World Water Day

Posted on March 22, 2021 by memoriesandsuch

Leonardo Da Vinci once said, water is the driving force of nature which is so true. Without water, humanity would probably not exist and all our searching for new planets to inhabit all hinges on the possibility of finding water in the new planet.

Water means different things to different people. Water important to our home and family life, our livelihood, our cultural practices, wellbeing and local environment. In households, schools and workplaces, water can mean health, hygiene, dignity and productivity. In cultural, religious and spiritual places, water can mean a connection with creation, community and oneself. In natural spaces, water can mean peace, harmony and preservation.

Today, water is under extreme threat from a growing population, increasing demands of agriculture and industry, and the worsening impacts of climate change. The World Water Day celebrates water and raises awareness of the 2.2 billion people living without access to safe water. It is a means of focusing attention on the importance of freshwater and advocating for the sustainable management of freshwater resources. The day is about taking action to tackle the global water crisis and achieving Sustainable Development Goal 6: water and sanitation for all by 2030. The first World Water Day was celebrated in 1993 and is an annual United Nations Observance focusing on the importance of freshwater, coordinated by UN-Water. This Day is an opportunity to learn more about water related issues, be inspired to tell others and take action to make a difference. Water is an essential building block of life. It is more than just essential to quench thirst or protect health; water is vital for creating jobs and supporting economic, social, and human development.

A new World Water Development Report is released each year on or near World Water Day, to provide decision-makers with tools to formulate and implement sustainable water policies. This report is coordinated by UNESCO’s World Water Development Programme (WWAP) on behalf of UN-Water. The annual theme for World Water Day is aligned with the focus of the report.

The theme of World Water Day 2021 is valuing water. Beyond the issues of pricing, this topic includes the environmental, social and cultural value people place on water. Economic development and a growing global population means agriculture and industry are getting thirstier and water-intensive energy generation is rising to meet demand. Climate change is making water more erratic and contributing to pollution. As societies balance the demands on water resources, many people’s interests are not being taken into account. How we value water determines how water is managed and shared. The value of water is about much more than its price – water has enormous and complex value for our households, culture, health, education, economics and the integrity of our natural environment. If we overlook any of these values, we risk mismanaging this finite, irreplaceable resource.

Under the theme of valuing water, there is a digital campaign this year about generating a global, public conversation on social media about how people value water for all its uses. The aim is to create a more comprehensive understanding of how water is valued by different people in different contexts so we can safeguard this precious resource for everyone. Taking place on social media, from now until the end of December, a digital campaign aims to generate conversations – to gather opinions and comments from people around the world about water and what it means to them. The aim is to understand how people value water – whether it is economically, socially, culturally or in other ways – how it plays a role in their lives.

The Sustainable Development Goal number 6 is to ensure water and sanitation for all. Without a comprehensive understanding of water’s true, multidimensional value, we will be unable to safeguard this critical resource for the benefit of everyone.

There are five different perspectives on valuing water:

Valuing water sources – natural water resources and ecosystems: All water is generated by ecosystems. And all the water we abstract for human use eventually returns to the environment, along with any contaminants we have added. The water cycle is our most important ‘ecosystem service’. Higher value must be given to protecting the environment to ensure a good quality water supply and build resilience to shocks such as flood and drought.
Valuing water infrastructure – storage, treatment and supply: Water infrastructure stores and moves water to where it is most needed, and helps clean and return it to nature after human use. Where this infrastructure is inadequate, socio-economic development is undermined and ecosystems endangered. Typical valuations of water infrastructure tend to underestimate or not include costs, particularly social and environmental costs. It is difficult to recover all costs from tariffs (known as full cost recovery). In many countries, only part or all of the operational costs are recovered, and capital investments are covered by public funds.
Valuing water services – drinking water, sanitation and health services: The role of water in households, schools, workplaces and health care facilities is critical. Furthermore, WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene) services also adds value in the form of greater health, particularly in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. WASH services are often subsidized, even in highincome countries. However, untargeted subsidies can benefit people with existing water connections, rather than improving the situation for poor and underserved communities.
Valuing water as an input to production and socio-economic activity – food and agriculture,
energy and industry, business and employment: Agriculture places the biggest demand on global freshwater resources and is a major contributor to environmental degradation. Despite being fundamental to food security, water in food production is generally given a low value when assessed purely through the economic lens of value produced in relation to water used. Many of the wider benefits include improving nutrition, generating income, adapting to climate change and reducing migration which are often not reflected in the cost of water. For the energy, industry and business (EIB) sector, water-related threats such as water scarcity, flooding and climate change can push up costs and disrupt supply chains. Corporate mismanagement of water can damage ecosystems and harm reputations and affect sales. Traditionally, the EIB sector has valued water by the volume used, plus the costs of wastewater treatment and disposal. More organisations are adopting integrated water resource management (IWRM) planning approaches as they improve their sustainability.
Valuing socio-cultural aspects of water – recreational, cultural and spiritual attributes: Water can connect us with notions of creation, religion and community. And water in natural spaces can help us feel at peace. Water is an intrinsic part of every culture but the values we attribute to these functions are difficult to quantify or articulate. Economics often considers water to be a resource for practical human usage and pays little or no attention to its socio-cultural, or environmental, value. There is a need to fully understand cultural values around water by involving a more diverse group of stakeholders in water resources management.

