property, and to the pursuit of happiness, we see the powerless in our society—the vulnerable groups, the people who have been suppressed and monitored, who have suffered cruelty and even torture, and who have had no adequate avenues for their protests, no courts to hear their pleas—becoming more militant and raising the possibility of a violent conflict of disastrous proportions. The decline of the current system has reached the point where change is no longer optional.

II. Our Fundamental Principles

This is a historic moment for China, and our future hangs in the balance. In reviewing the political modernization process of the past hundred years or more, we reiterate and endorse basic universal values as follows:

Freedom. Freedom is at the core of universal human values. Freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, freedom of association, freedom in where to live, and the freedoms to strike, to demonstrate, and to protest, among others, are the forms that freedom takes. Without freedom, China will always remain far from civilized ideals.

Human rights. Human rights are not bestowed by a state. Every person is born with inherent rights to dignity and freedom. The government exists for the protection of the human rights of its citizens. The exercise of state power must be authorized by the people. The succession of political disasters in China’s recent history is a direct consequence of the ruling regime’s disregard for human rights.

Equality. The integrity, dignity, and freedom of every person—regardless of social station, occupation, sex, economic condition, ethnicity, skin color, religion, or political belief—are the same as those of any other. Principles of equality before the law and equality of social, economic, cultural, civil, and political rights must be upheld.

Republicanism. Republicanism, which holds that power should be balanced among different branches of government and competing interests should be served, resembles the traditional Chinese political ideal of “fairness in all under heaven.” It allows different interest groups and social assemblies, and people with a variety of cultures and beliefs, to exercise democratic self-government and to deliberate in order to reach peaceful resolution of public questions on a basis of equal access to government and free and fair competition.

Democracy. The most fundamental principles of democracy are that the people are sovereign and the people select their government. Democracy has these characteristics: (1) Political power begins with the people and the legitimacy of a regime derives from the people. (2) Political power is exercised through choices that the people make. (3) The holders of major official posts in government at all levels are determined through periodic competitive elections. (4) While honoring the will of the majority, the fundamental dignity, freedom, and human rights of minorities are protected. In short, democracy is a modern means for achieving government truly “of the people, by the people, and for the people.”

Constitutional rule. Constitutional rule is rule through a legal system and legal regulations to implement principles that are spelled out in a constitution. It means protecting the freedom and the rights of citizens, limiting and defining the scope of legitimate government power, and providing the administrative apparatus necessary to serve these ends.

III. What We Advocate

Authoritarianism is in general decline throughout the world; in China, too, the era of emperors and overlords is on the way out. The time is arriving everywhere for citizens to be masters of states. For China the path that leads out of our current predicament is to divest ourselves of the authoritarian notion of reliance on an “enlightened overlord” or an “honest official” and to turn instead toward a system of liberties, democracy, and the rule of law, and toward fostering the consciousness of modern citizens who see rights as fundamental and participation as a duty. Accordingly, and in a spirit of this duty as responsible and constructive citizens, we offer the following recommendations on national governance, citizens’ rights, and social development:

1. A New Constitution. We should recast our present constitution, rescinding its provisions that contradict the principle that sovereignty resides with the people and turning it into a document that genuinely guarantees human rights, authorizes the exercise of public power, and serves as the legal underpinning of China’s democratization. The constitution must be the highest law in the land, beyond violation by any individual, group, or political party.

2. Separation of powers. We should construct a modern government in which the separation of legislative, judicial, and executive power is guaranteed. We need an Administrative Law that defines the scope of government responsibility and prevents abuse of administrative power. Government should be responsible to taxpayers. Division of power between provincial governments and the central government should adhere to the principle that central powers are only those specifically granted by the constitution and all other powers belong to the local governments.

3. Legislative democracy. Members of legislative bodies at all levels should be chosen by direct election, and legislative democracy should observe just and impartial principles.

4. An Independent Judiciary. The rule of law must be above the interests of any particular political party and judges must be independent. We need to establish a constitutional supreme court and institute procedures for constitutional review. As soon as possible, we should abolish all of the Committees on Political and Legal Affairs that now allow Communist Party officials at every level to decide politically-sensitive cases in advance and out of court. We should strictly forbid the use of public offices for private purposes.

5. Public Control of Public Servants. The military should be made answerable to the national government, not to a political party, and should be made more professional. Military personnel should swear allegiance to the constitution and remain nonpartisan. Political party organizations shall be prohibited in the military. All public officials including police should serve as nonpartisans, and the current practice of favoring one political party in the hiring of public servants must end.

6. Guarantee of Human Rights. There shall be strict guarantees of human rights and respect for human dignity. There should be a Human Rights Committee, responsible to the highest legislative body, that will prevent the government from abusing public power in violation of human rights. A democratic and constitutional China especially must guarantee the personal freedom of citizens. No one shall suffer illegal arrest, detention, arraignment, interrogation, or punishment. The system of “Reeducation through Labor” must be abolished.

7. Election of Public Officials. There shall be a comprehensive system of democratic elections based on “one person, one vote.” The direct election of administrative heads at the levels of county, city, province, and nation should be systematically implemented. The rights to hold periodic free elections and to participate in them as a citizen are inalienable.

8. Rural–Urban Equality. The two-tier household registry system must be abolished. This system favors urban residents and harms rural residents. We should establish instead a system that gives every citizen the same constitutional rights and the same freedom to choose where to live.

9. Freedom to Form Groups. The right of citizens to form groups must be guaranteed. The current system for registering nongovernment groups, which requires a group to be “approved,” should be replaced by a system in which a group simply registers itself. The formation of political parties should be governed by the constitution and the laws, which means that we must abolish the special privilege of one party to monopolize power and must guarantee principles of free and fair competition among political parties.

10. Freedom to Assemble. The constitution provides that peaceful assembly, demonstration, protest, and freedom of expression are fundamental rights of a citizen. The ruling party and the government must not be permitted to subject these to illegal interference or unconstitutional obstruction.

11. Freedom of Expression. We should make freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and academic freedom universal, thereby guaranteeing that citizens can be informed and can exercise their right of political supervision. These freedoms should be upheld by a Press Law that abolishes political restrictions on the press. The provision in the current Criminal Law that refers to “the crime of incitement to subvert state power” must be abolished. We should end the practice of viewing words as crimes.

12. Freedom of Religion. We must guarantee freedom of religion and belief and institute a separation of religion and state. There must be no governmental interference in peaceful religious activities. We should abolish any laws, regulations, or local rules that limit or suppress the religious freedom of citizens. We should abolish the current system that requires religious groups (and their places of worship) to get official approval in advance and substitute for it a system in which registry is optional and, for those who choose to register, automatic.

13. Civic Education. In our schools we should abolish political curriculums and examinations that are designed to indoctrinate students in state ideology and to instill support for the rule of one party. We should replace them with civic education that advances universal values and citizens’ rights, fosters civic consciousness, and promotes civic virtues that serve society.

14. Protection of Private Property. We should establish and protect the right to private property and promote an economic system of free and fair markets. We should do away with government monopolies in commerce and industry and guarantee the freedom to start new enterprises. We should establish a Committee on State-Owned Property, reporting to the national legislature, that will monitor the transfer of state-owned enterprises to private ownership in a fair, competitive, and orderly manner. We should institute a land reform that promotes private ownership of land, guarantees the right to buy and sell land, and allows the true value of private property to be adequately reflected in the market.

15. Financial and Tax Reform. We should establish a democratically regulated and accountable system of public finance that ensures the protection of taxpayer rights and that operates through legal procedures. We need a system by which public revenues that belong to a certain level of government—central, provincial, county or local—are controlled at that level. We need major tax reform that will abolish any unfair taxes, simplify the tax system, and spread the tax burden fairly. Government officials should not be able to raise taxes, or institute new ones, without public deliberation and the approval of a democratic assembly. We should reform the ownership system in order to encourage competition among a wider variety of market participants.

16. Social Security. We should establish a fair and adequate social security system that covers all citizens and ensures basic access to education, health care, retirement security, and employment.

17. Protection of the Environment. We need to protect the natural environment and to promote development in a way that is sustainable and responsible to our descendents and to the rest of humanity. This means insisting that the state and its officials at all levels not only do what they must do to achieve these goals, but also accept the supervision and participation of non-governmental organizations.

18. A Federated Republic. A democratic China should seek to act as a responsible major power contributing toward peace and development in the Asian Pacific region by approaching others in a spirit of equality and fairness. In Hong Kong and Macao, we should support the freedoms that already exist. With respect to Taiwan, we should declare our commitment to the principles of freedom and democracy and then, negotiating as equals, and ready to compromise, seek a formula for peaceful unification. We should approach disputes in the national-minority areas of China with an open mind, seeking ways to find a workable framework within which all ethnic and religious groups can flourish. We should aim ultimately at a federation of democratic communities of China.

19. Truth in Reconciliation. We should restore the reputations of all people, including their family members, who suffered political stigma in the political campaigns of the past or who have been labeled as criminals because of their thought, speech, or faith. The state should pay reparations to these people. All political prisoners and prisoners of conscience must be released. There should be a Truth Investigation Commission charged with finding the facts about past injustices and atrocities, determining responsibility for them, upholding justice, and, on these bases, seeking social reconciliation.

China, as a major nation of the world, as one of five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, and as a member of the UN Council on Human Rights, should be contributing to peace for humankind and progress toward human rights. Unfortunately, we stand today as the only country among the major nations that remains mired in authoritarian politics. Our political system continues to produce human rights disasters and social crises, thereby not only constricting China’s own development but also limiting the progress of all of human civilization. This must change, truly it must. The democratization of Chinese politics can be put off no longer.

Accordingly, we dare to put civic spirit into practice by announcing Charter 08. We hope that our fellow citizens who feel a similar sense of crisis, responsibility, and mission, whether they are inside the government or not, and regardless of their social status, will set aside small differences to embrace the broad goals of this citizens’ movement. Together we can work for major changes in Chinese society and for the rapid establishment of a free, democratic, and constitutional country. We can bring to reality the goals and ideals that our people have incessantly been seeking for more than a hundred years, and can bring a brilliant new chapter to Chinese civilization.

—translated from the Chinese by Perry Link

Human Rights Day - Dignity and Justice for ALL of us!

2008-12-10T18:01:00.000+02:00

Today is the World Human Rights Day. In the light of the marking of the 60th anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights this year ( http://www.un.org/Overview/rights.html), it will be appropriate to reflect on these rights, their meaning and their practice around the world. It is of great importance that we acknowledge today, the progress and efforts made both internationally and domestically by most countries to conform and make these 30 articles into common practices. Nevertheless, despite the great improvements accomplished throughout the last 60 years in bringing human rights to the the front table of international and domestic debates, as well as, improving the lives of millions of people around the world, human rights abuses continue to be a major problem in many parts of the world. Often times these fundamental rights, which are meant to give an equal chance to everyone to enjoy a life during which one can develop their full potential and be happy, are denied to the individuals and are nothing more but articles on paper. Therefore, it is the duty of all humankind to defend and fight for these rights and to assure their enjoyment by all people, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status... (Article 2) ! If we fail to do that, we lose what defines us - our 'humanity'; if we choose to close our eyes for the injustices

SELECTED ARTICLES

Article 1: All human beings are born free and equal.
Article 2: Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration...

Article 3: Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security.

Article 4: No-one shall be held in slavery or servitude.

Article 5: No-one shall be subjected to torture.
Article 6: Everyone has the right to recognition everywhere as a person before the law.
Article 9: No-one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest.

Article 18: Everyone has the right to freedom of thought.
Article 20: Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association.
Article 25: Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family...
Article 26: Everyone has the right to education.
Article 28: Everyone is entitled to a social and international order in which the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration can be fully realized.
Article 29: Everyone has duties to the community in which alone the free and full development of his personality is possible.

Do you enjoy all these rights? Think about it, if you do, you are more blessed than millions of people around the world, who have been denied the right to enjoy some (few or all) of these rights!

and inequalities that remain such a striking characteristic of our planet, then we lose our right to call ourselves human beings and we become enslaved into a vicious circle that will eventually lead to our own self-destruction. The rights of each person matter and we must not be tolerant to any form injustice, discrimination or abuse! We should not put a price to human rights and weigh the pros and cons of defending them! There shouldn't be excuses to the extend to which human rights should be pursued and realized! There shouldn't be tolerance towards some kinds of human rights abuses, or some scale of human rights abuses, because each person's life is precious and holy and it is given to him/her by God and remains for God to take it away. No man should be allowed to use force against innocent people to gain power! I repeat NO MAN!...because WE ARE ALL EQUAL!
Governments should be held responsible for not adhering to this declaration and should be held accountable for their actions, even though these actions might be within their sovereign territory!
Ignorance is not bliss as some conventional wisdom wants us to believe. Ignorance and Indifference are instruments for total annihilation! They invite only more abuse, only more torture, only more disrespect of the rights of everyone to live a free and good life.
Beware then! and BE AWARE! Don't sit back and skip the news or stories that tell the of the afflicted, tortured, the raped, the abused, the murdered, the enslaved, the unjustly imprisoned...!
STAND UP against all these! and defend the defenseless! : " Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the right of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy." Prov.31:8-9

Happy Human Rights Day Everyone!!!

