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Monthly Archives: December 2022

Music. Kalush Orchestra. Mamma Stefania…let me hear your voice.

In May, with their song ‘Stefania’, they easily won the latest Eurovision Song Contest and caught the attention of the world. Then, Kalush Orchestra is a new phenomenon, having been founded as recently as 2019 by rapper Oleh Psjuk together with some friends. The group takes its name from its birthplace, Kaluš, a city at…

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Africa. Emerging Companies, the Challenge of Urbanuch.

Today the challenges multiply in African cities while their inhabitants have access to many more services, often at the hands of innovative companies. In 2025 there will be 100 African cities with more than a million inhabitants. In 2050, 14 cities of the continent will have reached the category of a megacity, that is, they…

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Danger of Jihadism.

The spread of terrorist actions across West Africa alarms the Ghanaian authorities. Experts argue that the possible involvement of Ghanaian youth has an economic and social rather than an ideological matrix. The sentinel role of local communities. What seemed unlikely a few months ago is now possible. Ghana is observing with increasing concern the onset…

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South Africa. Zapiro, a Graphic Humourist.

Through his cartoons, Jonathan Shapiro (Zapiro) has been campaigning against apartheid since the 1980s. He has written 28 books and publishes a daily cartoon in the South African Daily Maverick. We went to meet him  Order prevails in Zapiro’s bright and pleasant creation space. Smiling and apologizing when his dog’s barking interrupts the conversation, for…

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Cuba. The Old Saint Lazarus. The Devotion of a People.

Every year thousands of people go to pay homage to Saint Lazarus in El Rincón, a few kilometres from the capital Havana. “Only Cubans know the mysteries that Saint Lazarus hides”. Pilgrims arrive breathless crawling on their knees along the path that leads to the National Sanctuary dedicated to Saint Lazarus in El Rincón. The…

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Mexico. Between Art and Popular Religiosity.

Mexican folk art is present in all aspects of community life. During the civil (and Christian liturgical) year, no less than 120 traditional religious feasts are celebrated. The greatest of all is the celebration of the Virgin of Guadalupe. Almost all the religious festivals that take place throughout the year provide a theme and a…

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Freedom of Religion – Touchstone of Human Rights.

All rights are equal but some rights are more equal than others. FIFA and the Qatar authorities are justly under fire for restrictions on LGBT rights and their treatment of migrant labourers. But nothing is said about the abuse of rights to religious freedom, a world-wide problem as well as one local to Qatar and…

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South Africa. Joburg. Towards Social and Urban Renewal.

Johannesburg or Joburg, as it is called, is one of the fifty largest cities in the world. With six million inhabitants, it is estimated that in less than a decade, it will be a mega-city and will have to find solutions to the demands of services and basic resources. Known as Igoli (city of gold,…

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Good Science Made in Africa.

More than 300 African researchers have conducted research of considerable scientific and practical impact on variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. “With investment in African human resources, creating the conditions for it to express its potential, the results are there and they are of great scientific depth”. Last September, the journal Science published an article –…

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Bolivia. The Amerindian Dance that Welcomes The Child Jesus.

In Bolivia, it is the Chuntunqui musical rhythm that leads the celebration of Christmas Eve. A way to help Mary’s birth, to express joy, and to reflect on the difficulties of life. Christmas is a feast where the joy of the people and the gospel meet. It is God made a man-child; embodied in the…

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Cop 27. Emissions, loss and damage, finance: the decisions.

Cop 27 is over. A first step in climate justice, but zero progress on the central issue of CO2 emissions. The principle of a new fund to respond to loss and damage suffered by the poorest and most vulnerable countries on earth in the face of climate change was introduced. But there was zero progress…

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Ghana. Uncertain Times.

Just a few years ago, Ghana was synonymous with development and stability. Today inflation, debt and unemployment are increasingly creating a climate of precariousness and uncertainty. In the early years of his first term (he was elected in 2016 and re-elected in 2020), President Nana Akufo-Addo proudly announced “no more help, we can do it…

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Advocacy

Angie Torres. A refugee among refugees.

Forced to flee Colombia, she has managed to rebuild her life in Ecuador. Now she defends the human rights of migrants and in particular of…

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Baobab

Brazil. The violin's sound.

There was a man who had an only son. When the man died, the son was left all alone in the world. There were not many…

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Youth & Mission

What do Africa's youth have to say about the future…

The latest African Youth Survey from the Ichikowitz Family Foundation, a leading African foundation promoting active citizenship across the continent, provides a comprehensive look at the…

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