// world citizen // world citizen is meant as a place on the internet, where references to interesting articles are collected, in the subjects of international affairs, globalization, sustainable development, social and society issues, developing world, world citizenship, art & technology, architecture and a little bit lifestyle... // world citizen is a weblog by Christopher Baan Statistics Unique Visitors: Total Unique Visitors: Outgoing: Total Outgoing: 0 0 63 3046

Articles from // world citizen

Culture and development: for better value! 2007-08-16 15:04:41 What is ‘culture’? There are definitions under which every non-biological human characteristic counts as culture. And ‘development’ is just as difficult to pin down. Every change could be called development – but then nothing ever stays the same. So there are countless possible combinations of the two concepts. When you introduce new farming techniques (development), you need to take into account local social relationships (culture). We can give money to a video festival (culture) because freedom of expression is essential to the growth of democracy (development). The possibilities are endless. To avoid confusion, then, you must first know what you want to see in practice and then see whether you can come up with a good – or better – label for it. Read the whole article by Paul Faber, at The Power of Culture website… Tags Politics & International Relations, Sustainable Development, Developing Countries, Art & Culture, Science, Society ...

The Tällberg Forum 2007-08-16 12:19:23 Each summer philosophical thinkers in politics, economics, ecology and the arts meet at the Tällberg Forum in Sweden to try and come up with new initiatives to tackle the ecological problems facing the planet. The peaceful lakeshore setting is intended to encourage alternative thought and practical problem solving. Read the whole online news report at Monocle.com, including video interviews with Jan Eliasson, Jacqueline McGlade, etc. , or get to the Tällberg Forum yourself the next time! (the beautiful Tällberg Forum website itself, is worth a visit alone). Tags Earth & Environment, World, Sustainable Development, Politics & International Relations Share This ...

Are cell phones wiping out our bees? 2007-08-13 18:16:05 “If the bees disappeared, “man would have only four years of life left.” Albert Einstein A German theory that radiation given off by mobile phones and other hi-tech gadgets is a possible answer to one of the more bizarre mysteries ever to happen in the natural world - the abrupt disappearance of the bees that pollinate crops. But now a new story in the L.A. Times says the more likely answer is a fungus. Read more at G Living.tv… At The Independent, an incredibly interesting article was published last April about this issue. Click here to read it. (summary of l.a.times.com article) A fungus that caused widespread loss of bee colonies in Europe and Asia may be playing a crucial role in the mysterious phenomenon known as Colony Collapse Disorder that is wiping out bees across the United States, UC San Francisco researchers said Wednesday. But the results are “highly preliminary” and are from only a few hives from Le Grand in Merced County, UCSF biochem ...

Mr Folletête et Tupy 2007-08-12 11:25:53 Lovely photographs by Jacques Henri Lartigue, until 26th august 2007 on exhibition at Foam (Amsterdam).Mr Folletête (Plitt) et Tupy, Paris, mars 1912 Photograph by Jacques Henri Lartigue © Ministère de la Culture - France / AAJHL.Read more about Jacques Henri Lartigue… Tags Photography & journalism Share This ...

New website for Dutch UN association 2007-08-10 04:40:07 The Dutch ‘Wereld van de VN‘ website has just got a new facelift. The website mainly focuses on Dutch youngsters and others interested in international affairs and sustainable development, it organizes and reports the yearly UN Night (Nacht van de VN) and the newly voted UN Youth Representatives.Current UN Youth Youth Representative Sandra van Beest has her own weblog on the site, and there’s an overview of important UN agenda items, like the MDG’s (Millennium Development Goals), safety and peacebuilding and sustainable development.Read more on the site… Tags World, Politics & International Relations, Society, Globalization & Global Culture Share This ...

Hello World 2007-08-09 09:49:19 Sorry, I have to confess, I’ve also some Apple fever from time to time. Here’s the new family member: both in aluminum and glass. Especially the ultra-slim keyboard is sooo spectacular… In terms of tech specs is the new iMac not a revolutionary newcomer, rather a nice addition to a slowly improving familyTake a look at apple.com for more pics and tech specs. Tags Design & Technology Share This ...

The World With Us 2007-08-09 08:40:18 The World Without Us, Alan Wiseman’s new book, explores what would happen if humanity suddenly vanished. How long would it take for humankind’s works to be undone? How long would our cities last? Our tools? The chemicals and plastics we’ve left behind? Read more at WorldChanging.com or at the ‘World Without Us’ website. Tags Earth & Environment, World, Sustainable Development, Globalization & Global Culture Share This ...

