Podcasts about unesco world heritage list

We take a trip out of Puglia to nearby Matera, in the neighbouring region of Basilicata.  According to Keith Jenkins, founder and publisher of Velvet Escape, Matera is "one of the most extraordinary towns I've ever laid my eyes on". He explains, "Italy excels in extraordinary cities - I've visited many of them - but Matera surely belongs in the upper echelons of 'the most extraordinary cities' list". In this guide we suggest a walking tour route and a bus tour. Places to eat, including our favourites, and the remarkable cave dwellings and churches to visit. A UNESCO World Heritage List destination, recognised for being "one of the most outstanding organised urban settlements ever created in the world, a real materpiece of human creative genius and capacity to adapt". Map and links for our walking tour suggestions here: Love Matera | From Caves to Culture, Shame to Pride. Follow us on Instagram for frequent video stories, reels, photos, ideas and other information to inspire your stay in Puglia.

If you're looking for a fairytale castle in France, look no further than Chateau de Chenonceau. Stood on an arched bridge across the Cher River, its reflection perfectly captures the magic of the building within. From being the residence of some of France's most powerful women to playing an active role in the French resistance, its walls have many stories to tell.A visit to the chateau will take you back to 16th-century France when it was built. You'll travel slowly back to the 21st century, meeting a King's mistress, a Queen, a French salonist, and a socialite, to name but a few. Its Renaissance architecture and medieval roots have earned it a place on the UNESCO World Heritage List. It's instantly recognizable and is one of the most photographed chateau in France. So, let me take you on a trip back in time when a fortified castle and mill were demolished, and a chateau was built.For full notes and details on today's episode see the links below:The Secrets of the Ladies Chateau, Chateau de ChenonceauI'm Kylie Lang, owner of Life in Rural France, a travel blog dedicated to helping others explore & discover all that France has to offer. On the blog, you'll discover sections covering:City Guides - everything you need to know about visiting cities such as Paris, Bordeaux, Carcassonne, Rouen, La Rochelle and many more.Moving to France - lots of resources to help you plan your move from visas and insurance to sim cards and watching TV.French Travel News - discover what's happening in France, from festivals and events to the latest deals and offers.If there is anything you'd like to know about living in France, the French culture or the history of this wonderful country, feel free to DM me on Instagram @lifeinruralfrance

2024-09-08 | It was reported earlier this year that Russia destroyed the Chersonesus in Sevastopol, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. They are in the process of erecting vast new buildings on the site of the archaeological remains. Since the occupation of Crimea in 2014, Russia has been systematically destroying historical sites. It's alleged the invaders moved many archaeological artefacts to Russia, and indeed there are reports that museums on occupied Ukrainian territory have been completely looted. ---------- Eveline Kravchenko an employee of the Institute of Archaeology of the National Academy of Sciences, stressed in a speech at an expert forum that, “the Chersonesus in Sevastopol is a UNESCO heritage site of world importance.” The ancient city of Chersonesus was founded in the 6th century BC and was one of the local centres of Hellenic civilization. In 2013, Chersonesus was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The authenticity of this monument is likely lost forever, as Russians erected in its place a new open-air theatre and cathedral in honour of the Moscow patriarch (and former KGB agent). During the construction, it's believed that some archaeological findings were transported to museums in Russia. In 2015-2016, developers obstructed views of the archaeological remains with observation platforms: towers, walls, and columns. Later, they erected an open-air theatre on the site of the ancient citadel, which imposes a load of approximately one ton on the original structure. A significant portion of artifacts discovered during the process were exported to museums in Russia, including frescoes, pottery, household items, and icons. Subsequently, construction began on an archaeological park, apparently called “New Chersonesus” at the site of remains of the necropolis. “Russians ignored the geology and archaeology at the site and began to remove the soil on the territory with standard excavators. Somehow, they dug up an ancient spring, which flooded everything," Evelina Kravchenko explained. ---------- Sources and recommended reading: https://nikvesti.com/en/news/incidents/russians-destroy-monument-crimea-theater-cathedral-moscow-patriarchate https://odessa-journal.com/russia-stole-artifacts-from-the-ancient-site-of-chersonesus https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2024/06/26/7462672/ https://bukvy.org/en/russia-is-destroying-ancient-chersonesus-in-crimea/ https://odessa-journal.com/russians-destroyed-the-ancient-site-of-chersonesus-and-erected-a-new-building-in-its-place https://kyivindependent.com/russian-occupation-authorities-destroy-unesco-world-heritage-site-build-outdoor-theater-in-its-place/ ---------- SUPPORT THE CHANNEL: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain https://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain ---------- TRUSTED CHARITIES ON THE GROUND: Save Ukraine https://www.saveukraineua.org/ Superhumans - Hospital for war traumas https://superhumans.com/en/ UNBROKEN - Treatment. Prosthesis. Rehabilitation for Ukrainians in Ukraine https://unbroken.org.ua/ Come Back Alive https://savelife.in.ua/en/ Chefs For Ukraine - World Central Kitchen https://wck.org/relief/activation-chefs-for-ukraine UNITED24 - An initiative of President Zelenskyy https://u24.gov.ua/ Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundation https://prytulafoundation.org NGO “Herojam Slava” https://heroiamslava.org/ kharpp - Reconstruction project supporting communities in Kharkiv and Przemyśl https://kharpp.com/ NOR DOG Animal Rescue https://www.nor-dog.org/home/ ---------- PLATFORMS: Twitter: https://twitter.com/CurtainSilicon Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/siliconcurtain/ Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/4thRZj6NO7y93zG11JMtqm Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/finkjonathan/ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtain ----------

①New Chinese migratory bird sanctuaries added to UNESCO World Heritage List②Customized travel redefines tourist experience in NW China③Shanghai metro introduces luggage storage self-service for hassle-free travel④China makes more films accessible for blind people⑤A Thousand Whys: Lost love reunion, once a year

A centuries-old example of Chinese urban planning and architecture has received global recognition.我国中国历代古都中轴线的集大成者和建筑典范获得了全球认可。 The 46th session of the World Heritage Committee in New Delhi, India, announced on Saturday that the Beijing Central Axis — "A Building Ensemble Exhibiting the Ideal Order of the Chinese Capital" — has been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, becoming China's 59th World Heritage Site.7月27日，在印度首都新德里举行的联合国教科文组织第46届世界遗产大会上，我国申报的“北京中轴线——中国理想都城秩序的杰作”被正式列入《世界遗产名录》，截至目前，我国世界遗产数量达到59项。 The Central Axis in Beijing is an ensemble of palaces, public buildings and gardens that governs the overall layout of the old city area of the Chinese capital.北京中轴线是由宫殿、公共建筑和园林组成的综合体，管理着老北京的整体布局。 Stretching 7.8 kilometers north to south through the heart of Beijing, the newly inscribed World Heritage Site comprises 15 components. At the northern end of the axis are the Bell Tower and Drum Tower. It then runs south through Wanning Bridge, Jingshan Hill, the Forbidden City, the Upright Gate, the Tian'anmen Gate, the Outer Jinshui Bridges, the Tian'anmen Square Complex, the Zhengyangmen Gate, the Southern Section Road Archaeological Sites, before terminating at the Yongdingmen Gate at the southern end. The Imperial Ancestral Temple, the Altar of Land and Grain, the Temple of Heaven, and the Altar of the God of Agriculture are located on the east and west sides of the Axis.北京中轴线北起钟鼓楼，南至永定门，全长7.8公里，包含15处遗产构成要素。轴线的北端是钟楼和鼓楼。从这里出发，径直向南，可依次穿越万宁桥、景山、故宫、端门、天安门、外金水桥、天安门广场及建筑群、正阳门、中轴线南段道路遗存，直至永定门。全程7.8公里的中轴线两侧，闻名世界的文物古建鳞次栉比，蔚为大观。 The complex comprises imperial palaces and gardens, imperial sacrificial buildings, ancient city management facilities, national ceremonial and public buildings and remains of the original central axis roads.该建筑群包括皇宫和园林、皇家祭祀建筑、古城管理设施、国家仪式和公共建筑，以及中轴线道路遗迹。 "It is an important symbol that embodies prominent characteristics of Chinese civilization, highlighting Beijing's exceptional status among the famous ancient capitals of the world," Li Qun, director of the National Cultural Heritage Administration, said in an interview with China Global Television Network on Saturday in New Delhi. "It has had a profound impact on the history of urban planning and construction worldwide and serves as a Chinese case for the preservation and sustainable protection of ancient capitals," Li added.7月27日，国家文物局局长李群在新德里接受中国国际电视台采访时说：“这是一个重要的象征，体现了中华文明的突出特征，突显了北京在世界著名古都中的特殊地位。北京中轴线对世界城市规划和建设产生了深远的影响，是中国保护古都的典范。” Construction of the Central Axis began in the 13th century and was completed in the 16th century. It has undergone constant refinement over the past centuries and continues to influence Beijing's urban development to this day.北京中轴线的建设始于13世纪，16世纪成型。在过去七个世纪中，它不断得到完善，至今仍在影响着北京的城市发展。The World Heritage Committee acknowledged that the Central Axis in Beijing meets the World Heritage List selectioncriteria No 3 and No 4: It bears unique or exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition or to a civilization that is living or has disappeared, and is an outstanding example of a type of building, architectural or technological ensemble or landscape that illustrates significant stage or stages in human history.世界遗产委员会承认，北京中轴线符合《世界遗产名录》评选标准的第3、4条：能为一种已消逝的文明或文化传统提供一种独特的至少是特殊的见证；可作为一种建筑或建筑群或景观的杰出范例，展示出人类历史上一个(或几个)重要阶段； Ernesto Ottone, UNESCO's assistant director-general for culture, speaking at a celebratory event in New Delhi later on Saturday, said that Beijing's intricate urban planning draws inspiration from Confucian philosophy with a history spanning thousands of years and which flourishes even today. The preservation and design of urban heritage are not only about protecting the past but also about constructing a better future, he added.7月27日晚，联合国教科文组织文化助理总干事埃内斯托·奥托内（Ernesto Ottone）在新德里发表讲话时说，北京错综复杂的城市规划从数千年的儒家哲学中汲取灵感。城市遗产的保护和设计不仅是为了保护过去，更是为了建设一个更美好的未来。 According to the National Cultural Heritage Administration, the Central Axis in Beijing provides exceptional material testimony to the philosophy of "neutrality and harmony" prized in Chinese tradition. It is an outstanding example representing the mature stage of the urban central axis of Chinese capitals, and also the best-preserved capital central axis in China.中华人民共和国国家文物局表示，北京中轴线为中国传统中所珍视的“中和”哲学提供了非凡的物质证明。它是中国首都城市中轴线成熟阶段的杰出代表，也是中国保存最完好的首都中轴线。 " (The Beijing Central Axis) is the product of some of the best urban planning in history," said Christa Reicher, a professor at RWTH Aachen University in Germany and a UNESCO chair for cultural heritage and urbanism, in an interview with Xinhua. "It is regarded as the 'spine of the city's culture' and a magnet for tourists from all over the world."德国亚琛工业大学教授、联合国教科文组织文化遗产和城市规划教席克里斯塔·莱歇尔（Christa Reicher）在接受新华社采访时表示：“（北京中轴线）是历史上最好的城市规划的产物，被视为‘城市文化的脊梁'，吸引着来自世界各地的游客。” Lyu Zhou, director of the National Heritage Center at Tsinghua University, said that this paradigm of city planning can be traced back to Kaogongji (Book of Diverse Crafts), a section of the Confucian classic Rites of Zhou that was compiled more than 2,000 years ago. The milestone work outlines the rituals and order in the planning of a capital city.清华大学国家遗产中心主任吕舟表示，这种城市规划范例可以追溯到公元前221年之前编写的《考工记》，该书概述了首都规划中的礼仪和秩序。 The Forbidden City and the markets at the Bell Tower and Drum Tower area correspond to the book's account of "court in the front, market in the back". The tome speaks of "an ancestral temple on the left, an altar of land and grain on the right", which is reproduced in the Imperial Ancestral Temple and the Altar of Land and Grain, located symmetrically on the east and west sides of the Central Axis.书中的记载包括“前朝后市”，对应于紫禁城和钟鼓楼地区的市场，以及“左祖右社”，指的是位于中轴线东西两侧的太庙和社稷坛。 "It is a carrier of traditional Chinese concepts and beliefs, constructing a symbol for national order and witnessing the formation of the Chinese cultural tradition of inclusion and diversity," Lyu said.吕舟说：“北京中轴线是中国传统观念和信仰的载体，构建了国家秩序的象征，并见证了包容和多元的中国文化传统的形成。”Between 2020 and 2023, an action plan for comprehensive protection of the axis was put into practice. Various efforts including renovation of historical buildings, related archaeological research, improvement of the environment, and activities to encourage wide participation of the public in this process followed.我国2020年至2023年通过《北京中轴线保护管理规划（2022年—2035年）》（以下简称《规划》），随后，我国开展了各种措施，包括历史建筑的翻新、相关考古研究、环境改善及鼓励公众广泛参与相关活动。 "Through this process, the historical pattern and historical charm of the Central Axis in Beijing are gradually being restored and vividly reproduced, with continuous improvement in the living environment and urban landscape along the axis," said Chu Jianhao, deputy director of the Beijing Municipal Office for Conservation and Management of Beijing Central Axis.北京中轴线申遗保护工作办公室专职副主任褚建好说：“申遗过程中，北京市以中轴线申遗保护为抓手带动老城整体保护，带动重点文物、历史建筑腾退，强化文物保护和周边环境整治。” "The inscription marks a new starting point. China will adhere to the World Heritage Convention, and continue making efforts to protect and restore heritage buildings, mitigate the impact of natural disasters, encourage public participation, strategically guide tourism development, and improve the capabilities of property interpretation and presentation," Li from the National Cultural Heritage Administration vowed at the session in New Delhi on Saturday.李群表示，申遗成功是新的起点，中国将切实履行《保护世界文化和自然遗产公约》，在文物建筑保护修缮、应对自然灾害影响、鼓励社区居民参与、科学引导旅游发展、提高阐释展示能力等方面持续发力，确保“北京中轴线”得到妥善保护传承。"China will continue to coordinate the management and protection of World Heritage Sites, strengthen exchange and cooperation with international organizations and other signatory countries… and contribute to promoting cultural exchange and mutual learning and building a community with a shared future for mankind," he added.未来，中国将继续统筹做好世界文化遗产保护管理工作，进一步加强与国际组织和各缔约国的交流合作，借助亚洲文化遗产保护联盟平台，为推动文明交流互鉴、构建人类命运共同体贡献力量。 Various activities to celebrate the inscription of the Central Axis on the UNESCO World Heritage List were held across Beijing over the weekend.7月27日至28日，北京各区举行了多项活动，庆祝北京中轴线被列入联合国教科文组织世界遗产名录。UNESCOn.联合国教科文组织

