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><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #595959; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 18px;"><em><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #515151; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 15px;">Region starts infrared plane, drone, sattelite controls on area</span></em></span></p> <p><strong>Naples, November 8</strong> - Air surveillance has been ordered over the southern Italian region of Campania to identify any anomalies and any environmental issues related to illegal waste-management practices that have in recent months hit international headlines.</p> <p><strong>The aerial oversight will use</strong> an ATR 42 MP aircraft bearing infrared vision systems, and aims to help authorities combat environmental crimes such as the illegal burning of rubbish in areas near the city of Naples, which have triggered the location in question to be renamed "Terra dei Fuochi" or "Land of the Fires".</p>
<p><em>First participation for GMU to the 8th UNESCO Youth Forum with 500 young people. Three days of work on the theme "Youth and Social Inclusion", whose recommendations will be presented to the General Conference in November. "Different, but so committed to solve the problems together.This really made us feel as one family."</em></p> <p><strong>For the first time, three delegates of Youth for a United World</strong> participated in the 8° UNESCO Youth Forum: three days of intense work at its headquarters in Paris from 29 to 31 October. Gathered around the theme " Youth and Social Inclusion: Civic Engagement, Dialogue and Development of Competences" , five hundred boys and girls around the world have debated on the main objectives of the draft strategy to the youth of the institution for the period 2014-2021.</p> <p><strong>Absolute protagonists</strong>, they have made recommendations for the member Countries of UNESCO which will presented during the session of the 37th General Conference which will be held in the coming weeks (5-20 of November, <em>ndr.</em>). The participants also worked together to choose fifteen projects to promote youth actions who have received the quality label "8th UNESCO Youth Forum" .
<p><em>The diplomatic speeches closing. The words of the President of the UNESCO General Conference Katalin Bogyay . The contribution that each one can give. The third and final part narrated by young people who partecipated.</em></p> <p>"On the third day strong was the impact on us of the speeches of diplomats closing of the Forum. It was very loud to hear them talk about concepts that are very close to our ideal: the world must live as one human family, to achieve peace we must open our hearts and love each other or it's the little concrete acts that constitute a better world.</p> <p><strong>"Resound even more the words of Katalin Bogyay</strong>, president of the General Conference of UNESCO, who attended the Genfest . She closed the Forum speaking to all of "Ubuntu", this African value that expresses the belief that ' I am because we are ' and that is the basis for Sharing with Africa, the next step of the United World Project. A great experience to know many young people who think themselves to their ideas and skills to be able to change the world.</p>
<p> </p> <p><em>From Egypt an act of fraternity: it's giving it's receiving. From the Facebook page of the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Y4UW.JO?fref=ts" target="_blank">Youth for a United World - Jordan</a>.</em></p> <p><strong>"Two years ago, I worked at the British Embassy</strong> during summer period. I was trying to save as much money as possible in order to pay for my final year at university and not to be burden on my parents. After 4 months of hard work I managed to put aside a large sum of money which would cover all my final year expenses.</p> <p><strong>"One day I met a person I knew on the street</strong>. As soon as he saw me, he felt compelled to open up his heart and share with me all the difficulties he was facing. He had many debts and he did not know how to get out of the situation. The sum that he needed was exactly the same amount I was able to save in my bank account.
