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Devastated by pandemic, tourism sector must be rebuilt in a safe, equitable and climate friendly way – UN chief
Launching his latest policy brief, on tourism, Secretary-General António Guterres, pointed out that the industry “employs one-in-every-ten people on Earth and provides livelihoods to hundreds of millions more”.
Strong data from the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) shows that 100 to 120 million direct tourism jobs are at risk. And the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) forecasts a loss of 1.5 to 2.8 per cent of global GDP.
Describing tourism as an opportunity to experience the world’s cultural and natural riches, bringing people closer to each other and highlighting our common humanity, Mr. Guterres said: “One might say that tourism is itself one of the wonders of the world”.
A sobering glimpse
Among other things, the brief finds that, due to the unprecedented shutdown of global travel and trade, tourism may be the sector worst affected by the coronavirus.
“It has been so painful to see how tourism has been devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic”, the UN chief reflected.
Moreover, there are secondary impacts, such as increase in poaching, as people search for other sources of income.
In the first five months of this year, international tourist arrivals have fallen by more than half and around $320 billion in tourism exports were lost, according to the top UN official.
“Many are in the informal economy or in micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, which employ a high proportion of women and young people”, Mr. Guterres continued.
As for women, rural communities, indigenous peoples and many other historically marginalized populations, “tourism has been a vehicle for integration, empowerment and generating income”, he added.
Conservation pillar
Tourism is also a key pillar for the conservation of natural and cultural heritage.
“The fall in revenues has led to increased poaching and habitat destruction in and around protected areas, and the closure of many World Heritage Sites has deprived communities of vital livelihoods”, informed the UN chief.
Rebuilding
The Secretary-General underscored the importance of rebuilding the tourism sector in a way that is “safe, equitable and climate friendly”.
Noting that transport-related greenhouse gas emissions could “rebound sharply if recovery is not aligned with climate goals”, he stressed that sustainable and responsible travel is imperative to support the millions that depend on tourism for their livelihoods.
Key areas
Mr. Guterres outlined five priority areas to aid recovery and re-establish an industry that is safe for host communities, workers and travellers.
His first task is to mitigate the socio-economic impacts of the crisis – particularly women’s employment and economic security.
Secondly, he suggests building resilience across the entire tourism sector.
Maximizing technology throughout the industry, including by promoting innovation and investing in digital skills, is his third priority.
His fourth point is to promote sustainability and green growth in managing the shift towards a resilient, carbon-neutral tourism sector.
And finally, he flags that partnerships must be fostered to responsibly ease and lift travel restrictions in a coordinated manner to restart and transform tourism towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“Let us ensure tourism regains its position as a provider of decent jobs, stable incomes and the protection of our cultural and natural heritage”, concluded the Secretary-General.
Stronger together
In addition to these priorities, UNWTO underscored that continued coordination and cooperation at every level is critical.
Emphasizing the guiding principle of “stronger together”, UNWTO’s leadership has warned against the short and long-term consequences of Governments taking unilateral decisions.
“The situation is changing every day”, said UNWTO chief Zurab Pololikashvili. “It is impossible today to make a forecast for the next year”.
Nuts and bolts
While UNWTO too the lead in drafting the brief, 13 other UN agencies, funds or programmes have contributed, including the International Labour Organization (ILO), UN Women and the UNCTAD.
Among other things, it found that, due to the unprecedented shutdown of global travel and trade, tourism may be the sector worst affected by COVID-19.
© UNESCO/Courtesy Visit Isle of Wight – United Kingdom
Isle of Wight Biosphere Reserve in the United Kingdom is developing eco-tourism and testing new measures for climate change mitigation and adaptation.
Virtual Exhibitors, Agents at Frankfurt to Have Multiple Platforms
The Frankfurt Book Fair is taking registrations for people who will be attending the fair virtually, including publishers, literary agents, and other members of the publishing community. While no schedule of events has yet been announced, the organizers clarified some of the details surrounding how virtual exhibitors, including agents and rights representatives, will be able to participate in the upcoming fair and various opportunities for them to present their work.