George Town, Penang, has celebrated its 16th anniversary of being jointly inscribed on the Unesco World Heritage List with Malacca. Think City, a Khazanah Nasional subsidiary, was instrumental in helping to develop George Town since 2009, helping to maintain its status as a living heritage city. Hamdan Abdul Majeed, shares his experience as Think City's managing director as well as a Penangite.

One of the world's most ancient roads is being considered for inclusion on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Rome's venerable Appian Way, built in 312 BCE, is now a protected archaeological park. At 500-kilometers it is another surviving testament to the might of the Roman Empire.

Wadi Dawkah, home to no less than 5,000 frankincense trees, was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2000 as one of four Land of Frankincense sites. The designation spotlighted the importance of the frankincense trade across the ages in the Sultanate of Oman. This spurred the Omani government and Renaud Salmon, Chief Creative Officer at the perfume house Amouage, to start building a high-quality industry for Omani frankincense essential oil. Dominique Roques, a perfumery natural ingredients sourcer for more than 30 years, who is also tasked with plotting the renaissance of the precious tree in Wadi Dawkah, is our guide to discuss and document this ambitious project as it unfolds in the coming years.---- Podcasts by Nez, the audio channel for the olfactory culture - https://podcasts.bynez.com---Find all our podcasts on the usual platforms (Spotify, Deezer, Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Youtube) Hébergé par Acast. Visitez acast.com/privacy pour plus d'informations.

Flanked by the towering Andes to the east and the wild Pacific Ocean to the west, the impossibly dry Atacama Desert is the spectacular result of this unique geography.  Despite its aridity, the Atacama region was first occupied by humans over 10,000 years ago and this hyper arid environment has subsequently allowed for the preservation of materials that most archaeologists can only dream of.In this episode we are joined by Dr Chris Carter to discuss what can be found in the region, from the scant remains of the early camps to the oldest artificial mummies in the world. Chris' PhD research was based on excavations he carried out in northern Chile at coastal sites of the Desert. He has continued to work in this region since the late 1990s and has contributed to Chile's proposal to have the Inka trails included on the UNESCO World Heritage List.Academy Travel is a leading specialist in small-group cultural tours, allowing you to travel with like-minded companions and learn from internationally renowned experts. Like our podcast, our tours are designed to appeal to travellers with a strong interest in history, archaeology, architecture, the visual arts and the performing arts.Learn more here - https://academytravel.com.au/

This week on The Sound Kitchen you'll hear the answer to the question about the French city close to Nîmes. We'll welcome new RFI Listeners Club members, hear your answers to the bonus question on “The Listener's Corner” with Paul Myers, and plenty of good music. All that, and the new quiz question, too, so click on the “Play” button above and enjoy!  Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You'll hear the winner's names announced and the week's quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you've grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr  Tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!In addition to the breaking news articles on our site, with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts that will leave you hungry for more.There's Paris Perspective, Spotlight on France, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our team of journalists. You never know what we'll surprise you with!To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you'll see “Podcasts” at the top of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show. Teachers, take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr  If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below. Another idea for your students: Br. Gerald Muller, my beloved music teacher from St. Edward's University in Austin, Texas, has been writing books for young adults in his retirement – and they are free! There is a volume of biographies of painters and musicians called Gentle Giants, and an excellent biography of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., too. They are also a good way to help you improve your English – that's how I worked on my French, reading books which were meant for young readers – and I guarantee you, it's a good method for improving your language skills. To get Br. Gerald's free books, click here. Independent RFI English Clubs: Be sure to always include Audrey Iattoni (audrey.iattoni@rfi.fr) from our Listener Relations department in all your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me (thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr) when you write to her so that I know what is going on, too. NB: You do not need to send her your quiz answers! Email overload!And don't forget, there is a Facebook page just for you, the independent RFI English Clubs. Only members of RFI English Clubs can belong to this group page, so when you apply to join, be sure you include the name of your RFI Club and your membership number. Everyone can look at it, but only members of the group can post on it. If you haven't yet asked to join the group, and you are a member of an independent, officially recognised RFI English club, go to the Facebook link above, and fill out the questionnaire!!!!! If you do not answer the questions, I click “Decline”.There's a Facebook page for members of the general RFI Listeners Club, too. Just click on the link and fill out the questionnaire, and you can connect with your fellow Club members around the world. Be sure you include your RFI Listeners Club membership number (most of them begin with an A, followed by a number) in the questionnaire, or I will have to click “Decline”, which I don't like to do!This week's quiz: On 23 September, I asked you a question about a southern French city close to Nîmes. That week, Nîmes' Maison Carrée, a Roman temple from the first century CE, was added to the Unesco World Heritage List. It is France's 51st World Heritage site.Just a little over 30 kilometers away from Nîmes is another city that boasts numerous Roman monuments – and World Heritage Sites. I asked you to send in the name of that city.The answer is: Arles. Arles has eight Roman and medieval monuments on the World Heritage Site list: the amphitheater, the cathedral of Saint-Trophime and its cloisters, the necropolis of Les Alyscamps, the subterranean galleries, the Roman and medieval ramparts, the Roman theatre, and the baths of Constantine. They were added to the Unesco list in 1981.In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question “What do you value most in your life?”, which was suggested by Radhakrishna Pillai from Kerala State in India.The winners are:  RFI English listener Arne Timm from Harjumaa, Estonia. Arne is also the winner of this week's bonus question.  Congratulations, Arne!There's also Sayeeb Mohammed, who's a member of the RFI International DX Radio Listeners Club in Murshidabad, India; brand-new RFI Listeners Club member Akiyoshi Teraoka from Fukuoka, Japan; Samir Mukhopadhyay from West Bengal, India, and RFI English listener Aksa Ahmed from Munshiganj, Bangladesh.Congratulations winners!Here's the music you heard on this week's programme: The Waltz in C major by Francis Poulenc, performed by Gabriel Tacchino; “The Sheik of Araby” by Ted Snyder, played by Django Reinhardt and the Quintette de Hot Club de France; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children's Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and “O Mistress Mine”, from William Shakespeare's play Twelfth Night. The song was set to music by Gerald Finzi, the bass-baritone is Bryn Terfel.This week's question ... you must listen to the show to participate.  After you've listened to the show, re-read our article “Polish opposition eyes power after ruling nationalists fail to win majority” to help you with the answer.You have until 20 November to enter this week's quiz; the winners will be announced on the 25 November podcast. When you enter, be sure you send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.Send your answers to:english.service@rfi.frorSusan OwensbyRFI – The Sound Kitchen80, rue Camille Desmoulins92130 Issy-les-MoulineauxFranceorBy text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country's international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don't forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.To find out how you can win a special Sound Kitchen prize, click here.To find out how you can become a member of the RFI Listeners Club, or form your own official RFI Club, click here. 

