Artist/Activist Domenic Esposito Selected To Display One Of His Signature 800 lb Opioid Spoon Sculptures At ArtPalmBeach 2020

Domenic Esposito's "FDA" spoon

Domenic Esposito, Boston based artist/activist, is known nationally for his protest installations of the signature 800 lb metal spoon sculptures depicting a burnt opioid spoon. For this year's ArtPalmBeach 2020 fair (January 30th – February 3, 2020), Esposito has been selected as a part of a social activism commitment to display his "FDA" spoon as a pathway to a discussion on the opioid epidemic.

ArtPalmBeach has become one of the most prestigious art fairs internationally for its modern and contemporary artworks of the best and most promising international artists encompassing master artists and rising stars. Founded in 1997, ArtPalmBeach, held in West Palm Beach, attracts prominent art collectors, connoisseurs, critics and art-centric media from all over the country, and globally. It's one of the most anticipated events annually.

"Esposito's opioid spoon sculpture was selected to be part of this year's event, as he seamlessly demonstrates his focus on social injustices through the creation of his 800 lb opioid spoon sculpture. His work functions at the intersection of art and social change. Esposito is truly leading the way, and making a difference via his unique art, and we are honored to have him participate in the fair's Art Community pavilion whose mission is to embrace the most pressing social and global issues of our time," stated Lee Ann Lester, co-Founder of ArtPalmBeach.

Domenic has gained national attention as an advocate for the opioid stricken communities via his signature massive 800 lb opioid spoon sculptures he places at the doorsteps of those he deems to be significant contributors to the opioid crisis. To date, Esposito has displayed spoons at Purdue Pharma in Stamford, Rhodes Pharma in Providence, HHS (to protest the FDA) in the nation's capital, and the NJ Headquarters of Johnson & Johnson. The FDA spoon that will be on exhibit during ArtPalmBeach, like his other spoon sculptures, is solid aluminum and includes the FDA moniker engraved on its handle. In addition to his peaceful protest installations, Esposito conducted a ten-state tour along the East Coast during the summer in 2019. He toured the East Coast with a specially created 800 lb spoon sculpture that was left blank, so loved ones of those lost to the opioid crisis could sign the spoon with messages to honor the fallen. The tour garnered thousands of signatures.

"Like most artists, I have always admired ArtPalmBeach, and am so honored to have been selected to display my FDA opioid spoon," Esposito stated. "Furthermore, it is a testament to ArtPalmBeach founders, David and Lee Ann, for their acknowledgment of the vital role art/activism plays in our society to serve as the voice for many. While we garner attention visually through art, it is a medium we can use to begin to understand more of the world around us."

Esposito is also the Founder of The Opioid Spoon Project, a 501(C)(3) non-profit that focuses on garnering awareness surrounding those that have helped create, profit from, and continue to fuel the opioid crisis. Most importantly, it seeks culpability, victim restitution, and proactive solutions to end one of the nation's biggest epidemics to date.

• For information about ArtPalmBeach, please click here

SOURCE: Domenic Esposito

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Educating Girls Is The Right Thing To Do - For Them And For The Planet

Educating Girls Is The Right Thing To Do - For Them And For The Planet (image via Plan International Canada)

With dire warnings from UN Secretary General Guterres that time is running out to turn around the catastrophic impacts of climate change, a powerful strategy to both mitigate climate change risks and help communities adapt is being ignored – engaging adolescent girls in climate change planning and investing in girls' education. 

Plan International Canada, a leading charity on children's and girls' rights, is advocating for governments around the world to include gender equality, human rights and the empowerment of women and girls in their climate change policies and ensure girls' education becomes a key component of climate change strategies.

A recent report published by Plan International called Girls Rights in Climate Change Strategies shows that engaging women and girls in climate change planning and investing in girls' education are powerful yet often ignored strategies to combat climate change. An analysis of 162 Nationally Determined Contributions, which are national plans for meeting agreed global targets on emissions and adaptation, showed limited attention to women and girls overall, as well as the lack of girls' education as a strategic component. This includes a quality, gender transformative education that fosters the inherent agency of girls to take a leadership role in climate action.

Girls' rights and education are powerful solutions to climate change

• Girls education is impactful for both climate change action and gender equality outcomes, with each complementing the other, in multiple ways including:
• Empowering and quality education increases girls' overall opportunities for leadership, which is increases their ability to influence change in power structures that have traditionally bred inequality and unsustainable natural resource management.
• Quality education grows knowledge of climate change, further helping girls take the lead in helping their families and communities adapt to its impact.
• Quality education and training enhances a girl's "green skills", preparing her to participate equally in and lead in traditionally male-dominated green sector jobs that support sustainable social, economic and environmental outcomes.
• Educated girls are less likely to marry or become pregnant before they are 18 and they earn more over their lifetime than uneducated girls.

