IDN-InDepthNews

GLOBAL ISSUES2015-11-192023-07-10

From Riyadh to Paris via Kabul and Baghdad

By Julio Godoy | IDN-InDepthNews Analysis

BERLIN (IDN) – It happened at least twice in January and February 2014: U.S. senator John McCain expressly thanked “God for the Saudis and Prince Bandar and our Qatari friends” for supporting the Sunni Islamic opposition to Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad. The first time McCain said so to the U.S. television network CNN in January 2014, the second time one month later during a speech at the Munich Security conference.

McCain was simply referring to Saudi Arabian help to create the Islamic State guerrilla group terrorising its way to Damascus. Prince Bandar bin Sultan was once Saudi ambassador in Washington – curiously enough, during 2001, coinciding with the attacks against the World Trade Centre and Washington.

SYNDICATION, UNITED NATIONS2015-11-182023-07-12

UN Chief Pleads for Peace, Development and Human Rights

By Ramesh Jaura | IDN-InDepthNews Analysis

BERLIN | NEW YORK (IDN) – While Europe and the United States are engrossed in a highly emotional debate and punitive military actions against perpetrators of terrorism – with President Francois Hollande declaring that “France is at war” – UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s pronouncements reflect an approach characterised by robust reasoning.

German2015-11-182023-07-10

Bildung: Mit Globaler Bürgerschaft zu den UN-Nachhaltigkeitszielen

Von Tharanga Yakupitiyage

New York (IDN) – Die UN-Nachhaltigkeitsziele (SDGs) können nur verwirklicht werden, wenn sie in der breiten Masse bekannt sind. Deshalb spielt Bildung eine entscheidende Rolle bei ihrer Umsetzung, hieß es bei einem Treffen in New York, auf dem das fünfjährige Bestehen der UN-Initiative ‘United Nations Academic Impact’ (UNAI) gefeiert wurde. Bildung helfe zudem, auch grenzenübergreifend das Verständnis für unterschiedliche Kulturen zu fördern sowie unterschiedliche Wertvorstellungen zu begreifen und zu verbreiten, waren sich die Teilnehmer des Treffens einig.

GLOBAL ISSUES2015-11-182023-07-10

Behind the Scenes of a Massacre

By Roberto Savio* | IDN-InDepthNews Viewpoint

ROME (IDN) – In the aftermath of the massacre in Paris on November 13, media throughout the world are calling for unity of the West and intensification of military action against the Islamic State (IS).

Of course, the Paris slaughter can only cause horror and mourning. But why can some very young people act so atrociously … and is it not also time to consider the responsibilities of the West in the rise of IS terrorism?

Among the many reflections that can be made on its roots, three stand out.

1. The first is that relations between the Arab world and the West carry with them the burden of an uneasy past.

German2015-11-172023-07-10

Abrüstung: Neue Forschung unterstreicht Notwendigkeit Atomwaffen zu ächten

Ein Gastkommentar von Jayantha Dhanapala*

KANDY, SRI LANKA (IDN) – In unserer heutigen Welt mit unzumutbar hohen Rüstungsausgaben, die tödliche Konflikte, Zerstörungen und die Vertreibung von Millionen von Menschen verursachen, sollten wir uns immer an die weisen Worte von Präsident Dwight Eisenhower erinnern – eines im Zweiten Weltkrieg ausgezeichneten Militäroffiziers, der später in zwei Amtsperioden als Präsident die USA regierte. In seiner Abschiedsrede an die Nation am 17. Januar 1961 sagte Eisenhower, den ich 1957 als Gaststudent in den USA persönlich kennenlernen durfte:

“Diese Verbindung zwischen einem immensen Militärapparat und einer großen Waffenindustrie ist in den USA neu. Der totale Einfluss – auf ökonomischer, politischer und sogar auf geistiger Ebene – ist in jeder Stadt, jedem Parlament, jedem Büro der föderalen Regierung spürbar. Wir erkennen die zwingende Notwendigkeit dieser Entwicklung. Dennoch müssen wir auch ihre schwerwiegenden Auswirkungen begreifen. Unsere Arbeit, Ressourcen und Existenzgrundlagen sind davon betroffen, ebenso wie die Grundstruktur unserer Gesellschaft.

GLOBAL ISSUES2015-11-162023-07-10

After Paris Terrorist Attacks Europe Needs Unity Despite Dissent

By Daniela Schwarzer and Ivan Vejvoda* | IDN-InDepthNews Viewpoint

BERLIN (IDN | GMF) – The terrorist attacks that Paris suffered on November 13 evening have caused
tremendous shock and grief, but also fear and insecurity, not only in France, but throughout Europe. This new wave of Islamist terror, which may be followed by further attacks in Europe and elsewhere, has hit France and the EU at a particularly sensitive moment.

SYNDICATION, UNITED NATIONS2015-11-162023-07-12

Education Can Promote Global Citizenship and Help the SDGs Succeed

UNITED NATIONS (IDN) – Since its inception, the United Nations has highlighted people-centred development. This is echoed in the newly adopted Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which aim to leave no one behind. But how can this be achieved?

Children2015-11-162023-07-10

UNICEF Warns of Rising Numbers of Child Refugees and Migrants

By J Nastranis | IDN-InDepthNews Report

GENEVA (IDN) –The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has drawn attention to a rather significant aspect of the current flow of migration of peoples young and old from war-torn regions. A record number of them are child refugees and migrants – 700 a day – seeking asylum in Europe.

GLOBAL ISSUES2015-11-152023-07-10

Popular Buddhist Monk’s Death Highlights Sri Lanka’s Failing ‘Revolution’

By Kalinga Seneviratne* | IDN-InDepthNews Feature

SINGAPORE (IDN) – The death of popular Sri Lankan Buddhist monk 73-year old Venerable Maduluwawe Sobitha Thera due to heart failure at a hospital in Singapore on November 8 has drawn attention to the waning “good governance” revolution that he helped to launch at the end of 2014.

GLOBAL ISSUES2015-11-132023-07-10

Education Can Promote Global Citizenship and Help the SDGs Succeed

By Tharanga Yakupitiyage | IDN-InDepthNews Analysis

This question was posed at an event on November 10 to commemorate the fifth anniversary of the UN Academic Impact (UNAI) that focused on ‘The Next Generation of Global Citizens’.