Useful news items from around the world of particular interest to Youth Writes users provided via the Global Geneva Insights Group
Youth matters
Aids on surviving and thriving in the COVID lockdown and after (LINK)
Activism
National and International Youth Empowerment: The 2020-2030 Imperative for Sustainable Development Goals Actions
A Global Youth Petition to the United Nations and the Member States for an urgent initiative for National and International Youth Training and Empowerment as Sustainable Development Implementors. "We propose establishment of in-country UN Youth National Councils (UNYNC), that has the potential by 2030 to empower 800 Youth in each UN Member State as action-oriented enablers and implementors of sustainable development. A similar international UNYNC at UNHQ in NY and Geneva would also empower 160 Youth from each country as International Sustainable Development Policy Makers & Negotiators."
Civitas Maxima puts students in the hot seat in mock war crimes trial
"Civitas Maxima, the Swiss NGO fighting for international justice, organized its first mock trial event on Zoom in partnership with Philanthropic Adventures, an educational platform, and the International School of Geneva. The trial took place in a fake country called Ulumalu and was carried out by a group of convinced and convincing students."
EPFL Changemakers: Incubating tomorrow's business ideas
Twenty EPFL students recently completed the first EPFL Changemakers program – a new initiative designed to help students develop leadership and entrepreneurial skills and flesh out their business ideas. Three of them:
Detecting obstacles for white canes
Rating the environmental impact of restaurant meals
Young negotiators inject 'new blood' into climate decision-making
Young climate activists are moving from the streets to negotiating seats of power — but plenty find obstacles in their way. Many struggle to cover costs or make a real difference to policy.
Tim Berners-Lee says too many young people are excluded from web
"Only the top third of under-25s have a home internet connection, according to Unicef, leaving 2.2 billion young people without the stable access they need to learn online."
Dear future children, 'a film about young activists made by young filmmakers'
Twenty-one year old filmmaker Franz Böhm travelled to Uganda, Chile and Hong Kong to follow three young activists in their battles for the environment, against inequality and for democracy. Dear Future Children is a film about his generation.
International Youth Art Contest Announces 18-year-old Ka Yi Siu of Hong Kong SAR, China as 2021 Winner for World Wildlife Day
From almost 600 entries submitted by young artists from over 50 different countries, 18-year-old Ka Yi Siu of Hong Kong SAR, China has been chosen as the winner of the World Wildlife Day 2021 International Youth Art Contest.
The 17 habits of millionaires who started small and retired young
These young retirees often start on the same path: assessing their financial status, cutting expenses, and diligently tracking their progress and spending. Once they retire, they try to spend less and less and often move to areas where the cost of living is lower, focusing more on experiences and living a life they love full of hobbies and travel.
Help Us Build Resilient Communities & Prevent Violent Extremism
We are looking for a Communications Intern who will support GCERF's Communications Specialist to increase GCERF’s visibility and enhance its public reputation. The position comes at the start of an exciting international publicity drive that will require a flair for writing, a self-starting character and the willingness to put in the hard slog. You can find the full job description here. To apply, please click here.
Global Community Engagement
& Resilience Fund (LINK)
Trips
Florida has the best beach in the U.S., Tripadvisor says — but it’s not in Miami or on the east coast
The beautiful St. Pete Beach, in Florida, was named best beach in the United States, according to Tripadvisor’s annual Travelers’ Choice Awards for Beaches. It is also the fifth best beach in the entire world.
Swiss Hotel Management School announces new blended Master’s degree program in New Delhi
Ranked no. 5 in the world by QS Global Hospitality Education rankings, SHMS offers a contemporary hospitality and event management education led by experienced faculty and an industry-endorsed curriculum. It is the first hospitality school in the world, and the first institute of higher education in Switzerland, to receive the prestigious “Apple Distinguished School” recognition for using the latest technology to inspire creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking skills.