Climate change is exacerbating the risks that adolescent girls in marginalized settings around the world already experience. Girls and young women forced to leave their homes by the effects of climate change face grave challenges with lasting impact on their futures including a loss of access to education, a much higher risk of violence and abuse, risk of being forced into early marriage and loss of community support and livelihoods. Yet as they face these increased risks, they are also leading climate change activism and solution-finding in their communities and around the world.

Additional findings from national climate change plans outlined in Girls' Rights in Climate Change Strategies include:

• While 43% of countries referenced women or gender, it was largely in the context of women as a vulnerable group rather than contributors to climate change mitigation or adaptation.
• Only three countries' Nationally Determined Contributions make explicit reference to girls; both in the context of their needs rather than competencies and there is only one clear reference to girls' education.
• 68% of Nationally Determined Contributions include education but normally in vague terms, including awareness raising, not targeted at young people or part of a national curriculum to combat the climate crisis.
• No Nationally Determined Contribution formally recognizes the contributions that investment in girls' education could make toward their climate strategy.
• Climate strategies overall concentrate on technological fixes, ignoring social concerns and the contributions that people, particularly girls and young women empowered by education and information, might make.

Quotes

"We're in a full-blown climate crisis and every tool at our disposal must be used to mitigate the risks we are all facing," says Tanjina Mirza, Chief Programs Officer, Plan International Canada. "Girls education is one of the most powerful opportunities for growing a girl's future potential and her ability to lead in climate justice impact, yet it's absent from almost all national climate commitments and strategies. This needs to change."

"Girls are on the frontlines of climate disasters, facing the devastating risks of early and forced marriage, being pulled out of school to help earn an income or because their family has been forced to migrate, and eating least and last when food shortages arise due to extreme weather events," says Stu Solomon, Plan International Canada's Senior Advisor on Economic Empowerment and Resilience. "But girls are also at the forefront of solutions. Through their inherent individual and collective agency, they can lead climate change action for themselves, their families and their communities and must be fully engaged in every step of climate change strategy and policy-making."

"We, the next generation, are part of the solution. We want to be a partner to policy makers in finding sustainable solutions. The future depends on us. Let's get to work - for us, for Dhaka, for the planet," says 19-year-old girl Sohagi, who lives in a slum in the Bangladesh capital of Dhaka. The entire area where she lives is flooded with dirty water as the monsoon season sets in. Sohagi has long been involved in several development projects organized by Plan International. She is part of a youth group that works to call on the authorities asking that they give priority to improving conditions in the slum.

Girls must be included in climate action - Video

About the research

The research this report is based on was undertaken by Plan International in partnership with the Brookings Institution and UNICEF. The research team included Christina Kwauk from Brookings Institution, Jessica Cooke, Elisa Hara, Sharon Goulds and Marisa Muna from Plan International, and Joni Pegram and Cristina Colon from UNICEF. The report includes an analysis of 162 Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) in English, Spanish, and French to garner how much attention countries are giving to girls and education. 

SOURCE: Plan International Canada

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Michael Douglas Stars in "Unbreaking America: Divided We Fall" New Film From RepresentUs Launches on International Anti-Corruption Day [Video Included]

Michael Douglas Stars in "Unbreaking America: Divided We Fall" New Film From RepresentUs Launches on International Anti-Corruption Day

Academy Award winning actor Michael Douglas and leading right-left anti-corruption organization RepresentUs announces the launch today of Unbreaking America: Divided We Fall, the latest short film in their Unbreaking America series.

Following the success of Unbreaking America: Solving the Corruption Crisis starring Academy Award winning actor Jennifer Lawrence—to date viewed over 22 million times—this eye-opening sequel reveals information about how bad America's political corruption crisis is, what's underlying it, and what we can do to fix it.

"At a time when a majority of Americans disapprove of the way Congress is handling its job and want a change in how the government works, the work that RepresentUs does is pivotal to restoring confidence in our political process," said actor and producer Michael Douglas. "I invite every American to be part of the solution and join us as we unrig America's broken political system and make the government work for everyday Americans again."

In Unbreaking America: Divided We Fall, Douglas declares that, "America's political system has been hijacked to ensure that those with power keep it." He effectively breaks down the gridlock and corruption in America's government and presents the nationwide grassroots reform efforts led by RepresentUs as the movement that can fix it.

Douglas explains that every issue that Americans care about—from healthcare to national debt—is caught in the grip of corruption. Only 2% of Americans trust that our elections work how they're supposed to. This year, America's two major political parties publicly threatened to blacklist candidates who veered from party lines, propagating a polarized political system so gridlocked that it blocks meaningful progress on the most pressing issues that our nation faces. 61% of Americans want another alternative. But special interests, lobbyists, and the political establishment control the money, debates, primaries and draw voting districts—leaving the average American with a near-zero impact on the leaders that should serve them.