Education Headline RoundupThis week, we're discussing two big stories that are making waves in the education world, one of which is very close to home (here's looking at you, Ohio):Ohio's Department of Education is undergoing a major reorganization that has been met with opposition from teachers, school administrators, and parents. The reorganization has been blocked by a temporary restraining order, and it is unclear what will happen to the new Department of Education and Workforce if the Ohio Supreme Court upholds the lower court's ruling that the restructuring process was in violation of the state of Ohio's constitution.The California Mathematics Framework, a recently approved, 1,000+ page proposal to overhaul mathematics instruction in California public schools, is coming under intensifying scrutiny. Proponents of the Framework argue that its goal is to bolster educational equity by focusing on applied and authentic mathematics problems, tweaking curriculum timing and content, and endorsing a recommendation that postpones the teaching of Algebra I until high school, but the proposal has been met with intense debate. Critics have taken issue with some of the research cited by the report, and the size of the document has also made it difficult for the public to scrutinize.The Homework HustleHomework has been a part of American schooling for many years, though its popularity as an instructional aid has waxed and waned over the decades. At the turn of the 20th century, progressive reformers argued that homework was not "hands-on" enough and that it created undue stress in the lives of students. Anti-homework sentiment faded amidst Cold War tensions as American policy-makers struggled to "keep up" with the technological advances of the Soviets. In 1983, the Reagan administration's report "A Nation at Risk" warned that American students were falling behind their peers in other countries and that the quality of American education was in decline. The report called for more rigorous academic standards, and this had a significant impact on the question of homework in American public schools.Today, American teenagers spend about twice as much time on homework each day as their predecessors did in the 1990s. However, research has shown that excessive homework can be associated with high stress levels, physical health problems, and lack of balance in children's lives. Some schools have started building in "rules" around homework, such as limiting homework to an hour per night or eliminating due dates after weekends or breaks. What's the correlation between the amount of homework students do and their performance on in-class exams? Can too much homework hurt academic performance? Join us as we navigate this challenging discussion with far-reaching impact for students, parents, and teachers.In this week's What We Learned segment: Katie shares the news that Ohio's Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks has been added to the UNESCO World Heritage List. Built along tributaries to the Ohio River, the series of eight monumental earthen enclosure complexes built between 2,000 and 1,600 years ago are the most representative surviving expressions of the Indigenous Hopewell tradition. Chelsea reviews the book The Death of Expertise, an in-depth discussion of the decline in public trust in experts and expertise.Sources & Resources:Fox 8 - Overhaul of Ohio's K-12 education system is unconstitutional, new lawsuit says by: Associated PressOhio General AssemblyRoetzel - State Biennial Budget (HB33) Heads to Ohio Governor for Approval – Summary of Major Educational ChangesThe Atlantic - California's Math Misadventure Is About to Go National By Brian ConradAPM Reports - Sold a StoryCalifornia Department of Education - Mathematics FrameworkEducationWeek- California Adopts Controversial New Math Framework. Here's What's in It By Sarah SchwartzSpringer Link - The Relationship Between Homework and Achievement—Still Much of a Mystery by Ulrich Trautwein & Olaf Köller The Atlantic - The Cult of Homework By Joe PinskerJSTOR Daily - The Surprising History of Homework Reform by Livia GershonWikipedia - A Nation at RiskCNN - Kids have three times too much homework, study finds; what's the cost? by Kelly WallaceCNN - Is homework making your child sick? by Amanda EnayatiJSTOR - "A Sin against Childhood": Progressive Education and the Crusade to Abolish Homework, 1897-1941 by Brian Gill and Steven SchlossmanPew Research Center - What we know about online learning and the homework gap amid the pandemic by Katherine Schaeffer

There are three major threats facing the U.S. economy — and they’re beyond the Federal Reserve’s control. Reuters has more. On Monday Illinois became the first state to eliminate cash bail. WBEZ reports on how it’s going so far. Baby boomers are aging. Their kids aren’t ready. Vox explains the unfolding senior-care crisis. Around 2,000 years ago, Indigenous people in Ohio built a “masterpiece of human creative genius” that’s now been added to the UNESCO World Heritage List. NPR has the story.

The Cultural Landscape of Old Tea Forests of Jingmai Mountain in Pu'er, southwest China, has been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

A draft report by UNESCO shows that the Great Barrier Reef is not included in the list of endangered World Heritage sites. - Draf laporan oleh UNESCO menunjukkan bahwa Great Barrier Reef tidak termasuk dalam daftar situs Warisan Dunia yang terancam punah.

A draft report by UNESCO shows that the Great Barrier Reef will not be added to the list of endangered World Heritage sites. While the government hails it as a positive sign, it is only a temporary relief as Australia needs to show progress within six months or the reef may end up in the list.

Meteora was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1988 because of the outstanding architecture and beauty of the complex, in addition to its religious and artistic significance

We'll be taking a closer look at the challenges of protecting Palestinian heritage sites and antiquities under Israel's occupation and will be illuminating Israel's attempts to appropriate the past, often in violation of international law according to archaeologists and UN officials, in order to deepen its control over the land. We're live with two very special guests: Dr Hamdan Taha reestablished the Palestinian Department of Antiquities in 1994, serving as its Director General (1995 – 2004). He was a professor in the Department of Archaeology at Birzeit University and also served as the Palestinian Deputy Minister of Tourism (2014) and as National Director of the World Heritage Program in Palestine (2002 – 2014). Dr Iman Saca is a Professor of anthropology specializing in community archeology, Chair of the Department of Sociology Anthropology and Criminal Justice at St. Xavier University - Chicago. As part of her research, Iman also worked on listing two important sites on the UNESCO World Heritage List; one in Palestine (Battir Land of Olives and Vines) the other in Qatar (al Zubarah Archaeological site).

Did you know that Mumbai has the largest collection of Art Deco buildings outside of Miami city? And that it is also part of the UNESCO World Heritage List? Let's begin our audio walk from one of the most photographed locations in Mumbai. My name is Jay and I invite you to come along with me on this sound journey through the roads, streets, bylanes of South Mumbai. You and I will visit some prominent buildings, landmarks and food joints with actual ambient sounds and noises. Watch your step as we cross streets and avoid traffic as we go about on this storytelling tour around the Flora fountain & Hutatma Chowk in the Fort area of South Mumbai. Come along then, hear me travel. Travel, mumbai guide, places to see in mumbai, heritage walk mumbai, sights and sounds, maharashtra tourism, churchgate station, art deco, bombay deco

Added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2013, the Al Zubarah Archaeological Site is Qatar's first entry in this international register. Once a thriving pearl fishing and trading port in the 1760s, the Al Zubarah site showcases impressive, excavated findings. These include a city wall, ancient residential palaces and structures typical of an urban centre – including markets, living and industrial areas. Stretching from Fort Zubarah lining the coast to the early inland settlement of Qal'at Murair, the site provides a reimagination of a Gulf merchant town in the 18th and 19th centuries. Middle East Institute, NUS, in collaboration with the Qatar Embassy in Singapore, will welcome Dr Ferhan from Qatar Museums to take our audience on a virtual tour of Al Zubarah. Beyond nostalgia, the speaker will also share his knowledge about contemporary uses of the Zubarah Fort, for instance. This public talk was conducted online via Zoom on Friday, 21 January 2022, from 2.00 pm to 3.00 pm (SGT). For more information about this event, click here: https://mei.nus.edu.sg/event/bridging-the-gulf/ 

Guest: Paul Ngoie le Perc See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

L'UNESCO a luglio ha approvato l'inclusione dei portici di Bologna nella lista del Patrimonio artistico mondiale da proteggere, la cui storia risale ad quasi mille anni fa. Un webinar approfondirà questa storia.

THERE - 6 More UNESCO Sites CZ is small but dense with history and beauty. We take a look at six more locations to have made it on the UNESCO World Heritage List, this time mainly focusing on Moravia. Like what we do? Then buy us a beer or three via our Buy Me a Coffee page! SECTIONS 01:22 - Gardens & Castle at Kroměříž (1998) 04:41 - Zlín 07:46 - Holašovice Historical Village Reservation (1998) 09:43 - Holašovice Stonehenge (a tourist trap) 11:08 - Litomyšl Castle (1999) 14:39 - The Portmoneum & other museums 15:55 - Svitavy & Česká Třebová 16:44 - Holy Trinity Column in Olomouc (1999) (plague columns) 21:33 - Tugendhat Villa in Brno (2001) (Functionalism & Modernism) 28:36 - Jewish Quarter & St Procopius' Basilica in Třebíč (2003) 32:29 - Archeological finds in the area, chateaus (Náměšť nad Oslavou, Jaroměřice nad Rokytnou, Budišov), NPP Dukovany & castles (Templštejn) Music by Fanette Ronjat More Info: THERE - 6 UNESCO Sites in CZ episode CZ UNESCO webpage Official Kroměříž website Tourist website for Zlín Holašovice on Time Travel Turtle Holašovice Stonehenge website Litomyšl Zamek website Portmoneum (Josef Váchal Museum) website Olbram Zoubek exhibition TOUR - David Černý in Prague episode Litomyšl Regional Museum Smetana Festival Svitavy – the birthplace of Oskar Schindler on Radio Prague Museum of Esperanto in Svitavy Česká Třebová website Holy Trinity Column on Atlas Obscura Olomouc on Amazing Czechia Palacký University Olomouc Villa Tugendhat website The Birth and Rebirth of Functionalism in the Czech Republic The Glass Room by Simon Mawer Třebíč Jewish Quarter Třebíč Jewish Cemetery  Basilica of St. Procopius  Náměšť nad Oslavou website Jaroměřice nad Rokytnou (The Moravian Versailles)  Budišov Chateau  Dukovany Nuclear Power Plant  Templštejn, a Templar castle ruin For events in Prague, go to the Facebook page The Prague Haps  Follow us on social for extras: Facebook Twitter YouTube Instagram Other Podcasts by Derek DeWitt DIGITAL SIGNAGE DONE RIGHT - Winner of the 2021 AVA Gold Award for Best Podcast Series and the 2020 Communicator Award of Excellence for Podcasts Series-Corporate Communications and on numerous top 10 podcast lists.  CONSPIRACY CLEARINGHOUSE - A rather skeptical look at conspiracies and mysteries. Each episode will examine conspiracy theories, most of which are not true, a few of which might be a little bit true and even a couple that turned out, in fact, to be true. This is the podcast that dares to look behind the curtain that's behind the curtain.    

UNESCO has added 34 more spectacular destinations to its list of World Heritage Sites of "outstanding universal value." | Frommer's

The UNESCO World Heritage Committee concluded to delay a decision to include the Great Barrier Reef in the 'in-danger' sites list - Il-Kumitat tal-Wirt Dinji fi ħdan il-UNESCO kkonkluda li għalissa ma jpoġġix il-Great Barrier Reef fuq il-lista tas-siti meqjusa fil-periklu li jintilfu.

Last month UNESCO issued an assessment that the Great Barrier Reef should be placed on a list of endangered world heritage sites. However, on 23 July, following lobbying by the Australian government, the World Heritage Committee over-looked Unesco's assessment. So what does a marine biologist think? - Bulan lalu UNESCO mengeluarkan penilaian bahwa Great Barrier Reef harus ditempatkan dalam daftar situs warisan dunia yang terancam punah. Namun, pada 23 Juli, setelah lobi oleh pemerintah Australia, Komite Warisan Dunia mengabaikan penilaian Unesco. Namun apa yang dipikirkan oleh pakar biologi kelautan?

