The aim of the international creative workshops is distribution methods of creative rehabilitation of youth with disabilities in order to improve their socialization and integration into society through volunteer activities.

The program of creative workshops includes:
- introduction to the basics of creative rehabilitation for people with special needs;
- workshops and master classes on various kinds of creativity that can be used for rehabilitation of disabled people;
- visits to NGOs which help people with disabilities;
- carrying out creative workshops for the Donetsk disabled people by the project participants;
- intercultural and international communication of project participants and volunteers from Donetsk;
- international exchange of experience in the volunteer work with disabled people and discussing the possibilities of volunteering in Ukraine.
Workshop participants will receive certificates.

Number of participants: 21
Requirements for candidates:
- 18-30 years old (no more than 3 people over 30 years old may be involved);
- citizens of Council of Europe member states (participants from Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, Moldova, Poland, Greece, Germany, Italy, Norway and Belgium will have priorities);
- experience in volunteer or social activities, preferably with disabled people;
- Russian and/or English skills at a level sufficient to work in the international group;
- willingness to work actively during the workshops and apply their knowledge in practice after training.

Mandatory requirement – the willingness to hold at least one workshop in creative rehabilitation for volunteers or use at least one new method of creative rehabilitation for disabled people in your countries within a month after an international meeting, and also make a brief report about it and send it to the organizers.

How to apply
Fill in the application form in English or Russian (attached or on the website of the Center “EkoArt”: http://ekoart.org) and return it by e-mail to info@ekoart.org no later than 24:00 on Kiev time (GMT +02:00) on Sunday June 26, 2011. Late applications will not be accepted. Please indicate in the subject line “Application for workshop”, your last name and country (for example: Application for workshop, Gorski, Poland). The file name must also contain your last name and country in Latin letters (for example: Gorski_Poland).

Successful applicants will be notified by e-mail no later than Tuesday 5th July, 2011. List of selected participants will also be posted on the website of the Centre “EkoArt” (http://ekoart.org).

Costs
Hosting costs will be covered by the organizers. 70% of the travel costs will be reimbursed (using cheapest way of transport bus, train, low cost airfare/ economy class); 30% of the travel costs will be covered by participants. There is no participation fee.

About organizers
Workshops are held in the framework of the international youth project “Give the hand to your friend” organized by the Donetsk city youth centre of arts “EkoArt” in partnership with Donetsk city public organization helping to disabled children and young invalids “Rainbow” (Ukraine), the Voronezh Regional Non-Profit Children’s Organization “Iskra” (Russia), the Polish Association for Human Rights Education “Compass” (Poland) and NGO ”System and G” (Greece). Financial support of the project is provided by the European Youth Foundation of the Council of Europe.

Contact
Please feel free to call or e-mail us with questions.
Contact person: Valentyna Sakhnenko
Email: info(at)ekoart.org
Phone: +38 (095) 494-18-21, +38 (097) 292-80-60

in Poland: Tomasz JastrzebskiEmail: tomasz_jastrzebski(at)yahoo.comPhone: 0048-71-759-16-26

in Russia: Ekaterina VotyakovaEmail: kvotters(at)gmail.comPhone:  +7906-67-589-11

in Greece: Diana Batraka and Argyris ChouliasEmail: systemandg(at)gmail.comPhone: 00306940966584
and Eleni Katigaridou
Email: development(at)iea.gr
Phone: 0030-231-070-23-88

“Cleaning up Chisinau” is a project organized by the organizations Youth Generation, ADVIT, Art Labyrinth and AVI, aiming to promote ecology and recycling by gathering people to clean up the city. The project is a one day event, taking place on April 24th 2010, 12.00 – 21.00, and will include cleaning parks in each of the districts of the city, as well as a free concert for the people who helped clean. At 12.00, the start of the event, there will be four different meeting points, which will gather four different teams. Participants are free to go to the meeting point they prefer and there will be a responsible waiting for them, assisting them with trash bags, plastic gloves for cleaning up the parks. At the end of the afternoon all cleaning teams will go together to clean Parcul Trandafirilor. After the collective cleaning of Parcul Trandafirilor all participants are invited to concert with local bands at the cultural organization Art Labyrinth as thank for their help.

We truly hope for your cooperation and looking forward to see you Cleaning up Chisinau!

