text:
Britain Stronger in Europe
The Baroness Warsi 'Defection' From Leave To Remain Is Virtue Signalling Politics At Its Worst
June 21, 2016 Samuel Hooper4 Comments
Changing one's mind about an existentially important constitutional and geopolitical question merely because of the tone of the campaign is either criminally idiotic or part of a deliberate campaign of deception
Top of today's communications grid for the Remain campaign – jostling with their tawdry efforts to make political capital from the murder of Jo Cox MP – has been their attempt to capitalise on the supposed "defection" of former Conservative Party chairman Baroness Warsi from the Leave to the Remain campaign in the EU referendum,
The Telegraph reports:
A former minister has announced that she is abandoning Brexit and defecting to the Remain campaign in protest at its "hate and xenophobia".
Baroness Warsi has accused Michael Gove, the Eurosceptic Justice Secretary, of "peddling complete lies" and said her final decision was prompted by a Nigel Farage-backed poster depicting Syrian refugees with the slogan "breaking point".
[..] Baroness Warsi, a former chairman of the Conservative Party, told The Times: "That 'breaking point' poster really was, for me, the breaking point to say 'I can't go on supporting this'. Are we prepared to tell lies, to spread hate and xenophobia just to win this campaign? For me that's a step too far."
She made the decision to defect despite Mr Gove saying that the poster made him "shudder" and describing it as the "wrong thing to do".
This fails the smell test for a number of reasons, not least of which is that the natural action to take if one feels repulsed by the behaviour of other people arguing for something that you believe in is to disassociate yourself from them, not to join the other side and immediately adopt a completely different set of beliefs and arguments than you were professing moments earlier.
This is precisely what members of The Leave Alliance, including this blog, have done. As proponents of a small-L liberal vision for Brexit in which we leave the EU to better engage with the entire world (and hopefully reboot our democracy in the process), we were naturally repulsed by many of the anti-immigration arguments, as well as the rank amateurism of the official Vote Leave campaign. But this did not turn us into enthusiastic Remainers. Rather, it encouraged us to carve out our own niche of bloggers, experts and advocates to promote our message within the wider Brexit movement.
If Baroness Warsi was really that upset about the tone of the mainstream Leave campaign, she or one of her researchers could have discovered the Leave Alliance in the time it takes to do a quick Google search. Warsi could have found a community of passionate, knowledgeable and highly principled Brexiteers who would have welcomed her into the fold. But Warsi did not do so, either because her mind genuinely cannot conceive of a world and a referendum campaign beyond that waged in the Westminster bubble, or because she had no intention of looking for other Brexiteers with values closer to her own.
Of course, we have seen this before, with the defections of Tory MP Sarah Wollaston and Labour MP Khalid Mahmood, also ostensibly because of their disgust at the tone of the Leave campaign. As backbenchers, one might be more charitable and chalk this up to idiocy rather than political machinations, but in the case of a former Conservative Party chairman and minister like Sayeeda Warsi it all reeks very strongly of a PR stunt.
And shame on the Times newspaper, incidentally, for allowing themselves to be used quite blatantly as the prime minister's personal propaganda mouthpiece rather than applying the most basic level of journalistic scepticism to their reporting – in their eagerness to report on the supposed "turmoil" created by an utterly inconsequential figure in the broader Leave campaign they made themselves look politically calculating and stupid at the same time.
As Guido Fawkes points out:
The Times have watered down their mischievous first edition claiming Sayeeda Warsi has 'defected' from Leave to Remain. No one in Vote Leave thought she was a Brexit supporter or is aware of her doing any campaigning for them at all. She has only tweeted about Vote Leave once – ten days ago – to attack them. She did not appear on the website of pro-Leave group Muslims for Britain. In February Warsi told Eurosceptic campaigners she had not declared. When Dan Hannan invited her to join the Leave campaign, she declined. Neil Kinnock even once backed her for EU commissioner…
Hardly the very model of an arch eurosceptic and committed Leave campaigner.
Much more admirable is the late decision by Bristol West MP Charlotte Leslie to support the Leave campaign. Unlike Baroness Warsi, Sarah Wollaston and Khalid Mahmood, Leslie did not seek to make herself look good by feigning horror at the conduct of the opposing side, but rather made up her mind after much careful thought and deliberation.
This comes through strongly in Charlotte Leslie's official statement:
My decision is with nothing to do with either the Leave or Remain Campaign, but as an individual who has done their best to assess the situation and come to a conclusion based on my assessment of the facts to which I have access, my experience in working with European colleagues from many EU Member States over the years, and my own personal understanding of human behaviour and risk.
As I have said repeatedly, I do not necessarily think there is a right or wrong answer to this question, and I have the utmost respect and appreciation for those who disagree with me. I celebrate and welcome disagreement and debate.
After all my deliberations, I found myself coming back to a principle on which I try to lead my life: That you have to face realities, however difficult, because to attempt to deny a reality leads to more pain in the long term.
Personally, I cannot see the European Project, whose express aim is to further homogenise the very different nations of Europe into an ever closer political union, as anything but a fantasy, and as such, dangerous.
Therefore, however much I appreciate and understand the risks and challenges of voting 'leave', I find myself completely unable mandate this madness.
What a contrast in tone and class with the fiery, bitter and sanctimonious MP defections from the Leave campaign, which have never been based on a genuine reappraisal of the merits of Brexit but always out of a desire by MPs to publicly disassociate themselves from supposedly unsavoury people.
And this is key. Beyond the tawdry, transparent and frankly amateurish attempt at choreographing a political defection stunt, there is a serious point here. As we have seen, Baroness Warsi is not the first politician to rend their garments, reach for the smelling salts and publicly switch sides in the EU referendum in protest at the "tone" of the campaign.
Looked at more broadly, this is symptomatic of the same trend towards public virtue signalling that we see on social media and our university campuses now entering the world of politics. For many contemporary politicians, ideology and policy positions are not things to be adopted based on a serious consideration of their value and applicability to the modern world, but rather items of clothing to be worn or discarded like this season's latest fashion.
Almost the entire official Remain campaign is based not on an enthusiastic defence of the European Union as it currently is or is likely to become, but rather the flimsy assertion that supporting the EU is somehow the progressive and virtuous thing to do. Hence you will almost never find a Shoreditch hipster or a Brighton artist proudly campaigning for Leave – it would go against the very grain of their "social uniform". Hence Britain Stronger in Europe's latest social media advertisement which asserts without a shred of evidence that voting Remain is the "kind, open, inclusive, tolerant" thing to do.
And in this age when politicians sometimes build up substantial social media followings and careers live and die by successful media appearances, is it really any wonder that the glibness of our political discourse now attracts equally glib politicians – MPs who will change their opinion on an issue as fundamental as Britain's continued membership of the EU at the drop of the hat, depending on which hashtags are trending positively on Twitter?
In the case of Baroness Warsi, we can safely chalk up this non-defection to a good old-fashioned political stunt, a piece of theatre shamefully performed by the Remain campaign to help add to the illusion of momentum and inevitability going into the closing stretches of the EU referendum campaign.
But on a rather sombre day when we seem duty-bound, even pressured, to say nice things about politicians, it is worth considering the calibre of individuals we are actually attracting to Westminster when some MPs clearly possess so few core convictions (and such flair for self-promotion) that they will execute a 180 degree U-turn on the greatest political decision of our generation, based not on the issues but the execution of the campaigns.
At this time we need seriousness and depth in our politics – in parliament and outside -and not this growing superficiality motivated by the gnawing desire to loudly signal our virtue at all times.
Top Image: Spectator
EU Referendum, UK Current Affairs, UK PoliticsBaroness Warsi, Brexit, Britain Stronger in Europe, Charlotte Leslie, Conservative Party, EU Referendum, European Union, Jo Straw, Remain Campaign, Sayeeda Warsi, Vote Leave
The Remain Campaign's Last Stand
June 20, 2016 June 20, 2016 Samuel Hooper2 Comments
The Remain campaign is so used to loudly claiming the moral high ground and dismissing Brexiteers as backward, nasty reactionaries that even their "positive" closing message is unintentionally insulting toward half the country
Well, that calmer, politer politics didn't last very long, did it?
On the first day of real campaigning following the murder of Jo Cox MP, the Remain campaign has hit the airwaves with this new meme, now being widely shared on social media.
Displaying a heart shape in the colours of the Union Flag, Britain Stronger in Europe exhort us to:
Remain kind
Remain open
Remain inclusive
Remain tolerant
Remain together
All pleasing words, you might think. But what does it say about those Britons – nearly half the country, according to opinion polls – who think that Britain should leave the European Union. Are they unkind people? Are they closed-minded and closed-hearted? Do they all seek to exclude people? Are they all racist? Apparently the official Remain campaign thinks so.
The image is accompanied on social media by the following message:
This referendum is about the type of country we want to live in.
SHARE this if you believe Britain is at our best when we're outward-looking, inclusive and we stand together.
Just hammering the point home.
From a purely strategic and tactical viewpoint one can understand why Britain Stronger in Europe went for this approach. After all, almost none of their argument for staying in the EU has been based on the positives of the European Union (beyond woolly platitudes about "cooperation" and "working together", which a ten year old can work out does not require the intermediation of Brussels). Rather, their argument has been a relentlessly fear-based approach, threatening and even bullying voters to vote Remain on pain of supposed economic disaster compounded by George Osborne's vindictive "punishment budget".
But to get Remainers to the polling station on Thursday, the campaign needs to give them something positive to think about, too. Even if it later turns out to be a pile of nonsense, their supporters must be made to think that they are doing something noble in choosing to fearfully stick with the status quo. And in this day and age, even better if they can then broadcast this positive message to others in order to signal their own virtue.
This social media post accomplishes the Remain campaign's objectives brilliantly. It doesn't get bogged down in the details of why the European is so great (it isn't) or necessary (it really isn't), or even why leaving would be so calamitous (it wouldn't be). On the contrary, the Union Jack coloured heart and childish font keep things very superficial. It declares to the world that the person liking or sharing the message is a Good, Enlightened and Virtuous Person, unlike those knuckle-dragging, murderous subhumans who dare to believe in Brexit.