The UNESCO World Heritage Committee will discuss the status of the Great Barrier Reef on Friday, July 23. Since 1985, nearly half of the Barrier Reef has died. UNESCO has recommended that the world-famous coral reef be placed on the list of endangered world natural sites. Australia has tried with all means to prevent this, because this would not only have economic consequences, but also damage the reputation of Australia. Scientists, however, consider the UN's action to be justified and call for swift action against climate change. - Das UNESCO Welterbekomitee diskutiert am Freitag den 23. Juli den Status des Great Barrier Reef. Seit 1985 ist fast die Hälfte des Barrier Reef abgestorben. Die UNESCO hat empfohlen das weltberühmte Korallenriff auf die Liste der gefährdeter Weltnaturerbestätten zu setzten. Australien hat mit allen Mitteln versucht das zu verhindern, denn das würde nicht nur wirtschaftliche Folgen haben, sondern auch das Ansehen Australiens schädigen. Wissenschafter halten das Vorgehen der UN jedoch für begründet und fordern rasche Massnahmen gegen den Klimawandel.

Ủy ban Di sản Thế giới của UNESCO sẽ đưa ra quyết định về việc Great Barrier Reef có bị liệt vào danh sách gặp nguy hiểm hay không. Kết luận sẽ được đưa ra vào thứ Sáu 23 tháng 7. Các chuyên gia cho rằng việc này có thể làm gia tăng áp lực quốc tế đối với Úc trong việc hành động thay đổi khí hậu, nhưng chính phủ liên bang đang phản đối quyết định này.

The 44th session of UNESCO's World Heritage Committee has adopted the Fuzhou Declaration, calling for closer international cooperation within the framework of multilateralism.

Jatiluwih, the 600 hectares of rice fields in Tabanan, is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. It is listed as a cultural landscape... but what does that even mean? It refers to the subak water-sharing system and how the rice fields are the manifestation of the Balinese Tri Hita Karana Philosophy, the three elements of well being, God Nature and People, that must be in balance and in harmony with one-another. So how exactly does the subak, a water-sharing or irrigation system, represent the relationship between God, Nature and People? That's what we're hoping to explain today. Support us by purchasing a copy of TIMELESS Bali, a limited edition magazine on Balinese culture. For more great stories got to nowbali.co.id and subscribe to our Newsletter. or follow us on Instagram and Facebook.

Notre retro sonore comme chaque samedi... Nous sommes aujourd'hui le 3 juillet... Le 3 juillet 1905 était votée en France la loi instaurant la séparation de l'Eglise et de l'Etat... une loi fondatrice de la République française... Cette loi du 3 juillet 1905 c'est notre retro du jour… avec les archives de l'INA. l'Institut National de l'Audiovisuel.

La Dr Emma Lee a co-édité les lignes directrices de l'UICN qui encouragent les individus, les organisations, les entreprises et les gouvernements à regarder au-delà de la valeur strictement scientifique ou financière d'un morceau de terre ou de mer, à reconnaître aussi la valeur culturelle ou spirituelle qu'il peut y avoir pour les peuples autochtones.

Australia will contest a draft recommendation to list the Great Barrier Reef as a world heritage site "in danger" after United Nations body called for more government action on climate change. - Την δυσαρέσκειά της εξέφρασε η Αυστραλιανή κυβέρνηση στην πρόταση της UNESCO για ένταξη του Μεγάλου Κοραλλιογενούς Υφάλου (Great Barrier Reef) στη λίστα των μνημείων Παγκόσμιας Κληρονομιάς που απειλούνται με εξαφάνιση.

THERE - 6 UNESCO Sites in CZ See pictures of these places in the video version of this episode on our YouTube channel. The Czech Republic isn't very big, but it's got more castles & chateaux per square kilometer in the world, some very well-preserved towns and scads of history. We also have 14 (and counting) UNESCO World Heritage sites. Today we take a look at the first six to make it on that list. SECTIONS 02:18 - What is the UNESCO World Heritage List and who cares? 04:26 - Historic Centre of Prague (1992) & Průhonický park 08:12 - Český Krumlov (1992) 09:51 - Telč (1992) 11:32 - Pilgrimage Church of St. John of Nepomuk, Zelená Hora (1994) 13:45 - Kutná Hora (1995) 17:15 - The Cathedral of Our Lady & the Bone Church at Sedlec 20:57 - In the area: Kolín, Konárovice (Crispin Glover's house), Čáslav, Vysoká near Miskovice 26:33 - Transport options for Kutná Hora (plus beer & food) 27:47 - Lednice-Valtice Cultural Landscape (1996) -Lichtensteins Amok! 29:15 - Some of the follies (Kolonáda na Rajstně, Belveder, Dianin chrám, Apollónův chrám, Kaple sv. Huberta, Hraniční zámeček, Tři Grácie, Janův hrad, Zámeček Pohansko, Obelisk, Maurská vodárna, Akvadukt) 32:38 - The Minaret (Minaret v lednickém zámeckém parku) 33:33 - The towns of Lednice and Valtice in the wine country, plus getting there Music by Fanette Ronjat More Info: České dráhy (Czech Rail)  Flixbus CZ webpage Regiojet webpage The World Heritage Centre Prague UNESCO listing Průhonice park (Průhonický park) Prague historical center could be added to UNESCO World Heritage in Danger list on Kafkadesk Český Krumlov UNESCO listing Telč UNESCO listing Pilgrimage Church of St John of Nepomuk at Zelená Hora UNESCO listing Kutná Hora UNESCO listing Kutná Hora official website Ossuary (Bone Church) official website Kolín official website Belvedere Chateau ruin (Zámek Belveder) Vysoká Lookout Tower Village of Miskovice website Restaurant U Zlateho Lva on TripAdvisor Lednice-Valtice UNESCO listing Lednice-Valtice on VisitWorldHeritage.com Lednicko-valtický areál webpage on lva.cz (with a list of all the follies) Valtice official website Lednice-Valtice article on Exploration Vacation Lednice-Valtice and surrounding area  Obelisk Winery Article about food & wine in Lednice-Valtice The National Wine Center at Valtice Chateau  The Castle Cellar at Valtice Chateau Secondary School of Oenology and Viticulture Valtice Article on the Pálava region Mikulov on South-Moravia.com Mikulov on AmazingCzechia.com Znojmo on Lonely Planet by Mark Baker For events in Prague, go to the Facebook page The Prague Haps  Follow us on social for extras: Facebook Twitter YouTube Instagram Other Podcasts by Derek DeWitt DIGITAL SIGNAGE DONE RIGHT - Winner of the 2021 AVA Gold Award for Best Podcast Series and the 2020 Communicator Award of Excellence for Podcasts Series-Corporate Communications and on numerous top 10 podcast lists.  CONSPIRACY CLEARINGHOUSE - A rather skeptical look at conspiracies and mysteries. Each episode will examine conspiracy theories, most of which are not true, a few of which might be a little bit true and even a couple that turned out, in fact, to be true. This is the podcast that dares to look behind the curtain that's behind the curtain.    

Најзначајније информације из Аустралије, Србије и света - на једном месту.