Free Adobe course: Engaging Video Projects in the Classroom
Everything you need to get started with video (desktop or mobile) and Adobe Premiere Rush in your school or institution. 4 hours. End 1 March 2022 (yes 2022).
End U.K.'s outside sport ban, top scientist urges Johnson as all adults set for jab by July
Data on the number of Covid-19 cases is now so encouraging that outdoor sports for children and small numbers of adults should be allowed immediately as part of an accelerated easing of the lockdown, a leading scientist and adviser to government has told the Observer.
I'm a maths lecturer — and I had to get my children to teach me'
Dr Kit Yates was shocked by how many 'intimidating' methods and models primary school children are expected to use to solve basic maths problems. "I’ve never needed to use them – you don’t need to know all these different mental models to do maths," he says.
7 DidikTV edutainment shows to help kids in Malaysia take a break from learning
It airs from 7am to midnight daily, and gives Malaysian students free access to knowledge and educational content, just as they would learn in school. In addition to classes on various subjects, students can also enjoy edutainment content when they want a break from studying. This includes concerts, documentaries, travel programs, shows about industry insights, dramas, and more.
BecomingX: "It has never been tougher to be a young person,"Bear Grylls says
Through short films on its website, the global leaders in their field — including sports champion Roger Federer and Hollywood superstars Julia Roberts, Channing Tatum and Courteney Cox — share their own stories and what it has taken for them to succeed. The initiative offers over 100 digital lessons through "BecomingX Education", as an option to help schools teach personal development and life skills. It also aims to take the initiative to lower income countries and underserved communities.
12-year-old Korean makes 43 per cent profit trading stocks during the pandemic
"I wonder, in this day and age, whether a college degree would be all that important,” his mother said. “Because we live in a different world now, it could be better to become an 'only-one' kind of person.”
Veterinarians reveal 10 of the most common mistakes pet owners make
You should never try to cut matted fur out of a pet’s ear. Many pet owners probably haven’t given their cats enough litter boxes. Assuming that smaller animals are easier to care for is a mistake: some types of fish require water that is exactly the right temperature and precisely timed feedings.
The Big Lie of Recycling and ‘90s Environmentalism: cutting plastic rings to save sea turtles isn’t going to cut it
"If the public thinks the recycling is working, then they’re not going to be as concerned about the environment," says Larry Thomas, who headed the main plastics industry group in the '90s.s
It is recommended that you perform a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise each week or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise, paired with two days of strength training per week.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides the following two examples:
Brisk walking for 150 minutes every week (i.e. 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week) and muscle-strengthening activities on 2 or more days a week that work all major muscle groups
Jogging or running for 75 minutes every week and muscle-strengthening activities on 2 or more days a week that work all major muscle groups
Will the pandemic teach American kids financial literacy?
More than 22 million Americans lost their jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic, with only some regaining employment since. Many of those who were let go are parents facing a daunting challenge: how to teach their kids the value of a dollar when their existing finances are stretched thin.
Now a growing set of financial literacy initiatives aimed at school-age kids and college students is tapping into that demand, a need underscored by the current crisis but also simply by statistics. According to the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC), 78 per cent of American adults admit they would benefit from financial advice, signaling a massive financial literacy shortfall that they want to address early in their children.
14-Year-Old Earned a Master’s Degree And Now She’s an Environmental Scientist and Entrepreneur
Dorothy Jean Tillman launched the Dorothy Jeanius STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) Camp. All teens who participatereceive a customizable at-home STEAM activity kit. It’s one of the components of Tillman’s business, the Dorothy Jeanius STEAM Education Leadership Institute, launched in 2020. The young entrepreneur founded the STEAM Labs in Chicago and West Capetown, South Africa.
The 22-year-old poet Amanda Gorman performed at Joe Biden’s Inauguration. Jean-Christian Agid interviewed Gorman last year - she is on the cover of the 2020 book: "Vital Voices: 100 Women Using Their Power to Empower". He explores the importance current and past presidents have placed on poetry at their inaugurations.