Programme

12.00 – 15.00 cleaning four different parks (4 different teams)

1. Parcul Riscani (North part)

Meeting point: Str. Alecu Russo and Str. Nicolai Dimo

2. Parcul Riscani (South Part)

Meeting point: Str. Alecu Russo and Str. Nicolai Dimo

3. Parcul Buiucani

Meeting Point: Str. Nicolae H. Costin and str. Ghibu

4. Parcul Valea Morilor

Meeting point: Str. Mateevici, Casa minoritatilor

15.00 – 16.00 all teams go to Parcul Valea Trandafirilor

16.00 – 18.00 everybody cleans Parcul Valea Trandafirilor together

Meeting point: Str. Valea Trandafirilor, Carusel

18.30 – 21.00 Concert at Art Labyrinth, Parcul Valea Trandafirilor (free entrance for people who cleaned)

Best Regards
AVI, ADVIT, Art Labyrinth and Youth Generation

US President Barack Obama will chair the key session at the G8 summit in the Italian city of L’Aquila.

On Wednesday, the G8 said it had agreed new targets for limiting global warming and carbon emissions.

But correspondents say emerging nations appear reluctant to sign up and tough negotiations lie ahead.
The second day of the summit has begun, opening up its discussions to take in the so-called G5 nations – Brazil, China, India, Mexico and South Africa. Egypt is a special invitee.

The G8 leaders said on Wednesday they had agreed to try to limit global warming to just 2C (3.6F) above pre-industrial levels.

That is the level above which, the United Nations says, the Earth’s climate system would become dangerously unstable.

The G8 leaders also said rich nations should cut emissions by 80% by 2050 while the world overall should reduce them 50% by 2050.

But analysts say there are several questions over the announcement and no indication of how targets will be met.

They say the main problem is that no interim targets have been agreed, and developing nations appear unprepared to accept big cuts to their emissions until developed nations pledge more financial assistance.

BBC

Models also were chosen that are able to reflect the difference between summer and winter ice packs, which demonstrates a model’s ability to take into account changing amounts of solar radiation from summer to winter, states Wang.

The amount of the Arctic Ocean covered by ice at the end of summer in 30 years could be only about 620,000 square miles—in contrast to today’s 2.8 million square miles. These open waters could benefit the shipping industry and allow for mineral and oil extraction from the seabed, but would cause serious ecosystem upheaval.

“In recent years the combination of unusual warm temperatures from natural causes and the global warming signal have worked together to provide an earlier summer sea-ice loss than was predicted when scientists considered the effects from human-caused carbon dioxide alone,” says Overland.

The study was funded by NOAA.

emagazine

Dear friends,
Within days, world leaders are meeting at the London G20 Summit to tackle the global economic crisis — we desperately need them to agree to invest in a green recovery and a bold global rescue package of stimulus, regulation and fundamental reform.

But without a massive outcry for bold action in the next few days, our leaders could fail this historic test. So we’re launching an emergency petition to the London Summit — it will be delivered direct to summit officials and leaders and in a thousands-strong march this weekend, follow this link to add your voice:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/global_economic_rescue

A global depression could threaten everything we care about – breeding poverty, war, environmental devastation and threatening our jobs and our children’s futures. But there is a way to stop it — a powerful, coordinated rescue package where governments agree to invest in a green recovery together, make funds available to prevent vulnerable emerging economies from collapsing, properly regulate global financial markets and democratise institutions like the International Monetary Fund.

Leaders are far from consensus on this kind of bold global action – that’s why we’re pressing them with this citizens’ call and taking to the streets. The world’s media will be in London to cover the summit, and with thousands of Avaaz members in green hard hats and carrying flags and banners on our behalf, the march will get big coverage and grab leaders’ attention.

Everyone who participates will also have a chance to vote on the principles and reforms needed to rebuild the global economy — and all our demands will be delivered to the G20 summit, so please sign the petition now:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/global_economic_rescue

In 1933, world leaders met in London — and failed to stop a global depression that lasted a decade. In 2009, the people of the world must be right there challenging our leaders, demanding that they get it right.

With hope and determination,

Paul, Graziela, Ricken, Paula, Ben, Brett, Luis, Alice, Milena, Iain and the whole Avaaz team.

Thousands of individuals, organisations, and businesses also switched out their lights and took part in activities such as candlelit dinners to show global leaders that they want strong action to tackle climate change.

In Newcastle, the Gateshead Millenium Bridge and the entire quayside went dark, while in Bristol, the Clifton Suspension Bridge switched off its lights and the city’s residents took part in a candle-lit wildlife walk.

Edinburgh Castle and the Scottish Parliament headed the list of monuments turning off in Scotland, and the Forth Rail Bridge switched off. In Cardiff, hundreds of guests joined Welsh Minister for the Environment, Jane Davidson for a special candlelit dinner at the Millennium Stadium.

