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

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

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

In this B-Side episode, BusinessWorld speaks with Guilherme Canela, director of the Division for Digital Inclusion Policies and Digital Transformation of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), on why access to information is a human right.Interview by Patricia MirasolAudio editing by Jayson Mariñas

Miguel Ángel González Suárez te presenta el Informativo de Primera Hora en 'El Remate', el programa matinal de La Diez Capital Radio que arranca tu día con: Las noticias más relevantes de Canarias, España y el mundo, analizadas con rigor y claridad. Miguel Ángel González Suárez te presenta el Informativo de Primera Hora en 'El Remate', el programa matinal de La Diez Capital Radio que arranca tu día con: Las noticias más relevantes de Canarias, España y el mundo, analizadas con rigor y claridad. Mazón dimite como president de la Generalitat con críticas al Gobierno pero seguirá como diputado: "Ya no puedo más" Hoy se cumplen 1.361 días del cruel ataque e invasión de Rusia a Ucrania. 3 años y 251 días. Hoy es martes 4 de noviembre de 2025. Día de la UNESCO. El 4 de noviembre se celebra el Día de la Organización de las Naciones Unidas para la Educación, la Ciencia y la Cultura (en inglés United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization: UNESCO). Es un organismo especializado de las Naciones Unidas, cuya creación marcó el compromiso de mejorar la calidad de vida de las personas y promover la paz, mediante la cooperación internacional en el ámbito educativo, cultural, comunicacional y de la ciencia. La Unesco fue creada al finalizar la II Guerra Mundial, con la finalidad de reestablecer los sistemas educativos de aquellos países aliados impactados por la guerra y que no disponen de suficientes recursos para la ejecución de acciones en materia de educación y cultura, con el fin último de contribuir a la paz mundial y generar calidad de vida para sus ciudadanos. En noviembre de 1945 se llevó a cabo una conferencia de las Naciones Unidas, con la participación de cuarenta y cuatro países, de los cuales treinta y siete aprobaron la fundación de la UNESCO. Se firmó la Constitución de la UNESCO, cuyo documento entró en vigor a partir del 4 de noviembre de 1946. Posteriormente, se inauguró su sede principal en el distrito VII de Paris, en el año 1958. 1922: en Egipto, Howard Carter halla el primer vestigio de la tumba de Tutankamón. 1950: En Nueva York, la Asamblea General de la ONU revoca la condena a la dictadura franquista en España. Tal día como hoy, 4 de noviembre de 1958, el Papa Juan XXIII, hijo de un campesino italiano pobre, fue coronado pontífice número 262 de la Iglesia Católica Romana en el balcón de la Basílica de San Pedro con 200.000 espectadores mirando desde la Plaza de San Pedro en una ceremonia de 4 horas. 1980: En Estados Unidos, el actor de derechas Ronald Reagan es elegido presidente. 2007: Se expone, por primera vez en la historia, la momia de Tutankamón en el Valle de los Reyes en Luxor. Años más tarde, el 4 de noviembre de 2008, se celebran elecciones presidenciales en Estados Unidos, con la elección de Barack Obama, candidato demócrata, es elegido presidente, un cargo que no asumirá hasta el 20 de enero de 2009. Santos Carlos Borromeo, Porfirio, Vidal y Modesta. Las tierras raras, un arma geopolítica que China no ha dudado en utilizar. El Frente Polisario rechaza el plan de autonomía de Marruecos: "Entre ser marroquíes o resistir, resistiremos" El fiscal general niega que filtrara el correo del novio de Ayuso y su defensa denuncia una "instrucción inquisitiva" Vilaplana declara ante la jueza de la dana que no tiene el ticket del parking y que Mazón "escribía mucho por el móvil" Las asociaciones de víctimas de la dana: "Ahora pedimos la prisión de Mazón" El Supremo propone juzgar a Ábalos, Koldo y Aldama por presuntas irregularidades en la compra de mascarillas. Canarias mete presión al Estado: “Tienen que salir 2.700 menores migrantes” Clavijo asegura que el Gobierno de Canarias ha culminado los expedientes de 500 chicos que están a disposición de ser acogidos. Tenerife y Gran Canaria, los destinos más buscados por los españoles en Navidad. El 71% de los españoles tiene pensado viajar en estas Fiestas. Ocho de cada diez parados canarios de larga duración pasan de 45 años Los activos de mayor edad representan el 40% del total de desempleados que existen en el Archipiélago, el doble que antes de la crisis iniciada en 2008. En 1961, Bob Dylan hizo su debut en el escenario del Carnegie Chapter Hall en Nueva York ante unas 50 personas.

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

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

In this episode of PodCatalyst, our “In Under 10” seriesbrings you a behind-the-scenes conversation from IABC World Conference 2025 in Vancouver.Christal P. Austin, public affairs officer for the Government of Barbados, joins guest host Dawn De La Torre to unpack what it really takes to lead during a crisis. Drawing on firsthand examples from government communications, Christal shares how today's communicators can respond to crises with clarity and credibility, especially when misinformation,disinformation, and social media chaos are in the mix.You'll hear why some defensive strategies like denial canprotect your organization and when they absolutely shouldn't. Plus, Christal introduces a lesser known but powerful tool: ingratiation. Done right, it's more than damage control, it's an opportunity to reconnect with your audience in a meaningful way.+++++++++++++++Christal P. Austin is a strategic public relations advisorwith over 20 years of experience. She's been an active IABC member since becoming the founding president of the Barbados chapter in 2008. In 2023, she presentedat IABC World Conference in Toronto and joined the Program Advisory Committee for the 2024 and 2025 World Conferences. Christal is also a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) award-winning writer, a decorated Toastmaster, and a passionate lecturer in social media and crisis communication. She holds a post-graduate diploma in business administration from the University of Surrey, a certificate in integrated marketing communication from IE Business School, and a Google project management certificate.+++++++++++++++LINKS Connect With IABC on Social MediaX (Twitter) | LinkedIn | Facebook | YouTube | InstagramVisit IABC Online https://www.iabc.com/ https://www.iabc.com/catalyst

Education is not only a fundamental human right that must be protected and promoted, but also a cornerstone of sustainable development.Every dollar invested in education yields up to $15 in return. Meanwhile, the cost of inaction is staggering. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) estimates that children being out of school and a lack of relevant skills among today's generation could cost the global economy $10 trillion over the next decade.Speaking at the Sustainable Development Conference in Sevilla, Spain, where global experts are discussing financing and reforming the international financial architecture, UNESCO emphasized that education must be recognized as a key driver of economic growth.That's according to Stefania Giannini, UNESCO's Assistant Director-General for Education, who spoke with UN News' Matt Wells in Sevilla about the transformative power of education around the world.

