Madhuri Dixit for the first time on Dance India Dance

11122013

 

Apart from her timeless beauty, if there’s one thing the Dhak Dhak girl has always stood for, it is DANCE! It is only natural, then, that viewers have wondered when they will get to see Madhuri Dixit, the darling of millions, on India’s biggest dance reality show – Dance India Dance. Be it as a result of contractual obligations or other circumstances that came in the way, Madhuri has been one celebrity guest conspicuous by her absence on a platform dedicated to the celebration of sheer excellence in dance. But the wait is finally over … and the gorgeous screen goddess will soon be seen on DID at 9 PM on Saturday, 14^th December promoting her next big-ticket release Dedh Ishqiya.   

Her upcoming visit to the sets of the show has stirred up a lot of excitement amongst the judges, host and the contestants of the show … with each one planning what they’d like to say to her, what dance acts they would like to put up in front of her, how they’d love to make her dance to their favorite Madhuri number!

Master Shruti Merchant who has had the privilege of choreographing Madhuri in Aaja Nachle says, “It’s a towering responsibility on any choreographer’s shoulders to work with Madhuri as it is criminal not to leverage her immense prowess as a dancer and extract her absolute best. The challenge with her is to present her in a breathtaking manner that she has so far not been seen in! And reinventing Madhuri who has already displayed such vast range and versatility is never easy! The bottom line is it’s a delight and an honor to work with her! ”

Master Feroz reveals, “Madhuri and I have danced together in Kay Sera Sera… I was a background dancer back then … In fact, there’s a prominent portion of the song where she punches me in the face. I remember she was unwell when she came down to learn the choreography from Prabhu sir and despite that, she had the entire number firmly set and in smooth sync within hours of her first briefing.”   

If there’s one contestant who has not been able to sleep ever since she’s heard about Madhuri’s upcoming visit, that would have to be 21 year Swarali … the Mumbai chi Marathi Mulgi  has idolized Madhuri ever since she was knee-high and has won several dance competitions performing to her numbers. She says, ”I am worried by the time Madhuri Ji comes on the sets, I will be worn out with my over-excitement. For me, Madhuri is God and I cannot sleep until I see her now”

Stay tuned to this space for more on this exciting episode of Dance India Dance with dancing queen Madhuri Dixit!

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Manini Mishra in Diya Aur Baati Hum

11122013

Manini Mishra, who is best remembered for her mean & unconventional characters in various television shows, is all set to play a strict, disciplinarian fitness & training coach in Star Plus⠄iya aur Baati Hum.

Putting an end to various speculations, the producer Sumeet Mittal says, 㔨e role of Sandhya’s training coach is very crucial in the show and Manini fits the part perfectly. She is a strong actress and she can carry off this part with ease.伯span>

With Sandhya (essayed by Deepika Singh) going to leave home soon to undertake the IPS training, new set of characters are being introduced to step up the drama and build the track around her IPS journey. Manini’s role will be on the lines of Prakash RajⳊin༩>Bhaag Milkha Bhaag.༯i> Others who had been approached for the role before Manini got finalised were Mita Vashisth, Mandira Bedi and Vidya Malawde.

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Diya aur Baati Hum to be shot in Karnal

 With Sandhya of Star Plus’ most viewed show ‘Diya Aur Baati Hum’ gearing up for her IPS training, the production house has been busy scouting for locations where they can shoot this training sequence. They went to various places like Hyderabad, Dehradun to look for the perfect training ground for Sandhya.

According to a source, the hunt is finally over as the makers have decided to shoot at the Haryana Police Commando Complex in Newal, Karnal. The team conducted a recce of the location last week and has finalized it.

The cast & crew will head to Karnal around mid December for a 15-day shoot. When contacted producer Mr. Sumeet Mittal, he told us, “This is an important sequence on the show and we wanted to choose a location which gives a real picture of an IPS training regime. We have chosen Karnal as the location.“

 To find out more, tune in to Star Plus, every Monday- Friday at 9.00 pm!