In Belfast, the Lord Mayor joined the count down for key city landmarks including the City Hall, the Belfast Wheel, and Stormont to switch off their lights.

Around 650 businesses and many football clubs including Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United also showed their support. Wembley Stadium switched off its iconic arch, Coca-Cola switched off its billboard sign in London’s Piccadilly Circus, and Tesco and IKEA stores across the country joined many other companies participating in the UK.

David Nussbaum, Chief Executive of WWF-UK branded Earth Hour “a massive global success with millions of people switching off their lights”.

The three main political parties in the UK also backed Earth Hour and the initiative won the support of Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Nussbaum said.

“With such enormous participation on a global scale, world leaders will be left in no doubt that people want them to agree greater action on climate change when they meet for talks in Copenhagen later in the year.”

www.earthhour.org

The world-famous Atomium in Brussels, considered an architectural and design masterpiece, also went dark during Earth Hour. The building was designed to represent Belgium at the Universal Exhibition in 1958 in Brussels, and was intended to last only for the six months of the exposition. Fifty years later, it is now one of the world’s best-known and most visited buildings.

According to WWF Belgium, 500,000 households turned off in 193 cities, towns and municipalities in the country – about one in three households in the country. Some 329 companies also registered their support for Earth Hour. A major radio station went off air for the hour and several youth clubs organized candlelight parties across the country.

Paris headed a list of 28 French cities and towns joining the world’s visual vote for decisive action on climate change during Earth Hour. They included France’s second and third largest cities of Marseille and Lyon, as well as the major centres of Nantes, Le Mans, Bordeaux, Montpellier, St Etienne, Gap and Grenoble and Strasbourg.

An estimated eight million people in around 200 cities, towns and communes participated in Earth Hour, a WWF-France spokesperson said.

Many famous landmarks in the world’s most visited country also turned off their lights for the occasion, with the list in Paris alone including the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, Notre Dame and the Louvre. As part of the celebrations, more than two hundred roller-bladers took to the streets in an hour-long tour of the city of dimmed lights by night – aiming to visit all the darkened monuments.

Speaking from the Trocadero as the Eiffel Tower across the Seine abruptly went dark at 8.30 pm, WWF Director General James Leape said “Earth Hour has already proved a resounding success.

“Hundreds of millions of people in four thousand towns and cities are demanding action on climate change.”

Mr Leape was joined for the big switch-off at the Trocadero by French Minister of State Jean-Yves Borloo, Environment Minister Chantal Jouanno, and WWF-France CEO Serge Orru.

In Bonn, Germany, where delegates from around the world are gathered for preparatory negotiations for the new climate change deal to be settled in December in Copenhagen, some of most important buildings turned off for Earth Hour. One of them – the Deutsche Post (German Post) – is the tallest building in the former capital of West Germany. It is visible from the venue where crucial negotiations will take place.

“Millions of people are showing their support for action against climate change and delegates here must do the same,” said Kim Karstensen, leader of WWF’s climate team at a candlelit WWF cocktail party for delegates.

“Tonight is a great success but we are not there yet. Now we all must show action.”

A group of German scouts will tomorrow deliver a ballot box, a symbol of the global vote, to Yvo de Boer, executive secretary of the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change, which is hosting the Bonn talks. Members of the 28 million strong worldwide Scout movement were among the earliest and most enthusiastic supporters of the 2009 Earth Hour.

The very best of “Made in Italy”- luminaries of Italian art, fashion, soccer and food –also mobilised to do their part for Earth Hour – along with 160 cities and towns through the country.

Football star Francesco Totti switched off the lights at the Rome’s Coliseum while over the Tiber, the Dome of St Peter’s also went dark. Other Italian monuments to participate included the Rialto Bridge in Venice and the leaning Tower of Pisa.

“Sometimes we need darkness to see clearly,” said Italian celebrity stylist Giorgio Armani said.

“In the Hour when the Earth, its people and nature share a common message that will travel the world, let us switch off our lights for one hour, and switch on to a new way of thinking.”

An estimated 15 to 20 percent of Spain’s total population of 40 million – or between 6 and 8 million people – switched off their lights for Earth Hour, according to WWF Spain.

More than 200 cities, towns and municipalities took part in the global effort, and the lights went dark at 100 landmarks.

Historic treasures such as the famous Alhambra fortress and palace in Granada – a UNESCO World Heritage Site -and the Royal Palace and the Spanish Parliament in Madrid turned off lights for Earth Hour.