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

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

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

Tammy Haddad interviews Courtney O'Donnell, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and Sean Patrick Maloney, U.S. Ambassador to the Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD), for a deep dive into AI's transformative impact from Paris. O'Donnell shares UNESCO's initiatives in using AI to advance global education, protect cultural heritage, and preserve indigenous languages, emphasizing a human-centered approach. Maloney outlines the OECD's pivotal role in fostering multilateral AI cooperation, promoting inclusivity, and embedding ethical principles into AI frameworks. They address critical topics, including AI's energy demands, healthcare advancements like AI-powered tuberculosis diagnostics in India, and the urgency of global collaboration to ensure equitable access to AI's benefits.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) on Wednesday inscribed Spring Festival, social practices of the Chinese people in celebration of the traditional new year, on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.12月4日，联合国教科文组织决定将“春节——中国人庆祝传统新年的社会实践”列入人类非物质文化遗产代表作名录。The decision was made during the 19th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, taking place in Paraguay from Dec 2 to 7. The committee recognized the festival for its wide array of rituals and unique cultural elements that engage all of Chinese society.这一决定是在12月2日至7日于巴拉圭举行的联合国教科文组织保护非物质文化遗产政府间委员会第19届常会上做出的。委员会认为，春节具有广泛的仪式和独特的文化元素，吸引了中国全社会的参与。UNESCO highlighted that the Spring Festival, marking the start of the traditional Chinese Lunar New Year, involves various social practices, including prayers for good fortune and family reunions. It also features activities planned by elders and festive public events organized by communities.联合国教科文组织强调，春节标志着中国传统农历新年的开始，涉及祈福纳祥、家庭团聚等各种社会习俗。此外，春节还包括由长辈策划的活动和由社区组织的节日公共活动。According to UNESCO's documentation, the traditional knowledge and customs associated with the Spring Festival are passed down informally within families and communities, as well as formally through the education system. Craftsmanship and artistic skills related to the festival are transmitted through apprenticeships, promoting family values, social cohesion, and peace, while providing a sense of cultural identity.根据联合国教科文组织记录，与春节有关的传统知识和习俗既在家庭和社区内非正式地传承，又通过教育系统正式传承。与春节有关的手工艺和艺术技能通过学徒制传承，增进了家庭观念、社会凝聚力与和平，同时提供了一种文化认同感。The committee also emphasized that the festival embodies the harmony between humans and nature and contributes to sustainable development in areas such as food security and education. It also plays a key role in raising environmental awareness.委员会还强调，春节体现了人与自然和谐共生的价值理念，有助于粮食安全和教育等领域的可持续发展。它在提高环保意识方面也发挥了关键作用。China's vice minister of Culture and Tourism, Rao Quan, who led the Chinese delegation at the UNESCO session, expressed gratitude for the recognition. He stressed that the Spring Festival is China's most important traditional holiday, symbolizing the Chinese people's hopes for a better life, strong ties to family and country, and the values of harmony between humans and nature.率领中国代表团出席联合国教科文组织会议的中国文化和旅游部副部长饶权对这一决定表示感谢。他强调，春节是中国最重要的传统节日，象征着中国人民对美好生活的憧憬、深厚的家国情怀以及人与自然和谐共生的价值理念。Rao further explained that the festival, passed down through generations, has provided lasting spiritual strength to the Chinese people. It has played a significant role in promoting family and social harmony, driving economic development, protecting the environment, and fostering global cultural exchange.饶权进一步解释，世代相传的中国传统节日为中国人民提供了持久的精神力量。它在促进家庭和睦、社会和谐、经济发展、环境保护、全球文化交流等方面发挥着重要作用。He added that the inclusion of the Spring Festival on the UNESCO list will help promote universal values of peace and harmony and highlight the important role of intangible cultural heritage in sustainable development.饶权补充，将春节列入人类非物质文化遗产代表作名录，有助于促进和平与和谐的价值观，并突出非物质文化遗产在可持续发展中的重要作用。With this addition, China now has 44 cultural elements or practices recognized by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.至此，中国共有44个项目列入联合国教科文组织非物质文化遗产名录、名册。Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity人类非物质文化遗产代表作名录apprenticeshipn. 学徒期；学徒身份inscribev. 题写；铭记

It's Wednesday, August 7th, A.D. 2024. This is The World View in 5 Minutes written by Jonathan Clark and heard at www.TheWorldView.com. Filling in for Adam McManus I'm Ean Leppin. Christians Targeted in Nigeria as Protests Rock the Country  Protests broke out in Nigeria last Thursday over a cost of living crisis, leaving dozens of people dead. Christians in the country have faced even more violence during the instability.  Islamic Fulani Extremists attacked multiple farms owned by Christians last week. The militants killed Christian farmers and destroyed crops.  One survivor told International Christian Concern, “Fulani wanted to kill me, but I thank God I was safe.”  Nigeria is ranked 6th on the Open Doors' World Watch List of nations where it is most difficult to be a Christian.  Nigerian Regional Church Body Leaves Compromised UMC A Nigerian bishop with the United Methodist Church (UMC) resigned last month over the denomination's support for sexually perverted lifestyles. Bishop John Wesley Yohanna led the Nigerian Episcopal Area. The entire regional body decided to leave the UMC and join the Global Methodist Movement, according to The Christian Post.  A letter from Yohanna said, “We want to make a statement that since the church has derailed from Biblical principle we cannot be in this church where … homosexuality can be celebrated.”  Psalm 1:1 says, “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful.”  Arrest Made In An Assassination Plot in US As reported by Fox News A Pakistani man with ties to the Iranian government sought to carry out a political assassination in the United States, a case that was investigated weeks before a gunman tried to kill former President Trump at a Pennsylvania campaign rally.  Asif Merchant, 46, traveled to New York City and worked with a hit man to carry out the assassinations in late August or early September, federal prosecutors said  the plot was intended to target high-ranking U.S. officials, potentially including Trump.  ABC News Senior Investigative Correspondent Aaron Katersky gives more details concerning the case so far. KATERSKY: “His name is Asif Merchant, and he entered the United States, according to federal prosecutors in Brooklyn, in April.  And while he was here in the United States, he made phone calls, trying to hire hitmen to carry out his alleged scheme to assassinate government officials on U.S. soil.  The criminal complaint does not mention former president Donald Trump by name, but multiple sources, familiar with this case, say one of the intended targets was former president Trump.  The hitman that Asif Merchant contacted, ended up being confidential sources of the FBI, so there was never any real danger here, because it seems the Feds were onto this man from the start.  They followed him for several months, and arrested him July 12th, just before he was about to board a flight and leave the country.  The arrest, July 12th, you'll note, is one day before former president Trump's rally in Butler, PA, when there was an attempt on the former president's life.  Although, these two things are not believed to be connected.” Christian Tennis Star Wins Olympic Gold Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic won an Olympic gold medal in the men's singles final in Paris this week. Despite being one of the world's top tennis players, this is his first Olympic gold medal. With this victory, Djokovic accomplished what is known as the “Golden Slam.” That's when a tennis player has won each of the four Grand Slam tournaments (Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, US Open) as well as an Olympic Gold medal.  After receiving his medal, Djokovic pointed upward and said “God is great” in Serbian. Kamala Harris Picks Running Mate In the U.S., the Democratic National Committee officially picked Vice President Kamala Harris on Monday as their nominee for the presidential election.  And yesterday, she announced her running mate—Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. The 60-year-old military veteran is known for pushing Democrat agendas in his state. Walz supports abortion up to birth, transgender surgeries, and socialism. He is a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America which supports sexually perverted lifestyles.  Georgia Town Pays $55k in Free Speech Case A city in Georgia reached a $55,000 settlement in a First Amendment case last month.  Authorities in the City of Alpharetta arrested Jeff Gray back in 2022 for holding a sign saying “God Bless the Homeless Vets” outside city hall. Gray challenged the city in court with the help of The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression.  Thanks to the settlement, Alpharetta agreed to train officers on the First Amendment and to not punish people for peacefully demonstrating.  1 out of 10 Americans are Evangelical  A new study from Dr. George Barna documents the demise of Evangelicalism. The study defined Evangelicals as those who recognize their sinful life, rely on Jesus for salvation, and receive guidance from the Bible. Only 10% of U.S. adults are Evangelical. And only a third of those have a Biblical worldview.  Dr. Barna noted, “The data strongly suggests that evangelicals are more likely to be shaped by the culture around them than they are to influence or ‘evangelize' it.” Romans 12:2 says, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” U.K. Christian Settlement Becomes World Heritage Site And finally, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation added a Christian settlement in Northern Ireland to its list of world heritage sites.  German-speaking Protestants established the Gracehill Moravian Church settlement in 1759.  It received world heritage status after the U.S. led an effort to recognize Moravian Church settlements. Other settlements include  Herrnhut in Germany and Bethlehem in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania.  The Moravian Church draws its heritage from the 15th century Czech reformer John Hus. In the 1700s, the church saw a renewal under the patronage of Count Nicholas Ludwig von Zinzendorf who built the Herrnhut community. The community was known for sending pioneering Protestant missionaries throughout the world.  And that's The World View in 5 Minutes on this Wednesday, August 7th, in the year of our Lord 2024. Subscribe by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldView.com. Or get the Generations app through Google Play or The App Store. Filling in for Adam McManus I'm Ean Leppin. Seize the day for Jesus Christ. 