We owe this to our children and grandchildren that we bestow upon them a world that is inhabitable, fertile and prosperous, all of which need water. There is a saying attributed to Ismail Serageldin, founding director of Bibliotheca Alexandria who forecasted in 1995 that wars of the 21st century will be fought over water. And when we see the geopolitics of our world, we see this becoming increasingly true. A water crisis is a global crisis. Without sustainable access to water, we will be unable to achieve quality education or the development of more prosperous, fairer societies.Without water, it is possible that humanity will eventually die off and we, as a generation can’t and should not allow this to happen. History has shown that majoe civilizations of the world, including the Indus Valley, the Yangtze, the Nile and the Tigris and Euphrates rivers are testament to this fact. So let’s conserve and save water so we leave a better world to the future generations.

International Day of Mathematics

Posted on March 15, 2021 by memoriesandsuch

Yesterday was a day which many of us don’t know about and many of us are glad of the fact. There is a very small percentage of our population who love this subject – Mathematics. Maybe someone like BB and his friends who are math nerds would appreciate this day, but for the rest of us plebs, it is one just like any other.

Each year on Pie day which is March 14 or in the American way of writing dates, 3/14 is the
mathematical constant for pie is approximately 3.14 and this day has been celebrated in many countries as Pie Day.

The International Day of Mathematics or IDM is the opportunity the explain and celebrate the essential role that mathematics and mathematics education play in breakthroughs in science and technology, improving the quality of life, empowering women and girls, and contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda of the United Nations. The first IDM proclaimed by UNESCO and co-organised with the International Mathematical Union or IMU was celebrated in 2020 which celebrated the beauty and importance of mathematics in our everyday lives. This annual event will be marked in more than 107 countries with over 1000 individual events.

The major goals of an International Day of Mathematics, with expected benefits for students, for teachers, for women and girls and for society at large are to improve understanding among the general public, decision makers and in schools, of the importance of mathematics in education; contribute to capacity building in mathematical and scientific education, with special focus on girls and children from developing countries; achieve gender equality and empower women and girls in mathematics; improve understanding among the general public, with decision makers and in schools of the importance of mathematics as a tool for developments which lead to more prosperous economy circumstances; emphasise the importance of basic research in mathematical sciences as the seed to breakthroughs in technology and the management of society; highlight the role of mathematics in the organization of modern society, including economic, financial, health and transport systems, telecommunications in the quest for human well-being, etc.; raise awareness of the role of mathematics in fighting disasters, epidemics, emerging diseases, invasive species; highlight the role of mathematics in moving to a circular economy of sustainability compatible with preservation of biodiversity; equip the general public and young people with tools for understanding the planetary challenges and the capacity to respond as knowledgeable citizens; increase international networking and collaborations in public awareness of mathematics and increase the access to information, providing a simple way to give citizens a choice in all aspects of their daily life.

Each year, the day is commemorated with a different theme and the theme for 2021 is Mathematics for a Better World. As the world faces the COVID-19 pandemic, mathematics provides its models and tools to help us understand, monitor, and control the spread of the virus. It is also used to create weather forecasts and prepare for natural disasters. It warns us of climate change and helps us to anticipate and mitigate its consequences. Mathematics is central to the efficient organization of societies for the benefit of all citizens. It optimizes transportation and communication networks and enables smart planning and management of health, economic, and social systems. Science and mathematics have a crucial role in steering decisions to promote peace and social justice. As a common language to the planet, mathematics is an essential part of humankind’s cultural heritage. It is present in arts, music, and games, for human enjoyment and well-being.