But it's not all doom and gloom. In the video, Douglas presents a solution: a state by state strategy to achieve federal reform. A fiercely non-partisan organization, RepresentUs works around Congress to engage Americans from across the political spectrum to turn the tide against corruption. They lead the grassroots movement to pass commonsense reforms in cities and states across the country that fix our broken elections, stop gerrymandering, and end political corruption.

"Putting the power back in the hands of the people starts with reminding Americans of all political stripes that we own our government and that it's up to us to change it," said Joshua Graham Lynn, Co-Founder and Managing Director of RepresentUs. "Even in today's sharply polarized environment, RepresentUs unites every American under the belief that we will not only restore the government but also hope for the future of our country. I am proud to work with Michael Douglas and millions of supporters across America who are driving this incredible reform movement."

Just as was previously achieved with civil rights and gender equality, RepresentUs pushes essential issues to a tipping point by winning victories state-by-state. To date, the movement has passed 113 anti-corruption acts and resolutions in cities and states across the country to build a wave of real and lasting federal change.

Unbreaking America: Solving the Corruption Crisis -The Video

Unbreaking America: Divided We Fall - The Video

About RepresentUs

RepresentUs is the leading anti-corruption organization that is unrigging America's broken political system to create clean government. Co-Founded in 2012 by Josh Silver and Joshua Graham Lynn, they are leading a non-partisan movement of Americans dedicated to putting power back in the hands of the voters. Corruption and a rigged system have halted progress on the issues that Americans care most about, from healthcare to education to government spending. Through the continued passage of state and local laws that fix our broken elections, fight against gerrymandering, stop political bribery, and end secret money, RepresentUs advocates for the federal passage of the bi-partisan American Anti-Corruption Act to restore a government that is once again by and for the people. To date, the movement has passed 113 transformative anti-corruption acts and resolutions in cities and states across the country—and in 2018 passed more anti-corruption reform than in any other year in America's history.

SOURCE: RepresentUs

World Animal Protection And Other Leaders Move To Reduce Greenhouse Pollution From Food And Agriculture

World Animal Protection and other Leaders, urge UN Officials to Reduce Greenhouse Gases from Intensive Animal Agriculture

World Animal Protection, a global animal-welfare organization, along with 14 other organizations released a policy brief yesterday, urging leaders attending the 2019 United Nations' Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP25) to take immediate action to reduce planet-warming emissions from food and intensive animal agriculture.

In the policy brief the organizations outlined five key actions

• Providing technical assistance for countries to include food and agriculture in emissions reduction targets
• Promoting sustainable diets and food production in climate and development policies
• Internalizing the costs of livestock production and ending tax subsidies for feed crops
• Aligning efforts across government departments to address meat and dairy production as well as consumption
• Shifting procurement to prioritize purchasing low-impact foods.

"We as a society are watching our world burn because of the over production of meat and dairy. Intensive animal farming is among the biggest contributors to climate change," said Alesia Soltanpanah, Executive Director World Animal Protection, US. "We cannot stand around and wait for the next generation to make a difference. Our world leaders need to take immediate action to transform our global food system."

World Animal Protection and other Leaders, urge UN Officials to Reduce Greenhouse Gases from Intensive Animal Agriculture (image via World Animal Protection)

A report by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations found that the livestock sector alone accounts for at least 14.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions, more than all forms of transportation combined. What's more, it is projected that demand for animal products will increase 70% by 2050. Studies have shown that it will not be possible to meet global climate targets, including limiting the temperature increase of 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels set forth by the Paris Agreement, without dramatically reducing meat and dairy consumption and production.

Thus far, the conversation around the overconsumption of animal-based foods has been largely absent from international climate talks and commitments. The majority of food-related efforts focus on improving production practices with few or no significant targets for shifting to less climate-intensive diets.

By reducing meat and dairy consumption through public policy, world leaders can not only create a more sustainable future, but also free up resources to move to higher welfare practices for farmed animals.

It is vital that every effort to cut back consumption of animal-based products is taken to ensure we have a habitable planet for humans and animals.

The call for action was prepared by Brighter Green and Center for Biological Diversity, in partnership with the Food and Climate Alliance and endorsed by World Animal Protection, 50by40, Animal Legal Defense Fund, Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation, Compassion in World Farming, Farm Forward, Feedback, Health Care Without Harm, Humane Society International, ICLEI, Israeli Forum for Sustainable Nutrition, ProVeg International, and Vegetarianos Hoy.

• To learn more, please click here

SOURCE: World Animal Protection

Related Story:

• New Report From World Animal Protection Says Improving Animal Welfare on Farms Is Key to Fighting Superbugs

Wonder Media Begins Production on Animated Series to Prevent Teen Suicide, Public Invited to Contribute to Indiegogo to Help Fund New Episodes

Wonder Media, the animation studio that produced the "Protect Yourself Rules," sex abuse prevention series for The Barbara Sinatra Children's Center, is beginning production on a new animation series, "Prevent Teen Suicide: My Life is Worth Living." The company seeks help to fund the first series of episodes for this important issue. The public can contribute on Indiegogo. 