Let us unite and believe together! Let us join hands and efforts and ensure that really everyone will be able to enjoy these fundamental human rights!

p.s. I intend to write more concrete stories reflecting on the various human rights. please feel free to leave your comments, suggestions, stories, links, photos etc. thank you!

the photos used are from http://www.un.org/events/humanrights/udhr60/exhibit.shtml . This is a cartoon exhibition organized by the UN to commemorate the 60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights! These cartoons are truly thought-provoking!

'MY FREEDOM' (and everyone else's for that matter)

2008-12-10T07:45:00.000+02:00

I need FREEDOM to DEVELOP!

I need FREEDOM to grow and develop my full potential! I need FREEDOM to be all that God wants me to be! I need FREEDOM to dream, to pursue my happiness, to express my opinion, to believe in my God! I need FREEDOM to blossom and bear good fruits! I need FREEDOM to spread my branches and extend them to reach the stars!

Nobody has the right to hold back from me MY FREEDOM!

Nobody is entitled to my FREEDOM but me! Nobody can purchase my FREEDOM! Nobody can abuse and misuse my FREEDOM! Nobody can exchange my FREEDOM for their own profit or interest! My FREEDOM is not an item, tax-free! My FREEDOM is not a commodity or a luxury! My FREEDOM is not subject to corrupted officials, dictators or any other self-righteous leaders!

My freedom is mine to be! My FREEDOM is not chained! My freedom is FREE!

Amartya Sen, "Development as Freedom", 2000.
http://www.amazon.com/Development-as-Freedom-Amartya-Sen/dp/0385720270/ref=pd_sim_b_3

Нашият обществен живот - Luben Karavelov

2008-12-09T03:22:00.002+02:00

This feuilleton (short article) was written in the 19th century by a very famous Bulgarian scholar, writer and public figure! It depicts very intricately the Bulgarian political and social life at the time. The amazing thing about it is that it has not become the least outdated and all the phenomena described by Karavelov are still relevant in today's society!

I will translate its essence soon.

Neshto, koeto mi haresa strashno mnogo!

В 1867 аз имах щастие да се опозная с негово мудрословие (тая дума вземам из “Македония”) отца Балабанова, когото преди малко време разстриже българският народ. Нашето познанство стана така. Една заран дойде при мене един из бялградските сватове, който имаше обичай да знае и кой е дошъл, и кой отишъл, и кой е родил, и кой се е родил, и рече ми твърде многозначително:

- Дошъл е из Френско един наш българин, който знае много науки... Аз озарана ходих при него...Добър човек, учен човек...Като проговори дума, то мед му закапе из устата... А държи се достойнствено – като княз...

Тия хвалби ме накараха да ида и аз и да видя тоя учен човек, ако и да не обичам медът. Отидох в гостилницата, в която беше кацнал нашият синигер, т.е. негово слословие, и почуках на вратата.

- Антре! – проговори слословието.

Влязох и намерих черни панталони, бяло елече, черносин суртук, лъскави кундури, шарена вратовръзка, гиздави мустаки, златен кьостек и бяла като сняг риза, в които се намираше обвиен отец Балабанов. Захванахме се да си приказваме за едно, за друго; но все за големи работи като, например, за Наполеона, за турската политика, за сръбските министри, за бялградската крепост и пр. Трябва да ви кажа, че в тоя същия ден, когато аз у з р я х отца Балабанова в първи и последни път, турците излазяха из бялградската крепост и сръбската войска се готвеше да влезе в нея.

- Хайде да идеме и ние на Калемейдан и да погледаме на сръбското тържество и на турското унижение – казах аз отцу Балабанову.

- Нямам ръкавици...Пращах момчето да ми купи; но дюкяните били затворени – отговори о. Балабанов.

- Какви ръкавици! – казах аз. – Вие не сте в Париж, а в Бялград...

Отец Балабанов послуша моя съвет, облече са, и ние излязохме на улицата. Разбира се, че в онзи тържествен за Сърбия ден хората вървяха надоле – нагоре по улиците, като мравето през марта; но между тия мраве ръкавици имаше твърде малко.

Дойдохме до Калемейдан. Г.Балабанов ме хвана за ръкавът и рече ми:

- Аз ще се върна.

- Защо? – попитах аз.

- Мене ме е срам да се вовирам между черният (простият) народ.

А знаете ли що направих аз, като чух тия Балабанови думи? Оставих го да търси благородните ръкавици и отидох да се вовирам между простите смъртни. “Какво ли ще да прави г.Балабанов, когато се върне из Франция и донесе в България своите ръкавици?” – си помислих аз, и душата ми почувствува твърде неприятни неща.

Преди няколко години аз чух, че г. Балабанов се върнал и останал в Цариград да търси адвокатско занятие, и че бил назначен за писарин при св. Български синод. В онова време аз си пак припомних ръкавиците. По думите на нашите кореспонденти, Балабанов взимал плата по 20(турски) лири на месецът, китил се, труфил се, помадил се, шпионствувал, продавал братията си и народът си, и всичко това се вършло пак за ръкавици – две лири повече, пет чифта ръкавици повече.

Срам го било да се вовира между простият народ: а не се срамува да се продава на най-низките цариградски души и да променява майка си с един чифт ръкавици!

Срам го било да излезе на улицата без ръкавици; а не се срамува да лиже х. Иванчовите сахани и да върти опашка пред г.Николи!

Срам го било да излезе с по-вехтички дрехи; а не се срамува да лъже, да подличи, да шпионисва и да продава честта си за едно шише гюлево масло!

В Париж човек може да се научи много полезни неща! Питане е после всичко това: защо и за какво не беше избран за писар на българският св. синод други някой българин, или барем чифутин, а именно г. Балабанов?

Аз вече говорих преди малко врече, че у нас са захванали да ценят хората по ръкавиците и по мустаките; а умът им, разумът им и честта им са съвсем маловажни неща. Ако искате доказателства, то ви моля да вземете в ръка латинското “Читалище”, когато се то редактируваше още от отца Балабанов, и вие ще се уверите, че и под високата капела (не черкова, а шапка) твърде често се намира безмозъчие. Всичкото това ме накара да дам на българският народ няколко полезни съвети.

Слушайте братия! Когато се появи между вази един такъв човек, който обича да се кити като жена, то знайте, че с това той иска да покрие своето умствено сиромашество и своята нравствена голота;

когато се появи между вази един такъв човек, който ви говори големи думи, които вие не разбирате, то знайте, че той има празна глава, която не може да веже за едно 2 и 2 е равно на четири;

когато се появи между вази една такава личност, която се умилкува на богатите, а със сиромасите говори презрително, то знайте, че тая личност точи зъби за прасетата ви... Вие сте сити от чорбаджии, не трябват ви вече повече!

Един русин ми разказваше, че у българите съществуват две крайности: българите са или много умни, или много глупави;

или много работни, или големи хайлази;

или много честни, или много безчестни;

или много осторожни, или много луди;

с една дума, между българите се намират такива безчестни хора, каквито вие никъде не би можели да намерите, и обратно. И наистина, разгледайте живота на хаджи Иванча ефенди, погледайте по-внимателно на хаджи Николи, опознайте се с Петраки Златев и пр., и вие ще да се съгласите с гореказаният русин.

А от какво произхожда всичко това? - От нашето подчинено положение, от нашата политическа смърт от нашето гнуснаво возпитание и от нашето още по-гнуснаво образование. Мнозина са вече забележили, че у нас съществуват някакви си еврейски начала; а тая забележка има своето основание. Евреите се раждат така също честни и великодушни, както са се родили и някога Катоновците; но тяхната историческа съдба и тяхното настояще положение са ги накарали да бъдат такива, каквито са днес. Нашето честито правителство гледа на всеки един христиенин като на куче, а това куче има пред неговите очи каква-годе цена само тогава, когато е то богато, а когато е така, то и раята досега нищо повече не е правила освен да събира богатства, т. е. да се старае да се откупи и да избави своят гръб от турската или правителствената тояга. А из всичкото това ние ще да направиме такова заключение, че честността и великодушието не могат да растат в турската империя, защото тия не заслужават никакво уважение от страна на нашите господари турци и фанариоти. У нас честните хора носят название чапкъни; а най-родолюбивите се наричат бунтовници и хайдуци.

И така, нашата нравствена сила е съединена с нашият самостоятелен живот така също, както е съединено и тялото с душата. От нашата политическа независимост зависи нашето нравствено пробуждане, и обратно. За доказателство ние ще да покажем пак на нашият черковен въпрос, който(говориме вече педесети път) ще да си остане въпрос чак дотогава, докато ние не бъдеме освободени политически.

Но аз както казах вече по-горе, че в много отношения е виновато и нашето возпитание и образование. Да докажеме. Нашите бащи са чорбаджии и домашни деспоти, нашите майки са убиени и нищожни създания, нашите учители и возпитатели са развалени същества, нашите пастири са невежи и т. н. Българите трябва съвсем да се превозпитат, да оставят своите турски нрави и обичаи, да залегнат за своето возпитание и образование, да изчистят съвършено византийското гюрбе; а после вече да захванат да живеят човечески. Трябва да кажа, че днешното образование е безполезно: а без образование ние никога няма да достигнеме до никакво добро. Аз моля бога да избави и неприятелите ми от французките возпитаници, както и от техните учители! А българите разказват, че крушата не пада далеч от коренът си. Ето защо и нашият черковен въпрос не може да се реши за наша полза. У нас всичко става за пари, следователно... Тежко и горко на нашият народ, ако той остане дотолкова назад, щото различни шарлатани да защитават интересите му!

SEVEN Fund Student Essay Competition - Turning President Kagame's Vision into Practice

2008-12-07T07:52:00.001+02:00

"Where there is no vision, the people perish, but he that keeps the law, happy is he" Prov.29:18

This is an essay I submitted for a competition organized by Seven Fund www.sevenfund.org. We had to take the role of president Kagame's main policy adviser and design a policy action plan to turn his vision for the country into practice. He believes that the advancement and development of entrepreneurship should be the main engine for sustainable development and only through this development approach the full potential of the Rwandan people can be realized!
Here is the essay. I welcome and comments, suggestions and opinions.
Due to the lack of time (I got to know about it just a few days ago), my preparation wasn't as extensive, as I would like it to be, but this is at least an initial step.
Enjoy reading! :)

Your Excellency Mr. President Kagame,

In the light of our discussions on the specific policies which Rwanda needs to undertake in order to achieve the goals set in 'Vision 2020' and the Millennium Development Goals, as well as the goals set in the EDPRS (Economic Development Poverty Reduction Strategy) 2008-2012, I have designed the following 24-point policy plan. It was created to cover extensively the top priorities set by you as stated on various occasions. Their focus is unquestionably the development and expansion of the private sector with strong emphasis on entrepreneurship development. These policies do not aim to encompass all possible approaches to achieving the goals, but they are comprehensible enough to grasp some of the key areas of focus in the process. An important feature is the goal for innovation and diversification of options in the process of development.

Our core goal is the eradication of extreme poverty and provision of opportunities for all Rwandan people to develop their full potential and live better, more sustainable lives. The way forward to make this goal a reality constitutes of several important steps, which all aim to empower the disadvantaged and underprivileged groups of society. The first set of policies targets the strengthening and improvement of microfinance within Rwanda, and the second set of policies acknowledges various challenges and opportunities in the development process and maps out ways to overcome the challenges and utilize the opportunities presented to our country.

Our government recognizes the challenge to find feasible development options that take into account the specific realities of Rwanda and in particular the scarcity of skilled labor, lack of basic infrastructure and very low levels of FDI. In order to overcome these challenges, we need to emphasize the central role that microfinance institutions (MFIs) should play in all our efforts to eradicate extreme poverty. MFIs have already proved their efficiency in alleviating poverty and providing opportunities for development, especially to the poorest. There are several aspects in which the government can play an active role in further enhancing their role and facilitating their actions:

1. We need to continue pursuing a strongly pro-poor oriented economic policy and recognize the key role of microfinance services in tackling poverty.
2. We need to continue to encourage MFIs to design poverty-focused microfinance models which will deliver appropriate financial and non-financial products to the most needy. The government can facilitate the provision of some of these services. In order for this to happen, MFIs operating around Rwanda need to have direct connection with the government to inquire information or any other necessary assistance. Therefore, we need to assign a special position within the Ministry of Commerce, Industry, Investment Promotion, Tourism and Cooperatives (MCIIPTC) to facilitate the connection and coordinate actions.

3. The government needs to implement solid macroeconomic policies, avoiding high inflation. It is also advisable that it liberalizes the interest rates for microfinance, using competition rather than interest rate ceilings to encourage efficiency and lower interest rates over time.