For more information on the IDM and the events happening around the world, please head to the official website of the International Day of Mathematics. The site also has interesting games and activities you do to commemorate IDM. Here’s another interesting place where you can learn more about the beauty of mathematics is

International Women’s Day

Posted on March 8, 2021 by memoriesandsuch

Today is the International Women’s Day. And while I do wonder why we do need one single day to celebrate women, when every day should be a celebration of what women are and can do, in today’s world where millions of girls and women are still downtrodden, perhaps it is for them we should have this one day when they are celebrated, honoured and venerated.

87,000 women are killed every year just because they are women. 111 countries have no repercussions for husbands who rape their wives. 2.7 billion women are legally restricted from having the same choice of jobs as men. 45 countries do not have specific laws against domestic violence and 35% of women globally have experienced sexual or physical violence

The International Women’s Day is a day to join with people around the world and shout the message for equal rights loud and clear and to say with emphasis that women’s rights are human rights! Today is the day to celebrate all women, in all their diversities, to embrace their facets and intersections of faith, race, ethnicity, gender or sexual identity, or disability, to celebrate those who came before us, those who stand beside us now, and those who will come after. Today is the day to celebrate the achievements of women, whether social, political, economic or cultural.

International Women’s Day is a day which celebrates on a global scale the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity. Significant activity is witnessed worldwide as groups come together to celebrate women’s achievements or rally for women’s equality. The day is important because worldwide celebrations are held to celebrate women’s achievements, raise awareness about women’s equality, lobby for accelerated gender parity and fundraise for female-focused charities

While reading about the IWD, I found two separate themes for the day. The theme from the UN is Women in leadership: Achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 world. This theme celebrates the tremendous efforts by women and girls around the world in shaping a more equal future and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. which calls for women’s right to decision-making in all areas of life, equal pay, equal sharing of unpaid care and domestic work, an end all forms of violence against women and girls, and health-care services that respond to their needs. Women stand at the front lines of the COVID-19 crisis, as health care workers, caregivers, innovators, community organizers and as some of the most exemplary and effective national leaders in combating the pandemic. The crisis has highlighted both the centrality of their contributions and the disproportionate burdens that women carry.

Women leaders and women’s organizations have demonstrated their skills, knowledge and networks to effectively lead in COVID-19 response and recovery efforts. Today there is more acceptance than ever before that women bring different experiences, perspectives and skills to the table, and make irreplaceable contributions to decisions, policies and laws that work better for all. Majority of the countries that have been more successful in stemming the tide of the COVID-19 pandemic and responding to its health and broader socio-economic impacts are headed by women. For instance, Heads of Government in Denmark, Ethiopia, Finland, Germany, Iceland, New Zealand and Slovakia have been widely recognized for the rapidity, decisiveness and effectiveness of their national response to COVID-19, as well as the compassionate communication of fact-based public health information.

Yet, women are Heads of State and Government in only 20 countries worldwide. In addition to persistent pre-existing social and systemic barriers to women’s participation and leadership, new barriers have emerged with the COVID-19 pandemic. Across the world, women are facing increased domestic violence, unpaid care duties, unemployment and poverty. Despite women making up a majority of front-line workers, there is a disproportionate and inadequate representation of women in national and global COVID-19 policy spaces. To uphold women’s rights and fully leverage the potential of women’s leadership in pandemic preparedness and response, the perspectives of women and girls in all of their diversity must be integrated into the formulation and implementation of policies and programmes in all spheres and at all stages of pandemic response and recovery.

The second theme is from the official IWD website whose theme is Choose To Challenge. A challenged world is an alert world, and from challenge comes change. Individually, we’re all responsible for our thoughts and actions – all day, every day. We can choose to challenge and call out gender bias and inequality and can choose to seek out and celebrate women’s achievements. Collectively, all of us can help create an inclusive world.

So why does the International Women’s Day matter? It matters because we’re still not there yet! Today is a day to recognise how far we’ve come towards gender equality, and also how far we have left to go. It may seem strange today, but back in 1911, only eight countries allowed women to vote, equal pay for equal work was unheard of – if women were allowed to work at all – and reproductive rights were non-existent. Even supposedly western and first world countries like Switzerland only allowed women to vote in 1971 at the federal level! And middle-eastern countries like Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates have only allowed women to vote in the 21st century with Saudi Arabia only allowing women to vote just six years back in 2015!

