Podcasts about cultural organization

This is a special episode talking about the newest UNESCO World Heritage cultural site: The Asuka and Fujiwara Ancient Capitals. This is particularly relevant as it is directly related to the history we are currently examining in this podcast. For more information, check out the blogpost at: https://sengokudaimyo.com/podcast/episode-unesco  Rough Transcript: Welcome to Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan.  My name is Joshua, and this is a special episode on Japan's newest UNESCO world heritage site: the Ancient Capitals of Asuka and Fujiwara. Rarely do I focus too much on current events in this podcast.  After all, we are still dealing with the events of the 7th century, and that is hardly "current" in any sense.  However, just last month, at the end of July 2026, the UNESCO World Heritage Convention met and made a ruling on inducting the Ancient Capitals of Asuka and Fujiwara as one of the newest World Heritage sites. Given the obvious relevance of this to this podcast, I thought it was worth talking about. As such we'll go into a little history of the UNESCO world heritage convention, what it means, and how sites get added—or even removed—from the list.  And then we'll talk about the addition of the Ancient Capitals of Asuka and Fujiwara, what is included in that description, and what part those various locations play in the story of Japan's history, which we've been laying out for the past several years.  Warning up front:  This is probably going to be a longer episode than usual, as there is a lot to cover, but it still didn't seem to make sense to break it up into two parts. Before we get into the background of UNESCO more generally, let's talk briefly about the news.  The Ancient Capitals of Asuka and Fuijwara had been on UNESCO's tentative list since 2007, and following an on-site evaluation in September of 2025, the International Council on Monuments and Sites, or ICOMOS, made a recommendation in June 2026 that the property be inscribed on the World Heritage list. On 26 July, 2026, the UNESCO World Heritage Committee met in Busan, South Korea and accepted the recommendation.  This becomes Japan's 22nd cultural World Heritage site, and the 27th World Heritage property in Japan, since the World Heritage program is also inclusive of natural heritage sites, such as Yakushima, Amami-Ohoshima, the Ogasawara islands, and the mountainous regions of Shirakami-Sanchi, and Shiretoko, in Hokkaido. The recommendation for Asuka and Fujiwara was not just for a single site, but includes 19 individual sites and over 1,100 hectares of "buffer zone".  The individual sites are listed on the UNSECO World Heritage website as follows: •             Asuka Palace Site •             Asuka Pond Garden Site •             Asuka Water Clock Site •             Sakafuneishi Ritual Site •             Asuka-dera Temple Site •             Tachibana-dera Temple Site •             Yamada-dera Temple Site •             Kawara-dera Temple Site •             Hinokuma-dera Temple Site •             Ishibutai Mounded Tomb •             Shobuike Mounded Tomb •             Kengoshizuka Mounded Tomb •             Fujiwara Palace Site •             Daikandaiji Temple Site •             Motoyakushiji Temple Site •             Mounded Tomb of Emperor Temmu and Empress Jito •             Nakaoyama Mounded Tomb •             Kitora Mounded Tomb •             Takamatsuzuka Mounded Tomb So these are the specific locations, that were included in the single designation.   And these are how they are officially listed on the UNESCO World Heritage site in English, so for anyone who is going to comment that saying Asuka-dera Temple is redundant, because "Tera" already means "Temple", let's just not, shall we?  They are all in the Asuka and Kashihara area, and easily accessible, one from the other, so you can go and visit them if you would like.  I suspect that there is going to be a bit of push for that area in the coming tourist season as they now put up official UNESCO world heritage site markers.  And you may have noticed that a lot of these site names may sound very familiar, because the majority of them are places we've already mentioned on the podcast – but more on that later. But first, what does it mean to be a UNESCO World Heritage Site? UNESCO is the "United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization".  It was founded in 1945, with the stand-up of the UN itself, as a successor to the League of Nations' International Committee on Intellectual Cooperation.  That said, the idea of a "World Heritage Site" didn't come about until 1975, with the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, with the first sites being designated in 1978. Prior to this, UNESCO had been involved in various attempts to help preserve various monuments of historical significance.  They begin working with various museums and other organizations, and in 1965 UNESCO created ICOMOS, an international professional association to work towards the conservation and protection of cultural heritage.  A site designated as a World Heritage Site must be considered to be of "outstanding universal value" and can fall under one of two categories.  The first, and perhaps the one that most often comes to mind, are the cultural sites.  The second are natural sites considered of outstanding value.   With the 1975 convention, UNESCO had leaned heavily on ICOMOS as an advisory body regarding sites of particular cultural significance.  A similar body, the World Conservation Union, provides input on sites of natural significance. To be determined a World Heritage site, there is a set of ten criteria, and a site must meet at least one of the ten.  This means that a site must: i.            Represent a masterpiece of human creative genius ii.           Exhibit an important interchange of human values iii.          Bear a unique or at least exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition or to a civilization iv.           Illustrate a significant stage in human history v.            Be an outstanding example of a traditional human settlement, land-use, or sea-use vi.          Be directly or tangibly associated with events or living traditions, with ideas, or with beliefs, with artistic and literary works of outstanding universal significance; or it must vii.         Contain superlative natural phenomena viii.        Be an outstanding example representing major stages of earth's history ix.          Be an outstanding example representing significant on-going ecological and biological processes in the evolution and development of ecosystems and communities of plants and animals; or it must x.           Contain the most important and significant natural habitats for conservation of biological diversity. I abbreviated that list, but it gives you an idea of what the committee is looking for. To be placed on the list, a site must first be nominated.  Nominations are made by UN member countries and placed on a Tentative List.  From there, they can be selected into a Nomination File, which is then evaluated by the advisory organizations as appropriate.  The World Heritage committee meets once a year, at which time they may determine whether a nominated site will be added to the World Heritage list or if more information is needed. Having a site listed as an UNESCO world heritage site carries prestige and can drive tourism and revenue to help protect the site.  Members can request financial assistance with some conservation projects, and signatory nations are expected to contribute to the conservation of world heritage sites.  At the same time, the host country is expected to provide regular reports on the conditions of the site and efforts being undertaken to conserve it.  Should the situation change so that key aspects of the site's intrinsic value are lost, the World Heritage Committee may choose to revoke a designation.  This has only been done a few times, but it is always a possibility. All of this means that the Asuka and Fujiwara capital sites are now eligible for certain types of financial assistance and international aid to help further preserve and even restore certain aspects, such as the tomb murals in the Takamatsuzuka and Kitora kofun.  But let's talk about the sites that have actually been included, and to do that, we'll go through in roughly chronological order, based on the timeline that was given by Japan in the nomination documents, and what makes the most sense for narrative cohesion.   That said, it is important to note that the dates on the timeline in the UNESCO nominating document are where we first see mentions of the monuments, not necessarily when the temples were first constructed or anything like that.  If you want to learn more, check out the documentation submitted on the UNESCO world heritage website. And speaking of learning more, many of the sites we are about to discuss we have covered in previous episodes—though some more than others.  We'll call out relevant episodes as we can, but you can also find out more by searching on our website, sengokudaimyo.com, for more information about any of these topics. Let's start with Asukadera, or Asuka Temple.  The nominating document notes that it was completed in 596, though it had been started quite a bit earlier.  We discussed Askua-dera and many of the other temples back in episode 142, though Asuka-dera itself has been a part of the story since at least Episode 92, with the rise of Soga no Umako.  Asuka-dera, as you may recall, started off as a private temple for the Soga family, though they were so intertwined with the royal family that it almost didn't make a difference.  For the longest time it was the primary temple site at least in the Asuka region, and defined what Buddhism looked like early on.  Later it would be included as one of the Four Great Temples, and it would eventually move to Nara, though a temple would continue to operate on the site until the modern day.  That said, through fires and reduced patronage, the current temple is much reduced from its former glory.  Still, archeologies have found indications at the site demonstrating the true extent of the temple at the height of its power and influence, and how it truly played a key role in numerous events surrounding the building of a continental style state government. Speaking of the Soga family, the next site on the list, dated to 626, is Ishibutai kofun.  Ishibutai kofun was originally a square kofun, or Houfun, thought to be the resting place of Soga no Umako, the Grand Minister and head of the Soga family who led it to prominence in the age of Kashikiya Hime, aka Suiko Tenno.  We talked about his passing in episode 103.  Excavations have suggested that the tomb took up an area about 85 meters to a side.  This included an outer moat and an inner, platform, about 50 meters square.  The burial chamber is a horizontal stone chamber created with impressive megaliths—a fancy word that just means "big stones".  In this case we are talking about stones that rival or even dwarf those at monuments like the famous Stonehenge, in England.  The stones are part of what give it its name, Ishibutai, or Stone Stage, because unlike in other kofun, these ones are exposed.  There is a theory that after the fall of the Soga family, and the deaths of Soga no Iruka and Soga no Emishi, the tomb was deliberately uncovered as a form of posthumous punishment. Because it is not a tomb under the care of the Imperial Household Agency, Ishibutai kofun has seen extensive excavation from 1933 to 1975.  That said, most of the funerary goods were likely stolen a long time ago.  There were some various bits and pieces found here and there—gilt and bronze implements and earthenware shards, but otherwise nothing truly significant.  They did find evidence of other tombs, nearby.  Perhaps ironically it seems that these other tombs were leveled to make room for Ishibutai kofun, making its own uncovering feel somewhat karmic, in a way. The next site, if we were to follow the timeline, is the Asuka Palace site.  This actually encompasses the site of at least four different palaces, which we discussed back in episode 134, with a blogpost showing the various palace remains, if you want to compare them.  In 630 we have the construction of the Okamoto Palace of Kashikiya Hime.  Then, in 643, we have the Itabuki Palace built for Takara Hime during her first reign as Kogyoku Tenno.  This was the location of the famous Isshi Incident, when Takara Hime's son, Naka no Oe, instituted the coup against Soga no Iruka and his father, killing Iruka in court in front of his mother.  For more on that, check out episode 106.  It was later used when she and Naka no Oe left the Toyosaki Naniwa Palace and returned to Asuka.  It may be during the time of the Itabuki Palace that another one of the monuments was built.  This is the Shobuike Kofun.  The nomination document doesn't give a precise date for this one, and we really only know for certain that it was built in the 7th century, but they place it on the timeline shortly after the events of 643.  Like Ishibutai kofun, it is a hofun, or square kofun, surrounded by a moat with a horizontal burial chamber.  At only 30 meters long, it is not as large or as prominent as Ishibutai Kofun, possibly indicating that the occupants were not as prominent or that kofun building as a whole was falling out of fashion.  Inside, there were two stone coffins, in the "house shape", meaning the lid had a peaked roof appearance.  In addition, the interior of the coffins was lacquered, making these unique in the archipelago.  Finally, perhaps as is the case with Ishibutai kofun, the mound appears to have been deliberately dismantled at some point in the early 8th century, when Fujiwara-kyo was still the capital. We do not know who was buried at Shobuike Kofun, but there are two theories.  One theory proposes that, given the unique features, it may have been a member of the royal family.  Another theory suggests that it may be a tomb for members of the Soga family.  This theory is connected to the idea that Ishibutai is the tomb of Soga no Umako.  Given its shape and similarities, perhaps this tomb is for a relative?  In addition, though not part of the World Heritage Site nomination, there is a nearby square kofun known as Koyamada Kofun.  There is a theory that this other tomb might also have been a royal tomb—perhaps even a first burial for Tamura no Ohokimi, aka Jomei Tenno.  However, there is another theory that these two tombs, together, make up the tombs of Soga no Emishi and Soga no Iruka.  That would explain them both being of similar shapes, and similar to the kofun thought to be that of Soga no Umako.  It could also explain why Shobuike kofun was later destroyed, like with Ishibutai Kofun. Shortly after Shobuike Kofun was thought to have been built, the court moved to Naniwa for a time, before eventually returning to the Itabuki Palace.  Then, in 656, we have the Nochi-no-Okamoto Palace, aka the Later Okamoto Palace, built after the Itabuki palace burned down.  It was repurposed by Ohoama when he brought the court back from Ohotsu, and then expanded with the Ebinoko Enclosure, among other changes, turning it into the Kiyomihara palace, where Ohoama and then Uno no Sarara ruled until the completion of the Fujiwara Palace around 694. Around the same time as the Later Okamoto Palace was the construction of the Sakafuneishi Ritual Site.  This site is located on a hill on the east side of the Asuka valley, overlooking the Asuka palace site.  There they have found stone walls, a strange carved stone with channels for what appears to be water or liquid for some kind of ritual purpose, and, towards the bottom of the hill, a stone turtle basin and water spout that appears to have once been connected to a spring.  Of all of the included sites, this is perhaps the most enigmatic in terms of how it was used and what was going on there.  It is likely that this is what is referred to in the Chronicle as the Tou no Mine site, where it is said that they built an enclosure encircling two tsuki trees, calling the site the Futatsuki Palace.  That said, today the name "tou-no-mine" is applied to a peak some distance further up the valley and into the mountains, and I do not believe that any concrete evidence of a "palace" has been found at either location.  Still, it demonstrates that there was something going on that was important enough to build walls and create intricate stone carvings—not something we necessarily find everywhere, though they are particularly prolific in the Asuka region once you consider all the various stone carvings that have been located there.  Current thinking seems to suggest that it was a site where sovereigns from Kashikiya Hime through Uno no Sarara conducted rites associated with ascension to the throne.  The walls show evidence of being built earlier in the 7th century, which we discussed in Episode 118, and then damaged during the incredibly powerful Nankai earthquake during the Hakuho era.  We talked about this earthquake back in episode 139, along with other natural disasters.  This was an earthquake of immense power, known as a Nankai Megathrust Earthquake, that caused destruction across the archipelago, from Shikoku up through the Kanto region.  Walls show evidence of being repaired in Temmu's time and the site appears to have been in use up through the 9th century.  This means it was still being used in some capacity even after the court had moved up to Heian-kyo, in modern Kyoto, but who knows by whom. By the way, I feel like I should address something here.  Often times there is a bit of an archaeological joke that if you don't know what something is it gets termed a "ritual site" or a "ritual implement".  And, granted, "ritual" does not necessarily mean "religious".  Brushing your teeth each day could be considered a ritual.  So is the inauguration of a new president or prime minister.  It just refers to something that we do regularly, usually as part of a societal tradition.  Often it is symbolic, though sometimes it can have a greater function.  So in all likelihood whatever was happening at the Sakafuneishi site probably was a kind of "ritual", whether it was religious or not, but we just don't have enough info to know what that might have looked like.  The physical evidence does not conform to any other well known practice, so we are left guessing. Compare this to another "ritual" site, the next on our list:  The Mizuochi site.  When it was first discovered in 1972, it was clear that it was important.  There was a large building foundation, in the shape of a square podium, faced with paving stones.  It was also near to Asukadera and the location where various stone figures had been found at the turn of the century.  It would take several more years to discern enough features to come to the realization of what it was for.  This was due to the discovery of highly unusual features and artifacts. For instance, there is the central building, designated SB200.  It had pillars set on base stones, forming a grid pattern in a square—four spans long on each side.  This is unusual compared to other buildings on the site, which had more conventional pillars embedded in the ground.  Each span of the pillars at SB200 was a uniform distance.  The podium on which the building was placed was just under 11 meters on each side, and a little more than a meter in height.  The pillar bases were further strengthened under the floor level, meaning that the resulting structure would have been remarkably sturdy.  In the center of the building was a stone platform, set about a meter below the surface, where they found the remains of a large and small lacquered wooden boxes.  Around the platform were buried wooden culverts and copper pipes, which would have been able to carry water to and from the site. There was nothing else like this discovered anywhere else, but given the nature of everything, it seemed to make sense that this was the site of the clepsydra, the water clock, which Naka no Oe is said to have built.  Pottery shards from around the 650s and 660s seem to back up this identification, and simulations have demonstrated how the water clock may have actually worked.  As such, the site seems to have been fairly well identified, which is really remarkable, and provides an incredible link to that era.  Not only that, but the technology demonstrated was incredibly advanced for its time.  As such, it truly is a remarkable site.  For more, check out Episode 127, where we talked more in depth about the importance of time and direction in Ancient Yamato. The next site on the list is the Kengoshizuka Kofun.  This mounded tomb is said to have been built around 667 CE—around the time that Yamato was supporting Baekje in a failed attempt to stave off that country's destruction at the hands of the Silla-Tang alliance.  This is an octagonal shaped kofun—a shape which is thought to have only been used by members of the royal family.  The academic position is that this is the tomb of Takara Hime—aka Saimei Tennou—who had died just as Yamato was starting to send troops to the Korean peninsula.  This theory is at odds with the Imperial Household Agency, which has designated a different tomb—Kurumaki-Kenno Kofun—as Saimei Tennou's mausoleum The story as it is recounted in the Nihon Shoki goes something like this.  As Yamato was gathering forces to defend Baekje—see episodes 123 and 124 for what happened—Takara Hime passed away at the temporary court set up in Asakura, in modern Kyushu.   With Yamato just about to launch a military campaign, they couldn't also hold a royal funeral, so they had her body taken back to the Nara basin..  Takara Hime's remains were temporarily interred at the plain of the Asuka River—Asuka-gawara.  It wouldn't be until after the conflict was over—a little more than 5 years later—that she would be buried.  At that time, we are told that she was buried together with Royal Princess Hashibito, her sister-in-law, at Wochi Hill—little market hill—and that the royal granddaughter, Princess Ohota, was buried in front.  And indeed, the layout of Kengoshizuka Kofun  has space for two coffins, and the archeologists found evidence of another burial in "front" of the kofun.  So in all ways this  seems to accord with the Chronicles, though the Imperial Household Agency has not chosen to change its designation.  I suspect that if they did it might cause some issues due to the limits of what archaeologists are allowed to do with tombs designated as royal mausoleums. Kengoshizuka Kofun has been remarkably reconstructed, so that you can go and see what it probably looked like when it was first built.  Since it was not designated as an imperial mausoleum by the Imperial Household Agency, archaeologists were able to excavate Kengoshizuka, and they found some remarkable finds, including a particularly spectacular coffin fitting made of cloisonne hexagonal plates with images of flowers that were connected to each other.  There also appears to have been a coffin made with lacquered linen, rather than the stone or tuff coffins found elsewhere.  So that's Kengoshizuka Kofun.  That's #7 on our list.  Moving on to #8, on the timeline at 673, it is Kawara-dera, and I'm going to lump this in with Tachibana-dera, which is noted on the timeline at 680.  In fact, the nominating document proposes a much earlier timeline for the start of Tachibana-dera, starting in the 640s, with Kawara-dera in the 660s, about two decades later. These two temples sit across from one another, and at one time they appear to have been coupled together as a monastery and a nunnery.  In fact, the nominating documents call out Tachibana-dera as Japan's oldest nunnery. The actual founding of these two temples is somewhat in dispute.  Let me start with Tachibana-dera.  Tachibana-dera claims to have been founded by none other than the legendary Shotoku Taishi.  It is said that the land of Tachibana-dera was the area of the palace where Prince Umayado, aka Shotoku Taishi, was born, and that in 606 he had the property turned into a temple.  As such, it claims to be one of seven major temples built by the Prince.  However, we don't have any actual documentation for the temple until it shows up in 680, due to the report of a fire.  We do see it in numerous poems in the Man'yoshu, which is one of the ways we can also tell that it was a nunnery. More information can be gleaned from the archaeological excavations at the site.  The original temple was clearly built on the same Baekje designs as others of that period.  In an interesting twist, it appears as though the temple was not oriented north to south, as others were, but rather it was oriented west to east.  This would have had it facing the royal palace, initially, in a configuration very similar to that of Shitennoji, in Osaka, or Yamadadera, which is also one of the sites included in UNESCO World Heritage designation. The original temple had a middle gate, a pagoda, a main hall—or kondo—and a lecture hall (Koudou).  It was surrounded by a walled corridor.  Some of the roof tiles that have been found appear to be from the first quarter of the 7th century, but there are many more from the mid-7th century, suggesting that full-scale construction wasn't carried out until that period.  None of the original buildings appear to have survived, though there is an Asuka era stone statue, as well as various important cultural properties that have been preserved, and excavations have given us an idea of what it looked like, originally. Compare that to Kawara-dera, which sits to the north of Tachibana-dera.  We've talked about Kawara-dera before, as it was eventually designated one of the four national temples.  It was clearly built at a later date than Tachibana-dera, though when, exactly, is still unclear. There is mention of a Kawara-dera in an entry for 653, but even then, the Chronicles note that may have actually been at Yamada-dera, on the other side of Asuka, indicating that even the Chroniclers weren't entirely sure.  That leaves the first clean mention of the temple at 673, in the reign of Ohoama, aka Temmu Tenno.  There is a note, prior to this, in about 656, which talks about "Kawara no Miya", or the Kawara Palace. This is where Takara Hime briefly moved after the fires damaged the Itabuki Palace, which was rebuilt into the Later Okamoto Palace.  It is thought that Kawara-dera is on the site of that temporary palace, and it is possible that the building of that palace lent something to the eventual creation of Kawara-dera. Kawara-dera has a unique layout, known specifically as the Kawara-dera style temple layout.  Although the overall temple is built on a north-south axis, the west main hall faces east, towards the pagoda, in the southern courtyard.  There was then a central main hall, and then the northern courtyard, with the koudou, or lecture hall, facing south.  There is also evidence that the east gate was sizeable—possibly larger than the south gate.  If so, it may be that this temple, like Tachibana-dera, was also facing east—facing the palace—but it was, at the same time, also on the same north-south access as other buildings and facilities.  This almost seems like they were perhaps compromising between facing the palace and utilizing the continental idea of a north-south alignment.  I almost wonder if the pagoda and western kondou weren't first built and then someone decided to change the orientation mid-way through the building process.  Either way, it is definitely unique. Although Kawara-dera was designated as one of the four national temples, it is the only temple that was not eventually moved up to Heijo-kyo, or Nara, when the capital eventually moved up there.  There are numerous theories as to why, but regardless of that, it stayed in Asuka and was no longer considered a national temple.  Over time it declined, and repairs could not be maintained across the entire complex.  Today, a successor temple, Gufuku-ji, sits on the site, but it is much reduced.  Fortunately, you can still see many of the exposed footings and get an idea for just what this temple was like back in its heyday. Now since we've mentioned it, it is probably worth talking about Yamada-dera, which is also on the list.  Like the others, there is a small successor temple to the north, but most of the ancient Yamada-dera grounds are visible, and if you go out there you can clearly see where all the buildings were.  There are signs and raised platforms depicting where the various buildings were at, so you can easily see what was there.  Furthermore, if you check out the Asuka Historical Museum, they have a remarkably well-preserved section of one of the walls of the gallery from the temple, including some roof elements.  It appears to have fallen down during a fire, and other material must have fallen on top of it so that the fire could not consume that section, leaving it in incredible shape. Yamada-dera is part of the Hosso sect—that is the sect following the teachings of the monk Xuanzang.  We talked about Xuanzang, and the monks who studied with him, back in episodes 120 to 122.  It is said to have been founded by Soga no Kurayamada no Ishikawa no Maro.  He was a relative of Soga no Emishi who supported Prince Naka no Oe in his coup in 645.  Soga no Kurayamada eventually became Udaijin, or Minister of the Right, and he was essential in implementing the Taika reforms.  Long story short, he was slandered, and fled to Yamada-dera, which was still under construction.  Rather than being taken by government forces, he took his own life, as well as that of his wife and eight children.  You can listen to the whole story back in Episode 112.  All of that is said to have happened here at that temple, in the year 649.  Perhaps because of the stain of that incident, the temple construction appears to have been halted for a time.  It wouldn't be completed until 685, when Ohoama and his wife, Uno no Sarara, a direct descendant of Soga no Kurayamada, were on the throne. Finally, there is one more temple from this early period that is mentioned, and that is Hinokuma-dera.  Of all of the temples so far, this one we probably have mentioned the least in the main podcast.  Hinokuma-dera is located to the southwest of the main Asuka valley, south of the famous Takamatsuzuka kofun.  It is first mentioned in a record dated to 686.  That indicates it must have been built some time prior, and archaeological excavations seem to place it at the second half of the 7th century, with the pagoda and main hall being completed in the late 7th century.   The temple continued to be maintained through the 8th century, but declined after the Heian period when the pagoda and lecture hall collapsed.  In the early 20th century a local Shinto shrine was relocated here, and remains, today. Hinokuma-dera was built as a private temple by the Yamato no Aya.  The Yamato no Aya are an intriguing group of people.  The name "Aya" implies a group that was originally employed as weavers, a technology brought over from the continent.  Indeed, they are said to have been largely immigrants who came and brought the technology with them.  The Aya were broken into different groups, with the Yamato no Aya being one of the more powerful.  The name appears again and again in the Chronicles, though in the time of Ohoama they were put on notice as a clan.  We aren't told what they did, exactly.  They seem to have made their way back into the court's good graces over time, however. Hinokuma-dera is interesting in that it is much smaller than the other temples we have discussed, and the form is quite different.  It isn't organized along cardinal directions, but rather with the koudou, or lecture hall, in the northwest and the kondou, or main hall, in the southeast.  The pagoda was between the two, slightly off-center to the northeast, directly across from the main gate, which faced southwest.  This means that you would enter from the southwest into a large, rectangular courtyard.  You could be facing a pagoda near the rear wall, with a lecture hall to your left and the main image hall to your right.  This is compared to Baekje temples that were on the periphery of the Baekje capital, and this may have been in a similar situation.  Based on the surrounding geography, it appears that some of the choices may have been made to conform with local geologic features, such as the ridge that it is on. It is interesting, however, for its uniqueness, especially as a private temple that did not have the resources of the court.  There were probably quite a few of these kinds of temples that we just don't see or hear about in the record.  When the court moved, first up to Heijo-kyo, but later on to Heian-kyo, in modern Kyoto, the head of the Yamato no Aya no doubt moved as well, and that probably led to the temple's decline, over time. Speaking of the court, there is one more part of the Asuka court that we should touch on before we leave the era of the Asuka palace.  At some point, probably related to the Later Okamoto Palace, the court created a pond and garden.  This Asuka Pond Garden site is first mentioned in 685, though it likely existed for some time.  Evidence suggests that it was built around the same time as the later Okamoto Palace, so sometime around 656, and based on excavations, we know that there was a south and north pond, divided by a middle bank.  Water flowed from the south pond to the north pond through a wooden pipe in that middle bank.  The south pond had a pentagonal shape, about 65 meters long, east to west, and 55 meters wide, north to south.  It was only 30 cm at its deepest point, with two islands in the pond itself.  The north pond was 36 meters east to west and 52 meters north to south, and it was up to 4 meters deep.  There was a stone overflow channel that was built for water to flow back into the Asuka river.  There was also a stone fountain, like that found at the Sakafuneishi site, and evidence of buildings and a wall around the site.  There has also been analysis of seed pollen, indicating what kinds of vegetation might have been grown in the garden. This was a lavish area that was purpose-built for entertainments of various kinds.  This is the area that the royal family and various nobles likely adjourned to at the end of the day for relaxation and for various banquets and other such gatherings. Of course, not all the court proceedings were so joyful.  In 686, Ohoama died, and for the next couple of years the court business was taken up with eulogies and memorials.  This is also when they built the next site included in the list: The mounded tomb of Temmu Tennou and, eventually, Jitou Tennou.  The tomb is an octagonal kofun, similar to the Kengoshizuka kofun for Takara Hime.  It is built to the southwest of the Asuka basin, a fair distance from the palace.  However, this positioning also puts it directly south of the site of the new Fujiwara Palace.  As the Fujiwara capital and palace site had already been selected, they would have been able to build this tomb in relation to the future palace, creating a direct north-south link between the two.  It is also along the same ridgeline as the tomb of Kengoshizuka and the tomb attributed to Kinmei Tennou and Princess Kibi no Himemiko. The octagonal tomb was built in five tiers.  It is about 42 meters on a side, built with rammed earth and then covered, originally, with dressed stones, while the surrounding area was paved.  Ohoama was buried in a sealed stone burial chamber in a dry-lacquered linen-made coffin, similar to what was found, again, at Kengoshizuka.  Later, when Uno no Sarara passed away, her urn was added to the tomb. Speaking of that, I cannot believe I didn't mention this in the last episode on Queen Uno no Sarara, but yes, she was cremated.  In fact, she is the first Yamato sovereign to have been cremated in the Buddhist style, rather than to have her body buried intact.  Today, almost cremation is the default in Japan—to the point that it actually has caused some issues with people who, for religious reasons, request a different type of burial.  However, at this point, it was still somewhat new.   Prior to Buddhism, all indications are that bodies were simply buried.  Buddhism brought in the concept of at least four different types of funerary rites.  There is dosou, or earth burial, but there was also suisou, water burial; fuusou, wind—or "air"—burial; and then kasou, fire burial.  Suisou would be committing a body to water, and fuusou generally means leaving the body on a stand, out in the open, to allow the body to decompose while birds, ideally vultures, come and do their work.  Of these, "kasou", fire burial or cremation, is linked to the historical Buddha, whose physical body is said to have been cremated, with the bones and teeth left behind considered holy relics.  That Uno no Sarara requested cremation would seem to indicate her own support of Buddhism and Buddhist institutions. The tomb of Temmu and Jitou has remained largely intact—at least compared to some that we have discussed this episode-- but not inviolate.  Over time, the site was allowed to become overgrown with trees and other vegetation.  In 1235 the tomb was robbed and in 1881 it was officially designated as an Imperial Mausoleum by the Imperial Household Agency, which now manages the site.  You can approach up to a point, but the tomb itself is largely off-limits to the public. Speaking of Uno no Sarara's support of Buddhism, we've already talked about her connections to Yakushi-ji, the next site on our list.  This temple was commissioned by Ohoama when his wife, Uno no Sarara, grew unexpectedly ill in 680.  She did recover, and the temple would eventually be considered one of the four National temples of the Yamato state.  It appears to have been built—possibly shifted slightly—specifically in line with the new avenues being laid out for Fujiwara-kyo, the new capital, and it fits neatly into place, taking up an entire city block.  When the capital moved, the temple was also moved.  The new temple sits up near modern Nara, in the area known as Nishi-no-kyou—the West (side of the) capital.  For the new site, the court may have used some of the materials from the original temple, though there does seem to have been a continued presence at the Fujiwara capital site until the 11th century.  To avoid confusion, the temple in the old Fujiwara capital site is referred to as "Moto-Yakushiji", meaning the Real or Original Yakushi Temple. Yakushiji was commissioned in 680, but work on the temple wasn't completed until 698, four years after the move to the new Fujiwara Palace.  Key features at this time were its size and its double pagodas, rather than just the single pagoda common in earlier temples.  This mimicked temple innovations happening on the continent, and was later adopted by several temples in the new capital of Heijo-kyo. Another national temple from around this time, also included in the nomination letter, is Daikandaiji.  Like Yakushiji, this temple was a grand statement of the Yamato state's ambitions.  Both were large temples that would have stood out, and as national temples they were symbols of state power and authority in matters both secular and spiritual. We discussed all of this in a previous episode, Episode 142, where we covered the four national temples, so I don't want to belabor it too much other than to give a brief overview.  In summary, what we know as Daikandaiji today is very likely the old Kudara Ohodera,  Kudara, in this instance, being spelled with the same kanji as for "Baekje".  Kudara Ohodera was the largest of the Asuka and Fujiwara era temples.  Its pagoda was over 80 meters tall, one of the tallest in Yamato at that time, and the main hall rivaled that of the Daigokuden, the main hall of the Fujiwara palace.   It also appears to have been moved twice.  First it was moved from its original location closer to the Asuka palace.  And then it appears to have been shifted to align with the avenues of the new Fujiwara capital.  The name was also changed.  "Kudara Ohodera" likely referred to the location where the temple was first founded by Tamura, aka Jomei Tennou.  It was then moved to Asuka and took on the name "Takechi Ohodera", given its new location, but then was renamed to Ohotsukasa no Ohodera, the Great Temple of the High Officials, or something like that.  This same name, read with the on'yomi reading, becomes "Daikandaiji". The temple was later moved to Heijo-kyo, where it was renamed to "Daianji", which means something like the Temple of Great Safety or Protection.   There is another story that says that the temple actually originated in the Kumagori dojo created by the legendary Shotoku Taishi, but, like so many such stories, that may have been added later to increase the temple's prestige.  As with so many of these temples, when the move was made to Heijo-kyo, the temple lost its national status, but remained active.  Without the upkeep by the court, it eventually declined, finally disappearing almost entirely.  Remains were rediscovered in the Edo and Meiji period, with major excavations in the 1970s and 80s.  From this, there is evidence of fire, even before construction was completed.  Indeed, there is a record of fire in 711.  The temple was likely under construction for much of the period of the Fujiwara capital's existence. This is probably as good a point as any to talk about the Fujiwara Palace itself.  I would note that the World Heritage site designation only includes the palace site, and not the entire capital city of Fujiwara-kyo.  That is probably for the best, as findings have suggested that the ancient capital was built on a plan far grander that previously thought. Initially, it was believed that the Fujiwara capital was built similar to Heijo-kyo and Heian-kyo, which is to say that it was modeled after the Tang capital of Chang'an.  This model creates a rectangular city with the main palace complex at the far north of the city.  Lower classes are typically housed in the southern regions while upper classes and nobility are provided land in the northern areas of the city.  Part of the reason to believe that the city was laid out like this has to do with the three mountains:  Mt. Unebi, Mt. Miminashi, and Mt. Kagu.  If the palace were located at the northern end of the city, then the city would fit rather nicely in the plains between these three mountains.  However, it appears that the plans for Fujiwara-kyo were much grander, and it appears that the Fujiwara palace sat not at the northern top of the capital, but instead it was in the middle.  This more closely approximates the ideal Confucian model, which created a square city divided into nine districts with the palace in the center.  However, it also means that the city grid is interrupted by the mountains, particularly by Mt. Miminashi, in the north.  To cover all of that land would be untenable, and much of it has been built up or under cultivation for centuries.  Furthermore, it is unclear how built up Fujiwara-kyo ever was.  Imagine trying to just create a city from scratch.  Not only was it about building the temples and the palace, but about all of the other houses, which would have been organized by the individual owners.  One also has to wonder just how many workers there were, and materials, to do all of this.  If much of this was done as traditional wooden buildings, then many of the blocks may not have left any significant remains, though new construction in the area does perform exploratory archaeology just in case.  There are a lot of interesting features that have been found. However, let's focus just on the Fujiwara Palace.  As I've previously pointed out—just back in Episode 152, for example, the Fujiwara Palace was, in many ways, getting back to the type of palace that the Toyosaki Naniwa Palace had tried to be.  This was a massive State complex.  The overall property appears to have been a square, with nine gates—once again, mimicking the geometric perfection suggested in ancient sources.  That wall, which was defined by post-holes in the ground, was also surrounded by a moat.  The south central gate was known as the Suzaku-mon, or Suzaku gate, named for Suzaku, the crimson bird of the south.  This was at the north end of Suzaku Oji, or Suzaku Avenue, the central road of the Fujiwara capital. This road was 24 meters wide, with 4 meter ditches on either side.  The ditches would have carried water throughout the city, while also allowing the city to drain water during large rains.  From the Suzaku gate to the north the palace opened up to the first courtyard, with two building where officials could prepare for the day.  Originally this would have been the place for officials to change into their formal robes, though later they were commanded to show up to work already dressed.  From there, once it opened, they would pass through another gate into the Choudouin, or State Hall.  Here, the 8 bureaus, or ministries, each had a Choudou, or court hall, where they would perform their work.  There were also four other halls for other governmental work. Besides the southern gate, there were gates on the east and west, which led to further government offices to the west and east of the court.  A fourth gate, at the north end of the Choudouin enclosure, would lead to the Daigokuden, the Great Audience Hall.  This was part of a reduced enclosure.  Two buildings have been discovered to the east and west of the enclosure, and north of the enclosure would have led to the private quarters of the sovereign and their family. The government buildings are more obvious than some others—many of the buildings were built in the continental style, meaning with stone footings, leaving a lot of evidence of their existence.  Meanwhile, the buildings of the sovereign's private residence were likely still in the indigenous style—plain wood with posts sunk directly into the ground, and thatched roof.  That would all leave a lot fewer traces, not to say that they haven't ever found anything. Today, the Fujiwara Palace site is a large open area where many of the features that have been found are indicated with modern crimson colored pillars, demonstrating where the various pillars were found.  At the same time, any above-ground reconstructions would have be conjectural, as we don't have enough remaining to know exactly what the palace looked like beyond the pillar locations. This palace and the city was ambitious.  It was huge and clearly meant as a permanent capital.  The fact that it was only occupied until about 710, when the capital moved north, to Heijou-kyou, is something we'll talk about in a later episode.  But still, it was absolutely an incredible move.  Think of how much labor this took and what kind of costs were involved?  This was truly a flex of the state's ability to mobilize labor to be able to do all of this, and generally marks the moment where the Yamato government really came into its own.  It also marks the period where the name "Yamato" is thought to have been officially changed to refer to "Nihon", the "Origin of the Sun", the name by which Japan would be known ever since.  It really is a symbol of Japan's changing state. There are only three more monuments included in the World Heritage Site designation, and they are all tombs. The first is Nakaoyama Kofun.  This is another octagonal kofun, approximately 19.5 meters from one side to the other.  It is only three tiers, as opposed to the five tiers of the tomb of Temmu and Jitou, and similarly covered in stone and surrounded by stone pavement.  The sealed burial chamber is narrow—designed for an urn rather than for a full-body coffin.  This is the first such mound clearly built to accommodate Buddhist style cremation, rather than a coffin.  While the keyhole shaped kofun had stopped being utilized for some time, this appears to put the final seal on the coffin, as it were, of the kofun building period, which had started back in the mid-3rd century.  Certainly, royal tombs continued to be built in the form of mountains, but they would stop having the same kind of artificial mound. It is unclear who was buried in the mound.  It was plundered around the 13th century, and there was considerable damage noted in the Edo period.  However, given Kengoshizuka Kofun and the kofun of Temmu and Jitou Tennou, it seems hard to deny the general consensus that this is the tomb of none other than Karu—that is to say Monmu Tennou.  However, as with Kengoshizuka Kofun, the Imperial Household Agency has named a different kofun, that of Kurihara-tsuka'ana Kofun, slightly to the south of Nakaoyama.  I would note that while this is an octagonal kofun, similar to the others we have seen, the Kurihara kofun, aka the Hinokuma Anko Misasagi, is a round kofun, which, in the consideration of modern scholarship, is not generally thought to have been a shape used for a royal tomb. There are two other tombs on the world heritage list that are round tombs, however—though they are not thought to have been royal tombs.  These are the Takamatsuzuka and Kitora kofun, and both of them have incredible features that are considered of particular importance to the indication of the development of the state.  This is because in both tombs elaborate tomb mural paintings were discovered. The murals of the Kitora kofun are perhaps the simpler between the two.  The Kitora murals have the four directional guardians on the walls of the tomb.  Again, we talked about this back in episode 127.  It was the idea that there was a directional guardian for each of the four cardinal directions.  This includes Genbu, the black tortoise of the north; Byakkou, the White Tiger of the West; Seiryuu, the Blue (or green) Dragon of the East; and Suzaku, the Red Bird of the South.  These descriptions were heavily tied in with various continental ideas of what would be known as "feng shui", including different ideas of color, direction, and concepts of yin and yang.  The Kitora kofun clearly shows these four guardians.  Based on the style of the tomb and the paintings, it is assumed that this tomb was built in the very beginning of the 8th century.  Combined with tomb goods found, while we don't know who was buried there it is very likely that it was either a royal prince or high ranking noble.  It has been suggested that this could have been the tomb for the Minister of the Right, others have suggested that it could be Royal Prince Takechi, who died in the late 7th century, or possibly even a high ranking member of the Baekje nobility living in the archipelago since the fall of their country, given some of the continental features of the tomb and its murals. In addition to the spectacular directional guardians, on the ceiling of Kitora Kofun is a depiction of the stars.  This star chart has been the focus of considerable study, as it depicts the stars in the sky as they might have been seen from the ground.  Though there are some errors, it is remarkably accurate, and it has been heralded as the oldest such star chart in the world.  There are earlier depictions of the sky, like the Nebra Sky Disc, from modern Nebra, in Germany, which dates to about 1800-1600 BCE, but those are more like an astronomical rule, rather than a chart.  It is also interesting that the positions of the stars don't exactly correspond with the sky over the Fujiwara capital: instead, it seems that the latitude better fits with the capital of Pyongyang in Goguryeo.  This opens up lots of intriguing possibilities about how this star chart came to be, and who created it.  It may be that some of the errors we see in the star positions come from taking a star chart possibly from the Tang court, and then localizing it to the Goguryeo capital in Pyongyang.  That chart then appears to have made its way to Japan where it was used in the Kitora kofun.  That means that the artist  wasn't necessarily directly looking at the sky at the time, but rather looking at a depiction, probably drawn on paper which has since been lost.  All of this points to the availability of, and importance placed on, astronomical information at the time.  In the Takamatsuzuka Kofun we similarly have directional animals, although in that case Suzaku, in the south, has been lost.  There is also a depiction of the stars, though it is more based on the zodiac, with constellations depicted in the various "houses" of the sky, rather than a true chart of the sky.  Most significantly in this tomb, however, are depictions of courtiers – groups of male and female attendance - in what appears to be court clothing, and indeed this is the best depiction we have of what court clothing may have looked like at this time.  It very much is in keeping with the clothing we see on the continent.  It is possible that the clothing depicted is not actually what was in use in the court, but possibly clothing from the continent as it was depicted in drawings and the like.   However, the style of clothing does seem to match the continental style clothing we see later in the Nara period, and so it does seem to be our best source for the clothing of the time barring us finding actual garments or further depictions. Both of these tombs are stunning, and have greatly increased our knowledge of the world of the court of 8th century Japan.  However, they are also both extremely fragile and in need of conservation.  Since being opened, humidity levels in the tombs have risen, which has led to the deterioration of the paintings themselves.  Japanese historians and conservators have gone to great lengths to preserve what they could before any more was lost, and there are depictions of what they looked like when they were originally found.  One of the goals of the World Heritage determination appears to be the conservation of these incredible paintings for future generations to be able to see. And there you have it.  Those are the sites  that were recently listed together on the UNESCO World Heritage list as the Ancient Capitals of Asuka and Fujiwara.  I hope that everyone gets a chance to go see them in person some day—it really is a beautiful and rather bucolic area with history strewn all about.  It isn't difficult to walk most of it, either, though to see everything you probably want at least a couple of days, not including various museums and other institutions.  And, of course, the rest of the Nara basin is full of even more treasures, such as Horyuji temple, the Makimuku Palace site, Mt. Miwa, and then the ancient capital of Nara, just to name a few. But that will have to be for another day.  For now, I think I've gone on long enough.  This has been a bit longer than most episodes, so I hope that you enjoyed it.  We'll be back with our regularly scheduled episodes in a couple of weeks. Until then if you like what we are doing, please tell your friends and feel free to rate us wherever you listen to podcasts.  If you feel the need to do more, and want to help us keep this going, we have information about how you can donate on Patreon or through either our Ko-Fi or BuyMeACoffee sites—just look up SengokuDaimyo. For all of that, you can also find the links over at our main website,  SengokuDaimyo.com/Podcast, where we will have some more discussion on topics from this episode. Also, you may have noticed that there are advertisements running on the podcast—that is so that we can keep this free to everyone, but if you want an ad-free version, we have uploaded our entire back-catalog to Patreon, where we will be releasing early and ad-free episodes for anyone who wants to sign up. Finally, feel free to reach out to our Sengoku Daimyo Facebook page.  You can also email us at the.sengoku.daimyo@gmail.com.  Thank you, also, to Ellen for their work editing the podcast. And that's all for now.  Thank you again, and I'll see you next episode on Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan.

