Africa Unite*...

Africa is sometimes nicknamed the "Mother Continent" due to its being the oldest inhabited continent on Earth. Humans and human ancestors have lived in Africa for more than 5 million years (National Geographic, 2020).

Africa is our center of gravity, our cultural and spiritual mother and father, our beating heart, no matter where we live on the face of this earth. John Henrik Clarke

We are all children of Africa, and none of us is better or more important than the other. This is what Africa could say to the world: it could remind it what it is to be human. Alexander Mccall Smith

Unite we must. Without necessarily sacrificing our sovereignty, we can forge a political union based on defense, foreign affairs and diplomacy, and a common citizenship, an African currency, a monetary zone and a central bank. We must unite in order to achieve the full liberation of our continent.....Africa is one continent, one people and one nation. Kwame Nkrumah

Africa unite
'Cause we're moving right out of Babylon
And we're going to our Father's land

How good and how pleasant it would be
Before God and man, yeah
To see the unification of all Africans, yeah
As it's been said already
Let it be done, yeah
We are the children of the Rastaman
We are the children of the Iyaman

So, Africa unite
'Cause the children wanna come home, yeah
Africa unite
'Cause we're moving right out of Babylon
And we're grooving to our Father's land
How good and how pleasant it would be
Before God and man...

Unite for the benefit of your people!
Unite for it's later than you think!
Unite for the benefit of my children!...Bob Marley

If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. African Proverb

African Unity Day, also known as Africa Day (formerly African Freedom Day and African Liberation Day) is the annual commemoration and celebration of the founding of the Organization of African Unity (OAU). On May 25th 1963, leaders from 30 of then 32 independent African states signed a founding charter and the OAU was created to help bring about change, freedom and independence to many African countries. In 1991, the OAU established the African Economic Community, and in 2002 they established their successor, the African Union (AU). An expressed goal of AU is promoting Africa’s growth and economic development by championing citizen inclusion and increased cooperation and integration of African states (AU, 2022).
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*Words and music to Africa Unite by Bob Marley & the Wailers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiOKQa8vP70
https://au.int/
https://africa.panda.org/
https://nasagrace.unl.edu/
https://www.afro.who.int/
https://www.unicef.org/wca/
https://www.unicef.org/esa/
http://www.fao.org/3/y1997e/y1997e0h.htm
https://www.africa.upenn.edu/health/ngos_org.htm
http://ngos.org/ngos-in-africa/
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/destinations/africa/
https://www.usaid.gov/where-we-work/africa
https://www.fas.usda.gov/regions/africa-and-middle-east
http://www.fao.org/africa/en/
https://www.usgs.gov/about/organization/science-support/international-p…
https://esdac.jrc.ec.europa.eu/Library/Maps/Africa_Atlas/Index.html
https://www.grida.no/resources/5176
https://www.africaschildrensfund.org/
https://www.worldbank.org/en/results/2013/03/28/protecting-west-african…
https://www.nasa.gov/subject/9534/africa/
https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/international/
https://whc.unesco.org/en/africa/
https://research.un.org/en/africaresources
https://en.unesco.org/general-history-africa
https://www.africanparks.org/national-geographic-article-2019
https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/africa-physical-geograp…
https://www.usgs.gov/centers/nj-water/science/africa-groundwater-explor…
https://www.un.org/africarenewal/news

Let us celebrate International Women’s Day 2022: “Gender Equality Today for a Sustainable Tomorrow”...

International Women's Day (IWD) is a global holiday celebrated annually on March 8 to commemorate the cultural, political, and socioeconomic achievements of women. It is also a celebration and focal point in the women's rights movement bringing attention to issues such as gender equality, reproductive rights, and violence and abuse against women (UN Women, 2022).

The theme for International Women’s Day, 8 March, 2022 (IWD 2022) is, “Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow”, recognizing the contribution of women and girls around the world, who are leading the charge on climate change adaptation, mitigation, and response, to build a more sustainable future for all (UN Women, 2022).

