To honour the spirit of the Olympics 2012,  204 poems from around the world, from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe, have been collected from each of the 204 participating countries by the Scottish Poetry Library.

Here is the second set of ten from Africa. Enjoy!

1. Egypt: Socks
2. Equatorial Guinea: from Minitopography of Santa Isabel
3. Eritrea: Unjust Praise
4. Ethiopia: The Road to Nowhere
5. Gambia: Parachute men say
6. Ghana: Tin Roof
7. Guinea-Bissau: Regresso
8. Ivory Coast: The Death of Old Men
9. Kenya: from Poem to her Daughter
10. Liberia: Nyanken Hne, My Husband

The poems selected are often not by the most notable poet a country has produced. Some of them are funny or light-hearted. Often they are snapshots of lives rather than grand narratives. And some of the choices may be controversial. However, they all give a glimpse of lives in countries spanning the globe. Together these poems depict a world united not only by sport, but by emotions that are universal and need no translator other than the heart.

You will find the first set of ten here: Africa

The International Day for the World’s Indigenous People was first proclaimed in 1994 by the United Nations.

25% of Ecuador's population is indigenous. Their history encompasses the last 11,000 years.

In 2007, the General Assembly adopted the Declaration On The Rights Of Indigenous People. At first, Australia, New Zealand, United States, and Canada all voted against the declaration but they have all reversed their positions since.

The International Day for the World’s Indigenous People is important because in our increasingly globalized, technology-driven world indigenous people are often forgotten. This year’s theme is “Indigenous media, empowering indigenous voices.” The day aims to encourage more and more indigenous people around the world to promote and spread their culture, language, and values through traditional and new media forms…

To honour the spirit of the Olympics 2012, 204 poems from around the world, from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe, have been collected from each of the 204 participating countries by the Scottish Poetry Library.

Here are the first ten from South America and the Carribean. Enjoy!

1. Antigua and Barbuda: Plantain
2. Argentina: Sidewalks of Buenos Aires
3. Bahamas: Mangroves
4. Belize: When a fish…
5. British Virgin Islands: Crescendo
6. Colombia: The House
7. Dominica: In The Woods
8. Dominican Republic: Find Work
9. Ecuador: The Weathercock of the Cathedral at Quito
10. Jamaica: A Song For My Father

The poems selected are often not by the most notable poet a country has produced. Some of them are funny or light-hearted. Often they are snapshots of lives rather than grand narratives. And some of the choices may be controversial. However, they all give a glimpse of lives in countries spanning the globe. Together these poems depict a world united not only by sport, but by emotions that are universal and need no translator other than the heart.

To honour the spirit of the Olympics 2012, 204 poems from around the world, from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe, have been collected from each of the 204 participating countries by the Scottish Poetry Library. 

Here are the first nine from Australia and Oceania. Enjoy!

1. Australia: The Mitchells
2. Cook Islands: Turakina Street
3. Fiji: Tern
4. Kirbati: Bonefish
5. Micronesia: I follow her
6. Nauru: Rains of Nauru
7. New Zealand: Nowhere
8. Papua New Guinea: Tuna
9. Samoa: Flying-fox

The poems selected are often not by the most notable poet a country has produced. Some of them are funny or light-hearted. Often they are snapshots of lives rather than grand narratives. And some of the choices may be controversial. However, they all give a glimpse of lives in countries spanning the globe. Together these poems depict a world united not only by sport, but by emotions that are universal and need no translator other than the heart.

Taking place during the Hindu month of Sravana (13^th August 2011),
Raksha Bandhan is a very beautiful and important festival. It celebrates brotherhood and love, promoting harmonious coexistence between all. It is mainly celebrated in Northern India. Raksha Bandhan is a significant event in the Hindu Calendar and the importance of the brother-sister relationship is emphasised throughout.

To honour the spirit of the Olympics 204 poems from around
the world, from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe, have been collected from each of the 204 participating countries by the Scottish Poetry Library.

Here are the first ten from Asia. Enjoy

1. Afghanistan: The story of my country
2. Azerbaijan: The poet’s voice
3. Bahrain: All of them
4. Bangladesh: Mon-doria
5. Bhutan: A lesson in light
6. Brunei Darussalam: Brothers, your cries…
7. Georgia: Circle and rectangle
8. Hong Kong: Floral Apron
9. India: Homecoming
10. Iran: An Iranian Professor I know asked me…

The poems selected are often not by the most notable poet a country has produced. Some of them are funny or light-hearted. Often they are snapshots of lives rather than grand narratives. And some of the choices may be controversial. However, they all give a glimpse of lives in countries spanning the globe. Together these poems depict a world united not only by sport, but by emotions that are universal and need no translator other than the heart.

To honour the spirit of the Olympics 204 poems from around
the world, from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe, have been collected from each of the 204 participating countries by the Scottish Poetry Library.

Here are the first ten from Africa. Enjoy!

1. Algeria: At the water’s edge
2. Angola: Build my house…
3. Burkina Faso: Cattle Count
4. Burundi: Come and live with me
5. Cape Verde: Prelude
6. Chad: from Yet the Infanta of Salamanca
7. Comoros: My high powered sailing boat
8. Congo: The Village
9. Democratic Republic of Congo: A year of Grace
10. Djibouti: Desire

The poems selected are often not by the most notable poet a country has produced. Some of them are funny or light-hearted. Often they are snapshots of lives rather than grand narratives. And some of the choices may be controversial. However, they all give a glimpse of lives in countries spanning the globe. Together these poems depict a world united not only by sport, but by emotions that are universal and need no translator other than the heart. Enjoy!

The BBC and the Scottish Poetry Library have collaborated to 
broadcast a poem on the radio every day during the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympic Games. To honour the spirit of the Olympics 204 poems from around the world, from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe, have been collected from each of the 204 participating countries.

The poems selected are often not by the most notable poet a country has produced. Some of them are funny or light-hearted. Often they are snapshots of lives rather than grand narratives. And some of the choices may be controversial. However, they all give a glimpse of lives in countries spanning the globe. Together these poems depict a world united not only by sport, but by emotions that are universal and need no translator other than the heart.

Enjoy!

For the full listing visit the Scottish Poetry Library site

Tisha b’Av is the day when those of the Jewish faith remember and
commemorate the many tragedies that have befallen them, throughout history, on the 9^th day of the month of Av in the Jewish Lunar Calendar. This year it takes place on the 28th of July.  It is a very sad day in the Jewish calendar.  As is customary in Jewish tradition, fasting denotes a sign of mourning and as such Jews fast on this day.

“It is closer than you think” is the theme for this year’s World Hepatitis Day.

World Hepatitis Day

The day was first launched in 2008 by World Hepatitis Alliance with the purpose to increase awareness and understanding of viral hepatitis. There are approximately 240 million people chronically infected with hepatitis B, and 150 million people chronically infected with hepatitis C in the world today. Hepatitis causes inflammation of the liver which leads to cirrhosis and liver cancer.

This year’s theme was chosen to highlight the fact that, around the world, hepatitis is still unknown, undiagnosed, and untreated. This July, the World Hepatitis Alliance is attempting a world record by having the most people performing the “see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil” actions in 24 hours at multiple venues around the world.