Send us Fan MailPhoto: Orin Langelle / Global Justice Ecology ProjectUNESCO is the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.  It is tasked with the promotion of global peace and security through international cooperation in education, science, culture, and information.Yet recent reporting by Survival International focuses on how UNESCO has used its influence to support the forced relocation of the Indigenous Maasai People from their ancestral land in Tanzania.We talk with Survival International researcher Paul Renaut about the model of “fortress conservation,” that is driving forced evictions of Maasai people in Tanzania and how the UNESCO World Heritage status is amplifying that pressure. We trace what these forced relocations look like on the ground, who profits, and why Indigenous land rights are central to real biodiversity protection.In the episode we discuss:• Survival International's campaign to decolonize conservation and expose human rights abuses committed in the name of nature protection• How the “empty nature” myth frames Indigenous people as threats despite long-term stewardship• Violence linked to protected areas including beatings, torture, rape, and armed repression by ranger forces funded by major conservation groups• Maasai displacement history from Serengeti and the ongoing threat across Maasai land tied to tourism and trophy hunting• UNESCO's role through World Heritage designations, “population pressure” language, and legitimizing forced relocation narratives• What “voluntary relocation” can mean in practice including cattle confiscation, arrests, and suspension of vital services• Scientific and cultural arguments for pastoralism as a biodiversity-positive land management system• How carbon credits and offset thinking can shift environmental burdens onto Indigenous communities• Maasai-led resistance through legal work, organizing, mass protests, and direct engagement with international institutionsIf you're enjoying this episode of Breaking Green, please subscribe or follow wherever you get your podcasts. Consider leaving a review and sharing it with friends and colleagues. You can find the full catalog of previous episodes and sign up to have future episodes delivered straight to your inbox at breakinggreen.org. To learn more about Global Justice Ecology Project, visit GlobalJusticeEcology.org. Breaking Green is made possible by tax-deductible donations by people like you. Please help us lift up the voices of those working to protect forest, defend human rights, and expose all solutions. Simply text GIVE to 716 257 4187.link to the Maasai International Solidarity Alliance's website : https://www.misasolidarity.org/   Support the show

This episode of The New Abnormal podcast features Clare Stark, Head of Futures Literacy and Foresight at UNESCO - the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.They're a specialized UN agency dedicated to promoting world peace and security through international collaboration in education, arts, sciences, and culture. Headquartered in Paris, its mission spans 194 member states and encompasses several focus areas. Key Initiatives include World Heritage Sites, Global Education, Scientific & Ethical Standards, and Cultural Heritage Safeguarding.Clare is a dedicated professional with more than 20 years of experience in international development cooperation, she's passionate about ensuring that technology leads to positive social transformations, and using futures literacy and foresight to inspire collective action to shape the futures we want, using evidence-based approaches to enhance anticipatory capacities.She covers a lot of ground in the podcast, including UNESCO's role in advancing futures literacy and anticipatory governance / Embedding foresight into national and int'l policymaking / The Global Anticipatory Policy Coalition / AI governance, AI readiness and responsible deployment / Climate anxiety & information anxiety / Trust, democracy and misinformation / Leadership through collective intelligence and collaboration / The importance of culture, history and indigenous knowledge in shaping future policy / Participatory foresight involving young people, educators and citizens / The future of education, creativity and public policy in an AI-enabled world. So, I hope you enjoy listening to her as much as I did, in what I hope you'll agree is a fascinating conversation re: the growing importance of anticipatory governance and futures thinking in addressing today's global challenges.