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LalludasDesai,the minister of Last Nawab of Bharuch:Talk Dr Samira

11122013

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Procam International announces detailed arrangements for Airtel Delhi Half Marathon 2013

11122013

New Delhi, 11th December 2013: Procam International, promoters of the Airtel Delhi Half Marathon, unveiled the Route Map for the event and outlined the medical facilities and other arrangements that will be put in place for the 31,000 plus participants expected to run on race day. Present on the occasion was Anil Shukla, Additional Commissioner of Police, Traffic, Dr Tamorish Kotel, Medical Director of the Race, Race Director Hugh Jones and Vivek B Singh, Jt. Managing Director of Procam International.

Anil Shukla, Additional Commissioner of Police, Traffic said “It gives me great pleasure to be a part of the Airtel Delhi Half Marathon and it’s good to see that the event has grown in every manner. This is definitely a long route and we will have our team in full strength to support the event. We close certain routes from 6 am.

“For this year, we have created a few diversions. There is a right turn on Bhishma Pitamah Marg and a left turn on Lodhi Road among others. The people of Delhi have always been supportive and the enthusiasm they share is great,” he added.

Medical Partner Max Healthcare will ensure that every participant has a safe a healthy run and have made elaborate arrangements for the same. “There will two Base Stations, including one especially for Senior Citizens, and six medical stations along the route. Seven advanced Cardiac Life Support ambulances will be pressed into service and manning these will be over 150 doctors, 50 physiotherapists and 100 plus nurses & paramedics,” stated Medical Director Dr. Tamorish Kole.

There will be one Base Camp at the Start and Finish of the Half Marathon and the Great Delhi Run, which will have between 50 to 60 beds, 1400 litres of water, 300 kgs of ice in cube form, Enerzal, 15 tables with drapes, first aid kits, medicines, relief sprays etc.

The second base camp will be at the Start/Finish of the Senior Citizens’ Run and will have around 12 beds with all of the above.

Each of the six medical stations along the route will have 300 litres of water, 150ks of ice, Gatorade, 2 tables with drapes, first aid kits, relief sprays etc.

To keep all participants sufficiently hydrated there will be 14 water stations along the route, from where around 85,000 litres of water will be distributed. These water stations will also distribute around 13,000 tetra packs of Enerzal to the participants. There will also be four orange stations from where oranges will be distributed..

Besides these arrangements, there would be sufficient Law & Order and Traffic Police on Race Day to prevent any untoward incidents. Their efforts would be supplemented by 800 private security guards and around 1000 volunteers. 

Arrangements have been made for a total of 100 Porta Pottys, from which 72 will be distributed in the holding areas at the J L N Stadium, while 28 will be stationed along the route.

Procam International has always ensured that thorough cleanup drives are conducted immediately after the event to restore the roads to the condition they were in prior to the event.

This year Procam International has appointed Indian Pollution Control Association (IPCA), who specialise in waste management, to undertake this task.

All the waste from 21 km route will be collected and brought to the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, where it will be segregated into dry and wet waste. The same will then be sent to the recycling plants.

All types of Plastic waste and PET bottles will be recycled into plastic granules, while paper waste of all kind will be recycled at the Muzaffarnagar Paper Mill.

The Airtel Delhi Half Marathon will be telecast live on Star Sports 4, the Channel Partner, from7.00 am to 10.00 am with a Simulcast on DD Sports, the Broadcast Partner.

The Airtel Delhi Half Marathon 2012 for Elite men will start at 7.20 am, followed by the Half Marathon for Elite women at 7.25 am. The Open Half Marathon will start at 7.40 am, followed by the Champions With Disability Event at 8.10am, the Senior Citizens’ Run at 8.20 am and the Great Delhi Run at 9.30 am.

