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May 31, 2005
The Trade, Aid and Security
Trade and aid are two of the principal ways the developed world interacts with the developing world.
The direction and priorities of trade and aid policies, largely decided in the North, have profound impacts on the societies, economies and stability of countries in the South.
The Trade, Aid and Security (TAS) initiative is a research program jointly co-ordinated by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and the World Conservation Union (IUCN) with funding from the governments of Norway and Italy.
A central objective of the Trade, Aid and Security Initiative is to translate the recommendations into effective policies that reduce the risk of conflict in the developing world.
Their findings will be presented at a number of different forms, including the next ministerial meeting of the World Trade Organization in Hong Kong in December 2005, and will be published in book form in early 2006.
Posted by Syamak Moattari at 12:27 PM
May 30, 2005
War Main Reason for World Hunger
Armed conflicts and economic crises are the chief reasons for mounting world hunger, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said, while offering a grim outlook on plans to cut the number of those going hungry worldwide in half by 2015.
"Peace encourages investments and allows social and economic development. Conflict destroys lives, opportunities and environments," the FAO's food security committee said as it began meeting in Rome.
"It can destroy in hours and days what has taken years and decades to develop."
Posted by Syamak Moattari at 11:27 AM
May 26, 2005
new steps towards gaining sustainable development in Iran
President Mohammad Khatami said on Sunday that Iran was taking new steps towards gaining sustainable development by adopting new productivity programs.
Making the remarks at the 6th national congress on productivity, he referred to increasing productivity as the most important objective of the country's economic system.
He believed that the issue of productivity also covered such domains as social, cultural, political and scientific topics as well as foreign relations.
Outlining the features of the 4th development plan, he said the policies and programs forecast in the plan will help country move faster towards sustainable development.
Posted by Syamak Moattari at 11:47 AM
May 24, 2005
Food Crisis in North Korean
Due to the lack of large donations since October, the WFP has been forced to halt various food supplies to large numbers of the 6.5 million beneficiaries in North Korea classed as most vulnerable.
...Because its stocks are exhausted, the WFP has stopped providing vegetable oil to 1.5 million old people, children, pregnant and nursing women since April.
From this month, it is halting the distribution of pulses to 1.2 million children and woman and in June it will suspend cereal supplies to 2.1 million primary school children, elderly people and poor urban households.
Posted by Syamak Moattari at 02:53 PM
May 23, 2005
World AIDS Vaccine Day
The search for an HIV/AIDS vaccine has been "much more difficult than anyone expected", the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI) admitted on Thursday, World AIDS Vaccine Day.
Despite recent progress, "major challenges remain", IAVI said in a statement.
These challenges were even more pronounced in Africa, where vaccine candidates were being tested in Botswana, Kenya, South Africa, Uganda and Malawi, said Dr Pontiano Kaleebu, a leading researcher with the Uganda Virus Research Institute.
Copyright IRIN 2005
International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI)
Posted by Syamak Moattari at 12:56 PM
"Nice" Iranian Election
Iran’s main reformist party threatened to boycott the June 17 presidential election after the country’s constitutional watchdog disqualified its candidates.
All reformists who registered to participate in the upcoming election were rejected by the Guardian Council, which accepted only six out of the 1,014 candidates to replace outgoing president Mohamed Khatami, who is banned by law from seeking a third consecutive presidential term.
Posted by Syamak Moattari at 09:52 AM
May 19, 2005
Access to information a key to “freedom from want”
In September 2005, leaders will gather together at a summit in New York to review the progress since millennium declaration, adopted by a member states in 2000.
In Larger Freedom is the title of a report of Secretary general of the UN to general assembly in coming September.
In this report you may find four main parts, freedom from want, freedom from fear, freedom to live in dignity and strengthening the United Nations.
Good governance and combat corruption are the high ranked priorities for freedom from want; especially in the Middle East we have to find some internal and international mechanisms to achieve these goals.
I believe access to information is a basic right and fundamental principal to the freedom from want. Without access to information, we as people and civil society organizations can’t watch and collaborate for good governance and combat corruption.
Posted by Syamak Moattari at 03:28 PM
May 18, 2005
Iranians for peace
Iranians for peace is the name of a weblog that is dedicated to the Iranian people who are against a military attack on Iran.
Posted by Syamak Moattari at 04:33 PM
I’m really scared
I feel cold, when I think about the possible war against my homeland, I remember when I was a second grade high school student, at a very cold night in the winter, I experienced for the first time in my life a couple of big explosions in my town in the west of Iran.
We have been slept under the KORSI (a covered table by thick and big blanket with a heater source under it) I was in my dream when I feel a blue color on the sky and then the massive explosions have occured.
Early next day we went to the scene; it was a part of the historic Bazaar of my town and a part of a crowded poor place of our community.
Actually at that night we received a couple of Skad Rockets from Sadam Hossein Army.
During the bloody conflict between Iran and Iraq I was witness of a plenty of victims in our cities and our people.
I am really scared when I hear the US has a plan to attack to my country during the coming 16 months and the scenario will start with sending the Iranian Atomic nuclear program file to the Security Council.
