Positive New Stories From July To Brighten Your Week (Part 2)
Did you catch Part 1 of our positive news stories? No? Then have a look right here because you don’t want to miss them. I’m not going to go into a lengthy preamble or disclaimer (as I covered that ground in Part 1) but essentially, we want to cheer you all up! So without further ado, here’s 5 more fabulously positive stories for you. Now you can kick off August with some pep in your step.
1. Green Hope
The Republic of Suriname in South America has 93% forest cover! How amazing is that? They are the only country in the world with this much forest, and as such, the Cabinet of the President of this republic invited members of the Green Hope Team from Dubai to educate and inspire their youth to take care of their special environment and heritage. Here is an excerpt from a July 23rd article about the mission from Gulf News:
“After months of preparation and coordination, the Green Hope team flew to Paramaribo, Suriname’s picturesque capital city, on July 3. Over the next 12 days, the team reached out to thousands of civil society stakeholders in Suriname. We conducted an impactful event titled, “Youth Awareness Conference for a Sustainable Suriname”, which was attended by over 350 youth, 15 to 18 years old, from schools across the country. Over the next two days, we conducted two more “Environment Academies”, each of which were attended by over 300 children in the age group of eight to 15 years.”
We believed in using creative modes of communication to convey the themes of sustainable development.”
To read more, check out the article out here!
Also, watch this amazing footage of the Suriname Amazon from above. I am not sure why it’s called ‘Hipsters in Suriname”, but it leads us nicely into our second story also about the Amazon:
2. An Amazon Win
Rainforests are called the lungs of the earth, and that is part of what makes the Amazon such a crucial ecosystem. This essential ecosystem has been rapidly disappearing, along with the endangered species within it, and the resources and environment that have been an indispensable part of local indigenous communities and Columbian cultural heritage. So, the latest conservation success story from Columbia, at the Serrania del Chiribiquete National Park in specific, will put a smile on your face.
“This national park, on July 2nd, was expanded “…to 4.3 million hectares, making it the world’s largest national park protecting a tropical rainforest. The announcement marks the culmination of decades of efforts by environmental authorities and an alliance for the conservation of new protected areas in Colombia, supported by WWF. And that’s not all: this past weekend, Chiribiquete was also declared a UNESCO World Heritage site!” Read more here.
3. The Bridge Notes
Eighteen year old Paige Hunter went to Sunderland’s Wearmouth Bridge, where suicides often take place, and attached more than 40 uplifting notes across its railing. One of these stated that: “”Even though things are difficult, your life matters; you’re a shining light in a dark world, so just hold on.”
As it turns out, these little notes have saved six lives so far. How amazing is that? The smallest gesture of connection and kindness can go a very long way. You can also make a gesture of connection and kindness to support people thinking about suicide. How? By talking about mental health so it’s no longer a taboo. Why? Because someone in Lebanon dies by suicide every 3 days, and attempts suicide every 6 hours.
And by supporting Lebanon’s first suicide prevention hotline (another WONDERFUL piece of news), launched by Embrace! It runs from noon until 2am, 7 days a week, by trained operators to help individuals who reach out in a moment of crisis.
To reach Embrace’s Lifeline, call: 1564
To find out more about Embrace and to donate to their LifeLine, check them out here.
Being LGBTQ in Lebanon is not an easy affair, but some serious legal headway has been made that could mark changes ahead, and a greater (relative) sense of safety for the community, we hope. A recent court ruling, in line with four other rulings between 2009 and 2017, declined to convict gay and transgender individuals of “sexual intercourse contrary to nature”. What is of greater significance about this ruling, as opposed to the four prior, is that it was made by an appeals court. It could also thus more significantly call into question the interpretation of Article 534 of the penal code (that states ‘contrary to the order of nature’), which could set a new trajectory for overturning future cases against LGBTQ folk. To find out more, check out the full article here.
5. A Million Bees
In this gem-of-a-story, Mark and Paul Hayward, two pig farmers from Suffolk, are on a mission to keep a million bumblebees fed and happy this summer. Worried about the endangerment of bees, they’ve planted 33 hectares of wildflowers around their farm, which, based on their calculation, will feed their intended million bees. Their project is being supported by the charity Compassion in World Farming. You can check their progress on Instagram: @amillionbeesonfarm, and read more here.
And that’s all folks! Hope you enjoyed. If you like our positive news installations, let us know in the comments below. That way, we’ll keep them coming! In fact, always let us know what you like, so we can give you more of it!
References:
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-tyne-44916409
https://ginosblog.com/1564-lebanons-first-suicide-prevention-hotline-9129a874aa10
https://en.annahar.com/article/835231-gay-rights-in-lebanon-a-positive-step-in-the-right-direction
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