At the time I went from Warsaw to Belarus, they issued a 5-day visa on arrival. So, I decided to spend 4 days in the country, since my flight out would have been a few hours too late. This five-day visa on arrival was changed one day after my visit to 30 days. It must have been because I made such a good impression on the government that they changed it. Belarus It has borders with Poland, Ukraine, Latvia, Lithuania and Russia – and is a fairly unexplored corner of Eastern Europe. The population of Belarus is about 9.5 million people, which puts them on the 93rd place in the world. So somewhere in the middle when it comes to population. But the land mass is quite big so it's not that densely populated. Minsk, the capital of Belarus, is about 2 million, so Minsk is the 11th most populous city in Europe. After an hour bus ride from the Airport to the city, I met my Airbnb host, Svetlana. She let me in to a wonderful apartment with a huge bathtub. TOURING MINSK WITH A COUNTRYMAN I have a Danish friend of a friend who lives here permanently. I've been in contact with him for a while. And it was actually my plan to go to Belarus in the very start of my journey in 2016… but only because he wasn't in the country at the time, I decided to go there later. As we both are Danish, we obviously speak Danish, so you probably won't be able to understand much. If you – on the other hand do speak the language head over to the Danish version of this podcast. While we're walking, we pass the building where the president is working. It's not the White House of Belarus. He doesn't live here. LIVING IN A DICTATORSHIP Belarus is a dictatorship, and a few days before my visit, I shared a YouTube clip with President Lukashenko where he said these words… and I kid you not… “I think it's better to be a dictator – than being gay”. Yes, he actually said that. Lukashenko has run Belarus with an iron fist since 1994, and Belarus is often referred to as the last dictatorship in Europe. It's a country where gay rights are almost non-existent, a country where there's no free press. But according to Carsten, it's not as bad as people think. Yes, there's no freedom of speech, and the elections might not be totally fair. But it's not North Korea, he says. There's still a nice quality of life here, and it's not something he feels in his daily life. When I posted the video on Facebook and was appalled by the statement about it being better to be a dictator than being gay, someone commented: ” Oh .. how judgmental and prejudiced you are Palle Bo. When you are so biased and negative, I don't understand at all that you choose to travel to Belarus.” This was something I also heard when I went to North Korea. But I don't see it that way. Going to a country doesn't mean that I support the leadership and the way things are run. I've also been to the USA during the Trump presidency – even though I'm not a big fan of him. I know, you can't compare USA to a dictatorship. Not at all, but when I go to a country, it's to learn things and hopefully make some local friends along the way.  I try to educate myself before, during and after my visit to a country, and I do feel that I also try to keep an open mind. I speak up about the things that I feel is wrong and also talk about the things that are good about my visit. I also did that in my North Korea episode, where I spoke highly of the people. I'd like to hear your thoughts on this… Is it wrong for me to travel to a country like this? Make a comment on Facebook.com/theradiovagabond, drop me a line on listener@theradiovagabond.com or record a voice message by clicking on the “talk to me-banner” on theradiovagabond.com. CARSTEN'S VIEWS ON LIVING HERE They do have elections here, but according to Carsten the result is more or less decided before. And they do have a parliament but all the people in it are in Lukashenko's pocket. When I ask him if he's afraid to speak out loud about this he says. “No, as long as I'm not protesting with a megaphone and a sign in the city, nothing will happen. Sometimes I'm a bit tired of the way western media are describing the country. Yes, it is a dictatorship, but many of the countries that we (quote-unquote) are “friendly with” … like Saudi Arabia, The Emirates and China… are also dictatorships.” Some things are good in Belarus. Compared to many of the other former Soviet countries, he's cracking down on corruption ­– maybe except for himself. Other good things, Carsten mentions are that it's quite clean here in the city and then it's safe. There's no need to be afraid of walking around even at night here. And in the 90's he came down hard on the Belarusian Mafia. Carsten actually says: “So, there are good thing about having a dictator”, which makes me laugh – and we decide that this quote will be the title of this episode. FACTS ABOUT WHERE WE ARE: Here are some facts about Belarus that you might not know: Around 40% of Belarus is covered by forest – and sometimes referred to as the ‘Lungs of Europe'. Belarus is the last country in Europe that still has the death penalty. It's the Las Vegas of Eastern European. When gambling was banned in Russia, a lot of casinos were opened in Belarus, which is one the reasons so many Russians come here. Belarus is one of the few countries that does not switch to daylight saving time. The country has an extremely low unemployment rate, less than 1%. Beggars and homeless people are also very few here. Minsk is a very green and clean city. Not only do they have many parks, but here is also the third largest botanical garden in the world. Stretching over 15 kilometres across the capital, Independence Avenue is the country's longest street. Throughout history, it has not only grown in length and width but has also had 14 name changes. one of the longest streets in Europe, a candidate for inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage List. MINSK METRO, GORKY PARK, AND VICTORIA SQUARE We're heading down underground to The Minsk Metro. It opened in 1984, and it's not that big – presently it only consists of 3 lines and 33 stations. Unlike the Moscow metro, here the signs are also in letters that we can read, which makes riding it a bit easier. Not only is it a fast way to move around Minsk, it's also cheap: A ticket you can use all days is only around 30 cents. Victory Square in the historic center of Minsk and it's the key landmark of Minsk. It's close to Gorky Park – yes, like Moscow they also have a Gorky Park here, which holds an amusement park. In the middle of the square there's a monument that was built in 1954 in honour of the soldiers of the Soviet Army and partisans of Belarus, during the Second World War. Being between Europe and Russia they were really stuck in the middle when Hitler and Stalin were fighting. So, Minsk and a lot of the country has been more or less totally rebuilt after the war. THE COMMUNIST PARTY STARTED HERE Carsten then takes me to a tiny green house and tells me a story that I didn't know. In this little house they founded the Russian Social-Democratic Workers' Party that was the forefather of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. This was all the way back in 1898 – so before the revolution in 1917, for those of you than know your history. And it all started right here in Minsk. Not in Moscow. NO BOWLING = KENNEDY ASSASINATION And then another thing that I didn't know. A few meters away in number 4 of the same street lived a guy called … Lee Harvey Oswald, the assassin accused of shooting President John F. Kennedy. He defected to the USSR in the early '60s, after he was discharged from the U.S. Marine Corps and ended up living right here in Minsk. But he didn't like it here. In his diary he wrote, “I am starting to reconsider my desire about staying. The work is drab, the money I get has nowhere to be spent. No nightclubs or bowling alleys, no places of recreation except the trade union dances. I have had enough.” Shortly after that, he wrote to the U.S. Embassy in Moscow requesting to get his American passport back, since he never formally renounced his U.S. citizenship. So, in other words: If there were bowling alleys and nightclubs here at the time… he might have stayed, and Kennedy might never have assassinated. That is if you don't believe in the conspiracy theories that he didn't do it. KHATYN MEMORIAL SITE We're heading 50 km north to Khatyn to visit the Memorial site where a tragic even took place in the Second World War. Khatyn was a village of 26 houses. On March 22, 1943, almost the entire population of the village was massacred by a Nazi Battalion in retaliation for an attack on German troops by Soviet partisans. The people here had nothing to do with the attack and were completely innocent. 149 people, including 75 children under 16 years of age, were killed – burned, shot or suffocated in fire. The youngest baby was only 7 weeks old. The village was then looted and burned to the ground. This massacre was not an unusual incident in Belarus during World War II. At least 5,295 Belarusian settlements were burned and destroyed by the Nazis, and often all their inhabitants were killed – some amounting up to 1,500 victims. Many of the villages were burned down many times. Altogether, over 2,000,000 people were killed in Belarus during the three years of Nazi occupation, almost a quarter of the region's population. MEET VALERIE FROM MINSK Back in Minsk we meet one of Carstens friends. Valerie, who is born and raised here in Minsk. She tells me that she really likes living here, and a few of the things she mentions is that it's a city that never sleeps – you can always find a cozy bar and a buzzling nightclub any night of the week. Apparently a lot different than when Lee Harvey was here. That was all from Belarus, that turned out to be a great experience. Like Albania this wasn't a country I had high expectations from. But if I look back on all the countries in the eastern part of Europe, I've visited in this season, Albania and Belarus are my favourites. Maybe because I didn't expect much. My next stop will be the last in this season… I'm going to the Czech Republic and I'm so looking forward to that. My name is Palle Bo and I gotta keep moving. See ya.     LETTER FROM A LISTENER I've got a letter from a listener… from Dublin, Ireland. Hi Palle I discovered your podcast when a friend recommended it to me, and since then I've been totally hooked on it. I started by binching your current episodes from Europe, and after that I went back in the archives and listened to your episodes from Asia. I love following your journey, and it inspires me to travel more myself – when the Pandemic lets us. Normally I listen while I cook, and I'm always looking forward to hearing what happens next. Keep up the good work, Ian from Dublin. I would love to hear from you and now there's a simple way for you to send me a voice message. It's a cool little web-based app called Tellbee and all you have to do is click on the banner called TALK TO ME on TheRadioVagabond.com and talk. Tell me where you are and what you're doing when you listen to this. It's super simple and one of the cool things is that you can listen to it and redo it if you're not happy with it – before you click send. I get a small soundbite I can play on the show and it's always wonderful to hear from you guys. You can off course also just fill out the form under contact on the website.   SPONSOR This episode is supported in part by Hotels25.com where you always can find the best prices on hotels, guesthouses and hostels.

WITAMY W KRAKOWIE Since recording my last episode from Slovenia, I visited a few places in Europe on business which is why I decided not to post any episodes from that time. But just to keep you updated on my recent whereabouts: I've been recording interviews for the follow-up to the first season of The LEGO Technic podcast. In the first season we chart the journey of the design and build of a 1-8 scale Lego model of the Bugatti Chiron in 9 episodes. And in the second season for The LEGO Group, I went to the large Lego factory in Kladno, Czech Republic, where they produce all the big scale models for the LEGOLAND Parks and big stores around the world. In the second season of the podcast series, we follow the built of a 1-1 life-size LEGO model of the Bugatti Chiron. After Czech Republic, I travelled to Rotterdam, Netherlands, for a travel bloggers conference called Traverse, before returning home to Denmark to visit my family, attend a travel podcast conference in Copenhagen, and meet with clients. I then travelled to Cannes, France, to attend the Cannes Lions festival and meet more clients and network/”shmooze”. After that Wolfsburg, Germany, was next where I visited the Volkswagen headquarters as part of my work with the LEGO Technic Podcast. Here where we tested the Bugatti Chiron LEGO model on the test track. They shot a film while I was standing at the side of the road with my microphone, recording stuff for the podcast. Phew, loads of flights! Anyway, after my business was concluded, I made my way to Kraków and this is where this episode begins! EXPLORING KRAKÓW My arrival in Kraków happened to coincide with the day the Polish national football team played against Colombia in their Group H match of the 2018 FIFA Football World Cup in Russia. Unfortunately, the Polish team lost the game 3-0 which spelt the end of the World Cup hopes.  On Sunday morning, I decided to take a much-needed break from a week-long podcast editing binge to take a Free Walking Tour of the old town. You know how much I love a tour like this; they are a really great way to get to know more about a new city and provide you with ways to meet locals and fellow travellers as well. After a quick online search, I decided to go with Walkative! Free Walking Tour. Our tour guide's name was Thomasz but he is known better by his many nicknames: Calen, Big Tom, The Giant. He's really tall, which apart from his bald head and goatee, is his most defining feature: he is the one and only 2 metre (6ft7) tall guide in Kraków. He is born and raised in Kraków and graduated from Jagiellonian University with history as his major subject. His thesis was on Kraków, so he's the perfect person to talk to us about the old town of Kraków. He is a remarkable tour guide who mixes warmth, humour, and interesting facts into his tours to create a magical experience. Here's what I remember about Thomasz' anecdotes about his home city:   FACTS ABOUT WHERE WE ARE Kraków's entire old town, including Wawel castle, the market square, and the Jewish district, was one of the first sites to be added to the UNESCO World Heritage List when it was created in 1978. In 2013, Lonely Planet voted Kraków Square the best market square in the world. It's called Rynek Główny in Polish and it's also the largest medieval town square in Europe. It's a square space surrounded by historic townhouses and churches. The centre of the square is dominated by Cloth Hall and it's stunning two towers.  There's a knife that hangs from a rope on the wall of Cloth Hall. There is a legend that tells the story of the two brothers who built the towers. When one of them realised that his tower could not be as tall as this bothers' due to weak foundations, he killed his brother with that very knife out of envy. The knife hangs there as a reminder of humbleness. According to Polish folklore, a dragon lived at the foot of Wawel Hill which required regular offerings of livestock, so it didn't end up eating the local human inhabitants. The dragon was killed either by the sons of the city's founder, King Krakus, or by a cobbler's apprentice, depending on who is telling the tale. There is now a statue of the Dragon of Wawel Hill close to Wawel Castle. It's a bit of an attraction because it breathes fire every few minutes, thanks to a natural gas nozzle installed in the sculpture's mouth. THOMASZ THE GIANT TOUR GUIDE We finished the walking tour at Wawel Castle and Thomasz was kind enough to spend a little extra time with me for a chat.  According to Walkative! Free Walking Tour's website, Big Tom is a huge fan of British comedy and coffee and was a full-time guide to his children before becoming part of the Walkative! team in 2015.  We start our conversation with Thomasz giving me a quick grammar and pronunciation lesson regarding the Slavik roots of his name, telling me about the Portuguese-like vowels in Polish being short and flat, and others being long and deep. He wonderfully ties this into ideas about the history of language and culture around Europe, which only served to show how vast his knowledge spans. When I asked him why people come to visit Kraków, he responded in a typical Thomasz manner. “There's a difference between why people come here and why I think people should come here” he begins.  “People come to Kraków because of the recent popularity of Eastern European cities, like Prague for example. In the early 2000's, there was a significant push across Europe to attract travellers to Prague. Luckily, Kraków is very close to Prague which meant that over time, people started adding Kraków to their travel itinerary on the way to or from Prague. Once here, people realise just how incredible these almost untouched Eastern European cities are. I believe Slovenia will experience the next ‘burst' in popularity for the same reasons”. “Tourism has changed the way Polish people think about their country, giving them a renewed passion for their culture by realise what it means to have a multicultural society” he says. Thomasz tells me that the city of Kraków (and it's Old Town in particular) is unique and lucky in the sense that it is a very intact city compared to war-torn Warsaw, where over 80% of the city was flattened. Warsaw was rebuilt, and Kraków only ‘renovated' and still has the country's history preserved in its aged walls. TAKE A TOUR OF KRAKOW Walkative! Free Walking Tour offers 4 different tours in Kraków: ‘Old Town Kraków', ‘Jewish Kraków', ‘Communist Kraków', and ‘Macabre Kraków'. If you go on a tour with Thomasz, please make sure to say hi from me. This giant among guides is very passionate, excited, and fascinated about Kraków. He loves his city, and it shows.  Thomasz explains: “Walkative! is a foundation which uses free walking tours to attract people to the city. We are trying out a new way of tourism hospitality which encourages tourists to pay what they feel a trinket or piece of local memorabilia is worth. We believe that providing great service should come before asking people for their money, and I think walking tours are an incredibly amazing form of service and hospitality. It's a win-win situation: we provide great service, and tourists receive great service and pay what they feel it deserves”. People like Thomasz rely on tips to make a living, so please don't take advantage of their good nature: leave a tip, it's the right thing to do! And if you don't remember that karma is a bitch. NEXT WEEK ON THE RADIO VAGABOND I'll be back with more from Kraków and the surrounding areas. Next week's episode is going to be both cheerful, and depressing. I'll take you with me on my visit to the former Nazi concentration and extermination camp, Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum. And then I'll go partying in the sports bar with hundreds of English fans.  My name is Palle Bo, and I gotta keep moving. See ya!   SPREAD THE WORD I'd like to ask you for a favour. If you like this episode, please tell a friend. I'm dead serious… Pick up the phone or send a message to a friend telling him or her about this podcast.  It's the best way to spread the word about this podcast, and I'll be so happy if you could help me this way. You are the best.  RADIOGURU This episode was produced by me and my production company, Radioguru. If you need any help starting a podcast or if you need voice overs in any language for online videos and other things, please reach out. I WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! I really would like to hear from you. Where are you and what are you doing as you listen to this episode? You can either send me an email on listener@theradiovagabond.com or go to my website. Or send me a voice message by clicking here. Either way, I would love to hear from you. It's so nice to know who's on the other end of this. SPONSOR A special thank you to my sponsors, Hotels25.com, who always provide me with the best, most affordable accommodation wherever I am in the world.

