Stories from around the globe show how a united world is already in motion. This platform highlights experiences, initiatives, and projects from people and communities working for unity and peace. Explore what’s happening and get inspired.
<p><em><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Geneva, sans-serif; background-color: #eeeeee;">Balinese men and foreign tourists help release sea turtles into the ocean on a beach in Bali, Indonesia.</span></em></p> <p><strong>In this photo by Firdia Lisnawati</strong>, locals and tourists on the Indonesian island of Bali help release endangered giant green turtles into the sea.</p> <p><strong>Police Col. Djoko Hari Utomo</strong> says the turtles being released were among 17 turtles confiscated from a poacher last month. The poacher allegedly bought them from fishermen and they were to be sold to a food stall. (...)
<p><em>Pope Francis' five-day South Korea visit which begins Thursday (Aug 14) will not only be his first trip to Asia since he took over the papacy, it is also the first visit by a pope to any Asian country in almost 20 years.</em></p> <p><strong>Seoul - Pope Francis starts his five-day South Korea trip on Thursday (Aug 14)</strong> amid tight security and excitement by Catholic South Koreans who make up about 11 per cent of the population - but the visit is not just significant to that particular community.</p> <p><strong>Tomorrow's trip is not only Pope Francis'</strong> first trip to Asia since he took over the papacy in March last year, it is also the first visit by a pope to any Asian country in almost 20 years.</p>
<p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: #444444; line-height: 18px; background-color: #ffffff;"><em>Some farmers in Greece have formed a small co-operative to sell milk directly to the people, cutting out the middlemen who increase the price.</em></p> <p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: #444444; line-height: 18px; background-color: #ffffff;"><strong>In Larisa, the capital of the Thessaly region in central Greece,</strong> milk farmers have been getting creative. They now sell milk from vending machines, where you would normally expect to see snacks and fizzy drinks.</p> <p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: #444444; line-height: 18px; background-color: #ffffff;"> <p style="margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; color: #444444; line-height: 18px; background-color: #ffffff;"><strong>The scheme has been a huge success,</strong> as Constantine Gougoulias, the general manager of the dairy cooperative explained: “People were waiting 20 to 30 minutes in line, to buy milk! “We were telling them, ‘Hold on, we need to fill the machines first’.”
<p><em>It's the appeal of the Youth of the Focolare Movement to take action while <span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">million people suffer due to the injustices of war. First step, August 15,<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/dialoguetounlock?fref=ts" target="_blank">wearing white T-shirts </a>as a symbol of solidarity to spread awareness to the conflict in the Middle East.</span></span></em></p> <p><strong>We can no longer ignore</strong> the suffering of millions due to the injustices of war. To take action, we’ve committed ourselves to influencing the public opinion by developing a greater awareness of the crisis in the Middle East and sending financial help to the families affected by it. This is our appeal: “Dialogue to Unlock” Appeal.</p> <p><strong>Confronted by the growing number</strong> of ongoing armed conflicts in many parts of the world, especially the worsening crisis in the Middle East, we unite ourselves with everyone living this tragedy. We encourage the utilization of “dialogue to unlock” as a path for peace.</p>
<p><em>Some of the biggest names in soccer coming together to play a friendly match in the name of friendship during the first "Inter-Religious Match for Peace" on September 1 at Rome's Olympic Stadium.</em></p> <p><strong>As the world deals with World Cup withdrawal</strong>, we can look forward to some of the biggest names in soccer coming together to play a friendly match in the name of friendship during the first "Inter-Religious Match for Peace" on September 1 at Rome's Olympic Stadium.</p> <p><strong>Retired star Javier "Pupi" Zanetti</strong>, a Catholic, was tapped by the Vatican to organize the match in conjunction with the Pontifical Academy for Social Sciences. Italy's Roberto Baggio and France's Zinedine Zidane will also take part, reports Catholic News Agency. Lionel Messi, Francesco Totti, Gianluigi Buffon, and Jose Mourinho may participate as well, according to L'Osservatore Romano. Football players of all religions have been invited, according to the Vatican Insider.
<p><em>The man was boarding a rush hour train at Stirling station near Perth, Western Australia when he slipped and one leg became wedged in the gap</em></p> <p><strong>Quick-thinking railway passengers</strong> and staff freed a man who had become trapped between a train and the platform by rocking the carriage.</p> <p><strong>The man was boarding a rush hour</strong> train at Stirling station, northwest of Perth, Western Australia, at 8.50am when he slipped and one leg became wedged in the gap.</p> <p><strong>His leg was saved</strong> when those on the platform tilted the 10,000-tonne train which was squeezing his limb.
<p><em>Israel and Hamas began observing a temporary fragile truce on Tuesday.</em></p> <p><strong>Gaza was calm</strong> but tense Tuesday morning as Israel and Hamas again embarked on a 72-hour cease-fire and Israeli forces began withdrawing from the Palestinian territory after a month-long campaign.</p> <p><strong>Gazans venture out onto</strong> the streets once again even though no previous cease-fire in this conflict has lasted more than a day.
<p><em>Youth for a United World of 29 nations, including 14 African, tell us with a document their Nairobi, Kenya from 25 April to 5 May 2014.</em></p> <p><strong>It 'a document that tells what happened</strong> in Nairobi, Kenya, from 25 April to 5 May 2014 Sharing the project with Africa, the third stage of the United World Project after Budapest and Jerusalem.</p> <p><strong>Days in which young people from 29 nations</strong>, including 14 African, have had the opportunity to learn the fundamental aspects of African culture, such as Ubuntu or the community, for example, through workshops, the participation of scholars and above all 'meeting. All this has produced a final document that we propose below along with the Decalogue: Ten points representing ten different ways to build a united world.</p>
<p><em><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">A project for five years from the German city.Honey provide valuable information about the presence of metal and chemical deposits. </span></em></p> <p>Hamburg - <strong>Beehives are placed near</strong> an airport runway in Hamburg to measure pollution levels on behalf of aircraft manufacturing giant Airbus.</p> <p><strong>A patch of land around Hamburg airport</strong> is home to thousands of unlikely residents: bees.</p> <p><strong>The hives are tended by technician-turned-beekeeper</strong>, Eberhard Schaedlich - who on behalf of aviation giant Airbus collects honey to measure pollution levels around the airport.</p>
Dialogue & Interculture
New Humanity NGO presented the M.E.D.I.T.erraNEW project — co-financed by the Erasmus Plus Program — to the Youth Section of UNESCO in Paris.
Peace & Human Rights
Amid the rubble of Syria, art becomes an act of resistance. Discover the story of Aeham Ahmad, the “The Pianist of Yarmouk”, who defied the horror of war with the invincible beauty of his musical notes.
Operation Mato Grosso is working on over 100 missions across Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, and Bolivia, all rooted in education, hard work, and solidarity. Jacopo Manara, who has been a volunteer for years, tells us their story.
An interview on communication with Michele Zanzucchi, journalist and writer, former director of Città Nuova, professor of communication at Sophia University Institute and at the Pontifical Gregorian University, and author of around forty books.
EN