Today, Wonder Media, the education technology (EdTech) animation studio that produced the "Protect Yourself Rules," a sexual abuse prevention animation series for The Barbara Sinatra Children's Center Foundation, announced that it is beginning production on "Prevent Teen Suicide: My Life is Worth Living." The public is invited to participate in this powerful initiative to help lower the 56% increase in teen suicides, as reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The studio that specializes in producing animated stories to connect with children at risk, the teen suicide project comes on the heels of what they accomplished for the The Barbara Sinatra Children's Center Foundation to prevent child abuse. The "Protect Yourself Rules" series and the "Stop the Secrets that Hurt" series have been viewed by more than 200 million people worldwide. The printable extension lessons have been downloaded in 15,000 cities. 

The series has been adopted by Education for Justice, an initiative of the United Nations and The Boy Scouts of America has made them required viewing for every Cub Scout in the world.

Wonder Media, the animation studio that produced the "Protect Yourself Rules," sex abuse prevention series for The Barbara Sinatra Children's Center, is beginning production on a new animation series, "Prevent Teen Suicide: My Life is Worth Living." The company seeks help to fund the first series of episodes for this important issue. The public can contribute on Indiegogo.

The Prevent Teen Suicide pilots were developed by Wonder Media for the Gabe Alvarado Foundation with national suicide experts Dr. James Mazza and Dr. Jennifer Stuber. Wonder Media, was co-founded by Terry Thoren and Ryan Cannon. Thoren is the former CEO of Klasky Csupo, the company that incubated The Simpsons and produced Rugrats and The Wild Thornberrys.

"We are passionate about protecting children," said Thoren, "Animation knows no race, religion, culture or creed. Research shows that children and teens, will pay attention to behavior exhibited by animated characters before they trust the advice of a teacher or parent. Crowdfunding allows those who have been affected by the tragedy of suicide to contribute to something powerful and help us bring down the rise in teen suicides."

• The studio seeks $375,000.00 to fund the first series of episodes for this important issue; the public can contribute on Indiegogo.

The Prevent Teen Suicide pilots were developed by Wonder Media for the Gabe Alvarado Foundation with national suicide experts Dr. James Mazza and Dr. Jennifer Stuber.

SOURCE: Wonder Media

Related Story:

• Wonder Media's Sexual Abuse Prevention Animated Series Produced for the Barbara Sinatra Children's Center Foundation, Adopted by the Boy Scouts of America and the Crimes Against Children Research Center

New Report From World Animal Protection Says Improving Animal Welfare on Farms Is Key to Fighting Superbugs

New Report From World Animal Protection Says Improving Animal Welfare on Farms Is Key to Fighting Superbugs (image via World Animal Protection)

The world is facing a public health crisis because of antibiotic resistance. According to the United Nations, currently at least 700,000 people die each year due to drug-resistant diseases. Antibiotic-resistant bacteria, also known as "superbugs," can even be found in the food you eat.

That's because antibiotics are vastly overused in raising farmed animals globally. Superbugs can start on farms and then enter our food chain and environment. When antibiotic resistant superbugs are passed to people, they make us less able to fight disease.

A new report from the global charity World Animal Protection has found superbugs in pork sold at Walmart stores in the United States. The report showed that 80% of the bacteria isolated from Walmart's pork products were resistant to at least one antibiotic, with significant resistance to classes of antibiotics considered highly important or critically important by the World Health Organization.

• Last year the charity released a report where pork products tested in five countries, including Spain and Thailand, also had superbugs resistant to antibiotics.

Pork products sold at Canadian Walmart stores have not been tested, but Canada does import pork from the US. According to the US Meat Export Federation, last year, 205,568 metric tonnes of US pork valued at USD$765 million was exported to Canada.

As of December 2018, in Canada, a veterinary prescription is required for antibiotics given to farm animals and antibiotic use in the livestock industry has decreased. However, administering antibiotics to farm animals for disease prevention is still commonplace.

The results from the Walmart pork testing come on the heels of a Canadian study from the Council of Canadian Academies warning of the potential rise in the percentage of bacterial infections that are resistant to antibiotic treatments. The report states that overuse of antibiotics on farm animals raised for food contributes to this. It's estimated that about 400,000 Canadians are likely to die from drug-resistant infections by 2050.

One solution to help stop this and the overall global superbug crisis, would be to keep farm animals in better conditions.

"We know that raising animals in low welfare farms with crowding and unsanitary conditions makes the animals stressed and more vulnerable to illness. Mother pigs (sows) are still largely housed in cages where they cannot even turn around. That is why it is important to transition from these environments to higher welfare farms where animals have space to move and can live in an enriched environment. It's better for them and they are healthier and less prone to disease in the first place," says Lynn Kavanagh, Campaign Manager at World Animal Protection Canada.

