Culture and Media

Petition to Save World Heritage on the Tigris River in Mesopotamia to the distinguished members of the World Heritage Committee…
We address you gravely concerned about the threat posed to potential World Heritage Sites in
Mesopotamia, a region of great cultural and natural importance which is endangered by the Ilisu
Dam Project on the Tigris River.

Should academia deal with Spirituality? What is spirituality anyway? Is it different from religion? Is secularism the same as atheism? Is secularism growing? Is atheist humanism in need of spirituality? These and other questions were discussed at Haifa University. Members of Silo’s Message participated with its point of view about a new spirituality arising in the world.

During a visit to Israel by friends from Europe and Latin America to disseminat Silo’ Message and Universalist Humanism, we had the opportunity to attend the Fourth International Conference for the Study of Contemporary Spirituality (ICSCS) at the University of Haifa. We were invited by the director of the Education Department Prof. Ofra Mayseless.

Will 2012 be as bad as last year for Chileans working in the media,
particularly news photographers and cameramen, as well as journalists and
bloggers close to protest movements? The fear is well-founded and has been
highlighted once again as support for the protest movement in the poor
southern region of Aysén has spread, and students have once again gone on
the march.

To a nose flute player and friend, Dom-An Macagne, the mix of dog walks and social issues makes sense. Being an animal lover herself, she realized the organized and shared joys of dog walks together with social issues of peace, women’s rights, animal welfare, as well as environmental awareness, go hand in hand. Thus the “Dog walk for a cause” demonstration and show.

Neighbour in Hong Kong Vonnie Boston took a walk through India’s Maharashtra state, late December 2011 to early Jan 2012, on an environmental mission. She was also able to help an organization near Delhi. This was the Kabliji Hospital that offers free eye treatment. Vonnie kindly made a donation in my name, as it was my 70th birthday in 1st January. What a thoughtful present.

In an activity bringing a different viewpoint to bear on common situations of violence, CHERIF V. Abou, a Togolese member of The Community, is holding workshops through his region. His aim and the aim of the organisation is wider participation among the local schools. Without such endeavours young people just follow the usual system, thinking there is no other way.

International Mother Language Day originated as the international recognition of Language Movement Day, which has been commemorated in Bangladesh (formerly East Pakistan) since 1952, when a number of students including the students of the University of Dhaka were killed by the Pakistani police in Dhaka during Bengali Language Movement protests.

Occupyface art by Paul-Felix Montez, a new face on the arts scene, providing a visual message for the Occupy movement world wide protestors. The proposal sees a 40-foot tall sculpture monument based on the artist’s art work designs. First, a half scale mock up is to be constructed and brought to downtown Manhattan for exhibition in 2012.

The Chinese New Year celebrations formally began on January 23. China has become 4710 years old as per its lunar calendar. This year will be known as the Year of the Dragon, which symbolises strength and prosperity. The New Year celebration is one of the longest and the principal festive season for the Chinese: the official holiday itself extends over a week or two.