My picture of war hasn’t come from Hollywood movies; I have seen the pain, the kids tear, grand mom’s cries, bloody streets…
Posted by Syamak Moattari at 09:34 AM
May 17, 2005
“Ecosystems “the silence victims of the wars
Whenever we think of war, we usually think on the tragic loss of human life, but wars have another victim and it is the nature.
Ecosystems are the silence victims of the wars.
The environmental impacts of modern war can be grouped into three areas:
1) The consequences of preparing for war.
2) The immediate effects of war.
3) The aftermath of war.
These facts were clearly pronounced in the 1st and 2nd Gulf wars. The range of environmental impacts of such a war is subject to a multitude of political and military factors determined by the battle fields, duration of the conflict, tactics employed, weapons used and retaliatory actions taken by both sides.
Now the main question is
“Does the Persian Gulf region have the capacity for another war?”
And what happened to this environment if Iran will be attacked by the US and its allies.
Posted by Syamak Moattari at 09:46 AM
May 16, 2005
A dangerous world could be made less dangerous if ,
In 2000, the United States and 189 other nations signed on to U.N objectives known as the "Millennium Development Goals" to halve extreme poverty, end hunger, reduce child and maternal mortality and reverse the spread of such diseases as malaria and AIDS by 2015.
To meet these goals, the United States and other industrialized nations agreed to increase development aid to 0.7 percent of their gross national incomes by 2015. To date, only Sweden, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands and Luxembourg have complied. Seven others -- France, Spain, Belgium, Ireland, Finland, Germany and Britain -- have set timetables.
The United States, with the world's largest economy at $12 trillion, has yet to announce a timetable and is dead last among major donor nations at 0.15 percent of gross national income. "If they (U.S. politicians and policy- makers) think they are saving money, it's a huge mistake," said Prof. Jeffrey D. Sachs.
Posted by Syamak Moattari at 10:55 AM
May 15, 2005
UN expert stresses education in sustainable development
The UN definition of sustainable development has extended from environmental protection to various aspects of human life, and education should play a larger role in achieving sustainable development.
Experts made the remarks at the UN Symposium on Integrated Implementation of Sustainable Development Goals held in east China's Jiangxi Province. The three-day symposium ended Thursday.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), will put education at the top of the agenda in the coming decade after the United Nations launches a ten-year education development plan on March 1 this year, said Yasuyuki Aoshima, director and representative of the UNESCO Office in Beijing.
The plan will work to encourage the UN members to integrate sustainable development into education, so that people can improve some of their behavior to achieve sustainable development.
The plan also aims to help people better understand threats to humanity's future, such as poverty, extravagant consumption, HIV/AIDS, population expansion, conflicts and human rights violations,he said.
Posted by Syamak Moattari at 10:18 PM
May 13, 2005
Are you a Terrorist?
All of societies have stereotypes comments.
We have heard, for example, Americans stereotyping Iranians women as “uneducated home makers” or Iranians stereotyping Americans as “ no family values”
Stereotypes are generalizations based on limited knowledge and/or hearsay and very common in understanding peoples, situations, events, relationships and things.
In the absence of knowledge about reality, people often rely on stereotypes to make sense of the world around them.
Common stereotypes about Iran:
Iran is an Arab country and Iranians speak Arabic,
Iranian men are “Aggressive”
Iranian ride camels in the streets
Iranian women don’t have right for voting or driving
Iran is a sandy desert land with a lot of camels
Men in turbans and long white robes
Women in black with their faces covered
Husbands with four wives
Rich oil and terrorists
The media often perpetuates stereotypes.
For example a few Palestinians celebrating the event of September 11th were shown by CNN.
So one of my colleagues at an American institution questioned me why did you guys celebrate the 9 11th attacks?
Movies Travel agencies, advertisers and computer game producers generally emphasize the exotic and strange.
Posted by Syamak Moattari at 03:35 PM
May 12, 2005
Health Impact Assessment (HIA)
Development projects are designed to confer benefits on a community,
including improved standards of living and health. Sometimes, however,
there are unintended and indirect negative effects. These may affect
the environment, the socio-economic condition or the health status of
some community groups.
HIA is an examination of a development project, in order to assess
whether it will affect the health of a community. Safeguards and
mitigating (harm reducing) measures can then be proposed to protect
the health of that community. In addition, the assessment can consider
opportunities for health promotion within the community.
Posted by Syamak Moattari at 10:02 AM
May 11, 2005
UN sustainable development symposium opens in Nanchang
The United Nations (UN) Symposium on Integrated Implementation of Sustainable Development Goals opened Tuesday in Nanchang, capital of east China's Jiangxi Province.
At the three-day meeting, participants will discuss ways to "advance integrated implementation" and identify the weaknesses of current implementation policies, said Joanne Disano, director of the division for sustainable development of the UN at the opening ceremony.
About 150 officials, experts. business executives and representatives of international organizations from more than 30 countries and regions attended the symposium. The event is co-sponsored by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs and the Jiangxi provincial government.