Another similar meme is also being shared widely on Facebook, as a play on Nigel Farage's tired old "I want my country back" theme:
I want my country back, too. The country which celebrated Mo Farah winning at the Olympics, the same one who is proud to call Tom Daly or Mark Foster part of the British Olympic team, the country who cheers for Tanni Grey-Thompson. That, that's my country. The same country which took Malala Yousafzai to its heart. My country is better for the diverse country it is, from the food available in the supermarket to St Paul's Carnival & drinking Kenyan coffee with a Jewish bagel to cure a hangover from French wine. My Britain is not filled with hate or extremism. My Britain is not perfect but it isn't better alone. My Britain is open, inclusive, progressive and an inspiring place to live.
Because of course a post-Brexit Britain would rejoice in none of these things, all of which are only made possible thanks to our membership of the European Union. Quite why Britain's departure from a supranational political union would mean that Britain would become a country which starts booing its own black athletes, burning down bagel shops or pouring French wine into the sea at Dover harbour is of course never explained. But the Remain campaign don't need to explain it. This is their own form of "dog-whistle" campaigning. They just have to suggest these these links, and immediately everyone who is preconditioned to equate euroscepticism with xenophobia or racism immediately pricks up their ears and awaits orders.
This is insulting beyond words to half the country who currently favour Brexit, particularly considering the hurried vow everybody took in the wake of the Jo Cox murder to immediately (and rather implausibly) be nice to one another. But one must admire the way that the Remain campaign stuck to the letter (if not the spirit) of their pledge – they managed to grievously insult half the country without using a single negative word, instead simply suggesting that Brexiteers represent the opposite of all these positive values.
Though as one commenter put it on the Britain Stronger in Europe Facebook page:
This idea that only those voting for Remain uphold those values is disgusting. None of us have a monopoly on those things. Remain shouting the loudest about being decent – total and utter hypocrisy #Brexit
But this is literally all they have. The Remain campaign kept the focus relentlessly and myopically on the economic question, wheeling out all of the same experts who told us two decades ago that Britain would wither and perish outside the euro. And the message has not gained sufficient traction to leave Remain confident of victory. So all they have left is to demonise the other side.
They cannot speak too passionately and warmly about the European Union, because the organisation is distrusted or hated – quite rightly – by anybody who remotely cares about democracy or the continued importance of the nation state. They cannot openly commit Britain to the EU's clearly stated end goal – a common European state – because it would alienate too many people.
So all that is left for Remain is to demonise the other side, either explicitly (as they did before the murder of Jo Cox) or implicitly (as they are doing now, by suggesting that Leave voters are the antithesis of the wonderful, warm qualities listed in the Facebook meme).
And in terms of winning the referendum, it may just work. The relentless fearmongering, the demonising of Brexiteers, the desire of many people to virtue-signal the fact that they hold "open" and "progressive" views and the usual tendency for people to gravitate back towards the perceived status quo at the closing stages of a referendum campaign may push Remain over the line. Possibly quite convincingly.
But it has made the job of stitching the nation back together again almost impossible. And each time sanctimonious, preachy little graphics concocted by Britain Stronger in Europe are created and shared, it makes the task that much harder. Because whatever misanthropes, racists and bigots may support Leave, the vast majority of Brexiteers are good, honest decent people. They are patriots who genuinely (and in this blog's view, quite rightly) believe that they are doing the right thing. And you can't spend three months loudly questioning half the country's intelligence, tolerance and moral code and then expect everybody to hold hands like one big happy family.
Given the way that this referendum has been fought by pro-EU forces, a vote to Remain will therefore resolve absolutely nothing. And prissy, sanctimonious little declarations of virtue like Stronger In's "Remain Together" campaign message are the reason why.
Postscript: Mark Wallace also takes exception to Stronger In's latest advert, in a piece for Conservative Home:
The implication is clear – if you're someone who is voting Leave, you are supposedly declaring yourself to be unkind, closed, not inclusive, intolerant and in favour of division.
Not only is that entirely in conflict with the weekend's warm words about a more reasonable and less unpleasant tone in the final days of the referendum campaign, but it is an extraordinary attack on the millions upon millions of voters who are – rightly, in this site's view – planning to Vote Leave.
It isn't the first time we've heard such dismissive criticisms of those who dare to disagree. Only yesterday, the Prime Minister declared that there is not "a single credible voice" arguing we will gain by leaving the EU, implicitly suggesting several members of his own Cabinet lack credibility. But the content of this particular advert makes it the broadest insult to voters, Party members, MPs and Ministers so far, and the timing makes a mockery of recent promises to raise the tone.
If Stronger In's management intend to stand by this scurrilous line, will their overseers, Cameron and Osborne, continue to do so as well?
EU Referendum, UK Current Affairs, UK PoliticsBrexit, Britain Stronger in Europe, EU Referendum, European Union, Europhilia, Jo Cox, New Politics, Remain Campaign, Social Media, Stronger In, Tolerance, Virtue Signalling
The Deployment Of Jeremy Clarkson, Self-Described European Citizen, Suggests A Remain Campaign In Disarray
June 19, 2016 June 19, 2016 Samuel HooperLeave a comment
What was David Cameron thinking, allowing himself to be pictured joking around with an arch euro-federalist days before the EU referendum?
I strongly suspect that David Cameron will come to regret trying to enlist Jeremy Clarkson and the remainder of the ex Top Gear rabble to support his tawdry and deceitful campaign to keep Britain in the European Union.
For while it made a great photo op, our dashing prime minister ladding about with old Clarkson, unfortunately Jeremy Clarkson then opened his mouth and spoke. And what he said was very far from the official Britain Stronger in Europe line of "oh gee, the EU is awfully frustrating, but we have to stick with it because we are just not good enough to handle this whole independence thing".
No, as we saw earlier this year, Jeremy Clarkson is a committed EU federalist – and to his credit, he makes no effort to hide the fact that he feels European first and foremost, and that he wants the embryonic common European state to hurry up and finish hatching so that he can be a true European citizen.
And so, just when David Cameron needed Jezza to come out with a suitably "Eurosceptics for Remain" soundbite, Jeremy Clarkson instead gave us this (my emphasis in bold):
Really, it's my gut. My gut tells me, as you know, I feel European, and therefore I want to be in Europe – for no other reason.
Because I've heard some very compelling reasons for leaving, sitting next to people who want to leave. And they are quite compelling.
And then Clarkson's sidekick, James May, joins in the unwitting sabotage:
If I'm honest it's a gut feeling for me as well. It's because I feel that Britain is naturally disposed, if we're not careful, to being rather backward in its view on the world. And there are too many people who think that we'll be alright because we've got the E-type Jag. But that's just not true, and being part of Europe is part of moving on.
In other words, instead of "I hate the EU too, but we are stuck with it because it's the only thing on offer", instead Clarkson and May gave us "Britain sucks and we're all European citizens anyway! Let's strive on to complete the grand project!". Which rather undermines every single thing that the prime minister has been saying since he launched the Remain campaign – namely that the EU is a benign club devoted to trade, cooperation and nothing more, with no intentions to further impinge on our democracy, as well as the already-tenuous idea that voting Remain is in any way the patriotic thing to do.
It also rather contradicts the Remain campaign's claim to have all of the facts on their side, while we knuckle-dragging Brexiteers exist in a kind of Trumpian, Palinite post-fact world. After all, Jeremy Clarkson's argument for remaining in the EU doesn't even remotely touch on the economic scaremongering which is so central to Stronger In's messaging, which rather calls it into question. If the economic question is key and the "expert opinion" so settled that Brexit would be a disaster, why is the prime minister doing a photo op with someone who couldn't give two figs about the economy because all he cares about is casting off his hated Britishness and becoming a truly European citizen?
Watch David Cameron's pinched expression as Clarkson goes on about how European he feels, and then when May waxes lyrical about hopeless, parochial Britain with its backward inhabitants. You can see in the prime minister's face the suppressed annoyance of a man who realises that his clever photo op has just massively backfired, and that the video footage they are capturing will be of absolutely zero use during the remainder of the campaign.
Why? Because unsurprisingly, the remaining undecided voters in this EU referendum campaign are not themselves ardent euro-federalists. Indeed, almost nobody falls into this peculiar category. And the last thing that the Remain campaign wants to be showing undecided voters – most likely people with no great love for the EU, but with gnawing fears about the economic risks of Brexit – is a self-satisfied millionaire celebrity who probably spends half the year sunning himself in the south of France and who sniffs at Britishness and considers himself European.
But still, one has to respect Jeremy Clarkson for at least being honest, as this blog pointed out when he first nailed his colours to the EU mast:
Unlike an oleaginous Turncoat Tory, Clarkson does not feel the need to butter us up with constant anecdotes about how he hates Brussels just as much as we do, honest. And unlike those bland Remainers on the Labour benches, he does not just mutter inanities about countries "working together", as though intergovernmental co-operation were not possible without the umbrella of an undemocratic political union.
No, Jeremy Clarkson owns his position, and has the guts to tell us that not only should we learn to love the European Union as it is now, we should actively fight for further political integration.
Of course, this failed photo op took place before the tragic murder of Jo Cox MP changed the atmosphere of the referendum campaign. But it provides a snapshot of a Remain campaign not functioning as well as it should, and making bad tactical decisions – like wheeling out an ardent, unapologetic euro-federalist to try to reach a group of voters with significant doubts about the EU.
Whether or not the Remain campaign has used the past few days to steady the ship and reassert some sensible decision making will probably become clear on Monday, when both campaigns spin back up to full speed. But little vignettes such as this do paint a picture of a Remain campaign in disarray, if not outright panic – which can only be good for Brexiteers.
EU Referendum, UK Current Affairs, UK PoliticsBrexit, Britain Stronger in Europe, David Cameron, EU Referendum, European Union, Federalism, James May, Jeremy Clarkson, Remain Campaign, Top Gear