4. It should also undertake the promotion of performance indicators and standards that encourage transparency and sound performance across the range of institutions engaged in microfinance. This will be accomplished through the establishment of a specialized microfinance rating agency. Simple and rigorous reporting requirements must be set.

5. In order to help MFIs overcome the difficulties they face in achieving financial sustainability, we need to recognize that microfinance is a vital part of the financial system and to get more involved by deploying the government’s financial service infrastructures in a way increasingly intended to meet the demand of most citizens. We need to assure the integration of MFIs into domestic financial markets. We can permit the regulated MFIs that meet prudential standards to mobilize deposits from the public, with more liberal treatment of savings mobilization from MFI borrowers.

6. Another useful measurement can be fair tax treatment, including temporary tax incentives for MFIs undertaking the costs of converting to formal, regulated structures.

7. The government is also responsible for making the public familiar with the way MFIs operate and explain to them the reasons for the higher interest rates for micro-loans in comparison with those for corporate finance.

8. Information and communication technology is the key to facilitating and expanding the scope and breadth of MFIs and their overall impact on poverty alleviation as well as the overall long-term development of the country. In this respect, the government should encourage and invest in providing the technological tools necessary to improve the management of microfinance projects. The most feasible choice will be enhanced technological transfer from donor countries, especially China. We also need to ensure, by monitoring and directing the technological assistance, that it reaches the most vulnerable and destitute. Therefore, close contact with MFIs working on the ground is essential.

9. Special attention must be turned to the needs of women and other vulnerable groups, like orphans or disabled people. Only by acknowledging their specific needs and potential, can Rwanda meet its MDG goals and develop in a sustainable manner. Women’s political empowerment in Rwanda has become a landmark of its development and pioneer spirit, but much more effort needs to be put in empowering women economically. The threat of the ‘feminization of poverty’ in Rwanda is evident. The marginalization of orphans and other disadvantaged groups from the development process is also apparent. Therefore, the government must take measures to transform this disastrous trend. MFIs are especially effective in targeting disadvantaged groups but more effort is needed to ensure the accessibility of micro-credits to women and orphans and their ability to fully benefit from these credits. The government needs to cooperate with MFIs to ensure this. We must take the initiative to gather information on women’s needs and design products specifically to meet those needs. We must ensure that women and women’s perspectives are brought into the governance, management, and implementation of microfinance programs.

The government’s main priority has to be investment in information and communication technologies, thus leading Rwanda towards becoming a knowledge-based economy. We will need the help of partners and great efforts on our side to succeed. But with the right policies in place, this is by no means an unachievable goal. These policies should be designed to tackle the most pressing issues impending Rwanda from achieving rapid and sustainable development. These include lack of skilled labor, lack of infrastructure, especially transport, lack of sustainable energy and lack of technology. Therefore:

10. The government needs to prioritize national policies to build productive capacity in the national development plans, for infrastructure as well as vocational and entrepreneurial skills.

11. To improve the efficiency of tax systems and collection to maximize the contribution of domestic resources to public investment.

12. We must vigorously pursue to attract more investment, both ODA and FDI. The government must turn special attention to China as a source for technological transfer (ICT) and as an infrastructure investor. Rwanda-China relations must be strengthened. Rwanda must continue the current educational exchange program with China which provides technology-related training courses to Rwandan students, who in return need to serve work in Rwanda. It needs to find more partners willing to invest in the development of productive capacities, including productive resources, technological development and innovation in both agricultural and non-agricultural sectors, entrepreneurial capabilities and production linkages, and related resources, especially infrastructure and institutions. In this respect, China and other significant partners can play an even more major role and bring know-how, provide the necessary funds to stimulate research and development and investment in education (not only primary, but also secondary and tertiary)! To facilitate this process, we must design an attractive plan to attract China and other partners.

13. In this respect, investment in sustainable energy sources is essential for the overall development. We must define national energy access goals and targets in our macro-development strategies, policies and programs, and estimate the costs to meet the targets. Such clear policies will invite investment into the field. Tax incentives to support the deployment of modern energy technologies will be crucial. We need to reform subsidies to support sustainable development and offer loan guarantees to SMEs building energy businesses in Rwanda. Training and cooperation with other partners must be a priority for building capacity and attracting investment.

14. Public-private partnerships that assist farmers with access to credit, technical assistance, c capacity building, marketing information and crop and product diversification must be established and encouraged. We should also encourage joint research initiatives in different areas, both within the region or internationally and stimulate regional technological sharing.

15. Rwanda needs to extensively research and map out its industries with strong comparative advantages. New industries with the potential to have comparative advantages must be acknowledged and developed in order to stimulate economic diversification.

16. Promoting a green revolution in basic staples should be a priority for the government and we need to persuade partners and donors to share more efficient and environmentally friendly technologies with us.

17. To transform Rwanda into an entrepreneurship country, we need to take a step away from the social welfare and subsidy approach, which doesn’t create a knowledge-based economy. The government needs to remove itself from direct lending to poor people and instead, invest in delivering more training-related services to them, thus empowering them.

18. One way to deliver training and create a favorable environment for research can be the establishment of co-joint workshop training centers, which will be equipped and managed by both Rwandan and Chinese (or others). These centers will provide entrepreneurial skills training with the possibility for connection with MFIs, as well as help for existing small and informal activities to be transformed into organized small-scale enterprises, which will have a greater potential to develop technological capabilities and innovate. We must allocate a greater budget for research and development.

19. Our government needs to encourage and stimulate innovation (in microfinance and economic diversification), which will be the key to any efforts to enhance the economic performance of the country and ensure its long-term sustainable development. In order for this to happen, the government has to ensure the strengthening of the capabilities of entrepreneurs (management and organization) and the labor force (crafts and technical skills, design and engineering skills) as well as the provision of certain financial incentives to stimulate these ( e.g. credit subsidies, tax incentives, and matching grants for innovation projects).

20. We need to explore the great opportunities presented by the so-called “creative economy”. It refers to the interface among creativity, culture, economics and technology, as expressed in the ability to create and circulate intellectual capital, which in turn has the potential to generate income, jobs and export earnings while at the same time promoting social inclusion, cultural diversity and human development.

21. In order to achieve this, we should undertake various initiatives. First, establish a body in charge of mapping inventors of cultural assets and industries, market development through promotion of the creative industries both domestically and internationally, outlining the challenges that inventors and artists face (e.g. lack of financial sustainability, low competitiveness) and finding creative ways to overcome them. Value chain analysis must be used to identify the creative products and services with particular competitive advantages or that are capable of being developed as niche markets in particular situations. The body will be assigned with the task of developing strategies for expanding the scope of creative industries and identifying the strong areas of Rwanda. It will be responsible for establishing workshop centers (both in urban and rural areas) where more people will have the chance to undergo training and become employed in one of the industries. This should be a joint effort of the government (Ministry of CIIPTC), private businesses, NGOs (especially MFIs), international donors and civil society.

22. To facilitate this process, we need to take urgent measures and press for the establishment of copyright legislation and enforcement, which in turn will ensure the artists' intellectual property protection, benefits and earnings. Another possible way to stimulate artists will be by supporting them directly (via fiscal means) or indirectly (through encouragement of private-sector support). The expansion of digital capacity and know-how, as well as data collection and institutional building will be important parts of the process as well.

23. The development of creative industries will facilitate the process of full integration and empowerment of the vulnerable groups discussed in point 9.

24. A database with illustrative cases, best practices, and even lessons from failed projects, both in microfinance and creative economy etc., must be compiled by the government in cooperation with NGOs etc. to serve as guidelines for action.

I sincerely hope that Your Excellency will be content with the outlined policy action plan. I will be more than happy to further discuss any questions or comments that you might raise. I believe that our united efforts will bring Your vision for this nation into practice and that Rwanda will reap the fruits from its hard work!

With respect,

Ivana Koleva, Policy Advisor

06.12.2008

Kigali, Rwanda

References:

1. “Making Globalization Work for the Least Developed Countries”, UNDP 2008.
2. Sam Daley-Harris, “Pathways out of Poverty”, Kumarian Press Inc., 2002.
3. “Creative Economy Report 2008”, UNDP, UNCTAD, 2008.
4. MDG report Rwanda, 2007.

2008-12-02T09:57:00.000+02:00

My dearest mother! A woman to be praised! I love you!!!

SHE is! (dedicated to all 'womankind')

2008-11-30T10:04:00.002+02:00

She is the epitome of a hero, the symbol of endurance and life will

she strolls down the road carrying heavy loads,

yet in her spirit she is free of burdens or flaws

she raises up her gentle voice and whispers wisdom in the dark

she need not scream attention to attract,

her full charisma draws crowds around

she may be scolded, beaten, raped, abused

yet angels guard her every move

she falls she rises, she loves she smiles

she cries and sings, she lives a 'rich' life

despite the lack of a bank account

she knows her worth, her price is priceless

no diamonds or gold can buy her faith or chances

she wakes up with the dawn and puts the dark to sleep

she wears simple clothes, yet her dignity makes her shine indeed

she obeys yet doesn't bow before no one but her God alone

she prays to Him and heavens open,

she is a creation to be praised, the nations will applaud her

she may be hungry or in need but her love for others so deep

that she will give her only piece of bread,

to someone more needy, or her kids, or anyone who seeks food or drink

she is empty of selfish desires and full of the power others to inspire

she aspires people to reach the stars, even when they are robbed of dreams or dignified lives

she seeks no fame, no worldly recognition, yet possesses more than any worldly creature

her name is Woman, God's divine creation, made to bear and raise the children of every nation

her name is Woman, she fights for those who cannot fight, and speaks boldly for the ostracized

she shows mercy over strangers, pity over the needy, hospitality towards the discriminated

forgiveness towards the accused, kindness towards the abused, love towards the abandoned

her name is Woman, she is the image of Humility in full display,

she carries herself with the lightness and grace of a leaf blown by the wind

her name is Mother

her name is Patience, Kindness, Truth,

her name is Passion, Love, All-Good

her name is Wisdom, Honor, Determination

her name is Courage, Strength, and Inspiration

she fears not, for she will win,

despite all wrongs and hardships she might feel

eventually, the crowns of life, she Will obtain.

When abused or falsely accused

stepped on, sold, cursed

she might be the victim but she never gives up

she picks herself up and looks ahead and above...

she can forgive others, as well as herself,

she wears a veil of dignity and a robe of self-respect

He called her Holy, to be Praised, of the earth Unique, she is all these

she is the Pride, the Pillar, and the Prize

she is the morning star, the rising tide

she is the embodiment of glory and of depth since ancient times

she fears not to toil for her family's wellbeing

she is beauty, she is grace,

she is the phantom with a changing face

she is silent, yet she speaks,

she is asleep, yet always alert

she guards, protects, gives life and breath

she is a cornerstone of Faith

she is a tower of Faithfulness

she is an evergreen flower, spreading fragrance to all ends

she is ripe in every season, bearing fruits sweet

she is a woman of reason

she endures storms and bears all fortunes,

she doesn't believe in good/bad luck, only in right and wrong choices

she's been tried and tested, proved and approved

she is called - a Servant of the Lord God

she hopes and believes

she perseveres and persists

prays and receives

she hungers for righteousness

pursues holiness

and establishes Peace

she mesmerizes the eyes of men,

yet humbly passes by, she knows only her Man

she is pure like the water from a mountain stream,

she is blessed, her name all nations will pronounce from the highest hill

she stands in awe of her God's love

a 'box' He filled with blessings from above

He opens and the blessings pour,

and flood the earth, and quench the poor

she reaches her hand to the needy

and wipes away the tears of the weary

she touches the untouchables

and embraces the sick and forgotten

she surrounds her beloved with constant love and care

she reveals multiple dimensions of the meaning of a Woman, she dares

she holds the suffering and tears of the world in her big wide heart

she doesn't judge those different from herself

nor does she speak evil of anyone else

she transcends all categories, castes, classes, and definitions

she is to be defined only as super-in-nature

she is truly to be revered!

she is Special, incomprehensible

complex, yet simple

great, yet so small

she's been the victim, yet she is a victor!

she's lost it all, yet gained much more

she's died, yet remained engraved in the hearts of all!

her name is WOMAN!!!

She is You, a Woman made to last,

she is you, a woman, made to rise

a woman made to bring change,

to restore life

to reflect God's love

it is You- the woman of God.

it is your calling, to be(come) She - the woman of God!!!

Dedicated to: every Woman in the world - the mother, the working woman, the widow, the single mother, the poor, the neglected ,the abused, the falsely accused , the fighter, the victim, the believer, the Christian, the Buddhist, the Muslim........, to every woman and every girl of every place of every age of every kind!

p.s. specially dedicated to my Mum, to my sisters - Sheila, Alida, Sonia, Sarah, Liliane, Senhit, as well as to their precious mothers and sisters and to all my beloved Woman-heroes, who have touched my life in amazing ways and I am forever indebted and grateful for their love and inspiration! THANK YOU ALL!!! YOU DESERVE TO WEAR THE CROWNS OF LIFE!