Key to this will be the Exhibitor Catalog, which will serve as a focal point for the exhibitor or attendees presence. Each exhibitor will have the ability to create a profile that will include a logo, link to their company’s website, social media buttons, and further information. A one page document, such as a rights guide or company presentation, can be made available here as well. The catalog is expected to go live online by mid-September.
Exhibitors and participants will also be able to list and promote their own physical, digital or hybrid events, either public or private, in a dedicated calendar of events. The calendar, which is also expected to go live by mid-September, will be searchable.
The new Frankfurt Rights platform will serve a digital online catalog of rights available at the fair. Each digital exhibitor, including agents and rights holders,will be allowed a free company profile, where they can upload their rights guides, title information, rights availability, and previews of titles available to international participants after request. This platform is expected to go live by the end of September.
Many publishers, agents and rights holders are well into the process of setting up their own meetings independent of the fair and its various platforms. Unfortunately, without the physical fair to serve as a focal point, the prospect of organizing virtual meetings with vast time differences across the world has proven daunting, with the concern that meetings might last over several weeks.
Riky Stock, v-p of the Frankfurt Book Fair in New York and the individual responsible for overseeing the Literary Agents Center, said that some agents are looking at experimenting with new ways to pitch titles. Among these ideas is to host a single pitch session webinar for numerous people at one time. This format, which was also employed earlier in the year at Bologna, allows the company pitching to reach a wide group all at once. The group might include existing clients and new prospects and help the pitching company reach those who are both high and low priority at the same time.
Cecilia de la Campa, executive director of global licensing and domestic partnerships for Writers House, pivoted to hosting a pitch webinar during Bologna quickly after the in-person fair was cancelled in March. She said that shifting to a webinar format is an effort to make the best out of a challenging and situation and is no replacement for in-person meetings. Nevertheless, she said, “There’s a ton of opportunity with the webinar format: more industry professionals can tune in digitally than would otherwise attend the fair, such as marketing and junior editorial staff from international publishers, film and TV contacts; the recording can be saved/accessed afterwards; we can reach publishers with whom we don’t yet have major business; and we can announce any exciting new deals/sales on the spot to everyone at once.”
She added, “Hopefully, with enough rights teams scheduling webinars, rather than 200+ individual digital meetings stretched over 2 months because of the time-zone constraints, we can all avoid being burnt out! And perhaps we’ll be able to recreate that ‘feeling’ of the fair, with the big presentations and hot projects condensed around the actual week of the book fair.”
At present, fair organizers are planning for a hybrid fair comprised of both virtual and in-person events, though few members from the North American publishing community are expected to make the trip to Germany.
Strengthening global cooperation on counter-terrorism must remain a priority during and after pandemic
Vladimir Voronkov, Head of the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism, said the global coronavirus crisis underscored the challenges involved in eliminating terrorism, as he presented the UN Security Council with the latest report on ISIL’s impact on international peace and security.
“This pandemic environment raises several strategic and practical challenges for counter-terrorism, which we discussed during the Virtual Counter-Terrorism Week organized by my Office last month,” he told Council members during video-teleconference briefing.
Since the start of this year, the threat has grown in conflict zones, as seen by the regrouping and increased activity of ISIL and some of its affiliates in Iraq and Syria, he explained.
ISIL expands ‘opportunistic propaganda’ efforts amid pandemic
In non-conflict areas, the threat seems to have decreased in the short term, with COVID-19 lockdowns and restrictions apparently lowering the risk of attacks.
However, “opportunistic propaganda efforts” by ISIL could be fuelling an ongoing trend of attacks by individuals and small groups, he said.
Unclear, he added, is how the pandemic is affecting ISIL’s recruitment and fundraising efforts, or whether there is a change in strategic direction under its new leader, Amir Muhammad Sa’id Abdal-Rahman al-Mawla. His predecessor, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, was killed during a US military operation in Syria in 2019.
Putting a spotlight on regional developments, Mr. Voronkov said that ISIL continues to consolidate its position in some parts of the Middle East previously under its control, “operating increasingly confidently and openly”.
