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Kenya - Anglican Church of Kenya: Working with the Anglican Church of Kenya the Pand Pieri Primary School in Kisumu has been awarded the national Municipality Trophy Environmental Award for their water harvesting, tree planting and other environmental activity. On September 18, 2012, 26 Christian, Muslim and Hindu faith groups in sub-Saharan Africa launched long-term environmental action plans during ARC's 'Many Heavens, One Earth, Our Continent' celebration in Nairobi, Kenya. Visit www.arcworld.org
Orthodox Jews combine in prayer at the Western Wall on a Friday immediately prior to Shabbat in the Old City of Jerusalem in Israel.
2019-09-24: Photo of a chart showing how Renewing commitments towards enhancing gender equality and Women empowerment will help in the growth of Africa.
Nazareth College students attended the annual CGI U meeting from March 21-23, 2014 at Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona. 10 Commitments to Action (project applications) were submitted by Nazareth students and of those 10 projects, six were accepted to CGI U 2014. CGI U is made up of a growing consortium of colleges and universities that support, mentor, and provide seed funding to student leaders, innovators and entrepreneurs who are developing solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges.
COMMITMENT TO SAFE SCHOOL
Multi-Stakeholder Segment, Working session - Accelerating implementation
Organizer(s): WCDRR
Saturday 14 March 17:00 - 18:30
Venue: Sendai International Centre Room N°: Main Hall
Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken delivers remarks and participates in a panel discussion at the Media Summit of the Americas Session, “A Commitment to Journalistic Freedom,” in Los Angeles, California, on June 7, 2022. [State Department photo by Freddie Everett/ Public Domain]
Tripoli talks advance U.S. Army relationship with Libya land forces
By Rick Scavetta, U.S. Army Africa
VICENZA, Italy - The U.S. Army Africa commanding general recently made a historic trip to Libya to discuss the emerging relationship between the U.S. Army and Libya's land forces.
In early May, Maj. Gen. William B. Garrett III visited Tripoli, where he held talks with key Libyan military leaders. The visit indicates the U.S. Army’s commitment toward building a cooperative relationship with Libya’s land forces and increasing regional security.
Garrett’s visit was coordinated through the U.S. Embassy Tripoli and U.S. Ambassador Gene Cretz greeted Garrett at Mitiga International Airport.
“We are gradually opening a dialog that has not existed between our land forces in a long time,” Garrett said. “Times have changed and relationships must change too.”
The general’s first stop was the headquarters of the North African Regional Capability (NARC) to meet Maj. Gen. Ahmid Auwn, Libya's chief of staff for Army Mechanized Units and Executive Director of the NARC. The NARC is part of the African Standby Force, which consists of five regional brigade-size commands that can support the African Union during times of crisis. Libyan willingness to open a dialogue with the U.S. Army is in an important part of increasing regional cooperation.
“We will look to the NARC leadership to work together on future events that are mutually beneficial,” Garrett said.
The general also toured the Libyan Bureau of Technical Cooperation and National Committees, and the Libyan Military Staff College, where he met with the director, Maj. Gen. Ahmid Mahmud Azwai. These visits emphasized the importance of material standardization, training and education in developing future leaders.
Garrett's visit follows a military cooperation committee meeting held in Tripoli in late-February, where delegations of Libyan and U.S. military officers discussed areas of common interest and planned future partnership events, said Maj. Philip Archer, U.S. Army Africa’s North African Regional Desk Officer. “Proposed events include inviting Libyan officers to visit Army schools in the United States, holding discussion on border security, conducting medical exchanges and sharing helicopter procedures,” Archer said. One of U.S. Army Africa’s goals is to help Libya and other members of the NARC build the brigade into a capable force that is interoperable with other regional standby forces and can be used for peace support operations.
“U.S. Army Africa’s discussions in Tripoli are a positive step toward working together with Libya’s military,” Garrett said. “We now have a better understanding of each other’s goals and can work together to achieve increased security, stability and peace in North Africa.”
Garrett concluded his trip to Libya with a wreath laying ceremony at the tomb of fallen American sailors, who perished when their ship exploded in Tripoli harbor in 1804.
Aruna Mohanty
Devotion, perseverance and commitment have placed Aruna Mohanty as the finest among Odissi dancers of her generation. Nurtured under the able guidance of Guru Gangadhar Pradhan, Aruna especially excels in the abhinaya aspect of Odissi. She has been a student and Secretary of Orissa Dance Academy. Her unique skill and versatility make her the recipient of many awards and accolades, including the Mahari Award 1997, Sanjukta Panigrahi Memorial National Award 2001, Fellowship by Ministry of HRD, Govt. of India, and an award for her contribution to the field of Odissi Dance, from the Utkal University, orissa. Apart from dance, Aruna has also established herself as an excellent choreographer. Some of the items in her repertoire include the dance ballet “Shrusti O Pralay”, “Varsha Abhisara”, “Shravan Kumar”, “Samrat Kharavela” , “Kanchi Abhijan”, “Krupanidhana” & “Krushna Saranam”, etc. Widely traveled to countries like Canada, USA, South America and some of the European countries, she is the advisor-member of Central Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi. Currently she is conferred for the Central Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for the year -2010 by the Govt. of India. And Govt. of Orissa has appointed her to be the Vice-President of State Sangeet Natak Akademi.
Concept Note
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Gatha Odissi - from the temple to the stage
History is not scripted; it gets created over the ages. It transforms itself according to the tides of life and times. Therefore, from the point of view of the present, how does one view the entire panorama of Odissi Dance, which has traveled through an arduous journey of nearly two thousand years?
After the sunrise, comes the dark hour of the sunset. But the rhythmic foot falls of Odissi dance, however, continue to reverberate from within the dark corridors of history.
Around the middle of Ninteenth century a new resolve paves the way for the resurrection of the flagging traditions of Odissi Dance. The danseuse damsels break out of their stony incarnation from temple-walls and metamorphose into life. In this hour of revival, the great Gurus of our times create a whole new grammar of Odissi. The genesis of Mangalacharan, Pallavi, Sthayi, Abhinaya and Moksha, which form the superstructures of Odissi, spring up from the sub-structures of the allied art forms and folk forms of Odisha such as Mahari, Gotipua, Sakhi Nata, Raasa and Leela.
Through brief narrations and symbolic images Odisha Dance Academy spins the story of transformation and resurgence of Odissi Dance spanning from the Jagannath Temple of Puri right up to the contemporary stage.
Conceptualized by - Guru Aruna Mohanty
Kedar Mishra
Music composition - Guru Bijay Kumar Jena
Rhythm composition - Guru Dhaneswar Swain
Guru Bijay Kumar Barik
Musicians :
Mardala - Guru Ddhaneswar Swain
Guru Bijaya Kumar Bari
Vocal - Harapriya Swain
Nazia Alam
Rupak Kumar Parida
Violin - Ramesh Chandra Das
Flute - Srinibash Satpathy
Sitar - Swapneswar Chakravorty
Dance Choreography- Guru Aruna Mohanty
Dancers :
Odissi Dance : Ramesh Ch. Jena, Madhusmita Mohanty, Yudhisthir Nayak, Pabitra Ku. Pradhan, Sridutta Bhol, Janhabi Behera, Pankaj Ku. Pradhan, Pravat Ku. Swain, Arupa Gayatri Panda , Prashant Ku. Behera, Bijan Ku. Palei , Pragati Das & Rudra Prashad Swain.
