Church offering free education to adults in Jamaica

A church in Jamaica has been offering free exam classes to adult students with the message ‘Jesus plus education equals success’.

The outreach ministry, with over 300 students successfully sitting the CSEC (Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate) examinations boast a 75 per cent success rate with a number of returning students who would've attained passes in multiple subject areas in previous years.

Church opens its doors for Muslims to pray at end of Ramadan

A church in Berlin, in Germany, has opened its doors to allow Muslim worshipers, who are unable to fit into their mosque, under new social distancing rules.

Germany has allowed religious service to resume on May 4, but worshipers must maintain a distance of 1.5 metres (5ft).

As a result, the Dair Assalam mosque in the city’s Neukölln district could only hold a fraction of its congregation.

But the Martha Lutheran church in Kreuzberg offered to help by hosting Friday prayers at the end of Ramadan.

Throughout the month of Ramadan, Muslims abstain from eating, drinking, smoking and sex from dawn to dusk. Normally families and friends would gather to break their fast and attend communal prayers, but in Berlin - as in countries across the world - this year's celebrations have been affected.

The mosque's imam said: "It is a great sign and it brings joy in Ramadan and joy amid this crisis. This pandemic has made us a community.

“Crises bring people get together”.

Noting the contrast to Islamic worship, congregation member Samer Hamdoun said: "It was a strange feeling because of the musical instruments, the pictures.

"But when you look, when you forget the small details, in the end this is the house of God."

CISI announces its Global Wealth Summit series with experts from China, Africa, US and the UK

Some of the world’s leading experts in the areas of wealth, investment management and financial services will be headlining the CISI’s Global Wealth Summit series, with the Africa Wealth Summit 16 November, China Wealth Summit 18 November and the London Wealth Summit 23 November 2021.

World class speakers from Africa, China, US and the UK will share their thoughts on the issues and trends ahead for the profession.

CISIL unveils new modern logo

Antiguan resident Tonilia Eli, is the winner of the Caribbean Institute for Sustainable Island Living’s (CISIL) Logo Competition.

In May, the team at CISIL threw out the challenge to designers in the Caribbean to produce a logo to represent the organization whose mission is ‘To empower Caribbean people to LIVE WELL in harmony with our environment.’

City leaders meet online to support the European University for Well-being

Civic Leaders from cities across Europe came together online for the first ‘EUniWell Mayors' Meeting’.

The event united leaders from the home cities of the seven universities which form the European University for Well-Being (EUniWell). It gave them the opportunity to meet each other, learn more about the alliance and develop first ideas for cooperation.

City retains Fairtrade status for 17th year running

Wolverhampton has retained its Fairtrade City status for a 17th successive year.

Achieving Fairtrade City status is recognition of Wolverhampton's ongoing commitment to supporting Fairtrade and using licensed products with the Fairtrade Mark. The city received notification of the accolade from the Fairtrade Foundation in recognition of the achievements and hard work of Wolverhampton City Fairtrade Partnership over the last few years.

The Fairtrade Foundation cited the efforts made by the Partnership to engage with people through workplaces, schools, places of worship and local community organisations, the continued promotion of Fairtrade products and the support of local businesses and the city’s Mayor, Councillor Claire Darke. They were particularly impressed with the number of people who have been reached through the work of the Partnership, despite the Covid-19 pandemic.

Mayor Councillor Darke said: “Achieving Fairtrade City status is an amazing success, with Wolverhampton now having held this recognition for 17 years running. The accolade is testament to the dedication of the Wolverhampton City Fairtrade Partnership, local residents and Fairtrade supporters. I congratulate everyone involved.”

Barbara Gwinnett, Chair of Wolverhampton City Fairtrade Partnership, added: “We’re delighted to mark the 17th year of the city’s Fairtrade status with its renewal this year. 

“In 2019 we demonstrated that we were firmly established in the city, promoting Fairtrade across a range of organisations and agencies and holding talks and events each month. In March 2020 we had to cease outward facing activities due to the coronavirus pandemic, but carried on with our meetings online and held an online presentation during Fairtrade Fortnight 2021.