text:
Home » Archives » Corporate Storytelling Training » Standing Ovation Storytelling Skills for Storytelling in Business
The word storytelling is misleading. The best storytellers don't simply "tell" stories. They make their story come alive with physical animation, vocal interpretation and real emotion. In other words, they move beyond story-telling to Story Theater.
Back in 1995, when I was first getting into the professional speaking business, I was doing presentations around town to various service clubs and networking groups. I talked about communication and presentation skills. Having been an actor for 25 years, I was comfortable at the front of the room. I was funny and spontaneous and had some good content. People told me I was a good speaker and that I told good stories. And then one night, I had a breakthrough.
The Breakthrough Moment
I was giving a presentation at the Pikes Peak Library in Colorado Springs, Colorado. It was a freebie on a Tuesday night. Somewhere in the middle of my talk on presentation skills, I asked my audience if they wanted to hear a funny story from my Hollywood years. Of course, they said yes.
It was a story I had told many times before. I did say "told." But this time, for some reason, I was unleashed. It was a funny story about going streaking and getting arrested naked. Without having planned it in advance, I acted out getting in the back of my VW bus with my acting class partner, George, and getting undressed. Next, I acted out jumping out of the bus and running down the street naked as we passed about 30 people waiting in line to see a movie.
As I was acting out running down the street naked, with George right behind me, I could hear the audience laughing hysterically. I acted out coming around the corner to head back to the safety of the bus, when a police car came screeching around the corner and a voice yelled over the speaker for us to "freeze."
"Freeze! Put your hands up."
I acted out freezing in mid-stride, and then remembering that I was naked and exposed. At this point, the audience was shrieking with laughter. Shrieking! They were laughing so hard tears were streaming down people's faces.
I didn't just TELL that story. I became the story. I re-enacted those key parts of the story. That was the day The Story Theater Method was born. That was the day I learned the difference between standing outside of the story and "telling" it, and "stepping in" to the story and re-living parts of it.
The Story Theater Method
When I analyzed what I'd done differently that night in the library, it was the acting moments. I'd spontaneously created a hybrid of narrative storytelling and acting. And it worked so well that I could never go back to narrative story-telling alone.
There's nothing wrong with telling a good story. It's worked for millions of years and will continue to work. But if you want to move your audience to laughter and tears, you need to take your storytelling to the next level, the Story Theater level.
Actions, Reactions, Decisions and Conversations
A play is a story, told on a stage with actors pretending to be in an imaginary time, place and circumstance. The actors bring each scene to life with actions, reactions and conversations. Sometimes an actor is alone on the stage reciting a monologue, as if they were talking to themselves out loud. The audience gets to hear their thoughts in the form of self-talk. Sometimes an actor is silent, but you can still "hear" their inner monologue through their expressions and body language. These acting techniques, and many more, can be applied to storytelling.
When you apply Story Theater techniques to your story, you first identify the scenes in your story that are most hilarious or dramatic. Then you act them out as if they were taking place in present time. These are called "IN Moments." The majority of your story (70% – 80%) is still spoken in past-tense narrative "OUT" to the audience, but these acted-out IN moments make the story come alive.
Some of the techniques you can employ to make your stories come alive are:
• Recreating the actions in your story:
Running, typing, packing, cooking, reading, lifting, streaking, driving…
• Acting out the reactions in your story:
Surprise, shock, elation, anger, frustration, relief, sadness, despair, joy…
• Portraying the conversations in your story:
Telephone, two-character, self-talk…
• Revealing your decision-making process:
Which choice to make, what to do next, good vs bad options, who to call…
Take Them Inside the Story
At the end of my keynotes and workshops, people share with me that they felt like they were inside my story as I was telling it. For example, after telling my Streaking Story, one person told me, "I was sitting at a street-side table having dinner as you ran past us!" Another told me, "I was in the crowd at the end of the alley watching you get handcuffed and thrown into the police car." Story Theater invites people inside your story.
Kinesthetic and Visceral Stimulation
I've now been teaching the Story Theater Method for over 25 years. What I've learned is that Story Theater stories are more engaging and compelling because they stimulate a physical and visceral response. People don't just listen to these stories, they see, feel and experience them.
Why is this important? Most presentation put people into a content coma. They're chock full of important information, but often devoid of emotional stimulation. Without some form of visceral and emotional stimulation, presentations fail to achieve their intended purpose. The presentation wastes people's time, and the presenter is often blamed for being boring. Kinesthetic and visceral stimulation is needed to engage the listener and emotionally move them to really "get" and remember your message.
Standing Ovation Storytelling
Do you want a standing ovation? Do you want your stories to be remembered long after your presentation is over? Do you want your stories to inspire people to new thinking and action? Do you need to take your stories to the next level of authenticity, engagement and relevance? Put some Story Theater into your stories and you will be amazed at the difference it makes.
My streaking story was always a good story, but it was never hilarious until I acted it out. No one ever shrieked with laughter before. It's as if the Story Theater Method transformed my story from black and white to technicolor.
The acting parts of your story are right there waiting for you to have some fun with them. And, you don't have to be an actor to use these techniques in your story. All you have to do is look for the actions, reactions, decisions and conversations in your story, and SHOW them.
Standing ovation storytelling is within your reach. Let's work on it together.
Doug Stevenson is the author of Doug Stevenson's Story Theater Method and is an internationally recognized speaker and trainer on strategic storytelling for leadership, sales and marketing. For over 20 years has has taught the science of the art of storytelling in 18 countries. He had delivered over 1,000 keynotes and training courses for corporations, associations and government agencies.
His clients include Google, Verizon, Coca Cola, NBC, Deloitte, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Pfizer, Con Agra Foods, Caterpillar, Microsoft, SAP, Wells Fargo, US Bank, USAA, Aetna, Lockheed Martin, The American Education Assn, The National Association of Realtors, The American Medical Association, Rockwell Collins, Junior Achievement, Amgen, AAA, Oracle University, Red Bull, Deco Proteste, Asurion, Medstar Hospitals and hundreds of associations and non-profits.
Contact Doug at 1-719-310-8586 or email: deborah@dougstevenson.com. Visit his website at: www.storytelling-in-business.com.
Tags: Arizona, business, coach, communication, corporate, course, development, Doug, eloquence, emotional, for, funny, humorous, in, inspirational, inspire, Kelly Swanson, Keynote, Kindra Hall, leadership, leadership coach, motivate, motivational, non-profit, presentation, public, sales, selling, seminar, skills, speaker, speaking, speech, Stevenson, story, Storytelling in Business, storytelling keynote, storytelling speaker, teacher, techniques, theater, training, Tucson, workshop