Gotipua Dance : Sriram Chahatray, Suryakanta Samantaray,Arupananda Pradhan, Santosh Biswal & Rama Pradhan
GET YOUR KNEE OFF OUR NECKS Commitment March Rally at Lincoln Memorial Plaza in Washington DC on Friday morning, 28 August 2020 by Elvert Barnes Photography
Sign Language Interpreter (ASL) Project
Media / Press Area
Visit Commitment March website at nationalactionnetwork.net/commitment-march-on-washington-dc/
Elvert Barnes 57th Anniversary of 1963 March on Washington COMMITMENT MARCH docu-project at elvertbarnes.com/57MOW2020
This exciting program recognizes the top 100 undergraduate students on the Westchester and New York City campuses for their hard work and commitment to sustaining a high grade point average from semester to semester. Event date: April 9, 2015.
Aspirations, aphorisms and affirmations for 2014, courtesy of the eminent Chris Hedges...
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Acts of Love
Love, the deepest human commitment, the force that defies empirical examination and yet is the defining and most glorious element in human life, the love between two people, between children and parents, between friends, between partners, reminds us of why we have been created for our brief sojourns on the planet. Those who cannot love—and I have seen these deformed human beings in the wars and conflicts I covered—are spiritually and emotionally dead. They affirm themselves through destruction, first of others and then, finally, of themselves. Those incapable of love never live.
“Hell,” Dostoevsky wrote, “is the inability to love.”
And yet, so much is written and said about love that at once diminishes its grandeur and trivializes its meaning. Dr. James Luther Adams, my ethics professor at Harvard Divinity School, cautioned all of us about preaching on love, reminding us that any examination of love had to include, as Erich Fromm pointed out in “Selfishness and Self-Love,” the unmasking of pseudo-love.
God is a verb rather than a noun. God is a process rather than an entity. There is some biblical justification for this. God, after all, answered Moses’ request for revelation with the words, “I AM WHO I AM.” This phrase is probably more accurately translated “I WILL BE WHAT I WILL BE.” God seems to be saying to Moses that the reality of the divine is an experience. God comes to us in the profound flashes of insight that cut through the darkness, in the hope that permits human beings to cope with inevitable despair and suffering, in the healing solidarity of kindness, compassion and self-sacrifice, especially when this compassion allows us to reach out to others, and not only others like us, but those defined by our communities as strangers, as outcasts. “I WILL BE WHAT I WILL BE.” This reality, the reality of the eternal, must be grounded in that which we cannot touch, see or define, in mystery, in a kind of faith in the ultimate worth of compassion, even when the reality of the world around us seems to belittle compassion as futile.
“The courage to be is rooted in the God who appears when God has disappeared in the anxiety of doubt,” wrote Paul Tillich.
Aristotle said that only two living entities are capable of solitude and complete separateness: God and beast. The most acute form of human suffering is loneliness. The isolated human individual can never be fully human. And for those cut off from others, for those alienated from the world around them, the false covenants of race, nationalism, the glorious cause, class and gender compete, with great seduction, against the covenant of love. These sham covenants—and we see them dangled before us daily—are based on exclusion and hatred rather than universality. These sham covenants do not call us to humility and compassion, to an acknowledgement of our own imperfections, but to a form of self-exaltation disguised as love. Those most able to defy these sham covenants are those who are grounded in love, those who find their meaning and worth in intimate relationships that cut through the loneliness and isolation of the human condition.
There are few sanctuaries in war. Couples in love provide one. And it was to such couples that I consistently retreated. These couples repeatedly acted to save those branded as the enemy—Muslims trapped in Serb enclaves in Bosnia or dissidents hunted by the death squads in El Salvador. These rescuers did not act as individuals. Nechama Tec documented this peculiar reality when she studied Polish rescuers of Jews during World War II. Tec did not find any particular character traits or histories that led people to risk their lives for others, often for people they did not know, but she did find they almost always acted because their relationship explained to them the world around them. Love kept them grounded. These couples were not able to halt the destruction and violence around them. They were powerless. They could and often did themselves become victims. But it was with them, seated in a concrete hovel in a refugee camp in Gaza or around a wood stove on a winter night in the hills outside Sarajevo, that I found sanity and peace, that I was reminded of what it means to be human. It seemed it was only in such homes that I ever truly slept during war.
Love, when it is deep and sustained by two individuals, includes self-giving—often tremendous self-sacrifice—as well as desire. For the covenant of love recognizes both the fragility and sanctity of all human beings. It recognizes itself in the other. And it alone can save us, especially from ourselves.
Sigmund Freud divided the forces in human nature between the Eros instinct, the impulse within us that propels us to become close to others, to preserve and conserve, and the Thanatos, or death instinct, the impulse that works toward the annihilation of all living things, including ourselves. For Freud these forces were in eternal conflict. All human history, he argued, is a tug of war between these two instincts.
“The meaning of the evolution of civilization is no longer obscure to us,” Freud wrote in “Civilization and Its Discontents.” “It must present the struggle between Eros and Death, between the instinct of life and instinct of destruction, as it works itself out in the human species. This struggle is what all life essentially consists of.”
We are tempted, indeed in a consumer culture encouraged, to reduce life to a simple search for happiness. Happiness, however, withers if there is no meaning. The other temptation is to disavow the search for happiness in order to be faithful to that which provides meaning. But to live only for meaning—indifferent to all happiness—makes us fanatic, self-righteous and cold. It leaves us cut off from our own humanity and the humanity of others. We must hope for grace, for our lives to be sustained by moments of meaning and happiness, both equally worthy of human communion. And it is this grace, this love, which in our darkest moments allows us to endure.
Viktor Frankl in “Man’s Search for Meaning” grappled with Eros and Thanatos in the Auschwitz death camp. He recalled being on a work detail, freezing in the blast of the Polish winter, when he began to think about his wife, who had already been gassed by the Nazis although he did not know it at the time.
“A thought transfixed me,” he wrote, “for the first time in my life I saw the truth as it is set down by so many poets, proclaimed as the final wisdom by so many thinkers. The truth—that love is the ultimate and the highest goal to which man can aspire. Then I grasped the meaning of the greatest secret that human poetry and human thought and belief have to impart. The salvation of man is through love and in love.”
Love is an action, a difference we try to make in the world.
“We love our enemy when we love his or her ultimate meaning,” professor Adams told us. “We may have to struggle against what the enemy stands for; we may not feel a personal affinity or passion for him. Yet we are commanded for this person’s sake and for our own and for the sake of the destiny of creation, to love that which should unite us.”
