A Conscious Fight against IP Theft | iObserve for World Intellectual Property Day

26 April, each year, World Intellectual Property Day is observed across the globe to raise awareness of how patents, copyright, trademarks and designs, make impact on daily life. Creativity is celebrated and the contribution made by creators and innovators to the development of societies honoured. The theme for this year's observance is “Stand Up, Get Up. For Music.”

Despite this year's theme and the 21st-Century challenges associated with music as an intellectual property, it is important to spread the concern to other aspects of creativity and innovation. Literature, movies, fine arts, etc. should be included in the fight for intellectual property protection. The age of illegal file sharing is upon us, and sadly, it seems it has come to stay. With more torrent sites entering the fray speedily, the battle to end illegal and profitless distribution of intellectual property is becoming a harder one to win.

Suli Breaks the School Myth: My Stroll With Suli Breaks

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Every April 26 we celebrate World Intellectual Property Day to promote discussion of the role of intellectual property in encouraging innovation and creativity. The theme for this year's Observance is, Get up, stand up. Stand up for your music

The music we enjoy today comes from the inspiration and hard work of thousands of creative people around the world - singers and songwriters; musicians and publishers; producers, arrangers, engineers and many others. Its breadth and variety results from an unprecedented accessibility to musical genres and styles - all at the tap of a screen - that brings us new hybrid forms almost daily. And the technologies through which we access music change almost as quickly - as do the business models that support them. Downloading or streaming, purchase or subscription, direct sale from creator to consumer - all options are on the table.

What is the future of our relationship with music? How will it be created and disseminated? How will we listen to it? And how will we ensure that all those involved in bringing us this universal pleasure can make a living from their craft? Join us on Facebook to explore some of the changes shaping the music industry today, and hear from those intimately involved in the business of making music about how they see the future. Whether your tastes run to K-pop or hip hop or the late string quartets, join in the conversation. [1]

Invest in the Future, Defeat Malaria: My Stroll with Dr Fatoumata Nafo-Traore

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On April 25th people across the globe take part in a wide range of activities to mark World Malaria Day. For half the world every day is malaria day - a day to keep up the fight against this killer disease. [1]

Invest in the Future, Defeat Malaria has been the theme from 2013-2015, and this aims to encourage more individuals, organizations, and even nations to do more to support the fight against Malaria.

Today’s guest, Dr Fatoumata Nafo-Traore is the Executive Director of the Roll Back Malaria Partnership. She has more than 25 years of experience in public health, both in her native country Mali and at the international level.

In today’s stroll we talk about the Roll Back Malaria Partnership; its successes, losses, and goals. Dr Fatoumata also told me a bit about what growing up was like for her. Here’s my stroll with Dr Nafo-Traore, I hope it inspires you to join the fight against malaria.

And I Found Home | Guest Post for English Language Day

"If there is one thing Jennifer Emelife communicates in this short piece, it is that the book and language present us with possibilities, and when we tap into these, there is no quantifying the fulfillment we experience nor is there any limit to our growth." - Editor's note.

Guest Writer: Jennifer Chinenye Emelife

I grew up in an environment where Literature was a wandering young pregnant lady with an attractive face but no home. People saw her on the streets, greeted her with a quick smile and even quicker steps. There were only a few young people enthusiastic about writing, and they didn't show it. But I had a number of friends in secondary school who formed a small reading circle.

Ramatu was the one who always had all the books. Amarachi somehow knew how to get them from her. I usually saw big Nafisa fondle one or two books during assemblies and each time it got to little Rafat's turn, I knew they were soon coming to me. That was how I got half the books I owned then.

Writing is Only for Children: My Stroll with Onyeka Nwelue

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23rd April is a symbolic date for world literature. It is on this date in 1616 that Cervantes, Shakespeare and Inca Garcilaso de la Vega all died. It is also the date of birth or death of other prominent authors, such as Maurice Druon, Haldor K. Laxness, Vladimir Nabokov, Josep Pla and Manuel Mejía Vallejo.

It was a natural choice for UNESCO's General Conference, held in Paris in 1995, to pay a world-wide tribute to books and authors on this date, encouraging everyone, and in particular young people, to discover the pleasure of reading and gain a renewed respect for the irreplaceable contributions of those, who have furthered the social and cultural progress of humanity. In this regard, UNESCO created the World Book and Copyright Day.[1]

International Day of Human Space Flight 2015: My Stroll with Commander Chris Hadfield

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The General Assembly, in its resolution A/RES/65/271 of 7 April 2011, declared 12 April as the International Day of Human Space Flight “to celebrate each year at the international level the beginning of the space era for mankind, reaffirming the important contribution of space science and technology in achieving sustainable development goals and increasing the well-being of States and peoples, as well as ensuring the realization of their aspiration to maintain outer space for peaceful purposes.”

12 April 1961 was the date of the first human space flight, carried out by Yuri Gagarin, a Soviet citizen. This historic event opened the way for space exploration for the benefit of all humanity.

The General Assembly expressed its deep conviction of the common interest of mankind in promoting and expanding the exploration and use of outer space, as the province of all mankind, for peaceful purposes and in continuing efforts to extend to all States the benefits derived there from. [1]

#YouthNow: My Stroll with Ahmad Alhendawi, the UN Secretary General's Envoy on Youth

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The International Day of Sport for Development and Peace is an opportunity to recognize the potential of sport to contribute to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. Sport can foster peace and contribute to an atmosphere of tolerance and understanding at the local, national and international levels.

Based on its intrinsic values such teamwork, fairness, discipline and respect for the opponent, sport can be harnessed in the advancement of solidarity, social cohesion and peaceful coexistence. Therefore, States, the United Nations system, the United Nations Office on Sport for Development and Peace, and all relevant stakeholders are invited to cooperate, observe and raise awareness of the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace. [1]