Best photos of Djibouti it was lovely meeting you!
the beach near Heron, one of my favorite spots to go swimming (there is a swimming pool also, in case there is low tide!)the Djibouti Humanitarian Logistics Base WFPUnited Nations Communications Group in Djibouti, 15 February 2024my besties in Djibouti, Tarwa on the left and Nathalie on the right, eating our favorite food, Indian food from the SING’s restaurantComing up soon! CSW68, here the website, on gender equality and women’s empowerment trying the new American chain of Pizza Hut, in Djibouti!!coffee & plage Heron with a dear friend from Sudan
People, Places, Work!16 days of activism against gender-based violence will kick off soon with a series of impactful videos of chiefs advocating to end all types of violence against women, from psychological, physical to economical and lack of access to justice! Stay tune, from 25 November to 10 December 2023,on the UN in Djibouti X, Facebook & website channels! Unity is Strength, Together we achieve more, better & more effectively!
Cool days passed & new ones to watch out for
Combo Thursday, 16 November, International Day of Tolerance, emphasizing the need to accept, respect and appreciate all life diversity and people; as well as World Philosophy day, stressing the importance of calm, rest and peaceful mind to critically think and analyze situations, before jumping into reckless conclusions, both days promoted by UNESCO
In Africa, something that continues to struck me is the streets full of children, with no music surrounding nor advertising campaigns bombarding you.The voice of the children resonate and accompany you while walking someplace.
You see kids playing, of all ages, girls and boys, with whatever they can find on the streets: from football balls, to plastic bottles, cardboard boxes, wooden sticks, marbles and creating sandy hopscotch along the seashore.
Going back in time, I remember as kids, my cousins and I used to play hide and seek, running around all the places, staring at the balcony imagining stories, playing rackets on the beach during the summertime, my aunt recording videos of us dressed up with our uncles and aunt’ clothes, high heels and lip gloss and whatever we could find, to create a family story of princes, princesses, king, queen and enemies to fight to restore love and peace in our little reign (my aunt’s home), using phone toys to call one another from one room to another and asking questions, inventing other stories and imagining a happy ending ( hang up the phone and finally meet). By being together in company, also if repeating the same games, we developed a strong sense of imagination and wonder that took us today where we are ( passionate people, willing to learn and travel).
When I see the kids here, I recall my childhood and I wish/hope they can have good memories in their future. That by playing marbles on sand or football together they can keep memories that guide them, thanks to an eye for discovery, curiosity and imagination, to go further, learn, grow and learn to do, to be and to live together.
Reading about a new approach to education, following a UNESCO conference on Rethinking Education in Africa, I feel that the Humanistic approach can be a viable and sustainable solution to mentor the children of today and, who will be, the responsible leaders of tomorrow.
The question addressed is: the purpose of education in the current context of societal transformation, how should learning be organized?
The world is getting younger, and aspirations for human rights and dignity are rising. Societies are more connected than ever, but intolerance, wars and conflicts, unfortunately, remain alive. New ways of teaching and learning are needed to get the right competencies and skills in today’s changing world, to adapt and to go, hand in hand, with the need of the societies of today and tomorrow. Languages skills, learning to live together, multicultural and tolerant approach to life and to others, team work skills, creativity, innovation and spirit of initiative are some of the skills needed today.
I invite you to watch a very interesting animated video of UNESCO on Education and Training in a changing world. In this video, the challenge is to prepare the learners of today for jobs that do not even exist yet. For this, education systems need to keep up with the changing world, rapid technological advancements, higher mobility, inequality, climate change, increased demography. There are many skills, apart from the basics ones- such as reading, writing, mathematics- and technical ones that each student needs to enter the job market, that are equally important and need to be taken into consideration now: soft skills, non cognitive skills, transferable skills, transversal skills and 21st century skills. These new skills have in common the communication, creativity and team work skills. Resourcefulness, Perseverance & Entrepreneurship, relevant to any kind of job. In addition to it, to build more peaceful and prosperous societies, it is key to start with the individuals, to give tools to encourage critical thinking, creativity and curiosity to learn. In order to learn to live together, it is priority to developempathy, tolerance and respect for diversity.
According to the UNESCO publication “Rethinking Education, towards a global common good?” a humanistic approachto education affirms that “economic growth must be guided by environmental stewardship and by concern for peace, inclusion and social justice. In an humanistic model of education, priority is given to the ethical and moral principles to development against violence, intolerance, discrimination and exclusion. Regarding education and learning, it means going beyond narrow utilitarianism and economism to integrate the multiple dimensions of the human experience. This approach emphasizes the inclusion of people who are often subject to discrimination – women and girls, indigenous people, persons with disabilities, migrants, the elderly and people living in countries affected by conflict. This approach requires then an open and flexible approach to learning that is both lifelong and life-wide: an approach that provides the opportunity for all to realize their potential for a sustainable future and a life of dignity. (For this, for instance, I always encourage my friends to pursue their dreams and discover their passions, so that they can follow them and feel fulfilled and happy).
Music can play a role in developing creativity & communications skills, connecting and creating human bonds. Watch today’s video in Dakar, encountering Babacar, local artist from Guinée-Conakry, singing about peace and fraternity, freedom and love.
The Lighthouse 