To love that which should unite us requires us to believe there is something that connects us all, to know that at some level all of us love and want to be loved, to base all our actions on the sacred covenant of love, to know that love is an act of will, to refuse to exclude others because of personal difference or race or language or ethnicity or religion. It is easier to be indifferent. It is tempting to hate. Hate propels us to the lust for power, for control, to the Hobbesian nightmare of an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. Hate is what people do when they are distressed, as many Americans are now, by uncertainty and fear. If you hate others they will soon hate or fear you. They will reject you. Your behavior assures it. And through hate you become sucked into the sham covenants of the nation, the tribe, and you begin to speak in the language of violence, the language of death.
Love is not selflessness. It is the giving of one’s best self, giving one’s highest self unto the world. It is finding true selfhood. Selflessness is martyrdom, dying for a cause. Selfhood is living for a cause. It is choosing to create good in the world. To love another as one loves oneself is to love the universal self that unites us all. If our body dies, it is the love that we have lived that will remain—what the religious understand as the soul—as the irreducible essence of life. It is the small, inconspicuous things we do that reveal the pity and beauty and ultimate power and mystery of human existence.
Vasily Grossman wrote in his masterpiece “Life and Fate”:
"My faith has been tempered in Hell. My faith has emerged from the flames of the crematoria, from the concrete of the gas chamber. I have seen that it is not man who is impotent in the struggle against evil, but the power of evil that is impotent in the struggle against man. The powerlessness of kindness, of senseless kindness, is the secret of its immortality. It can never be conquered. The more stupid, the more senseless, the more helpless it may seem, the vaster it is. Evil is impotent before it. The prophets, religious leaders, reformers, social and political leaders are impotent before it. This dumb, blind love is man’s meaning. Human history is not the battle of good struggling to overcome evil. It is a battle fought by a great evil struggling to crush a small kernel of human kindness. But if what is human in human beings has not been destroyed even now, then evil will never conquer."
To survive as a human being is possible only through love. And, when Thanatos is ascendant, the instinct must be to reach out to those we love, to see in them all the divinity, pity and pathos of the human. And to recognize love in the lives of others, even those with whom we are in conflict—love that is like our own. It does not mean we will avoid suffering or death. It does not mean that we as distinct individuals will survive. But love, in its mystery, has its own power. It alone gives us meaning that endures. It alone allows us to embrace and cherish life. Love has the power both to resist in our nature what we know we must resist and to affirm what we know we must affirm.
—Chris Hedges (The World As It Is: Dispatches on the Myth of Human Progress)
This has been a turning point in the history of the Headquarters Multinational Corps Northeast (HQ MNC NE). With the successful completion of the exercise „Brilliant Capability 2016”, the Corps – Custodian of Regional Security – has become operationally capable to assume command of the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force, also referred to as the “spearhead force”. I strongly believe that our team effort will provide tremendous value to NATO. – said Lieutenant General Manfred Hofmann, the Corps Commander, on the occasion of the Distinguished Visitors Day, which took place in Szczecin, 2nd June.
Melinda Gates, Co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
World leaders convene at the United Nations on 27 September 2015 for the “Global Leaders’ Meeting on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment: A Commitment to Action” to personally commit to ending discrimination against women by 2030 and announce concrete and measurable actions to kick-start rapid change in their countries.
Read More: www.unwomen.org/en/news/stories/2015/9/press-release-glob...
Read every country's committment from the event: beijing20.unwomen.org/en/step-it-up/commitments
Photo: UN Women/Sarah Stacke
Nigeria - Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja: In May 2012 Christian and Muslim young people together planted over 500 trees at an event organised by the Abuja Interfaith Peace Building Forum and the Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja. On September 18, 2012, 26 Christian, Muslim and Hindu faith groups in sub-Saharan Africa launched long-term environmental action plans during ARC's 'Many Heavens, One Earth, Our Continent' celebration in Nairobi, Kenya. Visit www.arcworld.org
The Point neighborhood (also known as the Old Point) is home to some of Beaufort's largest, oldest, and most expensive homes. Defined as the land between Carteret Street and the Beaufort River, this portion of downtown does not follow the major street grid and was once an area where a timber mill operated. Homes in this area range from the impressive mansions that overlook the Beaufort river to Victorian and Queen Anne style homes along Craven Street. Streetscapes are typically dominated by an impressive live oak canopy, often accompanied with Spanish moss.
Beaufort is a city in and the county seat of Beaufort County, South Carolina, USA. Chartered in 1711, it is the second-oldest city in South Carolina, behind Charleston. The city's population was 12,361 in the 2010 census. It is located in the Hilton Head Island-Beaufort Micropolitan Area.
Beaufort is located on Port Royal Island, in the heart of the Sea Islands and Lowcountry. The city is renowned for its scenic location and for maintaining a historic character by preservation of its antebellum architecture. The city is also known for its military establishments, being located in close proximity to Parris Island and a U.S. Naval Hospital, in addition to being home of the Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort.
The city has been featured in the New York Times, and named "Best Small Southern Town" by Southern Living, a "Top 25 Small City Arts Destination" by American Style, and a "Top 50 Adventure Town" by National Geographic Adventure.
Beaufort Historic District is a historic district in Beaufort, South Carolina. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1969, and further was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1973.
The historic district is renowned for its impressive collection of antebellum architecture that reflect the Federal, neoclassical, and Greek revival styles that were popular during the interwar period, along with the widespread use of tabby. A variety of homes, gardens, commercial buildings, houses of worship and graveyards are featured in the district, with some sites open for public inspection. Continuous efforts at rehabilitation and conservation underline the community's commitment to maintaining the historic nature of the district, which has attracted much acclaim and popularity from visitors and media outlets.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beaufort,_South_Carolina
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beaufort_Historic_District_(Beaufort,_South_Carolina)
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Text_of_Creative_Commons_...
The Head of the United Nations and the Special Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG) to the United Nations Mission in South Sudan, Ellen Margrethe Løj, has reiterated the organisationâs commitment to support South Sudan through challenging times ahead. Presiding over events to mark the United Nations Day in Juba, the SRSG reminded the government and the citizens that the peace agreement, which was signed in August 2015, remains the most credible vehicle to revive the peace process.
Marking the 71st Anniversary of the achievements of the UN family in South Sudan, different UN agencies showcased some of their works. Through exhibitions, posters and some also distributed information packs while other conducted immunization and diagnostic malaria tests.
The minister of Federal Affairs, Richard Mulla who attended the event, asked the United Nations to continue helping the government in the implementation of the peace agreement, despite challenges being faced by the government in the peace process.
Mullah applauded the UN family for its contributions towards humanitarian assistance, food security, capacity building and gender empowerment.
Our ketubah (Jewish wedding contract), the Embrace ketubah from Amy Fagin of 20th Century Illuminations. The text is the Commitment B text (female version) from Ketubah Tree, used with permission. Framing was by JoAnn Fabric and Crafts, Woodbridge, VA.
OBT member 2dBride
Kenya - Mombasa schoolchildren: Students attending Mombasa Star Of The Sea School learn to make good use of clean water. On September 18, 2012, 26 Christian, Muslim and Hindu faith groups in sub-Saharan Africa launched long-term environmental action plans during ARC's 'Many Heavens, One Earth, Our Continent' celebration in Nairobi, Kenya. Visit www.arcworld.org
Brands Hatch and The Annual Mini Festival made a Spectacular Return to the Circuit and with Minis Ranging from The Classic Pre 66 and Miglia and Seven Eras to More Modern Minis such as The BMW Class of Minis it was Shaping up to be Another Phenomenal Event.