Inspired by Proverbs 31, Maya Angelou's poem "Still I rise" and by the stories of all the ladies on the pictures and others like them!

She is! pictures to complement the poem

2008-11-29T21:25:00.002+02:00

She is! pictures to complement the poem

2008-11-29T21:12:00.002+02:00

p.s. I am truly sorry I didn't put the sources of the photos!!! I am still 'green' in posting...really didn't think it through! hope to improve posting and respecting of copyrights! :) (which I totally respect!)

The Chronic Condition of Bulgarian Political Life - Diagnosis and Treatment

2008-11-26T16:33:00.001+02:00

Elections bring change...or so they say. True, Bulgaria has seen much of this so called change come and go like a gentle, subtle breeze or a powerful, destroying hurricane, change - we know!
But has life really changed? and by that i mean improved. But of course, with no doubt, especially (and exclusively) for those who have had the chance to usurp the power for various period of time during the last two decades.
If Bulgaria continues following this trend, in the near future it might as well reach its desired goal- improving the lives of all its people. Impossible? Think again! With a shrinking population of less than 8 million people and a new power mandate ordained every four years (or less), the arithmetic calculation is as simple as one plus one - almost anyone can go through the power circle ... at least once..at least for awhile..if they find how to crack the system. This, on the other hand is presumably quite remarkably feasible, since the cracks in the system already look like abysses and not peepholes!

Take this recent example of an ordinary citizen, who was elected as the leader of the people. He is 'the good Samaritan' Boyko Borisov, known among the common citizens simply as 'bat' (slang for 'brother'), whom i remember as a somewhat well-built bodyguard of our former king ( 'crowned' prime-minister in 2001). He became mayor of our capital Sofia in 2005, and will most probably become the next prime-minister of my country, in other words, the 'Bat-man' of Bulgaria, the super hero that will deliver the country from all evil. Another shining example of a not-so-ordinary (but by no means extraordinary) citizen is the enthusiastic young communist leader Sergey Stanishev, famous for his rocker image - riding a motorbike (wishing it's a Harley), wearing a leather jacket, and having ideals and ideas that will bring the country only prosperity and happiness. This rather suspicious figure is now holding the position of prime-minister of Bulgaria and has successfully 'charmed' away with his sleek smile everyone's hopes for change (maybe not everyone's, but everyone who is able to think and reason).

Looking back, the statistics clearly shows that Bulgaria has had a rather diverse and enchanting array of leaders, starting from a former king in the shoes of a prime minister; followed by a former communist party young rocker, disguised as a 'statesman'; and finally, even a former bodyguard in the role of the super hero...Is there anything more queer and bizarre able to pop up yet, or should we just apply for the Guinness record book for the most absurd leaders in history now!?
Bulgaria has turned into a market place, where new products are displayed and advertised every four years, begging the 'consumers' to pick them and to 'buy their stories' . They play a masquerade ball, wearing all kinds of super hero masks, savior redeemer masks, innocent angel masks, good Samaritan masks...and we get to pick, who wins the competition for best dressed at the masquerade! Bulgarians are praying that once the mask is off...the face behind it will not resemble a demon or a monster...but only a beast or a frog that can, hopefully, turn into a Prince at any moment. Bulgaria is a hopeful nation, always, always, looking for and believing in change for the better! Is this what they call the freedom to choose? or is it really freedom, if you can choose only 'the less evil' among all the evils?

America wants CHANGE! and it got it, its name is - Barack Obama. What will Bulgarians want next spring? what will they get? What mask will answer their questions, raise their hopes, draw their attention, and eventually win their vote? The experiences dogs are now mobilized. They are thinking of new strategies to attract voters, making social surveys, leaving aside some of their 'savings' to complete projects put on hold because of corruption scandals and 'get some tough measures' to stabilize the country and bring prosperity for all! One such technique has been practised quite often, namely - one-time minimal increase of the pensions, as a Christmas bonus, so that the elderly can afford to buy a piece of meat after their year-long...forced fast; or a vacation on the sunny beaches of Bulgaria for some 5000 elderly people, to warm their bones and prepare for the cold winter without heating! You see, Bulgarian politicians are really full of great ideas for massive change and full-throttle redemption, after all, who needs a Savior, when we have Sergey...or Ivan or George, or Simeon, or Boyko...?

Bulgarians like to vote for change, especially change of the mask and the slogan. For instance, they were happy to cast their firm 'Yes' vote for 'The New Time', led by former King Simeon II, whose government, eventually, didn't stand for anything else but a countdown of 4 years of lies, mismanagement of resources and widespread corruption (with some exceptions). Then appeared 'National Union Attack', with its chauvinistic, extreme nationalistic, racist slogans and 'patriotic' appeals, which, to the surprise of many educated Bulgarians, gained popularity among the masses and paved its way to parliament, led by a figure quite dim and schizophrenic. As for the currently leading coalition, it is safe to say that its main member, 'The Bulgarian Socialist Party', is a devoted and faithful successor of the Bulgarian Communist Party which ruled the country under a tight totalitarian regime for roughly 45 years (1945-1989)! The only change that they put forward was in their appearance. They did some face-lifting by 'upgrading' their party with ambitious, young 'leaders' ready to plunge into the political pool and grab all they can, and also changed their name, to symbolically assert their uniqueness and distinctiveness from their mentor and 'ancestor'.
http://www.dnes.bg/article.php?id=61020 (video prepared for the 100th anniversary of the party! total madness)

The time for change is ripe again, but are there any clean clothes to put on? Or everything is dirty and old. The Bulgarian political scene resembles a recycling plant. 'What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun' (Eccl.1:9) But who needs new, when recycling protects the environment, protects our common interests, and leads us to sustainable development...or so we think. Do we need new wine?or our old wine is more mature in taste and high in quality? or do we have to change the wine skins altogether first(Luke5:37)? because, instead of producing good old wine, we have produced sour vinegar! When democracy was stripped off the myths and legends surrounding it and its halo was removed, the truth that was unveiled hurt - recycled, unrefined, deformed and vague image of the one existing in western Europe, looking more like a 'possessed' democracy, or 'demoncracy'.

This is our wine skin - electoral democracy - and it can be perceived as a young maiden, only 20 years old, still not having been exposed to labor pain and life hardships, therefore fragile and insecure, immature and somewhat vain, but full of potential and courage, vision and strength. Or, it can be perceived as an old rusty witch, with a power only to destroy. So, where does the truth lie? Is democracy yet to gain ground and establish itself as the pillar and engine for the sustainable development of the Bulgarian society, or is it to be questioned, reexamined and revised? if democracy is not the least to blame for this 20 year old (almost) chronic condition of failure and mismanagement. Then who is to blame?
First of all, despite the objections I might face, I firmly believe that part of the problem lies in the way democracy was brought to Bulgaria in 1989. The main fuel that stirred our engine towards democratic transition was America and it raised democracy to a level of sacredness and sanctity, without mentioning the side effects that might accompany the rapid change from one kind of fuel to another, from one type of system to another. Democracy was believed to be universal, therefore automatically comprehended and applied by the people of every nation. Bulgarians embraced it fully and with great zeal and enthusiasm they started constructing their new democratic society (from scratch). The problem was that the tools they had and the skills they possessed were insufficient...because they lacked a blueprint, a vision that went beyond the assembly of a new government and the realization of free elections!

'Where there is no vision, the people perish' (Prov.29:18)! Can it be clearer? The Washington consensus applied to the Bulgarian context did not adjust itself to the context but merely set its bases, machines and plans and started operating. Reflecting on this process, it seems to me that it was like choosing to build a house, with no regard to the terrain or the materials that fit best this terrain. Blind conviction that the terrain is excellent because on similar terrain houses have already been successfully built elsewhere, or relying solely on data from the other terrain about the perils hidden on this one and therefore constructing it by modelling this house as a mirror reflection of the other ones - all these were mistakes made by the Bulgarians and their main architects and technical advisers - the Americans. Later on, these mistakes reflected back on the people and burned their hopes and dreams numerous times throughout the long transition (which has become a stable determinant of the Bulgarian state, and does not possess any trace of transition).
The purpose is not to blame, but rather to search for the flaws, so that they might be fixed (repaired) promptly and will not constitute a threat to the safety of the people in the future. Until now, threats have only increased in number, their severity has escalated and every slight wind that blows causes a massive shocks for the inhabitants of this house. Is it the terrain to blame? the materials? the construction workers? or the technical advisers? the architects? What should and can be changed after all?

In the beginning, the house was built only with decorations but no wind or rain protection layers. It was constructed to attract the eyes of its inhabitants and on-lookers, tempting them to believe that it's all there is to it. Elections were praised by all as the culmination of their freedom and development, as their ultimate achievement and goal. Their house was perfect.
Then, the first winds blew through the windows, the first storms raged and shook the floors and the walls, the first rains fell and the roof started leaking...and the house was put to the test. Freedom turned into chaos because it wasn't accurately defined and directed; the appearance of multi-party system only diffused the responsibility of any failure and left the general public tied with 'choice' and election 'freedom'; party politics became a toss-the-power mutually accepted game with its crooked rules... All these have led the country to a condition merely resembling a house, and more and more looking like a shack unsuited for a secure and stable life!

Some will argue that Bulgaria has gone through dramatic and significant changes in the course of the last 20 years, pointing to its membership in NATO and recently in the EU. These are facts and I do not denounce them. Has democracy played a role in these improvements? Of course! It has led to freedom of expression and freedom of ideas and opinions. Democratic values are accepted and respected (at least on paper) by everyone nowadays. Freedom of religion and press, the right to enjoy fair trials, to be treated with dignity and respect, and to be protected by the government, to be granted basic human rights and civil liberties etc. are all values and ideals praised and instilled on every level of our society today.
Nevertheless, these changes have been only surgical, changes of the terrain, and not of the structure of the house! They have proved to be rather favorable for the stability, security and progress of the house as a whole, but even they, so far, have failed to repair the house's deepest cracks and flaws. Now, Bulgaria has been awarded the title 'black sheep' of the EU and has been scolded on multiple occasions, punished with the stick not once or twice, and all these...to no effect!

http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=99257

The chronic condition of this house is apparent. There is mould everywhere, the doors are creaking, the windows banging, the roof leaking, the smell of carcass spreading, the rust embellishing every corner...and change has become a distant mirage and delusion. Chronic disease is hard to treat and appease, yet what are the prospects?
Bulgaria urgently needs to renovate its foundations. It needs to start treating the causes of this illness, find the cracks and the holes and repair them and not only treat the symptoms by covering the cracks with a new decoration (elections). For the past 20 years, the winds have been favorable for Bulgaria and that is why today it enjoys full membership in the European Union and has prospects for development. Nevertheless, the EU has been forced to admit the unfortunate reality that surrounds its new member state. There is nothing charming and encouraging about its politics and it might as well be a real recipe for disaster. Penalties and punishments have been in vain, since there is no decency or sense of shame on the Bulgarian political scenery. All there is farce and act in a mediocre play, directed by self-made, pretentious directors with big ambitions and small visions!

Democracy is indeed to be praised. Yet, it is the democracy which establishes the rule of law in its foundation and builds on it the rest of its structure, that should be praised! Only so, will political pluralism and the separation of powers prove effective and efficient weapons to fight corruption, overcome stagnation and lead to prosperity and progress. Unless this is done, unless the rule of law becomes the pillar of our house, we will never be safe. Democracy will not mature on its own and will not bear good fruits automatically. It resembles young wine, which needs to be attained and preserved well, in a special place, under certain temperature and conditions, so that it may mature and become excellent both in taste and fragrance!

As for whom shall be the 'doctor' and 'Change-maker', the future will tell. My guess is, this person might as well be from a whole new generation. In another 20 years, who knows, Bulgarians can choose their own first 'colored' president. There are good prospects. My future husband (from Uganda) and I (from Bulgaria), might be the chosen ones for the task. Who is to say, only God knows! Until then, change will remain a flickering light within every person seeking hope and a better life, yet it will not burn out, but rather, remain burning like an eternal fire, preparing the way for the real CHANGE! When and how nobody knows, we can only hope...it is not little, too late!

A little Drop in the vast Ocean

2008-11-17T17:41:00.000+02:00

Don't give on your hope for change
just because you think
you are a a mere drop in the vast ocean we live.

if you Are a drop, with ideals and faith
and i am a drop, with enthusiasm and vigor
and then He and She, and eventually We
all become drops each uniquely equipped and united,
ready to act...
then the ocean, my friend, will become all the more,
filled with sweet fragrance, with peace, love and freedom for ALL!

Don't let the waves (of man's evil)
sweep away your dreams or ideals

Don't let NOone (for Any reason)
stomp on your beliefs or values
(just because they are hard to believe/achieve)
God will help us!