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

Before Josef Stalin's death in 1953, the USSR had, at best, an ambivalent relationship with noncommunist international organisations. Although it had helped found the United Nations, it refused to join the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and other major agencies beyond the Security Council and General Assembly, casting them as foreign meddlers. Under new leadership, the USSR joined UNESCO and a slew of international organisations for the first time, including the World Health Organization and the International Labor Organization. As a result, it enabled Soviet diplomats, scholars, teachers, and even some blue-collar workers to participate in global discussions on topics ranging from their professional specialties to worldwide problems. Reds in Blue: UNESCO, World Governance, and the Soviet Internationalist Imagination (Oxford University Press, 2023) by Dr. Louis Porter investigates Soviet relations with one of the most prominent of these organisations, UNESCO, to present a novel way of thinking about the role of the United Nations in the Soviet experience of the Cold War. Drawing on unused archival material from the former USSR and elsewhere, the book examines the forgotten stories of Soviet citizens who contributed to the nuts-and-bolts operations and lesser-known activities of world governance. These unexamined dimensions of everyday participation in the UN's bureaucracy, conferences, publications, and technical assistance show the body's importance for a group of Soviet "one-worlders," who used the UN to imagine and work for a better world amidst the realities of the Cold War. Meanwhile, the Khrushchev and early Brezhnev governments sought to use their participation as a means of spreading Soviet influence within Western-dominated international organisations but discovered that this required risk-taking and a degree of openness for which the Soviet leadership and domestic institutions were often unprepared. Moving beyond debates over the successes and failures of UN diplomatic activities, Reds in Blue offers fresh perspectives on how Soviet citizens became citizens of the world and advocated for opening up Soviet society in ways that transcended Cold War categories without abandoning a sense of loyalty to their homeland. In doing so, it recaptures a space where East and West worked together towards a future without international conflict in the years before détente. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose forthcoming book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Before Josef Stalin's death in 1953, the USSR had, at best, an ambivalent relationship with noncommunist international organisations. Although it had helped found the United Nations, it refused to join the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and other major agencies beyond the Security Council and General Assembly, casting them as foreign meddlers. Under new leadership, the USSR joined UNESCO and a slew of international organisations for the first time, including the World Health Organization and the International Labor Organization. As a result, it enabled Soviet diplomats, scholars, teachers, and even some blue-collar workers to participate in global discussions on topics ranging from their professional specialties to worldwide problems. Reds in Blue: UNESCO, World Governance, and the Soviet Internationalist Imagination (Oxford University Press, 2023) by Dr. Louis Porter investigates Soviet relations with one of the most prominent of these organisations, UNESCO, to present a novel way of thinking about the role of the United Nations in the Soviet experience of the Cold War. Drawing on unused archival material from the former USSR and elsewhere, the book examines the forgotten stories of Soviet citizens who contributed to the nuts-and-bolts operations and lesser-known activities of world governance. These unexamined dimensions of everyday participation in the UN's bureaucracy, conferences, publications, and technical assistance show the body's importance for a group of Soviet "one-worlders," who used the UN to imagine and work for a better world amidst the realities of the Cold War. Meanwhile, the Khrushchev and early Brezhnev governments sought to use their participation as a means of spreading Soviet influence within Western-dominated international organisations but discovered that this required risk-taking and a degree of openness for which the Soviet leadership and domestic institutions were often unprepared. Moving beyond debates over the successes and failures of UN diplomatic activities, Reds in Blue offers fresh perspectives on how Soviet citizens became citizens of the world and advocated for opening up Soviet society in ways that transcended Cold War categories without abandoning a sense of loyalty to their homeland. In doing so, it recaptures a space where East and West worked together towards a future without international conflict in the years before détente. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose forthcoming book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history

Before Josef Stalin's death in 1953, the USSR had, at best, an ambivalent relationship with noncommunist international organisations. Although it had helped found the United Nations, it refused to join the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and other major agencies beyond the Security Council and General Assembly, casting them as foreign meddlers. Under new leadership, the USSR joined UNESCO and a slew of international organisations for the first time, including the World Health Organization and the International Labor Organization. As a result, it enabled Soviet diplomats, scholars, teachers, and even some blue-collar workers to participate in global discussions on topics ranging from their professional specialties to worldwide problems. Reds in Blue: UNESCO, World Governance, and the Soviet Internationalist Imagination (Oxford University Press, 2023) by Dr. Louis Porter investigates Soviet relations with one of the most prominent of these organisations, UNESCO, to present a novel way of thinking about the role of the United Nations in the Soviet experience of the Cold War. Drawing on unused archival material from the former USSR and elsewhere, the book examines the forgotten stories of Soviet citizens who contributed to the nuts-and-bolts operations and lesser-known activities of world governance. These unexamined dimensions of everyday participation in the UN's bureaucracy, conferences, publications, and technical assistance show the body's importance for a group of Soviet "one-worlders," who used the UN to imagine and work for a better world amidst the realities of the Cold War. Meanwhile, the Khrushchev and early Brezhnev governments sought to use their participation as a means of spreading Soviet influence within Western-dominated international organisations but discovered that this required risk-taking and a degree of openness for which the Soviet leadership and domestic institutions were often unprepared. Moving beyond debates over the successes and failures of UN diplomatic activities, Reds in Blue offers fresh perspectives on how Soviet citizens became citizens of the world and advocated for opening up Soviet society in ways that transcended Cold War categories without abandoning a sense of loyalty to their homeland. In doing so, it recaptures a space where East and West worked together towards a future without international conflict in the years before détente. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose forthcoming book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/world-affairs

