Another example of great suffering caused by military governments after the great pain already inflicted by a natural disaster... Here's an extract from Avaaz.org, - they do great direct action. Makes sense to donate via Avaaz if you want to help.
«The cyclone that ripped through Burma left tens of thousands dead and a million homeless--a natural disaster made much worse by the failure of the military junta to warn or evacuate its people.
Now, the government has slowed the urgent process of providing humanitarian relief--so Avaaz is raising funds for the International Burmese Monks Organization and related groups, which will transmit funds directly to monasteries in affected areas.
In many of the worst-hit areas, the monasteries are the only source of shelter and food for Burma's poorest people. They have been on the front lines of the aid effort since the storm struck. Other forms of aid could be delayed, diverted or manipulated by the Burmese government--but the monks are the most trusted and reliable institution in the country.»
Visit Avaaz.org for more information
About the book:
At the turn of the twenty-first century, the world is faced with an unprecedented challenge. It must address a fundamental shift in the world's population towards the cities, and away from mankind's rural roots. Today, for the first time in history, more than half of the global population resides in urban areas - a number likely to reach a staggering 75 per cent by 2050.
The Endless City: The Urban Age Project by the London School of Economics and Deutsche Bank’s Alfred Herrhausen Society is an unparalleled investigation into the world’s urban future. Taking six major world cities as its focal point, the book examines the key social, structural and economic factors that are critical to creating a thriving modern city.
Authoritatively edited by Ricky Burdett and Deyan Sudjic, with essays by internationally renowned contributors from a variety of disciplines and backgrounds, The Endless City presents a pioneering initiative on the future of cities.
At least a dozen British towns and cities will have no single ethnic group in a majority within the next 30 years. Leicester will become the first 'super-diverse' city in 2020, then Birmingham in 2024, followed by Slough and Luton, according to a new study of population trends in the UK. The report reveals that Leicester has seen the proportion of its white population fall (...)
Guardian Unlimited, Sunday December 23 2007
Amelia Hill, social affairs correspondent
Rebuild is a collection of work by students from Tufts University, New York University, and Kosovo, who participated in a week-long journalism workshop in Kosovo in 2005. With guidance by Mort Rosenblum and Gary Knight, twelve students worked in tandem as photographers and writers to document the complex issues facing a country coping with the repercussions of war.
Foreword by Philip Goldberg.
Numerous contributing photographers and writers.
published by de.MO, Millbrook, 2006. 160 pp., Numerous illustrations throughout, 8x8". ISBN: 097428369X
http://www.de-mo.org
Albania is the poorest country in Europe. It was one of the last to emerge from communism and in only two years made the difficult and rapid transistion into a multiparty democracy.
In January, 1997, a pyramid scheme collapsed and thousands lost their life savings. Riots broke out. The military was helpless as army supply camps were looted. Gangs took over entire cities and turf wars over drugs and weapons escalated beyond control. Many of the weapons looted in Albania were smuggled into neighbouring Kosovo, to the almost two million Ethnic Albanias living under the tyranny of Slobodan Milosevich, who was desperate to keep Kosovo united with the fragments of former Yugoslavia. The volatile mixture of ethnic tensions and fresh supplies of weapons gave birth to the Guerrilla army known as the Kosovo Liberation Army, KLA. When NATO started bombing the Serbs in 1999, the largest exodus in European history since World War II began. Almost one million went into exile and sought refuge in neighbouring countries. On their return three months later, the refugees exacted a gruesome revenge, killing innocent and aged Serbs who had had no connection with the war.
Joachim Ladefoged began documenting the story of the Albanians in 1997. His ongoing work in the region culminated in 2000 with the release of his book 'The Albanians'.
Book: "The Albanians by Joachim Ladefoged" published by Nyt Nordisk, 2000.
The International Court of Justice for the first time has declared that the massacre of Bosnian Muslims at Srebrenica in 1995 was an act of genocide. The same ruling, however, determined that Serbia can not be held liable for the crime, although it did aid ethnic armies who carried out the massacre.
Amid the numerous photographs of the conflict in Yugoslavia, Ron Haviv's work stands out as a unique record of the conflict, from its beginnings in 1991 to the hostilities in Macedonia. From the front-line trenches to the refugees behind them, his images of poignant immediacy capture both the urgency and tragedy of war. Not only are they a powerful testimony to the suffering of the Balkan people, but also their importance is also historical.
http://www.viiphoto.com/frame-movie.php?vID=9
Book: BLOOD AND HONEY: A Balkan War Journal by Ron Haviv (published by TV Books; November 15, 2000)
Essays by David Rieff and Chuck Suddetic, Afterword by Bernard Kouchner
Is television a force for good or bad in society? Watching TV is still the nation's number one leisure activity, and most people in Britain still choose to get their news from television. However, in the digital world, the consumer is king with many other ways to be informed and entertained.
Is the old public service model for British TV now collapsing before our eyes as TV producers and broadcasters plumb the moral depths to hang onto their shrinking market share?
Do reality shows and TV's celebrity culture enhance or diminish our lives? And is there still a place for public service in the world of unlimited digital choice? Speakers include Adam Curtis, writer and producer and Professor Germaine Greer, writer, broadcaster and academic.
14th July 2007, Manchester Central - Exchange Auditorium
Manchester International Festival and the Guardian form a partnership to present a collection of leading social and political commentators. Art, faith and modern Britain all come under the spotlight in a series of engaging debates that bring contemporary issues, and urgent stories of our time, to the fore.
Is London bad for Britain?
Is London's dominance detrimental to the rest of the UK? With the continued rise of cities like Newcastle and Manchester, is it time to seriously consider a more decentralized network of power?
Speakers include Sir Richard Leese, Leader of Manchester City Council, and Tony Wilson, broadcaster, journalist and co-director of In the City. The event will be chaired by Jonathan Freedland, columnist and editorial writer, the Guardian
8th July 2007, Manchester Town Hall
Manchester International Festival and the Guardian form a partnership to present a collection of leading social and political commentators. Art, faith and modern Britain all come under the spotlight in a series of engaging debates that bring contemporary issues, and urgent stories of our time, to the fore.
Is religion a force for good in the modern world?
Whilst some view religion as a source for cohesion and compassion, others see it as a cause of division and tension. Is religion a force for good in the modern world and what is the future for faith?
Speakers include Polly Toynbee, columnist, the Guardian, and Tariq Ramadan, Professor of Islamic Studies.
http://www.tariqramadan.com
Sat 7 July, Manchester Town Hall
Manchester International Festival and the Guardian form a partnership to present a collection of leading social and political commentators. Art, faith and modern Britain all come under the spotlight in a series of engaging debates that bring contemporary issues, and urgent stories of our time, to the fore.
Do art and politics mix?
Is there any such thing as art for art's sake? Can art make a political difference? A panel of leading artists and cultural commentators debate the impact and value of political art. Speakers include Peter Sellars, theatre, opera and festival director.
Sun 1 July, Manchester Town Hall
