Feed aggregator

Obwohl die meisten Rebberge weiterhin maschinell bewirtschaftet werden, setzen renommierte Weingüter auf die Pferde-Karte.

Tränen, Trauer, Wut: Das abrupte Ende des Weltbild-Verlags in der Schweiz bewegt die Angestellten und die Kunden. Blick hat drei Filialen besucht, mit den betroffenen Menschen gesprochen und zeichnet das emotionale Ende des Traditions-Buchladens nach.

Die Westschweiz punktet nicht nur in Sache Kulinarik. Auch Flora und Fauna der Romandie sind einen Besuch wert. Vier besonders schöne Routen in der Romandie, die Teil der Wanderchallenge «26 Summits» von Blick und UBS sind, stellen wir dir in diesem Artikel vor.

Der Bund konnte in Indien einen grossen Teil von früher gelieferten Schweizer Maschinenpistolen nicht überprüfen. Das könnte Folgen haben.

Frankreich sucht derzeit noch nach einem neuen Regierungschef. Am Freitag wird man nach Beratungen mit den Parteien wohl einen Schritt näher sein. Auf die neue Regierung warten dann schwierige Entscheidungen über die Haushaltslage, ansonsten könnten hohe Strafen drohen.

Frankreich sucht derzeit noch nach einem neuen Regierungschef. Am Freitag wird man nach Beratungen mit den Parteien wohl einen Schritt näher sein. Auf die neue Regierung warten dann schwierige Entscheidungen über die Haushaltslage, ansonsten könnten hohe Strafen drohen.

By CIVICUS
Aug 22 2024 (IPS)

 
CIVICUS speaks with Chris Garrard, co-founder and co-director of Culture Unstained, about the campaign to end fossil fuel sponsorship of cultural institutions, which oil companies use to try to present a positive public image.

The campaign has achieved some notable successes, with the Royal Shakespeare Company and Tate group of art galleries ending BP sponsorship deals and the Edinburgh Science Festival rejecting fossil fuel funding. Recently, the Science Museum in London ended its sponsorship arrangement with the Norwegian state-owned oil giant Equinor. It’s now under pressure to reconsider its relationships with Adani and BP.

Chris Garrard

How significant is the London Science Museum’s decision to end its sponsorship by Equinor?

The museum’s decision to end its eight-year sponsorship deal with Equinor is a major victory for the campaign against oil sponsorship. The museum finally cut ties with the oil company because it had failed to align its business plans with the Paris Agreement’s goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C.

The museum’s decision also highlights a significant shift in its policy because its director, Ian Blatchford, had strongly defended taking funding from fossil fuel companies in the past, stating in a Financial Times interview that he would still seek such sponsorship ‘even if the museum were lavishly publicly funded’. The decision to cut ties with Equinor contradicts his stance and hopefully represents a step towards greater ethical responsibility, in line with the museum’s scientific mission.

Alongside our allies, Culture Unstained played a key role in this campaign win. I was involved in protesting against Equinor’s sponsorship when it was first announced and ‘Wonderlab: the Equinor Gallery’ first opened to the public, so it was incredibly exciting to finally see this shift happen. Crucially, the campaign involved interventions by various groups over several years, including scientists, youth climate activists and young people from Norway.

Over time, pressure has grown on the museum to adopt new ethical sponsorship criteria that now require sponsors to have aligned their business plans with the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C pathway, as assessed by the Transition Pathway Initiative. Its recent assessment clearly showed that Equinor didn’t meet this standard, which ultimately led to the ending of its relationship with the museum.

Why do oil companies sponsor cultural bodies?

Oil companies such as BP, Equinor and Shell sponsor arts and cultural institutions for two main reasons. Firstly, sponsorship deals help them to maintain what’s known as a ‘social licence to operate’. This is essentially a form of consent from wider society which relies upon a belief that they are responsible corporate citizens, and that what they are doing is ethically acceptable. By attaching their logos and brands to cultural institutions, they associate themselves with the progressive values of the arts, so when people think of BP, for example, they don’t associate it with climate impacts, polluting oil spills or toxic gas flaring in places like Iraq, but rather with culture, philanthropy and positive social contributions. It’s a form of cheap advertising and a way to clean up a toxic image.

This practice has been particularly widespread in the UK. BP, for example, had sponsored BP Exhibitions at the British Museum, the BP Portrait Award at the National Portrait Gallery and BP Big Screens at the Royal Opera House, all of which helped to normalise its tarnished brand. Our research has revealed how sponsorship deals are strategically planned to project a misleading image of these companies as philanthropists and responsible corporate citizens rather than the major polluters they are.