But rise above all earthly evil, greed, and false
and ride the waves of change
and guide the winds to progress and peace!

You have the power, you little drop that falls in the perfect place~!

Jesus said: " EVERYTHING is possible for him who BELIEVES!" Mark9:23

Pattern 1010...(Just a paper in the Box?)

2008-11-14T07:52:00.000+02:00

Governments change

(but they don't bring no change)

but that doesn't matter,

because the world is stuck in a recurring defected pattern

1010101010...one zero one zero

it's either money or reputation driven

(there is nothing pure, except for 'pure' evil)

corrupted and bitter

perverted and cruel

it follows a pattern one zero zero

it's a machine

heavily virus infected

loaded with brutalities and atrocities

that have torn down the firewall,

the fortress of the afflicted!

***

unfortunate, but change is minimal and trivial

following strictly the pattern one zero

new faces, new statements,

new news for the day

but it's all in the pattern,

it's just a parade!

i've seen it, i've heard it

i've swallowed it all,

it's a cycle of 'pure' evil

a chronic disease prevailing in all...

***

it's the dilemma choice that rises in me

a citizen who believes in the emancipation of the weak

i'm holding my ballot,

with a religious assurance

that this little paper will bring us ultimate deliverance.

i'm counting on it, casting my hopes

all my fears disappear and i feel things moving on

a citizen, a man, a woman, me...

i'm treated equally!

justice is given for free!!

***

time has past, the votes have been cast,

the results announced

the winners pronounced..

here it comes...

this moment, when i finally realize...

i haven't had a real choice...

...it was just a paper in a box!

another follow-up of the familiar pattern

one zero zero one...

how can i build back the firewall?

can i or this paper bring justice (positive change) to all?

The High Price for Pursuing Knowledge in Some Parts of the Developing World

2008-11-13T15:07:00.001+02:00

how much does it cost to go to school?
you might automatically answer - much.
but just how much?

well, most people will argue that no matter the cost, education is an invaluable and essential asset for the development of any individual. i will not refute the least such a statement, since i, myself, believe in this!

nevertheless, despite all arguments in support, i want to ask you -

what if it might cost you your life? will you still go to school? will you be willing to expose yourself to life danger just so that you can get to the classroom and learn?and why yes, or why no.

i suppose there will be those denying the possibility of such radical outcomes as the loss of life, but the facts are against such claims.

the reality in which some people 'survive' and actually pursue knowledge and development is utterly different from ours,immensely complicated and striking, and while we might wonder how to pay for the best schools, how to take advantage of the best options available to us and in one way or another consequently to succeed, or simply how to skip going to school...some people go to school at the risk of their lives.

who are these people? where is schooling being persecuted and why?

whether we talk about a war-torn area like Somalia or Darfur, or a radical Islamist town in a country like Afghanistan, controlled by the Talibans (or other extremist groups for that matter), or destitute places like Cambodia or Ethiopia, we can find parallels everywhere!

the 'price' of reaching school might differ, from being raped and beaten to being sold into prostitution or..as the latest of these cases shows, being the victim of a an attack with acid by some coward who just couldn't stand the thought of women's empowerment and emancipation.

the story of the several Afghan girls who were attacked with acid in the city of Kandahar in southern Afghanistan just days ago, is another proof of the high price some children, and especially girls, have to pay, to have the chance to overcome poverty by acquiring education. Education is Power. And those who seek to halt the educating of girls know that very well. They fear immensely even the slightest possibility of being overthrown by an empowered new generation of women who have sacrificed much in their lives and who are ready to see radical change and improvement in society. And they have definite reasons to fear because their cowardly attacks will ultimately prove unsuccessful! Some people are ready to pay the High price...and pursue knowledge. Take Shamsia, for example, she received the most severe injures in the recent attack, and yet, while still in the hospital, with her face burned from the acid, she claimed: "I'll continue my schooling even if they try to kill me. I won't stop going to school"... this is courage, this is spirit, this is strength, this is power!

you might wonder, why on earth will someone walk 5 miles a day, like some girls in Sudan and Congo (or many other areas around the globe where the protection of the citizens is beyond any measure!), just to attend classes, at the risk of being attacked and raped; you might think why some girls will not let their chance of being schooled pass by and choose to risk their lives to learn merely how to write and read...and here is Shamsia's answer to you all: "I'll continue going to lessons. I'm studying to be able to build our country"...the response to the same question, given by a little girl whose leg was chopped off by some rebels in Congo and who nevertheless, continued walking the 5 miles to school, without protease, just a crunch (risking to be raped by gangs on the way to and back)...was this "I dream to become a teacher when I grow up and be able to teach children and help them "...

the answer to "why would someone be willing to pay a price so high for education?" is simple: it's the will and desire of every man and woman to develop and reach their full potential, to be all that they can be, dream and pursue their dreams, and live a dignified and decent life!

the answer is simple - it's man's highest aspiration to reach to the stars, and to fly with the eagles, to be all that God made him/her to be, and live like a human!!!

the next time you start complaining about how much you wish u didn't have to study for exams, attend classes, or have to write papers and listen to lectures...i urge you to take a deep look at yourself and see...just how very blessed you truly are.
and when you see it, i urge you to give the Lord the glory and the praise and Pray that all may be privileged to have a chance like yours, a chance to become all that they are meant to, a chance to fulfill their dreams and reach their stars...a chance to be free (of torture, fear, abuse, despair, poverty) to not just survive..but LIVE!

Real Life Survivors vs. entertainment 'survivors'

2008-11-12T02:52:00.001+02:00

it's early in the morning. i wake up, take a long hot shower, prepare my coffee, take a glass of water, put my clothes in the laundry...and get to work...the day is busy, i run the errands, chat with friends, manage my finances, eat, shop, cook, clean...etc, till it's time to relax. but first: 'It's been a tiring day', 'money is not enough', 'life is too hard', 'life is unfair', 'i'm so unlucky'...sounds familiar?

our lives have become so facilitated by all kinds of gadgets and amenities, yet instead of being simplified, they have become way too complicated (and meaningless). now, we (by 'we' i mean that percentage of the world's population which actually has access and enjoys fully this so-called 'modern life') don't try to survive and live day for day, scarcely meeting ends...no,we don't. and we don't know what it means to see your kids die because you couldn't provide for them, no, we don't. we don't comprehend the struggles and the human will to Survive, to Live, to Be, because we've been given a chance by birth (or so).

So, instead, we resort to more sophisticated ways of understanding the grudges, the hardships and 'tricks' of survival...entertainment.

Shows like 'Survivor' have become so popular all over the world. We admire the men and women who push themselves to extremes to 'survive'...and eventually win a million dollars or so...ye, but survivor is nothing like that! ...anyway, who wants to know. it's enough to see a few photos of starving children on the news, hear about hundreds of thousands of people 'displaced' (one might not even understand it well)...that exhausts our engagement in World Affairs, which are for politicians to solve... and then we can switch back to our Entertainment channel.

I'm not against entertainment in general. i suppose it is beneficial in some ways, enriching our lives or just helping us relax, but these particular forms of entertainment have exposed and perverted some of human's most honourable qualities, like will power, determination, vigour, courage etc. What do these shows encourage and inspire us for? Seeing how far a man can be pushed, the limits of his/her strength, will, hope? But it's all fake...because no one will be willing to do these things if there were no incentives. So, then, is this kind of show really displaying the heights of human courage and will power...or the depth of his/her desire to attain the prize (simply the greed for money)? I guess stimulation is not a bad thing, it is indeed necessary, since humans operate better when they are given a carrot, rather than nothing...but we are missing the point.

If you look closer in the news next time, and instead of ignoring or avoiding the faces of the displaced, the refugees, the starved, the underprivileged, the sick, and the weak...you will not see losers, but real life Survivors, heroes who have fought more battles than soldiers in wars have! Then you will be moved!
It is these people who aspire admiration and honour, the ones who Never give up, who strive to Survive on a daily basis...whose courage is beyond our understanding. These are the Survivors of this world. And this is NOT entertainment!

Don't encourage shows like 'Big Brother', which deprives people from growing and only engages them in meaningless gossip and trivial stories. Don't encourage shows like the World's Eating competition, during which, tons of food is wasted and which, despite all the food being devoured, leaves your mind and soul empty. Don't encourage shows like 'Survivor', or even 'Fear Factor', which despite being quite amusing and exciting, only prove the ultimate power of money to control people, to push them to do...just about anything.

When you wake up tomorrow, let your first words be of giving thanks, for just how blessed you truly are, and let your life not be 'devoured' by the media, 'consumed' by the multi-million corporations, but let it be moved and transformed by the stories of those to whom heaven belongs...the real survivors of this world. Jesus said,

" Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was in prison and you came to visit me....

'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me...' Matt.25:31-46

A Congolese woman on the Road (To all the displaced people and all refugees everywhere)

2008-11-11T16:25:00.000+02:00

(a displaced woman)

Again on the road

carrying bundles of clothes,

pieces of bread, empty bottles for water...

i am going ahead.

It's the road to my past

paved with strife, blood and pain,
there is no way out...

i am a stone thrown away.

It's a crossroad with no choice

and i'm stuck in the middle
guns, rape, violence, grief

blood money and greed

take over everything...

the rebels suppress us

the government's a mess

this road is our only shelter, ally in this chaos.

i' m holding my son, he's quiet and still

looking straight in the eyes, he whispers:

"what are we punished for? are we so evil?"

are we preys for the beasts?

are we migrating birds?

are we victims of men?

are we people or dust?

are we remnants of the past?

do we have human name/face?

we are the citizens without homes

the forced travelers, always on the road

the free slaves of this land

we are children of this demolished place

even the foxes have holes,

the birds have their nests

the cattle sleep in stables

but all we have... is the stars and our Faith

***

(the world)

are these shadows from our nightmares?

or ghosts haunting us for our wrongdoing?

or are they just the reflection,

of what we cannot see but what's true and apparent?

how would we know...

when their voices are silenced

when Someone has muted the truth

when the world is trying to cover

the names of these human faces

with mere numbers in the news...?

Dedicated to all displaced people and all refugees around the world: Hold on!!!

God has proclaimed through the prophet Jeremiah:

"I myself wil gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them and will bring them back to their pasture, where they will be fruitful and increase in number. I
will place shepherds over them, and they will no longer be afraid or terrified, nor will any be missing, " declares the Lord! Jer.23:3-5

Is Peace just a delusion or an arm-stretch away shore?

2008-11-11T15:54:00.000+02:00

Inequalities, Regulations
Incentives and Ratios
International crisis and global response
constipation
Contradictions, world puzzles
Paradigms and Dilemmas,
Paradoxes and Distortions
Truth is False
and
Falsehood True
how come 1+1 still equals 2?

should we live in a cave (of ignorance)
like Plato's heroes do?

***

Justice or Order,
what's on your mind?
again in opposition,
it's - Either / Or
Peace or War -
mutually destroyed?
can Man reconcile
the Self-interest and that of All?

***

Lots are distributed
stocks piled up
flows of money come and go
yet the bottom is lied down
with bodies of the invisible
and the unknown...

***

step on them! close your eyes!
it's clear, you've chosen your path
demise and lethal end are on the way...
but who will dare take a different path
(and be doomed wrong) ...anyway...

***

put down the guns, raise up the flags
is Peace an oasis (delusion)? or an arm stretch-away shore?

...how would you know...if you don't stretch your own?

Where is Bulgaria? (the value of global geography knowledge)

2008-10-29T10:11:00.001+02:00

For reference, I come from a relatively small country, with total area of 111.000 square km. and less than 8 million people population. My country is Bulgaria and it is a very beautiful place, with many wonderful snow peak mountains, sunny beaches, warmhearted people and rich culture and folklore.
But where is Bulgaria after all?
During the 5th International Cultural Festival in Peking University, Beijing, China, where Bulgaria had a separate booth for the 5th consecutive year, I gathered rather interesting accounts on the location of this mysterious country Bulgaria. All visitors were given a sort of a brochure, with a place for getting a stamp from all the countries represented at the festival. The brochure was divided into continents with no further explanations about which country belongs to which continent. That's how the puzzle began...

So, as newcomers were passing by our stand, I took the venture to inquire and ask them to point on their brochure the continent to which my country belongs, and only when successfully guessing, to stamp their brochure.
But why should they know? The great Chinese nation with 5.000years of history and culture and a population of more than 1.6billion people? Should it be bothered about an insignificant country like mine? I think yes.

Well, still, the results were rather fascinating. According to several people, Bulgaria was situated in the heart of Africa...very intriguing...only that I was so stunned that I forgot to ask in which part of the African map I should look for it.

