A STROLL WITH DOMINIQUE ANSEL (For World Food Day)

        “There is no sincerer love than the love for food” ~ George Bernard Shaw

Whether it’s food for thought or food for stomach, there is no doubt that food is something we all hunger for. Most times in our quest to feed our hunger, we sneak into an overloaded boat at night trying to cross boarders illegally searching for greener pastures; take two extra jobs and work round the clock; or even form queues under the sun waiting for our turn to get a taste of this thing that keeps us all alive on planet earth, Food.

Talking about forming queues, Chef Dominique Ansel will be familiar with this one because, he literally made people to stand—and sometimes sleep—on the streets in New York waiting to get a taste of an awesome pastry he invented; The Cronut™—a hybrid of the croissant and doughnut.

In course of our stroll, we talked about food and sustainable food systems in the world; possible solutions to the global hunger problem; and the Eureka moment when he got the idea for the Cronut™. I hope this wets your appetite. 

Here is my stroll with Chef Ansel, enjoy;

INSECURITY (FOR WORLD POST DAY)

Guest Writer: Shittu Fowora

Fred Alika, 34 and Catherine were close buddies seeing each other; in a matter of months, they should be formalizing their relationship by signing the dotted lines according to the demands of tradition. Naturally this called for openness and an ample amount of trust between them both but there was something amiss.

TO THE GIRL CHILD ( FOR INTERNATIONAL DAY OF THE GIRL CHILD)

Guest Writer: Okwy Obu
                   

TO THE GIRL-CHILD
(in commemoration of the International Day Of the Girl-Child)

a difficult path 
is hewn out for you
even before
you make your appearance

HYMEN WHISPERS (FOR INTERNATIONAL DAY OF THE GIRL CHILD)

Guest Writer: Emmanuel Uweru Okoh

Hymen Whispers
(in protection of the Nigerian girl child)

Inverted legislation abound.
The roles you play draw tears
From our tender parts.

MY THIRTEEN 'I WILL NEVER...' LIST (FOR INTERNATIONAL DAY OF THE GIRL CHILD)

Guest Writer: Mary Ajayi
(Thirteen 'determination points' of a teenage youmg lady for International Day of the Girl Child,  2013) 
                    
MY THIRTEEN ‘I WILL NEVER…’ LIST

*I will never stop dreaming.

*I will never fail to make plans.

*I will never live without principles.

KOROBA (FOR INTERNATIONAL DAY OF THE GIRL CHILD)

Guest Writer: Oyin Oludipe

Koroba

(Dedicated to dear cousin Iposu Sallamah, and all girl children around the world)

Koroba

You shall often peel the fabled halo

On your lash, trail the heart among darker

Ripples your bowing runnels bring:

Deft tides they yield, of suppleness to time,

Toss charm to the air as shearwaters

The friendless surfs.

You shall often peel the fabled halo

FROM THE NAVEL OF THE SOUL (FOR WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY)

PROFILER: MARY AJAYI

                                 

WHEN WILL DEATH COME?

Five years ago my father tore me open, and every night since then, he continues to open me up. I am thirteen, an only child. My mother is dead; I have no friends and no relatives that I am allowed to see. This is the life I have been given and I’ve grown into it. I will not avenge myself. I do not know how to, nobody cares anyway, even me. I stopped caring sometime along the way. It’s a fucked up life, but I live it. Hope is something strange, joy…I have no memories of it. I do not make wishes, I do not pray. I simply float. When will I stop living anyway? Tonight when he comes again?

A TWEET INTO THE FUTURE: The dreams of a girl who dreams for other girls.

Guest Writer: Ebenezar Wikina

Monday, 23rd September 2013: it started like an ordinary Monday; grumpy, slow, and work promising. After my usual morning prayers I decided to surf the web to see what's new in the world, and I saw a captivating tweet by @malalafund that reads; ''Malala will be making her twitter debut today, send your questions with the hashtag (#Malalafund).'' ''Oh my God!'' I screamed in my head, as I sat up to digest this golden information--in fact, it felt like I had just eaten breakfast--my Monday had just turned around. I celebrated at the thought of actually seeing a 140 character tweet from Malala herself, and the very slim chance of a getting a reply tweet from her, that is, if I'm able to squeeze my questions across to her through the millions of tweets that will be sent to her that evening. I didn't want to get disappointed, so I didn't think about that much. I just wanted to see Malala tweet, and know what she's been up to lately.