Relationships with cultural institutions also give fossil fuel companies a strategic platform for lobbying. For instance, our research found that BP sponsored a Day of the Dead event at the British Museum just before the Mexican government auctioned off new drilling licences in the Gulf of Mexico – several of which were awarded to BP. So while the public enjoyed the cultural event downstairs in the British Museum’s Great Court, BP executives were meeting with Mexican government officials upstairs, using the event as the backdrop for their corporate agenda.

Now, in response to the growing opposition to oil sponsorship of the arts, fossil fuel companies are increasingly shifting their focus to sport and music sponsorships, and often using their subsidiaries or ‘green energy’ brands for these partnerships. This combination of greenwashing and artwashing is a new strategy of fossil fuel companies, and we’re determined to oppose it.

What have been the most notable successes and challenges of your campaign so far?

Our campaign has had some notable successes, particularly in recent years. Since 2016, around 18 major UK cultural organisations ended their sponsorship deals with fossil fuel companies such as BP and Shell. They included the National Portrait Gallery, the Royal Opera House, the Royal Shakespeare Company and Tate ending long-running sponsorship deals with BP and, on London’s South Bank, three major institutions – the British Film Institute, the National Theatre and the Southbank Centre – ending their partnerships with Shell, which has its headquarters next door.

This trend has also gained traction internationally, with groups such as Fossil Free Culture NL in Amsterdam successfully pushing fossil fuel companies out of cultural institutions such as the Van Gogh Museum.

However, despite these successes, the Science Museum has explicitly avoided stating that Equinor’s dire record on climate change was the reason for ending its sponsorship deal and, even now, continues to defend its deals with Adani and BP, even though neither company is aligned with the Paris Agreement goals. Adani in particular is the world’s largest private coal producer, and the Science Museum has cynically sought to deflect criticism by weakly claiming it is only being sponsored by Adani’s renewable energy subsidiary, even though there are clear links between Adani Green Energy and the company’s coal mining business. This is a clear example of greenwashing and the Science Museum is actively helping promote it. Nevertheless, we see this victory with Equinor as a first step, and we’ll continue to push for Adani and BP to be removed from the museum as well.

Meanwhile, the British Museum took a huge backward step last year when it signed a new 10-year sponsorship deal with BP, despite numerous large-scale protests and growing opposition for over a decade. One of the biggest challenges, particularly with institutions such as the British Museum, is their lack of transparency and accountability and, in some cases, their closeness to the government. Although the museum is supposed to be independent, it will often be used for cultural diplomacy. Its notable lack of transparency isn’t limited to decisions around oil sponsorship, but also extends to issues such as the return of stolen artefacts and failure to address its origins in colonialism.

While many museums and galleries have shifted away from fossil fuels and other unethical sponsors, some institutions will, when challenged, defend the records of their corporate sponsors. For example, even when presented with clear evidence, the British Museum has continued its partnership with BP while falsely claiming that BP is helping to lead the transition away from fossil fuels. Often, staff and workers at these institutions support or are sympathetic to our campaign, so the real obstacle to change is the concentration of decision-making power in a few people who aren’t properly accountable.

A different but important challenge is to ensure our campaigning in the UK and the global north is connected and accountable to those directly affected by the fossil fuel companies we are campaigning against. Whether it’s communities in Egypt, the US Gulf Coast or West Papua suffering from pollution and environmental degradation, or those already feeling the effects of climate change, we seek to build relationships of solidarity with them and find ways to offer them a platform.

What space is there for climate activism in the UK?

The space for climate activism in the UK is certainly under threat and needs defending. Recently introduced laws have restricted protests and free speech, and we’ve seen climate activists given lengthy and draconian sentences that discourage others from getting involved, speaking out and taking action. This is deeply worrying and many are calling on the new government to review and repeal these laws. What’s disturbing as well is that we’ve also seen attempts to stifle discussion of issues such as the genocide in Palestine, notably when Adani’s partnership with the Israeli arms company Elbit has been highlighted during protests at the Science Museum.

On the positive side, there are many in the climate justice movement who are constantly finding creative and imaginative ways to protest, in cultural spaces and on the streets. More importantly, there’s also a growing awareness of the need to adopt an intersectional approach emphasising not just climate action, but climate justice. For instance, a group called Energy Embargo for Palestine is currently campaigning against BP’s sponsorship of the British Museum, but linking different struggles and highlighting how fossil fuel extraction is connected to the repression of Palestinian people. It is essential to support and amplify such efforts, as our activism must constantly evolve and adapt to address complex and overlapping concerns. As the activist and poet Audre Lord put it, ‘There is no such thing as a single-issue struggle because we do not live single-issue lives’.