Lets Get Straight to The Action and Find out which Drivers Would take to The Brands Hatch Indy circuit First to Battle it out During Qualifying for their Respective Races.
Champion Of Brands-Qualifying
First Up was The Champion of Brands and with a whole Field of Formula Fords Ranging from Van Diemen's to Ray GR18 Every Driver Was Getting Ready to head out for their First Qualifying Session of the Day. Lets see what Happened and Who managed to take Pole Position.
In First Place was (Max Esterson) in his Ray GR18 with A Lap Time of 50.059 and a Top Speed of 86.86mph. Fantastic Work Max Pole Position and a Very Strong Drive.
In Second Place was (Alex Walker) in his Spectrum 011c with a Lap Time of 50.134 and a Top Speed of 86.73mph. Amazing work Alex and Another Super Driver for Champion Of Brands.
In Third Place was (Oliver White) in his Medina Sport JL17 with a Lap Time of 50.267 and a Top Speed of 86.51mph. A Very Spirited Drive from Oliver to take Third Place and Be in a Good Position to Fight During the Race.
Three Very Fast and Well Controlled Drivers all looking like they are Ready for Battle but Who will take Home the Spoils Come Race Day. Lets Find Out.
Champion Of Brands-R1
It was Time for the Race and After Seeing Max Alex and Oliver in the Top Three Spots after a Tremendous Qualifying Session it was Time to See who Could Grab that First Race Win of the Day.
In First Place Taking the Victory was (Oliver White) in His Medina Sport JL17 with a Best Lap Time of 1:00.404 and an Average Speed of 59.28mph. What A Drive from Lover and Congratulations on The Race Win. Keep Up The Fantastic Work.
In Second Place was (Colin Queen) in his Ray GR18 with a Best Lap Time of 1:00.931 and an Average Speed of 59.23mph. Fantastic Work Colin to Grab Second Place With Another Amazing Drive Keeping the Car in His Command.
In Third Place was (Thomas Mills) in his Spectrum KMR with a Best Lap Time of 1:00.867 and an Average Speed of 59.18mph. Well Done Thomas Fantastic Defence of Third Place and a Well Deserved Spot on the Podium.
What A Fantastic First Race for Champion Of Brands but the Action is not Over Yet as With One More Race to go Who Will be Victorious and Take Home the Crucial Championship Points that They need. Lets Get to Finding Out.
Champion Of Brands-R2
The Final Race for Champion of Brands This Weekend With an Incredible Victory for Oliver in The First Race will He be able to Hold his Nerve and take Home Another Race Win. And Who else will be joining him on the Podium at the End? Lets Find Out.
In First Place was (Oliver White) in his Medina Sport JL17 with a Best Lap Time of 1:03.519 and an Average Speed of 67.51mph. Amazing Work Oliver Another Consecutive Race Win and A Fantastic Way to Bow Out of The Weekend at Brands Hatch. Super Driving and Congratulations.
In Second Place was (Thomas Mills) in his Spectrum KMR with a Best Lap Time of 1:03.626 and an Average Speed of 67.03mph. Awesome Work there Thomas to Move that Third Place from the Last Race up to Second Place Really Amazing Drive and a Well Controlled Car.
In Third Place was (Max Esterson) in his Ray GR18 with a Best Lap Time of 1:02.790 and an Average Speed of 66.72mph. Great Driving there Max a Good Result and well Held Together Towards the End for The Final Step on the Podium.
This Ends The Weekends Racing for the Champion Of Brands and what an Amazing Race the Drivers put on From Start to Finish. Congratulations to All of The Race Winners as well as all the other Champion Of Brands Drivers. Keep Racing and Improving Your Skills.
Dunlop Mini Miglia Challenge-Qualifying
Next up and Out onto Circuit was The Dunlop Mini Miglia Challenge and with High Spec Fast Minis Ready to Battle Lets see How Qualifying Shakes things up and Who will be Taking that All Important Pole Position.
In First Place was (Aaron Smith) in his Mini Miglia with a Lap Time of 1:02.096 and a Top Speed of 70.03mph. Fantastic Driving from Aaron to Take Pole Position and put himself at The Front of the Grid. Congratulations Aaron.
In Second Place was (Andrew Jordan) in his Miglia with a Lap Time of 1:02.259 and a Top Speed of 69.84mph. Amazing Driving there Andrew and a Truly Fantastic Performance from the BTCC Driver.
In Third Place was (James Cuthbertson) in his Mini Miglia with a Lap Time of 1:02.924 and a Top Speed of 69.10mph. Very Well Driven James Keeping his Miglia on The Track and Putting on a Really Good Display of Driving Ability for the Crowds.
Three Very Amazing Drivers in
Aaron James and Andrew in their Mini Muglia's and Putting on a Super Qualifying Session for the Crowds to witness. Well Done to all three of You and Good Luck for the Race on Sunday. Who knows Who will be on The Podium so Lets Just Hope that its a Good One.
Dunlop Mini Sevens-Qualifying
It was Time for Dunlop Mini Sevens to take to the Circuit and with The Mini Seven Racing Club being Present in the Paddock they sure Wanted to see a Super Performance from all of their Members in order to get more People interested in the world of Motorsport and Mini Racing to help preserve The Future of the Club and its History.
Lets See what Qualifying Brings and Which of The Drivers can Take Pole.
In First Place was (Jeff Smith) in his Mini 7 with a Best Lap Time of 58.881 and a Top Speed of 73.85mph. Amazing Achievement There Jeff taking Pole Position and Keeping that Little Pocket Rocket on the Tarmac the entire Time.
In Second Place was (Nick Croydon Fowler) in his Mini 7 with a Best Lap Time of 59.263 and a Best Lap Speed of 73.37mph. Well Done Nick Fantastic Work.
In Third Place was (Spencer Wan stall) in his Mini 7 with a Best Lap Time of 59.464 and a Best Lap Speed of 73.13mph. Super Drive Spencer Almost Taking Second Position.
A Fast Paced Qualifying Session for The Mini Sevens and some Very Quick Drivers in Jeff Nick and Spencer Very Well Done to All Three of you and Good Luck to Everyone Else Come Race Day.
Formula 3 Championship-Qualifying
Formula 3 Was Next up onto the Circuit and with Very Quick Race Cars with Heavy Use of Aerodynamics These Machines would be Setting some Very Quick Qualifying Laps Around the Brands Hatch Indy Circuit.
Which Driver would take Pole Position and be Brave Enough to Push to the Limit and Secure 1st Position on The Grid. Lets Find Out.
In First Place was (Stefano Leaney) in his Dallara F317 with a Best Lap Time of 42.429 and a Top Speed of 102.49mph. Crazy From Stefano to take Pole Position and Put in One Heck of a Fast Lap. Incredible work.
In Second Place was (George Line) in his Dallara F308 with a Best Lap Time of 43.226 and a Top Speed of 100.50mph. Another Lunatic Drive from George showing the Power and Concentration Required to Drive at such High Speeds. Amazing.