<p><em>Censis studies revealed an Italy more altruistic</em></p> <p><strong>Rome, November 6 -</strong> A majority of Italians are spiritual, altruistic, and still willing to fight for a better society, according to the latest research by the Center for Social Investment Studies (Censis). In its report released Wednesday and titled 'Italian Values in 2013: The Pendulum Returns', Censis asked respondents what they get the biggest charge out of: 59% said spirituality, 46.2% said family, 36.9% said being in love, and 29.5% said helping those in need.These were followed by making money (26.6%), being with friends (25.3%), and going to the gym (16%).</p>
<p><em><span face="Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, sans-serif;">The new Marmaray tunnel to cross the Bosphorus Strait in just four minutes.</span></em></p> <p style="text-align: left;"><strong><span face="Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, sans-serif" style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, sans-serif;">It </span>is now possible to cross the Bosphorus Strait –</strong> from Asia to Europe in just four minutes by the new Marmaray tunnel. It is the realisation of a project dreamt up by Ottoman sultans more than a century ago.The tunnel is the world’s first connecting two continents and was inaugurated on the 90th anniversary of the Republic of Turkey.</p> <p><strong>The engineering feat spans 13 kilometres</strong> and will carry subway commuters in Istanbul, which is Europe’s biggest city with a population of 15 million people. An estimated two million cross the Bosphorus Strait daily. Work began in 2004 on what is one of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan pet projects designed to change the face of Turkey.Archaeological excavations delayed completion. Eventually the tunnel will serve high-speed and freight trains.
<p><em>7.2 magnitude in Bohol. The <a href="http://giovaniperunmondounito.blogspot.it/" target="_blank">Youth for a United World</a> did something for them with the support of the community</em>.</p> <p><strong>“Seeing the devastating effects on the news during the aftermath of the earthquake in Bohol</strong>, I knew I wanted to do something concrete for the victims. I especially wanted to make these people feel the love of God in these moments, wherein they may feel that all hope is lost. I was very privileged to be given the chance to do so. At first, I was scared because of the aftershocks that occur once in a while, but I knew that these are small trials, compared to the suffering of the families who lost their homes and loved ones because of the calamity. With the support of the Focolare community, we went to Bohol with around 15 <a href="http://giovaniperunmondounito.blogspot.it/" target="_blank">Youth for a United World</a> and some adults from Manila and Cebu. Upon arrival, we immediately packed 200 bags containing mats, blankets and materials for making tents for them to live in. We heard that this is what they needed most. It was a very joyful atmosphere even though it was hard work because we knew we were doing it out of love. It took us several hours to finish, until midnight, and only had a few hours to rest.
<p><em>Young people travelled 20 days across Europe and Asia to send out a signal against the division of Korea – and for peace in the country which has been split in two for 63 years.</em></p> <p><strong>“They’re coming, they’re coming,”</strong> shouts a young women, looking toward the train pulling into platform 6 at Busan Station. When the doors open, people get off with large suitcases. They look tired – yet incredibly happy at the same time. They’ve travelled from Berlin to Busan, 20 days across Europe and Asia. Their objective: to send out a signal against the division of Korea – and for peace in the country which has been split in two for 63 years.</p> <p><strong>The “Peace Train”, as the project is called</strong>, is part of a peace initiative of the National Council of Churches in Korea which aims to raise awareness of the East Asian country’s continuing division and to campaign for its reunification. Around 120 participants covered a distance of some 10,500 kilometers en route to the 10th Assembly of the World Council of Churches taking place in Busan from 30 October to 8 November. The project was supported by several national church organizations.</p>
<p><em>When transparency and integrity lead to unexpected solutions. The courage of a group of workers connected to an NGO in Angola makes them a reference point of reliability and honesty.</em></p> <p><strong>«I’ve been working in an NGO since 2008</strong>. I started out in this job coordinating an area under the direction of the executive director. Then, in the end of 2010 I took some holidays. When I returned to work, I found that the executive director had offered her resignation and I was asked to take her place. When I began, I found things that were left suspended and among them something rather delicate.</p> <p><strong>It had to do with theft.</strong> During 2007 and 2008 the ex-director had stolen the taxes from the salaries of the workers and from the NGO, and had not paid them to the State. And so we had to pay a fine of some 75,000 dollars, which was an enormous amount for our organization. Perhaps to cover up what she had done, the former director had paid a certain amount on behalf of each worker that corresponded to the amount that had been deducted from their salary in those years. And she kept for himself the amount that the organization was expected to pay to the State.
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.
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