The next most popular guess was ...Asia. Truly unexpected, since, if nothing else, Asia should be the continent Chinese are most familiar with, but apparently no.
Yes, indeed, there were even more wild guesses, like the one that Bulgaria was in fact situated on the continent of Australia...though I didn't quite comprehend, whether it is an island or an aborigine's tribe.
Of course, the guesses were not short of describing Bulgaria as part of America, I am guessing they meant Latin America, because even in the past I have come across people confusing Bulgaria with Bolivia.
So, finally, there were those who firmly proved their knowledge, when they stated that Bulgaria was, of course, in Eastern Europe (which it truly is), and was part of the Soviet Union (which it was not, but at least it gave communist 'comrades' the geographical knowledge others still lack).

What conclusions could be drawn from this random 'survey', or 'fieldwork', if you'd like?
First of all, as I looked deeper into these disturbing results, I was struck by my own narrow mindedness. But, of course these various people had logical reasons to assume that Bulgaria was elsewhere and not in Eastern Europe!
Why in Africa? Well, considering archaeological discoveries of the Kenyan man, it turns out that some time, millions of years ago, we all, Bulgarian ancestors and others, originated in the African plateau. One down. But why Asia? Well, considering the great migrations in history, it turns out that the ancestors of the Bulgarian people did, indeed, cross parts of Asia, and most probably mixed a little bit with the local women and men, just so much so, that Bulgaria has preserved an Asian trace up to this day.
So far, so good. As for the Australian guess, I am still puzzled and my only explanation is that 'Bulgaria' sounds like an exotic tribe...hm...The Latin American guess is quite understandable considering the similarity between the names Bolivia and Bulgaria, and considering the relatively similar looks some Bulgarians and Latinos share.

An enriching experience indeed. But what are the implications of one such research? Well, Bulgaria is not the smallest, and definitely not the most unknown of the world's states. Many people are familiar with Bulgarian football, gymnastics, some of them have even heard about Bulgarian Rose oil, and as for the Japanese and Korean people, they know Bulgaria best for its yogurt. This is not discouraging at all, since there are other states suffering from even deeper 'uknowningness' :).

Putting away all my perceptions of what states originally mean, I venture to think globally. From a global perspective, "the world is a global village" kind of thinking can definitely be of help to interpret the results that occurred during the 'survey'. Why should we distinguish ourselves strictly as belonging to a specific place, behind certain borders, carrying a particular nationality, when, we can be citizens of the world? I am engaged to a wonderful Ugandan man and many of my closest friends are Africans. Indeed, part of my heart is in Africa and as far as I am concerned, I was quite pleased with the African location of Bulgaria. I have lived in Asia for the last 6 years and I believe that this continent has so much history and culture to offer, is so rich in knowledge and natural beauty, that for Bulgaria to be situated there will not be all that bad etc.
You got my line of thinking?
So much for the 'global perspective'. All in all, I believe that better understanding of the peoples of the earth, will lead to better mutual understanding and harmonious co-existence (as my Chinese 'comrades' would say) among all nations. Our differences and uniqueness should not be interpreted as causes for conflict, but rather as pillars for stable relationships. As we learn to appreciate and respect each other's cultures and countries, we will also find significant similarities among our peoples and will, eventually, achieve global peace and harmony.

I just want to thank all the people who visited our stand and learned something more about Bulgaria. As for those who still haven't had the chance to, I invite all of you to take the time and make the trip to Bulgaria, the Bulgaria still situated in South-Eastern Europe (or Eastern depending on different texts), and explore its unique and splendid natural scenes and gorgeous sights.

Thank you!

the world of the MANY and the world of the FEW - the reign of INequality

2008-10-29T05:17:00.001+02:00

The Many build the houses
the Few live in them

The Many grow the crops
the Few enjoy the meals

The Many supply the water
the fews' thirst is quenched

The Many mine precious stones
the few wear diamond necklaces

The Many manufacture clothes
the Few wear them and show off

The Many die in pursuit of freedom
the Few are born free

The Many cut their trees
the Few read books and have green fields

The Many gather the fruits
the Few drink fresh coffee in Starbucks

The Many fight for peace
the Few enjoy it

The Many are slaves
the Few are masters

The Many are sold in sex trade
the Few have choice to become what they want

The Many are invisible
the Few are famous

The Many are life survivors
the Few are film heroes (stars)

The Many are being tortured
the Few are pampered

The Many die before turning 5
the Few live long after 75

The Many thirst for knowledge
the Few go to university

The Many are sick
the Few have access to doctors and pills

The Many live with less than a dollar a day
the Few fill a bag of money on a shopping day

The Many bury their dreams and beloved ones
the Few enjoy their 'dreams come true'

The Many's voice is silenced
the Few's is loud and clear

is our world distinctively divided into 'the Many' and the 'Few'?
are we two distinct breeds?
are we from different planets?
can there ever be reconciliation, or is it like mixing oil and water in a cup?

we wish to see a world where it Matters who You are simply because You are a Human Being, a child of God, a Person, woman, man, young or old.
but we live in a wolrd in which it Matters, in various degrees, who You are and what life you will lead by the color of your skin,
by the place you were born,
by the culture you are in,
by the passport you will have,
by the groups that you belong,
by the people you will know,
by the money you have got,
by the clothes that you can buy and
by the things you can consume,
by the words you can pronounce and
by the schools you will enjoy...it depends...it matters really, can it ever be any different really?

It can...Jesus said...

"Blessed are you who are poor,
for YOURS is the kingdom of God.
Blessed are you who hunger now,
for you will be satisfied.
Blessed are you who weep now,
for you will laugh.
Blessed are you when men hate you,
when they exclude you and insult you
and reject your name as evil,
because of the Son of man.

Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their fathers treated the prophets.

"But woe to you who are rich,
for you have already received your comfort.
Woe to you who are well fed now,
for you will go hungry.
Woe to you who laugh now,
for you will mourn and weep.
Woe to you when all men speak well of you,
for that is how their fathers treated the false prophets."

Luke6: 20-26

So, hold on, you who are last...because he said "The last shall be First and the first shall be last" Matt.20:16

as for equality...is it a matter of heaven?.. and not earth?..not this earth?..or at least not now?...

still, it isn't to say we should give up on hope of improvement, on hope of reducing the Many and increasing the Few...on making the scales close to even, even if it costs us our lives...We will do!

all we need is voices from the Few who are willing to speak for the Many,
we need few of the Few to open their eyes and become aware, and try to change the' formula' of our world,
so that the two (the Many and the Few) become compatible and fair.

So, if you are from the Few today, the Few who have a home, a meal, clean water, school and all kinds of amenities to enjoy every day,
Challenge your Self to look deeper into yourself and try to see this Self in a mirror that portrays you as if you belonged to the Many...and you will never be the same again...i am also doing this, by the way!

There need not be first and last, there need not be race in life...if we can see through God's eyes...and embrace everything with love..just as it comes.
not judge, not discriminate,
not greed, not rush,
not flush love, or buy guns,
not make war, not live to Have but to Give,
not live to be recognized, but turn into reality somebody's dreams,
not for the Self, not for the Things, not for the Stuff, the Money, the Stage, the Fame
but for the Many, for the Love, the Truth, the Hope, the Treasures of heaven...
not for Me but for You...

The Fall and Rise of Human civilization (Redemption possible?)

2008-10-23T02:56:00.001+03:00

Misery.Death.Drought.Pain...
Tsunamis. Earthquakes. Tornadoes. Torrent Rains...
Castes. Races. Ethnicity. Colour. Shape
Slaves. Segregated. Marginalized. Malnourished. Famished. Killed.
(curtains)

They are over the hill, in a faraway land.
Here, the waters are serene, the winds gentle, the pastures green
...here people don't fear (dare) to dream.

Two parallel universes within
a crooked, twisted, Broken world.

But we are all in a gas camera now,
for we are the victims of our own perpetrator (civilization)
unsuspecting, unprepared and unaware
of the genocide we bestowed upon ourselves, brought by our own wrath!

'They' will press the button of Modernization and
we (like obedient machine elements) will applaud and cheer
Prosperity and Progress with a dedicated conviction... that we Develop
only to discover the fanfare and fireworks will last but a minute...
till the 'gas' of self-destruction starts sneaking through the cracks in our thin walls,
over the hills and deep in the valley till...it makes us all choke to ultimate death.

Globalized and Interdependent - Helas!
Finally we will share something in common - North, South, developed, underdeveloped, least developed, less developed, in war, in peace, emerging, and submerging, rogue states, super powers, terrorists and peacekeepers, rebels and dictators...
...today we will share in our Common Humanity's Death!

Will there be tribunals to punish these 'crimes against humanity'?
Who is the guilty Perpetrator, the instigator of this fall?
Who, then is the Bystander, who is also to be blamed?
and who, if any, is the Victim in this wicked game?
Whose humanity? whose justice do we pursue?

we reach out to others just to get and not give
or when we give, it's so that later we'll have 'legal' ground to suppress and demand
for our gain (IMF) what actually they urgently need.

It's an eye for an eye, day after day,
is it our Civilization to blame?
Politicians crawl like snakes
Statesmen have become an extinct breed
Money strangles whoever tries to breathe
and 'robs' us from the so called 'humanity'

Grieve, all there is in this world is grieve!

Show me someone willing to stand in this disaster and
make a step to relieve a soul
Show me someone faith-full and brave
eager to remove the roots of this evil, of these lies, of this eternal vice!

Here I am - said the servant of the Lord -
i stretch out my hand-
to feed one hungry soul
to comfort one broken (lonely) heart
to quench one thirsty mouth
to bring one child's smile.
Here I am - use me...Lord!

We live in a modern sci-fi movie
all robotized, automatic and groovy
everyone's electronically up-to-date
but emotionally a total wreck!!!
Whoever 'genetically modified' this chip
omitted to include or intentionally removed...
simple functions like discerning right from wrong,
evil from good,
lies from truth,
build from destroy,
love from hate,
create from kill.

Lift up your eyes to the hills, can you see hope?
Go over and say, is there any living soul?
Dig up a well in this barren land,
an oasis of truth and hope to wash away all the fault,
to cleanse the guilt, the sorrow, the pain,
and please, oh, please, sprinkle
these electronically modified bodies with the breath of life (humanity) Again!
will you?

We are Free Slaves of our machines
corrupt judges, abusive parents, negligent teachers, absurd creatures
racist citizens, false friends, unforgiving neighbours, rotten souls...

We are Slaves of a-freedom (mis-freedom)
freedom to do wrong, to be bad, to think, act, speak falsely and walk away
without guilt of any sort...

We have Enslaved Freedom
Exploited Good
Tortured Justice
Molested Love
Poisoned Truth
Drowned Hope
Extinguished Peace
and... Buried our grain of Faith...

We 'develop' and 'succeed':
trade Wisdom for Folly
trade Peace for Money
trade Bread for Bombs
and the economy works

trade Love for Sex
Eternal for Ephemeral
Joy for Pleasure
Dreams for Delusions
Morals for Positions
Friends for Connections
and ultimately... the Choice to live for Chains for life!

Wake up, o, hills of Jerusalem,
wake up, o, you, people of God
How long till you feel responsible?
How long will you stay back?

You asked for the nations and here they are -
child soldiers, wounded, tortured, mothers in labour, raped, murdered, sick ones, little ones...all in need of True Love

You asked for wisdom and here it is :
if you save one of this souls, you will most certainly Live!

You asked for redemption,
Here I am - I died on the Cross, for your filthy sin!

Awake and Arise! and Shine on this barren land
for the Lord will again, make the hills blossom, the pastures green!
Let all who believe gather today,
the Lord has proclaimed from now on :

Love will eternally reign!!!

CENSORSHIP!!!!read!!!

2008-09-10T08:23:00.000+03:00

i am sad to announce that my blog is blocked from China (friends tried and access was denied, which is no surprise!), and freedom of speech as we know it, is compromised so that the communist party may continue to keep its "legitimacy" and control the "development" of its people to a high degree. Bothers and sisters, FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION is a universal human right, or so it should be...but helas! it is no more than an illusion, a mirage in the desert in China today!
optimism for change? ye, definetely, but despite all the talk about China, outsiders really know just bits from here and bits from there...all in all...they know mostly, what the Chinese want them to know..the Olympic games are over now and one of my friends assured me that i am going to see a better and cleaner beijing...but i KNOW...it's allll FACADE, it's what the Chinese call "mianzi" (face) and this is what defines them to a large degree...so, anywhos, i understand - why wouldn't my blog be banned?...i should have known better and not have put anything concerning God (christianity is like a curse for the government, or so they believe...) or anything about issues of sensitivity both politically, morally, or socially...and i haven't even started yet...what i pity!
yes, we live in a "globalized world" whatever that means, i think today the vagueness of this expression is extreme and anyone gives it a definition of their own...like the Chinese, for them globalization consists of the fact that they have become the Factory of the World and that they have "opened their doors" to the cruel and imbecile west....extreme? well, right now, i am short of neutral and tolerant words, because i am struck by the reality to which i shall return in 1 day.
Despite all this, i BELIEVE in Human Development, in action, in change. I believe that Where there is a will, there is a way, and no communist, democratic or other regime can make me think otherwise. I don't give up and if anything, i feel more challenged, more motivated and more devoted to a cause higher than me and my mere selfish interests! For me, this is worth fighting for, and it is worth living for! - "Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy" (Prov.31)
So, now i will search for a way to penetrate through the Chinese internet police, and once i find it...i will be back with more stuff about our world...us - people, all of God's creation~!
Till then, remember how very very blessed yall are, to be able to do what you like, to say what you think, to go where you want, to be who you are (and who you wish to be)~! YOU ARE BLESSED BEYOND MEASURE, EVEN IF YOU THINK YOU LACK SOMETHING, OR have NOT EVERYTHING!
So, don't waste your life grumbing and mumbling over little nothings and take a step to help those in need, live your life meaningfully!!!! and you will not regret a single day of it...