Church bells rang out across Sweden as the lights were turned off while in Finland, the lights dimmed on the Ice Palace in Helsinki’s Market Square. In Copenhagen, where it is imperative that an effective and equitable new global deal is agreed to in December, restaurants laid out candles and lanterns for diners while the light dimmed on royal and other monuments.

www.earthhour.org

Last year the event took place on the 17th of May in the Baneasa forest because we thought there was still a lot of dust and garbage needed to be collected. Approximately 350 people participated, and they collected about 8 tones of garbage during a Saturday morning. For all this work, we had offered a reward by organizing a barbecue supported by the school’s Parents Teachers Friends (PTF) and of course with the help of our sponsors.

This year however the event will be held at Cernica with another name, ‘Clean Up 3: Cernica’, at 14:00 hrs on the 9th of May, 2009. Even though last years event was a success, we are thinking to further improve it in several ways. Firstly we will try to increase the number of people participating to about 400 and of course to increase the number of garbage collected. If possible we will also try to get this event televised/on newspaper.

We are aware of the fact that there are two more months until the event, but as you probably agree this is a big action and is going to take a lot of planning. This is why the “Clean Up” committee (formed by IBSB students and supported by the school office and PTF) started to plan for it. On this point we are kindly asking you to support our action by contributing in any way possible. Some of essential materials which will be needed to complete our action include plastic gloves, garbage bags, water bottles, t-shirts (in house colors) and medical service (ambulance). However we will also be grateful to any financial aid given.

One of the things we are working on is a banner to advertise our action. This banner will include all the names of supporting companies and it will be displayed in school and at the event. We would like to think that the forest will stay clean after the event as long as possible.

The sponsorship form is attached to this letter. If you would like to contribute to this great event, we kindly ask you to fill up the form and return it to the school office by the 16th of March, 2009. Thank you in advance for your support. If you have any further questions or suggestions please do not hesitate to contact us.

Head of Cernica Committee
Mihaela Boian
Head Of School
Ciprian Tiplea
www.ibsb.ro
office@ibsb.ro

March 14
International Day of Actions against Dams, and for Rivers, Water and Life 
 
The idea for the First International Meeting of People Affected by Dams originated during an annual meeting of Brazil’s Movement of People Affected by Large Dams (MAB). The International Day of Action Against Dams: For Rivers, Water, and Life was inspired and mandated by the participants of the First International Meeting of People Affected by Dams that took place in March, 1997 in Curitiba, Brazil. Representatives from twenty countries including decided that the International Day of Action would fall on 14 March, Brazil’s Day of Action Against Large Dams.
 
The International Day of Action Against Dams: For Rivers, Water, and Life is the next step in strengthening regional and international networks within the international anti-dam movement. The aim is to raise voices in unison against destructive water development projects, reclaim the health of our rivers and watersheds, and demand the equitable and sustainable management of waterways. By acting together, it is possible to demonstrate that these issues are not merely local, but global in scope.
 
For additional information, please, visit http://internationalrivers.org/en/day-of-action

March 15
World Consumer Rights Day (WCRD) is an annual occasion on March 15 for celebration and solidarity within the international consumer movement.
 
It is also a time for promoting the basic rights of all consumers by demanding that those rights are respected and protected by highlighting the market abuses and social injustices which undermine them.
 
WCRD was first observed on 15 March 1983, and has since become an important occasion for mobilising citizen action. Consumer organisations around the world use materials produced by Consumers International (CI) to generate local initiatives and media coverage for their work over the coming year.
 
World Consumer Rights Day 2009 is dedicated to the “Junk Food Generation – Consumers International campaign to stop the marketing of unhealthy food to children”
 
For additional information, please, visit
www.consumersinternational.org/Templates/Internal.asp?NodeID=95043 and http://junkfoodgeneration.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=80&Itemid=86

March 22
World Water Day is held annually on 22 March as a means of focusing attention on the importance of freshwater and advocating for the sustainable management of freshwater resources.
An international day to celebrate freshwater was recommended at the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED). The United Nations General Assembly responded by designating 22 March 1993 as the first World Water Day.
 
In 2009, the theme for World Water Day is “Shared Water – Shared Opportunities”. Special focus will be placed on transboundary waters.
 
The world’s 263 transboundary lake and river basins include the territory of 145 countries and cover nearly half of the Earth’s land surface. Great reservoirs of freshwater also move silently below our borders in underground aquifers.
 
Over the last 60 years there have been more than 200 international water agreements and only 37 cases of reported violence between states over water. We need to continue to nurture the opportunities for cooperation that transboundary water management can provide.
 