More than 10,000 ISIL fighters are estimated to be active in Iraq and Syria, moving freely in small cells between the two countries, he said, adding that 2020 has seen a “significant increase” in ISIL attacks in both States compared to 2019.
COVID-19 and suspected terrorists
The COVID-19 crisis has further complicated the already dire and unsustainable situation of several thousand people – especially women and children – with suspected links to ISIL. Some countries are still repatriating children, but there has been only limited progress on overcoming legal, political and practical hurdles to repatriation, he said.
“The global threat from ISIL is likely to increase if the international community fails to meet this challenge,” Mr. Voronkov warned, calling for decisive action from Member States on humanitarian, human rights and security grounds.
Turning to Africa, he described Islamic State in West Africa Province and its 3,500 members as a “major focus of ISIL global propaganda” as it reinforces its links with Islamic State in the Greater Sahara – “the most dangerous group in the tri-border area of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger”.
While ISIL has only a few hundred fighters in Libya, it is exploiting tensions between ethnic groups and represents a portent threat capable of broader regional impact, he said, adding that ISIL could potentially expand its activities if the conflict in the North Africa nation escalates.
In Europe, the main threat comes from Internet-driven homegrown terrorist radicalization, he said. Acute concerns surround the release of prisoners with terrorist background and connections, while the rise of right-wing violent extremism means that intelligence services in some European countries are shifting their priorities away from ISIL.
Looking towards Asia, he said that ISIL’s affiliate in Afghanistan, Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant-Khorasan, remains capable of high-profile attacks – despite territorial losses and the arrest of its leaders – as it seeks to use the country to spread its influence across the region and to attract fighters who oppose the peace agreement between the Taliban and the United States.
One step at a time: UN women’s health agency helping shift dangerous social norms
“As a female traditional leader, my aim is to be a role model within my chiefdom. I want to ensure that we collectively challenge social and traditional norms and practices that negatively affect our women and girls”, said Kawaza, chieftainess of the Chewa people.
Leading more than 650 villages with some 100,000 inhabitants, she is one of many traditional and community leaders throughout Eastern Province who are contesting these dangerous practices.
“Many girls are forced to drop out of school in order to undergo initiation rites”, which often include inaccurate information about sexual and reproductive health, the chieftainess noted.
And in some cases, young people are encouraged to “practice” sexual activity that can lead to sexually transmitted infections, including HIV, as well as unintended pregnancy.
“[I] instructed the traditional counsellors who conduct the initiation rites to revise the curriculum to focus only on progressive topics and cultural practices that promote respect for human rights” Chieftainess Kawaza said.
“I have also issued a directive for all traditional ceremonies to take place only during school holidays”.
Changing minds
The Chieftainess has seen a transformation in perceptions around these practices, and not just in Zambia. Similar efforts are helping to change beliefs and practices all around the world, a new publication shows.
How Changing Social Norms is Crucial in Achieving Gender Equality demonstrates how this approach has successfully helped to end harmful customs in different regions of the world.
It also highlights common steps that can be applied to changing all kinds of discriminatory norms to achieve gender equality.
A recipe for change
“The second element is discussion, value deliberation and education. It can take place in girls’ schools, among parents groups, through television and radio, or in open spaces,” said Nafissatou Diop, UNFPA’s chief of gender and human rights, who spearheaded the new publication. “Diverse forces and ideas and positions need to be confronted and need to come together in that discussion”.
The key, experts say, is empowering community members to deliberate on how their practices relate to their own deeply held values. And this leads to transformation.
The steps – the identification of a harmful norm, advocacy by prominent individuals, the exchange of experiences and perspectives within the community, and finally calls for change – can arise organically or be applied deliberately, the new publication notes.
Stemming female circumcisions
The approach has successfully driven collective action around the world, reaching millions.
“One of the successful interventions has been the public declarations of the abandonment of female genital mutilation”, said Lacina Zerbo, who works for UNFPA in Burkina Faso. “More than four million people have publicly abandoned FGM”.