“During this period, Partnership members have worked with and support the work of the Wolverhampton Fairtraid shop as they have found innovative ways to continue to sell Fairtrade items to their customers. We look forward to picking up links and moving forward once the current pandemic restrictions are lifted.”

Civil Rights icon Rosa Parks' house on display in Italy

The one-time home of US civil rights legend Rosa Parks has gone on display inside the Royal Palace of Naples in Italy.

Ms Parks came to world prominence when, in 1955, she refused to give up her seat on a racially segregated bus.

On December 1, 1955, in Montgomery, Alabama she refused to give up her seat on a bus to a white passenger and was arrested for civil disobedience.

It became a leading moment in the US civil rights moment. For her, though, she received death threats and moved north to Detroit, where she briefly lived in the white clapboard house with relatives.

The incident led to a year-long bus boycott in the city and in November 1956, a federal court ruled that bus segregation was unconstitutional, and Parks was immortalised as a key figure in the fight against institutionalised racism.

Detroit city authorities planned to demolish the two-storey building after the financial crisis in 2008. But Parks' niece Rhea McCauley bought it from Detroit officials for $500 and sold it to US artist Ryan Mendoza.

In 2016, after trying to have the city save the building, he took it apart and moved it to Berlin for display at his studio.

Two years later, in 2018, Brown University in Rhode Island said it would display the house as part of a civil rights exhibition, but then dropped out because of a legal dispute with her family. Mr Mendoza later contacted the Morra Greco Foundation where he previously worked who agreed to show the house at the Royal Palace in Naples, with the backing of the regional government in Campania.

The display is part of an exhibition called Almost Home - The Rosa Parks House Project.

A repeating soundtrack titled ‘8:46’ plays alongside the displayed house, in reference to the length of time police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on the neck of George Floyd in May.

His killing sparked international protests and condemnation of police brutality and racism in the US.

As she lies in state in the Capitol Rotunda in Washington DC the US Congress referred to Rosa Parks as "The First Lady of Civil Rights."

After a legal dispute, the house is now on display in Italy.

Climate change contributing to record-breaking heatwaves in India and Pakistan – says study

A Met Office study has found that climate change is making record-breaking heatwaves in northwest India and Pakistan 100 times more likely. The region should now expect a heatwave that exceeds the record temperatures seen in 2010 once every three years.

Without climate change, such extreme temperatures would occur only once every 312 years, the Met Office says. Forecasters say temperatures in north-west India could reach new highs in the coming days.

Climate crisis, building safety and procurement on the agenda as constructing excellence Midlands reunites

Leaders from across the Coventry and Warwickshire construction landscape have reunited to discuss the challenges and actions being taken to address net zero, building safety and procurement at a local level. The Constructing Excellence Midlands leadership dinner, held by the regional CE club, was the latest event organised by the construction collaboration, networking and business group to attain a closer view of the state of the industry.

CMEx laureates celebrated

On behalf of the Caribbean Media Exchange (CMEx) and Marketplace Excellence (MPE) teams, heartfelt gratitude is extended to all the individuals, attendees and organizations who came together to support the 2023 CMEx Leadership Awards Luncheon and Fundraiser.

CMEx supporting Caribbean youth

Following the successful 2023 Leadership Awards Luncheon and Fundraiser, the Caribbean Media Exchange (CMEx) will be making a series of donations to nonprofit organisations and other causes committed to supporting young persons in the Caribbean.

Coaching others through the fight against cancer

For Teresa Ferreiro, re-entering the workforce after surviving cancer felt overwhelming. So Ferreiro, of A Coruña, Spain, founded the online platform Soul Reconnect to help other breast cancer patients and survivors navigate the frightening, often isolating, journey.

“If you don’t know how to go back to work, talk to others, or face your fears, then things can get very difficult,” said Ferreiro, who was diagnosed with breast cancer 12 years ago.

