For the last 20 years the Somali capital of Mogadishu has been synonymous with war and suffering – and yet this year, 25 year-old Mohamed Mohamoud Sheik opened the country’s first florist!
Sheik’s aim is to bring back romance to the city and enable young couples to rekindle the courtship rituals of their parents. He also plans to beautify the city with trees, green spaces and children’s playgrounds, and has already set up a dry cleaning company that donates a percentage of its profits to charity.
photo by: Steve Larkinson
This weekend (20th-22nd Sep), now in its 21st year, CUTW 2013 will include such activities as planting trees, cleaning parks or beaches, conserving water or running environmental awareness-raising and education initiatives – whatever the local need might be.
It began in 1987 when Ian Kiernan, having seen the devastating effects of rubbish and pollution, decided it was time to take action. In 1990 the first national, community-based clean up day was organised in his home country of Australia. In 1993 Clean Up the World was launched with the support of the United Nations Environment Programme and 30 million people in 80 countries were mobilised.
image by: Marvel (based upon a NASA image)
A week from today, on Saturday 21st September, live stream of the 24-hour global transmission (including a historic concert in front of the Peace Palace in The Hague) will be available here on It’s Good News Week.
Founded in 1999 by Jeremy Gilley, Peace One Day is a non-profit organisation which aims to make 21 September, an annual day of global unity. He figured that “When you build a house, you start with one brick. If we want to build peace, we should start with one day”.
In 2001 the member states of the United Nations unanimously adopted the first ever annual day of global ceasefire and non-violence on 21 September – Peace Day. On Peace Day in Afghanistan there was a 70% recorded reduction in violent incidents (source: United Nations Department of Safety and Security).
Over 80 child soldiers have been freed following negotiations between the UN and militia groups operating in the province of Katanga in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
A total of 163 children have been freed since the start of the year through the combined efforts of the UN and child-protection agencies in the province.
image by: Rei-artur
There were 69 armed robberies of banks, building societies and post offices in England and Wales last year, compared with 500 a year in the 1990s. Last year fewer than 10,000 cars were stolen in New York, compared with around 147,000 in 1990.
photo by: Alterego
A Health and Social Care Information Centre survey of 7,590 young people aged 11 to 15 reports a significant reduction over the decade 2002-2012 in those who had drunk alcohol, smoked cigarettes or used drugs:
YEAR: 2002 2012
alcohol 61% 43%
cigarettes 42% 23%
drugs 27% 17%
picture by: Albert Roosenboom