Episode 182. In December of 2024 "Sake" received a special recognition from UNESCO - the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. UNESCO is probably most famous for recognizing cultural heritage sites... like Mount Fuji or Himeji Castle.  But in the case of of sake made with koji, it was recognized officially as an "Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity". How cool is that? While this is not exactly hot-off-the-presses breaking news, we wanted to take a moment to recognize and reflect on this milestone.  The craft of making sake with koji is worth protecting, celebrating and handing down to the next generation of artisans.  Join us as we sip some some sake and enjoy our favorite Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity together. #SakeRevolutionSupport the show

IRAN, ISRAEL, AND THE UNITED STATESHEADLINE 1: The U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned a petroleum smuggling and sanctions evasion network that generates cash for the Houthis.HEADLINE 2: A round of nuclear talks is scheduled to take place on Friday between Iran, Britain, France, and Germany – the E3.HEADLINE 3: The U.S. pulled out of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization.--FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer delivers timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ).Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

We're heading into another potential government shutdown, and the maneuvering is already underway. Schumer is strategizing with his caucus on how to handle the September 30 deadline. It's a familiar script: Democrats want Republicans to commit to avoiding additional rescissions and to agree on the broader budget process before Democrats give their votes. The ask isn't outrageous — a few basic guarantees in exchange for the seven Democratic votes Republicans would need to hit the 60-vote threshold in the Senate.The tension, of course, is baked in. Some Democrats want to force a shutdown, not avoid one. They think it's time to show their base that they'll stand up to Trump and his agenda. But Schumer doesn't want to lose the optics war. If Democrats are the ones who initiate a shutdown, he knows they'll never be able to claim the high road again when Republicans try the same play. That framing matters — especially in an election year.Meanwhile, Republicans are eager to push another round of budget cuts. They already passed an $8 billion rescissions package and want more. That's what Schumer is trying to block, while also keeping his own party from turning a funding debate into a loyalty test. It's a messy balancing act, and the countdown has already started.Public Media Hits a WallEdith Chapin stepping down from NPR is getting attention, but the real story is the billion-dollar rescission Congress just passed — a cut directly targeting the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. That's the pot of money that gets divided among outlets like NPR and PBS. Chapin insists her departure isn't related, and maybe that's true. Thirteen years is a long run. Still, the timing speaks volumes.For years, public media has downplayed its reliance on federal dollars. They'd argue they only receive about 1% of their funding from the government, so budget cuts shouldn't matter. But now that Congress has actually slashed that funding, the narrative changes. If they're not publicly funded in any meaningful way, how do they survive? And if they are, then why haven't they done a better job of building public goodwill to protect that funding?I don't think the model holds up much longer. If you rely on taxpayer money, you have to make your case — constantly. You have to give people something they can see, something they can repeat. You can't just be vague and institutional and assume the funding will continue. It's not the '90s anymore. The party's ending, and there's a new bartender who's ready to close the tab.UNESCO and the American PullbackAnd then there's UNESCO. Trump is pulling the U.S. out of the UN's Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization — again. It's a reversal of a reversal from his first term. He says it's too “woke,” too biased, too ineffective. Whatever the justification, it fits a larger pattern: the U.S. retreating from its role as primary funder of global institutions.There's always a debate about whether this kind of move opens the door for China to step in and fill the void. That argument has merit. But I'll say to UNESCO what I said to public media: if you depend on the American public — directly or indirectly — for your funding and relevance, then you have to win public support. You have to tell your story well, and often. You have to make people care.Some of these global organizations got comfortable. They assumed the checks would keep coming, and the U.S. would always foot the bill. But now they're running out of room. The music's fading. And if they can't answer why they matter in plain language, they'll find themselves cut off without much fanfare.Chapters00:00:00 - Intro00:01:25 - Justin's BART Experience00:08:52 - Interview with Michael Tracey00:39:40 - Update00:40:17 - Gov't Shutdown?00:43:32 - NPR00:45:09 - UNESCO00:47:35 - Interview with Michael Tracey, con't01:18:40 - Wrap-up This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.politicspoliticspolitics.com/subscribe

It happened without warning and preparation. Students around the world became lab rats for the world's largest experiment in online and distance learning when the COVID-19 pandemic forced schools to close their doors. It did not go well says Mark West, a senior policy analyst at UNESCO the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. Five years on from the lockdowns, we're seeing the unintended consequences of digital learning including lower test scores, higher inequities as well as greater physical and mental health challenges. West says that relying on tech alone is no substitute for thoughtful policy, trained teachers, and human connection, during a pandemic or not. The evidence and arguments are in a free book called An Ed-Tech Tragedy? Educational Technologies and School Closures in the Time of COVID-19.

This and all episodes at: https://aiandyou.net/ . Virtually every issue around AI – pro, con, in-between – is reflected in education right now. And teachers are on the front lines of this disruption. So it's especially important that UNESCO – that's the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization - has developed an AI Competency Framework for Teachers, and here to talk about that and his other work is the co-author of that framework, Mutlu Cukurova, professor of Learning and Artificial Intelligence at University College London. He investigates human-AI complementarity in education, aiming to address the pressing socio-educational challenge of preparing people for a future with AI systems that will require a great deal more than the routine cognitive skills currently prized by many education systems and traditional approaches to automation with AI. He is part of UCL's Grand Challenges on Transformative Technologies group, was named in Stanford's Top 2% Scientists List, and is editor of the British Journal of Educational Technology and Associate Editor of the International Journal of Child-Computer Interaction. In part 2, we talk about how the competency framework helps teachers use large language models, intelligent tutoring systems, the distinctions between human and machine intelligence, how to find the place to be human in a world of expanding AI capabilities, and the opportunities for teachers in this world. All this plus our usual look at today's AI headlines. Transcript and URLs referenced at HumanCusp Blog.        

This and all episodes at: https://aiandyou.net/ . Virtually every issue around AI – pro, con, in-between – is reflected in education right now. And teachers are on the front lines of this disruption. So it's especially important that UNESCO – that's the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization - has developed an AI Competency Framework for Teachers, and here to talk about that and his other work is the co-author of that framework, Mutlu Cukurova, professor of Learning and Artificial Intelligence at University College London. He investigates human-AI complementarity in education, aiming to address the pressing socio-educational challenge of preparing people for a future with AI systems that will require a great deal more than the routine cognitive skills currently prized by many education systems and traditional approaches to automation with AI. He is part of UCL's Grand Challenges on Transformative Technologies group, was named in Stanford's Top 2% Scientists List, and is editor of the British Journal of Educational Technology and Associate Editor of the International Journal of Child-Computer Interaction. We talk about the role of UNESCO with respect to AI in education, societal and ethical issues of large language models in developing countries, the types of competencies assessed in classrooms that are affected by AI, what the AI Competency Framework for Teachers is, and how to use it. All this plus our usual look at today's AI headlines. Transcript and URLs referenced at HumanCusp Blog.          

Every Friday, musician Enes Salman performs the Sevdalinka, an ancient form of love song from Bosnia and Herzegovina. 每周五，音乐家埃内斯·萨尔曼 (Enes Salman) 都会演奏《塞夫达林卡》(Sevdalinka)，这是一种来自波斯尼亚和黑塞哥维那的古老情歌。 Sevdalinka was recently included in UNESCO's National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage. UNESCO is The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. 塞夫达林卡最近被列入联合国教科文组织国家非物质文化遗产名录。联合国教科文组织是联合国教育、科学及文化组织。 Sevdalinka is often called the Balkan Blues. It is a somewhat sad form of urban love song that dates to the 1500s. It is a mix of South Slavic spoken poetry and music of the Ottoman Empire. 塞夫达林卡通常被称为巴尔干蓝调。这是一种有点悲伤的都市情歌，其历史可以追溯到 1500 年代。它融合了南斯拉夫口语诗歌和奥斯曼帝国的音乐。 Salman is among only a few musicians keeping the tradition alive. 萨尔曼是少数保持这一传统的音乐家之一。 "I have been playing and singing Sevdalinka since I was 14," he said before a recent performance. “我从 14 岁起就开始演奏和演唱《塞夫达林卡》，”他在最近的一场演出前说道。Sevdalinka is often performed a cappella. That means it is sung without musical instruments. Sometimes the performer sings with traditional instruments like a lute. This form, or genre, of music has been carried from generation to generation through performances at family gatherings. 塞夫达林卡经常进行无伴奏合唱。这意味着它是在没有乐器的情况下演唱的。有时表演者用鲁特琴等传统乐器唱歌。这种音乐形式或流派通过家庭聚会的表演代代相传。 In recent years, younger musicians have brought modern versions of Sevdalinka to audiences around the world. 近年来，年轻的音乐家将现代版本的塞夫达林卡带给世界各地的观众。 One of them is Damir Imamovic. His father and grandfather were famous Sevdalinka performers. In 2020 and 2021, Imamovic won awards from two world music publications, Songlines and Transglobal, for best European album. 达米尔·伊莫维奇就是其中之一。他的父亲和祖父都是著名的塞夫达林卡表演者。2020年和2021年，伊莫维奇荣获Songlines和Transglobal两家世界音乐出版物颁发的最佳欧洲专辑奖。 Imamovic supports Sevdalinka internationally through his SevdahLab project. The project helped build support for the music's inclusion on UNESCO's World Heritage list. Imamovic 通过他的 SevdahLab 项目在国际上支持 Sevdalinka。该项目为将音乐列入联合国教科文组织世界遗产名录提供了支持。 "I realized how little the public knows about the Sevdalinka genre and wanted to reveal the story behind that music," he said. “我意识到公众对塞夫达林卡流派知之甚少，因此想揭示这种音乐背后的故事，”他说。Zanin Berbic is a 28-year-old ethno-musicologist. He works as a curator in the music department of Bosnia's Regional Museum in Sarajevo, organizing, protecting, and bringing attention to music. He also plays saz, a long-necked lute used in Ottoman classical music. He said that Sevdalinka tells the story of Bosnia's history. Zanin Berbic 是一位 28 岁的民族音乐学家。他在萨拉热窝波斯尼亚地区博物馆音乐部担任策展人，负责组织、保护音乐并引起人们对音乐的关注。他还演奏萨兹（saz），一种奥斯曼古典音乐中使用的长颈鲁特琴。他说，《塞夫达林卡》讲述了波斯尼亚的历史故事。 Berbic said, "Most of my days I spend either singing or playing Sevdalinka songs or reading or talking about them. Sevdalinka is my life," he said. 贝尔比奇说：“我大部分时间都在唱歌或演奏塞夫达林卡歌曲，或者阅读或谈论它们。塞夫达林卡就是我的生活，”他说。

*) Israeli strikes kill at least eight more Palestinians across Gaza Israeli forces have killed at least eight Palestinians, including five members of one family, in separate air strikes across Gaza. In one attack on the Nuseirat refugee camp, five people were killed. Palestinian authorities also reported that three others were killed in a separate strike in the western part of Gaza City. *) Palestinians in north Gaza describe ‘real-life horror movie' People in northern Gaza are describing the situation as something straight out of a horror movie. Umm Ahmad Lubbad, a 52-year-old from Beit Lahia, said Palestinians are living a real-life nightmare under bombing that never stops — whether from the air or the ground. She told reporters by phone that while she's terrified to leave her home, she's ready to go if Israeli forces order an evacuation. *) RSF reattacks villages in Sudan's Al-Jazira, killing many In Sudan's Al-Jazira state, the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have launched fresh attacks on villages, killing at least eight people and leaving many others injured. The violence began in the village of Al-Fuwwar on Wednesday, forcing most residents to flee, according to the Sudanese rights group Middle Call. On Thursday, the attacks expanded, targeting eight more villages, including Salim, Abu Karna and Umm Wazain. The strikes were accompanied by intense artillery shelling. *) If Ukraine uses ‘dirty bomb', Russia will use all its weapons: Putin Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that Russia would use all its weapons if Ukraine were to acquire nuclear arms. Speaking at a press conference in Astana, Kazakhstan, Putin said, “If the country we're essentially at war with becomes a nuclear power, we will use every means of destruction available to us. Let me stress this: everything.” This comes as reports suggest some Western officials believe the US might provide Ukraine with nuclear weapons before President Biden leaves office. *) Keffiyeh-decorated peace balloons float over Cappadocia In Cappadocia, peace advocates have taken to the skies to protest Israel's actions in Gaza — using hot-air balloons adorned with keffiyeh patterns. The balloons, launched by the Foundation for Culture and Civilization, floated gracefully over the region, with the keffiyeh — a symbol of Palestinian identity — standing out as a powerful message of solidarity. Recently, the keffiyeh was added to the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage by the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

Can we keep up with AI? Paul Foster, CEO of the Esports Federation, dives into the legal implications of artificial intelligence. Gamers have a unique familiarity with artificial intel. Explore how AI is transforming game design, content creation, brand promotion and much more. Along with entertainment/media lawyer Bryan Tan of Reed Smith's Singapore office, Foster discusses the unique ways AI is enabling gamers to monetize their skills.  ----more---- Transcript: Intro: Hello and welcome to Tech Law Talks, a podcast brought to you by Reed Smith's Emerging Technologies Group. In each episode of this podcast, we will discuss cutting-edge issues on technology, data, and the law. We will provide practical observations on a wide variety of technology and data topics to give you quick and actionable tips to address the issues you are dealing with every day.  Bryan: Welcome to Tech Law Talks and our new series on artificial intelligence. Over the coming months, we'll explore the key challenges and opportunities with the rapidly evolving AI landscape. Today, we will focus on AI in the interesting world of esports. And we have together with us today, Mr. Paul Foster, who is the CEO of the Global Esports Federation. Good morning, Paul.  Paul: Good evening, Bryan. It's nice to be with you, coming from California.  Bryan: And I'm coming to you from Singapore, but we are all connected in one world. Today, we are here to talk about AI and esports. But before we start, I wanted to talk about you and to share what you were doing before AI and how that has changed after AI has now become a big thing.  Paul: Thanks, Bryan. Yeah. So I come from originally from Sydney, Australia, and I was from my background is really 20 years in the Olympic movement. So I started at the Sydney 2000 Olympics. So I started about three years before the Olympics, worked for the Olympics for about 20 years, so traditional sports, and then moved to esports and opened or founded the Global Esports Federation in 2019. And of course, we all know what happened four months after that, Bryan, with COVID and the pandemic that really closed a lot of traditional sport. And so esports really took off. So it's definitely been a very, very exciting and accelerating journey these last couple of years.  Bryan: Great. So you've kind of gotten into esports after a background in sports. And it's interesting you mentioned 2019 because we also know that somewhere around 2022, the end of 2022, just as the pandemic was sorting itself out. Artificial intelligence, primarily generative artificial intelligence, then began to capture the imagination of people. And the question here, I guess, is maybe we're talking to converted, but esports is obviously one of the most technologically advanced and clued in online ecosystems, communities. How has artificial intelligence impacted esports and is that a positive or negative thing?  Paul: You're absolutely right, Bryan. I think one of the things that I like to say is that we're living in what I consider to be one of the most exciting times in the history of humanity. The reason I say that is because of the convergence of all these incredibly powerful technologies at exactly the same time, at the very early dawn of AI. AI and I think it's something that we should reflect on because I think many people talk about AI as if we're already in the middle of the cycle and I think my position is that we're at the very early dawn, maybe even the pre-dawn of AI. I did some postgraduate studies in machine learning and AI so it's a passion project of mine, something I'd love to think about and I was recently at the global summit on AI with the International Telecommunications Union in Geneva and had a chance to sit with the leaders group. There was 30,000 people attending, Bryan, which is a big number of people showing the interest from all over the world. But there was a leaders group convened to look at policymaking. And in a sense, there was this feeling that industry has been rapidly growing and expanding almost at a pace or a cadence that is hard to sort of register in a sense. And then policymakers and particularly governments and others are trying to sort of catch up in a sense and and try to get in front of that. As you know Bryan we're very strong partners with UNESCO, the United Nations Education Science and Cultural Organization, as well as the international telecommunications union so we're also contributing to their thinking and bringing our community into the discussion one of the things that could be interesting for our listeners is that it's true what Bryan said is that our community, which is roughly in the range of 18 to 34-year-olds, are early adopters of technology. And one of the things that might be interesting is that gamers and people who play electronic sports and games have always been exposed to artificial intelligence in some form, even very, very early form. And so it's not a surprise to me that the adoption of of artificial intelligence and the interest in artificial intelligence in some ways has been really accepted by the esports community in the gaming community and as you also said Bryan you know this this demographic 18 to 34 is really the heart of what we call Gen Z or Gen and then now we're seeing Gen Alpha of course the next generation starting high school but what we also call this and some people widely call this generation is actually Gen T. Generation around around technologies and the early acceptance of that. And I can talk a little bit more about some of the applications for esports if that's interesting.  Bryan: No, I think that's interesting. And I think in particular, I think what will be interesting to hear is some of your own visions about what the future of AI and esports could be like. What does it promise to the esports community? What can they kind of look forward to? How do you see that going?  Paul: Yeah I think thanks for the question I think that it's um again I think there's the the possibilities are limitless and we're really at the beginning the early time about this and when I speak for example recently to colleagues and friends at companies such as open ai and others that I speak to every day there's a true interest around this particularly around the the creative economy and how we'll create games in the future and there's three things Bryan that I thought I'd mentioned, which is really the use of AI in terms of teams and players' preparation, the fact that we can have quicker and more efficient, I call it, you know, one of the great benefits, one of the things I've learned in my studies is that it needs to be human-focused and human-centric. And we're also, at the Global League Sports Federation, we support the UNESCO's position on the creation of ethical AI. And what that really talks about is human-focused because it's human-centered. And so one of the things I think is really interesting for our community is that they'll have quicker access to statistics, to analytics, to data. So they'll be able to, if you think about esports as a competitive sport or as a competitive event, any preparation that you can have to prepare you to have better results and better preparation will ultimately, should ultimately provide for a better outcome for you as a competitor, right? So that's number one. The second thing is that really what we can do for the creative economy, which is absolutely fascinating, Bryan, in esports, the whole economy around or the whole community around creators and content creators and people that really bring esports and bring it alive. Is that we'll be able to have automatically created clips and reels and analytics. So in real time, things like in pre-AI, we would have had to wait for editing, Bryan. We would have had to wait for editing. it might have taken hours or days and now that can happen in seconds so for and so that's fascinating and then the third thing so team preparation creative economy and then the third thing really talks around the economics of gaming and around sponsorship and value-based identity so that in the future our sponsors and our partners that are so important for the thriving nation and the the sustainability of gaming and esports will also be able to use AI to have greater analytics and greater awareness of their brand values, to actually understand the value of their brand. A very simple example is we can use AI to track how many times a certain brand was visible on a jersey or in an audience. We'll be able to use AI to actually track it in real time. Whereas again, Bryan, in the past, we would have had to look through video files and actually count it manually. And I remember doing that. I mean, another example I'll give you is I remember but not that long ago in my work at the Olympic Games, I literally remember installing what we used to call video walls. So walls of not even a video screen, but 12 video screens or 16, I think they were, 4x4 screens to be able to look at every venue at once. And when I think about that now, that seems like a long time ago, but it wasn't a long time ago. I mean, within the last 10 or 12 years, that was still our reality. And now we can use AI to capture that data, to give us the same results in real time across teams, across creators and across partners.  Bryan: Okay, thank you for that. I think three very concrete areas that we can look forward to as an esports community. Interestingly, you also mentioned the regulators, the governments trying to keep in touch with the development of AI. Yes. And it sounded as if it was a bit of a struggle for them. Do you think there are any big concerns about the deployment of AI esports that we should be kind of aware of and maybe try to avoid?  Paul: Yeah, I think it's really this notion about catching up, right? How do you catch up with something that's evolving every day and every hour of every day at a speed that's really difficult to contain? And also two schools of thought, really, which is one school of thought, which I remember, Bryan, I think Sam Altman from OpenAI recently said it. And he said, look, we're so busy and this is running so fast and so powerful, we'll come back and we'll get back to that later. Like we're off, you know, creating these incredibly strong and powerful platforms. We'll have to come back to those matters at a later stage. And it was interesting because when I was last couple of weeks ago in Geneva, you had policymakers, governments, ministers, etc., whose role was to make sure that the frameworks were established around implementing the framework on ethical AI. Were really struggling with this reality of being able to just, I mean, literally physically struggling with this reality of trying to get ahead of the knowledge, not only the knowledge, but also the policy work that needed to be put in place, the frameworks, the regulations, and then rolling that out across industry. At the same time, you have technology firms and particularly firms with specialization in AI, and you've seen the incredible value chain skyrocketing in recent months, really racing ahead. And yet you've got policymakers trying to get their hands around this and trying to even understand it. You've got the same challenges in academia, don't you, Bryan, with academia also trying to create curricula that by the time it's published, we may already be behind the eight ball in terms of where AI has taken us. So I think the thing that I would talk about is the concern I would have is the ethical side of AI because, you know, and keeping it human focused and in the best interest of humanity, meaning that really what the benefits are, the focus of benefits should be around making our lives more efficient, effective and more equitable. And there is a risk of course within AI that it can because of prejudice that is potentially built into the ai itself that it could continue to manifest that across the community and that's something that's difficult to get ahead of unless it's created with that lens at the very beginning.  Bryan: No i think that's that's absolutely correct it's uh it's a good reminder that this is technology we're dealing with, and technology can be something that's used for the good of humanity, but it can also be abused. And we have to keep in mind that the technology is there only for the benefit of mankind, like you said, and to keep that human centricity always in focus as AI is applied to esports. Okay, so last question, I promise you, Paul, as CEO of Global Esports Federation, what would you wish for the future of esports? And maybe just to make it interesting, on two spectrums, one, a more realistic expectation, and the second one, a moonshot. If your wish can be granted, what would your wish for esports be?  Paul: What a great question. Thanks, Bryan. I love that opportunity. Well, Well, the thing that's so interesting in esports and gaming is that anything that was a moonshot about two weeks ago is now already a reality. It moves so fast. So when you were mentioning a moonshot, I was thinking about the Olympics. And I'll talk about that in a moment because that would have been considered a moonshot just a few months ago, if not years ago. But what I think the future is, is the globalization of esports as a source of incredibly inclusive, powerful, evocative entertainment, right? So just as you have traditional sport and just as you have, for example, in the United States, you have the proliferation of leagues and professional sports. It's coming into view that you'll have very significant value and be able to really create a very sustainable living as an economic means through esports. Not only as a player winning significant prize money, but also as a content creator, as a game developer, as a marketeer, as an event organizer, as an academic. There's tons of opportunities. opportunities and in fact Bryan I was speaking with some friends of mine who are attorneys actually and it surprises me because traditionally I would talk to attorneys and then through conversation it comes out that they're really passionate about gaming and now maybe they specialize around being with illegal expertise in terms of intellectual property rights or different aspects of it and this also I wanted to share that with you Bryan because I thought that was interesting that even in a traditional professional, such as the practice of law. There's now a lot of interest in this field as well. What does that mean? That means that we get to manifest our lives how we wish them to be manifested. In the past, if I wanted to go into event management, I would have to do a certain angle. Now I can do that with inside esports. If I wanted to be in communications and global media, I might have had to do that in public relations, or in traditional luxury goods, for example, or consumer products. Now I can do it inside esports. So I think the future is extremely bright and relatively limitless in terms of being able to manifest my career, finding something I want to do in my profession, my skills, but be able to do it in something that I love doing. And that's a blessing, I think, Bryan, that very few of us, so you and I, that has happened in our lifetime, that we're able to actually have the life that we want, create professional professional conditions we want, earn a living of that by doing it in that field that we love. The moonshot which you've challenged me on, I was so proud having come from the Olympic movement in my hometown of Sydney and now seeing the reality of the Olympic eSports Games, which was just announced by the IOC a couple of weeks ago and then rapidly evolving. And how interesting is this? At the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, it seems that we'll see an announcement of the Olympic eSports Games itself, agreed by the IOC, confirmed by the IOC. And so one of the things i think is fascinating if you think about Olympic sport traditional sport, it took golf 121 years to come back onto the Olympic program and esports in global esports federation was as you said Bryan, founded in 2019 here we are just four years later not only is it inside the Olympic movement but there's actually a separate IP created called Olympic esports games. If we think about that for a moment, the IOC traditionally had their Olympic Games as their main IP. Yes, Winter Games. Yes, Youth Games. But now we have the Olympic Esports Games as a separate IP. And what's even interesting at the recent press release I read is that it said a whole new division, a whole new structure will be created at the IOC. Rather than trying to fit it into traditional models, a whole new structure will be created. it. So this was a moonshot. And I think that this will be fascinating in terms of how we see that evolve and how you see a traditional sports organization just a couple of years ago, really being a long way away from today. And in those very short years with the Global Esports Federation staging our Commonwealth Esports Championships, the European Esports Championships, the Pan American Esports Championships, and now seeing the evolution at the Olympic Esports Games, What an incredible opportunity that is for athletes, creators and community right around the world.  Bryan: Thank you for sharing that. And I think that's a great statement to make that what was yesterday's moonshot is today's reality in a fast-paced world that evolves because of technology. Thank you again for sharing with us your thoughts, Paul. I think it's been greatly exciting. We look forward to a great future in esports. And once again, thank you for joining us in this series.  Paul: Thank you, Bryan. Thanks very much, everyone.  Outro: Tech Law Talks is a Reed Smith production. Our producers are Ali McCardell and Shannon Ryan. For more information about Reed Smith's emerging technologies practice, please email techlawtalks@reedsmith.com. You can find our podcasts on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, reedsmith.com, and our social media accounts.  Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for educational purposes. It does not constitute legal advice and is not intended to establish an attorney-client relationship, nor is it intended to suggest or establish standards of care applicable to particular lawyers in any given situation. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Any views, opinions, or comments made by any external guest speaker are not to be attributed to Reed Smith LLP or its individual lawyers.  All rights reserved. Transcript is auto-generated.