Cocoon partners with EML Nuapay to save car dealerships 75% on payment processing fees with open banking

Nuapay is helping Cocoon deliver a better way for customers to pay for automotive purchases. Its simpler, safer and more secure way for customers to make payments directly from their bank accounts helps automotive dealers address the highly compressed margins in car sales (typically <1%).

Combating nature crimes

The United States and Norway are leading the way on collaborative efforts to stop activities that pose a direct threat to people and nature.

On September 21 on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, Norwegian Minister of Climate and Environment Espen Barth Eide and U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs Monica Medina co-hosted the Nature Crime Roundtable with leaders from 11 countries.

COMM - Queen’s Baton Relay reaches 30th destination as tour of Asia draws to a close

The Birmingham 2022 Queen’s Baton Relay has completed its journey through Asia, meaning the Baton has toured 30 out of the 72 Commonwealth nations and territories.

The Relay began on 7 October 2021 during a ceremony at Buckingham Palace, where The Queen placed her message to the Commonwealth into the Baton. It has since travelled to Cyprus and Malta, 19 Commonwealth countries and territories in Africa, and most recently Asia with visits to Pakistan, The Maldives, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, India, Singapore, Malaysia, and Brunei Darussalam.

Commemorating Easter

As the most solemn week of the Christian year, Holy Week - the week leading up to Easter, marks the week during which Christians particularly remember the last week of Jesus's life.

Having begun on Palm Sunday, commemorating Christ's triumphant arrival in Jerusalem to the cheering crowds who gathered for the Feast, they heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting; “Hosanna,” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord” and “Blessed is the King of Israel!”

As crosses are burned at the start of Lent today, to provide the ash for Ash Wednesday, Maundy Thursday saw Christians remember it as the day of the Last Supper, when Jesus washed the feet of his disciples and established the ceremony known as the Eucharist, today’s Good Friday commemorates the Passion: the execution of Jesus by crucifixion before Holy Saturday is marked Sunday following the Paschal Full Moon, or Resurrection Sunday,which is a festival and holiday commemorating the resurrection of Jesus from the dead.

Easter Monday, also known as Bright Monday, Renewal Monday, Wet Monday, and Dyngus Day, is similar to the services on Pascha (Easter Sunday) and often include an outdoor procession. As the second day of Eastertide, the day after Easter Sunday is also a public holiday in some countries.

It’s also a Bank Holiday - a national public holiday in the United Kingdom and the Crown dependencies as people mark the occasion with Easter Eggs to commemorate the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Commonwealth benchmarks to help countries fight corruption

A landmark set of measures to support international efforts in tackling corruption has been launched by the Commonwealth Secretariat.

The Commonwealth Anti-Corruption Benchmarks are designed to help governments and public sector organisations assess laws, procedures and actions against international good practice and make improvements if needed. United Nations figures indicate that corruption costs the global economy $3.6 trillion each year. Global proceeds from criminal activities are estimated at between $1 trillion and $1.6 trillion per year.

The amount of money lost globally through corruption is equal to the total amount needed to successfully implement the UN Sustainable Development Goals. In development since 2018, the new benchmarks offer a comprehensive roadmap to reduce corruption across 25 areas of public and commercial life.

Among the wide range of topics covered are corruption offences, investigation and prosecution, the court system, parliament, political elections and funding, public officials, procurement, management controls, and transparency to the public. The benchmarks also include mechanisms for engaging and mobilising the public and private sectors in educating, reporting and providing independent support and oversight.

The Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, the Rt Hon Patricia Scotland QC, said: “Throughout the world, including in member countries of the Commonwealth, corruption continues to undermine social and economic development and have immensely damaging consequences, especially for the poorest and most vulnerable of people and communities.

“Our Commonwealth Anti-Corruption Benchmarks are a robust set of recommendations and good practices brought together as an interlocking identification, prevention and reporting system designed significantly to reduce the risk of corruption in the public and private sectors.