Before Josef Stalin's death in 1953, the USSR had, at best, an ambivalent relationship with noncommunist international organisations. Although it had helped found the United Nations, it refused to join the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and other major agencies beyond the Security Council and General Assembly, casting them as foreign meddlers. Under new leadership, the USSR joined UNESCO and a slew of international organisations for the first time, including the World Health Organization and the International Labor Organization. As a result, it enabled Soviet diplomats, scholars, teachers, and even some blue-collar workers to participate in global discussions on topics ranging from their professional specialties to worldwide problems. Reds in Blue: UNESCO, World Governance, and the Soviet Internationalist Imagination (Oxford University Press, 2023) by Dr. Louis Porter investigates Soviet relations with one of the most prominent of these organisations, UNESCO, to present a novel way of thinking about the role of the United Nations in the Soviet experience of the Cold War. Drawing on unused archival material from the former USSR and elsewhere, the book examines the forgotten stories of Soviet citizens who contributed to the nuts-and-bolts operations and lesser-known activities of world governance. These unexamined dimensions of everyday participation in the UN's bureaucracy, conferences, publications, and technical assistance show the body's importance for a group of Soviet "one-worlders," who used the UN to imagine and work for a better world amidst the realities of the Cold War. Meanwhile, the Khrushchev and early Brezhnev governments sought to use their participation as a means of spreading Soviet influence within Western-dominated international organisations but discovered that this required risk-taking and a degree of openness for which the Soviet leadership and domestic institutions were often unprepared. Moving beyond debates over the successes and failures of UN diplomatic activities, Reds in Blue offers fresh perspectives on how Soviet citizens became citizens of the world and advocated for opening up Soviet society in ways that transcended Cold War categories without abandoning a sense of loyalty to their homeland. In doing so, it recaptures a space where East and West worked together towards a future without international conflict in the years before détente. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose forthcoming book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/russian-studies

Before Josef Stalin's death in 1953, the USSR had, at best, an ambivalent relationship with noncommunist international organisations. Although it had helped found the United Nations, it refused to join the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and other major agencies beyond the Security Council and General Assembly, casting them as foreign meddlers. Under new leadership, the USSR joined UNESCO and a slew of international organisations for the first time, including the World Health Organization and the International Labor Organization. As a result, it enabled Soviet diplomats, scholars, teachers, and even some blue-collar workers to participate in global discussions on topics ranging from their professional specialties to worldwide problems. Reds in Blue: UNESCO, World Governance, and the Soviet Internationalist Imagination (Oxford University Press, 2023) by Dr. Louis Porter investigates Soviet relations with one of the most prominent of these organisations, UNESCO, to present a novel way of thinking about the role of the United Nations in the Soviet experience of the Cold War. Drawing on unused archival material from the former USSR and elsewhere, the book examines the forgotten stories of Soviet citizens who contributed to the nuts-and-bolts operations and lesser-known activities of world governance. These unexamined dimensions of everyday participation in the UN's bureaucracy, conferences, publications, and technical assistance show the body's importance for a group of Soviet "one-worlders," who used the UN to imagine and work for a better world amidst the realities of the Cold War. Meanwhile, the Khrushchev and early Brezhnev governments sought to use their participation as a means of spreading Soviet influence within Western-dominated international organisations but discovered that this required risk-taking and a degree of openness for which the Soviet leadership and domestic institutions were often unprepared. Moving beyond debates over the successes and failures of UN diplomatic activities, Reds in Blue offers fresh perspectives on how Soviet citizens became citizens of the world and advocated for opening up Soviet society in ways that transcended Cold War categories without abandoning a sense of loyalty to their homeland. In doing so, it recaptures a space where East and West worked together towards a future without international conflict in the years before détente. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose forthcoming book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/eastern-european-studies

Before Josef Stalin's death in 1953, the USSR had, at best, an ambivalent relationship with noncommunist international organisations. Although it had helped found the United Nations, it refused to join the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and other major agencies beyond the Security Council and General Assembly, casting them as foreign meddlers. Under new leadership, the USSR joined UNESCO and a slew of international organisations for the first time, including the World Health Organization and the International Labor Organization. As a result, it enabled Soviet diplomats, scholars, teachers, and even some blue-collar workers to participate in global discussions on topics ranging from their professional specialties to worldwide problems. Reds in Blue: UNESCO, World Governance, and the Soviet Internationalist Imagination (Oxford University Press, 2023) by Dr. Louis Porter investigates Soviet relations with one of the most prominent of these organisations, UNESCO, to present a novel way of thinking about the role of the United Nations in the Soviet experience of the Cold War. Drawing on unused archival material from the former USSR and elsewhere, the book examines the forgotten stories of Soviet citizens who contributed to the nuts-and-bolts operations and lesser-known activities of world governance. These unexamined dimensions of everyday participation in the UN's bureaucracy, conferences, publications, and technical assistance show the body's importance for a group of Soviet "one-worlders," who used the UN to imagine and work for a better world amidst the realities of the Cold War. Meanwhile, the Khrushchev and early Brezhnev governments sought to use their participation as a means of spreading Soviet influence within Western-dominated international organisations but discovered that this required risk-taking and a degree of openness for which the Soviet leadership and domestic institutions were often unprepared. Moving beyond debates over the successes and failures of UN diplomatic activities, Reds in Blue offers fresh perspectives on how Soviet citizens became citizens of the world and advocated for opening up Soviet society in ways that transcended Cold War categories without abandoning a sense of loyalty to their homeland. In doing so, it recaptures a space where East and West worked together towards a future without international conflict in the years before détente. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose forthcoming book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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