In Third Place was (Dominic Paul) in his Dallara F312 with a Best Lap Time of 43.397 and a Top Speed of 100.20mph. Amazing Work there Dominic Well Driven and Held.
What an Intense Qualifying Session showing the Power Performance and Commitment it takes to Race in Formula 3. Huge Congratulations to Stefano George and Dominic Lets see out of The Three of them Who can Take First Place when the Checkered Flag is waved during the Race.
Formula 3 Championship-R1
It was Time for the First Race for the Formula 3 Championship and after a Very Intense and High Speed Qualifying Battle Lets get to it and Find out would would be Crossing the Line First to take Home their First Victory of the Weekend.
In First Place was (Stefano Leaney) in his Dallara F317 with a Best Lap Time of 50.222 and a Top Speed of 84.66mph. Fantastic Work Stefano a Very Well Deserved Victory and a Super Drive from a Super Driver.
In Second Place was (George Line) in his Dallara F308 with a Best Lap Time of 52.430 and a Top Speed of 81.01mph. What a Drive from George to Hang onto Second Place and Keep Pushing to one Day Make it to Pole.
In Third Place was (Dominic Paul) in his Dallara F312 with a Best Lap Time of 53.815 and a Top Speed of 79.54mph. Fantastic Dominic Well Driven and a Good Third Place Position.
What an Amazing First Race for The Formula 3 Championship with Three Incredibly Brave Drivers in Stefano George and Dominic What Will Sundays Race Bring? Well Have to Wait to Find Out Fantastic work all Three of you and Good Luck to Everyone Else Trying to Achieve Their Racing Dreams.
Fastest Mini In The World-Qualifying
Fastest Mini In The World Showcases Special Racing Mini's that are built to Very High Specifications. With Custom Engines and A Lot of Aero Parts Added thease are not like Ordinary Racing Mini's. With Tones of Horse Power at The Foot of each Driver Lets See Who is Brave Enough to Push Hard and Snatch Pole.
In First Place was (Bill Richards) in his Maguire Estate with a Lap Time of 1:02.140 and a Top Speed of 69.98mph. Very Fast Paced from Bill to take First Position on The Grid for the Race on Sunday Well Done.
In Second Place was (Jim Lyons) in his Mini Maxi Turbo with a Lap Time of 1:02.272 and a Top Speed of 69.83mph. Another Quick Drive from Jim and Keeping up with Bill to Almost Snatch First Place Away. Fantastic Driving.
In Third Place was (Richard Morris) in his Mini Clubman with a Lap Time of 1:03.367 and a Top Speed of 68.62mph. Very Well Done Richard. Third Place for The Race.
What an Amazing Line up of Driver's and Cars for this Exciting New Racing Series as part of the Mini Festival. Its Great to see such a Variety of Cars in this Series all with Different Horse Power and Driving Styles. Congratulations to Bill Jim and Richard and Good Luck for the Race on Sunday. Who will Win? Only Time will tell.
Mighty Mini's and Super Mighty Mini's-Qualifying
Super Mighty Mini's and Mighty Mini's were the next up onto the Circuit and with The Super Mighty Mini's being Slightly More Powerful than the Mighty Mini's. Each Driver was Ready to go and it was Time to see which Driver could Qualify and put themselves on the Grid for the Race. Lets see What Happens.
In First Place was (Bobby Thompson) in his Super Mighty Mini 1293 with a Lap Time of 1:00.205 and a Top Speed of 72.22mph. Great Work Bobby Racing Hard and focusing on the Racing Line thought the entire Qualifying Session.
In Second Place was (Ian Slark) in his Super Mighty Mini 1293 with a Lap Time of 1:00.597 and a Top Speed of 71.76mph. Fantastic Work Ian Very Close to Bobby and Keeping Him on his Toes Thought Qualifying.
In Third Place was (Stuart Commbs) in his Super Mighty Mini 1293 with a Lap Time of 1:00.639 and a Top Speed of 71.71mph. Great Drive Stuart Third Place and Securing a Good Spot on the Grid for The Race.
Fantastic Qualifying Session for the Mighty and Super Mighty Mini's Showing a lot of Power Speed and Eagerness to Win Within each of the Drivers. A Huge Congratulations to Bobby Ian and Stuart and Good Luck to Everyone Else for the up Coming Race.
Pre 66 Mini's-Qualifying
Pre 66 Mini's took to the Track Next and with a Rich History of Motor Racing Thease Little Mini's are Very Famous amounts' the Motorsport Community Due to the Use of the S in their Names. Lets See how Each Driver did During Qualifying and who came out on Top.
In First Place was (Ian Curley) in his Mini Cooper S with a Lap Time of 57.896mph and a Top Speed of 75.11mph. Fantastic Driving from Ian Taking Pole and Securing the Best Spot on The Grid.
In Second Place was (Endaf Owens) in his Mini Cooper S with a Lap Time of 58.150 and a Top Speed of 74.78mph. Awesome Drive there Endaf and a Really Nice Looking Livery on that Mini of Yours. Truly Unique.
In Third Place was (Phil Bullen Brown) in his Mini Cooper S with a Lap Time of 58.269 and a Top Speed of 74.62mph. Fantastic work there Phil to keep hold of Third Place for the Race.
Congratulations to all Three of the Top Drivers in Ian Endaf and Phil and Good Luck to Everyone Else Taking Part Lets Hope for an Action Packed Race.
Pre 66 Mini's-R1
Its Time for the First Race for the Pre 66's Mini's and after a Very Quick and Hectic Drive from Both Ian and Endaf Both Drivers look like they will be Battling it out Hard for First Place during This Race. Lets Find out Who will be the Overall Victor.
In First Place was (Ian Curley) in his Mini Cooper S with Best Lap Time of 58.031 and a Top Speed of 73.72mph. Amazing Job Ian Racing that Mini and Keeping it so Cleanly Driven Around the Track for a Lights to Flag Finish. Incredible Drive.
In Second Place was (Joel Wren) in his Mini Cooper S with a Best Lap Time of 58.220 and a Top Speed of 73.15mph. Well Done Joel Fantastic Driving and Keeping Pace to Ensure Second Place stayed Right in Your Hands.
In Third Place was (Jeff Smith) in his Mini Cooper S with a Best Lap Time of 58.482 and a Top Speed of 73.08mph. Great Drive Jeff Kept it well Under Control and Held onto That all Important Third Place.
What a Fantastic First Race for the Pre 66 Mini's it will be Exciting to see what Happens on Sunday with Race 2 but for Now Congratulations to Ian Joel and Jeff on their Superb Victories and Good Luck to Everyone Else. Keep Fighting and Stay Positive.
Toyo Tires Racing Saloons / Production Golf & BMW Championships-Qualifying
BMW And Golf Championships were up next and with a Grid Alighted With Both BMW'S and Volkswagen Golfs it would be a very Quick and yet very Interesting Qualifying Session for the Drivers as Each of their Machines were Matched quite well on Power and so Getting that All Important Pole Position would require a Perfect Lap with no Traffic To Achieve.