“The Commonwealth Anti-Corruption Benchmarks package is a landmark initiative, unrivalled in scope and ambition, which I firmly believe provides a basis for transformational action in the Commonwealth and more widely towards ending the destructive scourge of corruption in all its forms.” Designed to be achievable, practical and auditable, this set of measures provides a holistic system that aims to reduce and deal with the risk of corruption.

The benchmarks promote honesty, impartiality, accountability, and transparency and provide for specific anti-corruption measures. In cases where there may be no recognised international good practice, the benchmarks propose  good practice measures.

The Commonwealth Secretariat’s Office of Civil and Criminal Justice Reform has worked in partnership with the Global Infrastructure Anti-Corruption Centre (GIACC) and the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) to develop the benchmarks. There has also been wide consultation with the African Union, the International Monetary Fund, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Commonwealth law ministries, anti-corruption agencies and Commonwealth partner organisations.

Neill Stansbury, Director of GIACC, and one of the authors of the benchmarks, said: “Corruption causes enormous damage in developed and developing countries, and primarily impacts on the poor.

“While preventive action must be taken by both the public and private sectors, it is incumbent on governments and the public sector to provide the legal, regulatory and enforcement environment which ​enables and ensures a corruption-free society. The benchmarks are designed to assist governments and the public sector achieve this​ objective.”   

Christopher Alder, Global Director of Regulation at RICS, said: “These benchmarks represent a step-change in the co-ordination and integration of anti-corruption mechanisms - mechanisms which connect public, commercial, professional and legal enforcement expertise.

“Taken together the mechanisms provide a framework for these ‘communities’ to co-ordinate their activities to support proactive and, if necessary, punitive action. Creating a framework through which these communities, their interests and responsibilities integrate leverages their collective power to transform the way that international and Commonwealth countries fight corruption.

“Ultimately, this collective power can protect the poorest and most vulnerable in our societies whilst building a future free of corruption.”

Commonwealth countries end year with ‘uplifting’ and ‘powerful’ musical collaboration

Secretary-General Patricia Scotland has described a never-before-attempted musical feat as “uplifting and a powerful testament to the Commonwealth’s resilience”. The recently released ‘Simple Gifts’ soundtrack under the United Commonwealth COVID Music Project, features a collaboration of musicians, each representing a Commonwealth country.

The Secretary-General said: “Strings, woodwind, brass, percussion and the enchanting sound of the human voice of all ages, arranged in one powerful performance to the backdrop of the Commonwealth’s villages, cities and coastlines.

“It is a true reflection of the iridescent spectrum of our multidimensional, multicultural Commonwealth.” She added: “As parts of the world descend into lockdown, as we face the heart-wrenching moments of saying goodbye to loved ones, as economic turmoil and uncertainty become our new norm, this video will hopefully lift our spirits and inspire hope for a bright 2021.

“This project reminds us that we are not alone and that whatever we face, we face as a family, rich in talent and innovation. It reminds us that we have all the tools to build back better.” The Secretary-General pointed out the importance of considering the arts in COVID-19 recovery strategies. She said: “It is not just about employment prospects and developing human capital, it is also about mental health and other health benefits.

“Research suggests that involvement in art or music not only raises morale, promotes a sense of community and improves personal resilience, but also has a measurable impact on stress levels and benefits the immune system.” 

Delivered in partnership with a professional music group, Dionysus Ensemble, the project harnesses the power of music to lift spirits, improve mental health and encourage international camaraderie, as countries tackle the challenges of the pandemic. Project Leader and ​Artistic Director of​ The Dionysus Ensemble, Léonie Adams, ​connected with high commissioners, musicians and participants to put together the inspiring soundtrack.

She said: “When I first listened to the finished project, the hair on the back of my ​neck stood up. It has been an amazing, exciting journey from Africa, to the Caribbean, to Asia to the Pacific, the Americas and right back here to the UK where I reside.

"It has been great to connect with people from all walks of life all over the world putting this together. It has been an incredible chance to share some joy and to create the most extraordinary network across the Commonwealth in a year when musicians' livelihoods everywhere have been hard hit.”