Today the world has come a long way. Where once women couldn’t vote, they are now leading countries, where women faced restrictions on working, they’re running corporations now. Even though in many countries, women have rights their grandmothers could only have dreamt about, there is still no complete equality. And the majority of the world’s women are still treated as second or third-class citizens.

More than 100 years ago, when women marched for the first time, that first march was about ending harmful workplace conditions, equal rights, equal pay, and an end to exploitation. But in all these years, nothing has changed much and the reasons women march are still relevant today. Because the rights of women are not secure. When rights for women take two steps forward, more often than not, it’s accompanied by a step back and even if laws and rights are established, in many countries these rights are ignored.

The International Women’s Day is a yearly chance to remind those in charge and everyone else that progress has not been equal. This day is an opportunity to acknowledge the compounded challenges faced by women everywhere, be it women of colour, women with disabilities, and queer or trans women, and stand in partnership with them.

Because sometimes we need to remember we’re not alone. Happy International Women’s Day to all the lovely women and the men who support and motivate their women!

World Radio Day

Posted on February 12, 2021 by memoriesandsuch

Radio is something that used to be a huge part of our lives, but which sadly today is not much in use. Advances in technology have given people more ways to access an increasing amount of information, but radio still plays a vital role in today’s world. Radio is more than just announcers, news and songs. Radio is about companionship and the emotional connection with the listener. Radio is also a source of innovation that pioneered interaction with audiences and user-generated content decades before they became mainstream and offers a wonderful display of diversity in its formats, in its languages, and among radio professionals themselves.Radio broadcasts provide real-time information, and some that broadcast 24 hours a day, can provide the most recent updates to listeners. Radio has the ability to reach across borders and can become a valuable source of information where reliable news is scarce, and in communities that still do not have a reliable source of television or the internet, it is radio that provides them with news and entertainment. Radio has proved its worth in times of emergency such as when access to the mobile network is down as a result of an overload, or phone lines are cut. Even when there is no electricity, most radio sets can be battery operated or have the ability to be handcranked. In small communities, it also provides an outlet for regular community messaging and activities. More importantly, radio is easy to use, it’s live and it’s human. For more than 80 years, radio has survived and prospered by being the easiest of media to use.

Radio is a powerful medium for celebrating humanity in all its diversity and constitutes a platform for democratic discourse. At the global level, radio remains the most widely consumed medium. This unique ability to reach out the widest audience means radio can shape a society’s experience of diversity, stand as an arena for all voices to speak out, be represented and heard. Radio stations should serve diverse communities, offering a wide variety of programs, viewpoints and content, and reflect the diversity of audiences in their organizations and operations. A low-cost medium specifically suited to reaching remote communities and vulnerable people, radio offers a platform to intervene in the public debate, irrespective of people’s educational level. It also plays a crucial role in emergency communication and disaster relief. Radio is uniquely positioned to bring communities together and foster positive dialogue for change. By listening to its audiences and responding to their needs, radio services provide the diversity of views and voices needed to address the challenges we all face.

In 2011, the United Nations decided to establish a World Radio Day on the basis of a wide consultation process. 13 February was chosen because that was the day United Nations Radio was established in 1946. The objectives of World Radio Day are to raise greater awareness among the public and the media of the importance of radio; to encourage decision makers to establish and provide access to information through radio; as well as to enhance networking and international cooperation among broadcasters.

For World Radio Day 2021, the celebrations are about the event’s 10th anniversary and the more than 110 years of radio. The 2021 theme is New World, New Radio, which recalls how this medium is part of humanity’s history by following the various developments in our society and adapting its services. As the world changes, so does radio. Thus, during the Covid 19 pandemic, radio made it possible, for example, to ensure continuity of learning, to fight against misinformation, and to promote barrier gestures. The theme is divided into three main sub-themes.

The first is Evolution – the world changes and radio evolves which refers to the resilience of the radio and its sustainability. Radio has indeed accompanied historical moments, like moments that are personal to us. Broadcasts and public speaking marked an era. Voices and music have accompanied our daily lives. Debates opened our minds. Radio has been following changes in our world for over a century, evolving with it. Radio remains the world’s witness and relay.

The second sub-theme is Innovation – the world changes and radio adapts and innovates which refers to the fact that radio has had to adapt to new technologies to remain the go-to medium of mobility, accessible everywhere and to everyone. Whereas yesterday’s radio was simply a transistor on our kitchen tables, nowadays the radio follows us on each of our trips thanks to smartphones. Technological progress and digitization have made it possible for the radio to adapt to our new behaviors and lifestyles. Radio is no longer just a sound medium: today, the radio is listened to on TV, and TV is heard on the radio.