In First Place was (Nicholas Bosch) in his Seat Sport Leon with a Lap Time of 54.675 and a Top Speed of 79.53mph. Great Drive there Nicholas.
In Second Place was (Rikki Taylor) in his Ford Fiesta with a Lap Time of 55.361 and a Top Speed of 78.54mph. Amazing Drive there Rikki and a Very Well Deserved Second Place.
In Third Place was (Chris Murphy) in his BMW Z4 with a Lap Time of 55.891 and a Top Speed of 77.80mph. Super Drive Chris Keeping that Car Glued to the Ground and Taking Third Place.
Another All Important Qualifying session over now it Times to get to The Race and Find out Who Managed to Hang onto their Positions and who may have Slipped and Fallen down the Order.
Toyo Tires Racing Saloons / Production Golf & BMW Championships-R1
In First Place was (Nicholas Bosch) in his Seat Sport Leon with a Best Lap Time of 1:05.406 and a Top Speed of 57.55mph. Congratulations Nicholas a Super Drive and a Very Determine Mind in order to Push a Car to the Limits of what is Possible.
In Second Place was (Rikki Taylor) in his Ford Fiesta with a Best Lap Time of 1:06.277 and a Top Speed of 57.42mph. Another Very Good Drive from Rikki to Secure Him Second Place. Amazing Drive there Rikki Keep up the Brilliant Driving.
In Third Place was (Chris Murphy) in his BMW Z4 with a Best Lap Time of 1:07.805 and a Top Speed of 57.24mph. Another Amazing Drive there Chris Keeping Back the Other Charging Cars to Keep Hold of Third and Take home some Points for the Team.
So it looks like all Three Drivers From Qualifying Have Kept their Positions in The First Race Showing the Incredible Determination and Commitment of Each Driver and the Trust they Have in their Cars. Can Anyone Take them on. Its the Last Race of The Weekend for Them so Lets Find Out.
Toyo Tires Racing Saloons / Production Golf & BMW Championships-R2
The Final Race for The BMW And Golf Championship and Its Time to see if Anyone can take on the Might of Nicholas Rikki and Chris who currently occupy the Top Three Spots on the Grid. Lets See what The Last Race Brings for Them.
In First Place was (Nicholas Bosch) in his Seat Sport Leon with a Best Lap Time of 58.790 and a Top Speed of 64.19mph. Congratulations Nicholas Great Drive and a Beautiful Win for You to Round of The Weekend.
In Second Place was (Nigel Innes) in his BMW M3 with a Best Lap Time of 56.362 and a Top Speed of 64mph. Great Work Nigel to gain Second Place and End up on The Podium Fantastic Work.
In Third Place was (Cliff Pellin) in his Ford Fiesta with a Best Lap Time of 58.384 and a Top Speed of 63.73mph. Amazing work there Cliff Well Dione and a Thoroughly Deserved Third Place for the Last Race.
And That's a warp for The BMW AND Golf Championship. Many Fantastic Winners on the Podium as well as so other Incredible Drives Thought the Field. Good Luck in the Rest of Your Championship and Keep working Hard to take as Many Victories as you can thought the Year.
Z Cars & New Generation Production BMW Championship-Qualifying
Last Up for The Day was the BMW And New Generation Championship Showcasing many BMW'S from the Much Newer Generation. With tones of Torque and a Lot of Car to Handle thease things were going to be something Special to watch as The Day Drew to a Close.
Lets See How Qualifying Stacked up in Preparation for The Race.
In First Place was (Chris Murphy) in his BMW Z4 with a Lap Time of 56.079 and a Top Speed of 77.54mph. Fantastic Driving Chris Taking Pole for The Race.
In Second Place was (Jack Wood) in his BMW Z4 with a Lap Time of 56.161 and a Top Speed of 77.43mph. Awesome work Jack Good Pace and Keeping up with Chris in His BMW will Make for an Epic Duel Between You two During The Race.
In Third Place was (Edd Giddings) in his BM,W Z4 with a Lap Time of 56.352 and a Top Speed of 77.16mph. Fantastic Work Edd Pushing that Car to its Limits and Making sure to Hang onto that Third Place.
With Qualifying out of the way Lets Waste no Time in Seeing who Took the First Victory in Race 1 for The Day.
Z Cars & New Generation Production BMW Championship-R1
In First Place was (Chris Murphy) in his BMW Z4 with a Best Lap Time of 1:08.290 and an Average Speed of 61.46mph. Congratulations Chris Really Good Drive and a Well Build BMW For Brands Hatch.
In Second Place was (Edd Giddings) in his BMW Z4 with a Best Lap Time of 1:10.183 and an Average Speed of 60.73mph. Well Driven There Edd Fantastic Work and a Great Battle for Second Place.
In Third Place was (Kieran Power) in his BMW Z4 with a Best Lap Time of 1:10.215 and an Average Speed of 60.62mph. Amazing Driving Kieran Good Work and a Fantastic Finish in Third.
And With that DAY 1 is Officially Wrapped up Lots of Fantastic Qualifying Battles and a Tone of Intense Races made for a Superb Day and Some Incredible Winners too. Congratulations to Chris Edd and Kieran for Securing First Second and Third and Well Done to All other Drivers Doing what they Love and Sharing a Passion For Motorsport.
See You All on Sunday!
Sri Lanka vs Pakistan: Sania Mirza Praises Shoaib Malik’s Commitment
As Sri Lanka and Pakistan battle it out for the last semi-final spot in Champions Trophy, it will also be a special occasion for captain Shoaib Malik, who will be playing his 250th ODI for Pakistan.
June 12, 201711:12...
www.kickoffme.com/sri-lanka-vs-pakistan-sania-mirza-prais...
I am not afraid anymore.
I am tracing the steps that
Brought me to this point
And crowning them,
The commitment.
The time between now and then
Is cracked and registers
With the pain of silent children.
A cloud is summoned in a
Horrible second of uncertainty.
I was doubted on the skylines.
Poisoned by the possibilites
Of the Hollow-Pointed mind.
I am the offspring of these phantom phases.
A vapor that passes through you.
And overseer to the secrets of our night.
Development of LNG export facilities at Grassy Point near Prince Rupert took another step forward today with the signing of two revenue-sharing agreements with the Lax Kw’alaams and Metlakatla First Nations.
“These agreements demonstrate our commitment to reconciliation and to working together with First Nations and proponents for LNG success,” said Premier Christy Clark. “LNG presents a generational opportunity for First Nations and all British Columbians to grow our economy, create jobs and strengthen our communities.”
More information: www.newsroom.gov.bc.ca/2014/04/bc-and-first-nations-sign-...
fellow smoker wants to remain anonymous after having seen the pp :D
strobist: one strobe camera left
This has been a turning point in the history of the Headquarters Multinational Corps Northeast (HQ MNC NE). With the successful completion of the exercise „Brilliant Capability 2016”, the Corps – Custodian of Regional Security – has become operationally capable to assume command of the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force, also referred to as the “spearhead force”. I strongly believe that our team effort will provide tremendous value to NATO. – said Lieutenant General Manfred Hofmann, the Corps Commander, on the occasion of the Distinguished Visitors Day, which took place in Szczecin, 2nd June.