Farmers who raise pigs in better conditions, agree that the health is much better for the animals. In Canada, all producers are expected to eliminate the practice of confining mother pigs in gestation (pregnancy) crates by 2024 and the Retail Council Of Canada, which includes companies such as Walmart Canada, has committed to sourcing pork from mother pigs raised in group housing by 2022. However, Walmart Canada has still not made a public commitment to this on their website. World Animal Protection encourages them to do this as consumers expect companies to be transparent about their animal welfare commitments.

World Animal Protection is also calling on global supermarkets to improve the lives of pigs by only sourcing pork from high welfare farms. World Animal Protection's Raise Pigs Right campaign wants pigs to be freed from cages and not left to suffer in barren environments that promote disease and increase the risk of superbugs. Rather, these highly intelligent, social animals should be allowed to live in groups, with room to move around naturally.

"Change is possible and higher welfare systems are good for the health of animals and people and it's good for business too," says Kavanagh.

The Video:

Around the world pigs are raised in intensive farm conditions ,which includes overcrowding,unsanitary conditions and being kept in cages. This leads to increased stress and illness for the animals. However, some farmers choose to raise their animals in better conditions with space to move freely, have access to the outdoors, and have comfortable straw bedding, allowing pigs to simply be pigs. This video profiles one Canadian farmer doing just that.

Notes:

World Animal Protection's report, US pork and the superbug crisis: how higher welfare farming is better for pigs and people, follows global testing conducted by the organization of Walmart pork products in Brazil. In December 2018, World Animal Protection released a global report on the results of pork samples tested for the presence of bacteria resistant to specific antibiotics. The project was prompted by research suggesting a link between low-welfare farming systems and overuse of antibiotics. Bacteria resistant to antibiotics considered most critically important to human health by the World Health Organization were found in samples sold by major supermarkets in Brazil, Spain and Thailand, including samples sold in Walmart stores in Brazil.

Key Findings

Amongst the 32 batches of samples, 51 total isolates were detected: E. coli was detected in 14 (43.75%) batches; Enterococcus in 27 (84.38%) batches; Listeria in four (12.5%) batches; and Salmonella in six (18.75%) batches.

Of the 32 batches tested, 30 (94%) were positive for at least one of the four bacteria.

• Twelve (37.5%) batches were positive for Enterococcus only;
• one (3%) batch was positive for Listeria only; and,
• one (3%) batch was positive for Salmonella only.

16 (50%) batches were positive for at least two bacteria:

• eight (25%) were positive for both E. coli and Enterococcus;
• two (6%) were positive for Enterococcus and Salmonella;
• one (3%) was positive for E. coli and Listeria;
• two (6%) were positive for E. coli, Enterococcus, and Salmonella;
• one (3%) was positive for E. coli, Enterococcus, and Listeria; and,
• one (3%) was positive for all four bacteria.

Antibiotic resistance results by species

Enterococcus:
Twenty-six (96.3%) of the Enterococcus isolates were resistant to at least one class of medically important antibiotics. The most common resistance was to lincosamides (lincomycin), streptogramins (quinupristin/dalfoprisitin), and/or tetracylines (tetracycline). All three classes are categorized as highly important.

Seventeen of those isolates (65.38%) were multi-drug resistant:

• Thirteen isolates were resistant to lincosamides, streptogramins, and tetracyclines.
• One isolate was resistant to lincosamides, streptogramins, and oxazolidinones.

Oxazolidinones are categorized as critically important.

• One isolate was resistant to lincosamides, streptogramins, tetracyclines, and macrolides.

Macrolides are among the classes categorized as HPCIAs.

• One isolate was resistant to lincosamides, quinolones, and nitrofuran derivates.

Quinolones are categorized as HPCIAs

• One isolate was resistant to lincosamides, streptogramins, tetracyclines, amphenicols, macrolides, and aminoglycosides.

Aminoglycosides are categorized as critically important; amphenicols are considered highly important.

Listeria:
All four (100%) Listeria isolates present in the sample batches were resistant to lincosamides, which are listed as highly important.

One isolate (25%) was resistant to six total classes of antibiotics: lipopeptides, penicillins, streptogramins, macrolides, lincosamides, and glycopeptides.

Macrolides and glycopeptides are listed as HPCIAs.
Penicillins and lipopeptides are categorized as critically important.
Lincosamides and streptogramins are highly important.

Salmonella:
Two of the Salmonella isolates (33.33%) were resistant to one antibiotic class, while the rest of the isolates were pan-susceptible.

The two resistant isolates were resistant to quinolones, which are categorized as HPCIAs.

E. coli:
Nine E. coli isolates (64.29%) were resistant to at least one class of medically important antibiotic.

• Four (28.57%) were resistant to tetracyclines alone, and one (7.14%) was resistant to tetracyclines and sulfanomides.

Tetracyclines and sulfanomides are considered highly important.

• Another isolate (7.14%) was resistant to both tetracyclines and aminoglycosides.

Aminoglycosides are considered critically important.