Welcome to Jazz Piano Skills; I'm Dr. Bob Lawrence. It's time to Discover, Learn, and Play jazz piano!I am thrilled to welcome back to Jazz Piano Skills, Dr. JB Dyas. Dr. JB Dyas has been a leader in jazz education for the past two decades. Currently, Vice President for Education and Curriculum Development at the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz, Dyas oversees the Institute's education and outreach programs, including Jazz in America (www.jazzinamerica.org), one of the most significant and wide-reaching jazz education programs in the world. He has presented jazz workshops, teacher-training seminars, and jazz "informances" worldwide with such renowned artists as Ambrose Akinmusire, Don Braden, Bobby Broom, Dave Brubeck, Gerald Clayton, Robin Eubanks, Herbie Hancock, Antonio Hart, Ingrid Jensen, Sean Jones, Delfeayo Marsalis, Christian McBride, Bobby Watson, and Steve Wilson.Prior to his current position at the Hancock Institute, Dyas served as Executive Director of the Brubeck Institute where he implemented its College Fellowship Program, Brubeck Festival, Summer Jazz Colony, and Jazz Outreach Initiative. Before that, he served as Director of Jazz Studies at Miami-Dade College – one of the nation's largest and most multi-cultural colleges, and New World School of the Arts – Miami's award-winning performing arts high school.Throughout his career, Dyas has performed across the country, designed and implemented new jazz curricula, directed large and small ensembles, and taught various jazz courses to students at virtually every level of musical development – age seven to seventy, beginner to professional, learning-challenged to prodigy. He has conducted jazz and tune-learning clinics, adjudicated high school and collegiate jazz festivals, and presented numerous jazz seminars throughout the United States and in Australia, Canada, Columbia, Cuba, France, Germany, Japan, Mexico, Russia, and Turkey. He also teaches Jazz Pedagogy at the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz Performance at the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music, is on the faculty of the Jamey Aebersold Summer Jazz Workshop, and serves as an adjudicator for the Annual GRAMMY Music Educator Award.Additionally, Dyas has written for DownBeat magazine and other national music publications, presented clinics, and performed at a number of International Association for Jazz Education (IAJE) and Jazz Education Network (JEN) Annual Conferences, co-founded the International Sisters in Jazz Collegiate Competition, served on the Smithsonian Institution's Task Force for Jazz Education in America, and contributed the chapter “Defining Jazz Education” to the biography, "David Baker - A Legacy in Music." Dyas recently introduced his “What is Jazz and Why It's Important to the World” lecture for International Jazz Day, for which he annually presents education events in conjunction with the Hancock Institute and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). He also has made a series of teacher-training jazz education videos (all available at jbdyas.com), including a national webinar along with Herbie Hancock and US Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona on the importance of jazz education in our public schools.Dr. Dyas received his Master's in Jazz Pedagogy from the University of Miami and Ph.D. in Music Education from Indiana University. He is a recipient of the DownBeat Achievement Award for Jazz Education. A professional bassist, Dyas has performed well over a thousand jazz and commercial dates throughout his career and continues performing in various jazz and commercial music settings.Now, sit back, relax, and welcome back to JazzPianoSkills, Dr. JB Dyas!Support the show

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

Welcome to Jazz Piano Skills; I'm Dr. Bob Lawrence. It's time to Discover, Learn, and Play jazz piano!I am thrilled to welcome back to Jazz Piano Skills, Dr. JB Dyas. Dr. JB Dyas has been a leader in jazz education for the past two decades. Currently, Vice President for Education and Curriculum Development at the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz, Dyas oversees the Institute's education and outreach programs, including Jazz in America (www.jazzinamerica.org), one of the most significant and wide-reaching jazz education programs in the world. He has presented jazz workshops, teacher-training seminars, and jazz "informances" worldwide with such renowned artists as Ambrose Akinmusire, Don Braden, Bobby Broom, Dave Brubeck, Gerald Clayton, Robin Eubanks, Herbie Hancock, Antonio Hart, Ingrid Jensen, Sean Jones, Delfeayo Marsalis, Christian McBride, Bobby Watson, and Steve Wilson.Prior to his current position at the Hancock Institute, Dyas served as Executive Director of the Brubeck Institute where he implemented its College Fellowship Program, Brubeck Festival, Summer Jazz Colony, and Jazz Outreach Initiative. Before that, he served as Director of Jazz Studies at Miami-Dade College – one of the nation's largest and most multi-cultural colleges, and New World School of the Arts – Miami's award-winning performing arts high school.Throughout his career, Dyas has performed across the country, designed and implemented new jazz curricula, directed large and small ensembles, and taught various jazz courses to students at virtually every level of musical development – age seven to seventy, beginner to professional, learning-challenged to prodigy. He has conducted jazz and tune-learning clinics, adjudicated high school and collegiate jazz festivals, and presented numerous jazz seminars throughout the United States and in Australia, Canada, Columbia, Cuba, France, Germany, Japan, Mexico, Russia, and Turkey. He also teaches Jazz Pedagogy at the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz Performance at the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music, is on the faculty of the Jamey Aebersold Summer Jazz Workshop, and serves as an adjudicator for the Annual GRAMMY Music Educator Award.Additionally, Dyas has written for DownBeat magazine and other national music publications, presented clinics, and performed at a number of International Association for Jazz Education (IAJE) and Jazz Education Network (JEN) Annual Conferences, co-founded the International Sisters in Jazz Collegiate Competition, served on the Smithsonian Institution's Task Force for Jazz Education in America, and contributed the chapter “Defining Jazz Education” to the biography, "David Baker - A Legacy in Music." Dyas recently introduced his “What is Jazz and Why It's Important to the World” lecture for International Jazz Day, for which he annually presents education events in conjunction with the Hancock Institute and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). He also has made a series of teacher-training jazz education videos (all available at jbdyas.com), including a national webinar along with Herbie Hancock and US Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona on the importance of jazz education in our public schools.Dr. Dyas received his Master's in Jazz Pedagogy from the University of Miami and Ph.D. in Music Education from Indiana University. He is a recipient of the DownBeat Achievement Award for Jazz Education. A professional bassist, Dyas has performed well over a thousand jazz and commercial dates throughout his career and continues performing in various jazz and commercial music settings.Now, sit back, relax, and welcome back to JazzPianoSkills, Dr. JB Dyas!Support the show

February 13 is World Radio Day. It was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 2012 as a UN International Day. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) says radio remains one of the most dependable and widely utilized forms of media in an era marked by the dizzying speed of technological innovation. Reporter Rita Jlogbe Doue asked some Liberians to share their views about radio.

In the Fall of 2023, a contingent of folk and jazz artists from Frutilla, Chile (fru-tee-ya Chill-ay) came to Kansas City as part of a cultural exchange facilitated by The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and their Creative Cities Network.  The Network was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development. Almost 300 cities around the world which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective: placing creativity and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and cooperating actively at the international level.  To date, Kansas City is the ONLY US City with the UNESCO Creative Cities designation. Martina performing as Medicentuna and Daniela Conejero visited with me at the KKFI studios for a lively conversation  and enchanting on air performance.  Enjoy this unique and captivating episode of the Tasty Brew Music Podcast!

A daily news briefing from Catholic News Agency, powered by artificial intelligence. Ask your smart speaker to play “Catholic News,” or listen every morning wherever you get podcasts. www.catholicnewsagency.com - The Vatican announced on Thursday that the soaring baldacchino over the main altar of Saint Peter's Basilica designed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini 400 years ago will undergo a major restoration. The ambitious restoration and conservation project, expected to be completed just before the start of the Catholic Church's jubilee year in December, will require scaffolding to be set up around the canopy of the basilica's main altar for nearly a year. Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, the archpriest of Saint Peter's Basilica, has assured that papal liturgies will still be able to take place in the basilica amid the restoration work. The 700,000 euro (about $768,000) restoration is being funded by the Knights of Columbus and will be carried out by the Vatican Museums' expert art restorers. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256515/vatican-announces-major-restoration-project-in-st-peter-s-basilica The Dominican Church of Our Lady of the Hour, one of the most emblematic in Mosul, northern Iraq, has been completely restored after the destruction carried out by Islamic State terrorists 10 years ago. The church was rebuilt with the collaboration of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256504/church-destroyed-by-isis-in-iraq-completely-restored-10-years-later In the midst of war and suffering, the Catholic faithful of Holy Family Parish in northern Gaza continue to walk in the light of faith. Eight children received their first holy Communion this past Sunday in the church. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256510/walking-in-faith-eight-children-receive-first-communion-in-northern-gaza The bishops of Ecuador published a statement titled “Violence will not prevail” following recent disturbances that occurred in the country including the takeover of a television station in the city of Guayaquil in the midst of a state of emergency that began on January 8. The bishops encouraged Ecuadorans not to fall “either into the fruitless panic that the game played by the violent [perpetrators] creates by giving credence to any alarmist image shared on social media, nor into the naivete of standing idly by believing that this fight is only for those who govern us.” https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256502/ecuador-gang-violence-will-not-prevail-bishops-say The criminal sexual assault case against former cardinal Theodore McCarrick in Wisconsin has been suspended after a psychologist hired by the court found that McCarrick is not competent to stand trial. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256505/breaking-mccarrick-found-incompetent-to-stand-trial-in-wisconsin-case-suspended Today, the Church celebrates Saint Marguerite Bourgeoys, who not only founded a religious congregation, but was also instrumental in establishing the Canadian city of Montreal. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-marguerite-bourgeoys-114