Today, you'll learn about a revolutionary new system that can turn saltwater into drinking water with the help of the sun, how your brain chooses what memories to keep, and a super-Earth with a really dark side. Solar Drinking Water “Solar-powered technology converts saltwater into drinking water emission-free.” King's College London. 2024. “Flexible batch electrodialysis for low-cost solar-powered brackish water desalination.” by Wei He, et al. 2024. “Valuing Water.” United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. 2021. Forgetting Memories “How the brain chooses which memories are important enough to save and which to let fade away.” by Linda Carroll. 2024. “Relax! It'll boost your memory, study shows.” by Kate Kelland. 2010. “Normal and Abnormal Sharp Wave Ripples in the Hippocampal-Entohinal Cortex System: Implications for Memory Consolidation, Alzheimer's Disease, and Temporal Lobe Epilepsy.” by Zhi-Hang Zhen, et al. 2021. Super-Earth “This super-Earth is the first planet confirmed to have a permanent dark side.” by Joseph Howlett. 2024. “LHS 3844 b.” NASA Exoplanet Catalog. N.d. “Tidal Locking.” NASA. 2024. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

China is now home to 47 Global Geoparks after the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization recognized six more.

Each year, UNESCO, .the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, looks at worldwide parity in education between boys and girls. Studies have shown that countries where girls and boys have equal access to quality education have stronger economies and better social systems. This year, the report shows that fewer girls are leaving the education system before they finish...but there's still a long way to go. Manos Antoninis is UNESCO's Director of the Global Education Monitoring Report, and he spoke with the CBC's Leigh Anne Power.

NYU professor Sonali Thakkar's brilliant first book, The Reeducation of Race: Jewishness and the Politics of Antiracism in Postcolonial Thought (Stanford UP, 2023), begins as a mystery of sorts. When and why did the word “equality” get swapped out of the 1950 UNESCO Statement on Race, to be replaced by “educability, plasticity”? She and John sit down to discuss how that switcheroo allowed for a putative anti-racism that nonetheless preserved a sotto voce concept of race. They discuss the founding years of UNESCO and how it came to be that Jews were defined as the most plastic of races, and “Blackness” came to be seen as a stubbornly un-plastic category. The discussion ranges to include entwinement and interconnectedness, and Edward Said's notion of the "contrapuntal" analysis of the mutual implication of seemingly unrelated historical developments. Sonali's "Recallable Book" shines a spotlight on Aime Cesaire's Discourse on Colonialism--revised in 1955 to reflect ongoing debates about race and plasticity. Mentioned in the episode: Ama Ata Aidoo, Our Sister Killjoy (1977) Hannah Arendt, "The Crisis in Education" (1954) in Between Past and Future: Eight Exercises in Political Thought ( "the chances that tomorrow will be like yesterday are always overwhelming" ) Franz Boas, "Commencement Address at Atlanta University," May 31, 1906 (this is where he says the bit about "the line of cleavage" Franz Boas, Changes in Bodily Form of Descendants of Immigrants, Final Report, immigration COmmission (1911) W.E.B. Du Bois, "Color and Democracy: Colonies and Peace," (1945) Frantz Fanon, Black Skin, White Masks (1952) Michel Foucault, "Nietzsche, Genealogy, History" Adom Getachew, Worldmaking After Empire: The Rise and Fall of Self-Determination IHRA definition of Antisemitism. Jerusalem Declaration on Antisemitism. Claude Lévi-Strauss, Race and History (1952) Natasha Levinson, "The Paradox of Natality: Teaching in the Midst of Belatedness," in Hannah Arendt and Education: Renewing our Common World, ed. by Mordechai Gordon (2001) Edward W. Said, Culture and Imperialism (on the contrapuntal) Joseph Slaughter, Human Rights Inc.: The World Novel, Narrative Form, and International Law UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization), 1950 Statement on Race UNESCO, 1951 Statement on the Nature of Race and Race Differences Gary Wilder, Freedom Time: Negritude, Decolonization, and the Future of the World (on the methodological nationalism of postcolonial studies and new approaches that challenge it) Recallable books: Aimé Césaire, Discourse on Colonialism (1950, 1955 rev. ed.) George Eliot, Daniel Deronda (1876) Read and Listen to the episode here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

NYU professor Sonali Thakkar's brilliant first book, The Reeducation of Race: Jewishness and the Politics of Antiracism in Postcolonial Thought (Stanford UP, 2023), begins as a mystery of sorts. When and why did the word “equality” get swapped out of the 1950 UNESCO Statement on Race, to be replaced by “educability, plasticity”? She and John sit down to discuss how that switcheroo allowed for a putative anti-racism that nonetheless preserved a sotto voce concept of race. They discuss the founding years of UNESCO and how it came to be that Jews were defined as the most plastic of races, and “Blackness” came to be seen as a stubbornly un-plastic category. The discussion ranges to include entwinement and interconnectedness, and Edward Said's notion of the "contrapuntal" analysis of the mutual implication of seemingly unrelated historical developments. Sonali's "Recallable Book" shines a spotlight on Aime Cesaire's Discourse on Colonialism--revised in 1955 to reflect ongoing debates about race and plasticity. Mentioned in the episode: Ama Ata Aidoo, Our Sister Killjoy (1977) Hannah Arendt, "The Crisis in Education" (1954) in Between Past and Future: Eight Exercises in Political Thought ( "the chances that tomorrow will be like yesterday are always overwhelming" ) Franz Boas, "Commencement Address at Atlanta University," May 31, 1906 (this is where he says the bit about "the line of cleavage" Franz Boas, Changes in Bodily Form of Descendants of Immigrants, Final Report, immigration COmmission (1911) W.E.B. Du Bois, "Color and Democracy: Colonies and Peace," (1945) Frantz Fanon, Black Skin, White Masks (1952) Michel Foucault, "Nietzsche, Genealogy, History" Adom Getachew, Worldmaking After Empire: The Rise and Fall of Self-Determination IHRA definition of Antisemitism. Jerusalem Declaration on Antisemitism. Claude Lévi-Strauss, Race and History (1952) Natasha Levinson, "The Paradox of Natality: Teaching in the Midst of Belatedness," in Hannah Arendt and Education: Renewing our Common World, ed. by Mordechai Gordon (2001) Edward W. Said, Culture and Imperialism (on the contrapuntal) Joseph Slaughter, Human Rights Inc.: The World Novel, Narrative Form, and International Law UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization), 1950 Statement on Race UNESCO, 1951 Statement on the Nature of Race and Race Differences Gary Wilder, Freedom Time: Negritude, Decolonization, and the Future of the World (on the methodological nationalism of postcolonial studies and new approaches that challenge it) Recallable books: Aimé Césaire, Discourse on Colonialism (1950, 1955 rev. ed.) George Eliot, Daniel Deronda (1876) Read and Listen to the episode here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history

NYU professor Sonali Thakkar's brilliant first book, The Reeducation of Race: Jewishness and the Politics of Antiracism in Postcolonial Thought (Stanford UP, 2023), begins as a mystery of sorts. When and why did the word “equality” get swapped out of the 1950 UNESCO Statement on Race, to be replaced by “educability, plasticity”? She and John sit down to discuss how that switcheroo allowed for a putative anti-racism that nonetheless preserved a sotto voce concept of race. They discuss the founding years of UNESCO and how it came to be that Jews were defined as the most plastic of races, and “Blackness” came to be seen as a stubbornly un-plastic category. The discussion ranges to include entwinement and interconnectedness, and Edward Said's notion of the "contrapuntal" analysis of the mutual implication of seemingly unrelated historical developments. Sonali's "Recallable Book" shines a spotlight on Aime Cesaire's Discourse on Colonialism--revised in 1955 to reflect ongoing debates about race and plasticity. Mentioned in the episode: Ama Ata Aidoo, Our Sister Killjoy (1977) Hannah Arendt, "The Crisis in Education" (1954) in Between Past and Future: Eight Exercises in Political Thought ( "the chances that tomorrow will be like yesterday are always overwhelming" ) Franz Boas, "Commencement Address at Atlanta University," May 31, 1906 (this is where he says the bit about "the line of cleavage" Franz Boas, Changes in Bodily Form of Descendants of Immigrants, Final Report, immigration COmmission (1911) W.E.B. Du Bois, "Color and Democracy: Colonies and Peace," (1945) Frantz Fanon, Black Skin, White Masks (1952) Michel Foucault, "Nietzsche, Genealogy, History" Adom Getachew, Worldmaking After Empire: The Rise and Fall of Self-Determination IHRA definition of Antisemitism. Jerusalem Declaration on Antisemitism. Claude Lévi-Strauss, Race and History (1952) Natasha Levinson, "The Paradox of Natality: Teaching in the Midst of Belatedness," in Hannah Arendt and Education: Renewing our Common World, ed. by Mordechai Gordon (2001) Edward W. Said, Culture and Imperialism (on the contrapuntal) Joseph Slaughter, Human Rights Inc.: The World Novel, Narrative Form, and International Law UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization), 1950 Statement on Race UNESCO, 1951 Statement on the Nature of Race and Race Differences Gary Wilder, Freedom Time: Negritude, Decolonization, and the Future of the World (on the methodological nationalism of postcolonial studies and new approaches that challenge it) Recallable books: Aimé Césaire, Discourse on Colonialism (1950, 1955 rev. ed.) George Eliot, Daniel Deronda (1876) Read and Listen to the episode here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

NYU professor Sonali Thakkar's brilliant first book, The Reeducation of Race: Jewishness and the Politics of Antiracism in Postcolonial Thought (Stanford UP, 2023), begins as a mystery of sorts. When and why did the word “equality” get swapped out of the 1950 UNESCO Statement on Race, to be replaced by “educability, plasticity”? She and John sit down to discuss how that switcheroo allowed for a putative anti-racism that nonetheless preserved a sotto voce concept of race. They discuss the founding years of UNESCO and how it came to be that Jews were defined as the most plastic of races, and “Blackness” came to be seen as a stubbornly un-plastic category. The discussion ranges to include entwinement and interconnectedness, and Edward Said's notion of the "contrapuntal" analysis of the mutual implication of seemingly unrelated historical developments. Sonali's "Recallable Book" shines a spotlight on Aime Cesaire's Discourse on Colonialism--revised in 1955 to reflect ongoing debates about race and plasticity. Mentioned in the episode: Ama Ata Aidoo, Our Sister Killjoy (1977) Hannah Arendt, "The Crisis in Education" (1954) in Between Past and Future: Eight Exercises in Political Thought ( "the chances that tomorrow will be like yesterday are always overwhelming" ) Franz Boas, "Commencement Address at Atlanta University," May 31, 1906 (this is where he says the bit about "the line of cleavage" Franz Boas, Changes in Bodily Form of Descendants of Immigrants, Final Report, immigration COmmission (1911) W.E.B. Du Bois, "Color and Democracy: Colonies and Peace," (1945) Frantz Fanon, Black Skin, White Masks (1952) Michel Foucault, "Nietzsche, Genealogy, History" Adom Getachew, Worldmaking After Empire: The Rise and Fall of Self-Determination IHRA definition of Antisemitism. Jerusalem Declaration on Antisemitism. Claude Lévi-Strauss, Race and History (1952) Natasha Levinson, "The Paradox of Natality: Teaching in the Midst of Belatedness," in Hannah Arendt and Education: Renewing our Common World, ed. by Mordechai Gordon (2001) Edward W. Said, Culture and Imperialism (on the contrapuntal) Joseph Slaughter, Human Rights Inc.: The World Novel, Narrative Form, and International Law UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization), 1950 Statement on Race UNESCO, 1951 Statement on the Nature of Race and Race Differences Gary Wilder, Freedom Time: Negritude, Decolonization, and the Future of the World (on the methodological nationalism of postcolonial studies and new approaches that challenge it) Recallable books: Aimé Césaire, Discourse on Colonialism (1950, 1955 rev. ed.) George Eliot, Daniel Deronda (1876) Read and Listen to the episode here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/jewish-studies

NYU professor Sonali Thakkar's brilliant first book, The Reeducation of Race: Jewishness and the Politics of Antiracism in Postcolonial Thought (Stanford UP, 2023), begins as a mystery of sorts. When and why did the word “equality” get swapped out of the 1950 UNESCO Statement on Race, to be replaced by “educability, plasticity”? She and John sit down to discuss how that switcheroo allowed for a putative anti-racism that nonetheless preserved a sotto voce concept of race. They discuss the founding years of UNESCO and how it came to be that Jews were defined as the most plastic of races, and “Blackness” came to be seen as a stubbornly un-plastic category. The discussion ranges to include entwinement and interconnectedness, and Edward Said's notion of the "contrapuntal" analysis of the mutual implication of seemingly unrelated historical developments. Sonali's "Recallable Book" shines a spotlight on Aime Cesaire's Discourse on Colonialism--revised in 1955 to reflect ongoing debates about race and plasticity. Mentioned in the episode: Ama Ata Aidoo, Our Sister Killjoy (1977) Hannah Arendt, "The Crisis in Education" (1954) in Between Past and Future: Eight Exercises in Political Thought ( "the chances that tomorrow will be like yesterday are always overwhelming" ) Franz Boas, "Commencement Address at Atlanta University," May 31, 1906 (this is where he says the bit about "the line of cleavage" Franz Boas, Changes in Bodily Form of Descendants of Immigrants, Final Report, immigration COmmission (1911) W.E.B. Du Bois, "Color and Democracy: Colonies and Peace," (1945) Frantz Fanon, Black Skin, White Masks (1952) Michel Foucault, "Nietzsche, Genealogy, History" Adom Getachew, Worldmaking After Empire: The Rise and Fall of Self-Determination IHRA definition of Antisemitism. Jerusalem Declaration on Antisemitism. Claude Lévi-Strauss, Race and History (1952) Natasha Levinson, "The Paradox of Natality: Teaching in the Midst of Belatedness," in Hannah Arendt and Education: Renewing our Common World, ed. by Mordechai Gordon (2001) Edward W. Said, Culture and Imperialism (on the contrapuntal) Joseph Slaughter, Human Rights Inc.: The World Novel, Narrative Form, and International Law UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization), 1950 Statement on Race UNESCO, 1951 Statement on the Nature of Race and Race Differences Gary Wilder, Freedom Time: Negritude, Decolonization, and the Future of the World (on the methodological nationalism of postcolonial studies and new approaches that challenge it) Recallable books: Aimé Césaire, Discourse on Colonialism (1950, 1955 rev. ed.) George Eliot, Daniel Deronda (1876) Read and Listen to the episode here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/critical-theory

NYU professor Sonali Thakkar's brilliant first book, The Reeducation of Race: Jewishness and the Politics of Antiracism in Postcolonial Thought (Stanford UP, 2023), begins as a mystery of sorts. When and why did the word “equality” get swapped out of the 1950 UNESCO Statement on Race, to be replaced by “educability, plasticity”? She and John sit down to discuss how that switcheroo allowed for a putative anti-racism that nonetheless preserved a sotto voce concept of race. They discuss the founding years of UNESCO and how it came to be that Jews were defined as the most plastic of races, and “Blackness” came to be seen as a stubbornly un-plastic category. The discussion ranges to include entwinement and interconnectedness, and Edward Said's notion of the "contrapuntal" analysis of the mutual implication of seemingly unrelated historical developments. Sonali's "Recallable Book" shines a spotlight on Aime Cesaire's Discourse on Colonialism--revised in 1955 to reflect ongoing debates about race and plasticity. Mentioned in the episode: Ama Ata Aidoo, Our Sister Killjoy (1977) Hannah Arendt, "The Crisis in Education" (1954) in Between Past and Future: Eight Exercises in Political Thought ( "the chances that tomorrow will be like yesterday are always overwhelming" ) Franz Boas, "Commencement Address at Atlanta University," May 31, 1906 (this is where he says the bit about "the line of cleavage" Franz Boas, Changes in Bodily Form of Descendants of Immigrants, Final Report, immigration COmmission (1911) W.E.B. Du Bois, "Color and Democracy: Colonies and Peace," (1945) Frantz Fanon, Black Skin, White Masks (1952) Michel Foucault, "Nietzsche, Genealogy, History" Adom Getachew, Worldmaking After Empire: The Rise and Fall of Self-Determination IHRA definition of Antisemitism. Jerusalem Declaration on Antisemitism. Claude Lévi-Strauss, Race and History (1952) Natasha Levinson, "The Paradox of Natality: Teaching in the Midst of Belatedness," in Hannah Arendt and Education: Renewing our Common World, ed. by Mordechai Gordon (2001) Edward W. Said, Culture and Imperialism (on the contrapuntal) Joseph Slaughter, Human Rights Inc.: The World Novel, Narrative Form, and International Law UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization), 1950 Statement on Race UNESCO, 1951 Statement on the Nature of Race and Race Differences Gary Wilder, Freedom Time: Negritude, Decolonization, and the Future of the World (on the methodological nationalism of postcolonial studies and new approaches that challenge it) Recallable books: Aimé Césaire, Discourse on Colonialism (1950, 1955 rev. ed.) George Eliot, Daniel Deronda (1876) Read and Listen to the episode here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/genocide-studies