The Dionysus Ensemble is the Ensemble-in-Residence for the Commonwealth Resounds - the accredited music organisation within the Commonwealth.

Commonwealth countries target inclusive shift to clean energy

The Second Commonwealth Sustainable Energy Forum concluded today with strong recommendations for member countries to work together to fast-track an inclusive, just and equitable transition to low-carbon energy systems across the Commonwealth.

The biennial gathering, held virtually, explored practical solutions to help meet global commitments on energy made under the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. Participants discussed new low-carbon technologies, addressing the high cost of technology and need for better access to finance, as well as policy recommendations that promote sustainability in the electricity, transport, cooling and cooking sectors.

Opening at the event, Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland said: “We must urgently step up our action to implement the Paris Agreement and achieve our commitments on sustainable energy. While the transition pathways may differ across Commonwealth countries, the move to clean energy systems is a common goal.

“The pace of the energy transition needs urgent acceleration for which strong political will and ambition by Commonwealth member countries is required. Governments need to establish the enabling frameworks to attract finance, scale up technology and lower costs for energy transitions.” She encouraged a “people-centred” approach that is inclusive and leaves no one behind.

Countries were invited to lead ‘action groups’ focused on three key pillars, which make up the Commonwealth Sustainable Energy Transition agenda: Inclusive Energy Transitions; Technology and Innovation; and Enabling Frameworks. Countries also called for more collaboration on sharing knowledge, technologies and innovative solutions, including best practices on research, development and deployment of clean energy technologies in critical sectors, such as clean cooking and cooling.

The event featured presentations by experts in the field as well as in-depth country presentations from Australia, Barbados, Botswana, Canada, Ghana, Kenya, Singapore, Trinidad and Tobago, and the United Kingdom. While discussions showed various countries are at different stages of the transitioning to using sustainable forms of energy, there was a consensus about its critical importance and learning from the experiences of other members.

Delegates further acknowledged the challenges linked to energy transition, especially for economies that depend heavily on fossil fuels as a key source of income. Outcomes of the forum meeting will feed into Commonwealth contributions to the United Nations High Level Dialogue on Energy scheduled for September 2021, the United Nations Climate Change Conference COP 26 in November 2021 and the forthcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.

Commonwealth Day celebrated around the globe

Celebrations and events were held around the world on Monday, 9 March to mark Commonwealth Day.

This year’s event was centred around the theme ‘Delivering a Common Future’, highlighting how the 54 member countries in the Commonwealth family are ‘innovating, connecting and transforming’ to help achieve some of its biggest goals - such as protecting natural resources and boosting trade.

Events to mark the occasion took place across five continents with the Commonwealth’s 2.4 billion citizens enjoying flag parades, church services, poetry mornings, dance performances and much more.

Queen Elizabeth II, Head of the Commonwealth, released a message to mark the occasion.

She touches on the theme of connectivity, mentioning how “advances in technology and modern media have now enabled many more people to witness and enjoy – with remarkable immediacy – the experience of Commonwealth connection, in areas such as education, medicine and conservation.”

She ended by saying: “On this Commonwealth Day I hope that the people and countries of the Commonwealth will be inspired by all that we share, and move forward with fresh resolve to enhance the Commonwealth’s influence for good in our world.”

The Queen joined Secretary-General Patricia Scotland at Westminster Abbey for a multi-faith service to celebrate the day.

Highlights included performances from West-End star, Alexandra Burke; and multi-platinum, multi-award winning singer-songwriter, Craig David.

World heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua also spoke at the service.

In her message the Secretary-General said: “Our great strength as a family of nations, and of peoples growing together organically, is our ability to evolve and adjust to changing circumstances – whether in the field of human rights, democracy or trade.”

She added: “An impressive example of how our member countries come together to pool knowledge and resources which deliver transformational change through innovation is the Commonwealth Blue Charter.

“It provides a dynamic framework within which our member countries commit to working together on ocean health and to use marine resources in sustainable ways.”