In 2020, Finland's sauna culture was added to the List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Sauna culture is an integral part of the lives of the majority of the Finnish population. Interestingly, the Finnish style of sauna-going has inspired quite a few individuals in Japan to travel to Finland to learn more about sauna as a lifestyle. It seems that there is active interest in investigating foreign bathing habits in Japan. In this episode, Julie Yu-Wen Chen talks to Eetu-Antti Hartikainen, a Finnish research student at Hokkaido University to understand the sauna boom and the localization of sauna culture in Japan. Eetu-Antti also shares his research of how Japanese sauna enthusiasts form some commonly shared values to differentiate themselves from others. However, sauna enthusiasts are very diverse as a group, which is seen in the contrasting opinions and assumptions concerning how sauna space should be utilized for enjoyment. Julie Yu-Wen Chen is Professor of Chinese Studies at the Department of Cultures at the University of Helsinki (Finland). Dr. Chen serves as one of the editors of the Journal of Chinese Political Science (Springer, SSCI). Formerly, she was chair of Nordic Association of China Studies (NACS) and Editor-in-Chief of Asian Ethnicity (Taylor & Francis). You can find her on University of Helsinki Chinese Studies' website, Youtube, and her personal Twitter. The Nordic Asia Podcast is a collaboration sharing expertise on Asia across the Nordic region, brought to you by the Nordic Institute of Asian Studies (NIAS) based at the University of Copenhagen, along with our academic partners: the Centre for East Asian Studies at the University of Turku, and Asianettverket at the University of Oslo. We aim to produce timely, topical and well-edited discussions of new research and developments about Asia. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

In 2020, Finland's sauna culture was added to the List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Sauna culture is an integral part of the lives of the majority of the Finnish population. Interestingly, the Finnish style of sauna-going has inspired quite a few individuals in Japan to travel to Finland to learn more about sauna as a lifestyle. It seems that there is active interest in investigating foreign bathing habits in Japan. In this episode, Julie Yu-Wen Chen talks to Eetu-Antti Hartikainen, a Finnish research student at Hokkaido University to understand the sauna boom and the localization of sauna culture in Japan. Eetu-Antti also shares his research of how Japanese sauna enthusiasts form some commonly shared values to differentiate themselves from others. However, sauna enthusiasts are very diverse as a group, which is seen in the contrasting opinions and assumptions concerning how sauna space should be utilized for enjoyment. Julie Yu-Wen Chen is Professor of Chinese Studies at the Department of Cultures at the University of Helsinki (Finland). Dr. Chen serves as one of the editors of the Journal of Chinese Political Science (Springer, SSCI). Formerly, she was chair of Nordic Association of China Studies (NACS) and Editor-in-Chief of Asian Ethnicity (Taylor & Francis). You can find her on University of Helsinki Chinese Studies' website, Youtube, and her personal Twitter. The Nordic Asia Podcast is a collaboration sharing expertise on Asia across the Nordic region, brought to you by the Nordic Institute of Asian Studies (NIAS) based at the University of Copenhagen, along with our academic partners: the Centre for East Asian Studies at the University of Turku, and Asianettverket at the University of Oslo. We aim to produce timely, topical and well-edited discussions of new research and developments about Asia. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/east-asian-studies

In 2020, Finland's sauna culture was added to the List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Sauna culture is an integral part of the lives of the majority of the Finnish population. Interestingly, the Finnish style of sauna-going has inspired quite a few individuals in Japan to travel to Finland to learn more about sauna as a lifestyle. It seems that there is active interest in investigating foreign bathing habits in Japan. In this episode, Julie Yu-Wen Chen talks to Eetu-Antti Hartikainen, a Finnish research student at Hokkaido University to understand the sauna boom and the localization of sauna culture in Japan. Eetu-Antti also shares his research of how Japanese sauna enthusiasts form some commonly shared values to differentiate themselves from others. However, sauna enthusiasts are very diverse as a group, which is seen in the contrasting opinions and assumptions concerning how sauna space should be utilized for enjoyment. Julie Yu-Wen Chen is Professor of Chinese Studies at the Department of Cultures at the University of Helsinki (Finland). Dr. Chen serves as one of the editors of the Journal of Chinese Political Science (Springer, SSCI). Formerly, she was chair of Nordic Association of China Studies (NACS) and Editor-in-Chief of Asian Ethnicity (Taylor & Francis). You can find her on University of Helsinki Chinese Studies' website, Youtube, and her personal Twitter. The Nordic Asia Podcast is a collaboration sharing expertise on Asia across the Nordic region, brought to you by the Nordic Institute of Asian Studies (NIAS) based at the University of Copenhagen, along with our academic partners: the Centre for East Asian Studies at the University of Turku, and Asianettverket at the University of Oslo. We aim to produce timely, topical and well-edited discussions of new research and developments about Asia.

In 2020, Finland's sauna culture was added to the List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Sauna culture is an integral part of the lives of the majority of the Finnish population. Interestingly, the Finnish style of sauna-going has inspired quite a few individuals in Japan to travel to Finland to learn more about sauna as a lifestyle. It seems that there is active interest in investigating foreign bathing habits in Japan. In this episode, Julie Yu-Wen Chen talks to Eetu-Antti Hartikainen, a Finnish research student at Hokkaido University to understand the sauna boom and the localization of sauna culture in Japan. Eetu-Antti also shares his research of how Japanese sauna enthusiasts form some commonly shared values to differentiate themselves from others. However, sauna enthusiasts are very diverse as a group, which is seen in the contrasting opinions and assumptions concerning how sauna space should be utilized for enjoyment. Julie Yu-Wen Chen is Professor of Chinese Studies at the Department of Cultures at the University of Helsinki (Finland). Dr. Chen serves as one of the editors of the Journal of Chinese Political Science (Springer, SSCI). Formerly, she was chair of Nordic Association of China Studies (NACS) and Editor-in-Chief of Asian Ethnicity (Taylor & Francis). You can find her on University of Helsinki Chinese Studies' website, Youtube, and her personal Twitter. The Nordic Asia Podcast is a collaboration sharing expertise on Asia across the Nordic region, brought to you by the Nordic Institute of Asian Studies (NIAS) based at the University of Copenhagen, along with our academic partners: the Centre for East Asian Studies at the University of Turku, and Asianettverket at the University of Oslo. We aim to produce timely, topical and well-edited discussions of new research and developments about Asia. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/japanese-studies