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Blog: Bonnie Docherty
Clinic, Human Rights Watch Call for Urgent Action on Incendiary Weapons
(Geneva, November 14, 2018) – Countries at an upcoming United Nations disarmament conference, faced with evidence of 30 new incendiary weapons attacks in Syria, should agree to strengthen the international law that governs their use, the International Human Rights Clinic said in a report released this week.
The 13-page report, "Myths and Realities About Incendiary Weapons," counters common misconceptions that have slowed international progress in this area. Incendiary weapons produce heat and fire through the chemical reaction of a flammable substance. While often designed for marking and signaling or producing smokescreens, incendiary weapons can burn human flesh to the bone, leave extensive scarring, and cause respiratory damage and psychological trauma. They also start fires that destroy civilian objects and infrastructure.
"The excruciating burns and lifelong disabilities inflicted by incendiary weapons demand a global response," said Bonnie Docherty, associate director of conflict and civilian protection at the Clinic. "Simple changes in international law could help save civilian lives during wartime."
The report details the exceptionally cruel harm caused by incendiary weapons, explains the shortcomings of existing law, and lays out steps countries should take in response. The report, designed as an accessible overview of the incendiary weapons issue, was jointly published with Human Rights Watch.
Countries that are party to the Convention on Conventional Weapons (CCW) are scheduled to address incendiary weapons at the UN in Geneva from November 19 to 23. Protocol III to this treaty imposes some restrictions on the use of incendiary weapons, but it does not provide sufficient protections for civilians.
Arms and Armed Conflict,
Bonnie Docherty,
Human Rights Watch,
Incendiary Weapons,
Clinic Highlights Human Rights Costs of South African Gold Mining
South Africa: Protect Residents' Rights from Effects of Mining
Government Response to Environmental and Health Threats Falls Short
(Cambridge, MA, October 12, 2016)—South Africa has failed to meet its human rights obligations to address the environmental and health effects of gold mining in and around Johannesburg, the Harvard Law School International Human Rights Clinic (IHRC) said in a new report released today.
The 113-page report, The Cost of Gold, documents the threats posed by water, air, and soil pollution from mining in the West and Central Rand. Acid mine drainage has contaminated water bodies that residents use to irrigate crops, water livestock, wash clothes, and swim. Dust from mine waste dumps has blanketed communities. The government has allowed homes to be built near and sometimes on those toxic and radioactive dumps.
Examining the situation through a human rights lens, the report finds that South Africa has not fully complied with constitutional or international law. The government has not only inadequately mitigated the harm from abandoned and active mines, but it has also offered scant warnings of the risks, performed few scientific studies about the health effects, and rarely engaged with residents on mining matters.
"Gold mining has both endangered and disempowered the people of the West and Central Rand," said Bonnie Docherty, senior clinical instructor at IHRC and the report's lead author. "Despite some signs of progress, the government's response to the crisis has been insufficient and unacceptably slow."
The report is based on three research trips to the region and more than 200 interviews with community members, government officials, industry representatives, civil society advocates, and scientific and legal experts. It provides an in-depth look at gold mining's adverse impacts and examines the shortcomings of the government's reaction.
For example, although acid mine drainage reached the surface of the West Rand in 2002, the government waited 10 years before establishing a plant that could stem its flow. In addition, the government has not ensured the implementation of dust control measures and has left industry to determine how to remove the waste dumps dominating the landscape.
The Cost of Gold calls on South Africa to develop a coordinated and comprehensive program that deals with the range of problems associated with gold mining in the region. While industry and communities have a significant role to play, the report focuses on the responsibility of the government, which is legally obliged to promote human rights.
The government has taken some positive steps to deal the situation in the West and Central Rand. This year, it pledged to improve levels of water treatment by 2020. In 2011, it relocated residents of the Tudor Shaft informal settlement living directly on top of a tailings dam. The government along with industry has also made efforts to increase engagement with communities.
Nevertheless, The Cost of Gold finds that the government's delayed response and piecemeal approach falls short of South Africa's duties under human rights law. As a result, the impacts of mining continue to infringe on residents' rights to health, water, and a healthy environment, as well as rights to receive information and participate in decision making.
"The government should act immediately to address the ongoing threats from gold mining, and it should develop a more complete solution to prevent future harm," Docherty said. "Only then will South Africa live up to the human rights commitments it made when apartheid ended."
In Cambridge MA, Bonnie Docherty: bdocherty@law.harvard.edu
Business and Human Rights,
Human Rights and the Environment,
Central Rand,
gold mining,
West Rand,
Losing Control: The Dangers of Killer Robots
Posted by Bonnie Docherty
This piece originally appeared in The Conversation on June 16, 2016
New technology could lead humans to relinquish control over decisions to use lethal force. As artificial intelligence advances, the possibility that machines could independently select and fire on targets is fast approaching. Fully autonomous weapons, also known as "killer robots," are quickly moving from the realm of science fiction toward reality.
These weapons, which could operate on land, in the air or at sea, threaten to revolutionize armed conflict and law enforcement in alarming ways. Proponents say these killer robots are necessary because modern combat moves so quickly, and because having robots do the fighting would keep soldiers and police officers out of harm's way. But the threats to humanity would outweigh any military or law enforcement benefits.
Removing humans from the targeting decision would create a dangerous world. Machines would make life-and-death determinations outside of human control. The risk of disproportionate harm or erroneous targeting of civilians would increase. No person could be held responsible. Continue Reading…
Killer Robots,
Hostile Intent and Civilian Protection: Lessons From Recent Conflicts
This post originally appeared in Just Security
Is a driver speeding toward a military checkpoint launching a suicide attack or racing his pregnant wife to the hospital? Is a local man digging on a roadside at night planting an improvised explosive device (IED) or working his farm when the temperature is cooler? Is a resident who jumps up when troops burst into his home at 2am reaching for a gun or reacting in fear? In Afghanistan and Iraq, US troops have had to answer such questions repeatedly, often in split-second time. Civilian and military lives have depended on the accuracy of their determinations.
Under the US Standing Rules of Engagement (SROE), troops are allowed to fire in self-defense if they encounter someone demonstrating hostile intent, i.e., the "threat of imminent use of force." Identifying such a threat presents challenges, however, especially when enemy forces blend in with the local population. Mistaken determinations of hostile intent were a major cause of civilian casualties attributable to the United States in Afghanistan and Iraq between 2001 and 2014. Tackling Tough Calls, a new report by the Harvard Law School International Human Rights Clinic, examines this problem. Drawing on interviews with combat veterans and current servicemembers as well as open source research, it shows how the US military could better protect civilians from such errors without jeopardizing the lives of its troops.
"Fighting for Disarmament": Bonnie Docherty's work featured in Harvard Gazette
This Q & A by reporter Liz Mineo ran in the Harvard Gazette on January 3, 2015
After researching the devastating humanitarian effects of the deadly cluster munitions used in Afghanistan in 2002, Bonnie Docherty joined a worldwide campaign to eliminate them.
Six years after she started her probe, cluster bombs were banned. Her investigation on the use of cluster munitions in Afghanistan, and later in Iraq and Lebanon, was highly influential in a 2008 treaty, joined by 118 countries, that bans these weapons.
Bonnie showing examples of inert cluster munitions. Credit: Jon Chase, Harvard staff photographer
For Docherty, a lecturer on law and a senior instructor at the International Human Rights Clinic at Harvard Law School, the battle to protect civilians from unnecessary harm continues.
Last month, Docherty traveled to Geneva to advocate for stronger regulations on incendiary devices, which she calls "exceptionally cruel weapons" that have been used in Syria, Libya, and Ukraine.
Docherty, who is also a senior researcher in the arms division at Human Rights Watch, recently sat down for an interview to talk about these weapons, killer robots, and her guiding principle: to protect civilians from suffering caused by armed conflicts.
GAZETTE: Before you became a disarmament advocate, you were a reporter for a local newspaper. Can you tell us about this part of your life?
DOCHERTY: After college, I was a reporter for The Middlesex News, now the MetroWest Daily News, outside of Boston, for three years. I covered mostly local news, government meetings, environmental issues, but I had the opportunity to go to Bosnia and embed with the peacekeepers for about 10 days in 1998. There was an Army lab in my town, that's how I got the invitation to go to Bosnia. I had been interested in armed conflicts, but that trip definitely increased my interest in that field.
GAZETTE: How did you make the jump from suburban journalism to human rights and disarmament issues?
DOCHERTY: After I left the newsroom, I went to Harvard Law School. Right after graduation, I went to Human Rights Watch, which was a perfect mix of journalism and law because you go out in the field and you apply the law to what you find. My start date was Sept. 12, 2001, by happenstance, so whatever was planned was changed. Six months later, I was in Afghanistan researching the use of cluster munitions, which was my first exposure to disarmament issues.
GAZETTE: What are cluster munitions, and why are they so dangerous?
DOCHERTY: Cluster munitions are large weapons, such as bombs or rockets that contain dozens or hundreds of small munitions called submunitions. They're problematic because they have a broad area effect — they spread over the size of a football field — and because many of them don't explode on impact and lie around like landmines and explode in years or decades to come.
GAZETTE: How did your involvement with cluster munitions begin?
Bonnie holds an inert submunition fragment from a cluster munition. Credit: Jon Chase, Harvard staff photographer
DOCHERTY: I went to Afghanistan, Iraq, Lebanon, and later Georgia to document the use of these weapons. I've spoken with dozens of victims of cluster munitions, but the story I remember the most is when I was in Lebanon with two students from Harvard Law's International Human Rights Clinic in 2006. We were there doing field research after Israel used cluster munitions in Lebanon. We were at a restaurant, and someone asked us to go to the town of Halta immediately. When we arrived, we found out that two hours earlier a 12-year-old boy had been killed by a cluster submunition. He had been playing with his brother, who had been throwing pinecones at him. The boy picked up something to throw back at his brother. It turned out to be a submunition. His friend said, "Oh, no. That's dangerous, drop it," and when he went to throw it away, it exploded next to his head. When we were there, they were still cleaning up the pool of blood from his body. The Lebanese army found 10, 12 submunitions lying around right next to a village, waiting to kill or injure civilians, farmers, children.
GAZETTE: Your research on cluster munitions led you to become one of the world's most widely known advocates against these weapons. How did this happen?
Cluster Munitions,
Iraq,
Lebanon,
Clinic and HRW: Ramp up Action to Ban Killer Robots
Ramp Up Action to Ban Killer Robots
Blinding Lasers Prohibition Offers Precedent
(Geneva, November 9, 2015) – Governments should agree to expand and formalize their international deliberations on fully autonomous weapons, with the ultimate aim of preemptively banning them, Human Rights Watch and the International Human Rights Clinic at Harvard Law School said in a joint report released today. These weapons, also known as lethal autonomous weapons systems or killer robots, would be able to select and attack targets without further human intervention.
The 18-page report, "Precedent for Preemption," details why countries agreed to preemptively ban blinding laser weapons in 1995 and says that the process could be a model for current efforts to prohibit fully autonomous weapons. Countries participating in the annual meeting of the Convention on Conventional Weapons (CCW) will decide by consensus on November 13, 2015, whether to continue their deliberations on lethal autonomous weapons systems next year.
"Concerns over fully autonomous weapons have pushed them to the top of the international disarmament agenda, but countries need to pick up the pace of discussions," said Bonnie Docherty, senior clinical instructor at Harvard Law School, and senior Arms Division researcher at Human Rights Watch, which is a co-founder of the Campaign to Stop Killer Robots. "Governments can take direct action now with commitments to ban weapons with no meaningful human control over whom to target and when to attack."
The second Convention on Conventional Weapons informal meeting of experts on lethal autonomous weapons systems at the UN in Geneva in April 2015. © 2015 United Nations Office at Geneva
The report calls on countries to initiate a more robust process through creation of a group of governmental experts on fully autonomous weapons under the CCW.
Artificial intelligence experts, roboticists, and other scientists predict that fully autonomous weapons could be developed within years, not decades. The preemptive ban on blinding lasers, which is in a protocol attached to the conventional weapons treaty, shows that a prohibition on future weapons is possible.
"The prospect of fully autonomous weapons raises many of the same concerns as blinding lasers did two decades ago," said Docherty, lead author of the new report exploring the history of the prohibition on lasers that would permanently blind their victims. "Countries should adopt the same solution by banning fully autonomous weapons before they reach the battlefield."
The report shows that threats to the principles of humanity and dictates of public conscience, as well as notions of abhorrence and social unacceptability, helped drive countries to ban blinding lasers. Fully autonomous weapons present similar dangers.