Posted by Syamak Moattari at 09:43 AM
May 09, 2005
World Development Indicators 2005
This online version of the World Bank's premier annual compilation of data about development draws from data on 152 economies with populations of more than a million, and 14 country groups. Indicators are presented as tables and sections -- World View, People, Environment, Economy, States and Markets, and Global Links. more
Posted by Syamak Moattari at 09:51 AM
May 08, 2005
ISLAM'S GOLDEN AGE
During Islam’s Golden age (750-1258) Arab scientists pioneered integral calculus, spherical trigonometry, astronomy, al-kemia (chemistry), al-jabr (algebra) and numerous other fields.
Abu Ali ibn Sina, an 11th century Persian scholar known in the West as Avicenna, wrote The Canon of Medicine (al-Qanun fi at-tibb), one of the most famous books in the history of medicine, and 200 other medical treatises that were widely read in Europe.
Al-Azhar University in Cairo, founded in the 10th century, was the first university to distinguish between graduate and undergraduate students.
Early scientists in Bagh-dad are believed to be the first to distill al-kuhl (alcohol)—though they were banned from drinking it. (Al-RAZI a Persian physician)
Sources: Islam by Vartan Gregorian (Brookings Institution Press, 2003); National Geographic Magazine; Encyclopedia Britannica
Posted by Syamak Moattari at 07:53 PM
May 05, 2005
Game Theory" and Sustainable Development Paradigm
Social movements are networks of individuals and groups, often connected by shared ideologies and identities, who aim either to bring about or to resist changes in the societies to which they belong.
Sociologists have always attributed importance to these movements, not least because of their role in stimulating social change and their capacity to challenge political legitimacy, making or breaking social order. The sustainable development movement is an example of social movement.
We are in a conflict between the sustainable and the anti sustainable development paradigm players.
I believe we, as the people who wish a better situation for the Earth have to apply all of legal tools and knowledge to win the game. I think it will be nice if we apply the Game Theory in the Sustainable Development process.
Thanks to the 1994 Nobel Memorial prize to Nash, Selten and Harsanyi, game theory and its application to economics. Game theory is a distinct and interdisciplinary approach to the study of human behavior. The disciplines most involved in game theory are mathematics, economics and the other social and behavioral sciences.
I guess game theory can help us as the civil society activists to choose the better strategies for our goals on the way on sustainable development targets.
Posted by Syamak Moattari at 09:28 AM
May 04, 2005
Ideology Selector
During the last year I heard more than previous years the Neocon term, so I tried to learn more about American Ideologies, so during my search, I found a tool as an Ideology Selector.
This selector tests for a number of specific contemporary ideologies in the United States, including "neoconservative," "paleolibertarian," "Third Way," etc.
A quick quiz After answering twenty questions it’ll give you which of ten modern American ideologies is the best fit for you, along with links to sites representing the philosophy of each.
And also see a specific quiz about neocan by Christian Science Monitor.
Posted by Syamak Moattari at 12:44 PM
May 03, 2005
EU financial perspectives must reflect goal of sustainable development
The principle of sustainable development must be reflected in the financial perspective 2007-2013. This is the main request of the EESC’s draft exploratory opinion, drawn up at the request of the Luxembourg Presidency. The priority areas of the sustainable development strategy must be taken into account, right down to the detailed design of the financial programs. Impact assessment will have to play a key role, and support for unsustainable activities should be stopped.
The EESC draft opinion, due to be adopted at the plenary session on 11 May, welcomes the proposed new budget structure that acknowledges the notion of sustainable development. EESC rapporteur Ulla Sirkeinen (Group I, employers, Finland) expects this to be reflected in the implementation of the budget in real terms: “a budget heading as such is neither sustainable nor unsustainable”. Therefore the detailed designs of programs, objectives and criteria have to take into account the goals formulated in the EU sustainable development policy and the revised Lisbon Strategy.
Priority areas such as climate change, transport, public health, natural resources, poverty, aging populations as well as dependence on fossil fuels must be treated as priorities in budgetary policies as well.
The draft opinion stresses that a restructuring of expenditure towards the priorities of the EU must take place irrespective of the overall level of budgetary resources finally decided upon.
Posted by Syamak Moattari at 01:04 PM
May 02, 2005
AIR QUALITY HEADLINE INDICATOR FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
The indictor is one of the Government's 15 former headline indicators of sustainable development and remains an indicator in the new UK Government Sustainable Development Strategy.
It measures the average number of days on which levels of any one of a basket of five pollutants (carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, fine particles and sulphur dioxide) were 'moderate or higher' according to the Air Pollution Information Service bandings. These five pollutants are recognized as the most important for causing short-term health effects.
Between 1993 and 2004, the average number of days of pollution at urban sites caused by fine particles, solely or in combination with other pollutants, fell from an average per site of about 43 days to 5 days per year. Particles come from numerous man-made and natural sources, and can be generated in the UK or transported from abroad. UK emissions of particles have been reduced substantially in recent years, but the number of pollution days can still fluctuate from year to year due to variations in weather conditions, as demonstrated by the unusually high figure of 17 in 2003.more
Posted by Syamak Moattari at 10:05 AM