Supported by the UNFPA-UNICEF Joint Programme on the Elimination of FGM, similar efforts have reached more than 34 million people in 16 countries and have led to a raft of new laws and policies.
The process, Mr. Zerbo said, depends on “creating trust between community members and influencers or decision-makers”.
‘Influencers are key’
“Influencers are key to transforming norms”, said Ms. Diop.
She maintained that they can be traditional, religious or political leaders, depending on the context.
Discussing together
Community members should be encouraged to listen to and reflect on new ideas.
“The second element is discussion, value deliberation and education. It can take place in girls’ schools, among parents groups, through television and radio, or in open spaces,” Ms. Diop said. “Diverse forces and ideas and positions need to be confronted and need to come together in that discussion”.
Marketplace of ideas
Abandoning detrimental norms is a normal part of progress.
Ms. Diop pointed out that “from foot binding to different types of gender violence”, over the last few centuries communities have gradually and collectively halted discriminatory social standards.
Virtual world
Recently, with digital platforms and social media, new ideas are never more than a click away and marginalized voices around the world are being amplified.
“With social media, people are able to galvanize and activate change in any part of the world, especially among those battling discriminatory norms,” said Ms. Diop, emphasizing the importance of empowering marginalized groups raise their voices.
“Social media has given communities, and youth, in particular, the power of unity to drive collective change. And this is what we need: collective behaviour to make changes that make the world a more equal place”, she concluded.
Revealing new book on Scientology by investigator Gabriel Carrion, in 3 languages
Reporter Gabriel Carrion launched his book on Scientology and controversies surrounding it with a Church’s spokesperson answering over 50 questions about it.
MADRID/BRUSSELS, SPAIN/BELGIUM, August 24, 2020 /EINPresswire.com/ — Journalist Gabriel Carrion has launched his second book on Scientology and the controversies surrounding it with the Church’s European spokesperson answering over 50 of the most asked questions about this religion.
Gabriel Carrion, a writer, scriptwriter, and director, has worked as an investigative journalist since 1985 in the press, radio, and television. Expert in national terrorism, media, sects, and new religious movements, he has published two books on the Spanish terrorist group ETA. Retired in 2004 from much of his public activities, he returned in 2008 to research and investigate his book “Scientology the Longest Battle”[only available in Spanish], which was published in 2011.
An essential book to know in depth the foundations and pillars of a religion, which due to the closeness of its founder allows us to throw more light than shadows on its history”
Gabriel Carrion
Since then, he has published two more books, one of them on self-help, and, after several years, his recently released book on Scientology (in Spanish, French, and Portuguese so far) entitled: “THE POWER OF THE WORD [EL PODER DE LA PALABRA], through the publishing house “Walking Away”.
El Poder de la Palabra, said Carrion to The European Times, sees the light as an essay of questions and answers that responds in a clear, yet simple way, to some of the hottest topics related to Scientology, a subject on which the author plans to publish three more books in the future finishing off a project he began in 2008, and to which, when he expects to finish in 2022, he will have dedicated 15 years of his life.
Asked about the book, Carrion stated that:
“When in 1950 L. Ron Hubbard wrote: ‘DIANETICS, The Modern Science of mental Health’, he was possibly unaware of what was coming his way. Shortly thereafter, after further investigation, he felt he had to take an additional step, and so Scientology emerged as philosophical and religious thought that has derived from the sources of its founder, developing exponentially over time. If thousands are its detractors, millions are its followers throughout the world…
“With a controversial record around the world, Scientology and its leader have left no one indifferent. However, the explosion of social media has allowed, often in an orchestrated and tortious way, falsehoods, and comments about L. Ron Hubbard and his Church”.
Gabriel Carrion, writer, free-thinker, and humanist and Ivan Arjona, President of the European Office of the Church of Scientology for Public Affairs and Human Rights, come face to face in THE POWER OF THE WORD to formulate and answer some of the questions being asked by societies around the world, in order to clarify some of the issues that are part of the fabulous world of lies and dogmatic distortions that also exist.
As Carrion describes it: “An essential book to know in depth the foundations and pillars of a religion, which due to the closeness of its founder allows us to throw more light than shadows on its history”.