Advancing gender equality in the context of the climate crisis and disaster risk reduction is one of the greatest global challenges of the 21st century. The issues of climate change and sustainability have had and will continue to have, severe and lasting impacts on our environment, economic and social development (UN Women, 2022).

Women are increasingly being recognized as more vulnerable to climate change impacts than men, as they constitute the majority of the world’s poor and are more dependent on the natural resources which climate change threatens the most. At the same time, women and girls are effective and powerful leaders and change-makers for climate adaptation and mitigation. They are involved in sustainability initiatives around the world, and their participation and leadership results in more effective climate action. Without gender equality today, a sustainable future, and an equal future, remains beyond our reach (UN Women, 2022).

The official UN Observance of International Women’s Day under this year's theme will be marked by a virtual event on Tuesday, 8 March 2022, 10–11.30 a.m. EST. The Secretary-General of the United Nations, the President of the General Assembly, the Chair of the Commission on the Status of Women, the Executive Director of UN Women, as well as gender equality and climate change activists and celebrities will be participating. The event will be followed by a panel discussion and musical performances.

Let us on this day and forevermore celebrate women together as one!
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https://www.unwomen.org/en/news-stories/announcement/2021/12/internatio…
https://www.un.org/en/observances/womens-day
https://www.unwomen.org/en/news-and-events/events/2022/02/international…
https://sdg.iisd.org/events/international-womens-day-2022/
https://www.internationalwomensday.com/

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION IN WORKING FOR ENVIRONMENT

INTRODUCTION AND PURPOSE

Together we can, alone we fall! Cooperation is the key.
These words said are not just a simple line but has a meaning in depth. When it comes to diversity, what comes to our mind is that differences are to be obeyed. But sometimes we find it tough to get included or include because of the social stratospheres we have created for different groups. This means, love and belonging are the key and respecting anyone, whether belonging to our cultural/social group or not is important. Peace is where understanding and cooperation is. When I say that, I mean that when conflicts come, it is due to unmatching opinions and thoughts which then must be included and obeyed as for a one world, we need holistic and inclusive approach.
Different skills means that they are important in their own aspect. Each thinking and skill contributes in some way. When we are unable to find somebody authentic and disrespect their views is where we create clash!

THE DEPTH AND REASON BEHIND IT

We always need to be loved OR be loved by someone. This is how the human society forms communities. What we see around us, is the reality we create because that’s what is in our minds and our minds create our reality. What reality is for me is not for some other person. It is important to understand the social and communal differences.

When it comes to thoughts and opinions being suppressed, or not heard, that’s when communism or even isolation happens. We can leave nobody behind. Remember, they have indirectly in some way contributed for YOUR well-being. Even when we think, we don’t need anyone and want to be independent, I can still understand, what? Financial independence? But then aren’t you dependent on banks? An independent person is dependent on lakhs of outsiders and ultimately the one world we live in.

Hence, it’s important to understand and bring peace. When we go hand in hand, such as these we can see paraolympics couldn’t have been possible without the disbled, and inclusion of even them is important, we can bring about change!

Environment is sharing, and for all! If we think we are not needing anyone, we are!, breathing the air we live an, drinking the water that the water workers are collecting from water collectives!
How can life be possible with our opinions not being respected, and in turn feeling lonely and not respecting others’ opinions? It is seen self-annihilation leads to seek others’ annihilation. We can cut off and not want others or a group but we don’t know how we are still being dependent on them, so why not be dependent from open hearts and minds. Being open and positive is very important.

SOME REFERENCES TO YOUTUBE CHANNEL WITH GIST

Sustainable human means sustainable planet. Everyone has some ego sometimes and other times can feel the other group to be not up to mark. Or, might be we are distressed by somebody’s act towards us! But we still need to be open! When we respect the differences, and understand is when the key comes. A terrorism act is something which sometimes is because of a minority communist act we say, isn’t it? If our government respects interests of all that is valid, and if they also respect the interest of activists such as we the climate activists and environment protecting youth, there’ll be less protests and agitations. Hence, understanding & understanding, then being open and respecting others’ viewpoints is important. Here’s a link to a channel called
human. Do check it out, the videos of interest in it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8c5RBDs6Ds&t=4ssustainable
CONCLUSION

All I can say is that VALUE, to get VALUE…RESPECT to get RESPECT- the law of cause and effect just isn’t like that. And yes, then we’ll see that with each other’s co-operation and with diversity and inclusion, we will see our world as a better place. Everyone is the part of world and this is OUR world.