Countries were further motivated by the risk of widespread proliferation of blinding lasers to parties that have little regard for international law, a risk echoed in discussions of fully autonomous weapons, Human Rights Watch and the Harvard Law School clinic said. As with blinding lasers 20 years ago, a ban on fully autonomous weapons could clarify and strengthen existing law without limiting the development of related legitimate technology.
The groups acknowledged notable differences in the specific legal problems and technological character of the two weapons but found that those differences make banning fully autonomous weapons even more critical.
In other publications, the Clinic and Human Rights Watch have elaborated on the challenges that fully autonomous weapons would face in complying with international humanitarian law and international human rights law and analyzed the lack of accountability that would exist for the unlawful harm caused by such weapons.
Several of the 121 countries that have joined the CCW – including the United States, United Kingdom, China, Israel, Russia, and South Korea – are developing weapons systems with various degrees of autonomy and lethality. The countries party to the treaty held nine days of informal talks on lethal autonomous weapons systems in 2014 and 2015, but they should now ramp up their deliberations, Human Rights Watch and the Harvard clinic said.
Docherty and Steve Goose, director of the arms division at Human Rights Watch, will present the report at a side event briefing at 2 p.m. on November 9 in Conference Room XI at the United Nations in Geneva. At the end of the week, Goose will assess the meeting's decision on fully autonomous weapons, joined by other Campaign to Stop Killer Robots representatives, at a side event briefing at 1 p.m. on November 13 in Conference Room XI.
"Precedent for Preemption: The Ban on Blinding Lasers as a Model for a Killer Robots Prohibition" is available at:
www.hrw.org/node/283112/
NOTE: Mana Azarmi, JD '16, Federica du Pasquier, MA '16, and Marium Khawaja, LLM '16, contributed research to this report.
For more Human Rights Watch reporting on fully autonomous weapons, please visit:
http://www.hrw.org/topic/arms/killer-robots
For more information on the Campaign to Stop Killer Robots, please visit:
www.stopkillerrobots.org
In Geneva, Bonnie Docherty (English): +1-617-669-1636 (mobile); or bdocherty@law.harvard.edu
Federica du Pasquier,
HRW,
Mana Azarmi,
Marium Khawaja,
New Joint Report on Civilian Harm from Explosive Weapons
Civilian Harm from Explosive Weapons
Agreement Needed to Curb Use in Towns, Cities
(Geneva, June 19, 2015) – Extensive civilian casualties caused by the use of explosive weapons in towns and cities around the globe show the urgent need for countries to agree to curb the use of these weapons in populated areas, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today.
Air-dropped bombs, artillery projectiles, mortars, rockets, and other explosive weapons kill or injure tens of thousands of civilians every year. In the first half of 2015, Human Rights Watch documented incidents involving the use of explosive weapons that claimed civilian lives and destroyed vital infrastructure in populated areas of Iraq, Libya, Syria, Sudan, Ukraine, Yemen, and elsewhere.
Remains of the Luhansk airport terminal in eastern Ukraine, which was destroyed by repeated use of explosive weapons. © 2014 Human Rights Watch
The 35-page report, "Making a Commitment: Paths to Curbing the Use of Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas," published jointly with Harvard Law School's International Human Rights Clinic, says that countries should develop and implement a new non-binding agreement to reduce the harm from explosive weapons and offers options for developing such an agreement.
"The high levels of civilian death and destruction from explosive weapons are avoidable," said Bonnie Docherty, senior arms researcher at Human Rights Watch and co-author of the report. "Nations should agree to curtail the use of explosive weapons in populated areas and stop using those with wide-area effects entirely."
Explosive weapons that produce wide-area effects are particularly dangerous. They encompass weapons that produce a large blast and/or spread fragments over a wide radius, such as aircraft bombs; weapons that deliver multiple munitions that saturate a large area, such as Grad rockets and others from multi-barrel rocket launchers; and weapons that are so inaccurate that they cannot be effectively targeted, such as barrel bombs.
Momentum for international action is growing as recognition of the harm caused by explosive weapons in populated areas increases. In September, Austria will host a meeting to consider how to improve protection of civilians from the use of explosive weapons in populated areas.
The new report seeks to inform these discussions by providing options for a non-binding instrument – a political commitment – in which countries would agree to restrict the use of explosive weapons in populated areas. The report examines about 30 relevant commitments that could serve as models for the shape of an explosive weapons commitment and the process to achieve it.
A new political commitment could take a variety of forms including a declaration, compilation of regulations, set of guidelines, manual, or combination of these types. The process of developing a commitment could be led by countries, emerge from the United Nations system, or be a mix of those two options.
Developers of the commitment would also have to decide on a mechanism for countries to endorse the final document.
Whatever process is followed, nongovernmental organizations should be actively involved because they would bring extensive expertise as well as humanitarian concerns to the process, Human Rights Watch and the Harvard clinic said.
Over the past few years, the UN secretary-general, several UN agencies – notably the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) – and the International Committee of the Red Cross have all acknowledged the need to address the civilian harm caused by the use of explosive weapons with wide-area effects in populated areas.
Many countries have echoed their concerns, and the September meeting in Austria follows a 2014 meeting about the subject in Norway. The Austria meeting provides an opportunity for countries to take the next step to initiating a process to develop a new commitment on explosive weapons.
"Extensive precedent shows that the timely development of an explosive weapons commitment is feasible," said Docherty, who is also a lecturer on law at the Harvard clinic. "Countries need only recognize the urgency of the problem and bring political will to deal with it."
This report was written by Docherty and Anna Crowe, clinical advocacy fellow, with significant research and writing contributions from Ben Bastomski, JD '15, Kate Boulton, JD, '15, and Ishita Kala, JD '16.
For more information on the use of explosive weapons in populated areas, please visit:
http://www.hrw.org/keywords/explosive-weapons
In Boston, Bonnie Docherty (English): +1-617-669-1636 (mobile); or docherb@hrw.org
Anna Crowe,
Ben Bastomski,
Explosive Weapons. Human Rights Watch,
Ishita Kala,
Kate Boulton,
From Bosnia to Somalia: Classifying "Involvement" in Armed Conflict
The laws governing armed conflict may seem simple on the surface. Soldiers can be targeted; civilians cannot. But the line between these groups is blurry and can have life-and-death implications.
Under international humanitarian law, or the laws of war, civilians can be intentionally killed if they "directly participate in hostilities." But what does direct participation mean? What if a civilian feeds combatants, drives members of an armed group, provides equipment or intelligence, or takes up arms to protect family members? Does it matter if involvement was voluntary or forced? Do such actions mean the civilian can be lawfully targeted?
A new 84-page report, to which the International Human Rights Clinic contributed a case study, takes a fresh look at this contentious issue. The People's Perspectives: Civilian Involvement in Armed Conflict, released Tuesday by the Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC), documents the experiences of people in four former or current conflict zones: Bosnia, Libya, Gaza, and Somalia. It does not seek to come up with a conclusive definition of direct participation in hostilities. Instead, it aims to inform the debate among military commanders, lawyers, academics, and other experts by adding the voices of those who have lived through war.
The report finds that civilians become involved in conflict in a number of ways, ranging from fighting to providing logistical support to membership in civil defense forces or political parties. While sometimes voluntary, their involvement is often motivated by threats from armed groups or the need to survive. The people CIVIC interviewed had varied understandings of who is a civilian and who is a combatant and found it difficult to delineate the difference. They agreed, however, that the legal status that derives from involvement can not only determine whether civilians are targeted but also affect their lives long after a conflict ends.
On a 2013 field mission to Bosnia, Boehland looks at a memorial to those who died during the war.
In 2013, I led a four-person team, including Lara Berlin, JD '14, Luca Urech, Fletcher '13, and Nicolette Boehland, JD '13, on a field mission to Bosnia, where we documented people's experiences during the war. Later, as a post-graduate fellow at CIVIC, Boehland conducted investigations in three other conflict zones and served as lead author of the final report.
Testimony from those who lived through the Bosnia war of 1992-1995 highlighted the challenge of classifying involvement in a conflict. Some Bosnians told the Clinic's research team that everyone during the armed conflict was a soldier, while others contended they were all civilians. A 40-year-old gardener from Srebrenica said, "The line between soldiers and civilians in war is invisible. . . . There is almost no line, no distinction."
Residents of Sarajevo, for example, frequently fought on the front lines on certain days, but took off their uniforms and returned to their families on others. A woman who had lived through the city's siege captured the confusion about the nature of these people's involvement: "Many killed [during the conflict] were actually civilians, but I don't know how to distinguish them. If my uncle is on duty, he's one thing, but when he's in line for bread, what is he?"
The stories of Bosnians and others in this report illustrate the modes, motivations, and complexities of people's involvement in armed conflict. Experts and policymakers would do well to heed these realities as they continue their deliberations about the meaning of direct participation in hostilities.
NOTE: Boehland last week also released a report for Amnesty International, for which she now works, entitled "Death Everywhere": War Crimes and Human Rights Abuses in Aleppo, Syria. The report documents that Syrian government forces and armed opposition groups have bombarded homes and civilian areas, detained and tortured residents, and created appalling living conditions. Boehland's recent publications on civilian protection exemplify the work the Clinic hopes its graduates will take on and represents the best of human rights advocacy.
Bosnia,
Center for Civilians in Conflict,
Gaza,
Lara Berlin,
Luca Urech,
Nicolette Boehland,
Somalia,
New Publication Examines Different Approaches to Assisting Victims of Armed Conflict and Armed Violence"
Seeks to promote collaboration among leaders in field
(Cambridge, MA, April 30, 2015)- Mitigating the human costs of armed conflict and armed violence has become a moral and legal imperative over the past two decades. Within the international community, several strategies for helping civilian victims have emerged. A publication, released this week by Harvard Law School's Human Rights Program and Action on Armed Violence (AOAV), seeks to advance understanding and promote collaboration among leaders in the field.
The 28-page report, Acknowledge, Amend, Assist: Addressing Civilian Harm Caused by Armed Conflict and Armed Violence, examines a range of current approaches: casualty recording, civilian harm tracking, making amends, transitional justice, and victim assistance. In so doing, the report illuminates their commonalities and differences and analyzes the difficulties they face individually and collectively.
"These programs all provide valuable assistance to civilian victims, but they have yet to be viewed holistically," said Bonnie Docherty, editor of the volume and lecturer on law in the Human Rights Program. "A comparative look at the approaches could help reduce overlapping efforts and identify gaps that should be closed."
Acknowledge, Amend, Assist takes its name and much of its substance from a two-day global summit held at Harvard Law School in October 2013. The event brought experts from government, civil society, and academia together to explore the challenges of meeting victims' needs and to learn about where their work might coincide and/or conflict. This publication seeks to build upon the momentum generated by the summit and present the issues that it raised to a wider audience.
As the essays demonstrate, the five approaches to addressing civilian harm share not only an ultimate goal but also many overarching principles. In general, they define "victim" broadly, envision a wide range of support, encourage victim participation in the process, and aim to address articulated needs. They recognize that even if one party bears primary responsibility for providing assistance, there may be multiple players involved.
At the same time, the approaches differ in focus and practice. Some concentrate on lawful harm, others on unlawful harm. They also call for various forms of recognition and aid. Distinctions among the approaches that have led to debate include who should bear responsibility for providing assistance and how law can most effectively contribute to the process.
"We hope members of the assistance community will draw lessons from each other's strategies and consider how to increase collaboration," Docherty said. "In the long run, more informed, complementary, and coordinated approaches would improve the lot of victims of armed conflict and armed violence."
For more information, contact Bonnie Docherty at bdocherty@law.harvard.edu.
Action on Armed Violence,
victim assistance,
Clinic and HRW Release Report: "Mind the Gap: The Lack of Accountability for Killer Robots"
The "Killer Robots" Accountability Gap
Obstacles to Legal Responsibility Show Need for Ban
(Geneva, April 9, 2015) – Programmers, manufacturers, and military personnel could all escape liability for unlawful deaths and injuries caused by fully autonomous weapons, or "killer robots," Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. The report was issued in advance of a multilateral meeting on the weapons at the United Nations in Geneva.
The 38-page report, "Mind the Gap: The Lack of Accountability for Killer Robots," details significant hurdles to assigning personal accountability for the actions of fully autonomous weapons under both criminal and civil law. It also elaborates on the consequences of failing to assign legal responsibility. The report is jointly published by Human Rights Watch and Harvard Law School's International Human Rights Clinic.
"No accountability means no deterrence of future crimes, no retribution for victims, no social condemnation of the responsible party," said Bonnie Docherty, senior Arms Division researcher at Human Rights Watch and the report's lead author. "The many obstacles to justice for potential victims show why we urgently need to ban fully autonomous weapons." Continue Reading…
Campaign to Stop Killer Robots,
Convention on Conventional Weapons,
Fully Autonomous Weapons,


