Global Voices Online

Wilson Bragança [pt] talks about value crises, a subject that tends to repeat itself cyclically in all generations. “What seems to be happening now, in our society, is that conduct, standards and overall sense of individual and community life are not based on ethical standards, values, but the immediate criteria, consumerist, hedonist and pragmatic.”

“The past, present and future of Africa will be debated for two days in Lisbon during the II International Congress of Lusophone Africa. Organized by the University of Lusophone Humanities and Technology, the event's theme is ‘Global Agenda for Lusophone Africa' and it will be attended by a range of social and political PALOP's representatives, and scholars who research these issues.” The event starts on May 28 and Orlando Castro [pt] has the full programme.

UNICEF has just published its annual analysis of the mortality rate of children under 5 years. Among the conclusions, Angola, Guinea Bissau, Mozambique, Sao Tome and Principe, East Timor and Cape Verde have rates far above the admissible, considering Brazil as the standard intermediate and Portugal as the only one who moves to a typical position of a “developed country”. See a comprehensive report at Timor Lososae Nação [pt].

Aluma blogs about an interesting project in Sao Tome and Principe:”…Pedro Alegria introduced USB flash card design to local craftsmen, all of whom had never seen or heard of such things before.”

N'cho Blog writes about Google's plan to expand into Lusophone Africa, “Google is planning to invest in Portugal and use it as a way into Angola, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique and Sao Tome and Principe…

Africa Unchained writes, “Karekezi, S…surveys (PDF) the dissemination of renewable technologies in Sub-Saharan Africa…and attempts to evaluate the potential for these technologies to meet the energy needs of Africa’s poor…“

Meskel Square on “Moving on from the Digital Indaba“:
“Overall it was a huge success. One way of judging that is to look at all the discussions that are still carrying on in posts and comments and Technorati links. The discussions started with the race debate which I now wish I hadn't joined (there was just something about that pig/hairless-bulldog). But it has now moved on to thinking about what should come next.”

Timor Online writes about the 1st Lusofonia Games to be held between 7-15 October 2006 in Macau. Portuguese speaking countries and regions will compete for glories in the sports of football, futsal, beach volleyball, volleyball, basketball, taekwondo, table tennis and athletics. Apart from exciting competitions, impressive cultural performances will compose part of the games. The event will be promoted by the recently created ‘Association of the Portuguese-Speaking Olympic Committees' (ACOLOP).

Forum Realisance believes (Fr) former colonial powers and pharmaceutical companies are partially to blame for the AIDS crisis but saves harsher words for Africans and failed African leaders: ” Ignorance and illiteracy reproduce AIDS blindly without the least use for reason. Isn't it sacred and legitimate to protect oneself? Why not do it? By weakness in front of the beauty of orgasm? Weakness because of the taboo of sexuality? Curious logic.”