AUTHOR: Twarita Bajoria, Title: Intern looking for work, internships so far: Umeed NGO, Chegg Inc., Doordarshan, Smartmove immigration, Internshala
Projects and groups: UNEP-MGCY

Climate Resilient Water Resources Management

"Sustainable development, thus, was not a newly invented concept, but rather rooted in the Stockholm spirit."

In the lead up to the Stockholm+50 meeting and in time for the first day of the UNEA 5.2, Najib Saab shared this blog that starts with a question: What environment do we want and what organization can lead international environmental action?

One of his critical points is on the failure of rich countries to meet their commitment in providing 0.7% of their GDP as development aid to poor countries - a commitment made just two years before Stockholm - which put the path towards protecting the environment off-track, fast-forward 50 years.

Check out this blog and share your perspectives on what you think is lacking in global efforts to take concrete action towards a healthy planet?

Make sure to subscribe to the Stockholm+50 newsletter to receive the latest news, updates and opportunities to get involved.

Check out the Stockholm+50 blog series that offer a diversity of voices, analysis and opinions on the core theme of the Stockholm+50 meeting.

One of the recent ones authored by Najib Saab shares his review and reflection on UNEP's unique identity and its mission to provide leadership and encourage partnership to safeguard the environment.

Dear All,

As I haven't too much experience in UN conferences, just one UNFCCC symposium and COP25, can somebody please explain the goal of Stockholm+50 in like three sentences, i.e. what will be different for humanity one week after the conference has ended? [compared to now]

I can say that we at Parents For Future are becoming increasingly nervous because nobody (in the Global North) seems to be eager to keep the Paris Agreement and Article 2 of the UNFCCC.
But I hope we just don't see many good things happening.

UN, Sustainable Development, and Eco-diversity

United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and improve the lives and prospects of everyone, everywhere (UN, 2021). Seventeen SDGs were adopted by all UN Member States in 2015, as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

SDGs were developed to “Transform Our World,” and are a call for action by all countries – poor, rich and middle-income – to promote prosperity while protecting the planet. More important than ever, the SDGs provide a blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all (UN, 2021).

From my perspective, there are direct relationships between sustainable development and biodiversity. In other words, as an ecology or economy trend toward increased diversity, sustainability of the ecosystem is enhanced. By contrast, as ecosystem diversity is diminished, the ecology and economy (at any scale) become less stable (resilient) and sustainable.

It is hard to overemphasize the importance of biodiversity in terms of a healthy, resilient, and sustainable global (and local) ecology and economy. If the ultimate goal of our ecosystems (ie. ecology, economy) is sustainability, the first and primary component is diversity. And if sustainable development is a long-term goal still worth actively pursuing as individuals. local communities and Member States, then biodiversity must be a cornerstone.
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https://sdgs.un.org/goals
https://unbiodiversitylab.org/
https://www.cbd.int/
https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/what-you-need-know-about-un…
https://www.un.org/en/observances/biological-diversity-day
https://www.cbd.int/idb/
https://nationaltoday.com/international-day-biological-diversity/
https://lnkd.in/eeNSYkZ
https://lnkd.in/eWj-uDC
https://lnkd.in/e-jRcv8
https://lnkd.in/dFNAdrEz
https://lnkd.in/d669Apxs
https://lnkd.in/dwK3disU
https://lnkd.in/dgYkwtGn
https://lnkd.in/dJw-mRNy
https://lnkd.in/daQfD4v5
https://lnkd.in/dFndjwYP
https://lnkd.in/dU_Eq8H8
https://lnkd.in/dWaPCWP6
https://lnkd.in/dwKepuQM
https://lnkd.in/e-jRcv8
https://lnkd.in/eJr-zTc