!it takes little to make YOUR world a different place...it's in YOUR hands...TODAY~!

Love and Peace in Christ!
Be Blessed!!!!!!!

TRUE HEROES, for my special friend M.

2008-09-05T01:00:00.000+03:00

true heroes are like precious diamonds,
they are hard to find, and they need special care.
true heroes wear no masks, hide behind no curtains,
put no colours just to be shiny, don't look for applause,
don't seek recognition, don't shout to be heard,
don't push to be seen....
they ARE who they are and that's all.
they do what they do because they believe it's right
they ask, they learn, they listen, they smile, they love, they laugh,
they are patient, they are kind, they see light in the darkness,
road through the mud, they see beyond bias and stigma,
beyond things of this world...
true heroes walk among us and despite their elegant subtle presence,
their marks remain engraved forever in us -
where they've stepped, grass sprouted,
where they talked, hope arose
where they worked, lives were saved,
where they touched, wounds (emotional or else) were healed
where they were, peace was restored
where they stood, there WAS always A WAY!
where they lived...love was seen...
true heroes are those people who leave you breathless when they go
who leave you contemplating the beauty of this world
who restore your broken human nature
who are a clear reflection of God's image,
kind
merciful
loving
true
honest
forgiving....
true heroes come in your life...and they stay there for better or worse!

to M. with much love and respect! Thank you for all you've done! You are are TRUE hero! No doubt about it.

THE SUPER HEROES OF OUR ERA

2008-09-03T23:45:00.000+03:00

not finished yet!!!!!!

The new Batman movie is out and we all, hungry to see how good overcomes evil and conquers all, we await its premiere, bring our kids to witness the majesty of the hero in black and despite the definete flaws in each of the movies, after watching it, we feel triumphant and alive...cause afterall, Batman is on our side...he is our "temporary" hero.

The same psychology leads us to become religiously fervent fans of movies like Spiderman, Superman, X-Man, The Incredibles etc... Even though we regard them as utterly childish and infantile, nevertheless, there isn't one of us who might denounce these heroes' uniqueness, bravery, kindness, and humanE-ity...Despite all the newest, high technology, the latest gadgets, the hottest cars, the greatest tricks, despite ALL, they remain just fictional characters, made alive (or dead) by the click of a button...and once the button is off...only a distant memory of their faces, their actions, and thoughts is left...gradually taking the shape of specks of dust...and one by one dissolving into the air.

So, if these are the heroes of today, made of wax or clay, made by movie directors, fake actors and false pretence (acting)...yet it is especially

Comment on MDG2 (Education) posted on the MDG blog

2008-09-03T13:33:00.000+03:00

Providing Quality education for all people, regardless of their race, gender or status is essential for the achievement of all 8MDGs. I strongly commend the efforts of the international community (NGOs and IGOs alike) to reach out to the destitute and voiceless and give them a chance to voice their needs and fight for their future! I do believe that this multi-sectoral approach to development is the only way out of poverty and the only way to true progress in the overall Human Development process. Therefore, it is essential to emphasize the importance of all stakeholders to unite their efforts and strive to provide a better future for all humanity.
In regard to Education, the efforts of the international community, states and all responsible institutions should be even more involved and better linked with the parties directly affected by the successful achievement of this goal, namely children, parents, and local communities. Efforts should not only focus on providing primary education for all in the LDCs (Least Developed), but emphasis should point to the importance of Quality, Multi-faceted education for children and parents everywhere. Quality education acknowledges the importance of addressing issues beyond general knowledge, issues essential for the development of each individual – raising awareness of their human rights, breaking stereotypes and cultural stigmas, bringing up a socially responsible future generation etc. It is of utmost importance for the future of people everywhere to realize their uniqueness, their special, god-given value and worth, regardless of their descent, their social standing or family situation. This is especially important among the most vulnerable groups - orphans, children with special needs, children victims of violence, or former child soldiers. Moral values, norms, and principles shouldn’t be neglected in educational programs, but rather, parents, as well as teachers, should be stimulated to adopt such values and give special attention to the overall Human Development of each person.
Quality education guarantees Quality future, and we ALL, as citizens of this planet, are responsible for achieving this high goal!

There is no excuse for a child to be deprived from a chance to be happy and able to develop her/his potential!
There is no excuse for a person to be negligent of the needs of others.

It’s time to unveil the selfish shells we’ve been hiding under, dismantle all excuses, and take a stand, for a better world, for a High - Quality world!

how much is 5 $ ?

2008-09-03T01:49:00.001+03:00

how much is 5 $ for you?

today i read in the Economist an article about a new study on poverty, conducted by two experts from the World Bank http://www.economist.com/finance/displaystory.cfm?story_id=12010733. the title read "the bottom 1.4.billion". so, it's estimated that 879 million people live with under 1$ per day and another 520 million with under 1.25 $ per day, altogether accounting for 1.4 billion of the world's poorest inhabitants. (measured by purchasing power parity the numbers might differ, but the reality is overwhelmingly apparent - eradicating poverty, especially extreme poverty, by 2015 and complying with the promises for reaching the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), call for drastic reconsideration of the current efforts, intensifying of the successful methodologies and strategies, doubling all efforts and power towards meeting the goals and most of all leading to the alleviation of these millions of people living in deprivation!)

just a few days ago, i started asking myself about the real value of money, more specifically 5 Euro. i, myself, have lived in a middle-class family, and despite having been broke at times, i have never been starved, never been left without a roof above my head and have been blessed with a chance to develop my potential and receive education and a future that many never get. at the same time, i know people who have thousands of euros pocket money, eat dinners as costly as a monthly (annual) income of an average family, and live not in houses but castles and mansions. yet, there are those people i know, who work day and night just to try to buy the bear necessities of life...and survive.

so, how much IS 5 $?

to answer this question, i dared make a rough calculation of my daily expenses (for today) and reach to a more sustained conclusion about the value of a 5 $ bill. - how much, indeed, did i spend during the past day and on what?
so, lets see: 1. i bought breakfast/lunch for about 2 $, yet sometimes, when i decide to "spoil myself" and buy iced coffee etc. i might spend as much as 3 $. 2. i finally managed to buy myself a new pair of sneakers (the discounted ones were all big size, so ended up buying the expensive ones) 120 $ 3. i found a rather compact, small bag pack on sale and bought it for 15 $ 4. i went home and made myself a big salad, toasted some bread, added some cheese and ate a happy meal (if that was in a restaurant, it would cost me as much as 4 $). 5. in the evening i went out with my cousin and didn't pay for anything cause he was treating, but all in all, my portion of the treat cost about 2.5 $, plus i had some home-made soup for dinner, accompanied by some ham. 6. today i used the toilet numerous times, showered with hot water, washed my hands, drank clean water, had the computer (with internet) on for quite awhile, used a bit of electricity, talked on the mobile phone and will now close the day.
it's a very rough calculation...yet it clearly shows the value of money...money here...money there...money everywhere! of course, i do not purchase shoes everyday (i ain't a shopping freak) but ONCE in AWHILE...i NEED to...and so goes the story...

the question remains...how much is 5 $? of, course, when you have it, it might look irrelevant and trivial, but when you need it, when its lack is sensed, then it seems giant and essential.
for me, today, 5 $ got a new meaning...with 5 $ a family in a rural area somewhere in Cambodia, let's say, might live a whole week...and if 5 $ is saved in the course of 1 month, the freedom of a girl sold in prostitution might be bought back (Kristoff's article on the two teenage girls in Cambodia)...nevertheless, 5 $ may also mean a single cup of coffee, a phone call, a pack of cigarettes, a pair of socks, a week's payment, a price for a prostitute, 1/5th of a micro financial loan, a piece of chocolate, a rented movie...

i am conveying a poll about the value of 5 $ for you! please, feel free to answer the question. there is no 1 right answer...because, money creates different, parallel worlds, in which people's lives can be compared only by their riches in heaven and in no way by their lifestyles here on earth, how can you compare black and white? you can only contrast them...but you can compare two nuances of red...so is it - the bottom 1.4 billion and the top 5 billion, of which more than half is somewhere in the middle...and only a tiny portion...is selected for enjoying and lavishing the riches on earth.

it's time! to look at our 5 $ bill in the pocket and reevaluate it. it's time! to awake for the harsh truth and to face it boldly, ready to sacrifice our insatiable desires and false needs, for the common good, for the better future of all.
it's time! to re-use this 5 $ bill sensibly and responsibly, maybe to feed s.o. in need, maybe to save and sponsor a kid to go to school, maybe to try not to use is as if we don't have it and see just how badly we do need it.

it's time! to become better stewards of the blessings God has provided for us and give more thought to our saving account in heaven.

we don't want to end up carrying full pockets of 5 $ bills to heaven and find ourselves homeless there...

for it is said "for where you treasure is, there your heart will be" Luke 12:34,

Jesus warned us : Matthew 6: 19-21, 24-25, 31-33
19”Do not store up riches for yourselves here on earth, where moths and rust destroy, and robbers break in and steal. 20 Instead, store up riches for yourselves in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and robbers cannot break in and steal. 21 For your heart will always be where your riches are. 24 You cannot be a slave of two masters; you will hate one and love the other; you will be loyal to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. 25 Do not be worried about the food and drink you need in order to stay alive, or about clothes for you body. After all isn’t life worth more than food? And isn’t the body worth more than clothes? 31 So do not start worrying: ‘Where will my food come from? Or my drink? Or my clothes? 32 Your Father in heaven knows that you need all these things. 33 Instead, be concerned above everything else with the Kingdom of God and with what he requires of you, and he will provide you with all these other things. "

how about we each make a small heavenly pocket where to store money we've saved from things we've craved for but sacrificed and, according to each one's pocket, do something nice for someone, whether just buying them food, or maybe clothing, or maybe books for school...Brothers and sisters, let our treasures be measured by the number of people we've showed love and mercy to, rather than by the amount of money we have stored in the bank!

INVEST IN YOUR HEAVENLY ACCOUNT TODAY AND YOU WILL WEAR THE CROWNS OF LIFE WHEN WE MEET WITH JESUS!

God bless you all!

Love and Peace

THE OBITUARY OF HUMAN RACE

2008-09-01T21:40:00.001+03:00

THE HUMAN RACE DIED LAST NIGHT IN ITS, YET ANOTHER UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPT TO LIVE A MEANINGFUL LIFE!

WE - THE REMNANTS, THE REMAINS, THE RUINS, ARE GRIEVING IN THE MOST SORROWFUL MANNER POSSIBLE, YET, REALIZING THE DAMAGE HAD TO BE DEVASTATING, HAVING IN MIND THE SCALE OF HUMAN RACE'S MADNESS AND OBSCENITY!!!

FOR THOSE IN MOURNING AND FOR THOSE STILL WONDERING ABOUT THE CAUSES OF THE LETHAL END OF HUMANKIND, LET US LIST 5 POSSIBLE THINGS THAT KILLED MANKIND!

1. their total obssession with a little thing called MIRROR...in which they used to see someone greater and better than anyone else, someone who deserved to be served and pampered, someone who apparently was as good as (a) god...., someone called SELF and this someone consequently turned out to be a mere illusion, fed up by their own pathetic maniac-driven actions and who, at the end, crashed into pieces and gauged their eyes and pierced their hands and twisted their arms and broke their legs...and left them total invalids, incapable of looking beyond the dark, seeing beyond the fog, hearing beyond the wall, going beyond the door. incapable of cutting open this mascarade costume of brutal pretence and getting out of it, out of the nutshell, out of the SELF- image SELF-body SELF-self....unable to grasp the reality as it poses itself in the distance, unable to catch the horizon...maybe only the vertical (in a whole different dimension), unable to break the walls, jump off the prison and shake the dust off their feet and see the NON-SELF dimension...unable...to see that it wasn't , it had never been about them...and that they were and they were nothing but SLAVES to the master SELF, who controlled every neuron, electron, and atom in their system.