Plymouth Police are one step closer to using body cameras.
Earlier this month, the Plymouth City Council gave the department the green light to start looking for a vendor to purchase the cameras. The body cameras will be purchased with money that has already been allocated for the equipment.
The police department says the equipment is something they want to add to their officers' gear as a way to be as transparent as possible to the community. They feel it will help the community trust the police department even more.
The police department expects to have the body cameras running by late fall of next year.


Golden Alliance Resources (OTC Other: GLNCF; TSX-V: GLL) has closed the second tranche of its previously announced private placement, raising gross proceeds of $305,000 at a price of $0.15 per unit. Each unit is comprised of one common share and one transferable warrant, the latter of which entitles the holder, on exercise, to purchase one additional common share of the Company at a purchase price of $0.30 per warrant share for 18 months from the date of issue of the warrant.
Golden Alliance Resources Corp. (TSX-V: GLL; OTC Other: GLNCF) announced in a press release out today that on October 18, 2011 the Compny filed with SEDAR a National Instrument ("NI") 43-101 technical report in support of future exploration at its Rio Tabaconas project in Peru.
The new NI 43-101 report is based on a compilation of all available technical and related information and recommends a two-phase drilling program the first phase of which is estimated at CDN$2.0 million and includes concurrent programs of reclamation and rehabilitation of drill areas and access trails. In addition, the report recommends that the community relations programs initiated by the Company with the various stakeholders are continued and expanded.
Golden Alliance Resources Corp. (OTC Other: GLNCF and TSX-V: GLL) announced today that following a meeting held on August 20, 2011 with key stakeholders of the Tamborapa Pueblo, a community adjacent to its Rio Tabaconas project area in Northern Peru, the community participants unanimously committed in writing to support the Company's initiatives.
Golden Alliance Resources (OTC Other: GLNCF; TSX-V: GLL) has appointed Normand Champigny as President, Chief Operating Officer and Director of the Company. Former President Joseph Grosso has been appointed Chairman, and will continue in his role as Chief Executive Officer and Director with Golden Alliance, providing ongoing leadership and guidance to the Company.
By way of background, Normand is a senior mining professional with 30 years of international practice mostly with world-leading consultancy organizations. From 2009 to present, he was part of PricewaterhouseCoopers' Americas' Mining Centre of Excellence. Previous experience include: Executive Vice President for Azimut Exploration Inc. (2006-2009), Associate Partner with IBM Business Consulting Services as Americas Mining Industry Leader (2002-2006), and Principal Consultant for the Mining Industry Group with PricewaterhouseCoopers Consulting (2000-2002).
"The addition of Mr. Champigny to our executive team is a significant milestone in the corporate development of our Company. His demonstrated knowledge and experience in the industry will be a valuable asset for Golden Alliance's growth as a mineral exploration company in Peru" stated Mr. Grosso.
Golden Alliance Corp. (OTC Other: GLNCF; TSX-V: GLL) has completed 2,271.95 metres of drilling across 10 drill holes at its Cocha copper-silver-gold project in Peru, the purpose of which was to drill test the South target and to test a deep IP-chargeability anamoly in the central area.
At Cocha South, significant intervals of copper-silver mineralization were intersected in holes CS-11-01, -02 and -03. The highest grades were found in CS-11-03, which cut 28.35m averaging 12.2 ppm silver and 0.45% copper. The longest intercept came from Hole CS-11-02, which cut 50.80m averaging 9.0 ppm silver and 0.30% copper. Hole CS-11-06 was a 115m stepout on section with CS-11-03, intended to test for down-dip extensions of the mineralization intersected in that hole.
At Cocha Central, the the drill program was targetng the deep IP chargeability anomaly. In so doinog, local zones of anomalous copper (up to 1,170 ppm) were intersected in the upper part of the hole. The causative source of the deep chargeability anomaly was not encountered, and the anomaly remains unexplained.
Golden Alliance Resources Corp. (TSX-V: GLL and OTC: GLNCF) was covered prominently in the April 5, 2011 edition of the Caesars Report. The 6 page article – which includes some excellent photographs of GLL's project areas – highlights a number of near term catalysts that could quickly put this junior exploration group with a portfolio of already proven and highly prospective precious metal properties in Peru on a fast track to much higher stock values.
When you consider that Golden Alliance's flagship project, Rio Tabaconas (which has a major drill program in the works to back up already completed thick, high-grade gold discoveries) is at the center of one of the globes most prolific metallogenic gold trends – the Cajamarca – hosting several of the world's most productive gold discoveries including the Yanacocha Mine, with over 26 million ounces of gold extracted to date (as well as Pierina further to the south) and the Fruta Del Norte deposit – you know that Golden Alliance is hunting in true elephant country.
There is an old adage in the investment business that "bought right is half sold" well if you look at GLL's chart lately, this saying could certainly apply as you can buy GLL shares today at a significant discount to just a few weeks ago, and with so much exploration work slated for the near term, we expect the interest to return quickly to GLL once the drills start turning again at Rio T, which could be good for those who own shares today.
We are urging all to ring up this month's Caesars Report and get up to speed quickly on Golden Alliance. To read the full report, just click on the graphic below – and if you like what you read, you can opt-in to the Caesars Report and receive future analysis on resource companies they report on in the future.
Golden Alliance (OTC Other: GLNCF; TSX-V: GLL) has commenced a surface prospecting and sampling program on the Rio Tabaconas gold project in Northern Peru. The ongoing surface exploration work is planned to continue to evaluate unexplored areas of the 8,710 hectare property as well as carrying out additional detailed sampling and mapping to expand and refine the already identified drill targets. In addition, the Company is completing an Environmental Impact Study, which is required for the drill permit application.
This is obviously an exciting time for the Company as it gears up for a major drill program at Rio Tabaconas, which has had little exploration since 2001. Results from 2001 were impressive, including 18 g/t gold over 16.4 metres, including 118 g/t gold over 2.15 metres, the latter of which also contained visible gold. Perhaps the stars were not aligned back in 2001 for the Company to continue exploring Rio Tabaconas, remember gold that year averaged $271. Fast forward to today with gold above $1,400 and demand increasing. Now, combine that with a potentially world class project and the Company's planned drill program for 2011 starts to look really interesting. Stay tuned.
You are currently browsing the archives for the Golden Alliance category.