For additional information, please, visit www.unwater.org/worldwaterday/about.html

March 23
World Meteorological Day  
Each year, on 23 March, the World Meteorological Organization, its 188 Members and the worldwide meteorological community celebrate World Meteorological Day around a chosen theme. This Day commemorates the entry into force, on that date in 1950, of the WMO Convention creating the Organization. Subsequently, in 1951, WMO was designated a specialized agency of the United Nations System.
 
This year, the theme is “Weather, climate and the air we breathe”.
 
For additional information, please, visit www.wmo.ch/wmd

March 28 – Earth Hour
Earth Hour began in Sydney in 2007, when 2.2 million homes and businesses switched off their lights for one hour. In 2008 the message had grown into a global sustainability movement, with 50 million people switching off their lights. Global landmarks such as the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, Rome’s Colosseum, the Sydney Opera House and the Coca Cola billboard in Times Square all stood in darkness.

For additional information, please, visit: http://www.earthhour.org/about/

Businesses use a tremendous amount of water, energy, paper and other products, and reducing waste saves money, as well as valuable resources. Here are some suggestions to get you started:

1. Turn the Heat Down
Office spaces and other places of work require enormous amounts of energy to maintain an even temperature, whether it’s the heating or cooling season doing the work. While this can be a tricky subject among coworkers, who may have different body types, metabolisms, expectations and preferences for temperature, by talking things through you may be able to encourage your building manager to set a more eco-friendly temperature. He or she may not know that the air around your desk feels like a summer night in Alabama, even if it’s snowing outside. Or perhaps your team can agree to try out lowering the thermostat by just a few degrees, and avoid wearing short sleeves for a while. The savings can be substantial, especially if you suggest that temperature is lowered at night, or other times when few folks will be present.

2. Suggest Energy-Efficient Lighting
You’ve probably heard that you can save money by switching to fluorescent lighting. But maybe no one at your office got the green memo. Also, are there times when you can raise blinds and turn down the lights? Does everyone remember to shut off unneeded lights when they leave at night?

3. Turn Off Those Computers!
If your office is like many others, people leave their computers on all the time, even when they aren’t using them! However, you can tell your boss that every worker who shuts his or her machine down before heading out each night saves an average of $90 worth of electricity a year. That adds up! The Department of Energy recommends shutting off your monitor if you aren’t going to use it for more than 20 minutes, and the whole system if you’re not going to use it for more than two hours. The agency says time spent off extends your machine’s life—tell that to the IT guys!

4. Just Say “No” to Water Bottles
A lot of companies provide employees and clients with bottled water. That’s a nice thought, but carting around all those plastic bottles isn’t doing the environment any favors. Suggest a cheaper filter system instead. You’ll even have a talking point to impress those clients when they need a little refreshment.

5. Encourage Car Pooling and Biking
Ask around and see if some of your coworkers might be interested in doing some car pooling. Not only can everyone save on gas, but you’ll also reduce emissions and build camaraderie among your team. Point out to your bosses that the company can save on maintenance and security of parking lots, and in a number of areas may qualify for valuable incentives from city governments. Does your company have a bulletin board, either virtual or the kind with actual thumbtacks? Ask your boss if you can post a sign-up sheet for those who might be interested in participating. Similarly, does your work place have bike racks? Those who bike to work also tend to be healthier, and more fit employees are sick less often and require less health care. Aren’t you smart for thinking of that?

6. Save on Printing
As anyone who has ever owned an inkjet or laser printer knows, replacement cartridges are mighty pricey, and soon eclipse the original cost of the device. You can save your company a pile of cash if you help encourage people to print black and white as much as possible, to use draft settings, and to only print when needed. For draft copies recommend that people print on both sides (it’s easy!), and definitely suggest that your company recycle if they don’t already!

7. Provide Reusable Mugs and Dishes
Put out ceramic mugs and plates instead of paper or Styrofoam and people will use them. Tell people to clean up after themselves, and they’ll also develop a greater sense of pride in their surroundings, instead of just tossing things away after a single use.

8. Green the Chow Hall
If your company has a cafeteria, suggest that it also provide reusable utensils, and minimize packaging. Suggest that food buyers look for local and seasonal ingredients, as well as plenty of meatless options, which are greener and generally cheaper.

9. Invest in Some Plants
If you had success with the proceeding steps, we salute you! If you’re feeling a little ambitious, you might try suggesting that your company provide a few house plants, which help clean the air, leading to more comfortable, and productive, employees. Plants also can improve the mood of employees and guests. At the least, ask that your boss consider reversing a ban on plants, if you work in one of the unfortunate places with such a strict policy.