Where recycling meets design 2007-08-09 08:30:29 Quite fascinating what you can do with waste… Lamps from recycled bottles are not that special, but what about lamps made from containers, plastic egg boxes or baby dolls?Superuse is an online community of designers, architects and everyone who’s interested in a sustainable lifestyle focused on recycling and ‘upcycling’. Check it out! (Thanks to Global Youth)Photo by Frederik Pöll  Tags Earth & Environment, Architecture, Design & Technology Share This ... Design

Norway hiking camp 2007-08-06 10:30:58 As you might have encountered - I’m back again on the web and posting on the weblog after a while. The last month I’ve been hiking in the Norwegian mountains (Dovrefjell) with a group of ca. 30 youths, which was a great and unforgettable experience. Pictures from the trip can be viewed here.   More about the camp… Tags Photography & journalism, Articles by Christopher Baan Share This ...

Peering into the Dawn of an Urban Millennium 2007-07-01 07:02:44 In 2008, the world reaches an invisible but momentous milestone: For the first time in history, more than half its human population, 3.3 billion people, will be living in urban areas. By 2030, this is expected to swell to almost 5 billion. Many of the new urbanites will be poor. Their future, the future of cities in developing countries, the future of humanity itself, all depend very much on decisions made now in preparation for this growth. Last week, UNFPA’s new State of World Population Report was published. Read more about it online or download the report…. Photo by Humberto Tamez . Tags World, Earth & Environment, Sustainable Development, Politics & International Relations, Developing Countries, Globalization & Global Culture Share This ...

Pact of Schokland is attempt to speed up Millennium Goals 2007-06-24 12:53:37 Pact of Schokland is attempt to speed up Millennium Goals In an attempt to accelerate the Millennium Development Goals, the Dutch minister for Development Cooperation Bert Koenders will sign contracts with companies, organisations and knowledge institutes. The so-called Pact of Schokland will be signed on June 30 during a day-long event, in which politicians, musicians, writers and performers will participate. The Pact of Schokland derives from the Project 2015, one of the ten plans of the new Dutch government that have been subject of a nationwide discussion. Minister Koenders, who is responsible for Project 2015, has consulted some 350 representatives of companies, organisations, churches, unions and knowledge institutes in preparation for signing the Pact of Schokland. Read more in P+ Magazine… Tags Sustainable Development, Developing Countries Share This ...

‘We are sitting on top of a volcano’: Pronk 2007-06-10 15:01:26 Peace troops in a country without peace, are useless. Regarding the people in the south and the peace process, we are sitting on top of a volcano. Jan Pronk, former Special Representative of the Secretary-General for the United Nations Mission in Sudan Last saturday’s ‘A Struggle for Peace’ conference in Utrecht, The Netherlands, organized by the Dutch United Nations Student Association Utrecht, attracted some 500 people from around the Netherlands. After an opening in the Dom church by a.o. SIB chairman Ben Govers, a day full with workshops, lectures and interactive speeches began. Prominent guests were ao. Jan Pronk, Femke Halsema, Vasu Gounden, Maarten van Rossum, Nicholas Shaxson, Eduard Nazarski and many more. A notorious lecture was given by Vasu Gounden. Gounden is director of the African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (ACCORD). Gouden concluded his lecture by stating that the role of civil society organizations such as ACCORD, is essenti ...

China and Africa: How will the Beijing Consensus benefit Africa? 2007-06-08 15:15:38 Throughout Africa, China is challenging the West, not only in terms of economic investments, but also through its development aid. By Ellen Lammers China’s growing presence in the global arena is causing alarm in the United States and Europe, for economic and geopolitical reasons. One main issue of interest at the moment is the country’s mounting influence in Africa. Academic researchers have to avoid reducing the discussion to questions such as ‘burden or boon?’ or ‘new colonialist or friend and benefactor?’ Read more in The Broker… Tags Earth & Environment, Politics & International Relations Share This ...

“Bush’s policies are accelerating climate changeâ€� 2007-06-08 03:05:39 Nobel Prize winner Joseph Stiglitz talks about the G8 summit, the dark side of globalization and the obstinate U.S. president. By Hasnain Kazim Joseph Stiglitz, who teaches economics at Columbia University in New York, was an economic advisor to President Bill Clinton from 1995 to 1997, and chief economist at the World Bank from 1997 to 1999. His latest book, “Making Globalization Work,” was published in September 2006. Together with George Akerlof and Michael Spence, Stiglitz was awarded the Nobel Memorial Prize for Economics in 2001. Salon.com asked him for an interview about how ‘fair’ our current economic system actually is, and to interview him on the consequences of US’ political strategies on climate change. Read more at Salon.com Tags Politics & International Relations, Globalization & Global Culture Share This ...

How big are the oceans of the world? 2007-06-07 03:37:14 Nice infographic about the world and its resources. Via Anothercompany. Read more…. Tags Earth & Environment, World, Science Share This ...