#COP21Series: My Interview with His Excellency Stephane Gompertz

His Excellency Stéphane Gompertz inspecting a guard of honour

My first guest on #COP21SERIES is His Excellency Ambassador Stéphane Gompertz. An accomplished diplomat, a Climate veteran and an astute negotiator who has seen it all. He has attended 10 out of 21 COPs. He joins me from Paris France as he shares his experience with Climate mobilization and negotiations. He has just finished final Bonn climate change negotiations and he assures me how the France-the COP Presidency will deliver a successful and historic 21st Century climate deal.

Through the interview, he gives promising revelations that gives us hope that war on Climate change is not yet lost. His trips across Africa and Middle East speak of a man who wants the world leaders to act on Climate change with utmost swiftness before everything gets out of hand. I believe you will find this interview very interesting.

#UN70: My Stroll with Elyx, United Nations Digital Ambassador

Elyx is the United Nations’ first digital ambassador, and its job description is, One, to smile; two, to carry the message of the UN around the world; and three, to smile again (Lol)

As we celebrate United Nations Day, today October 24th, I take a stroll with the brain behind this wonderful project, Elyx, to discuss animation as a force for good and Elyx’ journey around the world carrying out his duty as digital ambassador.

Watch out! Elyx might be visiting your city soon!!! Here’s my stroll with Yak and Elyx.

Global Dignity Day 2015: My Stroll with His Royal Highness Crown Prince Haakon, Crown Prince of Norway

Haakon, Crown Prince of Norway, is the heir apparent to the Throne of Norway. In 2003 he was appointed Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) with a particular focus on the UN Millennium Development Goals and the effort to cut global poverty in half by 2015. As Goodwill Ambassador he travelled to Haiti, Nepal, Tanzania, Cambodia, Sierra Leone, Guatemala, Burundi, Mongolia and Botswana.

A former member of the World Economic Forum’s group, Young Global Leaders (YGL), Crown Prince Haakon in 2006 alongside two other YGLs, Pekka Himanen and John Hope Bryant, founded the Global Dignity initiative, an independent, non-political organization that promotes the universal right of every human being to lead a dignified life.

In course of this stroll we looked back at the MDGs and projected into the future with the SDGs juxtaposing them with the need for each and every one of us to live dignified lives as we all work towards the betterment of this place we call home, earth.

You can click here to listen or download our full conversation on #TheStrollPodcast or read a summarized transcript below:

OPPORTUNITY: Internship for Writers Resident in Port Harcourt

Do you love writing?

Are you resident in Port Harcourt, Nigeria?

Lunaris Review Calls for Submissions

Lunaris Review , a Journal of Art and the Literary, is an online quarterly Journal based in Nigeria with the ultimate goal of bringing together creative minds to a common platform of artistry and beauty while providing the audience a satisfying read. The journal features fiction (flash fiction and short story), creative nonfiction, essays, poetry, artworks and photography by established and emerging writers and artistes all over the world.

OPPORTUNITY: Voices of Youth Blogging Internship [Deadline: Oct 30]

Are you between the ages of 14 and 24? 

Do you care about social, cultural, political and economic issues?

Are you interested in improving your blogging and digital media skills?

This is your chance to apply for a 3 months blogging internship with Voices of Youth - UNICEF's vibrant online youth community.

We are looking for 10-15 young people from across the world - fluent in English - who will blog at least once a week and participate in online discussions on the platform.

During the internship you will receive regular feedback on your writing, get access to tips&tricks on how to write a good blog post and exchange ideas with other blogging interns. At the end of the internship you will have improved your blogging skills, gained new insights into global development issues and been connected to a network of international young bloggers.

#WorldsLargestLesson: My Stroll with Sir Ken Robinson

I have been trying to interview Sir Ken Robinson for the past 3 years, and I wouldn’t have been worried if I had to wait a lifetime to eventually do a stroll with him because he’s just incredible. And many thanks to the guys at Project Everyone for making this happen. 

Just in case you’re from a rock somewhere in Mars, and you’re asking who’s this Ken Robinson anyway (because only someone from Mars will ask that, Lol).Well, Sir Ken Robinson is an internationally recognized leader in the development of creativity, innovation and human resources in education and in business. The videos of his famous 2006 and 2010 talks to the prestigious TED Conference have been viewed more than 25 million times and seen by an estimated 250 million people in over 150 countries. His 2006 talk is the most viewed in TED’s history.

Ken was diagnosed with polio at age 4, but he defied all odds to find his own element which has distinguished him in his field and made him internationally relevant and highly sought after. He works with governments and educations systems in Europe, Asia and the USA; with international agencies, Fortune 500 companies and some of the world’s leading cultural organizations.

In course of this stroll, we discuss how he wrote the script for the World’s Largest Lesson which will teach kids and teens all over the world about the SDGs and the part they can play, as well as his recent book “Creative Schools: The Grassroots Revolution that's Transforming Education"

What more can I say? Enjoy this inciting conversation with Ken. You can either choose to download it on the stroll podcast or read the summarized transcript below.

PURPLE STORIES: World Mental Health Day 2015

In September 2014, Carol Todd, mother of late Amanda Todd, wrote a guest post for World Suicide Prevention Day. In that post, which was edited by Mary Ajayi, Carol said, "It is time to continue talking more openly about mental health and suicide. It will not go away on its own...."

#PurpleStories is a product of that advice. 

OPPORTUNITY: Do You Know a Nigerian Star? Enter Konnect Africa's Online Writing Competition! [Deadline: Oct 21st]

Is there any person that makes you burst with pride at being Nigerian? Who do you know that is selfless, passionate, purposeful and patriotic?

There are Nigerians with Green and White blood flowing through their veins who are making a difference,unsung heroes across the length and breadth of Nigeria, and it is imperative that we AWAKEN the SPIRIT of PATRIOTISM in the hearts of NIGERIANS everywhere as we celebrate our 55th Anniversary… And in addition, INSPIRE and ENCOURAGE the next generation of African Writers.

THE TEACHER IN US

By Tim Nwaobilo

Growing up there was this popular saying: A teacher's reward is in heaven. I wonder who doesn't expect a reward in heaven, at least if one gets there. It's been a while I heard such unfair and unrewarding sentence, but has the rarity of such biased statements proved that teachers now have a better fair? 

Well, that is left to be seen. Have they started gaining their rewards right here on earth like most other professionals? My mother was a teacher while I was a kid and I saw the amount of dedication she put into her job. 

There were some characters she necessarily had to develop/use if she was going to be an effective teacher. Briefly, I'll highlight some fundamental traits I think every good teacher possesses. 

GREEN UP NIGERIA

By ThankGod Okorisha

After carefully making my research about the colour Green, I write this article with conviction that my country Nigeria is blessed. One of the colours of the Nigerian flag is Green, you will agree with me after reading this article that Nigeria as a nation is blessed to have Green as one of its national colours. Listen, Read and Watch as Colour Green takes you into his world and tells you why he is the best colour amongst other colours.