Stories about Citizen Media from November, 2009
Video: Worldwide youth express themselves in 60 seconds
The OneMinutesJr project gives young people between 12 and 20 years of age from many corners of the globe the opportunity to express themselves across borders, languages and distances through 60 second videos.
Chile: Council Rejects Giant Pope Statue in Santiago
The proposed construction of a giant statue of the late Pope John Paul II that was to be placed in a square of the capital city Santiago, was rejected by Chile's National Monuments Council.
Russia: How Passengers of “Nevsky Express” Tell Their Stories Through Social Media
The crash of the "Nevsky Express" train happened far from any major populated area. It took several hours for reporters to arrive on the spot. Only then the first photographs and videos started to appear everywhere. But what happened to citizen reporting that led the way in the coverage of the plane crash in Russia a year ago?
Russian authorities stop application process for domains in new .РФ zone zone
The Russian Coordination Center for the new national Cyrillic domain .RF stopped the application process for new domains. Anti-cybersquatting measures turned out to be infective and the center plans to review the rules of submission process, Russian news agency Prime-Tass reported [RUS]. It's not clear what will happen to the...
One East African Musician beats all odds for a global fan base
Not many know her as Mwanaisha Abdalla but Nyota Ndogo (Kiswahili for Small Star), is a household name in East Africa. She has been collecting fans of her eclectic East African sound for over 4 years now. Her blog on the other hand has been running for 3 years. There is no doubt that the blog has contributed the growth of her online fan base.
Ghana: Who Will benefit From Oil?
When UK firm Tullow Oil announced its discovery of 600 million barrels of oil in Ghana in 2007, the blogosphere responded with variegated tones of hope and cynicism.
Cuba: Ongoing HIV/AIDS Education Efforts
Even though Cuba has one of the lowest HIV/AIDS prevalence rates in the region, there are still ongoing education efforts to reduce the number of new infections, as well as to break down the stigma of the disease.
Brazil: The Violence Against Women Debate
On the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, Brazilian bloggers reignite the debate and campaign to end violence.
Venezuela: Thoughts About a Possible Conflict with Colombia
The Venezuelan blogosphere also had their opinions about the new conflicts arising between with the Colombian government, many make it clear that a war would also be a conflict among people with a close history and deep cultural attachment.
Central America: Saying No to Violence Against Women
Across Central America, online campaigns and activities to raise awareness about the issue of Violence Against Women are taking place across the region. Many of these efforts are attracting the interest and participation of bloggers who share their thoughts on this issue.
India's tryst with e-health: A healthier future for its rural millions?
About 700km away from Bangalore, across a couple of remote villages in the Bidar district, a quiet revolution has been going on. No, not a political one, but a remarkable pilot project in telemedicine.
Video: End Violence Against Women Around the World
Today, November 25th is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, and through videos, many people and organizations around the world are expressing their need to end the violence as well as the efforts they are undertaking to ensure that women have a safer world to live in.
Ecuador: Kichwa Women Oppose Oil Exploration on Native Lands
It is a popular saying in Latin America that women always get what they want. For 20 years, fearless women from the Kichwa community, an indigenous group in Ecuador, have been resisting against oil companies’ presence on their lands.
Malawi: President seeking more power
Malawian President wants more power!: “Malawian President Bingu wa Mutharika, whose party enjoys a parliamentray majority, is seeking to beef up his powers before he exits the political stage in 2014.”
Can ICTs aid small-scale farmers?
The world's small-scale farmers grow a large amount of food and provide many important jobs in rural areas. However, they do their work at great economic and environmental risk. How can ICTs make the jobs and lives easier for the world's farmers?
Brazil: Capoeira on the big screen
“It was high time capoeira were represented in the big screen in all its glory”, says Regina Scharf. She talks about a just released movie about the Afro-Brazilian martial art/dance. Watch Besouro's trailler on the Deep Beazil blog.
Colombia: The Tradition of Arepas in the Afternoon
In Colombia, the time between 3 and 6 pm is usually reserved for coffee or hot chocolate along with the typical arepa or other baked goods. This has become a tradition passed on from generation to generation.
Video: Open Video Contest for Trip to SXSW Interactive Festival
The Open Video Alliance is putting out a call out for one minute videos that make a case for Open Video for an opportunity to win a trip to South by South West Interactive 2010 festival. The contest is open to anyone regardless of nationality.
Brazil: Do banks have metal or melanin detector doors?
Most banks in Brazil use revolving doors with metal detectors. But are they being used as an excuse to discriminate against people? A citizen media video reveals at least one case.
Azerbaijan: News of IRI departure met with concern
Following the cessation of radio broadcasts from foreign stations, as well as the sentencing last week of two video blogging youth activists, comes news of what some see as yet another threat to a fledgling process of democratization.
Papua New Guinea: Ursula Rakova Leads Relocation Efforts
Activist Ursula Rakova has been leading efforts to relocate the residents from the Cataret Islands in Papua New Guinea, where it is estimated that by 2015 all of the islands will be completely submerged because of climate change.