Civic space in the UK is rated ‘obstructed’ by the CIVICUS Monitor.

Get in touch with Culture Unstained through its website, and follow @Cult_Unstained and @TheGarrard on Twitter.

 

Follow @IPSNewsUNBureau
!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)?'http':'https';if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+'://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js';fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document, 'script', 'twitter-wjs');  

Csehszlovákia 1968-as megszállása kapcsán soha nem feledkezhetünk meg a több tíz meggyilkolt polgártársunkról, sem pedig a hazánkban élő emberek millióiról, akiknek meghiúsították a szabad élet utáni vágyát – konstatálta Michal Šimečka, a PS elnöke a Varsói Szerződés haderőinek 56 évvel ezelőtti bevonulására emlékezve.

Am Mittwochnachmittag ereignete sich bei Matt GL ein tödlicher Bergunfall. Ein Rentner rutschte aus und stürzte mehrere Meter in die Tiefe.

Aujourd'hui dans l'Expresso : les comptes publics de la France dans le viseur de la Commission, dans l’est de l’Allemagne, la guerre en Ukraine domine les élections régionales, Fabio Panetta plaide en faveur d’une capacité budgétaire commune de l’UE.

A Magyar Honvédség újabb kezdeményezéssel hívja a hazafiakat: a „Szeretem, megvédem!” mottó jegyében területvédelmi tartalékosokat keresnek. Az M1-en futó „HadERŐ” magazinműsorban elhangzott, hogy az önkéntesek élményalapú kiképzésben részesülhetnek, túlélési ismereteket sajátíthatnak el, és fizikai felkészültségük is javul.

Takács Attila altábornagy, a Honvéd Vezérkar főnökének területvédelmi helyettese kiemelte az anyagi juttatások jelentőségét: szerződéskötéskor 150 ezer forintos azonnali kifizetés jár, az éves rendelkezésre állási díj pedig eléri a 600 ezer forintot. Emellett toborzási bónusz is elérhető. A cél elsősorban az egyetemisták és a technikus képzésben részt vevő fiatalok megnyerése.

A műsorban megszólaltak hagyományőrző csoportok képviselői is. A fonyódi kishuszárok például bemutatták, hogy a hagyományőrzés milyen fontos szerepet játszik a nemzeti identitástudat erősítésében. Domina Barnabás, a csoport alapítója elmondta, hogy a családja számára a hazaszeretet és a hagyományőrzés közös érték.

The post Hazát szolgálni, hagyományt őrizni – A Magyar Honvédség hívása appeared first on Biztonságpiac.

Am Mittwochmorgen ist ein Jugendlicher auf einer fahrenden Zugskomposition durch einen Stromschlag der Fahrleitung verletzt worden. Er kletterte vorgängig auf das Dach eines Personenwagens der Rhätischen Bahn RhB.

Mehrere Tierkrankheiten sind in diesem Sommer in der EU wieder aufgetaucht, was die Besorgnis über die Auswirkungen auf die Exporte verstärkt. Die behördlichen Maßnahmen führten zu Transportbeschränkungen und zur Schlachtung von Tausenden von Tieren, während Landwirte finanzielle Verluste erleiden.

Mehrere Tierkrankheiten sind in diesem Sommer in der EU wieder aufgetaucht, was die Besorgnis über die Auswirkungen auf die Exporte verstärkt. Die behördlichen Maßnahmen führten zu Transportbeschränkungen und zur Schlachtung von Tausenden von Tieren, während Landwirte finanzielle Verluste erleiden.

YB ringt am Mittwochabend im Playoff-Hinspiel Galatasaray mit 3:2 nieder. Wer ragte beim Coup im CL-Playoff-Hinspiel heraus? Und was hätte Notnagel Keller besser machen können? Hier gehts zu den YB-Noten zum CL-Duell gegen die Türken.

Ab dem 1. September können Krankenkassen mit bis zu 100’000 Franken gebüsst werden, wenn sie sich nicht an die Regeln halten.

L'Attique est en train de devenir un désert calciné. 10 000 hectares sont encore partis en fumée dans les incendies de ce mois d'août. Les sinistrés et l'opposition dénoncent le manque de moyens et l'inaction du gouvernement.

- Articles / Courrier des Balkans, Une - Diaporama, changement climatique, Grèce, Environnement, Société, Politique

Credit: UN Photo/Paulo Filgueiras
 
Speaking on International Youth Day 2024 last week, the President of the General Assembly Dennis Francis said the historic Security Council resolution 2250 – adopted unanimously in 2015 – recognizes the pivotal role young people play in efforts to maintain international peace and security. Notably, the resolution urges Member States to consider ways to give the youth a greater voice in decision-making – both at the local, national, regional and international levels.
 