THE WONDERS OF A SMILE (WORLD SMILE DAY)

Guest Writer: Adetunji Steve

THE WONDERS OF A SMILE

''A day without a smile is a day that is lost.'' Anonymous

Smiling is a simple act that means so much to the person given but so little to the person giving it out. It only takes a split second to smile and forget, yet to someone that needed it, it can last a lifetime. We should all smile more often. What sunshine is to flowers, smiles are to humanity. These are but trifles, to be sure but scattered along life's pathway; the good they do is inconceivable. Many see no reason why they should smile when they consider what is obtainable around them. The environment cum prevailing circumstances do not warrant the free expressions of a smile, they reason.

A CALL FOR TEACHERS (FOR WORLD TEACHERS DAY)

Guest Writer: Chizu Ogbonna
 
TODDLER STEPS ARE BOLD STEPS. (A teacher's account of the first few weeks of a learner at preschool)

 
Some days,you came thrashing and wailing,
Other days you'd come smiling and waving,
Those shades were fickle,
They reminded me to cackle,
When you waved 'goodbye' with a chuckle.
 
To ease your 'loss', I doled out smiles,
To pacify your 'tears', I wrapped you in hugs,
Your moods were fickle,
They reminded me to cackle,
When you held a friend and shared a 'chuckle'.
 
You only sang, moulded, played and sorted
Your folks saw toddler steps, their care 
relieved. 
I saw definite bold steps and care started.
 
I saw a genius,
A bright light, 
To shine for us,
Especially at night.

Chizu Ogbonna (c) 2013

A STROLL WITH VICKI DAVIS (For World Teachers Day)

“I never teach my pupils, I only attempt to provide the conditions in which they can learn” ~ Albert Einstein

They are my true heroes; the blackboard-cleaning, chalk bathing; men and women who devoted standing hours explaining—and sometimes angrily shouting—theories and concepts into my skull that eventually added up in making me who I am today.

I love my teachers. I love teachers and the teaching profession because, it is a noble profession dedicated to moulding the future of people and the future of the world. It is also a profession that needs a lot of patience and passion, and when you talk about passion for teaching, only a few teachers on planet earth have the kind of burning passion my guest has

Mrs. Vicki Davis is a teacher that loves students deeply. Apart from teaching students, she also makes out time to blog on Cool Cat Teacher; her award winning blog where she communicates with other teachers around the world, and cross pollinates ideas on how to move the teaching profession forward. She’s also a mom, public speaker, and the co-founder of the Flat classroom project.

She told me about her passion for the teaching profession, her different projects, and what she thinks about challenges affecting education globally. Here’s my stroll with Mrs. Vicki; you know what they say, ‘when a teacher is talking, you listen.’ So I suggest you listen attentively.

ACTION PLAN!

      It's not enough to read about the International Observance, what will you do to mark it?

ACTION PLAN is a forum created to motivate people around the world to use the International Observance as an instrument for change rather than a monotonous ritual.

On Action plan, we'd suggest ways for you to mark the international observance and expect to get feedback from you in form of videos, audio files, pictures, reports, essays, and any other online document that shows how you observed a particular day on the international observance.

A STROLL WITH MICHAEL BECERRA (For World Tourism Day)

“Travel makes one modest. You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world” ~Gustave Flaubert

(Image Credit: Michael Becerra)

There’s something about tourists that sets them apart from other people, and that is the ability to see beauty and enjoy the variety of the world—the spice of life.

 

One person that has really enjoyed this spice is Mr. Michael Becerra; a mass communication graduate of the University of South Florida. With his pen, camera, and social media accounts, Mike shares his passion for meeting new people in new places and building relationships around the world. He has traveled the entire United States, Central America, and South America, and he’s still on the road.

