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Intercultural Dialogue
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Intercultural dialogue what does it mean to you?

April 1, 2009 | 9:04 PM Comments  1 comments

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10 Ways You Can Make A Difference For Animals
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Now that you've learned a little bit about Animal Rights issues and the ways that you can get involved. Here are 10 more ways for YOU to take action and make a difference around this issue.

1. Make your purchases and donations cruelty-free. Look for "not tested on animals" or "cruelty free" on the labels of household products and cosmetics. When you donate to health-related charities, seek out those that do not fund or support animal research. And when you stop purchasing from a company or donating to an organization because of their animal cruelty, write to them and explain why they've lost your business and charitable giving. Consult cruelty-free guides to help you choose your products and charities. And donate to the organizations and sanctuaries that are working to save and care for animals.

2. Adopt your companion animals from shelters and rescue organizations. Never buy an animal from a breeder or pet store. The nation's shelters and rescues are full of dogs, cats, and other animals in desperate need of homes. Millions of them are killed each year. Consider adopting one (or more).

3. Boycott so-called entertainment that involves abuse of animals—for example, circuses, horse racing, greyhound racing, and rodeos. And then go two steps further: encourage everyone you know to join you in swearing them off, and then encourage and educate those you don't know too.

4. Think about going vegetarian or vegan. Simple as that—the number one thing you can do to help animals (and the planet!) is adopt a vegan diet and way of living. Not only will you, each year, personally save the lives of more than 100 farmed animals, but you'll save other animals as well—the animals whose habitats are destroyed or co-opted for grazing land or for the growing of crops to feed livestock.

5. Don't just stop eating animals. Stop wearing them too. Faux leather is abundant, and it is cheaper than animal skin too. Polyester fleece and other fibers are less itchy and less difficult to wash than wool, and for them, no sheep must suffer having chunks of skin hacked off or endure grueling transport and harrowing slaughter. Animals die for fur trim as much as they die for fur coats—there is no such experience as being just a little bit slaughtered.

6. Protect the habitats of wildlife. Environmental matters and animal issues are intimately connected even beyond the environmental impact of animal agriculture. Examples: Plastic bags are an environmental nightmare—and discarded plastic is a nightmare for ocean life as well; invest in reusable canvas and cotton bags. That super-soft mainstream toilet paper, that super-absorbent mainstream paper towel, and those super-smooth mainstream facial tissues you use are super-destructive too. Buy reusable substitutes when you can, and when you can't, buy only recycled. Be aware of the sources of the foods and products you purchase.

7. Talk to your legislators, fight for animal protection laws, and vote. Is a ban on rodeos or animal circuses up for a vote in your community or state? Publicize the cruelties; educate friends, family, and strangers; lobby your legislators; and get the legislation passed. Sign up for updates from the Animal Legal Defense Fund. Vote for animal-friendly candidates.

8. Embrace direct action. Attend the protests, distribute the information, videotape and publicize cruelties, and if need be, and you are able, rescue abused animals yourself.

9. Educate yourself. Read the books. Watch the videos. Keep up with the blogs. Attend the conferences. Volunteer with animals. The more you know, the more you can help.

10. Educate everyone else. Once you've educated yourself—or better yet, while you're educating yourself—spread the word, through informational handouts, through videos, through Web sites and blogs, and even through food (such as vegan options).

March 10, 2009 | 6:28 AM Comments  2 comments

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Women on the forefront of Change
Translations available in: English (original) | French | Spanish | Italian | German | Portuguese | Swedish | Russian | Dutch | Arabic

The Rwandan women’s movement is one of the most effective women’s movements throughout Africa it is also importantly one of the most coordinated and active social movements in Rwanda. Women in Rwanda now top the world rankings of women in national parliaments, today Rwanda has the highest number of women parliamentarians in the world with women constituting 48.8% in the Chamber of Deputies compared to a world average of 15.1%. The Government of Rwanda also has 34% of women in its cabinet and 34.6% in the senate.

As a result of elections held in September and October 2003, Rwanda displaced Sweden as the country with the world’s highest percentage of women in its lower or single house of parliament. Much has been achieved in the post-genocide transition period that Rwanda underwent. The most significant explanation for the growth in women’s representation can be said to be the strong commitment on the part of the post-genocide government towards the inclusion of women and the expansion of women’s rights throughout Rwanda. A variety of new gender roles have been assumed by women in post-genocide Rwanda. Rwandan women have been stepping into roles traditionally held by men. In colonial Rwanda and before the genocide women weren’t able to actively participate they were historically prohibited from performing even the most rudimentary of tasks. Legally married women in Rwanda had rigidly limited rights. They could vote, but their husband’s consent was required for them to engage in commerce, register a business, buy land, act as a witness, or undertake court action. However, in post-genocide Rwanda women have now become the heads of households, business owners, mayors, legislators and ministers of states. They have also readily become sources of social and economic capital, contributing to the prospects for peace in the country .

Today Rwandan women have an integral role in rebuilding a country devastated by mass genocide, human displacement, and economic collapse. Rwandan women have been able to effectively take an active role as the country has undergone a lengthy period of reconstruction. The women’s movement in Rwanda has been able to improve relations between ethnic Tutsi and Hutu women. In post-genocide Rwanda they have been able to work together despite the tragedy of the genocide, focusing on the commonality of their struggle as women; together they have been rebuilding their lives, their homes and their country. Rwandan women have been able to effectively change their world.

For more information check out "Ladies First" a PBS documentary "profiling Rwanda women on the forefront of change."


March 2, 2009 | 1:18 AM Comments  0 comments

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Questions on Language and Multilingualism
Translations available in: English (original) | French | Spanish | Italian | German | Portuguese | Swedish | Russian | Dutch | Arabic

Q: [English]It’s been claimed that Multilingualism is the most effective peacemaker of this century do you agree or disagree with this notion? [ENG]

Q: [Swahili]Inadaiwa ya kwamba kuongea lugha nyingi ni njia nzuri sana ya kuimairisha amani kweny karne hii. Je unakubali au haukubali na hii sentensi? [SWA]

Q: [English] Is it normal to self-identify as a “hyphenate” in this global world (for example, Greek-Canadian, Chinese-American, African-French, Indian-Brit and so on) without undermining your “Country based identity” and cultural identity? [ENG]

Q: [Swahili] Je, nikawaida kwa mtu kujihusisha kama mtu wa mataifa mawili kwenye dunia hii ya global (Kwa mfano, mgiriki –mkanada, mchina-muamerika, Mwafrika- Mfaransa, Muhindi-Ulaya na kadhalika) bila ya kudharau inchi anayo ishi na utamaduni wake? [SWA]

February 2, 2009 | 3:36 PM Comments  0 comments

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The World Language Mapping System
Translations available in: English (original) | French | Spanish | Italian | German | Portuguese | Swedish | Russian | Dutch | Arabic

There are about 6000 to 7000 languages spoken in the world and in more ways than one these languages become the expression of the diverse cultural identities of the globes inhabitants. To learn more about some of the World's languages, check out The World Language Mapping system, the most comprehensive, up-to-date, and trusted geographic data set of the locations of the world's nearly 6000-7,000 ethno-linguistic peoples. Through the World Language Map, you can view the diverse languages of Africa, the Indian Subcontinent, China, and Southeast Asia.


note: You need to zoom into the .pdf file to see the various languages on the map

Languages of Africa

Languages of China

Languages of India

Languages of Southeast Asia


January 28, 2009 | 3:52 PM Comments  3 comments

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