IS international solidarity necessary?

Solidarity is a complete concise term, which implies community and responsibility. We live in a global society, where each earthling must get a place.

The term solidarity is also present in the definition of sustainable development: solidarity between people worldwide and solidarity between generations. Solidarity goes further then the proportion between poor and realms. Also between men and women, between several cultures, between employers and employees, also solidarity with patients, disabled people are all included.

Solidarity can create however also a narrow vision. E.g. think of 'solidarity with the victims of a natural disaster'. Emergency aid is necessary, but if that becomes our definition of solidarity, then we are no step further at all.

International solidarity is a term more wide than development cooperation and can imply a promise. I think that it is a good supplement that indicates on what we want to reach in our 'changed world' aims.

I think that we will still use the term 'development cooperation' for a long time. In the debate concerning how development cooperation must look forward to here, new terms can broaden the perspective. International solidarity deserves our attention!

Kenya Crisis: Support Kofi Annan

Kenya: Stop the Bloodshed

18-01-2008

Dear Karel De Gucht,

I write as one of your fellow citizens to urge you to avoid prematurely recognising anyone as president of Kenya, and to support a mediated resolution and an independent review of the election results. This message is also being sent to Kenya’s leaders through a full-page advertisement in the East African Standard newspaper. By applying pressure until mediators like Kofi Annan can broker agreement and an election review, governments around the world can help to bring the candidates to the negotiating table, and to prevent further bloodshed.

Yours sincerely,

Jo Creten
Belgium

modern times

We live in public trailer from RADAR on Vimeo.

Art for Eart 08 12 2007

‘Worst EU Lobbying’ Awards 2007

Get the Flash Player and make sure that you have javascript enabled to see the Worst Lobby Awards movie.

Or go directly to www.worstlobby.eu to make your vote now!

Honger is geen spel

Sommigen gebruiken honger als een spel terwijl 850 miljoen mensen op deze wereld honger lijden.

De olie-industrie sponsort, net als destijds de tabakslobby, graag wetenschappelijk onderzoek.

The Denial Machine, CBC - 2007.

Global warming: potential costs?
A recent British report estimates that the projected costs of global warming to be as costly as both world wars and the Great Depression added together. Yet, with such consequences, some scientists still insist that climate change, if it is happening at all, could be a good thing.

The Denial Machine investigates the roots of the campaign to negate the science and the threat of global warming. It tracks the activities of a group of scientists, some of whom previously consulted for for Big Tobacco, and who are now receiving donations from major coal and oil companies.
Who is keeping the debate of global warming alive?
The documentary shows how fossil fuel corporations have kept the global warming debate alive long after most scientists believed that global warming was real and had potentially catastrophic consequences. It shows that companies such as Exxon Mobil are working with top public relations firms and using many of the same tactics and personnel as those employed by Phillip Morris and RJ Reynolds to dispute the cigarette-cancer link in the 1990s. Exxon Mobil sought out those willing to question the science behind climate change, providing funding for some of them, their organizations and their studies.

The Denial Machine also explores how the arguments supported by oil companies were adopted by policy makers in both Canada and the U.S. and helped form government policy.

‘IOC verdient geen medaille voor arbeidsrechten’

Je trekt 's morgens je kleren aan meestal zonder er bij na te denken. Wie zou die kleren gemaakt hebben? En in welke omstandigheden? ...

Dat de meeste kleren onder mensonwaardige omstandigheden gemaakt zijn en dat de productie van grondstoffen en textiel ook nog eens zeer schadelijk is voor het milieu, is geen prettige gedachte. De Schone Kleren Campagne streeft via consumentenacties naar verbetering van arbeidsomstandigheden in de kledingindustrie wereldwijd.



Schone kleren is een benaming voor kleren die gemaakt zijn onder goede arbeidsomstandigheden en die aan heldere milieucriteria voldoen.

www.schonekleren.be

In een nieuw rapport ‘IOC verdient geen medaille voor arbeidsrechten’ onthult PlayFair 2008 ernstige schendingen van arbeidsrechten bij productie van goederen met het olympische logo. PlayFair 2008 deed hiervoor onderzoek in 4 fabrieken in China die een olympische licentie hebben en die tassen, petjes en hoedjes, papierwaren en andere producten maken met het olympische logo.



www.playfair2008.org