Three E. coli isolates were multi-drug resistant:

• One (7.14%) was resistant to tetracyclines, aminoglycosides, and penicillins.

Penicillins are categorized as critically important.

• One (7.14%) was resistant to tetracyclines, sulfanomides, aminogylcosides, and amphenicols.

Amphenicols are categorized as highly important.

• One (7.14%) was resistant to tetracyclines, sulfanomides, aminoglycosides, penicillins, macrolides, and cephalosporins (1st/2nd generation).

First and second generation cephalosporins are categorized as highly important.

For further information, please access the full report here.

SOURCE: World Animal Protection

Peace 4 Animals & Wildlife SOS Launch "Refuse to Ride Elephants" Campaign to End the Cruel Practice of Riding Elephants in India

Peace 4 Animals and Wildlife SOS have joined forces to launch the campaign "Refuse to Ride Elephants: End The Abuse," in India, which is aimed to raise awareness to the abuse and enslavement of the exploitative "elephant riding" tourism industry.

Peace 4 Animals and Wildlife SOS have joined forces to launch the campaign "Refuse to Ride Elephants: End The Abuse" in India, which is aimed to raise awareness to the abuse and enslavement of the exploitative "elephant riding" tourism industry.

While a pervasive problem throughout Asia, this campaign focuses on the elephant riding industry in Jaipur, India, the epicenter of the abusive trade. Sadly, in Jaipur, more than 100 elephants are enslaved and exploited to carry tourists up to the Amer Fort.

Beginning this month, messages from "Refuse to Ride" are being distributed across billboards, auto rickshaws, and print advertising in travel and airline magazines, as well as on digital media throughout Jaipur, India, and the world.

"Riding elephants might appear to be innocent, but the industry is driven by money and greed, and can be very deceiving to tourists. What transpires before the elephant ride is animal cruelty and torture at its worst. Once stolen as babies from their families in the wild, they are beaten until they can't take it any more in order to break their spirit and force them into a life of enslavement to line people's pockets," said Katie Cleary, Founder of Peace 4 Animals and World Animal News. "Our goal is to raise awareness about the horrors that elephants are subjected to so that people around the world can make an educated and compassionate decision to help end this abhorrent industry by refusing to ride elephants."

Most tourists are unaware that the elephants exploited by tourism are put through a cruel practice called "phajaan" or "breaking of the spirit." The elephants, which now cower and obey commands to avoid further beatings, are forced into hard labor for up to 18 hours per day for 50 years or more until they finally collapse or die. The elephants are often starved and deprived of medical care for acute injuries.

"We have found that most tourists would be horrified if they knew the mistreatment that these beautiful elephants endure just to provide them with a few hours of entertainment," stated Nikki Sharp, Executive Director of Wildlife SOS. "Our hope is that this message will resonate with animal lovers around the globe and that people who love elephants won't ride them."

The Video:

Statistics about rampant elephant abuse in Jaipur, India, include:

• Tourists are often lured in and fooled by false claims that the elephants are well-treated.
• Elephants usually carry the load of three riders and a heavy saddle.
• Nearly one-third of Jaipur elephants are more than 50 years old.
• Nearly 20% of Jaipur elephants are blind, yet are still forced to walk on the busy roads.
• 100% of Jaipur elephants suffer from foot problems such as deformation, arthritis, and cracks.
• Most elephants have been illegally trafficked from the wild for elephant riding.
• Asian elephants are an endangered species and the elephant tourism industry is having a negative impact on protecting them in the wild.

Peace 4 Animals and Wildlife SOS have joined forces to launch the campaign "Refuse to Ride Elephants: End The Abuse," in India, which is aimed to raise awareness to the abuse and enslavement of the exploitative "elephant riding" tourism industry.

SOURCE: Peace 4 Animals

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Losing Lena: Removing One Image To Make Millions Of Women Feel Welcome In Tech [Trailer Included]

Losing Lena: Removing One Image To Make Millions Of Women Feel Welcome In Tech (PRNewsfoto/FINCH)

There's a secret hidden in almost every website and every digital image you've ever seen. That secret is Lena, a Playboy centerfold. She is "a face more studied than the Mona Lisa's" and has been called Tech's Original Sin.

But how did a centerfold from the 70's become the most used test image in the world? And what impact has it had on women studying or entering tech industries?

Introducing Losing Lena, a new film created by FINCH and Clemenger BBDO Sydney for tech organizations, Creatable & Code Like a Girl, that asks us to help remove one image to make millions of women feel welcome in tech.

Lena's story began in 1972, when the Swedish model posed as the Miss November centerfold. The next year, her centerfold was chosen by some men at the University of Southern California (USC) as an ideal test image for the algorithms they were working on to turn physical photos into digital bits. This research laid the groundwork for what would later become the jpeg, an image standard that revolutionized our digital world.

Incredibly, 46 years on, Lena is still the most infamous test image in the world. She is symbolic of how women were left out, and pushed out, of the industry.