In this episode we learned a few things about Quedlingburg As always Steven got to read some German sentences about it and tried to translate them into English. Here are the sentences again: Quedlingburg ist eine mittelalterliche Stadt im Bundesland Sachsen-Anhalt. Quedlingburg is a medieval town in the state of Saxony-Anhalt. Dort leben etwa 28.000 Einwohner. About 28,000 residents live there. Quedlingburg steht seit 1994 auf der UNESCO-Liste des Weltkulturerbes. Quedlingburg has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1994. Die Stadt ist eines der größten Flächendenkmale in Deutschland. The town is one of the largest area monuments in Germany. Die historische Altstadt besteht aus romantischen, verwinkelten Gassen mit über 2000 Fachwerkhäusern. The historic old town consists of romantic, winding alleys with over 2000 half-timbered houses. Seit 2006 ist Quedlinburg an das Netz der Selketalbahn angeschlossen. Since 2006, Quedlinburg has been connected to the Selketalbahn network. D.h. man kann mit einer der Harzer Schmalspurbahnen bis zum Brocken, dem höchsten Gipfel im Harz, fahren. That means you can take one of the Harz narrow-gauge railways to the Brocken, the highest peak in the Harz.

Why is the Opera House shaped so weirdly? Today Caroline Grandjean-Thomsen from the Building Team joins us to tell us about Jorn Utzon, the architect who designed The Sydney Opera House, the competition to design the building and how important creativity and dreaming was in the creation of this crazy, weird shaped House.

A row erupts over federal police demands for a reporter's travel records, growing concerns for an Australian citizen and his wife held in China and how Thailand shoots itself in the foot during its World Heritage forest nomination. - ทนายความของชายชาวออสเตรเลียที่ถูกควบคุมตัวในประเทศจีนเรียกร้องให้รัฐบาลให้ความช่วยเหลือภรรยาของเขา ในขณะที่รัฐบาลออสเตรเลียถูกกดดันว่าเพราะเหตุใดตำรวจสหพันธรัฐจึงต้องการข้อมูลการเดินทางของผู้สื่อข่าวเอบีซี

An October 2017 interview with Dr. Mykola Bevz, chairman of the Department of Restoration of Architectural and Artistic Heritage at the Lviv Polytechnic National University in Lviv, Ukraine. He discusses efforts to preserve Ukrainian wooden churches in Ukraine and Poland. The discussion includes mention of the UNESCO World Heritage List, which includes 16 tserkvas in the Carpathian region. http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1424 Please contact Mike Buryk at michael.buryk@verizon.net for additional information. Copyright (c) 2018 by Michael J. Buryk. All Rights Reserved