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

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

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

During Rosh Hashanah, (how ironic) the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), once again tried to erase the 4,000 year old Jewish connection to the Land of Israel by declaring the ancient town of Jericho to be a "State of Palestine" world heritage site. On today's Israel Uncensored, Josh Hasten says that yet again another UN body has proven it has Jew-hatred in its ranks, trying to destroy a part of our ancient Jewish heritage. Photo Credit: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jericho_Ruinen_01.JPG

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

Today we take you on a journey through the most captivating UNESCO World Heritage sites. From ancient wonders to natural wonders, these sites have been recognized by the United Nations Educational,…

Out of concern for China's ever-growing dominance, the Biden Administration reverses Trump's withdrawal to rejoin the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). ✍️Leave Us A Message: StayEducated.org

The Silent Killer| Dr. Patrice Muhammad Healing With Angelica Podcast Guest Dr. Patrice Muhammad Episode: 60 Guest Info: Dr. Patrice Muhammad, is a board-certified Physician Associate and Doctor of Integrative Medicine with 29 years of experience in various fields of medicine, including, but not limited to, Internal Medicine, Family Medicine, Emergency Medicine, Pediatrics, Occupational Medicine, Correctional Medicine, and Hematology/Oncology for which she was appointed the lead abstractor for the Quality Oncology Practice Initiative (QOPI) for the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). She is a certified Medical Examiner for the Department of Transportation (DOT), Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). She also has experience in Disaster Preparedness training and received her certification from the World Health Organization (WHO), and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). She is the owner of Health At Its Best, which provides telehealth consultation to offer natural healing therapies based on the fundamentals of whole food nutrition and healing herbal tonics. This combination serves as a healthy and safe option to the synthetic, toxic, and chemically-based medications and treatments offered by traditional primary care providers. It has been her life's mission to help others acquire true and sustainable healing to one's fullest capacity. Dr. Muhammad's signature statement is, “You are living your best life when your mind and body are balanced and healthy”. Dr. Muhammad works in partnership with Salaam Community Wellness Center, a newly established holistic, alternative medicine wellness center in the Woodlawn area on Chicago's southeast side; where they offer a wide range of services, such as, Primary Care, Integrative Medicine, Mental Health and Case Management, Nutrition therapy, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Acupressure, Reiki, Deep Breathing, Meditation, Yoga, Nutrition Response Testing (NRT), Music and Sound Therapy. Dr. Muhammad is currently the Project Head and Lead Author of a published prostate cancer research project, and is working with an Investigational Review Board (IRB) on Prostate Cancer to conduct further research to develop a definitive criteria for the diagnosis of prostate cancer with the goal of minimizing the tremendous gap that exists in the overdiagnosis and overtreatment of prostate cancer in men of African descent, leading to premature death. You may contact Dr. Muhammad at: www.healthatitsbest.org, (773) 435-9493, or via email: HealthAtItsBest1@gmail.com Health At Its Best Facebook page, BestHealth19 instagram page. More info about The Host, Angelica X Website https://linktr.ee/healwithangelica Heyyyyyyy you? Are you ready to heal? book a 1 hour 1 on 1 consultation call with me that will include a complete guide to start your personal healing journey, my ebook “HEAL YOURSELF” for FREE and so much more. . . LINK BELOW TO BOOK https://calendly.com/healingwithangelica/healingwithangelica_ Including a guide to healing ebook ”Heal Yourself” Ebook ⬇️⬇️⬇️ https://payhip.com/b/PK23F Heyyyy! Would you like to advertise your business or product on my podcast and YouTube channel to reach more potential clients/customers? ⬇️⬇️⬇️ Email: healwithangelica@yahoo.com Also remember too. . . Subscribe to podcast: (Available on all podcast streams) https://anchor.fm/healingwithangelica Subscribe to Youtube channel: https://youtube.com/channel/UCGGovfyBC92zSj1GITVnUIg Support this podcast with a small donation to help sustain future episodes! & If you have generous heart please donate what you can afford, to continue the support of this platform to get the message out to those in need of healing. ❤️‍

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

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

Welcome to JazzPianoSkills; I'm Dr. Bob Lawrence. It's time to Discover, Learn, and Play jazz piano!I am thrilled to welcome back to JazzPianSkills, Dr. JB Dyas. Dr. JB Dyas has been a leader in jazz education for the past two decades. Currently, Vice President for Education and Curriculum Development at the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz, Dyas oversees the Institute's education and outreach programs, including Jazz in America (www.jazzinamerica.org), one of the most significant and wide-reaching jazz education programs in the world. He has presented jazz workshops, teacher-training seminars, and jazz "informances" worldwide with such renowned artists as Ambrose Akinmusire, Don Braden, Bobby Broom, Dave Brubeck, Gerald Clayton, Robin Eubanks, Herbie Hancock, Antonio Hart, Ingrid Jensen, Sean Jones, Delfeayo Marsalis, Christian McBride, Bobby Watson, and Steve Wilson.Prior to his current position at the Hancock Institute, Dyas served as Executive Director of the Brubeck Institute where he implemented its College Fellowship Program, Brubeck Festival, Summer Jazz Colony, and Jazz Outreach Initiative. Before that, he served as Director of Jazz Studies at Miami-Dade College – one of the nation's largest and most multi-cultural colleges, and New World School of the Arts – Miami's award-winning performing arts high school.Throughout his career, Dyas has performed across the country, designed and implemented new jazz curricula, directed large and small ensembles, and taught various jazz courses to students at virtually every level of musical development – age seven to seventy, beginner to professional, learning-challenged to prodigy. He has conducted jazz and tune-learning clinics, adjudicated high school and collegiate jazz festivals, and presented numerous jazz seminars throughout the United States and in Australia, Canada, Columbia, Cuba, France, Germany, Japan, Mexico, Russia, and Turkey. He also teaches Jazz Pedagogy at the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz Performance at the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music, is on the faculty of the Jamey Aebersold Summer Jazz Workshop, and serves as an adjudicator for the Annual GRAMMY Music Educator Award.Additionally, Dyas has written for DownBeat magazine and other national music publications, presented clinics, and performed at a number of International Association for Jazz Education (IAJE) and Jazz Education Network (JEN) Annual Conferences, co-founded the International Sisters in Jazz Collegiate Competition, served on the Smithsonian Institution's Task Force for Jazz Education in America, and contributed the chapter “Defining Jazz Education” to the biography, "David Baker - A Legacy in Music." Dyas recently introduced his “What is Jazz and Why It's Important to the World” lecture for International Jazz Day, for which he annually presents education events in conjunction with the Hancock Institute and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). He also has made a series of teacher-training jazz education videos (all available at jbdyas.com), including a national webinar along with Herbie Hancock and US Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona on the importance of jazz education in our public schools.Dr. Dyas received his Master's in Jazz Pedagogy from the University of Miami and Ph.D. in Music Education from Indiana University. He is a recipient of the DownBeat Achievement Award for Jazz Education. A professional bassist, Dyas has performed well over a thousand jazz and commercial dates throughout his career and continues performing in various jazz and commercial music settings.Now, sit back, relax, and welcome back to JazzPianoSkills, Dr. JB Dyas!Support the show