The last sub-theme is Connection – the world changes and radio connects with the sub-theme highlighting radio’s services to our society including natural disasters, socio-economic crises and epidemics. No matter the events, radio connects us to forge or maintain links. Public service announcements, alerts, and broadcasts, ensuring the continuity of learning, are examples of services provided and solutions offered by radio to best meet listeners’ needs.

So how can you celebrate World Radio Day? You can remind yourself and others that radio has been part of our media landscape for years and evolves according to events, the sanitary, socio-economic, political, and legislative contexts. You can encourage the connection and maintenance of the link that radio provides thanks to the various services offered, in all circumstances and worldwide. And lastly emphasise the different ways to listen to the radio, anytime and anywhere, making it the number one media for mobility thanks to its adaptation to new technologies.

World Pulses Day

Posted on February 10, 2021 by memoriesandsuch

As a vegetarian, pulses are essential to our diet and there is no meal without pulses in some form or the other in our meal. Also known as legumes, pulses are the edible seeds of leguminous plants cultivated for food. Dried beans, lentils and peas are the most commonly known and consumed types of pulses. Pulses do not include crops that are harvested green like green peas and green beans which are classified as vegetable crops. Also excluded are those crops used mainly for oil extraction like soybeans and groundnuts as well as leguminous crops that are used exclusively for sowing purposes like the seeds of clover and alfalfa.

So why are pulses important crops? Pulses are packed with nutrients and have a high protein content, making them an ideal source of protein particularly in regions where meat and dairy are not physically or economically accessible. Pulses are low in fat and rich in soluble fiber, which can lower cholesterol and help in the control of blood sugar. Because of these qualities they are recommended by health organizations for the management of non-communicable diseases like diabetes and heart conditions and pulses have also been shown to help combat obesity.

In addition to the above, pulses are naturally low in fat and contain no cholesterol, which can contribute to reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases. They are also low in sodium which is a contributor to hypertension. Pulses are a great source of plant-based protein. 100 grams of dry lentils contain a remarkable 25 grams of protein and during cooking, pulses absorb considerable amounts of water, reducing their protein content to around 8 percent. The protein quality of cooked pulses can be increased by simply combining them with cereals in a meal, like lentils with rice, classic Indian food combination. Pulses are a good source of iron and combining them with food containing vitamin C can help optimise optimise the absorption of iron in bodies from pulses, like lemon juice on a dal perhaps. Pulses are high in potassium, which supports heart health and plays an important role for digestive and muscular functions and are often quoted among the top high fibre foods, necessary for supporting digestive health and helping to reduce the risks of cardiovascular diseases as well as an excellent source of folate essential to the nervous system function and especially important during pregnancy to prevent foetal defects. They are low glycaemic index foods and help stabilise blood sugar and insulin levels, making them suitable for people with diabetes and ideal for weight management as well as being naturally gluten-free, they make an ideal food option for coeliacs.

For farmers, pulses are an important crop because they can both sell them and consume them, which helps farmers maintain household food security and creates economic stability. Pulses are also good for the environment because the nitrogen-fixing properties of pulses improve soil fertility, which increases and extends the productivity of the farmland. By using pulses for intercropping and cover crops, farmers can also promote farm biodiversity and soil biodiversity, while keeping harmful pests and diseases at bay. Pulses also contribute to climate change mitigation by reducing dependence on the synthetic fertilizers used to introduce nitrogen artificially into the soil. Greenhouse gases are released during the manufacturing and application of these fertilizers, and their overuse can be detrimental to the environment.

Recognising the value of pulses, the UN General Assembly on 20 December 2013, proclaimed 2016 as the International Year of Pulses which increased the public awareness of the nutritional and environmental benefits of pulses as part of sustainable food production. Building on the success of the International Year of Pulses, Burkina Faso proposed the observance of World Pulses Day and 10 February 2019 was proclaimed as the first World Pulses Day.

Most cultures and cuisines across the world feature pulses in some form or the other. The Indian cusine across states features pulses in different formats from the staple dals and sambars to other dishes like vadas and pakoras. Other dishes include the hummus and falafel from the Mediterranean made of chick peas, to a traditional full English breakfast which usually include baked navy beans, the Bandeja Paisa from Colombia. So try to incorporate some pulses in your daily diet for health!

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Memories of a very ordinary life

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