NYU professor Sonali Thakkar's brilliant first book, The Reeducation of Race: Jewishness and the Politics of Antiracism in Postcolonial Thought (Stanford UP, 2023), begins as a mystery of sorts. When and why did the word “equality” get swapped out of the 1950 UNESCO Statement on Race, to be replaced by “educability, plasticity”? She and John sit down to discuss how that switcheroo allowed for a putative anti-racism that nonetheless preserved a sotto voce concept of race. They discuss the founding years of UNESCO and how it came to be that Jews were defined as the most plastic of races, and “Blackness” came to be seen as a stubbornly un-plastic category. The discussion ranges to include entwinement and interconnectedness, and Edward Said's notion of the "contrapuntal" analysis of the mutual implication of seemingly unrelated historical developments. Sonali's "Recallable Book" shines a spotlight on Aime Cesaire's Discourse on Colonialism--revised in 1955 to reflect ongoing debates about race and plasticity. Mentioned in the episode: Ama Ata Aidoo, Our Sister Killjoy (1977) Hannah Arendt, "The Crisis in Education" (1954) in Between Past and Future: Eight Exercises in Political Thought ( "the chances that tomorrow will be like yesterday are always overwhelming" ) Franz Boas, "Commencement Address at Atlanta University," May 31, 1906 (this is where he says the bit about "the line of cleavage" Franz Boas, Changes in Bodily Form of Descendants of Immigrants, Final Report, immigration COmmission (1911) W.E.B. Du Bois, "Color and Democracy: Colonies and Peace," (1945) Frantz Fanon, Black Skin, White Masks (1952) Michel Foucault, "Nietzsche, Genealogy, History" Adom Getachew, Worldmaking After Empire: The Rise and Fall of Self-Determination IHRA definition of Antisemitism. Jerusalem Declaration on Antisemitism. Claude Lévi-Strauss, Race and History (1952) Natasha Levinson, "The Paradox of Natality: Teaching in the Midst of Belatedness," in Hannah Arendt and Education: Renewing our Common World, ed. by Mordechai Gordon (2001) Edward W. Said, Culture and Imperialism (on the contrapuntal) Joseph Slaughter, Human Rights Inc.: The World Novel, Narrative Form, and International Law UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization), 1950 Statement on Race UNESCO, 1951 Statement on the Nature of Race and Race Differences Gary Wilder, Freedom Time: Negritude, Decolonization, and the Future of the World (on the methodological nationalism of postcolonial studies and new approaches that challenge it) Recallable books: Aimé Césaire, Discourse on Colonialism (1950, 1955 rev. ed.) George Eliot, Daniel Deronda (1876) Read and Listen to the episode here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/intellectual-history

NYU professor Sonali Thakkar's brilliant first book, The Reeducation of Race: Jewishness and the Politics of Antiracism in Postcolonial Thought (Stanford UP, 2023), begins as a mystery of sorts. When and why did the word “equality” get swapped out of the 1950 UNESCO Statement on Race, to be replaced by “educability, plasticity”? She and John sit down to discuss how that switcheroo allowed for a putative anti-racism that nonetheless preserved a sotto voce concept of race. They discuss the founding years of UNESCO and how it came to be that Jews were defined as the most plastic of races, and “Blackness” came to be seen as a stubbornly un-plastic category. The discussion ranges to include entwinement and interconnectedness, and Edward Said's notion of the "contrapuntal" analysis of the mutual implication of seemingly unrelated historical developments. Sonali's "Recallable Book" shines a spotlight on Aime Cesaire's Discourse on Colonialism--revised in 1955 to reflect ongoing debates about race and plasticity. Mentioned in the episode: Ama Ata Aidoo, Our Sister Killjoy (1977) Hannah Arendt, "The Crisis in Education" (1954) in Between Past and Future: Eight Exercises in Political Thought ( "the chances that tomorrow will be like yesterday are always overwhelming" ) Franz Boas, "Commencement Address at Atlanta University," May 31, 1906 (this is where he says the bit about "the line of cleavage" Franz Boas, Changes in Bodily Form of Descendants of Immigrants, Final Report, immigration COmmission (1911) W.E.B. Du Bois, "Color and Democracy: Colonies and Peace," (1945) Frantz Fanon, Black Skin, White Masks (1952) Michel Foucault, "Nietzsche, Genealogy, History" Adom Getachew, Worldmaking After Empire: The Rise and Fall of Self-Determination IHRA definition of Antisemitism. Jerusalem Declaration on Antisemitism. Claude Lévi-Strauss, Race and History (1952) Natasha Levinson, "The Paradox of Natality: Teaching in the Midst of Belatedness," in Hannah Arendt and Education: Renewing our Common World, ed. by Mordechai Gordon (2001) Edward W. Said, Culture and Imperialism (on the contrapuntal) Joseph Slaughter, Human Rights Inc.: The World Novel, Narrative Form, and International Law UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization), 1950 Statement on Race UNESCO, 1951 Statement on the Nature of Race and Race Differences Gary Wilder, Freedom Time: Negritude, Decolonization, and the Future of the World (on the methodological nationalism of postcolonial studies and new approaches that challenge it) Recallable books: Aimé Césaire, Discourse on Colonialism (1950, 1955 rev. ed.) George Eliot, Daniel Deronda (1876) Read and Listen to the episode here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

World Radio Day is celebrated annually on February 13. The original UNESCO proclamation for World Radio Day happened in 2011, and in 2013 the UN General Assembly fully endorsed World Radio Day as an international observance. This podcast, Before, Behind and Between celebrates World Radio Day 2024 by giving special recognition to radio as a precursor medium to podcasting as well as a form of expression that continues to inspire podcasters around the world. This episode shares three World Radio Minutes, each produced by UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. For more information about World Radio Day, visit www.unesco.org/en/days/world-radio. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/steven-christianson/message

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. Taiwan passes law to tighten security at military facilities Taiwan is moving to tighten security at military bases around Taiwan. Under the bill, people inside a military facility taking unauthorized pictures or video or engaging in any other reconnaissance activities with an intent to endanger national security shall be subject to up to three years in jail. And individuals caught entering restricted military areas will be subject to a fine of up to $200-thousand NT for trespassing (違法、 擅自進入、侵入). Defense officials say the new law will not apply to military aficionados taking pictures or filming fighter jets landing and taking off from a military base, if such actions did not endanger the safety of military activities or national security. Centuries-old poetry to illuminate celebration of Arabic language in Taipei The National Central Library will host a 13-day exhibition centered around a centuries-old poetry collection, in celebration of World Arabic Language Day on Dec. 18. The libary says the exhibition is set to display how the Arabic language has inspired creativity in poetry and art for centuries, and is in line with the theme "Arabic -- the Language of Poetry and Arts," chosen by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. In addition to showcasing traditional attire (服裝), cultural artifacts and literature in the Arabic-speaking world, the exhibition spotlights "The Mu'allaqat," a collection of works by renowned classical Arab poets from the sixth or seventh century. The exhibition opens today, and will run through the end of the year. Force to Protect Transiting Ships in Red Sea The U.S. and a host of other nations are creating a new force to protect ships transiting the Red Sea that have come under attack by drones and ballistic missiles fired from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced the force in Bahrain early today. Under the new initiative, dubbed Prosperity Guardian, countries including the UK, Canada, and the Netherlands will protect transiting (通過) ships. Some will conduct joint patrols while others provide support in the southern Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. This comes after US officials say another commercial vessel has been attacked in the Red Sea. U.S. correspondent William Denselow reports. Iceland Volcano Eruption A volcanic eruption started Monday night on Iceland's Reykjanes Peninsula, prompting the country's civil defense to be on high alert. Officials say the eruption appears to have occurred about four kilometers from the town of Grindavik, and local webcam video showed the moment of the eruption as a flash of light illuminating the sky at 10:17pm local time. Iceland's foreign minister says there are no disruptions (中斷、擾亂) to flights to and from Iceland and that international flight corridors remain open. He says a coast guard helicopter will attempt to confirm the exact location — and size — of the eruption, and will also measure gas emissions. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

On this episode of the AI For All Podcast, Clare Stark, UN Coordination Officer at UNESCO, joins Ryan Chacon to discuss the prospect of a global standard for AI ethics. They talk about why AI ethics matters, who is responsible for ethical AI, whether government can keep up with AI innovation, ethical issues specific to generative AI, deepfakes and misinformation, whether governments can be trusted to regulate AI fairly, open source and emerging technology, and the future of AI. Clare Stark is a UN Coordination Officer in the Priority Africa and External Relations Sector at UNESCO, where she is responsible for enhancing UN system-wide coordination on emerging technologies, including on artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and neurotechnology and developing strategic partnerships with UN entities and the private and public sector. She co-chairs the High-Level Committee on Programmes Interagency Group on AI, bringing together 40 UN entities to strengthen the ethical development and deployment of AI to support the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. UNESCO is the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. It contributes to peace and security by promoting international cooperation in education, sciences, culture, communication, and information. Discover more about ethics and AI at https://ai-forall.com More about UNESCO: https://www.unesco.org/en Connect with Clare: https://www.linkedin.com/in/clare-stark-44b1a4139/ (00:00) Intro (00:22) Clare Stark and UNESCO (00:37) UNESCO's global AI ethics recommendation (06:39) Why does AI ethics matter? (08:25) How do ethics differ between countries? (09:55) Who is responsible for enforcing ethics in AI? (12:23) Can government keep up with AI innovation? (15:06) Ethical issues specific to generative AI (18:51) Deepfakes and misinformation (21:39) Can government be trusted to regulate AI? (23:29) Open source AI and emerging technology (25:06) How will AI continue to progress? (26:26) Reconciling differing views on ethics (27:47) What should people look out for in AI? (28:49) Learn more about UNESCO SUBSCRIBE TO THE CHANNEL: https://bit.ly/43dYQV9 Listen to the Podcast: https://bit.ly/45rewGf Join Our Newsletter: https://newsletter.ai-forall.com Follow Us on Social: https://linktr.ee/aiforallofficial

There are many ways to get to school – walk, bike, car, bus, on the back of a motorcycle, or being pushed in a wheelchair.   According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, 244 million children between 6 and 18 are not in school. The Salvation Army International Schools and Education has a long history of engagement with education and currently works with more than half a million children in more than 2,500 schools, in 45 countries.   For The Salvation Army, the essential element is being able to attend school and receive a high-quality education, regardless of how one ‘travels' there.   The Salvation Army is about removing barriers to education for the most vulnerable, and then providing education that is high quality and enables children to either move confidently to the next stage of education or feel empowered enough to look for employment with the necessary skills required in an increasingly globalized world.   Learn more about The Salvation Army's commitment to educating our youth at https://salvationarmy.org/ihq/schools

CBS News Travel Editor Peter Greenberg on the best destinations to visit this year according to The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.  

In this week's episode Mike and Elizabeth discuss the ease with which we engage in outgroup accusations and denunciations, use language that divides us, and even accept accusations of conspiracy without skepticism. After being alerted to one potential conspiracy to indoctrinate children, we did a deep dive into UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) and their "Comprehensive Sexuality Education" initiative. Elizabeth enrolled in their course for teachers and went through the materials. Mike examined their website for red flags. We report on our findings, including a lack of evidence for a conspiracy. Podcast Notes: https://www.unesco.org/en/brief https://www.unesco.org/en/health-education/cse-campaign

The Prism of America's Education with Host Karen Schoen – Where did they learn this - in school, of course. In November 2004, Bill Gates and Microsoft signed an agreement with UNESCO (United Nations Education, Science and Cultural Organization) to provide software for the Worldwide Common Core. https://eagleforum.org/links/UNESCO-MS.pdf Insuring that the world's people will always be stupid, ignorant, and clueless. They...

The New Discourses Podcast with James Lindsay, Episode 121 Sex ed has come a long way, even if you don't realize it. What we used to think of as sex education has been slowly being transformed into Comprehensive Sexuality Education, an institutional monstrosity stemming from a partnership between UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) and the International Planned Parenthood Foundation. Yes, that Planned Parenthood... in schools. In this episode of the New Discourses Podcast, the fifth in the "Groomer Schools" mini-series, host James Lindsay pulls back the veil on the pillars of Comprehensive Sexuality Education by reading from a variety of source material so you can realize just how big the Groomer Schools phenomenon really is. Join him to understand how important it is to protect our children from this. Previous episodes from the 'Groomer Schools' series: Part 1: https://newdiscourses.com/2021/11/groomer-schools-1-long-cultural-marxist-history-sex-education/ Part 2: https://newdiscourses.com/2021/11/groomer-schools-2-queer-futurity-and-the-sexual-abuse-of-your-children/ Part 3: https://newdiscourses.com/2021/12/groomer-schools-3-the-creation-of-an-american-red-guard/ Part 4: https://newdiscourses.com/2022/06/groomer-schools-4-drag-queen-story-hour/ Get James Lindsay's new book, The Marxification of Education: https://amzn.to/3RYZ0tY Support New Discourses: https://newdiscourses.com/support Follow New Discourses on other platforms: https://newdiscourses.com/subscribe Follow James Lindsay: https://linktr.ee/conceptualjames © 2023 New Discourses. All rights reserved. #NewDiscourses #JamesLindsay #groomer

Learning loss from government lockdowns is only now being taken seriously, although for politically correct reasons. K-8 graders are less proficient in math, reading, etc., but more skilled in online activism. But, according to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, this is intentional: “more education increases the threat to sustainability.” UNESCO claims that “basic literacy…will not support a sustainable society.” In other words, education, and therefore success, is a threat to the United Nations. They add, “Generally, more highly educated people, who have higher incomes, consume more resources than poorly educated people, who tend to have lower incomes.” This report is older than the WEF and yet seeks the same outcome: owning nothing and being illiterate. The issue is compounded with the LARPING of every social and poetical group, for there is little difference between the left's ‘extinction rebellion' seeking the destruction of the civilization to save the world, and fundamentalist religious zealots seeking the same for the end-times. The newest trends of asking an infant for permission to change a diaper, or telling an infant to ask a mother for permission to breast freed, is real in minority but ultimately a means to generate clicks and revenue. All the things alternative media shares make them heroes fighting evil. They are virtually no different than mainstream outlets. The obsession with extremist-ideology and clout chasing is the greatest threat to human civilization.This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5328407/advertisement

Sunny Sumter is President and CEO of the DC Jazz Festival, a nonprofit service organization established in 2004 to present jazz-related cultural and educational programs in the nation's capital. Its' signature programs are the annual DC JazzFest, DC Jazz Festival Education, and the CharlesFishman Embassy Series. DC Jazz Festival is the recipient of the DC Mayor's Art Award for Excellence in Creative Industries. Sumter has been a thought leader on jazz with the U.S. Department of State, DC Deputy Mayor's Office of Planning and Economic Development, Jazz Philadelphia Summit, and Jazz Congress, among others. Prior to her tenure at DC Jazz Festival, Sumter held management/director positions with the Aspen Institute, National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship, Smithsonian Institution, and Rhythm and Blues Foundation. She was awarded the Aspen Institute's Staff Achievement Award for Excellence. Sumter earned her bachelor's degree in music business from Howard University where she minored in jazz studies/voice. She is a recipient of a Howard University Benny Golson Award, the Sitar Arts Center Visionary Award, the Jazz Journalists Association Jazz Heroes Award, a DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities Fellowship, and a Mid-Atlantic Arts Foundation Emerging Artist Award. She was host of Jazz Central on the BET network. As a professional vocalist, Sumter has performed at some of the finest festivals, concert venues, and clubs in the U.S. and internationally. She currently serves on the boards of the HBCU-Jazz Education Initiative, the International Society of Jazz Arrangers and Composers, and the North American Performing Art Managers and Agents. She is a member of Americans for the Arts, National Academy for Recording Arts and Sciences; and served as a program director member of the National Collaboration for Youth. Sumter is a Fellow graduate of the prestigious DeVos Institute of Arts Management at the University of Maryland Business School; and is one of the “exceptional leaders” selected for National Arts Strategies' celebrated Chief Executive Program. International Jazz Day is an International Day declared by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization in 2011 "to highlight jazz and its diplomatic role of uniting people in all corners of the globe." It is celebrated annually on April 30Creators & Guests Rob Lee - Host This episode of The Truth In This Art is part of National Jazz Appreciation Month, a celebration that takes place every April. Jazz music is a captivating fusion of multiple cultures, incorporating the classical styles of both America and Europe with the influence of West African culture and folk songs. Jazz music boasts a little bit of everything - an unforgettable melody, rich harmony, a rhythm that resonates within you, and outstanding improvisations that make the genre truly unique.To support the The Truth In This Art: Buy Me Ko-fiUse the hashtag #thetruthinthisart #JazzAppreciationMonth #NationalJazzAppreciationMonthFollow The Truth in This Art on InstagramLeave a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.This episode was recorded at Eaton Radio - Eaton Radio empowers grassroots storytelling and supports emerging, contemporary, and historic underground music. We've produced over 2000+ shows of talk radio and music through a rich and varied rotation of DJ mixes, interviews, and regular shows. ★ Support this podcast ★

AI leaders say slow down, Italy blocks AI, the United Nations implements global framework. But, other leaders keep finding ways to integrate ChatGPT, and new companies are launched. This dichotomy makes for an interesting episode. Paul and Mike break it all down. “The Letter' heard round the world made waves - but what does it really mean? In an open letter published by the nonprofit Future of Life Institute, a number of well-known AI researchers and tech figures, including Elon Musk and Steve Wozniak, have called on all AI labs to pause the development of large-scale AI systems for at least 6 months due to fears over the profound risks to society and humanity that they pose.  The letter notes that AI labs are currently locked in an “out-of-control race” to develop and deploy machine learning systems that no one can understand, predict, or reliably control.  The signatories call for a public and verifiable pause and for the development of shared safety protocols for advanced AI design and development. What does it mean, will other countries follow suit, is it a PR play, and at this point, does it even matter? Are we thinking about misinformation and job loss the right way? At the same time, moves are being made internationally: UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) is calling for the immediate implementation of its Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence, a global framework for the ethical use of AI.  And, in a bold move, Italy has become the first Western country to block OpenAI's chatbot ChatGPT, citing privacy concerns. The Italian data protection authority said it would ban and investigate OpenAI with immediate effect, following a data breach involving user conversations and payment information. Will other countries follow suit?  Prompt engineering - a job, a function, or a skill?  Paul recently wrote about one possible future he's seeing for prompt engineering on LinkedIn, saying: “How soon until we have a Prompt Copilot that helps users write far more effective and optimized generative AI prompts? Think of it as a prompting assistant that improves and expands your prompts as you type them.” He also talked about how the quality of human user prompts is crucial for the effectiveness and value of generative AI software—and that companies are motivated to reduce the friction in their products and speed up time to value for all users.  The development of a prompting assistant that helps users write more effective and optimized prompts using AI seems like an obvious and achievable innovation to solve this problem and could render prompting as a career path or human skill less important beyond 2023. Will it become a must-know in any career path? BloombergGPT is announced Bloomberg has announced the development of a new large-scale generative AI model specifically trained on a wide range of financial data to support natural language processing tasks within the financial industry.  The model, called BloombergGPT, represents the first step in the development of a domain-specific model to tackle the complexity and unique terminology of the financial domain.  The new model will enable Bloomberg to improve existing financial NLP tasks such as sentiment analysis, named entity recognition, news classification, and question answering while bringing the full potential of AI to the financial domain. On top of this, Seth Godin and David Sacks are using ChatGPT. What's next? Rapid-fire topics include the All-In podcast, a Redditor loses his love of his career because of AI, Replit teams up with Google Cloud, Sam Altman chats with Lex Fridman, Sam Altman launches Worldcoin, and more.  Listen to this week's episode on your favorite podcast player, and be sure to explore the links below for more thoughts and perspectives on these important topics.

World Poetry Day is celebrated on 21 March, and was declared by UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) in 1999. Its purpose is to promote the reading, writing, publishing and teaching of poetry throughout the world and, as the original UNESCO declaration says, to "give fresh recognition and impetus to national, regional and international poetry movements".Renuka presents a special feature on 'World Poetry Day' - 'உலக கவிதை தினம்' ஒவ்வொரு ஆண்டும் மார்ச் 21ம் திகதி கொண்டாடப்படுகிறது. இத்தினத்தையொட்டிய சிறப்பு நிகழ்ச்சி. இதில் பங்கேற்பவர்கள் சத்யா நிரஞ்சன், மோஷிகா பிரேமதாச, பகீரதன் தேவேந்திரன் மற்றும் கேதா ஆகியோர்.

In celebration of World Poetry Day held every March 21st. I'll be reading some of my poetry and since it's an international event, I will also read them in English and in Spanish. "Arranged in words, coloured with images, struck with the right meter, the power of poetry has no match. As an intimate form of expression that opens doors to others, poetry enriches the dialogue that catalyses all human progress, and is more necessary than ever in turbulent times." Audrey Azoulay – Director General of UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. The following poems are from Inspire Me: Raw. The poem Citizen and it's Spanish translation Cuidadana are read and performed. Also, Forget and it's Spanish version Ovide and to add a little humor because not all poetry is dramatic or traumatic, we have the poem Go-Go Boots.   Inspire Me Series Book 1 & 2             Contains Inspire Me: Raw, Inspire Me: Perception and five poems from the upcoming book Inspire Me: Awakening Dreams.