Hostilities and a global pandemic: a two-fold challenge for eastern Ukraine
“I wanted to continue providing people with the assistance and support that they deserve,” says Oleh Mikhalov, about his decision to join WHO in conflict-affected eastern Ukraine, 5 years ago.
The former humanitarian worker was forced to flee his home in 2014 when hostilities broke out in Luhansk. He now works in Sievierodonetsk, a city located in an area of Luhanska Region under government control. His field-based team assesses the provision of local health-care services, identifying acute health needs and ways in which WHO can respond to those needs using existing resources.
In late 2019, following an assessment of health-care services in Sievierodonetsk by Oleh’s team, WHO transferred equipment for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests to the local laboratories, which is now being widely used for COVID-19 testing. As it turns out, the equipment was delivered just in time to aid in the COVID-19 response.
“Thanks to the support provided by WHO, the labs in Luhanska Region were well prepared for this pandemic,” Oleh notes.
Strengthening health systems impacted by conflict
Before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the health system in eastern Ukraine was already in a fragile state. Many health workers had left the region, and health facilities had been neglected for years.
The pandemic has placed additional demands on resources-strapped health professionals and further strained an already-fragile health system.
Since 2017, WHO has been supporting local health and laboratory centres in areas under government control through field-based teams.
Once acute health-related needs are addressed, the team evaluates how health services have improved and whether they benefit the people and adhere to WHO standards. Such field teams are instrumental to improving access to services in places where health-care systems have been disrupted or neglected due to years of armed conflict.
12th anniversary of India’s anti-Christian violence in Kandhamal – Vatican News
By Robin Gomes
A group of civil society organizations in India has called for support for a two-week campaign to remember the victims and survivors of the anti-Christian violence 12 years ago, saying many of them are still awaiting justice and compensation.
Hell broke loose on the Christians of Kandhamal on August 25, 2008, with Hindu extremists making them scapegoats for the August 23 murder of Hindu leader Swami Lakshmanananda Saraswati, even though Maoist rebels claimed his assassination.
The National Solidarity Forum (NSF), a network of 70 civil society and rights organizations, among them activists, priests, religious, lawyers, Christians, Hindus and people of other faiths, has called for a fortnight of commemoration of what they describe as the largest organized communal attacks on Christians “in the history of India in the past three centuries.”
Upholding India’s democratic and pluralistic values
In a press release, NSF said the commemoration is in support of the victims and survivors, whose freedom of conscience and religion has been violated. Organizers intend to promote India’s democratic and pluralistic values seen as best practices and as envisaged by the Indian Constitution.
Due to the restrictions of Covid-19 health protocols, the forum encourages people to organize webinars, issue declarations, hold candle-lit memorials at home for justice, peace and harmony. It also recommends screening of films, videos, photo and art exhibitions on the Kandhamal atrocities, utilizing the social and mainstream media, to spread awareness and information on the event and related issues.
“We are sure that if all humanitarian forces join hands to build peace, justice and harmony in this country,” the NSF press statement said, “we will be able to achieve results in these dark times and protect the values of Indian Constitution so that no such violence takes place in India.”
Toll of violence
The NSF statement also recounted the heavy loss of property and life in the 2008 anti-Christian violence in Kandhamal. As many as 395 churches and places of worship of Adivasi (indigenous) and Dalit (low caste) Christians were destroyed. Some 6,500 houses were destroyed. More than 100 people were killed, 40 women were subjected to rape, molestation and humiliation and several educational, social service and health institutions were destroyed and looted.
While more than 75,000 people have been displaced, several cases of forced conversion to Hinduism have also been reported.
Justice denied
Of the more than 3,300 complaints filed with the police during the 2008 communal violence, only some 820 were registered. Of these 820, only 518 cases were chargesheeted, while others were declared false. Only 247 of the 518 cases were disposed of. The rest of the cases are pending before the sessions and magistrate’s courts. Many of the accused have been acquitted.