Japanese Rabbits (Part 1) Interview with Yudai Tanabe Rabbit Island:   When I think about Japan and rabbits the first thing that comes to mind for me is the video's of Rabbit Island.  As islands that are occupied by wild animals go, Okunoshima, better known as Usaga Jima or Rabbit Island, is probably the cutest.  Ōkunoshima (大久野島?) is a small island located in the Inland Sea of Japan in the city of Takehara, Hiroshima Prefecture.   It is accessible by ferry from Tadanoumi and Ōmishima.  There are campsites, walking trails and places of historical interest on the island.  It is often called Usagi Shima (うさぎ島?, "Rabbit Island") because of the numerous feral rabbits that roam the island; they are rather tame and will approach humans.  Situated in the East Sea/Inland Sea of Japan, the small island is occupied by hundreds of wild rabbits that roam the forests and paths, chase tourists, appear in viral videos and just generally lounge around.  They also provide a much needed counterbalance to the island's otherwise dark history – as the production site for Japan's chemical weapons during the second world war. Of course, Japan being the birthplace of kawaii – the distinct cultural appreciation of all things cute – the bounding herds of friendly rabbits are a much bigger attraction than the Poison Gas Museum.   The source of the rabbits remains a mystery, it may be that the origins of the island's fluffy residents is intertwined with its history as manufacturer of chemical weapons.  The ruins of the gas manufacturing plant are still standing today.  The island was a cultivated area until the Russo-Japanese War when ten forts were built to protect it.  Three fishing families lived on the island.  In 1925, the Imperial Japanese Army Institute of Science and Technology initiated a secret program to develop chemical weapons, based on extensive research that showed that chemical weapons were being produced throughout the United States and Europe.  Japan was a signatory on the 1925 Geneva Protocol which banned the use of chemical warfare.  Although the development and storage of chemical weapons were not banned, Japan went to great lengths to ensure the secrecy of construction of the chemical munitions plant begun in 1929, even going so far as to remove records of the island from some maps. The plant was built over the period of 1927 to 1929, and was home to a chemical weapon facility that produced over six kilotons of mustard gas and tear gas.  Between 1929-1945, the Japanese army secretly produced over 6,000 tons of poison gas on Okunoshima, which was removed from maps of the area and chosen because of its discreet location and distance from civilian populations.  At the time, an unfortunate colony of rabbits was brought to the island in order to test the effects of the poison.  Ōkunoshima played a key role during World War II as a poison gas factory for much of the chemical warfare that was carried out in China.  The island was chosen for its isolation, conducive to security, and because it was far enough from Tokyo and other areas in case of disaster.  Under the jurisdiction of the Japanese military, the local fish preservation processor was converted into a toxic gas reactor.  Residents and potential employees were not told what the plant was manufacturing and everything was kept secret; working conditions were harsh and many suffered from toxic-exposure related illnesses.  With the end of the war, documents concerning the plant were burned and Allied Occupation Forces disposed of the gas either by dumping, burning, or burying it, and people were told to be silent about the project.  Several decades later, victims from the plant were given government aid for treatment.  In 1988 the Ōkunoshima Poison Gas Museum was opened. While some claim the rabbits that live there now are relatives of the test bunnies that were freed by the workers at the end of the war, others are less convinced; it has been reported that all the rabbits were killed when the factory ceased production.  The other theory is that eight rabbits were brought to the island by schoolchildren in 1971, where they bred (presumably like rabbits) until they reached their current population, which is potentially in the thousands.  With the island being a predator-free zone – dogs and cats are banned – if the number of rabbits hasn't hit the thousands yet, it's inevitable it will do soon. The island now has a hotel"Kyukamura Ohkunoshima National Park Resort of Japan", a six-hole golf course and a small camping ground.  Visitors are able to swim in the clean water surrounding the island, regardless of the tide, and enjoy a day trip.  Visitors can eat lunch at Rabbit restaurant or cafe, take a hot spring bath and rental bicycles. According to Murakami, the former director of the poison gas museum, the current rabbits have nothing to do with those that were involved with chemical weapon tests.  Hunting these creatures is forbidden, and dogs and cats may not be taken onto the island.  The ruins of the old forts and the gas factory can be found all over the island; entry is prohibited as it is too dangerous.  Since it is part of the Inland Sea National Park system of Japan, there is a resource center and across the way is the museum.  In 2015, the BBC presented a short television series called Pets - Wild at Heart, which featured the behaviours of pets, including the rabbits on the island. The series depicted various tourists coming to feed the rabbits. Poison Gas Museum The Poison Gas Museum opened in 1988 to educate people about the island's role in World War II.  Opened in 1988, the museum "was established in order to alert as many people as possible to the dreadful truths about poison gas." Only two rooms large, the small building provides a basic overview of the construction of the plant, working conditions and the effects of poison gas on humans.  Families of workers who suffered the aftereffects of the harsh working conditions donated numerous artifacts to help tell the story of the workers' plight when handling the gas with poor safety equipment that often leaked.  The second room shows how poison gas affects the human body through the lungs, eyes, skin, and heart. Images of victims from Iraq and Iran add to the message of the museum.  As expressed by the curator Murakami Hatsuichi to The New York Times, “My hope is that people will see the museum in Hiroshima City and also this one, so they will learn that we [Japanese] were both victims and aggressors in the war. I hope people will realize both facets and recognize the importance of peace.".  In the museum one can pick up a guide to the numerous remains of the forts from the Second Sino-Japanese War and the poison gas factory.  Most of the buildings are run-down and condemned, but recognizable.  The museum is aimed mainly at the Japanese people, but English translations are provided on the overall summary for each section. Other buildings and structures The island is connected by Chūshi Powerline Crossing, the tallest powerline in Japan.  The best way of accessing the island from the mainland is to take the Sanyō Shinkansen train to Mihara Station (only the Kodama stops there); at Mihara, catch the Kure Line local train to Tadanoumi, from there walk to the terminal and catch a ferry.  Now the island, a short ferry ride from the mainland, is a popular tourist resort with a small golf course, camping grounds and beautiful beaches. Tours are also given of the now derelict poison gas facilities, while ruins of military outposts are dotted around the island. In some ways the allure of the bunnies is similar to that of Japan's and, more recently, England's cat cafes.  Most apartments in Japan forbid pets, so an opportunity to enjoy the company of a furry friend is a welcome one.  Visitors to Okunoshima can buy food for the remarkably tame rabbits, who became an online hit when this video of a woman being chased by a "stampede" of rabbits was posted online.  The videos from Japan’s Ōkunoshima Island are undeniably cute: excited tourists laughing and screaming in joy as dozens of fuzzy, semi-wild rabbits swarm over them, looking for a bite of food.  But those viral videos, which have inspired thousands of people to visit the so-called Rabbit Island over the past two years, hold a dark secret.  The rabbits are dying.   The very thing that inspires people to come to the island—the YouTube videos that have been watched by millions—is creating an unsustainable situation that puts Ōkunoshima’s wildlife and ecosystem at risk.  The rabbit population, which was apparently stable for many years, has exploded since the first YouTube video appeared in 2014. “It’s amazing how many tourists we interviewed came to the island just because of the video,” said Margo DeMello, program director for the Animals and Society Institute, an Ann Arbor, Michigan–based nonprofit.  The tourists often come bearing food, and that’s creating an unsustainable population boom.  “There are now about 1,000 rabbits on this two-mile island,” DeMello said. “They’ve destroyed the ecosystem.”  As a result of the lack of vegetation and the inappropriate food that tourists provide for the animals, the rabbits suffer from a variety of health problems and now have a life expectancy of just two years, DeMello and her fellow researchers found.  The findings were presented on Wednesday at the World Lagomorph Conference in Turlock, California.  Although the resort’s website contains warnings not to pick up the rabbits or feed them snacks, DeMello said most tourists ignore the cautionary instructions.  Tourists’ photos from the island posted online are proof of that.  The tourists, she said, often come bearing cabbage, one of the cheapest vegetables in Japan and a big part of the Japanese diet.  Cabbage is a bad food choice for rabbits, as it causes dangerous and potentially deadly bloat. It is also low in fiber, something rabbits require for what DeMello called their “very particular digestive system.  The supplemental food—which the rabbits now rely on because there’s so little natural vegetation left to eat—also comes irregularly, especially when cold or rainy weather or school schedules keep tourists off the island.  “Rabbits need to eat all the time and consistently,” DeMello said.  “Now they get huge amounts of food on some days and no food on other days.  They’re not like other animals that can adapt to that.”  The situation on Rabbit Island is far from unique. Experts warn that social networking—from YouTube videos to posting selfies taken with wildlife—all too often inspires behavior that is unhealthy for animals.  Adam Roberts, chief executive of Born Free USA, expressed concern that “seemingly benign social media” can lead to poor behavior by humans that is detrimental to animals.   “Social media can glorify the cruel consumption of animals, which leads people to buy animals, including from irresponsible breeders, and even wild animals, which should remain in the wild,” he said.  “Tourists should avoid feeding wild animals when it is not regulated,” said Laëtitia Maréchal, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Lincoln in the United Kingdom and lead author of the study.  “It not only presents potential risks for animal welfare but also for the tourists themselves, as they might be injured or risk potential disease transmission.”  Even official warnings don’t appear to stop the behavior, she said. “As people often believe that feeding animals is an act of kindness, they seem surprised or skeptical that this behavior can potentially harm the welfare of the animals involved.”  On Rabbit Island, DeMello and her fellow researchers found that the rabbits are fighting over even the least nutritious food provided by tourists.  “Of the 728 rabbits that we counted on the island, 28 percent had visible injuries or illnesses,” she reported.  The percentage grew to 50 percent in the areas of the island closest to humans. “The more humans interfered, the sicker and more injured the rabbits appeared to be,” she said.  Because the rabbits are officially considered wild animals, the national park and resort take no active role in their care.  “We as a hotel do nothing that might impact the wild nature of these animals, such as feeding or veterinary treatment,” Christoph Huelson of the Kyukamura Hotels sales department said in an email.  DeMello said she and others worry that word about the condition of the animals could lead to tourism restrictions or even to some of the rabbits being killed off.  Instead, she hopes her research will inspire some change that will benefit the animals.  “I would like to see a dialogue between the government, the hotel, and some of the local people who care about the rabbits,” she said.  Until then, she said, talking about the issues raised by social media might create some change in time to let the rabbits recover from the effects of the wrong kind of publicity. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%8Ckunoshima https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2014/jun/02/rabbit-island-okunoshima-japan-holiday-resort-bunnies http://www.takepart.com/article/2016/07/14/viral-videos-are-destroying-japans-super-cute-rabbit-island In my research I found Another Rabbit Island!!!! AMAMI-OSHIMA https://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/location/spn/kagoshima/map_plus_info/locations.html By air from Tokyo: 2:20h; from Kagoshima: 50 min. Amami-Oshima: Mangrove Among the special natural attractions of Amami-Oshima are a species of black rabbit, dense virgin forests, and mangroves. The mangrove forest can be explored by canoe, and sea-kayaking is also popular. The beauty of the coral reef can be viewed by means of a glass-bottomed boat. The island has examples of traditional "taka-kura", which are storehouses built on stilts. While they may seem typical of a south-sea island culture, they were originally used not only in the islands but throughout Japan to store rice. The island has a centuries-old tradition of manufacturing pongee silk fabric, which is known for its fineness of pattern and pleasant feel on the skin. Agricultural products include sugarcane, sweet potatoes, pineapple, papaya, and bananas. Now I am going to cover the Amami rabbit The Amami rabbit (Pentalagus furnessi; Amami: [ʔosaɡi]), or Amamino kuro usagi (アマミノクロウサギ 奄美野黒兔?, lit. "Amami wild black rabbit"), also known as the Ryukyu rabbit, is a primitive, dark-furred rabbit which is only found in Amami Ōshima and Toku-no-Shima, two small islands between southern Kyūshū and Okinawa in Kagoshima Prefecture (but actually closer to Okinawa) in Japan.  Often called a living fossil, the Amami rabbit is a living remnant of ancient rabbits that once lived on the Asian mainland, where they died out, remaining only on the two small islands where they survive today. With its small ears and eyes and its dense dark fur, it looks very different from a typical rabbit or hare. It lives in or on the edge of old-growth forests, away from human activity. Although the rabbit has been declared as a Japanese National Monument, its existence is not widely known, even amongst the people of Japan. The species is protected from hunting, but populations have decreased in the last few decades due to extensive habitat loss and predation by introduced carnivores. This ancient species looks very different from a typical rabbit or hare. It has retained several primitive characteristics, such as small eyes and ears and a long snout. The rabbit’s distinctive fur is dense and woolly, and is dark-brown in colour, fading to reddish-brown on the sides and underbelly. Its body is heavily built with short limbs that end in unusually long curved claws.  The Amami Rabbit has a body length between 42 and 51 cms (16.5 - 20 inches), a tail length between 1 and 3.5 cms (0.4 - 1.4 inches) and they weigh between 2 and 3 kgs (4.4 - 6.6 lbs).  They are a distinctive rabbit with a bulky body and dark brown fur. They have a pointed nose, small eyes and short ears.  The Amami rabbit has short hind legs and feet, a somewhat bulky body, and rather large and curved claws used for digging and sometimes climbing. Its ears are also significantly smaller than those of other rabbits or hares.  The pelage (the fur, hair, or wool of a mammal) is thick, wooly and dark brown on top and becomes more reddish-brown on the sides.  The eyes are also small compared to more common rabbits and hares. The average weight is 2.5–2.8 kg. The only species in its genus, the Amami rabbit is one of the most primitive lagomorphs in the world. It is so different from other rabbits and hares that it is considered to belong to an early branch of the main rabbit-hare evolutionary tree.  Its ancestors are believed to have diverged from other leporids between 10 and 20 million years ago, about half as long ago as ancestral rabbits separated from pikas. Behavior Predominantly solitary and nocturnal. Individuals spend their days sleeping in a den, usually an underground tunnel or a space between rocks and trees.  At night the rabbits forage for food amongst the forest undergrowth.  They eat a variety of plants and fruits depending on the season, with Japanese pampas grass forming the bulk of the diet in the summer months, and acorns during the winter.  The rabbit breeds twice a year, producing two or three young which are raised in a safe den. This species of forest-dweller reproduces once in late March–May and once in September–December, having one or two young each time.  The mother visits the den at night to nurse her young. When she leaves she carefully seals the den with dirt and plant material to protect them against predators.  They are also noted for making calling noises, which sound something like the call of a pika.  