UNESCo: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. Kerry (February birthday girl) just took a course, a geography/tourism course, which covered this organization so should know what this acronym stands for, but can't remember as we mark a favourite day around here. This week and year, the theme for the 12th edition of the World Radio Day, to be celebrated on the 13th of February 2023, is " Radio and Peace. We are approaching our 200th episode of Outlook some time in the coming weeks, and we're celebrating here because radio deserves recognition and we're thankful )on this day and every day) to air first on Radio Western each Monday morning. We are grateful for the platform and being able to reach a widely diverse audience through this supportive university/community station out of London, Ontario Canada and we certainly work, on this show, to promote peace to be the ultimate goal we all strive for. Also, first week in February is White Cane Week and we're wrapping it up for 2023 with discussion to highlight the appreciated effort of companies who work for greater inclusion like the one our brother works for, Global Furniture Group, the Toronto company who have shared about this important week to inform the wider public about the white cane and its essential use as a mobility tool for blind people. We want to encourage all companies to do the same by way of educational material, a big step toward creating more inclusive workplaces everywhere. This week on Outlook we also discuss how Kerry spent her birthday weekend and how Brian ventured out to support an old friend's music locally at Aeolian Hall in London (Now designated a World musical Heritage City by UNESCO), and how accessible his travel experience was. We also mention a resource out of London, “Everyone Can Play: for children with disabilities to have the same access to physical activity all children do and we're sharing the research out of Western University in this area, not to mention the news that Bill C-22 (proposed Canada Disability Benefit) has now passed its third reading in the senate. We've recently heard from someone in Communications at Disability Without Poverty with an update on the status of this bill and this week we happily share their latest press release on its progress moving through the Canadian House of Commons: https://www.disabilitywithoutpoverty.ca/press-release-disability-without-poverty-remains-hopeful-about-bill-c-22/ All important ongoing topics to discuss to be sure and which we'll definitely revisit in future shows, however Kerry tries to move this mixed bag episode along (possibly becoming more and more impatient as she gets older); she must just be eager to announce she has a new website and to reveal it to the world. Kay Consulting is her new business and an old friend of hers generously offered to create this website for her writing, podcast, artivist, and consultant of lived experience work and services: https://kayconsulting.ca/ Find out more on the work of Kerry's friend and website designer here: https://thesidehustle.ca And all other links referenced in this episode can be found below: https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/world-radio-day-we-are-diversity https://news.westernu.ca/2023/02/western-researchers-create-online-resource-to-support-physical-activity-for-children-with-disabilities/ https://cyneveryonecanplay.my.canva.site https://www.globalfurnituregroup.com/ca

In 2019, World Logic Day was created by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization. UNESCO believes that logic can help solve some of our biggest global challenges, from climate change to poverty. One of the organizations chosen to host this year's celebration is Austin-based tech startup Logictry, which is on a mission to make logic and knowledge more accessible. On the podcast, Joe learns more about World Logic Day from the co-founders of Logictry, Chelsea Toler and Chris Fronda. Read more about the global problem Logictry is aiming to solve in this article published by Dr. Art Markman, Vice Provost of Academic Affairs at The University of Texas.

In 2018, New London was designated a "site of memory" on the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization's slave route project, an effort launched in 1994 to "break the silence" around the history of slavery. New London Landmarks held a ceremony in July to recognize the designation, installing a plaque at Amistad Pier. The site is considered the sixteenth stop on the New London Black Heritage Trail, which was unveiled last year. The "Middle Passage to New London" plaque explains that in 1761, the Speedwell, a large schooner, arrived in New London from the west coast of Africa transporting 74 captive people. 21 people had not survived the harrowing voyage. "The Speedwell docked in New London for several days before sailing to Middletown." New London joins Middletown and 51 other ports, or "sites of memory," in North America. The plaque, and the designation itself, are meant to honor those who died during the Middle Passage, "and the enslaved people whose forced labor created much of New London's early wealth and led to disparities which still exist today." This hour, we hear from local historians about their research, showing the Speedwell represents a small part of the city's links to slavery. Plus, the Hempsted Houses are prominently featured on the New London Black Heritage Trail. We'll hear from assistant site administrator Nicole Thomas. Do you want to learn more about Connecticut's history with slavery? Historian Lonnie Braxton II recommends the following reads: Complicity: How the North Promoted, Prolonged, and Profited from Slavery by Anne Farrow, Joel Lang and Jenifer Frank The Logbooks: Connecticut's Slave Ships and Human Memory by Anne Farrow Black Lives, Native Lands, White Worlds: A History of Slavery in New England by Jared Ross Hardesty The Ledger and the Chain: How Domestic Slave Traders Shaped America by Joshua D. Rothman Reckoning with Slavery Gender, Kinship, and Capitalism in the Early Black Atlantic by Jennifer L. Morgan GUESTS: Tom Schuch: New London Historian; Researcher, New London Black Heritage Trail Lonnie Braxton II: Historian; Researcher, New London Black Heritage Trail Nicole D. Thomas: Historian; Researcher; Assistant Site Administrator, Hempsted Houses Cat Pastor contributed to this show which originally aired August 12, 2022.Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 2018, New London was designated a "site of memory" on the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization's slave route project, an effort launched in 1994 to "break the silence" around the history of slavery.New London Landmarks held a ceremony in July to recognize the designation, installing a plaque at Amistad Pier. The site is considered the sixteenth stop on the New London Black Heritage Trail, which was unveiled last year. UntitledThe "Middle Passage to New London" plaque explains that in 1761, the Speedwell, a large schooner, arrived in New London from the west coast of Africa transporting 74 captive people. 21 people had not survived the harrowing voyage. "The Speedwell docked in New London for several days before sailing to Middletown." New London joins Middletown and 51 other ports, or "sites of memory," in North America. The plaque, and the designation itself, are meant to honor those who died during the Middle Passage, "and the enslaved people whose forced labor created much of New London's early wealth and led to disparities which still exist today. This hour, we hear from local historians about their research, showing the Speedwell represents a small part of the city's links to slavery. Plus, the Hempsted Houses are prominently featured on the New London Black Heritage Trail. We'll hear from assistant site administrator Nicole Thomas. Do you want to learn more about Connecticut's history with slavery?  GUESTS: Tom Schuch: New London Historian; Researcher, New London Black Heritage Trail Lonnie Braxton II: Historian; Researcher, New London Black Heritage Trail Nicole D. Thomas: Historian; Researcher; Assistant Site Administrator, Hempsted Houses Where We Live is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode!   Cat Pastor contributed to this show which originally aired August 12, 2022.Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 2018, New London was designated a "site of memory" on the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization's slave route project, an effort launched in 1994 to "break the silence" around the history of slavery. New London Landmarks held a ceremony in July to recognize the designation, installing a plaque at Amistad Pier. The site is considered the sixteenth stop on the New London Black Heritage Trail, which was unveiled last year. The "Middle Passage to New London" plaque explains that in 1761, the Speedwell, a large schooner, arrived in New London from the west coast of Africa transporting 74 captive people. 21 people had not survived the harrowing voyage. "The Speedwell docked in New London for several days before sailing to Middletown." New London joins Middletown and 51 other ports, or "sites of memory," in North America. The plaque, and the designation itself, are meant to honor those who died during the Middle Passage, "and the enslaved people whose forced labor created much of New London's early wealth and led to disparities which still exist today." This hour, we hear from local historians about their research, showing the Speedwell represents a small part of the city's links to slavery. Plus, the Hempsted Houses represent several stops on the New London Black Heritage Trail. We'll hear from assistant site administrator Nicole Thomas. GUESTS: Tom Schuch: New London Historian; Researcher, New London Black Heritage Trail Lonnie Braxton II: Historian; Researcher, New London Black Heritage Trail Nicole Thomas: Assistant Site Administrator, Hempsted Houses Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Matt and Kelly discuss the Great Reset again, but this time it's for real.  They also talk about UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, Cultural Organization, and how they have been attempting to shape the dialog around "conspiracy theories" with their Think Before Sharing campaign. And, of course we have to celebrate the police tasing and arresting an ATF agent as he attempts to violate multiple rights of an unsuspecting (yet alert) American patriot. As always, if you like what we're doing, let us know on your podcast app by leaving a review or reach out to us on Instagram.  And, check out our website for the best subversive shirts, flip-flops, and coffee mugs your money can still buy at libertytreelifestyle.com Wanna support the show?  Go to https://www.patreon.com/libertytree and become a member of the Liberty Tree Social Club

Creepy Uganda   So Logan and I saw that we were rising through the ranks of Uganda's listeners for the show and thought: “Hey!  We should show our love and support to these wonderful people”. So, in order to do it right,  we are going on a trip! To Creepy Uganda.    Aside from rituals, ancient vengeful deities, and some rather haunted locations found throughout the wonderful country, there's actually quite a few beautiful areas that, as a tourist, would be something to see! Beautiful Lakes, Mountains and rich cultures are just some of the many things that are strewn about Uganda. So without further adieu, Let's Get Creepy.   The East African nation of Uganda, formally the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked nation. Kenya borders the nation on the east, South Sudan on the north, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the west, Rwanda on the south-west, and Tanzania on the south. A sizable piece of Lake Victoria, which Tanzania, Kenya, and the rest of the country share, is located in the southern region of the nation. The African Great Lakes area includes Uganda. The climate in Uganda, which is also part of the Nile basin, is variable but usually modified equatorial(Characteristics of Modified Equatorial Climate have a range of 4 to 27 degrees celsius). There are about 42 million people living there, 8.5 million of them reside in Kampala, the country's capital and largest metropolis.   Uganda was given its name after the kingdom of Buganda, which ruled over a sizable area of the country's southern region, including the capital city of Kampala, and whose language, Luganda, is extensively spoken today.   The United Kingdom began to govern the region as a protectorate in 1894, establishing administrative law throughout the realm. (A Protectorate is state that is governed and guarded by another independent state is known as a protectorate. It is a dependent region with local autonomy over the majority of internal matters that yet recognizes the authority (much like our relationship between the US and Puerto Rico) of a more powerful sovereign state without being that state's actual possession.) On October 9, 1962, Uganda declared its independence from the UK. Since then, there have been other bloody wars, including an eight-year military dictatorship under Idi Amin.   Their Constitution stipulates that "any other language may be used as a medium of instruction in schools or other educational institutions or for legislative, administrative, or judicial functions as may be authorized by law," despite the fact that English and Swahili are the official languages. Many more languages, including Ateso, Lango, Acholi, Runyoro, Runyankole, Rukiga, Luo, Rutooro, Samia, Jopadhola, and Lusoga, are also spoken in the Central and South Eastern portions of the nation.   Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, the president of Uganda at the moment, came to power in January 1986 following a lengthy six-year guerrilla conflict. He was able to run and win the presidency of Uganda in the general elections of 2011, 2016, and 2021 as a result of constitutional revisions that eliminated the president's term restrictions.   Uganda's varied terrain includes volcanic hills, mountains, and lakes. The average elevation of the nation is 900 meters above sea level. Mountains line Uganda's eastern and western borders. The Ruwenzori mountain range is home to Alexandra, the highest peak in Uganda, which rises to a height of 5,094 meters.   One of the largest lakes in the world, Lake Victoria, which has several islands, has a significant effect on most of the country's southern region. The most significant cities, including Kampala, the capital, and Entebbe, a neighboring city, are found in the south, close to this lake. The country's largest lake, Lake Kyoga, located in the middle of a vast marshy landscape. Uganda is a landlocked country, although it has a lot of big lakes. Lake Albert, Lake Edward, and the smaller Lake George are additional lakes to Lakes Victoria and Kyoga. The Nile basin encompasses practically the whole country of Uganda. On the border with Congo, the Victoria Nile flows from Lake Victoria via Lake Kyoga and into Lake Albert. South Sudan is reached by continuing northward. The Suam River, which is a component of Lake Turkana's internal drainage basin, drains a region in eastern Uganda. The Lotikipi Basin, which is mostly in Kenya, receives water from the far north-eastern region of Uganda.   There are 60 protected areas in Uganda, including ten national parks. Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and Rwenzori Mountains National Park are both UNESCO World Heritage Sites. What in the hell is UNESCO? It stands for Unidentified Neural Electron Sexual Conspiracy Organization and of course that's incorrect and stupid. It ACTUALLY stands for The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. A specialised agency of the United Nations aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture.The Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is home to a group of mountain gorillas, the Mgahinga Gorilla National Park is home to gorillas and golden monkeys, and the Murchison Falls National Park is home to those evil fucking hippos.   The military in Uganda is known as the Uganda People's Defense Force. There are about 45,000 soldiers on active service in Uganda's military. Only the United States Armed Forces are deployed to more nations, according to analysts, than the Ugandan army, which is actively engaged in a number of combat and peacekeeping missions in the area. Uganda has troops stationed in the Central African Republic, Somalia, South Sudan, and the northern and eastern regions of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.   The landscape and wildlife of Uganda are the main attractions for tourists. In 2012–13, it contributed 4.9 trillion Ugandan shillings (US$1.88 billion or €1.4 billion as of August 2013) to Uganda's GDP, making it a significant source of employment, investment, and foreign money. Photo safaris across the National parks and wildlife reserves are the primary draws. Other highlights are the mountain gorillas, which may be found in Uganda's aforementioned Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (BINP) and Mgahinga Gorilla National Park (MGNP), which are two of the continent of Africa's oldest cultural kingdoms. With more than 1073 species of birds reported, Uganda is an ornithologist's paradise, ranking fourth among bird species in Africa and sixteenth worldwide. The Great Rift Valley and the white-capped Rwenzori mountains are only two of Uganda's many landscapes.   Unfortunately like everywhere else, Uganda has a plethora of things that have happened there that aren't exactly what some may consider “pleasant”. For lack of a better term and because we're adults, let's just say some Pretty fucked up shit had happened, actually. Genocide being a fairly big thing. But we want to dive into the lesser known side of Uganda.   Like maybe some cryptozoology? Hmmmmmm?   A large cryptid bird named Bagge's Black Bird was once sighted in Uganda's Lake Bujuku, which is located south of Mount Speke in the Ruwenozori Mountains. They were purportedly observed in large numbers in 1898 at a height of 9,000 feet, according to Stephen Salisbury Bagge, a guide for the government. Bagge described them as black birds the size of sheep with an alarm call resembling that of a bull. Not much else to go on here since this was the only sighting allegedly of the creature. But who knows! Maybe it was a pterodactyl, or better yet, a rather large black bird that was living rather well and just so happened to be bigger than the rest.   Denman's bird was another cryptid bird that Canadian mountaineer Earl Denman purportedly claimed to have seen diving "swiftly and nearly vertically in the high mountain air" in Uganda's Ruwenzori Mountains. Ben S. Roesch speculated that they could have been Verreaux's eagles, which are common in the region and frequently observed diving to grab hyraces (rock rabbits) and hares (the thing that doesn't grow on my head) when hunting in pairs.   The irizima, also known as "the thing that may not be spoken of," was a cryptid that was seen in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo near Lake Edward. One of the least well-supported of the African neodinosaurs, it has been compared to both the mokele-mbembe and the emela-ntouka.   Neodinosaurian cryptids like the mokele-mbembe or li'kela-bembe have been seen mostly in the Republic of the Congo and Cameroon, where it is thought to live in marshy or swampy wetlands, lakes, and rivers. Several other bodies of water have also reported seeing it, but the Likouala region and Lake Tele are particularly linked to it. Many cryptozoologists have long assumed that the mokele-mbembe is a big amphibious animal with a bulky body, a long neck and tail, and a small head. However, a wide range of different reptilian and mammalian identities have also been proposed.   A neodinosaurian cryptid known from the rainforest swamps and rivers of the Republic of the Congo and the southwest Central African Republic, the emela-ntouka (Bomitaba or Lingala: "killer of elephants" or "eater of the tops of trees") is described as a horned animal and has been likened to rhinoceroses and ceratopsian dinosaurs. It is often used as a synonym for the older but now less well-known chipekwe water rhinoceros from Zambia, as well as the ngoubous from Cameroon, the ntambue ya mai from the southern Democratic Republic of the Congo, and certain accounts of forest rhinoceroses. The morphology of the emela-ntouka has been described as well-defined but puzzling. It is described as an amphibian with an elephantine, rhinoceros-like appearance, a big horn on its nose, and a bulky tail resembling a crocodile. The emela-identity ntouka's has historically been the subject of two extremely divergent conflicting theories: either it was a big semi-aquatic rhinoceros or, primarily due to its bulky tail, a living ceratopsian dinosaur. Many cryptozoologists no longer subscribe to the latter notion, as the emela-ntouka is now thought of as a mammal. One ethnic group, the Aka, refers to the emela-ntouka as mokele-mbembe, a practice that has generated considerable misunderstanding.   Now that we understand those two similar cryptids we go back to the irizima. It was initially brought up by Captain William Hichens, who said that there were two conflicting accounts of the creature, including a "gigantic hippopotamus with the horns of a rhinoceros" and an animal with hippo-like legs, an elephant-like trunk, a lizard's head, and an aardvark's tail. Hichens said that such a creature had been spotted by an unknown big game hunter, who then told Herbert Francis Fenn about it, inspiring him to look for neodinosaurs in the Congo. A Brontosaurus, described by Hichens as "a massive marsh animal, ten times as big as the biggest elephant," was discovered in a Congo swamp by a "madcap man" who had been searching for the monster, according to Hichens. Hichens, according to Bernard Heuvelmans, mistook information about the Great Brontosaurus Hoax and Captain Leicester Stevens' excursion for information about Lake Edward. Also, it sounds like they found the funny mushrooms.   The brontosaurus hoax was pretty interesting as well. Allegedly, the news paper in the area of the Democratic Republic of the Congo wanted Captain Stevens to find this cryptid found in the marshes of Lake Edward. The twist is that the original reports were of a ceratopsian dinosaur not a brontosaurus that was written in the news.   Hunter Roger Courtney later made reference to the Lake Edward monster, describing it as a huge, black beast that spews tremendous waves and spouts. When the hunter persuaded his companions to aid him onto the water, the monster had already dove, according to Courtney, who claimed that a Dutch hunter had spotted the animal from the shore of Lake Edward. In addition, Courtney had heard rumors about "dinosaurs" from the adjacent Ituri Forest, which he took to be true.   According to E. A. Temple-Perkins, who studied the irizima in Lake Edward, the monster—especially as it was described by Courtney—may have originated as a local legend intended to explain why waterspouts naturally occur. Given the lack of reliable material from Lake Edward, Bernard Heuvelmans believed that Captain Hichens had accidentally introduced the Lepage-Gapelle fake monster there, leaving Roger Courtney's brief report as the only description of the Lake Edward monster. Karl Shuker, however, asserts that these two contradictory descriptions demonstrate that the term "irizima" is likely used to describe both of the two primary African neodinosaur types found in Lake Edward, the long-necked mokele-mbembe type and the horned emela-ntouka type. Shuker hypothesizes that the irizima, which Hichens described as having numerous horns, may be the same animal as the emela-ntouka and the ngoubou, which resemble Arsinoitherium (a large two horned mammal that went extinct and resemble rhino but the horns being on its brow instead of its snout).   A group of semiaquatic cryptids known as water lions, water leopards, or jungle walruses have been found in rivers and occasionally wetlands throughout tropical Africa, particularly in the Central African Republic. The majority of the time referred to as huge cats , they can be identified by their protruding fangs or tusks and their penchant for hippopotamus slaughter, so they're not all bad. A number of competing theories exist, and some water lions have also been identified or confused with neodinosaurs, water rhinoceroses, and pseudodeinotheria. Ingo Krumbiegel and Bernard Heuvelmans theorized that water lions represent a surviving species of sabre-toothed cat adapted to an amphibious lifestyle and that sounds terrifying. The majority of water lion sighting reports were gathered in the 20th century, however reports of the n'gooli or “water panther”, continue to come from Cameroon.   The Nandi bear, also known as the chemosit (Kalenjin: "devil"), is a cryptid that has been seen in western Kenyan highlands as well as Uganda. It is described as a deadly creature with a matted mane that resembles a bear. Cryptozoologists have determined that the Nandi bear is a fusion of several different cryptids, including maybe two real unknown animals: a huge hyena and a giant baboon, however identities of a living chalicothere (the weird horse/gorilla looking thing) and an unknown bear have also been proposed. Since the 20th century, there have been few or no sightings, and it has been hypothesized that the Nandi bear, if it ever existed, is now extinct. Maybe another version of the sasquatch?    Hope the Cryptids were a little more easy going because now we dive into some… shit.   Sir Edward Frederick William David Walugembe Mutebi Luwangula Mutesa, often known as Kabaka Mutesa II, led a fascinating life. He ruled as Buganda's 36th kabaka (king) from 1939 until his passing on November 21, 1969. In addition, he served as Uganda's first president from 1963 until 1966, when he was ousted and taken into exile by Prime Minister Milton Obote.   Following the passing of his father, King Daudi Cwa II, he succeeded to the throne of Buganda in 1939. He was overthrown twice: once by the colonial governor-general Sir Andrew Cohen in 1953 so that he could be replaced by his half-brother, whom Cohen believed he could better control; and once more in 1966 when Prime Minister Obote forced him to leave for Britain, where he died in exile. Following his first exile of two years, Mutesa II was permitted to reclaim the throne as part of a negotiated agreement that established him as a constitutional monarch and granted the Baganda the opportunity to choose delegates for the kingdom's parliament, the Lukiiko. He had thirteen wives and eleven children by marriage and six through other means.   Initially joining forces to demand self-rule, Sir Edward Mutesa II, KBE and Prime Minister Milton Obote went on to win the 1962 election. Mutesa II was named non-executive president, primarily serving in a ceremonial capacity, but after independence, their relationship started to sour. Obote allegedly instructed Idi Amin-led soldiers to raid his stronghold in 1966. Mutesa II had to escape to the UK once more. Obote declared himself president and assumed total control while he was overseas.   The largest of Uganda's several ethnic groups, the Baganda, were led by Mutesa II as monarch. Despite taking advantage of it, Obote used his position of power to get rid of both the traditional kingships and the independence of the province administrations because Buganda had only agreed to join the state if it had a high degree of autonomy. In 1993, Mutesa's son was elected as the 37th kabaka under a revised constitution. Within Uganda, Buganda is currently a constitutional monarchy. In Uganda, Mutesa II attended King's College, Budo. As a student at Magdalene College in Cambridge, England, he enlisted in an officer training corps and received a captain's commission in the Grenadier Guards. Buganda was then a part of Uganda's British rule. Many of the traditional leaders or kings served as the British's representatives in Uganda. The late fourteenth century is when the Buganda kingly line began. Oddly enough, Obote was deposed in a coup in 1971 by none other than Amin, the head of his own army and closest supporter.   At the age of 45, Mutesa II passed away from alcohol poisoning at his London apartment in 1969. The British authorities determined that he committed suicide, despite his followers' claims that Obote regime assassins were responsible. In 2009, four decades after Mutesa II's passing, a family friend and fellow Ugandan exile living in London told the BBC, "We got warning, people used to write and say somebody has been sent, be aware, take care."   According to JM Kavuma-Kaggwa, an elder from Kyaggwe, Mukono District: “There were rumours that Obote was spending Shs 250,000 per week (a lot of money then) to track down the Kabaka. Their mission had completely failed until luck struck when the late Oscar Kambona of Tanzania who fell out with President Nyerere and fled into exile in London, organised a birthday party in November 1969 in Sir Edward Mutesa's honour.”   “Also in attendance was a beautiful Muganda girl who had reportedly been recruited by the GSU to go to London, befriend Sir Edward, be close to him and poison him. She came close to the Kabaka during the party. It was reported that the Kabaka invited the girl to this birthday party and that was the time she managed to poison him because she was the one in charge of the Kabaka's drinks that evening.”   After Obote was overthrown in 1971, Mutesa II's remains were brought back to Uganda and given a formal funeral by the new president, Idi Amin, who had led the attack on Mutesa's palace in 1966 as the army commander. Definitely an interesting story to say the least. This next event is a little more… unsettling.   On the last night of her life, Rose Nakimuli shut down her little hair salon in rural Uganda at around nine o'clock. The 27-year-old made her way back down to the neighborhood bar for a late-night beverage after walking home to change and turning on her porch light for the evening. Later, while she was strolling along a country road next to a two-lane highway on her way home, a friend leaned out of his small bar to greet her. The following morning, a neighbor discovered her dead; slouched behind banana trees in front of her house. Nakimuli was stripped and forced to kneel on her knees. Her vagina had been penetrated with a cassava stick. Her spouse recognized her by the maroon sweater that was hanging from a tree close by. Considering the porch light was still on suggests that she never actually made it home.   Nakimuli is one of 23 women who have died mysteriously and horribly on the outskirts of Kampala, the expanding metropolis of quickly urbanizing Uganda, from May to November of 2017. The murders have caused fear in the neighborhood, sparked doubts about the nation's dedication to protecting women, and increased scrutiny of the police force, a potent institution criticized for acting with impunity and serving as an extension of the government's ruling political party, the National Resistance Movement.   All of the victims were female, ranging in age from 19 to 38. Four of the individuals have been recognized as sex workers, along with a number of traders and a high school student. Many of the victims had no nearby family and lived alone. Three of the women, at least, are yet unidentified. Many of the murders, according to the police, were committed by witchcraft practitioners who sought financial gain through human sacrifice. Others, according to them, are the result of spousal abuse, drug use among unemployed youth, land disputes, and lone women who fail to take the necessary safeguards.    Twelve or more suspects have been taken into custody. Some have apparently been tortured into confessing. However, not much evidence connecting the suspects to the crimes has been made public.   Locals and activist organizations charge the police with being overburdened and conflicted over the murders of over twenty women.   “What makes me to feel that there is an element of injustice is that it took Rose to die in order for somebody to move,” said Nakimuli's husband, Anatoli Ndyabagyera.   Community watch groups have been established, a curfew has been implemented to prevent women from travelling alone at night, and the local informal economy has collapsed in the interim. Some of the safety measures have not been applied since Idi Amin's regime and the civil conflict that ensued after his overthrow in 1979.   Interior Minister Jeje Odongo blamed a couple of businesspeople at the head of a vast criminal network connected to "the Illuminati" in September 2017 for most of the killings. According to Odongo, the guys, Ivan Katongole and Phillip Tumuhimbise, performed rituals using the victims' blood and body parts in order to increase their wealth.   In Uganda, magic and mysticism still have great power. The rituals that these beliefs usually take the form of can occasionally become more evil. In the past, killings for ceremonial purposes have often involved children in particular.   Jordan Anderson, a researcher who has studied magic in East and Central Africa, claims that the latest killings of women, however, have little in common with conventional ritual homicides. One reason is that it's unusual to preserve a sacrificial body.   “You are killing the person because, in the first sense, you want to use that body part in the ‘medicine' or the potion that you are going to put together,” he said. “It's the particular part of the person you want, not the death per se."   Black magic can also be useful cover for a murderer trying to hide their tracks or an easy scapegoat for incompetent security forces.   “If you have this motif in the media, people can pick it up and copycat it,” Anderson said. “If there's insecurity in this area, if there are murders taking place, this is a great excuse for the politicians, the police and, above all, the people doing the murders.”   In an interview at one of the clubs where she was last seen alive, her husband noted that Nakimuli was regarded as being "extremely sweet." She was unable to stand by as a child sobbed. He couldn't bring himself to clean up her house for two months following her passing.   In small communities like the one where Nakimuli passed away, rumors are easily disseminated, and Ndyabagyera is still dubious of the police's version of what happened to his wife. He thinks Nakimuli's cousin may have set her up as part of a long-standing vendetta.   The small village of Katabi, where Nakimuli and 11 other women were murdered, is located along the main road from Kampala to Entebbe, which is home to the president of Uganda's palace and the country's primary airport on Lake Victoria. Museveni frequently travels this route on his way from his residence to the capital. He didn't go to the town, however, to pay his respects to the deceased until late September.   Museveni interviewed the victims' friends and neighbors during the unexpected visit while keeping a clipboard in his hand and taking careful notes.   The majority of the twelve slain women in the Katabi area were brutalized in ways akin to Nakimuli. Many had been assaulted with cassava sticks, stripped naked, and strangled.   On the opposite side of Kampala, 20 miles north, the bodies of an additional 11 women were found during the same time frame. There, victims were allegedly sexually assaulted and strangled, yet there were no sticks in their genitalia.   An individual named Ibrahim Kaweesa, a chicken dealer who had previously served ten years in prison for robbery, has been connected to those killings. Which seems like a huge escalation. The interior minister claimed that Tumuhimbise, a teenage shopkeeper, employed Kaweesa to murder a dozen women "for ritual performance to protect or improve his wealth."   As part of a loose network supporting law enforcement, 40-year-old Charles Waswa assisted in the arrest of Kaweesa and claimed, "They removed the blood."   Kaweesa resided two-thirds of the way down a short row of apartments, surrounded by women cooking outside and shrieking children. He was labeled by his neighbors as an arrogant and dangerous womanizer.   Kaweesa's neighbor Annette Namkose, 29, stepped in to prevent them from dating. She alleged through a translator that in response, he threatened to kill her, saying, "I'll kill you like I did the ones in Entebbe."   She declared, "He's not a neighbor you want to be with.   Police said that after being detained, Kaweesa swiftly confessed to the crimes. He allegedly led detectives around a number of the crime scenes without being asked.   “I don't believe we have arrested each and every person who knew about this matter,” said Kasingye, the police spokesman.   “I cannot say 100% there isn't going to be any (more) crime because it has never happened anywhere in the world. But at least it (the arrests) shows us we can stop criminals. We can arrest them, we can prosecute them and we can do this throughout the whole country.”   Unfortunately cases like these happen too much in many places around the world. Uganda seems to be trying to get ahead of the curve with the installment of the Anti-Human Sacrifice and Trafficking Task Force following the Anti-Trafficking Act in 2009.    Although reports have shown that the task force has been severely underfunded for a while, we do hope that things start to turn around.   Speaking of human sacrifices, this is a report from only a few weeks ago:   Human sacrifices continue unabated in the remote and rural areas of the landlocked East African country of Uganda despite authorities enacting tough laws and threatening death sentences.   According to officials, 132 incidents of human sacrifices have been recorded in the last three years. The numbers have spiked from 22 sacrifices in 2019, 45 in 2020 and 65 in 2021.   Most victims of such “ritual sacrifices” are children, apparently because they are easier to abduct and seen as “pure” and so of "higher ritual value".   Anadolu Agency quoted authorities as saying on Sunday that the sacrifices are being carried out by witch doctors or local traditional healers, dotting rural areas.   Admitting that human sacrifice is a big problem, Lucas Oweyesigire, the police spokesman for the Kampala region, said most such practices take place in rural areas.   The so-called leader of traditional healing and witch doctors, Mama Fina, has also condemned human sacrifice and described those recommending the sacrifice of human beings as “fake”.   Taking advice from witch doctors   Police spokesman Fred Enanga said only last month they "arrested a man identified as Musilimu Mbwire on suspicion of killing his two sons in human sacrifice.”   According to preliminary investigations, a rich man had paid Mbwire money and convinced him to sacrifice his two sons at the instructions of a witch doctor.   Superstitions lead people in rural areas to seek help from witch doctors, who in turn offer weird prescriptions, including human sacrifices to turn around their luck.   A more worrisome part of the superstition is to undertake human sacrifice to put the body at the foundation of a building to bring good luck.   Timothy Mukasa, a local leader in Kampala's suburb of Kireka, said many multi-storey buildings in the town have been built on a human body.   “The witch doctors tell owners to put a human body at the foundation of the construction of the buildings,” he said.   In 2014, authorities apprehended and later sentenced a tycoon Kato Kajubi for sacrificing a child and then putting his body in the foundation of a building that he was about to construct.   David Musenze, a journalist who studied psychology, said there are not many qualified counsellors to attend to psychological and mental issues of people, which makes them take advice from witch doctors.   "People go to witch doctors to help them get jobs, be promoted at jobs, or kill their enemies, along with many other problems," he said.   So, what about hauntings, you might be thinking to yourself. Well, we found a story from someone living in Uganda from the “your ghost stories” website. I had always thought this sort of nightmare was happening to me alone until I have come across this site. I always took my suffering silently especially the unexplained sickness which always followed devil attacks.   It all started on 28th November 2004 one hour to midnight. Whilst walking home after branching off from the main road. I heard footsteps of someone walking behind me and whoever it was seemed to have been in a hurry, I glanced back and stepped aside to see who it was and let him/her pass as I was in a narrow path.   I saw a hazy form I can't clearly explain here, my hair stood on my head like when you encounter something fearful. A cold shiver enveloped me and a gust of chilly wind wrapped my entire body, like I was putting on a cloak. I let out a silent incoherent scream and ran towards home which was just nearby. That occurrence signalled the beginning of my suffering to date.   Since then, whenever I sleep I am woken up by something touching my foot or a feeling of a being lying beside me, in the morning I find scratches on my body and at first I thought it was me scratching myself during asleep so I used to trim my nails, but the scratches continued.   During the attacks, I fall in a sort of hypotonizing stance. I neither can move nor make any sound except my feet which I use to struggle and try to shrug of the being.   In the past two years the demon has turned sexual, it would turn in a woman form, hugging me in bed trying to initiate sexual intimacy, when I wake up my reproductive organ feels so cold and shrunk. There's pain also in the pelvic area for most of the day.   I have tried all sorts of remedies e.g. Blessed water, salt, prayers etc. But none seems to work, Any suggestions on how to get rid of this demon is welcome.   And lastly, the Haunted Palace of Kabaka Kabak's Palace, also known as Idi Amin's Torture Chambers or Haunted Mansion or Lubiri Palace is located in Lubiri area of Kampala on Mengo Hill Road. It was the home of the Bugandan kings but these days it largely remains unoccupied due to the horrific events that took place under the rule of Idi Amin and President Milton Obote. President Idi Amin built his torture chamber here where hundreds of people were reportedly tortured to death. Their spirits are believed to have haunted the palace which is closed to the public these days for repair and clearing it from the so-called spirits.   MOVIES-Top movies set in africa 30 Must Watch Movies Set in Africa - IMDb