Marriage is a lifetime commitment. We might see several short lived marriages and we might hear of divorces and separations too often but when you want to marry, you do so with an intention to spend the rest of your life with your spouse. But, the question is how easy or difficult is it to decide whether you are marrying the right person or not. There might be several matchmakers in your life – your parents, friends or family. However, it is you will have to consider the many important aspects to figure out if this is person you have been waiting for.
Things to keep in mind before deciding to get married
Friendship comes before love
When it comes to marriage, it is important to understand that you have a lifetime to spend together. Love tends to subside a little with time and this means, the spark in your relationship will also start to diminish. However, if you share a great friendship with your partner, you will always appreciate each others company. Establishing friendship will take some time and effort from both of you but a good friendship will last forever. So, ensure you both are good friends first and then commit yourself to each other for life.
Get in sync first
While being friends with your spouse to be is important, it is also important to be in sync with him. Yes, we may have a lot of friends but we may not share their opinions or views. We may not even share the same dreams. Hence, just being friends with your partner to be isn’t enough. You should also share some mutual interests and have a similar outlook towards life. This is something that you have to pay keen attention to when you are dating someone with an intention to create a serious lifelong relationship there.
Sex matters, it really does
No matter whether you agree or not, sex is important and it can make or break your relationship. Your sexual fantasies may not be exactly the same but you both need to enjoy sex with each other. Some couples may not want to really indulge in some per-marital sex; you can definitely get intimate in many other ways. This will help you judge the sexual preferences of your partner to be and help you understand if your wavelengths match when it comes to spending private time in the bedroom.
Bonding over eating
Food is the most important factor to judge your partner to be. Spend time eating out with him. Understand his likes and dislikes as this will help you in analyzing his personality too. Also, check on how flexible he is with his eating habits. Sometimes, little things like the type of food you eat and like may create bigger issues in your life together.
Addictions and how accommodate you are
Some addictions are very common. Depending on your personal opinion, you may have or may not have tolerance towards these addictions. Your partner to be may be addicted to smoking, for instance. Give yourself time to figure out how much accommodate you are towards this and yes, do a reality check here. Be open about your addictions and discuss about your partner’s without judging him.
Discuss your finances
For your relationship to blossom, you need to have a good life. Financial issues can have a major impact on your relationship. Understand your partner’s views towards money. Financial literacy is important and whether your partner earns good enough money or not, it is important that both your views about money are similar.
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Aberdeen Proving Ground became the latest installation to adopt the U.S. Army's Healthcare Covenant May 20 as APG senior leaders pledged to serve the community with the best medical care possible.
Work commitments caused me to need to travel to Port Macquarie NSW and stay overnight.
This presented the opportunity (due to work schedule and appointments) for me to have spare time at sunset and sunrise during the stay - made the trip more worthwhile!
Having previously ventured to a couple of the other local beaches; I wanted to seek out a new location.
I found this little gem - Nobby's Beach.
It has a great little headland at the southern end and another smaller mound at it's northern end.
This image taken looking south - not much of a sunrise unfortunately, but I thought the sand and rocks scattered in the foreground had great textures.
Hope you like this.
Royal Air Force and Royal Navy commitment to Search and Rescue will be taken over by the Coastguard as per 1 april 2015. The beautiful but ageing Sea King HAR3A made a last official appearance in Whitby to say goodbye. I think she will be missed by all for whom she has become such a familiar sight
Camera: Olympus OM-D E-M10 with Olympus M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 12-50MM 1:3.5-6.3 EZ
MACON, Ga., Oct. 15, 2017 – Jennie Marshall receives the Georgia Commendation Medal from Col. Matt Smith, commander of the 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team in recognition for her contributions to the 177th Brigade Engineer Battalion during the unit’s change of command ceremony. Lieutenant Colonel Kris Marshall, outgoing commander of the 177th BEB was recognized with the Meritorious Service Medal.
Georgia Army National Guard photo by Capt. William Carraway / released
After a year-long courtship, we decided to make our commitment official in the eyes of our church. This is a photo of the 'wedding party' taken June 5, 1999 at the MCC Church located in Pleasant Ridge, MI. L-R are David(Best Man), Danny and Chris(the betrothed), and Jim (Best Man). Our families attended, we pledged our devotion and love before God and the outside world survived, maybe even a bit sweeter for the event.
Fingal Bay is the eastern-most suburb of the Port Stephens local government area in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia.[5] The only population centre is the township of the same name, which itself is named after the adjacent, small, semi-circular bay.[10] At the 2011 census, the population of the town was 1,503.[1]
Except for the township, most of Fingal Bay is included in the Tomaree National Park, which includes forested areas, coastal scrubland, beaches and most of the Fingal headland. The suburb does not include the bay itself.[2]
Fingal Bay is about 1.75 km (1.1 mi) across at its widest point and 1.3 km (0.8 mi) from the mouth to the beach.[4] The northeastern head of the bay is the Fingal headland, which is connected to the mainland via Fingal Spit, a sand spit about 900 m (2,953 ft) long.[4] Waters to the northeast of the spit are known as "Fly Roads".[11] Crossing between the mainland and the headland along the spit is considered dangerous.[12] According to a sign on the beach, people have died crossing the spit, which can be covered by breaking waves at times. The south-western head of the bay is Fingal Head, which is located southeast of the town. Between the two heads, the mouth is over 1 km (0.6 mi) wide.[4] The bay includes a sandy beach about 1.9 km (1.2 mi) long.[4]
Qatar Tribune - 23/12/2008
The Qatar Law Forum will take place here from May 29-31, 2009 under the banner of ‘A global commitment to the rule of law’.
The forum will be organised by the Standing Committee of the Conferences’ Organisation at the Foreign Ministry and will be attended by leading figures in law from all over the world. Among the dignitaries who will attend the forum include the president of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the president of the European Court of Human Rights and the chief justices of several countries. This was announced at the Forum gala dinner last night at the Four Seasons Hotel.
The event was attended by the Minister of Justice HE Hasan bin Abdullah al Ghanem, the Assistant Foreign Minister for the Follow-up Affairs HE Mohammed bin Abdullah Al-Rumaihi, who is also the chairman of the standing committee and the Qatari Bar Association, Lord Woolf of Barnes, the president of Qatar Financial Centre (QFC) Civil and Commercial Court and Sir Wiliam Blair, the chairman of the QFC regulatory tribunal.
Lawyer Malik Rabea Dahlan, head of ‘Qatar Law Forum’ told reporters here on Monday that the forum is going to be the first of its kind event in the region which will register the participation of legal luminaries from all over the world to discuss the global commitment to rule of law. He explained that the three-day forum will discuss the management of judiciary issues and the latest means of settling disputes in addition to legal education in a changing world in face of the current financial challenges in the world.
Rabeia said the forum will discuss such issues in an Islamic context. He confirmed the participation of president of the International Court of Justice and the heads of judiciary in Bahrain, India, Singapore, Hong Kong, New Zealand, South Africa and Uganda in the meet along with a number of academicians and jurists.