OTTAWA: A truck driver whose semi trailer slammed into a Canadian junior hockey team bus, killing 16 and injuring the remaining 13 passengers, was jailed Friday for eight years.
Jaskirat Singh Sidhu, 30, had admitted several counts of dangerous driving causing death or bodily harm, telling the court in January that he took "full responsibility" for the disaster.
His sentence was two years shorter than the term prosecutors had sought but is nevertheless the harshest ever handed down in Canada for the charges Sidhu faced.
The Indian national, the only person involved in the crash to escape injury or death, was a legal permanent resident but does not have joint citizenship and faces likely deportation back to the subcontinent after serving his time.
The Humboldt Broncos tour bus was traveling to a playoff in rural Saskatchewan on April 6, 2018 when Sidhu's truck ploughed into it at a highway intersection.
Canadian police said the semi trailer, loaded with heavy bundles of peat moss, was exceeding the speed limit and failed to stop. The force of the collision ripped open the bus.
Of the 16 dead, 10 were hockey players aged 16 to 21. The other six included coaches, journalists and the driver.
The court heard Sidhu had been distracted by a flapping tarp over the bundles of peat moss and failed to see the stop sign at the intersection.


text:
Sono l'unica mia.
Islam and women in Tunisia, past and present – (last part: the 2011 Revolution) – SLUM
Tunisia is viewed as being ahead of most Arab countries on women's rights. This is the second part of our cycle of articles written by the brilliant teacher and sister Iman Hajji!
Don't forget to read the first article about al-Tahir al-Haddad!
Thank Iman!
Tunisian women played an important role in the Tunisian revolution of 2011 and took part in the protest as participants and as leaders. They were and remain present in all kind of social and political struggles that Tunisia had to face since Ben Ali left the country.
But in post-revolution Tunisia, Islam and Islamist views became part of the women's rights discourse, as religious freedom has been particularly restricted under Ben Ali. For that matter, women's right to veil for instance, became a part of the human rights discourse. Women's freedom means that a woman should be free to choose her way to dress. To that point, female member of the Islamist party Ennahdha consider themselves as freedom fighters and modern women. In fact, Ennahdha was the largest party involved in the constituent assembly and therefore provided the most important number of female representatives. By the way: In this constituent process one of the very first draft provisions proposed by Ennahdha stated that men and women had "complementary roles". In fact, the article that stressed equality of men and women should be changed so that men and women would become "a complement" to each other.
Supporters of the Islamist party Ennahda during a rally in Tunis, Tunisia, Feb. 16, 2013 (AP photo by Amine Landouls).
This proposal launched massive protests supported to a huge extend by civil society and especially women, but it seems important to stress that it was also women, particularly Ennahdha deputies, were involved in supporting this complementarity clause in the assembly.
However, civil society became more vigilant than ever and exerted great pressure, together with leftist opposition so that this draft proposition has been abandoned. Finally, the government step down and was replaced by a government of technocrats. The constitutional assembly finished the constitution which was adopted on January 26th 2014 and which states that "the state commits to protect women's accrued rights and work to strengthen and develop those rights". The state guarantees the equality of opportunities between women and men to have access to all levels of responsibility in all domains. The state works to attain parity between women and men in elected assemblies. The state shall take all necessary measures in order to eradicate violence against women (article 46). This article means not only a continuity of the status quo, but a reinforcement of it.
Despite these achievements in the fields of women's rights, violence against women has remained a major problem in Tunisia. On July 26th, 2017, a new law was passed to fight violence against women, adopting a broad definition of violence, which includes physical, economical, sexual, political and psychological violence. According to this new law:
Men who have sex with underage girls or who violate a girl or a woman will no longer be allowed to escape prosecution by marrying their victims which was hitherto possible as a sort of loophole
Workplace and wage discrimination are now punishable
Sexual harassment now is a criminal offense punishable by two years in prison and a fine of 5000 Tunisian dinars.
Marital rape has been criminalized: it is treated as rape now with no room for ambiguity
Two months later, in September 2017, the ban on Muslim women marrying non-Muslims has also been lifted, arguing that this existing practice violates Tunisia's new constitution. In fact, a non-Muslim man who wished to marry a Muslim Tunisian woman had to convert to Islam and submit a certificate of his conversion while a Muslim Tunisian man was allowed to marry a non-Muslim woman.
Tunisian president BCE, who had called for the government to lift this ban, also created a commission, led by a female lawyer and rights activist, to examine the possibility of equal inheritance as daughters are still entitled to only half the inheritance given to sons, unless the parents order equal inheritance in their will.
However, country's leading imams and theologians have issued a statement denouncing the president's proposals as a "flagrant violation of the percepts of Islam". Recently, on July 2018, the COLIBE published its report in which it put forward a number of recommendations about law reform, in matters of individual rights and freedoms, and equality, including gender equality and with regard to inheritance. The publication of the report provoked a public debate in Tunisia and the equal inheritance claimed by the COLIBE has been rejected not only by the Islamist party Ennahdha, but is also not supported by the UGTT, Tunisia's most important trade union and major political actor. The national assembly must now decide whether or not to accept the COLIBE's proposals, including the proposal to modify the law of succession. Will Tunisia become the first Arab country with equal inheritance law?
Like we have seen, until the promulgation of the Personal Status Code, it was, in fact, men who liberated Tunisian women and who imposed the code. There has not been a feminist movement demanding the changes which had been introduced by the code. Anyway, it is women who watch over their status and who speak up for further rights today. Leila Toubal, Tunisian playwright, actor and activist stressed once that women have never been so afraid for their rights and themselves in Tunisia like during the Islamist transitional government after the revolution. Women had understood that they had to stand up and to stay up for their rights and so they gained the streets and turned it to their battlefield. The presidential elections of 2014 also revealed that Tunisian women have become an important political clout; statistics point out that 61% of women have voted for Tunisian president BCE as he opposed the Islamist's favorite candidate Moncef Marzouki. (Women were granted the right to vote by Bourguiba in 1957)
Nevertheless, half of Tunisian women estimate having been a victim of violence; almost all of them claim that the violence is a part of their life. It seems that violence has become the norm and that there is indeed a great cleft between voted laws and reality: women are afraid from their family, from their father, their husband, their brother and even their son when he is grown up. It seems that male supremacy is well enrooted in Tunisian society and it will surely take a while to change local mentality. To this effect Bourguiba once declared: "In the task of changing people's mentality, we have difficulty not only with the men but also with the women themselves, who cling to this state of servility, decadence, and bondage just as if they considered it their normal state in this base world".
Concluding, we can admit that Tunisian women have gone a long way and still have a long way to go..
In 2009, Iman Hajji graduated from the University of Cologne with an excellent Master's degree in Islamic Studies, Ethnology and Public Law. She held various research assistantships and lectureships at the Oriental Institute of the University of Cologne and at the University of Lyon. In 2009, she published her book "Ein Mann spricht für die Frauen. At-Tāhir al-Haddād und seine Schrift "Die tunesische Frau in Gesetz und Gesellschaft" (Klaus Schwarz Verlag/Berlin), which dealt with the life and work of the Tunisian reformist thinker al-Haddād and his feminist interpretation of Islam. In 2015, Hajji became civil servant and currently she works as a German teacher at a Collège in Meyzieu (Lyon).
Recently, Hajji wrote and submitted her doctoral thesis at the University of Lyon 2 in Arabic linguistics, literature and civilization on "First World War, Pan-Islamism and Tunisian Nationalism. Tunisian figures in Germany at the beginning of the 20th century". The disputation is to be held in December 2018.
Pubblicato da unicamia
Only positive vibes.	Vedi tutti gli articoli di unicamia
L'Islam non condanna l'omosessualità e non reprime i generi – l'analisi di Tahar Lamri – SLUM
L'eredità delle donne secondo il Corano e l'Islam


text:
using NForum.CQS.Commands.Categories;
using NForum.Infrastructure;
using System;

namespace NForum.CQS.PermissionChecks.Commands.Categories {

	public class UpdateCategoryPermissionCheck : CommandPermissionCheckForAdminGroupBase<UpdateCategoryCommand> {

		public UpdateCategoryPermissionCheck(IBoardConfiguration config) : base(config) {
			// TODO: Get localized text !?!?!
			this.ErrorCode = -1;
			this.ErrorMessage = "meh";
		}
	}
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


The new 2312 motor adopts a pioneering stator winding structure, which not only makes it tidy and neat, but also increases slot wire embedding degree and offers improved heat dissipation. With its impact-resistant bearings, the system is more durable than ever before. The electromagnetic design, tailored for the DJI Phantom, has effectively improved the output power, and when used with the new 9450 propellers and new ESC, your whole propulsion system can provide 200g/axis more maximum output thrust when using a 3S LiPo battery. Additionally, this new propulsion system allows you to load more equipment on your Phantom without sacrificing flight time, offering you a better flight experience.


text:
Coronavirus detected in Rohingya refugee camp
Two people tests positive for Covid in one of the camps in Bangladesh that accommodates more than one million refugees
Saudi woman fleeing alleged abuse heads for asylum in Canada
'Canada is a country that understands how important it is to stand up for human rights and woman's rights,' said Canadian PM Justin Trudeau.
Refugee team to take part at Tokyo 2020 Olympics: International Olympic Committee
IOC President Thomas Bach asked members of the Olympic body at its session in Buenos Aires to support the creation of a refugee team.
Chennai: Ganja smuggler let off by one police station, held by another
Renuka was admitted to a nearby private hospital and got seven stitches.
07 Aug 2018 2:52 AM
Rohingya refugees, host communities being vaccinated against cholera in Bangladesh
This is a second cholera vaccination campaign being held for the Rohingyas and their host communities.
Largest solar park opened in Jordan for over 80,000 Syrian refugees
The additional hours of electricity would improve the refugees' lives "by giving more opportunities for the kids to study in the nighttime.
106-year-old Afghan woman makes perilous journey to Europe; Sweden grants her asylum
The court said she was in "a very bad state of health (which) may deteriorate drastically".
Protests at US airports after Trump bans immigration from Muslim nations
Several people were detained at airports across the US as Trump's executive order came in just as they had landed.
Term 'Rohingya' missing from Suu Kyi's letter to B'desh PM
The letter was handed over to the Prime Minister on Wednesday by Myanmar's State Minister for Foreign Affairs U Kyaw Tin.
Doctors Without Borders giving food to Boko Haram refugees
A statement Saturday says people are "in desperate need" and other organizations are not stepping up.
Female Moroccan migrant attempts to enter Spain in a suitcase, held
The woman was found and arrested in Ceuta, a Spanish enclave next to Morocco in north Africa.
Swedes charge Syrian asylum seeker with war crime
The man sought asylum in Sweden in 2013 and has been held in pre-trial custody since March, according to the prosecution.
29 Dec 2016 5:37 PM
6-year-old Iraqi refugee on ISIS hit list pleads to be allowed to stay in UK
His family has been asked to move to Germany within a week by January 9, 2017.
Syrian army takes Aleppo district, battle in 'final phase'
A correspondent in the west of Aleppo said the bombardment could be heard from there and was some of the heaviest in recent days.
National Geographic's 'Afghan girl' hospitalised in Pakistan
The famed green-eyed 'Afghan girl' was arrested for holding a fake Pakistani identity card.
Priyanka apologises for controversial 'refugee' magazine cover
The message on her t-shirt prompted users to accuse the actress of belittling the plight of refugees.
18 Oct 2016 8:53 AM
German police shoot dead knife-wielding refugee
Police were called to the shelter after the 27-year-old Pakistani man allegedly sexually abused an eight-year-old girl in a nearby park.
Lindsay Lohan visits refugee family
Lindsay Lohan flies to Turkey to show her support for struggling Syrian refugees
German Mayor fires Muslim intern for wearing headscarf
The mayor said that wearing a headscarf would violate the neutrality of the town hall where crucifixes are also not allowed.
100,000 displaced as Iraqi forces poise for Mosul battle: UN
Iraqi leaders have repeatedly promised that Mosul will be retaken from the militant group this year.