Hello Interactors,I ran into a friend last week who shared a bit of neighborly news. A border dispute is brewing in our neighborhood and you can bet maps are soon to be weaponized. It’s nothing new in border disputes around the world, but do maps really lead to a shared understanding of people and their interaction with place? It may be time cartography gets radical. As interactors, you’re special individuals self-selected to be a part of an evolutionary journey. You’re also members of an attentive community so I welcome your participation.Please leave your comments below or email me directly.Now let’s go…COMMUNITIES DEMANDING IMPUNITIESI step quietly as I near the end of the private lane. Ahead there’s a beige colored fence, barely six feet high, blocking the pathway. It’s attached adjacently to a fence bordering the owner’s yard. As I gently approach the fence I see a dingy string innocently dangling from a small hole in the upper right corner near the fence post. A slight tug on the string and I hear a metal latch release on the other side. It’s not a fence after all, but a secret gate.I push it open and slither through sheepishly looking around to see if I’d been caught. I’m careful to lift the cold black metal latch to silence it as I gently close the gate behind me. I scurry past the driveway glancing at the house. My pace quickens down the remainder of the private lane before me. I self-consciously scurry by neighboring homes and scamper up a steep hill before triumphantly stepping onto the territory of public domain: a city street.This secret passage along a private drive is known to longtime locals in the neighborhood like me. The gate sits on private property connecting two private lanes that connect two public parks at each end. Adventurous out-of-towners looking to walk or bike from one park to the other usually see the gate masquerading as a fence and turn around. But for as long as these roads have existed, locals have hastily snuck through the graciously placed gate.But the fate of this gate is a question as of late. Do they have the right to block a pedestrian route that connects public parks even though it’s on private land? Or do they have the duty to honor the traditions of a community that has relied on this path for decades if not centuries? To answer these questions, governments, corporations, and individuals turn to legally binding property maps. Instead of arming themselves with their own maps in a race to the court, perhaps they should join arms around one map seeking mutual support.The word map is a shortened version of the 14th century middle English word, mapemounde. That’s a compound word combining latin’s mappa, “napkin or cloth”, and mundi “of the world” and was used to describe a map of the world that was most likely drawn on an ancient cloth or papyrus.This etymology resembles cartography from latin’s carta "leaf of paper or a writing tablet" and graphia "to scrape or scratch" (on clay tablets with a stylus)”.Given modern cartography’s reliance on coordinates, the word cartography easily could have emerged from the word cartesian. That word is derived from the latin word cartesius which is the Latin spelling of descartes – the last name of the French mathematician, René Descartes. Descartes merged the fields of geometry and algebra to form coordinate geometry. It was a discovery that, as Joel L. Morrison writes in the History of Cartography, formed the”foundation of analytic geometry and provided geometric interpretations for many other branches of mathematics, such as linear algebra, complex analysis, differential geometry, multivariate calculus, and group theory, and, of course, for cartography.”This two dimensional rectangular coordinate system made it easy for 17th century land barons and imperial governments to more easily and accurately calculate distance and area on a curved earth and communicate them on a flat piece of paper. The increased expediency, accuracy, durability, and portability of paper allowed Cartesian maps to accelerate territorial expansionism and colonization around the world.But rectangular mapping of property, Cadastral Mapping, dates back to the Romans in the first century A.D. Cartography historian, O. A. W. Dilke writes,“One of the main advantages of a detailed map of Rome was to improve the efficiency of the city's administration...”Even as Descartes was inventing analytical geometry in the 1600s, European colonizers in the Americas were using rectilinear maps in attempts to negotiate land rights with Indigenous people. For example, between 1666 and 1668 a land deed clerk filed a copy of a map detailing a coastal area in what is now as Massachusetts near Buzzards Bay. The original map was drawn by a Harvard educated Indigenous man named John Sassamon who was also a member of the Massachusett tribe.Sassamon was respected by colonizers because he represented the ideal of an assimilated native but he was also held in high regard by local tribes…including the Wampanoag for which this map served as a legal document. He was an asset to both populations and served as an interpreter in a wide range of negotiations between tribes and colonizers.This map was used by the Plymouth colonists to negotiate terms over Wampanoag land with their leader Metacom (or as he was also known as, King Phillip). It shows a rectangle featuring a river on the left side of the map labeled, “This is a river”, a line drawn at the top and the bottom labeled, “This line is a path”, and on the right side is a vertical line that encloses the rectangle. Surrounding the area are names of tribes and a body of text at the bottom describing the terms of the deal.Herein lies a controversy, the intention of the map, and the fate of the mapped land. The text can be read one of two ways:“Wee are now willing should be sold” or “Wee are not willing should be sold”.The full statement in the records reads:“This may informe the honor Court that I Phillip arne willing to sell the Land within this draught…I haue set downe all the principal! names of the land wee are not willing should be sold. ffrom Pacanaukett the 24th of the 12th month 1668PHILLIP [his mark]”Nine years later, in January of 1675, Sassamon warned the governor of the Plymouth Colony, Josiah Winslow, that Metacom (King Phillip) was planning an attack. The Wampanaog, and other tribes, had become frustrated and threatened by encroaching colonists. Days later Sassamon’s body was found in a pond.At first many thought he had drowned fishing, but further evidence revealed his neck had been violently broken. A witness came forth claiming to have seen three Wampanoag men attack Sassamon. The three men were tried before the first mixed jury of Indigenous people and European settlers. They ruled guilty and all three men were hung.This created increased tensions and mistrust between Metacom and the Puritans leading to the King Phillips War in the summer of 1675. The battle lasted three years, most of which was without Metacom. In August of 1676 he was hunted down and shot by another Indigenous man who had converted, forcibly or voluntarily, to Puritan ways. Metacom’s wife and children were captured and sold as slaves in Bermuda. Metacom was cut into quarters and his limbs were hung from trees. His head was put on a post at the entrance to the Plymouth colony where it remained for two decades.LABORERS MAPPING WITH NEIGHBORSViolence against and dispossession of Indigenous people by colonists and industrialists usually involves a map. That’s as true today as it has been at least since the Romans. But it hasn’t stunted attempts over the years to reduce or eliminate these injustices. For example, at the end of World War I, while U.S. President Woodrow Wilson and his Inquiry team were remapping Europe at the Paris Peace Conference, the League of Nations was born.Out of this organization came the International Labor Organization (ILO) with representatives from Belgium, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, France, Italy, Japan, Poland, the United Kingdom and the United States. It was chaired by the head of the American Federation of Labor (AFL), Samuel Gompers. Founding members were made of representatives from government, employers, and workers. In the interest of creating a peaceful, safe, and just world, they intended to establish fair labor practices around the world, including fair pay for women – a provision Gompers brought to the table himself. Two lines of their founding preamble stand out amidst today’s international social disorder,“Whereas universal and lasting peace can be established only if it is based upon social justice…Whereas also the failure of any nation to adopt humane conditions of labour is an obstacle in the way of other nations which desire to improve the conditions in their own countries.”Social justice and historic income inequality are conditions that need improved among most countries today as they did in 1918. But when it came time to ratify the permanent ILO members, the U.S. Congress voted to deny Gompers a seat at the ILO table. U.S. politicians were suspect of the League of Nations and many feared these international labor rights may interfere with privatized labor in the United States. It wasn’t until 1934 that the U.S., with the urging of FDR, was allowed to take a seat at the ILO by the U.S. Congress.Nonetheless, during the 1920s the ILO conducted several studies concerning labor conditions around the world. That including the subjugation of Indigenous Peoples as a result of widespread colonization. In 1930 ILO 29 was passed drawing much needed attention on forced labor of Indigenous and Afro-descendant people.For the next two decades the ILO continued to conduct research and create programs throughout their conventions. In 1951 the ILO Committee of Experts on Indigenous Labour devised a 20 year blueprint that addressed land and labor rights of Indigenous populations. They brought together various UN organizations like the World Health Organization, the Food and Agriculture Organization, and UN Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization. It culminated in the publishing of a 1953 report on the core social and economic conditions facing Indigenous Peoples in the Americas.Four years later this work made its way into the passing of ILO 170 as part of the Indigenous and Tribal Populations Convention of 1957. The preamble includes language that admits there exists,“in various independent countries indigenous and other tribal and semi-tribal populations which are not yet integrated into the national community and whose social, economic or cultural situation hinders them from benefiting fully from the rights and advantages enjoyed by other elements of the population…”This was the world’s first attempt to codify Indigenous rights into international law through a binding convention. These conventions included government made maps that were used as legally binding documents. Up to this point in history almost all legally binding maps were produced by governments. But with the spread of neoliberalism around the globe in the 1950s, mapping efforts began to be outsourced from governments to private firms and corporations. This shift was amplified by U.S. President Harry S. Truman’s Point Four Program that offered technical assistance to developing countries, especially Latin America, and was largely funded by private institutions like the Ford and Rockefeller Foundations.Neoliberal economists out of the University of Chicago, Chicago Boys, were also embedded in Latin American governments in hopes of spreading neoliberal policies that favored U.S. industries. Conservative politicians, emboldened by the Cold War, also feared these countries may turn to socialism or communism; especially given the majority of the founding members of the ILO and the League of Nations favored social programs as a means of protecting and providing social justice and stability. The U.S. stood alone in opposition to these principles and policies, but remained influential nonetheless given the U.S. military and monetary domination.But the privatization of legal and technical documents by neoliberals, including maps, resulted in unintended consequences. If within the ILO trifecta of “government, employers, and workers” governments and employers could provide legally binding maps and documents, so could workers. This opened an opportunity for Indigenous communities, and their advocates, to provide their own maps that countered centuries-old border claims and land rights made by expansionist governments and industrialists, both of which are inextricably linked.The language in ILO 170, while groundbreaking, was still drenched in paternalistic chauvinism and assumed assimilation of Indigenous Peoples as the binding element. One example is shown in the preamble above, “not yet integrated into the national community.” Over the course of the following 40 years Indigenous Peoples worked with the international community to revise the language. In 1989 the ILO passed ILO 169 which “takes the approach of respect for the cultures, ways of life, traditions and customary laws of Indigenous and tribal Peoples who are covered by it. It presumes that they will continue to exist as parts of national societies with their own identity, their own structures and their own traditions. The Convention presumes that these structures and ways of life have a value that needs to be protected.”However, the word Indigenous Peoples was footnoted. In a compromise to include language of Indigenous self-determination, the ILO asked that the United Nations take up the matter on self-determination claiming it was beyond the scope of the ILO.Indigenous people continue to advocate for their rights as “workers” through labor organizations in the ILO trio of “government, employers, and workers.” Only 23 of the 187 countries in the ILO have ratified ILO 169 and the United States and Canada are not among them. Most all are in Latin America and one of the most lethal legal weapon Indigenous people have continue to be counter-maps – maps that counter centuries of exploitive hegemonic colonialism.FROM FALLABLE MAPS TO TANGIBLE RAPS After decades at successful attempts at counter-mapping, it may have run its course. Governments and corporations have come to use maps to gain further legal control over Indigenous lands through abundant resources and political maneuvering. If the courtrooms of international law were a knife fight, governments and corporations show up with laser guided missiles. Labor unions in those 23 countries that ratified ILO 169 struggle for leverage, representation, and a voice – especially unions representing Indigenous and Afro-descendant communities. And if they’re suffering, imagine the masses of unrepresented workers in the remaining 164 countries who have not ratified ILO 169.Meanwhile more and more natural resources are sought in increasingly sensitive environmental areas, like the Amazon forests, where the majority of biodiversity and CO2 sucking vegetation is protected by Indigenous communities and their way of life. And as global warming increases, their living conditions will likely lead to more dispossession and even extinction.Mapping technologies since 1989 have also become progressively democratized. They’ve empowered even more people to take to cartography to get their voices heard, claim their land, and their way of life. There has also been a steady increase in members of these Indigenous populations earning degrees in science, social science, technology, and law. They’ve also found increasing numbers of likeminded scholars, intellectuals, activists, and practitioners from the around the world to help.Bjørn Sletto, Joe Bryan, Alfredo Wagner, and Charles Hale are four such examples. They are editors of a recent book called Radical cartographies : participatory mapmaking from Latin America published by the University of Texas Press. It “sheds light on the innovative uses of participatory mapping emerging from Latin America’s marginalized communities”. It’s a “diverse collection” of maps and mapping techniques that “reconceptualize what maps mean”. They argue what is missing, even in counter-mapping, are “representations of identity and place”.The lead editor, Bjørn Sletto, is a native of Norway, was educated in the United States, and has lived and researched in Indigenous communities and border cities in Latin America. He writes in the introduction that“Beyond making claims on the state, Indigenous and Afro-descendant communities appropriate participatory mapping technologies to strengthen self-determination, local governance, and resource management within their own territories…”What he’s found over decades of experience is that,“This fundamental rethinking of the role of maps and the different ways they can be created, analyzed, and remade is driven in large part by inhabitants of the territories themselves, rather than by Western scholars or NGOs.”These scholars have compiled a book that gives these Ingenious people voice and representation through their own methods of cartography. They’ve been allowed to describe geographies “in their own language and on their own terms.” By “describing and depicting the natural and built environments emerging from Indigenous, Black, and other traditional groups in Latin America” they are able to “demonstrate that these radical mapping practices are as varied as the communities in which they take place”.María Laura Nahuel is one contributor in the book. She is a resident of the Mapuce Lof (Community) Newen Mapu, Neuquén, Argentina and received her undergraduate degree in geography from the Department of Humanities at the National University of Comahue, Argentina. She writes that,“the current political, economic, cultural, and judicial context of our work has led us to think carefully about how the state’s historic monopoly over cartography has served to subjugate the ancestral and millenary wisdom of our people, the Mapuce. In particular, new multinational resource extraction projects, which are endorsed by the Argentine government, threaten our livelihood and subject us to a constant state of tension and uncertainty. This reality has led us to develop territorial defense strategies as well as plans for achieving kvme felen, or a state of good living. Mapuce participatory cultural mapping plays a key role in this process.”Co-editor Joe Bryan is another contributor in the book. He is the associate professor in geography at the University of Colorado, Boulder where he focuses on Indigenous politics in the Americas, human rights, and critical cartography. He asks in the book’s concluding commentary:“What is a territory? The question pops up repeatedly across the chapters in this volume. After all, what are mapping projects if not attempts to define territory? The problem, as several of the authors suggest, is that mapping affords a partial understanding of territory at best. At worst, mapping runs completely counter to Black and Indigenous concepts of territory with potentially devastating results. That outcome makes the question of what a territory is all the more pressing...”He goes on to observe that,“We are used to thinking of territory as a closed object, a thing that can be mapped, recognized, and demarcated. The dominance of this concept is reinforced by mapping, beginning with the use of GPS units and other cartographic technologies to locate material instances of use and occupancy... Legal developments reinforce this approach, pushing titling and demarcation as a remedy to the lack of protection…”The owner of the property on which that gate I sometimes sneak through wants to build a new home. Their plans don’t leave room for a gate nor are they particularly interested in maintaining a right of way for the public. It’s caused a kerfuffle in the neighborhood. Home owners on this private lane want their privacy while their neighbors want to maintain access between parks.It’s a battle of territory and maps are the weapon. Individual home owners show title maps that reveal there is no public easement on the private lane. The city acknowledges there is no easement in their maps either, but are acting in the interest of the majority and asking owners to grant easements so the path may remain. It may come down to the courts to decide and you can bet maps will be involved. But as Joe Bryan says, maps afford only a partial understanding of territory.I’m not suggesting the problems of affluent suburban property owners are of equal consequence to the existence and rights of Indigenous and Black communities or the protection of vanishing natural resources. But what they do have in common is the insufficiency of traditional Cartesian maps to adequately represent interests of governments, corporations, and individuals in battles over borders and territories. Especially when their weaponized.A primary trigger of the King Phillip War in 1675 was the encroachment of European colonizers. This led to misrepresentation, misunderstanding, and miscommunication of territory use and rights on a Cartesian map drawn by an Indigenous member of the Massachusett tribe supposedly seeking shared understanding between cultures. Here we are in 2022 where technology and enlightened cultural sensitivity abounds, and rigid Cartesian maps are still leading to dispossession and violence of under-represented and vulnerable communities.But like the Europeans that colonized these lands over 500 years ago, we are turning to Indigenous people for guidance on how best to map and understand territories. We are again asking them to use maps as a way to best interact with people and place through what the editors of that book call radical cartography. Perhaps it’s time we put down our weapons of maps destruction and draw a map together. It just may draw us all closer together. How radical is that? This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit interplace.io