 

We discussed his love for travelling, his favorite tourist destinations, and how we can protect different UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Here’s my stroll with Mr. Michael, you can pack your bags and join us;

PIECES OF PEACE #IN SIMPLE TERMS

We know when something is present because we have experienced its absence. We know something is bad because we have seen the ‘good’ counterpart. We know right from wrong because we have experienced both…we know what ‘peace’ is because we have not only seen but experienced otherwise. People have different opinion on what peace means, the level of its importance and how it can be fostered among individuals. If you ask a group of people to give synonyms for the word ‘peace’ and their understanding of it, you’d get varying data. It is good that everyone has a mind of their own and are conscious of it but it is not only better but best if they come together to share their thoughts on matters before reaching a final conclusion. Inna Valdes and Rimesh Khanal(UNESCO peace ambassadors)and I have come together to share our pieces of peace i.e. what we think ‘peace’ means and our advice for individuals concerning it. We hope, you’ll be gracious enough to share your thoughts on peace with us too so we can learn. We do this with a simple focus: to share knowledge and educate one another on matters of peace in different areas of existence…in simple terms.

A STROLL WITH HELOISE DE SMET (For International Day Of Freedom)

“Freedom prospers when religion is vibrant and the rule of law under God is acknowledged” ~Ronald Reagan

Freedom of speech, freedom of association, freedom of press, freedom of religion, freedom of information, freedom of gender... we are indeed the freedom generation, but the question is; how truly free are we?

She’s the author of ‘The 7 keys to the Freedom of Being’ and blogs on freedom related issues at Purenrgy.com. Her interest in freedom motivated her to be part of a book project on freedom comprising of 100 authors around the world, and this in turn led her to start the International Day of Freedom as an international observance.

In course of our stroll, Heloise De Smet and I looked critically at the issue of freedom and how truly free we are in this generation. She also told me about her dreams and what it feels like to live in Belgium. Here’s my stroll with Ms. Heloise, feel free to join:

VICTORY OVER LIFE ASUNDER

Guest Writer: Queeneth Agubamah

(Image Credit: datadairy)

"God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference." Reinhold Niebuhr
Suicide is a dark topic. The church sees it as a sin. Starting in the Middle Ages the law made it a crime. Then suicide passed to the mental health profession. So, what is suicide? Sin? Crime? Mental Illness? All three? Many of us who have contemplated suicide saying that suicide is an attempt to escape the pain – a longing for death because life looks impossibly difficult and hurtful. This poignant longing is hardly a new thing.Suicide addiction goes against all common sense. It is among the last things that one would expect to be addictive. But for addicts, it is the best answer.

RETHINKING LITERACY

GUEST WRITER: SHITTU FOWORA

zischina.com

One of the most profound moments in my early education days was when we had a new student, Ejiro. Ejiro wasn’t particularly an extraordinary student but we all liked him to be within our company because he had ‘mouth’. ‘Mouth’ was what we used to describe one who combined brashness and confidence. It was to his credit that the term ‘educated illiterate’ became the catchphrase and the most frequently used diss in school then.  Once the term was shot at anyone, a sudden clash ensues with blood and temper rising by the tens.

A STROLL WITH ADORA SVITAK (For International Literacy Day)

 “Literacy is a bridge from misery to hope. It is a tool for daily life in modern society.” ~Kofi Annan

In the world today about 775 million adults lack minimum literacy skills; one in five adults are still not literate and two-thirds of them are women; 60.7 million children are out-of-school and many more attend irregularly or drop out. In many developing and under-developed countries, the education of the girl-child is often ignored due to prejudices and illiterate beliefs, but my guest on the stroll is a very educated girl-child who is also campaigning for the proper education of other children in the world.

Adora is a published author, essayist, poet, blogger, feminist, and literacy activist. She has spoken at the TED 2010 Conference, and  the United Nations 2013 ECOSOC youth forum. Presently, She’s the host and curator of TEDxRedmond, and she manages to balance all this with the pressures of regular school and a regular teenage life--a privilege many gifted teens like her don't have.