Welcome to JazzPianoSkills; I'm Dr. Bob Lawrence. It's time to Discover, Learn, and Play jazz piano!I am thrilled to welcome to JazzPianSkills, Dr. JB Dyas. Dr. JB Dyas has been a leader in jazz education for the past two decades. Currently, Vice President for Education and Curriculum Development at the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz, Dyas oversees the Institute's education and outreach programs, including Jazz in America (www.jazzinamerica.org), one of the most significant and wide-reaching jazz education programs in the world. He has presented jazz workshops, teacher-training seminars, and jazz "informances" worldwide with such renowned artists as Ambrose Akinmusire, Don Braden, Bobby Broom, Dave Brubeck, Gerald Clayton, Robin Eubanks, Herbie Hancock, Antonio Hart, Ingrid Jensen, Sean Jones, Delfeayo Marsalis, Christian McBride, Bobby Watson, and Steve Wilson.Prior to his current position at the Hancock Institute, Dyas served as Executive Director of the Brubeck Institute where he implemented its College Fellowship Program, Brubeck Festival, Summer Jazz Colony, and Jazz Outreach Initiative. Before that, he served as Director of Jazz Studies at Miami-Dade College – one of the nation's largest and most multi-cultural colleges, and New World School of the Arts – Miami's award-winning performing arts high school.Throughout his career, Dyas has performed across the country, designed and implemented new jazz curricula, directed large and small ensembles, and taught various jazz courses to students at virtually every level of musical development – age seven to seventy, beginner to professional, learning-challenged to prodigy. He has conducted jazz and tune-learning clinics, adjudicated high school and collegiate jazz festivals, and presented numerous jazz seminars throughout the United States and in Australia, Canada, Columbia, Cuba, France, Germany, Japan, Mexico, Russia, and Turkey. He also teaches Jazz Pedagogy at the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz Performance at the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music, is on the faculty of the Jamey Aebersold Summer Jazz Workshop, and serves as an adjudicator for the Annual GRAMMY Music Educator Award.Additionally, Dyas has written for DownBeat magazine and other national music publications, presented clinics, and performed at a number of International Association for Jazz Education (IAJE) and Jazz Education Network (JEN) Annual Conferences, co-founded the International Sisters in Jazz Collegiate Competition, served on the Smithsonian Institution's Task Force for Jazz Education in America, and contributed the chapter “Defining Jazz Education” to the biography, "David Baker - A Legacy in Music." Dyas recently introduced his “What is Jazz and Why It's Important to the World” lecture for International Jazz Day, for which he annually presents education events in conjunction with the Hancock Institute and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). He also has made a series of teacher-training jazz education videos (all available at jbdyas.com), including a national webinar along with Herbie Hancock and US Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona on the importance of jazz education in our public schools.Dr. Dyas received his Master's in Jazz Pedagogy from the University of Miami and Ph.D. in Music Education from Indiana University. He is a recipient of the DownBeat Achievement Award for Jazz Education. A professional bassist, Dyas has performed well over a thousand jazz and commercial dates throughout his career and continues performing in various jazz and commercial music settings.Now, sit back, relax, and welcome to JazzPianoSkills, Dr. JB Dyas!Support the show

Ponder this question: How many children have no quality education internationally? The total includes 59 million children of primary school age, 62 million of lower secondary school age and 138 million of upper secondary age, according to the Statistical office of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO.) Henry Yampolsky is a best-selling author, mediator, educator, and multi-time TEDx Speaker. Henry serves as the Assistant Director for Education, Outreach, and Conflict Resolution at Virginia Tech's Office for Equity and Accessibility and teaches conflict resolution, mediation, and peace building as part of Virginia Tech's Center for Peace Studies and Violence Prevention. Henry has worked with hundreds of complex conflicts and has taught and lectured around the world including at Columbia University School of Law, the New York Peace Institute, Bellevue Mediation in Zurich, Switzerland, the International Gandhi Center and Museum in New Delhi, Bharathiar University in Coimbatore, India and at the Sattva Summit in Rishikesh, India. Henry's best-selling and critically acclaimed book, Dis-Solving Conflict from Within: an Inner Path for Conflict Transformation introduced a mindfulness-based paradigm for responding to conflict with strength, clarity, and compassion instead of reacting with fear, avoidance, or aggression. Henry's two TEDx talks have garnered thousands of views. Henry's first TEDx talk described his motorcycle journey across the Himalayas and what it taught him about conflict, connection, and dialogue. In his second TEDx talk, Henry talked about radical compassion as the goal of conflict resolution. Prior to embarking on a career in peacebuilding, Henry was an award-winning trial lawyer in Philadelphia. He has earned a Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from Temple University and a BS in International Studies from the University of Scranton. Henry is also a master-level instructor of Sattva Yoga, trained at the birthplace of Yoga, in Rishikesh, India. Originally from Kyiv, Ukraine, Henry resides in Virginia. He joined me this week, to tell me more. For more information: https://www.livingpeaceinstitute.com/ LinkedIn: @HenryYampolsky,J.D.

Today is World Teachers' Day — a global event launched by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 1994. My guest is a forward-thinking teacher that spends a great deal of time preparing the next generation for the challenges of the new world and inspiring them to reach farther. Dr. Mark Wagner's focus is disrupting traditional education modules. He is dedicated to inspiring students to enter STEAM fields and rethink our world using space as a foundation. He wants to take education into the next era and off planet. We talk about his new book, Space Education: Preparing Students for Humanity's Multi-planet future, his new educational program – Ares Learning, and his efforts to inspire young women with SpacePrize. Podcast link on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Rrybn9vZVtM ABOUT Dr. MARK WAGNER Author and educator Space Prize Foundation: https://spaceprize.org Speaker Series: https://spaceprize.org/speakers Curriculum: https://spaceprize.org/education   ARES Learning: https://areslearning.com Space Education Events: http://spaceeducation.events  Space Education book: https://www.amazon.com/Space-Education-Preparing-Humanitys-Multi-Planet-ebook/dp/B0B8328WWL/  Social/contact info: Twitter - @markwagner LinkedIn - @markdouglaswagner Facebook - @ markdouglaswagner Instagram – @markwagner Mentions: Space Perspective - https://spaceperspective.com Gays In Space CK12 - ck12.org/ Female Quotient - www.thefemalequotient.com Overview Effect by Frank White – FrankWhiteAuthor.com Overview Roundtable Challenger Center Manhattan - https://www.challenger.org There are Challenger Centers all across the U.S. Look for one in your area. Virgin Galactic – Galactic Unite - www.galacticunite.com Blue Origin – Club for the future - www.clubforfuture.org SpaceX education program - www.astranova.org ABOUT IZZY Izzy's website - CLICK HERE Author of Space Marketing: Competing in the new commercial space industry on Amazon and Audible - CLICK HERE Podcast host for Space Marketing Podcast - CLICK HERE Organizer for Space for Kentucky Roundtable - CLICK HERE Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Education is a basic human right and the foundation for peace and sustainable development according to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).  UNSECO recently released the Futures of Education report: "Reimagining our futures together: a new social contract for education." Noah Sobe, PhD, worked on the creation of the report for more than two years as Senior Project Officer for UNESCO's Futures of Education Initiative. In this episode,  Sobe explains what is in the report and how education must be reformed to create the futures we all want.

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

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