Losing Lena is a compelling documentary that questions the very tenets of the tech industry and leaves us pondering: Why wasn't Lena retired years ago? It explores a thread that binds together so many similar challenges and biases women in tech have experienced around the world.

With appearance in tens of thousands of journals, educational resources and books, Lena has been taught to young women and men in schools and universities for decades. We need to question, what place does Lena's photograph have in the modern world of tech industry and education where women are still fighting for an equal place alongside men?

Losing Lena ends with a call on individuals, tech companies, universities and image processing facilities around the world to stop using Lena, and to help drive equal representation of, engagement with, and respect for women and girls across all areas of tech.

Code Like a Girl founder and CEO, Ally Watson, said, "The role of Lena's image in tech's history is representative of so many of our industry's shortcomings. Tech is used by everyone – no matter your age, gender, ethnicity, or sexual identity. But when our tech is developed by a small subset of homogenous individuals, it's impossible for the end product to be without bias.

This documentary illustrates just how much effort is still needed to increase diversity in the teams building tech. It's a call to the leaders of our industry to commit to Losing Lena. Because with the removal of one image, we're better positioned to welcome millions of women to the table."

FINCH's Kyra Bartley, the film's director, added, "I was struck by how succinctly Lena's story demonstrates the impact of small, seemingly inconsequential actions on the generations who come after - and of course the spotlight that throws on our current attitudes to recognizing and addressing problematic practices within STEM industries.

Far from being a finger-pointing exercise though, the film encourages people to engage with these ideas as part of a broader conversation on diversity, and to consider the ways in which their own actions could contribute to moving us all forward."

Lena added, "I retired from modeling a long time ago. It's time I retired from tech, too. We can make a simple change today that creates a lasting change for tomorrow. Let's commit to losing me."

As we rush into artificial intelligence and machine learning, some of the biggest technological changes of our time, Losing Lena questions whether we're able to learn from the unconscious biases of the past? Or are we doomed to repeat them?

• Members of the tech industry, businesses, universities and organizations can commit to Losing Lena at www.losinglena.com, as well as find substitute images that can be used for image processing testing.

'Losing Lena' - The Trailer:

The film will be available to view at a series of events hosted by Code Like a Girl, or exclusively on Facebook Watch from November 26. The full list of screenings and ticket purchase details can be found at codelikeagirl.com/events.

SOURCE: FINCH

Wonder Media's Sexual Abuse Prevention Animated Series Produced for the Barbara Sinatra Children's Center Foundation, Adopted by the Boy Scouts of America and the Crimes Against Children Research Center

The "Protect Yourself Rules," and "Stop the Secrets that Hurt" animated series produced by the edtech animation studio, Wonder Media, for the Barbara Sinatra Children's Center Foundation, has attracted 100 million views worldwide and has been adopted by The Boy Scouts of America to become mandatory viewing for every Cub Scout globally.

The "Protect Yourself Rules," and "Stop the Secrets that Hurt" animated series produced by the edtech animation studio, Wonder Media, for the Barbara Sinatra Children's Center Foundation, not only has attracted 100 million views worldwide, but has been adopted by The Boy Scouts of America to become mandatory viewing for every Cub Scout globally.

Additionally, "Education for Justice," an initiative of the United Nations, has placed all of "The Protect Yourself Rules" animations in their video library. Educators in 15,000 cities have downloaded the printable extension lessons to share with their students.

The huge success of this animated series is based on research that shows children will mimic behaviors of an animated character before they absorb advice from an adult. Wonder Media was co-founded by Terry Thoren, the former CEO of Klasky Csupo, Inc, the studio that incubated The Simpsons and produced Rugrats and The Wild Thornberrys.

The Protect Yourself Rules was developed and scripted by child advocates, therapists, and national scholars under the guidance of Dr. Jon Conte, PhD.

The "Protect Yourself Rules," and "Stop the Secrets that Hurt" animated series produced by the edtech animation studio, Wonder Media, for the Barbara Sinatra Children's Center Foundation, has attracted 100 million views worldwide and has been adopted by The Boy Scouts of America to become mandatory viewing for every Cub Scout globally.

"ChildHelp reports that a child abuse claim is made every 10 seconds," said Terry Thoren, CEO and Co-Founder of Wonder Media, "This cannot go on. The medium of animation is a powerful tool that is obviously making a difference. We are dedicated to the well being of children and changing these statistics radically in our lifetime. We are not alone: U.S. Department of Health & Human Services created the Administration for Children & Families, and many private alliances such as the National Children's Alliance and organizations are deeply enrolled in creating awareness to bring these statistics down."

"When Terry Thoren approached the Foundation in 2015 he convinced us as to the powerful nature of animation," said John Thoresen, CEO of the Barbara Sinatra Children's Center Foundation. "We could not be more pleased with the success of our efforts that could not have occurred without the professional direction and animation of Wonder Media."