She told me about her writing and reading skills, her literacy projects, what she thinks about Malala, and how she manages her addiction to semicolons.(hehe) Here’s my stroll with Adora:

A STROLL WITH JOSEPH FERRIS III (For International Day Against Nuclear Tests)

     “In a nuclear war there would be no victors, only victims…” ~Pope Benedict XVI

Joseph Ferris with some North Korean kids
(Image Credit: Joseph Ferris)

A nuclear weapon making, world war threatening, missile parading, stubborn country; this is the picture the international media has painted in our minds about North Korea, but how true is this image? This is the question we will answer on today’s episode of the stroll.

Welcome to the STROLL, my name is Ebenezar. Today, I’d be shinning the spotlight on a country that has been in the news for some time now because of her nuclear policy and the international sanctions that have followed her. Contrary to what you see on TV, I’m not trying to castigate North Korea rather I’m going to give you an exclusive tour of this country through the eyes of a person who knows North Korea more than many of us.

My guest Mr. Joseph is a master mariner, photographer, North Korean guide with Young Pioneer tours, and creator of the popular blog 'American in North Korea'. Having visited North Korea countless times; he’s fully equipped with a robust knowledge of the North Korean people and culture, and it’s that knowledge he’d share with us on this stroll. This is not a journalism speculation, media hype, or a politically motivated press report. This is, a stroll in North Korea. See for yourself:

THE SLAVE TRADE: ITS EMERGENCE AND EFFECT ON AFRICA

Guest Writer: Carl Terver             

Shackles used to bind slaves. UN Photo/Mark Garten

                                         

Invention rules the world, and it can be speculated that those who invent steer the course of the world. Man has invented a lot; adventure for example, is typical of spurring invention. 

Before the 15th century and the centuries that followed the era of the slave trade, slavery had existed under varying guises. You only have to look back in history to observe that. Before I go further I’ll want us to look at the stages of development man has undergone beginning from the Stone Age, Neolithic age and the modern times. Man was a wanderer (hunter) before settling; organising the home and cultivating crops. This period was known as communalism, until society was stratified into feudalism and then capitalism. These stages of development were characterised by the level of civilisation attained across respective worlds. In this discourse I shall settle for where ‘division of labour’ emerged as an inevitable partner in the civilisation progress. The key word is ‘labour’, human labour.

A STROLL WITH THE INTERNATIONAL SLAVERY MUSEUM (For International Day For The Remembrance of Slave Trade and its Abolition)

 

“Whenever I hear anyone arguing for slavery, I feel a strong impulse to see it tried on him personally” ~Abraham Lincoln

Image Credit: International Slavery Museum

It is one of the darkest periods of human existence so far... mothers lost their sons, husbands lost their wives, and children lost their parents. With chains around their necks and ankles, these innocent people were packed and shipped to the west; made to work in fields and coal mines; for days and nights without food or water; in sweat tears, and blood they worked. Tilling the hard soil, hoping someday freedom will fall from heaven.

Well, those years are gone, but we can’t forget the lives that were lost in a hurry. In my quest to relive the experience of those victims of slave trade, I decided to take a stroll in the International Slavery Museum, Liverpool. My guide on this tour is Mr. Stephen Carl-Lokko (The Collections development officer, International Slavery Museum, Liverpool)

I invite you to take this stroll with us, as we relive the years and relearn the lessons slave trade taught us. Here we go:

A STROLL WITH OPEYEMI AUDU (For World Fashion Day)

                           “Fashion changes, but style endures” ~Coco Chanel

Image credit: Opeyemi Audu

In the quest to cover their nakedness, some people dress to kill while others just kill the dress... but whichever way fashion is one thing the world cannot turn a blind eye to for it is hugely embedded in all we see around; in nature, art…in our choices about decorating; whether our bodies or any other thing we hold dear.

This year’s World Fashion Day is focused on the spirit and art of fashion. My guest on the stroll is a God lover, tech-entrepreneur, and modest fashionista. She is the founder of Taata Beads and is dedicated to preaching the message of modest, beautiful and healthy dressing—something you’d agree with me is lacking in our society today.

We talked about culture and its role in dressing, what qualifies as modesty in relation to dressing, runway shows, modelling, and lots more. At this junction I must say that I have noticed an alarming graduation in the area of dressing and what people consider fashionable. I do not understand this, and I sought for understanding by taking this stroll and focusing on dressing instead of art which any day I’d rather do. I hope whatever question you have as regards the obvious change in fashion especially dressing will be answered after this stroll. Sit awhile and enjoy:

A STROLL WITH IAN KOMAC (For World Photography Day)

“What I like about photographs is that they capture a moment that’s gone forever, impossible to reproduce” ~Karl Lagerfeld

Image Credit: Ian Komac

To achieve big things in life we need to keep our eyes on the big picture. I admire photographers a lot because they are experts in the art of making these big pictures. With a trained eye and simple click they reveal the beauty that lies in and around us.

Ian, my guest on the stroll today is a unique photographer with a unique photography technique. He makes pictures that mimic dreams; capturing moments from the subconscious and making them real and alive.

We talked about Belgium, his photography technique, his dream tourism destinations and much more. Here is my stroll with Ian, lights, camera, action:

A STROLL WITH NINA DEVANI (For World Internet Appreciation Day)

     “The internet is becoming the town square for the global village of tomorrow” ~Bill Gates

Image Credit: BBC

Have you ever forgotten your password?  Has your social media account ever been hacked? Have you ever been scared or worried about your personal data online? Well, worry no more oh earth! Somebody is here to save us. (hehehe) Ladies and gentlemen, meet Nina Devani.

Nina is one of the youngest entrepreneurs in the world today. At only 14, she’s the founder & CEO of Prompt Me Nina—an application designed to help people remember all their passwords without ever giving them away. Which is totally awesome I must say; and considering the rising tension in the world lately as regards cyber security, I decided to take a stroll with Nina for today’s World Internet Appreciation Day.

She told me about how Prompt Me Nina works and how she plans to expand her idea, about what she thinks of the recent cyber security challenge the world is facing, and lots more. Here’s my stroll with Nina:

RURAL-URBAN-INTERNET MIGRATION

Guest Writer: Milliscent Maduagwu

Image Credit: brainsolis

The internet has totally changed the way we do things. It has accelerated the speed of the jet age; fast banking, fast shopping, fast communication, fast marriages... It has just generally increased the speed at which the earth rotates around its axis

Although this same speed hasn't been without its hiccups. The NSA scandal, Wikileaks revelations, and multiple attacks from hackers have made us rethink our stand on this great invention. An invention that has really come a long way, and has been developed by so many minds.

A STROLL WITH KEITH MILSOM (For International Left Handers Day)

“The right half of the brain controls the left half of the body. This means that only left handed people are in their right mind” ~Anonymous

Lauren and Keith Milsom

Lefthanders have rights! Yeah! They do…and most especially today because, it’s lefthanders day! Happy Lefthanders day to every left hander on earth :)

Although as a child I really didn’t think they were special, on the contrary I even felt they were disabled (hehe). Maybe it’s due to the number of times I was corrected—mostly with a cane—by my parents for using my left hand to eat, write, or collect/give things to my elders. But I think my view about left-handedness has changed a great deal since then.

My guest on the stroll today is a leftie who is doing so much for other lefties in the world. He’s the founder of the Lefthanders day, and he also runs ‘Anything Left-handed’; a shop that sells only left-handed things! Awesome right? (heheh)

In course of our stroll he told me about the challenges a lefthander faces in a right-handed world, about what motivated him to found the Lefthanders day, and if he thinks being left-handed is a blessing or a curse…well, here we go:

THE CHANGE THEY DO NOT DESERVE…

Image Credit: abcnews

It is quite fascinating the way people stratify and stereotype. If the society frowns at something, it is bad. If tradition forbids it, it is totally destructive. What justifies something being good, bad, acceptable, unacceptable, right, wrong…public opinion? The majority weighed against the minority? 

YOUTHS SPEAK: GETTING HEARD, CREATING CHANGE!

Today is International Youth Day recognized by the UN and even though this year's theme is focused on youth immigrants and the challenges faced, Write Paragraphs decided to go fundamental by shining the spotlight on youths from different countries, paying attention to the challenges they face and finding the possible solutions. In doing this, we decided to get youths to write in two paragraphs the challenges faced and solutions. Here are some of the entries we got;