Ashley Bryant-BakerAshley Bryant-Baker is Director of Digital and Analytics at Fresh Eyes Digital, a data scientist, speaker, entrepreneur, and STEM advocate. Before Fresh Eyes Digital, she ran her own consulting firm, B&B Data Solutions, where she helped brands build and leverage data solutions. She has worked in analytics for over a decade, using data to drive business decisions and built a company that focuses on the human side of data and analytics. She has become a sought after speaker on the topics of Gender Bias in AI, Dynamic Customer Segmentation Using AI, and Diversity in the workplace. She has recently been invited to speak at various events, including SXSW, Data Minds Connect, and Digital Summit DC. Ashley holds an MBA in International Economics from The American Graduate School in Paris, a certificate in Data Science from Georgetown and a BAs in Art and Business from Fort Hays University.In addition to her work, Ashley commits her resources to advocate for diversity in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in collaboration with amazing local and national organizations that strive to increase the exposure of minorities, women and other marginalized groups to STEM fields. Her work in data and analytics has helped her serve the needs of nonprofit organizations like the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, The Royal Pearl Foundation; most recently, she was on the I Am We Are Youth board of directors. Ashley believes that data is an important tool that can help make society a more equitable, safe, and inclusive place. Learn more about Ashley here.

Crystal Bermudez from Hofstra University's campus radio station, WRHU, interviews Shelley Wade for World Radio Day, which is every year on February 13th. The Academy of Radio Arts and Sciences of America has selected WRHU to receive the 2021 World Radio Day Award. The honor commemorates World Radio Day, established by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization). World Radio Day is intended to raise greater awareness among the public and the media of the importance of radio. WRHU is the first student-run station to receive this honor.

Tuesday, 30 April 2019 - 9.00am Location: Lauterpacht Centre for International Law, Finley Library All-day workshop: 09:00 - 17:00 hrs Conveners: Eyal Benvenisti, Harold Hongju Koh, and Tomohiro Mikanagi In 2019 three major treaty withdrawals will reach important watersheds. Sometime in spring, the United Kingdom is scheduled to withdraw from the European Union under the withdrawal notice it gave under Article 50 of the Treaty of Lisbon. On November 4, 2019, the United States (under the administration of Donald Trump) is set to give notice that it will withdraw from the Paris Climate Change Accord one year later. In November 2019 the dispute resolution mechanism of the WTO will terminate effectively unless the US agrees to re-appoint a judge of the Appellate Body. These events may be seen as signaling a decline in leading states’ commitment to multilateralism and a growing preference to bilateralism. The Trump administration has clearly asserted its preference for bilateral deals while dismissing international organisations as taking advantage of US generosity. China also seems to prefer alternative groupings outside existing multilateral organisations. In October 2007, during its ascent to global power, China declared FTAs to be its basic international economic strategy. America’s disengagement from multilateralism did not prompt China to fill the void by reinforcing existing multilateral bodies with global reach. Instead, its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and its regional security arrangements are modelled on the “hub and spokes” pattern, an architecture that allows it to tightly control its numerous partners and limit the application of existing standards and mechanisms. Famously, it ignored the UNCLOS arbitral award on the South China Sea in 2016. Perhaps to confront the risk of two superpowers busy dividing and ruling the rest, other countries have sought to preserve the minilateral institutions (eg the CPTPP) and utilise existing multilateral mechanisms (WTO reforms, UNCLOS conciliation and arbitration, OPCW attribution mechanism, etc.). In this workshop we wish to address the uncertain future of multilateralism in light of the prospective withdrawals and resurgence of bilateralism. We wish to discuss motivations, prospects, and implications for domestic and international law. This one day workshop seeks to reflect on the questions. In particular we wish to address the following questions: Panel I: The Domestic and International Legal Issues Surrounding US withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accord and Revising the WTO Since 2017, the Trump Administration has announced its withdrawal from a host of bilateral and multilateral arrangements, including the Paris Climate Agreement; the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA or Iran Nuclear Deal); the U.N. Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization; the Global Compact on Migration; the U.N. Human Rights Council; the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP); the 1955 Treaty of Amity, Economic Relations and Consular Relations with Iran; the 1961 Optional Protocol to the Vienna Convention for Diplomatic Relations on Dispute Settlement; the Universal Postal Union Treaty; and the Intermediate Nuclear Forces Treaty. This panel will address the following questions, among others – Is the Trump Administration aberrational, or are we witnessing the culmination of a long-term trend of U.S. withdrawal from multilateralist institutions? To what extent has the Trump Administration applied tactics first adopted by prior administrations: e.g., blocking reappointment of members of the WTO Appellate Body? What constraints do U.S. and international law place upon blanket unilateral presidential withdrawal from all disfavored organizations? Panel II: The Domestic and International Legal Issues Surrounding China’s “Hub and Spoke” Strategy This panel will address the following questions, among others – Is China accepting the existing multilateral legal rules and mechanisms in economic and non-economic areas? Is China deviating from international standards (including with respect to ISDS) in its various legal arrangements under BRI? Is China deviating from UNCLOS in the South China Sea, including through bilateral COC negotiation? Panel III: The Future of Rule-Based Global Governance through International Institutions: Limits and Potential What are the prospects for international institutions to reclaim multilateralism through concerted action, or through insistence on multilaterally binding norms? To what extent can the UN Security Council, the International Court of Justice, or other international organisations and tribunals can contribute to maintaining and developing further globally-binding norms? To what extent can international process enhance the rule-based global governance through the clarification of law and facts? The UK and the Changing Legal Landscape: The Way Forward from Here

Tuesday, 30 April 2019 - 9.00am Location: Lauterpacht Centre for International Law, Finley Library All-day workshop: 09:00 - 17:00 hrs Conveners: Eyal Benvenisti, Harold Hongju Koh, and Tomohiro Mikanagi In 2019 three major treaty withdrawals will reach important watersheds. Sometime in spring, the United Kingdom is scheduled to withdraw from the European Union under the withdrawal notice it gave under Article 50 of the Treaty of Lisbon. On November 4, 2019, the United States (under the administration of Donald Trump) is set to give notice that it will withdraw from the Paris Climate Change Accord one year later. In November 2019 the dispute resolution mechanism of the WTO will terminate effectively unless the US agrees to re-appoint a judge of the Appellate Body. These events may be seen as signaling a decline in leading states’ commitment to multilateralism and a growing preference to bilateralism. The Trump administration has clearly asserted its preference for bilateral deals while dismissing international organisations as taking advantage of US generosity. China also seems to prefer alternative groupings outside existing multilateral organisations. In October 2007, during its ascent to global power, China declared FTAs to be its basic international economic strategy. America’s disengagement from multilateralism did not prompt China to fill the void by reinforcing existing multilateral bodies with global reach. Instead, its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and its regional security arrangements are modelled on the “hub and spokes” pattern, an architecture that allows it to tightly control its numerous partners and limit the application of existing standards and mechanisms. Famously, it ignored the UNCLOS arbitral award on the South China Sea in 2016. Perhaps to confront the risk of two superpowers busy dividing and ruling the rest, other countries have sought to preserve the minilateral institutions (eg the CPTPP) and utilise existing multilateral mechanisms (WTO reforms, UNCLOS conciliation and arbitration, OPCW attribution mechanism, etc.). In this workshop we wish to address the uncertain future of multilateralism in light of the prospective withdrawals and resurgence of bilateralism. We wish to discuss motivations, prospects, and implications for domestic and international law. This one day workshop seeks to reflect on the questions. In particular we wish to address the following questions: Panel I: The Domestic and International Legal Issues Surrounding US withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accord and Revising the WTO Since 2017, the Trump Administration has announced its withdrawal from a host of bilateral and multilateral arrangements, including the Paris Climate Agreement; the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA or Iran Nuclear Deal); the U.N. Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization; the Global Compact on Migration; the U.N. Human Rights Council; the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP); the 1955 Treaty of Amity, Economic Relations and Consular Relations with Iran; the 1961 Optional Protocol to the Vienna Convention for Diplomatic Relations on Dispute Settlement; the Universal Postal Union Treaty; and the Intermediate Nuclear Forces Treaty. This panel will address the following questions, among others – Is the Trump Administration aberrational, or are we witnessing the culmination of a long-term trend of U.S. withdrawal from multilateralist institutions? To what extent has the Trump Administration applied tactics first adopted by prior administrations: e.g., blocking reappointment of members of the WTO Appellate Body? What constraints do U.S. and international law place upon blanket unilateral presidential withdrawal from all disfavored organizations? Panel II: The Domestic and International Legal Issues Surrounding China’s “Hub and Spoke” Strategy This panel will address the following questions, among others – Is China accepting the existing multilateral legal rules and mechanisms in economic and non-economic areas? Is China deviating from international standards (including with respect to ISDS) in its various legal arrangements under BRI? Is China deviating from UNCLOS in the South China Sea, including through bilateral COC negotiation? Panel III: The Future of Rule-Based Global Governance through International Institutions: Limits and Potential What are the prospects for international institutions to reclaim multilateralism through concerted action, or through insistence on multilaterally binding norms? To what extent can the UN Security Council, the International Court of Justice, or other international organisations and tribunals can contribute to maintaining and developing further globally-binding norms? To what extent can international process enhance the rule-based global governance through the clarification of law and facts? The UK and the Changing Legal Landscape: The Way Forward from Here

Tuesday, 30 April 2019 - 9.00am Location: Lauterpacht Centre for International Law, Finley Library All-day workshop: 09:00 - 17:00 hrs Conveners: Eyal Benvenisti, Harold Hongju Koh, and Tomohiro Mikanagi In 2019 three major treaty withdrawals will reach important watersheds. Sometime in spring, the United Kingdom is scheduled to withdraw from the European Union under the withdrawal notice it gave under Article 50 of the Treaty of Lisbon. On November 4, 2019, the United States (under the administration of Donald Trump) is set to give notice that it will withdraw from the Paris Climate Change Accord one year later. In November 2019 the dispute resolution mechanism of the WTO will terminate effectively unless the US agrees to re-appoint a judge of the Appellate Body. These events may be seen as signaling a decline in leading states’ commitment to multilateralism and a growing preference to bilateralism. The Trump administration has clearly asserted its preference for bilateral deals while dismissing international organisations as taking advantage of US generosity. China also seems to prefer alternative groupings outside existing multilateral organisations. In October 2007, during its ascent to global power, China declared FTAs to be its basic international economic strategy. America’s disengagement from multilateralism did not prompt China to fill the void by reinforcing existing multilateral bodies with global reach. Instead, its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and its regional security arrangements are modelled on the “hub and spokes” pattern, an architecture that allows it to tightly control its numerous partners and limit the application of existing standards and mechanisms. Famously, it ignored the UNCLOS arbitral award on the South China Sea in 2016. Perhaps to confront the risk of two superpowers busy dividing and ruling the rest, other countries have sought to preserve the minilateral institutions (eg the CPTPP) and utilise existing multilateral mechanisms (WTO reforms, UNCLOS conciliation and arbitration, OPCW attribution mechanism, etc.). In this workshop we wish to address the uncertain future of multilateralism in light of the prospective withdrawals and resurgence of bilateralism. We wish to discuss motivations, prospects, and implications for domestic and international law. This one day workshop seeks to reflect on the questions. In particular we wish to address the following questions: Panel I: The Domestic and International Legal Issues Surrounding US withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accord and Revising the WTO Since 2017, the Trump Administration has announced its withdrawal from a host of bilateral and multilateral arrangements, including the Paris Climate Agreement; the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA or Iran Nuclear Deal); the U.N. Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization; the Global Compact on Migration; the U.N. Human Rights Council; the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP); the 1955 Treaty of Amity, Economic Relations and Consular Relations with Iran; the 1961 Optional Protocol to the Vienna Convention for Diplomatic Relations on Dispute Settlement; the Universal Postal Union Treaty; and the Intermediate Nuclear Forces Treaty. This panel will address the following questions, among others – Is the Trump Administration aberrational, or are we witnessing the culmination of a long-term trend of U.S. withdrawal from multilateralist institutions? To what extent has the Trump Administration applied tactics first adopted by prior administrations: e.g., blocking reappointment of members of the WTO Appellate Body? What constraints do U.S. and international law place upon blanket unilateral presidential withdrawal from all disfavored organizations? Panel II: The Domestic and International Legal Issues Surrounding China’s “Hub and Spoke” Strategy This panel will address the following questions, among others – Is China accepting the existing multilateral legal rules and mechanisms in economic and non-economic areas? Is China deviating from international standards (including with respect to ISDS) in its various legal arrangements under BRI? Is China deviating from UNCLOS in the South China Sea, including through bilateral COC negotiation? Panel III: The Future of Rule-Based Global Governance through International Institutions: Limits and Potential What are the prospects for international institutions to reclaim multilateralism through concerted action, or through insistence on multilaterally binding norms? To what extent can the UN Security Council, the International Court of Justice, or other international organisations and tribunals can contribute to maintaining and developing further globally-binding norms? To what extent can international process enhance the rule-based global governance through the clarification of law and facts? The UK and the Changing Legal Landscape: The Way Forward from Here

Do you fear being "forgotten" online? What if you put in all this time, money, and energy, and it doesn't lead to making money? What if, 1.5 years from now, you look back and realize that all the work you've done building an internet presence, putting in the work day-in and day-out, pursuing your dream, all amounted to nothing? (scary) I'll be completely honest. You SHOULD be afraid of time running out, and going out of business, but (possibly) not for the reason you think... Worried About Online Competition? You SHOULD Be! YouTube users watch over 1 billion hours of video content per day, and according to the Wall Street Journal, that's set to eclipse TV viewership in 2017. Over 6,000 books are published PER DAY according to UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization), (1200 in China and 800 from the U.S. alone -- every single day) As of late 2016, 60 million business are actively marketing on Facebook (4 million of them using paid ads) Are You Worried About Giving Up, Burning Out, or Quitting? According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, there are 28.8 million small businesses in the United States, and only one-third survive ten years. 82% of businesses fail because of cashflow problems, either not being cashflow-positive or from mis-management. The U.S. Census Bureau reports that: 400,000 new businesses appear every year, but in that same year, 470,000 close up shop! The good news is: being a lean startup or "one person business" is easier that ever. According to a study performed just a few years ago, 8.6% of the U.S. workforce consists of solopreneurs and is expected to grow to 24 million people by 2018. Compare that to a McDonald's franchise that costs $750,000 in LIQUID assets to start-up, in addition to about $1 million in startup costs and now you're forced to pay up to 12% in gross sales back to that corporate office... no thank you. And, I'm sure you've experienced those moments of doubt, uncertainty, and panic about what you're doing with this "Internet" stuff. Are You Worried That Your Internet Business Will Eventually Fail, Leaving You With Nothing To Show But A Lot Of Wasted Effort? I'm sure that you have way more ideas in your head than you have time to implement in just 24 hours every day Chances are, you've started more projects, websites, and membership sites, than you've finished I imagine that, like me, you've seen one or two sites out there and been JEALOUS that they beat you to the market -- and -- probably set something up better than you had imagined It is my hope that you've skipped right past the low-baller stuff like affiliate marketing, CPA, solo ads and banner ads and instead looked to the low-hanging fruit of making money online: membership sites Now, have you thought about this? What If, Without A Guide, You Sort Of "Fudge It" And Crank Away From Membership Content? Again, without anyone to guide you, what if you created a "sales letter" and added some stuff to get people to buy? What if you only "guessed" about price points, where to get traffic, how to setup drip content, weren't sure about membership software or where to host your site, your design (website theme)? Doesn't that seem like only 1 possible way to go right and about 200 ways to go wrong? (In the same way you might embark on a cross-country road trip with GPS vs. no map and no direction... how likely is it, with random trial-and-error, that you'll arrive at your destination?) Can I Make It Simple For You? First, decide who you are and what you do. What solutions you have to offer. How can you help "me" to get what I want? (With stock trading, real estate, WordPress, etc.)? Seriously, don't skip this. What will I HAVE at the end of your course and your training? For example, if you teach me how to sell on eBay, I shouldn't end your course with "some ideas" on how to sell on eBay. I should end with actual SOLD ITEMS on eBay! An important distinction.