Amami Rabbits communicate with each other using clicking sounds and calling noises, which is unusual among rabbit species. Distribution and habitat The ideal habitat for these rabbits is in an area between mature and young forests. They use the dense mature forests as protection and for the presence of acorns for their diets. More common in secondary forests close to mature forests than in those further from mature forests, indicating that a mosaic of mature and young forests is the most suitable habitat type for this species. Population surveys carried out between 1985 and 1990 indicate that the rabbits are most common in secondary forests, 10 to 40 years after clear-felling.  The species is not found in cultivated or residential areas.  They also use the high density of perennial grasses and herbaceous ground cover in the young forests for their diets during different times of the year.  Therefore, the best habitat for them to live in is where they have easy access to both young and mature forests with no obstructions between the two forest types. The species is only known to occur on the islands of Amami (820 km²) and Tokuno (248 km²) in the Ryukyu Archipelago, southwest of Japan. The distribution has been estimated to be around 370 km² on Amami and 33 km² on Tokuno Island. Some populations are completely isolated and thought to be very small. The population has been estimated to be between 3,000 and 5,000, of which the majority are found on the island of Amami.  There are believed to be fewer than 500 individuals remaining on the island of Tokuno.  Using fecal pellet counts and resident surveys, the number of rabbits is estimated at 2000–4800 left on Amami Island and 120–300 left on Tokuno Island. Population Trend In spite of an increase in the area of young forests due to continuous cutting, surveys have indicated a significant decline in the distribution and abundance of the species over the past 20 years.  In particular, populations of Amami rabbit have decreased in the central part of the island, where mongoose numbers have rapidly increased in recent years. Threats The rabbits initially became endangered as a result of hunting for meat and oriental medicine.  Before 1921, hunting and trapping were another cause of decline in population numbers.  In 1921, Japan declared the Amami rabbit a "natural monument" which prevented it from being hunted.  Then in 1963, it was changed to a "special natural monument" which prevented it from being trapped as well.  Even with Japan giving the species full legal protection, it is still under threat from predation by stray dogs, feral cats and other animals introduced by humans.  In particular, Java mongooses Herpestes javanicus have killed large numbers of Amami rabbits, following their introduction in 1979 to control the population of venomous habu pit vipers Trimeresurus flavoviridis.  Unfortunately, the mongooses devastated populations of the islands’ native small mammals instead. In the last few decades, habitat loss due to extensive logging operations has also been a major contributor to the rabbits’ decline.  Less than 1% of the forests on Amami Island have been protected from development activities such as logging resort development and road construction. The total area of mature forest in 2000 was estimated to be about 40% of that in 1970, accounting for about 9.1% of the forest area on the island.  Young secondary forests, resulting from complete clearance of mature forests, now cover much of the island. However, rabbits are less common in areas of secondary forest far from mature forest patches. Conservation Underway The species has been declared as a Japanese National Monument, and as such receives protection from hunting and capture. Some animals are further protected in national reserves such as the Amami Gunto Quasi-National Park.  A number of population surveys (consisting of rabbit pellet counts and community interviews) have been carried out over the past two decades.  These surveys have yielded important data on the population and conservation status of the species, and have confirmed the negative effect mongooses are having on rabbit populations. The results of these studies have led to recent culls of this alien invasive predator by the federal and local government. Conservation Proposed A combination of habitat restoration and predator control initiatives are required to mitigate the threats to the Amami rabbit.  Careful habitat management is needed to maintain a mosaic of mature oak forests and young second-growth so that the rabbit can obtain food throughout the year.  Such mosaics are still fairly abundant in the central and the southern parts of Amami Island.  The primary conservation measure in such areas would be to limit forest road construction.  This measure would restrict the logging of more mature forests, help prevent the further expansion of predators into the forest, and ensure that local rabbit populations do not become isolated.  Increased habitat protection would be beneficial in the southern part of Amami Island, where the population density of rabbits is still quite high.  Populations of predators (feral cats and dogs and introduced mongooses) should be controlled, particularly in areas of important habitat. Long-term research and monitoring programmes are also required to continue to assess the conservation and management needs of the species  A small area of the Amami Island has the Amami Gunto Quasi-National Park that further protects the population. Some attempt at habitat restoration has been made, but the Amami rabbit needs a mosaic of mature and young forest in close proximity, and when a young forest is regrown nowhere near a mature forest, this rabbit is not likely to inhabit it.  Research and population monitoring also is underway to try to keep the numbers from declining, even if they can not be increased. The Lagomorph Specialist Group of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources proposed a plan of conservation in 1990. The Amami Wildlife Conservation Center of the Ministry of the Environment was established in 1999. It restarted a mongoose eradication program in 2005 and designated the Amami rabbit as endangered in 2004 for Japan. Japan really loves its cats.  This makes managing stray overpopulation in ecologically vulnerable areas a challenge, at least if you believe it should be done in a way that doesn’t involve cruelty to animals.  Other nations, take a horrific and merciless approach with “culling” that often uses brutal tactics such as trapping and mass poisoning, even though these methods often have unintended consequences.  For Japan, these options were a nonstarter when looking at how to protect the fragile Amami rabbits of Tokunoshima island, so the nation devised a better solution: a mass spay/neuter program.   2,200 cats have been altered already, with around 1,000 to go — shows that it’s possible to control a very large population of strays effectively, and to the benefit of all parties involved. There is some more good news for the Amami Rabbit.  As of last month in Tokyo, on Jan. 18 (Jiji Press)—Tokyo will recommend soon that islands in the Amami-Ryūkyū region in southwestern Japan be inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2018, Chief Cabinet Secretary Suga Yoshihide said.  The government will make its official decision on the matter as early as this week, Suga told a press conference.  Set to be recommended as World Heritage sites are the northern part of the main island of Okinawa Prefecture and Iriomote Island, also in Okinawa, as well the islands of Amami Oshima and Tokunoshima in Kagoshima Prefecture, southwestern Japan.  An urgent task in the region is the protection of endangered native species such as the Okinawa rail, known as “Yanbaru Kuina,” and the Amami rabbit, or “Amami no Kuro Usagi,” as well as the preservation of subtropical laurel forests. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amami_rabbit http://www.edgeofexistence.org/mammals/species_info.php?id=44 http://www.catster.com/lifestyle/japan-saves-native-rabbits-by-neutering-thousands-of-cats http://www.nippon.com/en/genre/politics/l10103/ http://www.theanimalfiles.com/mammals/rabbits_hares_pikas/amami_rabbit.html Why the Rabbit is a Bird: For those of you who study Japanese, you might have come across this curious feature of the language. When counting rabbit/hares the word WA ( 羽) is used ( in Japanese different counting words are used for different things). The odd thing is that this is the counting word used for counting BIRDS! ICHI WA, NI WA – one bird, two birds.   Some explain  this by saying that is because rabbits/hares jump ( like flying) and their ears look like feathers ( and also because their meat tasted like chicken!). The real reason, however, is more interesting. Since the adoption of Buddhism, the eating of the meat of four-legged animals has been frowned upon ( though not anymore!). In fact, during the Edo Period, the Tokugawa Family officially banned the eating of such animals. The trouble was, that the Tokugawa`s in fact loved eating RABBIT. In fact it was a regualr feature of their New Year`s Dishes ( O-Sechi). How did they get around the law that they themselves promulgated and enforced? Easy. They called hares BIRDS ! Case closed! By the way, besides eating the meat, the Japanese also used the fur, to make brushes for calligraphy. Such brushes were long considered to be The highest quality. http://blog.alientimes.org/2011/01/for-the-year-of-the-rabbit-some-musings-on-rabbits-and-hares-in-japanese-culture-and-history/ Back when nights were pitch dark, people would be very imaginative when looking at the brightly shining full moon in the night skies. People in different countries see different things when looking at moon patterns, such as a standing lion, a crab with one large claw, or the profile of a man or woman. The Japanese say that "a rabbit is pounding mochi. In Japanese folklore there are rabbits living the moon which keep busy making mochi.  Mochi is a sticky rice snack. http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/indepth/cultural/kie/moon/kie_moon_06.html The venerable legend of "The White Rabbit of Inaba," and the fable of "The Tortoise and the Hare" are proof that Japanese have been interested in rabbits through the ages. The fact that these creatures are so prolific has made them an appropriate symbol of wealth. Perhaps the first linkage of hoppers and the moon came from India, where one legend tells of a rabbit that cannot bear to see people starve and jumps into the fire so they can have food.  As a reward for this self-sacrifice, the god Indra is said to have taken the rabbit to the moon. The story then traveled to China. There, the rabbit has become a pharmacist, mixing medicines with mortar and pestle. The tale then passed to Japan, where the rabbit is pounding mochi rice cakes, instead of pulverizing medicinal herbs.  All over the world, people have likened the shadows on the moon to all sorts of things, but the Japanese have always been infatuated with the idea of the rabbit pounding mochi. This can be seen at traditional confectionary shops throughout the nation, where people stand in line to buy cakes with a rabbit motif for the autumn moon-viewing season. He was said to descend to Earth around the time of the three-day moon, and return home when the moon was full.  Some artwork includes images of a rabbit or hare stands gazing wistfully at the moon,  In the midst of a field of wild autumn grasses, as if longing to return home. Now for a Japanese story: The Rabbit in the Moon (A Japanese Tale) http://www.uexpress.com/tell-me-a-story/1996/8/1/the-rabbit-in-the-moon-a Every night the Old Man in the Moon looks down on Earth to see how his animals and people are doing. He smiles to see them resting after a hard day's work. He winks at sleeping children. He hovers over rivers and lakes, lighting the waves and the shore. Then he sails on to other lands. One night long ago, the Old Man lingered in the sky over a forest in Japan. The animals below seemed to him to live in peace and harmony. Suddenly he spotted a monkey, a fox and a rabbit who were living side by side. The Old Man began to wonder about these animals that he knew only by sight. After a while he began to long to know them better. "Which of these friends is the kindest creature?" he asked himself as he watched the rabbit dash across the fields. "I wonder which is most generous?" he said softly as he watched the monkey swing from a tree. "I wonder what they are truly like," he said as he watched the fox paw at the forest floor to make his bed. "I need to know more about my creatures." The Old Man floated a while longer, but finally his curiosity got the best of him. "I must go and see for myself," he said, and because the Old Man in the Moon is a magical creature, he was able to transform himself into a poor beggar. In this disguise he floated down to Earth. He walked through the forest until he came to the clearing where the monkey, fox and rabbit lived. When the creatures saw him, they looked up at him with bright shining eyes. "Good day, sir," the rabbit said. "How do you do?" "Welcome to our forest," said the monkey, and the fox bowed low. "Oh, friends," the Old Man said, leaning heavily on his walking stick, "I am not doing well. I am old and poor, and I am very hungry. Do you think you could help me?" "Of course we'll help," the monkey chattered. "We always help our friends," the fox agreed. "We'll fetch some food for you," the rabbit added, and without a moment's hesitation, the three ran off, each one in search of food to offer the poor beggar. The Old Man sat down and leaned against a tree. Looking up into his sky, he smiled. "These are good animals," he said to himself, "and I am curious to see who is most generous." Before long the monkey returned, carrying an armload of fruit. "Here you are," the monkey said. "The bananas and berries are delicious. And take these oranges too, and these pears. I hope you will enjoy my gift," and he lay his fruit before the beggar. "Thank you, my friend. You are kind," the beggar said, and before he had finished speaking, the fox raced into the clearing. He carried a fat, fresh fish between his teeth, and this he laid before the beggar. Again he bowed. "My friend," the fox said, "I offer you a fresh fish to ease your hunger. I hope this will satisfy you." "You also are kind," said the Old Man. "I never knew how kind the forest animals were." "Of course we are kind," the monkey said proudly. "And we are skilled at finding food," the fox added. Now all three sat waiting for the rabbit to return. Meanwhile, the rabbit dashed this way and that through the forest, but no matter how he tried, he could not find food for the beggar. At long last he returned to the clearing. "Friend," the monkey cried, "you have returned!" "I have," the rabbit said sadly, "but I must ask you to do me a favor, dear friends. Please, Brother Monkey, will you gather firewood for me? And Brother Fox, with this firewood will you build a big fire?" The monkey and the fox ran off at once to do as their friend asked, and the beggar sat quietly by, watching in wonder. When the fire was blazing, the rabbit turned to the beggar. "I have nothing to offer you but myself," he said. "I am going to jump into the fire, and when I am roasted, please feast upon me. I cannot bear to see you go hungry." Rabbit bent his knees, preparing to jump into the fire. The beggar at once threw away his stick and cast off his cloak. He stood straight and tall and proud, and the animals, seeing this strange transformation, began to shake with fear. "Don’t be afraid," the Old Man said. "You see, Rabbit, I am more than a beggar, and I have seen that you are more than generous. Your kindness is beyond price, but you must understand, I wish you no harm. I do not want you to sacrifice yourself for my comfort. I will take you home with me, where I can watch over you and make sure you are never harmed." The Old Man in the Moon lifted the rabbit into his arms and carried him up to the moon. The monkey and the fox watched in amazement, but they were grateful, for they wished their friend no harm. If you look carefully at the moon when it is full and bright, you will see the rabbit living there in peace, resting in the Old Man's arms, helping him to watch over us all. Plant of the week: Raspberry Word of the week: Impress

It seems as if the tumult and intrigue that ran through Frank Lloyd Wright's life has lived on at Taliesin. After being embroiled in accreditation issues, suspending Fall 2013 enrollment, and working through rocky fundraising plans, Taliesin recently appointed Aaron Betsky to lead the school and help it regain solid footing. Betsky was previously the Director of the Cincinnati Art Museum and has quite the art/architecture pedigree: he's served as the Director of the 2008 International Architecture Biennale in Venice, SFMOMA's Curator of Architecture and Design, and the Director of the Netherlands Architecture Institute in Rotterdam. Betsky joined Paul, Amelia, Donna and Ken on the podcast to talk about his plans to make the school the "best experimental and its role in the changing world of architecture education. It also turns out that Betsky is quite the DJ. News this week was also rather Wright-ous, with the nomination of 10 FLW structures to the UNESCO World Heritage List, and the Hollyhock House's reopening in Los Angeles. We also take some time this episode to gaze inward on the podcast, and frankly consider our "intro" segments, where each hosts shares what's going on in their lives. What do you think of our introductions? We hunger for feedback. Send us your architectural legal issues, comments or questions via twitter #archinectsessions, email or call us at (213) 784-7421.