Stories from Quick Reads and Italy
An Election Film Week in Lebanon to Say #NoToExtension of Parliament Term
What better than the seventh art to mobilize? In another effort to push for Elections in Lebanon and prevent an extension of the Parliamentary term #NoToExtension, Lebanese NGO Nahwa Al Muwatiniya (meaning Towards Citizenship) held an “Election Film Week”. Six works from Chile, Iran, China, Ghana and the US, varying between documentaries...
App Created by Global Voices Contributor Selected to be Developed Online
Lawyer, blogger, digital activist, dreamer and Global Voices Paraguayan Global Voices contributor Gabriela Galilea, was selected by Techpeaks program from European organization Trento Rise, a startup promoter, to develope her online game platform Mr. Patch: [un] videojuego para tabletas, smartphones, televisores inteligentes y web (PC), que ejercita los músculos de...
A Plea to Pope Francis to Take Action Against African Dictators
Une pétition en ligne adressée au Pape pour demander l'excommunication des dictateurs africains de l'Angola, de la Guinée Equatoriale, du Cameroun, du Congo et du Zimbabwe.
Italian Footballer Giorgio Chiellini's Praiseworthy Words After Being Bitten
Italian centre back Giorgio Chiellini, bitten by Uruguayan forward Luis Suárez during the match between Italy and Uruguay national teams of the group phase of the World Cup in Brazil, sent Suárez a conciliatory message via his official website: Dentro di me ora non ci sono sentimenti di gioia, di...
Trinidad & Tobago: Give Suarez a Menu
It is irrefutable now. Uruguay and Liverpool striker Luis Suarez either needs a psychologist or a new dietician. Thank heavens Uruguay was not playing Chile. Wired868 sinks its teeth into a post about the behaviour of the Uruguayan footballer after he bit an opposing player in his team's World Cup...
Why Learning Italian Still Makes Sense
As Italian publishing company Alma Edizioni was busy organizing an event about the Italian language in Rome, they received an unexpected letter [it] from someone who defined himself as a “disappointed student”: Why? What's the point of studying Italian today? […] No one wants to study a language that no...
European Citizens Call for the Protection of Media Pluralism
“European institutions should safeguard the right to free, independent and pluralistic information”. The quote, from the Media Initiative website, summarizes the main idea behind a pan-European campaign that aims at urging the European Commission to draft a Directive to protect Media Pluralism and Press Freedom. The Media Initiative is running a European Citizens’ Initiative – a tool...
Taiwan: Virgin Mary With an Aboriginal Face Tattoo
It is not difficult to find a tattoo figure of Blessed Virgin Mary, but a statue of Blessed Virgin Mary with facial tattoo is rarely seen.
Italians Called to Film Their ‘Life in a Day’
Renowned Italian director Gabriele Salvatores is inviting Italians (and people living in Italy) to produce short videos about their daily life that will be edited together into a feature length film called “Italy in a Day” [it] to be released at the end of 2014. Videos can be submitted until...
Potraits in Black: Africans in Italy
Portraits in Black is a work of three photographers – Marco Ambrosi, Matteo Danesin and Aldo Sodoma – the Centre for Immigration Studies in Verona, the Cities of Verona and Padua, the Padua University Sociology Department showing Africans in Italy.
Is Italy Ready for an African-born Minister?
“Is Italy ready for an African-born government minister?,” Donata Columbro asks: Two months after the recent elections, Italy has a new government. And Cécile Kyenge, 48 years old, an eye surgeon and Congo-born Italian citizen, is the new Minister for Integration in the cabinet of Prime Minister Enrico Letta.
Italy: Art Historians Rally in L'Aquila
Four years after the devastating earthquake that hit L’ Aquila, in Abruzzo, Italy, little or nothing has been rebuilt and the picturesque old town remains largely uninhabited, while many residents live in much debated [it] new towns. On May 5, 2013 almost a thousand art historians rallied together [it] in the historical center...
Tactical Tech's Info-Activism Camp: Apply!
Tactical Tech's 2013 Info Activism Camp in northern Italy (23-30 June) will explore how digital technologies, data and visuals can be used to influence society. Only 80 spots available, apply before April 15.
‘Tribewanted’ Creates, Connects Eco-Villages
Renewable energy, permaculture and green building, along with local traditions and eco-tourism: welcome to Tribewanted – an online community launched in 2006 based on the idea of “global citizenship” and harnessing the energy of social media to meaningfully connect and practice positive behavior change. Thanks to crowdfunding strategies, the project plans...
The State of Torture in the World in 2013
On January 23, 2013, an excerpt from the annual report of l'ACAT-France, A World of Torture 2013, makes a fresh assessment of the state of torture in the world [fr]: “A report called A World of Torture in 2013, assesses torture practices that continue to be alarming, from Pakistan to...
Parallels Between Religious and Copyright Wars
Rick Falkvinge, the founder of Pirate Party, reinterprets the wars of religion that devastated Western Europe in the XVI and XVII centuries in terms of the current struggle to control information through overbearing legislation related to copyright and freedom of expression: The religious wars were never about religion as such....
Italy: Staying in Venetian Monasteries
Olia and Claude Barrère, two French expatriates in Venice, Italy, write on their blog, “Olia i Klod” [fr]: Today, as in the past, monasteries offer the possibility of accommodation. They are places of peace, places rich in culture, very well managed, and offer moments of serenity. In Venice, many of...
Italy: Governement and Immigration – plenty of words, less action
According to Stefano Femminis (popoli.info [it]), the current Monti government has shown more talk than actual action in regard to immigration, and the followings are emphasised [it]: The situation remains the same as an year ago: expensive and unnecessary “human dumps” that in fact function as prisons for people that...
Italy: Clandestines in prisons without dignity
Explaining why 35,6% out of the prison population is constituted of immigrants, according to “Without Dignity” : The Observatory report [it] of the Antigone association, the website cronachediordinariorazzismo.org writes [it]: The presence of foreigners in Italian prisons is mostly due to recent charges in immigration laws, that effected greater flows...
Manufacturing a Car in Open Source and Modular Design
I don’t know whether we will need gasoline, electric or hydrogen cars tomorrow. I don’t have to know, because I designed my car so that I can change the motor in about the same time that it takes to change a tire. Joe Justice, founder and Team Lead of Wikispeed,...
Kosovo: Venice Biennale “Newcomer”
Facebook page “Southeast Europe: People and Culture” notes that “Kosovo is one of this year's newcomers to the [Venice Biennale]”: The pavilion allows visitors to share their views on Kosovo's future design landscape. More on the Kosovo Pavilion – here.