International Youth Day 2024, commemorated on August 12, highlighted a decade of progress on the Youth, Peace and Security agenda under the theme "Empowering Young Persons for Peace and Security." The world’s youth population is estimated at over 1.2 billion.

By Bisma Qamar
NEW YORK, Aug 22 2024 (IPS)

Imagine a world where every young person has the tools they need to succeed, regardless of their age, area of residence, ethnicity, college name, or the title on their resume. It’s a world where dreams are limitless, and potential knows no bounds.

Individuals often find themselves trying to fit into a puzzle piece where do not belong as the mere definition of success has been set on a few parameters one may feel obliged to achieve such as go to that high ranked school, get the right internship, make it to those networking events and land a perfect job – but what happens when one wishes to take a detour in their own path?

Self-awareness leads to Self-efficacy

Great emphasis has been given onto the crucial aspect of more inclusivity for youth as they are the future leaders for tomorrow, but why not equip them to become the leaders of today?

By understanding our self —our thoughts, feelings, strengths, weaknesses, values, and motivations—we build the foundation for believing in our ability to achieve our goals. Opportunities are everywhere, but the question lies how often do we know which and when to grasp?

On average, it has been seen individuals in the first 5-7 years post-graduation are seen to pivot in their careers most. In order to help young individuals achieve their true aspirations, instilling courage, building resilience, and developing self-awareness through effective career mapping tools, genuine mentoring, and making resources and platforms more accessible to them can have a great impact in shaping their journeys.

When youth are equipped with this knowledge, they can make informed decisions about their future, choosing paths that lead to genuine fulfillment rather than marking another tick on a pre-defined list of what they are told to follow by others, and that is where true empowerment lies.

Crossroads to Success

It becomes over whelming to stay focused and reflect on what is it that you truly want in a world full of endless opportunities, waking up to dynamic changes evolving them. The art of staying focused, specific and in alignment to one’s aspirations can lead to more effective career paths, in which youth would be able to emerge as true change makers in their respective areas.

This disconnect between one’s goals and the pathway chosen can lead to frustration, burnout, and a sense of unfulfilled potential resulting in a greater percentage of youth detouring from where their true potential really lies and giving up earlier than expected.

By allowing open dialogue, effective mentoring, offering diverse exposure and encouraging self-reflection in terms of one’s passion can greatly impact and empower a young individual to rise above and become the true authentic version of themselves.

Re-defining the norms:

As the secretary general stated earlier on the occasion of international youth day how crucial it is to make youth more included in all areas of decision making and how upskilling them with the relevant tools and knowledge is the way towards achieving creating an impact. Over the last decade, the word empowerment has seen to grow in importance and emphasis. It is now time to redefine what we mean by empowering others and are we actually putting it into action or have left it as another tick on the check list on the road of inclusivity.

Embrace the Detour

Taking that one step forward has always been the most hardest, as it carries the weight of expectations, fear of failure, fear of missing out and the constant chants of what will people think? In the midst of stepping towards that one forward and remaining in status quo is what truly shapes the future ahead.

As John Green stated “It is so hard to leave until you leave and then it is the easiest thing in the world”. Normalizing detours and motivating youth to challenge the status quo is what truly empowers them, rather than merely giving them the ability to make decisions and choose but with only the same colored balls in the box to choose from.

As we look towards building a more inclusive, innovative, peaceful and hopeful society ahead of us, we must acknowledge the fact that youth are no longer waiting to get a seat at the table, rather they are crafting their own tables to bring genuine change which would not be limited towards a few, but towards all and empowering youth for youth.

Bisma Qamar is a youth activist in the field of learning and development. As a specialist in communication & branding, she works on bridging the gap between talent and opportunities by upskilling individuals on personal and professional development across corporate organizations and academic institutions.

IPS UN Bureau

 

Follow @IPSNewsUNBureau
!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)?'http':'https';if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+'://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js';fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document, 'script', 'twitter-wjs');  

Heinz Hoenig, der seit 120 Tagen auf der Intensivstation liegt, durfte kurz an die frische Luft. Seine Frau Annika berichtet, dass dieser Moment ihm grosse Freude bereitete. Die Klinik-Kosten belaufen sich mittlerweile auf eine halbe Million Euro.

Die Präsidentschaftskandidatin der US-Demokraten, Kamala Harris, hat angekündigt, gegen Preiswucher in den Lebensmittelregalen vorzugehen. Währenddessen möchte die EU eine gerechtere Bezahlung der Landwirte, wohingegen Experten mehr Transparenz auf dem Lebensmittelmarkt fordern.