• Please click here to watch more "Protect Yourself Rules," and "Stop the Secrets that Hurt" videos

SOURCE: Wonder Media

KAICIID Allocates 1.5 Million Euros for Initiatives to Counter Hate Speech in 2020

More than 190 international delegates and guests, among them Heinz Fischer, former President of Austria and Adama Dieng, Special Advisor to the United Nations Secretary General for the Prevention of Genocide, will gather in Vienna on 30-31 October for a conference organised by the International Dialogue Centre (KAICIID) as a response to the UN Plan of Action on Hate Speech presented earlier this year. (Photo: Daniel Shaked)

Faisal bin Muammaar, Secretary General of the International Dialogue Centre (KAICIID) announced an allocation of nearly 1.5 million Euros for initiatives aimed at countering hate speech across the Centre's global programmes in 2020.

"The advent of the digital age has magnified the effects of antisemitism, Islamophobia, xenophobia and other manifestations leading to the isolation of individuals and groups on the basis of their identities, whether faith-based, gender-based or race-based," bin Muammaar said.

"The Centre aims to enhance the positive role of religious leaders and their institutions in countering hate speech and contributing to social cohesion at local and regional levels. To this end, I can announce that KAICIID is investing nearly 1.5 million Euros in 2020 towards the implementation of the recommendations and action plan agreed by this conference."

The investment, announced at an international conference organised by the Centre and attended by nearly 200 delegates and guests from all over the world, is intended to further align KAICIID's activities with the United Nations Plan of Action on Hate Speech announced earlier this year. The Centre was also involved in discussions leading to the 2017 UN Global Plan of Action for Religious Leaders and Actors to Prevent and Counter Incitement to Violence That Could Lead to Atrocity Crimes and has made countering incitement and hate speech a key component of its programmatic outreach.

KACIID's initiatives for next year will be administered in its focus countries and regions, comprised of Nigeria, the Arab region, Myanmar, Europe and the Central African Republic. They will include:

• Social media campaigns against hate speech and training for vulnerable groups such as women and people seeking refuge to counter the phenomenon.
• Supporting existing efforts and assisting in launching new national initiates to counter hate speech.
• A tailored training programme for media experts, journalists and social media influencers on the responsible use of their channels.

And in a new initiative, the Centre will be investing a significant amount into gathering and presenting polling data to help inform and shape its programmes while at the same time improving its contribution to discussions at policy making levels.

These commitments follow an allocation this year of almost 900,000 Euros which have also been directed at programmatic interventions dealing with hate speech and its impact on social cohesion. This allocation is in addition to amounts spent in other programmatic activities.

The announcement was made during the conference entitled "The Power of Words: The Role of Religion, Media and Policy in Countering Hate Speech," which had keynote contributions made by the former Austrian President Heinz Fischer; Adama Dieng, Special Advisor to the United Nations Secretary General for the Prevention of Genocide; and Ján Figel, Special Envoy for the promotion of freedom of religion or belief outside the European Union.

During his keynote address, Fischer told delegates: "If a word can have such an impact and such relevance, we can imagine what damage hate speech can bring to a human being, to a community, to society and to the principle of peaceful dialogue and respectful cooperation.

I accepted this invitation with pleasure, because I am ardently against hate speech and I am convinced that the overwhelming majority of the Austrian population is supporting this position. Fighting against hate speech is an essential element of defending human rights," the former President of Austria said.

Dieng for his part expressed concern over the growth of hate speech worldwide in recent years and commended KAICIID's work in the field. "At the United Nations we extremely value the work of KAICIID. We extremely value the convening of this first and historic conference on the power of words. We have to remember that the holocaust did not start with the gas chambers. It started much before with words. Words kill," he said.

Cardinal Miguel Ayuso Guixot, President of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, who represents the Holy See at KAICIID's Council of Parties and is a member of the Centre's Board was one of the high level religious leaders opening the conference. "World peace through human fraternity is not some idealistic dream but a reality that has emerged, taken hold in concrete ways, in events such as this, fostering dialogue and understanding. KAICIID is a living example of the efforts to counter hate speech, not only through the media, but by the very experience of working together to better relations and understanding between religions," he said.

The bulk of conference delegates were from the Arab region, where hate speech has been a major cause of division and violence. H.E Sheikh Abdallah bin Bayyah, President of the Forum for Promoting Peace in Muslim Societies and religious leaders representing the Arab region's Christian, Druze, Jewish, Muslim and Yazidi communities also attended. Many of them are part of the KAICIID-supported Interreligious Platform for Dialogue and Cooperation in the Arab World. The conference also received contributions by members of organisations such as the KAICIID-supported Muslim Jewish Leadership Council (MJLC), as well as other European experts, in order to produce shared perspectives and initiatives common to both regions.

The conference created specialist panels of experts to discuss countering hate speech in the policymaking, religious, media and educational fields. Delegates produced a special declaration and an action plan.

SOURCE: The International Dialogue Centre (KAICIID)