2. as years went by, they caught a disease, incurable, demolishing lives mystery virus called - INSATIABLE DESIRE. they were all literally swallowed by its huge jaws and despite its horiffic looks, poignant smell, and dreadful nature...they were drawn to it, like bees to honey...it's the drug that drove all their instincts, replaced all their natural habits, their feelings, their emotions, it's a poison of some sort, a lethal weapon of a kind, made by an unknown (known) source and operated through a nasty parasyte that penetrates the FLESH (so perishable and weak) and strikes the very essence of human beings - the total annihilator also known as TEMPTATION (greed). so, all in all, its mechanism is as simple as this: the virus finds its victim, the parasyte follows and establishes itself securely, and then...waits for the victim to fall in its traps...it repeatedly says : YOU WANT TO HAVE THIS...and the hypnotized victim whose "immune" system is already totally out of order due to DISBELIEF, DISLLUSIONMENT, DIS....replies back I WANT TO HAVE THIS and I WILL NOT STOP AT ANYTHING TILL I HAVE IT...so, this is how all the strongholds of "moral values", built up traditions, beliefs and wisdom...evaporate and turn into smoke, which only intensifies the disillusionment of the already dizzled victim...then...its history

3. another method of self-destruction commonly used by the primitive species called HOMO HABILIS was WORDING, in other words, using words simply for the sake of using them, unaware (ignorant) of the immense power hidden in them and of the possible catastrophic effects of their MISusage (or amazing power and effect if properly used)...so it all started, word by word dropped in the field, like dead landmines...which have completed their mission - to exterminate their target - and rest numbly dull...words of courage now gave out only squeaks like parrots, words of wisdom, only sounded like foolish blabber, words of love, nothing but mere clatter...so it was, yet before, long long ago, there were times when words had magical power to give life, to bind the broken hearted, to heal the sick, to revive the dead, to restore the weak, to relieve the suffering, to bring to victory the losing...there were times when s.o. would tell s.o. else "i love you" and all nature will suddenly fall in deep silence and profound meditation...contemplating the beauty and magic of life. there were times when s.o. would put an arm on the shoulder of another and will whisper "don't worry, two are better than one...i am here for you". there were times when mothers sang lullabies, when the wind was blowing a melodious sonnet, when the waves would play a symphonic orcestra, when the grass would dance the cha-cha-cha...and s.o. somewhere would say "praise God, who made all these things, praise the Creator of life, praise him"...these times are now over. God said "i give you life and death - choose life", yet they chose death.

4. then came THE "saviour". some, who got the chance to own him, those who got the chance to grasp him, or even just to smeLl him, all of them truly worshipped him, fervently and zealously they brought sacrifices to him to quench its desire (like a vampire of a sort, he used to suck human's good and process it to come out a new product - excrements)...but it would not cease craving for more...till it leaves you with nothing but the desire to own him, which builds up like a volcano and sooner or later erupts...and the damages it causes...are indescribible. first it requires only your attention, then your time, then your family, then your belief system, then your love, your joy, it asks you to betray your friends, to forget your God, to despise your morals, to denounce your beliefs and finally...ultimately...it strips you off your own life, lures you to embrace HIM with all your vigour, zeal, and devotion... and just as you think you got it all... leaves you to become a rotten good-for-nothing nobody. this beast's pseudonym is "dough", also known as $ MONEY - yet another terrorist capable of murdering thousands upon thousands of "innocent" people. people forgot it was all paper...and fire beats paper...just as rock beats fire...just as water beats them both...and just as the bible says "nobody can serve two masters, you either serve God or money"...they chose the latter...and they suffered the irreversible consequencesof their WRONG CHOICES.

5.then came the "different ones", the weirdos, the left-overs, the test-ers, THE ALIENS, the others....that's us...the remnants, the ruins, the petals of past "glory", the notes of a sung melody, the voice of a distant echo....we warned, yet they were deaf... blind... and mute...to our voices. "we" were in the shadow of the tall skyscrapers, in the shacks of the nearby slums, brothels, we were the unheard, the invisible, the forgotten...and even though many shouted for help... many asked for mercy, it was unseen, unheard of, unknown...it was all EMPTY. we suffered the disasters, both human-caused and natural; we drove the economies of the Human Race, but as foreign elements; we Produced the joys, pleasures and amenities for the The Human Race without enjoyin their benefits...we were alive, yet for them we were dead. so, then, when their own pity, trivial existence was pushed to the edge...

...they woke up...

and realized that the human race cannot be human and cannot be a race, without those tiny, negligible elements hidden for the naked eye, those rusty old parts forgotten and left to die away...just as each machine needs all its elements, to the smallest one, to operate properly...

...but it was too late...

we have scattered around in search of a refuge, in search of a new life, in search of salvation...and we've found it in the arms of THE SAVIOUR - Jesus Christ...the rest is history.

we are here to testify for the atrocities committed by the human race to us, as well as to forgive wholeheartedly these monstreous acts and to unite to built a new human race...one whose engine is driven by mercy and love, and whose purpose is to bring joy and happiness to all, one in which every element, regardless of its size or position, deserves and receives full recognition, respect, and a love-filled life!

we pay our respects to the ashes of human race and we pray that they never repeat the mistakes from the past!

God bless us all!

little space with little info about the big God and big issues of life

2008-07-10T15:17:00.005+03:00

hey everyone :) , it's been quite awhile since i wanted to start writing this blog, but never really knew where to start from. so, here i am. my name (African one) is Uwera, meaning pure, given by my dearest Rwandese sister Sh.Mutavu. i am a student in China (Beijing), Bulgarian by passport(and descent, and love love love that country), international (mostly African) by heart (and soon by husband, as my beloved fiance is Ugandan), totally in love with God and all of its creation (in its purity, not fall...)and a total follower of HIS divine WORD.

I am a BELIEVER (born-again Christian) and this is what defines me ("Nothing is impossible for those who believe", "Believe and you shall receive"...these are some of the things i am deeply convinced of). My motto is "Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy" (Prov.31), in other words " Love your neighbour as yourself"'(Rom13:9).

I have been involved in helping people since i was little and this, i believe, is what God's intended purpose for me is.
this blog i will write in the role of a "watchman", as it is said " I have posted watchmen on your walls, o Jerusalem; they will never be silent day or night. You, who call on the Lord, give yourselves no rest, and give Him no rest till He establishes Jerusalem and makes her the praise of the earth" (Isai.62:6-7). So, i intend to be a WATCHMAN for the weak, the destitute, the invisible, the vulnerable, the little ones, the oppressed ones, the hungry and thirsty, the lost and the found , all, all of God's children! I believe that God meant for everyone to enjoy life to the fullest, to be equal, to be free, to be able to choose, to be able to develop their full potential, i believe GOD CREATED EVERYONE SPECIAL.
I believe sin and the cycle of evil can and will be broken only by the power of LOVE and FAITH...and mostly by love and faith IN ACTION.

for me, all that matters is, did you (i) waste my life hating ,envying, being jealous, greedy and needy, or did you (i) love with all your (my) heart and mind and soul? did your (my) life impact s.o. else's life in a positive way? did you (i) live out your (my) beliefs? did people see a reflection of God's perfect love in you (me)? did you (i) bring someone out of the mud? did you (i) give someone a hand, when they were drowning? a shoulder to cry on? a chunk of bread when they were hungry? a piece of clothing when they were cold? a dream come true? a glass of water when they were thirsty? a glimpse of hope when they were desperate? a hug? a smile? a piece of advice or word of wisdom when needed? a look of understanding, when confused? a way out, when they were stuck? a ray of light when all was dark? a kind word when humiliated or abused? a strong arm when unable to walk?....did you (i) use YOUR (my) talent, YOUR (my) uniqueness, YOUR (my) -self...to benefit the lives of the unprivileged, neglected...forgotten ones, for Jesus said "Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in. I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.....I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for ME" (Matt.25:34-40)

here, i also intend to share glimpses of my walk with Jesus, whom i have found to be utterly-ultimately-super-over-the-top-amazingly-cool and this attempt's aim is to maybe someday somewhere somehow, touch SOMEONE and tell them about THE SAVIOUR who redeemed me - JESUS - THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE...and change their lives forever...like this news changed mine :) so, this is the part that will deal with the BIG MAN , the CREATOR, the BIG GOD....of whom we've seen but a sparkle, we know but so little, who made all things, and who is in all things, who was and is and is to come, the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End - my Heavenly Father...my only one.
While on this topic, you should also know that God looooves TO HAVE FUN and to make his children laugh, so, we aint here just for the serious stuff, but also to chill in the house of the Lord...looking at the world through his window.
also, let us not just talk talk talk about stuff, but PRAY about the issues that God lays on our hearts and dare to believe in miracles!
i will also share some of my favorite music, books, etc, plus some of my poetry, links ... so watch for those :)

i also hope to make this space an area for discussion on issues generally classified under the word DEVELOPMENT (HUMAN DEVELOPMENT) ranging from faith to poverty, to child soldiers, to women's empowerment, to the marriage as a sacred institution, to environmental ethics, to the need of a "citizen" consciousness in each one of us, to the dread of the modern consumption-obssessed world, to microfinance......i hope that, we, together, will come to discover a bit more about the meaning of life and about all the BIG ISSUES on earth, some of which, involve very little people...who, nevertheless, are VERY IMPORTANT and deserve to be given special attention..
i will not aim to be exhaustive, therefore, i have said, LITTLE SPACE, LITTLE INFO about BIG ISSUES and the BIG GOD..so, please excuse me in advance for any info not comprehensive enough, not correct enough, not good enough...i am looking forward to learning from each one of you, since, as i earlier said, i believe each one is a rather unique and special creation of God and deserves full attention.

my prayer is: Lord, teach me your ways, and help us to see people and issues around us through your lenses, to love as you love, to think as you think. Lord, let the words of my mouth be pleasing to you and let your name be glorified through this blog! Father, draw your children around you and teach them wisdom, that they might choose life and might live it to the fullest. May we truly be the light of the world, and the salt of the world.

"Arise, Shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn" (Isai60:1-3).

AMEN!

let the journey begin...

enjoy yourselves and don't hesitate to contact me :)

GOD BLESS YOU ALL!!! THANK YOU FOR READING THE BLOG!

Voices from the Wall Speak!

THE RETURN!

How To Use Twitter To Effect Social Change?/ My idea of a virtual HUB-coordinating center for volunteers(ing)/community service in Bulgaria!

Because the World Needs to Know!

A SURVEY About Volunteering/Community Service Among (Young) Bulgarians

TEN THINGS YOU CAN DO TO HELP END POVERTY!

STAND UP AGAINST POVERTY!TAKE ACTION TODAY!

Waste = Food - A film about amazing and life-changing ideas and the people behind them!

Recycle me!..and I'll be new!

SPONSOR A CHILD!

The Girl Effect Video!Get Inspired! (including a poem i wrote)

World Food Programme!Make a Difference!!!TODAY!

THE GIRL EFFECT!GIVE HER A HAND!SHE WILL DO THE REST!

Link your site to ours

THE COMPASSION REVOLUTION!JOIN IT NOW!

CHARTER FOR COMPASSION-NOVEMBER 12TH!

BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH BEGINS TODAY!

Disarm from your passivity and Arm with passion in action! (The International Day of Peace-September 21st)

Water your cracked soul! (Volunteering Part II)

Activate/Press your humanE button! (Volunteering Part I)

~~Global Warming~~G20~~etc...

WORLD WATER DAY - THE RIGHT TO QUENCH ONE'S THIRST WITH SAFE DRINKING WATER!

Dealers disguised like Leaders

In flames for FREEDOM

An International Essay Contest: “Can Character and Communities Survive in an Age of Globalization?” - an essay for a contest

"I AM POWERFUL!"

The Voice of Chinese Intellectuals Hungry for Freedom and Democracy!- CHARTER 08

Translated from the Chinese by Perry Link

I. Foreword

II. Our Fundamental Principles

III. What We Advocate

Human Rights Day - Dignity and Justice for ALL of us!

'MY FREEDOM' (and everyone else's for that matter)

Нашият обществен живот - Luben Karavelov

SEVEN Fund Student Essay Competition - Turning President Kagame's Vision into Practice

SHE is! (dedicated to all 'womankind')

She is! pictures to complement the poem

She is! pictures to complement the poem

The Chronic Condition of Bulgarian Political Life - Diagnosis and Treatment

A little Drop in the vast Ocean

Pattern 1010...(Just a paper in the Box?)

The High Price for Pursuing Knowledge in Some Parts of the Developing World

Real Life Survivors vs. entertainment 'survivors'

A Congolese woman on the Road (To all the displaced people and all refugees everywhere)

Is Peace just a delusion or an arm-stretch away shore?

Where is Bulgaria? (the value of global geography knowledge)

the world of the MANY and the world of the FEW - the reign of INequality

The Fall and Rise of Human civilization (Redemption possible?)

CENSORSHIP!!!!read!!!

TRUE HEROES, for my special friend M.

THE SUPER HEROES OF OUR ERA

Comment on MDG2 (Education) posted on the MDG blog

how much is 5 $ ?

THE OBITUARY OF HUMAN RACE

little space with little info about the big God and big issues of life

Global WarmingG20~~etc...