With only a few weeks of 2018 left we thought now was the ideal time to begin looking to the year ahead… where do we want to go and what do we want to do?? No, these aren't self-help, philosophical questions of the kind we're going to see many (many) of filling our social media feeds come January 2019. Not at all… I mean quite literally where do we want to go and what we want to do on holiday over the coming months! This got me thinking about Provence… those of you who have been will doubtless want to come back and if you've previously visited then there is no time like the present (or 2019!).
Provence is an astonishingly versatile region and truly a year-round destination. To help you decide when to plan your trip I thought we'd take a little journey through the months, beginning with December, taking a look at what's on offer at that time of year. Whether you're looking for a weekend getaway or two weeks R&R, I'm confident Provence should be at the top of your go-to list. And if you think I've missed any key events, feel free to add them in the comments below!
I know, I know, normally a 12-month guide would begin in January but, at the time of writing (in November) there is still the opportunity for you to get your skates on and book a trip down here over the festive period. If you can, you really must! The run up to Christmas and New Year really is very special and you'll be glad you made the trip. Cheap flights are available into Marseille courtesy of the low-cost airlines like EasyJet and there is plenty to keep you occupied for 48hrs or more.
Make sure you find time to visit a Christmas market (or two) where you'll find some great gifts and plenty of fantastic food and drink to sample. Try ice skating in Cassis or head to Arles the week before Christmas to take in their 'funny' Christmas festival, the Drôles de Noëls, which sees circus performers, puppeteers, magicians and much more turn out onto the city's streets along with scheduled fireworks displays. Needless to say, if you can stick around for Christmas itself then do!
I'm biased, but I can't think of a better place to welcome in the New Year than Provence! New Year is enthusiastically celebrated and you'll definitely be able to find a good fireworks display to watch. Come the 1st of January, wake up to air that is crisp and fresh and a palpable sense of optimism in the air for the year to come.
New Year aside there is plenty to do during January. Whilst some tourist attractions will be closed, many more remain open and delightfully free of crowds. The village of Lourmarin is a classic example… as one of the most popular villages in Provence it's heaving during the summer months but much quieter during the winter. A year-round cultural programme ensures there is lots going on and the excellent bars & restaurants remain open. Love seafood? Head to one of the many coastal towns at the weekend to enjoy one of the open-air seafood feasts that are held weekly.
February is a fantastic month to organise a mini-break. With the Christmas festivities feeling like a distant memory but spring yet to, well, 'spring', it can be quite a depressing time of year. To counter the winter blues, get a weekend break booked in your diary now so you have something to look forward to.
With Valentine's Day mid-month, it can double up as a romantic surprise for your significant other. Start your mini-break in Marseille with its endless cafes, boutiques, museums and restaurants. Hire a car and head up to Aix-en-Provence which is a feast for the eyes and senses, from the St. Savour cathedral with its cloisters, to the bubbling fountain of Place des Quatres Dauphins with its water-spouting dolphins.
Unlike more northern climes, Spring is definitely on its way in the south of France come March with temperatures beginning to hit 15C. This makes it the perfect time to go hiking… not too hot and not too cold!
There are endless trails and tracks to follow throughout the region which work their way along the coast or through national parks. The Calanques are one such destination that is perfect for hikers. Take in breath-taking views of cliffs and sea plus, in March, you will have this amazing landscape almost to yourself.
The vines are beginning to come to life as another wine growing season kicks off making this a great time of year to focus on wine!
A good starting point is the 'Les Printemps de Chateauneuf-du-Pape' Salon des Vins (6th – 7th April 2019). As many as 90 producers will be presenting their wines for you to sample, so it is a unique opportunity to discover the diversity of Provencal wine production. Even better, wine can also be purchased. As is usual with these wonderful French events, there will be tasty 'eats' plus a gourmet market.
The weather is now definitely feeling more summery making a trip to the Carmargue a truly pleasant experience.
This renowned region is home to more than 400 species of birds as well as lots of other wildlife including the famous Carmargue horses. The annual Festival de la Carmargue is being held from 3rd to the 9th of May 2019 and promises to offer an extensive program of activities. A must attend event for wildlife lovers.
With the real summer weather finally here, the festival and market season really begins! There are too many festivals to list but in short, you won't struggle to find events to attend. The Fete de la Musique is normally held towards the end of June with individual concerts organised right across the country.
Market lovers rejoice… whilst French markets tend to be year-round events they gain some added vigour with the warmer weather. Ask your hotel for details of the best near you.
The hottest month of the year! And with it comes the lavender with acres and acres of this sublimely scented, vibrantly purple plant marching across the landscape. It really is a sight to behold and well worth experiencing in person.
And after a day out exploring the lavender fields why not treat yourself to a decadent evening sipping chilled Rosé and enjoying a superb meal at one of the several Michelin starred restaurants in Provence. Bastille Day is on the 14th July and will be celebrated throughout France with Provence being no exception. Fireworks are a norm, but Marseille, Aix-en-Provence and Toulon offer some of the best, so expect lots of spectacular flashes and bangs!
Time to head to the coast! From Marseille heading east, there are a whole variety of seaside experiences waiting for you, from the fabulous Parc National des Calanques with its breathtakingly beautiful inlets (now best explored from the sea rather than on foot), to family friendly, but 'classy' resorts such as Bandol offering a choice of several beautiful beaches to enjoy.
In-between, the coastline dips and winds between multiple fishing villages, creeks and bays.
There's always lots going on in Provence during September. The weather is just a touch cooler with some arguing this is more pleasant than the raw heat of the summer. In addition, the bulk of the summer holidaymakers have left, making travelling around a little easier. Septembre en Mer (September by the Sea) is a notable attraction with a month of over 200 marine-themed events up and down the coast, particularly around La Ciotat, Cassis and Marseille.
The foodies amongst you won't want to miss the government-sponsored Fête de la Gastronomie. This is a nationwide celebration of all things 'foodie' normally held towards the end of September.
Another great month for wine lovers! The harvest is in full swing and the energetic might want to take part… many wineries will be only too happy to accept some extra help. Wine fairs (Foires aux vines) also feature prominently on the events calendar. These offer a great opportunity to stock up with some bottles for Christmas at heavily discounted prices. For those of you that are organised, book in advance for the Saint Victoire rally.
This involves a day-long hunt around the region's vineyards by car with plenty of eating and drinking involved (well for the non-drivers anyway!). It's a sell-out event each year so remember to register well in advance!
It's hard to believe we've almost already gone full circle with the arrival of November. Despite the summer being over, this is still an amazing time of year to visit. Marseille plays host to Savim – a well-established gastronomy fair normally held in late November. It also happens to be the largest in France!
Keeping with the foodie theme, head to the village of Richerenches to celebrate the official start of the truffle season with the first truffle market of the year at the historic village of Richerenches.
So, when is the best time of year to visit Provence…? Well I'd say January, February, March, April, May June, July, August, September, October, November or December!
Provence for Christmas? Good call.
I like going somewhere different for Christmas. It's interesting to see how other countries celebrate and to find out what they eat and drink.
It's not really getting away as some years my family have hired huge families which sort of brings us together more.
Also, I've got a weird hobby. I like to bring back some Xmas decorations. So when we do have a Christmas at home the Christmas tree is like a travelogue. Love to get some Provence decorations on it though.
Another advantage of a December visit is that this will be the real Provence. It will be the Provencal people celebrating their Christmas. In the king summer they are too busy serving the hordes of visitors. At last, at Christmas, they can be themselves. This is an ideal time to experience authentic Provence.
To be honest, I'm not one of the world's great romantics so I struggle for original ideas when it comes to Valentine's Day. After 8 years together I'm running out of ideas.
February in Provence would be good. More light, more warmth. A romantic Valentine's Day meal … could get me a lot of Brownie points.
If I were racked by doubts and questions for self-help then I think a few weeks in Provence might be the place to answer them and find inner contentment and tranquility!
Well, we can all have our dreams.
A shout out to Avignon which is great all year round and a truly beautiful city.
In the shoulder seasons head to St Tropez when it's quieter and the Porquerolles.
The 12 months of Provence? It sounds like it's got the making of a beautiful calendar to me. These gorgeous pictures might make for a good first stab at it.
Or it could be the title of the book that Peter Mayle never got round to writing.
Wow, those lavender fields are beautiful! But if I were to choose which month to visit Provence, I'd like it to be in spring. Not too cold, but still cold enough to enjoy long walks or hikes as you pointed out. I love wines too, so maybe late March to early April is a good time for me.


text:
Чу́дновский райо́н () — упразднённая административная единица на юго-западе Житомирской области Украины. Административный центр — город Чуднов.

География
Площадь — 1037 км².

Основные реки — Тетерев.

История
28 ноября 1957 года к Чудновскому району был присоединён Янушпольский район. Упразднён 30 декабря 1962 года, восстановлен 8 декабря 1966 года.

17 июля 2020 года район окончательно ликвидирован и присоединён к Житомирскому.

Демография
Население района составляет 43,2 тыс. человек (данные 2005 года), в том числе в городских условиях проживают около 15 тыс. Всего насчитывается 59 населённых пунктов.

Административное устройство

Примечания

Ссылки
 Учетная карточка района на сайте Верховной рады Украины
 Сведения на сайте областной администрации (работает не всегда)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia