Teachers Without Borders

Check out Teachers Without Borders - a non-profit organization that brings together teachers from all over the world to access resources, collaborate with other teachers worldwide, learn about and share common challenges.

U.S. Department of Labor's List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor

Just released, this 194 page report lists the 122 goods from 58 countries that the Department of Labor believes are produced by forced labor or child labor.

Beginning on page 13 lists the goods by country. Page 21 lists the goods sorted by type of good. Among these are:

Agriculture
cotton, sugarcane, tobacco, coffee, rice, and cocoa
Manufacturing
bricks,garments, carpets, fireworks, and footwear
Mine or Quarried Goods
gold and coal

Related Websites:
International Labor Rights Forum

Polaris Project

Chinese Moon Festival

One of the most important holidays in the Chinese calendar is the Chinese Moon Festival. This event is celebrated every year on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month when the moon is at its fullest. Chinese families get together on this evening and eat the traditional mooncake which is made with a sweet bean or seed paste.

There are many variations to the legend of the Moon Festival. One common folk tale involves an archer Hou Yi and his wife Chang-E. According to the tale. the earth once had ten suns circling over it, each took its turn to light the earth. One day all ten suns appeared together, scorching the earth. . The Emperor of Heaven ordered tyrannical ruler archer Hou Yi to save the earth. Hou Yi succeeded in shooting down nine of the suns. One day, Hou Yi stole the elixir of life from a goddess. However his beautiful wife Chang Er drank the elixir of life in order to save the people from her husband's tyrannical rule. After drinking it, she found herself floating and flew to the moon. Hou Yi loved his divinely beautiful wife so much, he didn't shoot down the moon.

Gathering of Nations

Ethnic Arts & Facts has come to New Mexico to check out the Gathering of Nations. We specifically decided to come and show our support! Here is some info:

The Gathering of Nations is a Native American Indian 501(c)3 non-profit organization founded in 1983 to promote Native American, American Indian (indigenous) culture & tradition, and dispel stereotypes created about Native American Indian and indigenous people. Among many contributions to the Native American community, the Gathering of Nations founded and funds the Academic Scholarship Foundation for Native American Students and hosts the annual Gathering of Nations PowWow, Miss Indian World Traditional Talent Presentations, and Indian Trader's Market the last full weekend of every April at the University of New Mexico Arena in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA. Everyone is welcome at the Gathering of Nations!

The Growing Global Food Crisis - What You Can Do

The Growing Global Food Crisis - What You Can Do
http://us.oneworld.net/section/us/alerts/hunger
As rising food prices and shortages sound alarm bells around the world, OneWorld offers an overview of what different countries are facing and how you can help.

iEarn

iEarn (International Education and Resource Network) is the world's largest non-profit global network that enables young people to use the Internet and other new technologies to engage in collaborative educational projects that both enhance learning and make a difference in the world. Established in 1988 as a pioneering online program among schools in the United States and schools in the Soviet Union, iEARN is now active in more than 20,000 schools and youth organizations in 118 countries.

Visit iEarn's Collaboration Center to connect with other educators and students worldwide on collaborative projects.

Three Cups of Tea

I just finished the inspiring book, Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin. Three Cups of Tea is the story of mountaineer Greg Mortenson who found himself in a small impoverished village in Pakistan after an attempt to summit K2. While he never reached the top of the great mountain, his work in building schools in remote areas of Pakistan reached thousands of school children and brings inspiration and hope to all.

This is a wonderful book that will take you to the remote village of Korphe in the Karakoram Mountains and into the lives of the people there and a man's relentless pursuit of "promoting peace one school at a time."
Three Cups of Tea
-find the link in the website to purchase the book through Amazon. A percentage of the proceeds will go directly to the Central Asia Institute, where Greg Mortenson is the Executive Director.

State of the World's Minorities 2007

The Minority Rights Group is an international non-governmental organization (NGO) who works to secure the rights of ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities and indigenous peoples worldwide, and to promote cooperation and understanding between communities.

In MRG's released publication, State of the World's Minorities 2007, Somalia is listed a the top of countries where minorities are most under threat.

Download the 152 page publication (PDF) here.

Top 20 Minorities under threat according to the Minority Rights Group International:
(Source: State of the World's Minorities 2007, pg. 11)

1. Somalia: Darood, Hawiye, Issaq and other clans; Bantu and other groups
2. Iraq: Shia, Sunnis, Kurds, Turkomans, Christians; smaller minorities
3. Sudan: Fur, Zaghawa, Massalit and others in Darfur; Dinka, Nuer and others in the South; Nuba, Beja
4. Afghanistan: Hazara, Pashtun, Tajiks, Uzbeks
5. Burma/Myanmar: Kachin, Karenni, Karen, Mons, Rohingyas, Shan, Chin (Zomis), Wa
6. Dem. Rep. of the Congo: Hema and Lendu, Hunde, Hutu, Luba, Lunda, Tutsi/Banyamulenge, Twa/Mbuti
7. Nigeria: Ibo, Ijaw, Ogoni, Yoruba, Hausa (Muslims) and Christians in the North
8. Pakistan: Ahmadiyya, Baluchis, Hindus, Mohhajirs, Pashtun, Sindhis
9. Angola: Bakongo, Cabindans, Ovimbundu
10. Russian Federation: Chechens, Ingush, Lezgins, indigenous northern peoples, Roma
11. Burundi: Hutu, Tutsi, Twa
12. Uganda: Acholi, Karamojong
13. Ethiopia: Anuak, Afars, Oromo, Somalis
14. Sri Lanka: Tamils, Muslims
15. Haiti: Political/social targets
16. Cote d'Ivoire: Northern Mande (Dioula), Senoufo, Bete, newly settled groups
17. Rwanda: Hutu, Tutsi, Twa
18. Nepal: Political/social targets, Dalits
19. Philippines: Indigenous peoples, Moros (Muslims)
20. Iran: Arabs, Azeris, Bahais, Baluchis, Kurds, Turkomans