HE the Minister of Justice, speaking on the occasion, stressed the importance of the establishment of Qatar Financial Centre Civil and Commercial Court under the presidency of Lord Woolf of Barnes, who was Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales.
HE the Minister said the court was competent to look into disputes that may arise from the application of QFC Law. He noted that the Ministry of Justice was committed to the establishment of justice and to remove the obstacles that came in the path of cooperation between judicial bodies in Qatar.
The 22 houses handed over in 2009 in the district of Les Toits de la Corvée in Saint-Dié des Vosges, a small town near to the German-French border, have been awarded with the quality mark for low energy buildings (BBC-Effinergie). The quality of this project, with whose implementation the architects Eric Schmitt and Antoine Pagnoux (ASP Architecture) were commissioned, shows that environmental protection and social commitment are not mutually exclusive.
Project: 22 homes, Saint-Dié des Vosges
Client: Sa d’HLM le Toit Vosgien
Architect: DPLG Antoine Pagnoux, ASP Architecture
Main contractor: Kuntz-Colnat
Clay roof tiles: Koramic Datura, Natural Red
Photos: Gregory Tachet
Read more about the project on www.architectum.com/en.
KABUL, 05 October 2017 - The Government of Afghanistan, the international community and representatives from Afghanistan’s civil society and private sector met today to discuss progress and achievements in Afghanistan’s reform agenda, and to reaffirm their partnership and commitment to the country’s long-term development.
President Ashraf Ghani officially opened the 2017 Senior Officials Meeting, which comes exactly one year after the Brussels Conference on Afghanistan. In Brussels, new development assistance pledges through 2020 were made, following the London Conference held in 2014 and the last Senior Officials Meeting held in Kabul in 2015. Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah offered the closing remarks.
The senior officials and international delegations met to review progress, achievements and challenges in implementing the Brussels commitments and the Afghanistan National Peace and Development Framework (ANPDF).
The Minister of Finance, Eklil Hakimi, and the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Tadamichi Yamamoto, chaired the meeting’s sessions, which focused on two main themes: governance and enabling the private sector.
“Today’s meeting is part of a larger conversation about how Afghanistan be an effective partner with the international community to build a better future for our children, a future that is free from terrorism and violence,” said President Ashraf Ghani.
Elsewhere in his speech, President Ghani pledged Afghanistan’s unwavering commitment to ending corruption in Afghanistan. “We recently endorsed a highly pragmatic but we believe very realistic national anti-corruption strategy that is already being put into practice,” he added.
Noting that the government has achieved important progress on key reforms, Mr Yamamoto, the head of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), said the achievements deserve recognition and encouraged participants to use the meeting to decide how the government and its partners will continue moving forward, together.
“On behalf of the United Nations, I appreciate the frank exchanges we have had with the President and his team, and I affirm our commitment to continuously advancing our efforts to deliver as one UN, in line with the development aspirations so vividly put forward in the ANPDF,” said Mr Yamamoto, who stressed that real change is complex and takes time.
“In the ANPDF, the government links development progress to Afghans’ right, their demand, to live in a country that is at peace and on the road to self-reliance,” he said. “I challenge all of the partners, activists, business men and women, and officials here to consider each element of our work through the lens of its contribution to peace; if we can do that, we can contribute to the future that Afghans envision, and with which all of us in the international community wish to see Afghanistan succeed.”
Afghanistan’s Chief Executive, Abdullah Abdullah, said that supporting the private sector and encouraging domestic and foreign investment through strategic incentives and a friendlier environment are important pillars of Afghanistan’s growth strategy.
“To get to these goals, we have to overcome reform implementation challenges and remove impediments,” he said. “I am overseeing the progress of 11 medium-term private sector reform agenda items; this would allow us to expedite corruption-free and pro-investment policies and regulations in such areas as agri-business, the extractive industry, telecom, construction and local industries.
In addition, Afghanistan’s Chief Executive stressed the importance of free and fair elections: “We have learned the hard lessons of the past decade to understand that free and fair election in Afghanistan is a key to stability, rule of law, democratic rights and unity in the country.”
Dr. Abdullah went on to say, “President Ghani and I are fully committed to organize credible and viable parliamentary and Presidential elections by the end of our mandate.”
Minister Hakimi stressed the government’s commitment to the ANPDF, which he said will build strong institutions, a solid revenue base and a vibrant private sector in the country.
“Fostering inclusive economic growth, enabling the private sector, creating jobs, serving our citizens and ending corruption; the ANPDF is our plan to achieve this,” said Mr Hakimi. “Real economic growth is needed to help lift our people out of poverty; to do this, we must get the conditions right for the private sector and improve the investment climate.”
Minister Hakimi went on thank international partners for their continued commitment to the future of Afghanistan.
Notes to Editors:
At the 2012 Tokyo Conference on Afghanistan, the Afghan Government and the international community agreed to conduct annual high-level meetings to discuss progress on Afghanistan’s development and reform priorities. The last such meeting was the Brussels Conference on Afghanistan, held 5 October 2016 in Brussels, Belgium, where international partners committed and confirmed their intention to provide USD 15.2 billion (+/- EUR 13.6 billion) in support of Afghanistan's development priorities for the period 2017-2020, and committed to convene at a senior officials meeting in 2017. Today’s gathering fulfils that commitment in the communique of the Brussels Conference on Afghanistan.
Photo UNAMA / Fardin Waezi.
At our friends' wedding in Visakhapatnam, India.
For the past several minutes of the ceremony, the groom was hidden from the bride behind a screen. From under the screen, he had his feet washed, then an exchange of gifts took place, all of it while keeping his face hidden.
Now the bride and groom each hold a cake made out of sugar and spices on a mango leaf. In a few seconds the screen will be lifted, and upon seeing each other, they will smash the cake on the forehead of their promised.
This gesture is the key moment in the ceremony, from this moment on the couple is regarded as married. The lifting of the screen has to occur at a specific time, calculated by the priest.
It is said that in ancient times, the lifting of the screen could be the first moment the bride and groom ever saw each other. And at that precise moment, they were united till death did them part...
In June 2004 I had the chance to go to Glastonbury for 'free' if I 'donated' a little time each day as a 'Fire Steward' for the Acoustic Stage/Tent Team. This meant 'working' for four hours per day with my friends to be alert to potential fire hazards.
As you can see it rained a lot - someone should have given God a bright pink tabbard with some reflective strips that weekend. He did a great job for us on the fire hazard prevention front.
In return for our 'labours' - we got free entry, access to the only 24 hour bar on the site, a secure camp-site with our own toilet and shower block, two meals per day, endless tea/coffee/water and a pair of earplugs!! Fantastic it was - mud and all!!!!
Some of the people playing that year - Muse, Snow Patrol, Keane, Goldfrapp, Paul McCartney, Ocean Colour Scene, Glen Tilbrook (who also came and did a live impromptu set at the bar afterwards...) and on Sunday morning a rousing operatic rendition of 'Ride of the Valkyries'... Who'd have thought!!!
Sadly, we couldn't get tickets this year - but there'll be a chance to go back I'm sure.