“None of the criminals responsible for destruction are in jail today,” the NSF pointed out. “The murderers, rapists, looters and destroyers are today running scot-free.” Instead, 7 innocent persons in jail for 11 years with fabricated cases, are now on bail.
The National Solidarity Forum also drew attention to the Dalits, Adivasis, minorities and other marginalised sections of India, saying they continue to face violence and injustice. Of the 122 cases of violence against Christians, only 23 were registered as of June 2020. The NSF noted that attacks on Christians have “increased consistently” since 2014.
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EASO publishes a COI report: Venezuela Country Focus
On 20 August 2020, the European Asylum Support Office (EASO) published a Country of Origin Information (COI) report titled ‘Venezuela Country Focus’.
This COI report is a joint initiative of EASO and the Secretariat of the Intergovernmental Consultations on Migration, Asylum and Refugees (IGC)1.
The report addresses the main topics and questions raised by international protection authorities, decision-makers, and COI researchers. It covers recent developments in the economy, political and security situation, and the humanitarian situation. The report also discusses the most recurring targeted profiles by the government and its security forces. It describes activities of armed pro-government civilian groups (colectivos), including targeted profiles, modus operandi, relation with the government and security forces, and state response for victims of colectivos. Final chapters describe identity and courts documents, entry and exit procedures, and the situation of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans (LGBT) persons.
Some findings of the report include:
- The mass emigration of Venezuelans constitutes one of the largest in recent Latin American history. While the number of Syrians who left their country reached 6.5 million in seven years (2011-2017), the number of Venezuelans who left their country reached 4 million in four years (2015-June 2019).
- Venezuela has one of the highest homicide rates in Latin America, despite a decrease in 2019. Armed groups, both domestic and foreign, operate in Venezuela, with distinct objectives, modus operandi, political loyalties and relations with the state.
- Colectivos exert political and social control in neighbourhoods where they operate, and have become instrumental in the use of coercive control over protests through the use of violence and often in coordination with security forces.
- The nature of protests changed in the first months of 2019, with more targeted demonstrations emerging to protest the deterioration of living standards and the humanitarian situation. Security forces allegedly subjected persons who participated in protests to ‘serious abuse and ill-treatment’ while in detention in order to punish them, force confessions, or incriminating others.
- Authorities allegedly engaged in forced disappearances, including for political reasons, to impede the defence of the person while the detention is carried out. Security forces have also allegedly been involved in extrajudicial executions.
- Venezuela has established a complex system to eavesdrop, harass, and digitally and physically monitor the population, including through the CLAP food boxes and the Homeland Card (Carnet de la Patria). Social control has intensified during the pandemic.
- A systematic and widespread policy of repression in Venezuela for those who are critical of the government was identified by sources. The government and security forces target journalists to silence on what is occurring in the country. Human rights advocates and members of civil society organisations are prosecuted under both the criminal justice system and the military penal jurisdiction, as an ‘exemplary punishment’ to block the work of other human rights organisations. The ‘Law Against Hate’ has been one of the legal instruments used for these prosecutions.
The report was drafted by an independent COI expert, James Restrepo, in accordance with the EASO COI Report Methodology. The report draws on information from 14 oral sources interviewed for this report, apart from a large variety of publicly available sources. It was reviewed by experts from: Canada – Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) of Canada, and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC); Norway -Norwegian Country of Origin Information Centre, Landinfo; Switzerland – State Secretariat for Migration (SEM), Division Analysis (Länderanalyse SEM), and United States – Refugee Asylum and International Operations (RAIO), US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
Venezuelan applications for international protection in the EU+ increased considerably since early 2019 and peaked between November 2019 and February 2020. In 2019, Venezuelans launched twice as many applications, over 45 000, as in 2018. In the first quarter of 2020, the number remained similar to the last quarter of 2019 (over 13 000) but already in late March applications began to decrease in the context of restrictive measures to halt the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. Spain has remained the main destination country: in the period January 2019 – March 2020 about nine in 10 applications in the EU+ were lodged in Spain.
The report can be downloaded from the EASO COI portal.
[1] IGC participating states are: Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom and the United States.