For further information, please contact:

CONCEPT PR

Animesh Biswas +91 9891789639 animesh@conceptpr.com

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Latest Adobe Stats Show Rapid Growth in Digital Publication Readership

11122013

Posted on December 11, 2013 by sagarmedia

Free License to Adobe’s .folio File Specification Aids Expansion of Digital Publishing Industry

India, New Delhi. —December 11, 2013 — Adobe (Nasdaq:ADBE) today released data that shows Adobe® Digital Publishing Suite (DPS) is powering significant circulation growth and reader engagement in digital magazines. Since the launch of Adobe DPS, less than three years ago, more than 150 million digital publications have been downloaded on mobile devices. And in the last twelve months publishers have added more than three times as many unique readers to their digital editions, when compared to 2012.  Data also shows readers are engaging deeply with the digital magazines, with subscribers spending an average of 50 minutes* in DPS digital issues each month. Building on this momentum Adobe today announced that, in Q1 2014, it will publish the technical specification for the .folio format for digital magazines under a free license. This will further accelerate digital publication adoption, enabling newsstands to produce their own viewing apps capable of displaying digital magazines built using DPS.

DPS Features Power Reader Engagement

Consumer marketing tools included in DPS magazine apps are helping drive readership growth and can be customized for each title. Features include social sharing of articles on major social networks, including Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest; free preview capabilities for individual articles or entire issues; and custom push notifications that alert readers to new content. These tools have engaged new readers and increased content sales for publishers by improving discovery, immediate access to content and timing/placement of purchase offers. Adobe has published a best practices guide to assist publishers in taking full advantage of DPS features to generate awareness, collect data, formulate optimal pricing and subscription offers, and ultimately maximize readership and purchase conversion. DPS is also used by companies and educational institutions to build beautiful app experiences for their employees and customers.

.folio to be Offered Under Free License

Publishers are increasingly seeking to leverage DPS as their primary digital publishing platform across operating systems and newsstands, including those where DPS magazine apps are not available. In order to maximize reach for digital magazines built using DPS, Adobe will publish, in Q1 2014, the technical specification for the .folio format for digital magazines under a free license. .folio is the format in which all DPS magazines are published and has become the de facto standard for interactive digital editions. This free license will enable any newsstand licensee to implement its own .folio viewer.

Quotes

Nick Bogaty, head of digital publishing, Adobe

·         “As the leading digital publishing platform, DPS powers more than three quarters of all digital issues consumed on mobile devices. Engaging reading experiences combined with in-app consumer marketing capabilities provide publishers with the tools they need to continue generating explosive growth in digital circulation. This makes DPS a powerful solution for driving sales of digital content as well as high-value advertising experiences.”

·         “Adobe has a long tradition of creating and supporting open file formats to enable content publishing and distribution.  PDF was instrumental to the advent of desktop publishing and document sharing, and our work in Web standards, including HTML5, has advanced what’s possible to do on the Web and in mobile apps.  We are thrilled to make .folio available for free use to accelerate the growth of digital magazines and other publications.”

Adobe’s newly appointed head of digital publishing for Asia Pacific, Michael Stoddart

·         “In the last 12 months media publishers in Australia have recognised the opportunities presented by digital and publishers including News Limited, Pacific Magazines, NewsLifeMedia and Bauer have all begun their digital transformations with Adobe DPS. In 2014, we expect to see more commercial entities shift to digital as they recognize the opportunities it can deliver. Already we have seen NRMA’s Open Road and David Jones validate Adobe’s DPS platform beyond traditional publishing.”

·         “Data that allows brands to forge a direct relationship with customers is the key driver of digital publishing. Adobe DPS brings together social sharing, digital marketing and direct engagement which leads to a more personalised, deeper and long term relationship.”

·         “Saving costs and avoiding paper wastage are obvious benefits of digital. Digital platforms also allow companies to be more nimble with their marketing campaigns. Brands can adapt marketing campaigns to market conditions quickly and easily on a digital platform.”

·         “Developers and partners across Australia and New Zealand will view this opening of the .folio format as an opportunity to develop solutions that are standardized on an industry-recognised format and applicable to specific local market requirements.”

Helpful Links

·         Adobe DPS Blog

·         Dive deeper into the DPS consumer marketing tools in a whitepaper by Adobe:Driving Digital Readership

·         Additional information on DPS customers: DPS Customer Gallery

·         For product features, pricing and language versions:www.adobe.com/digitalpublishing

·         DPS on Facebook

·         DPS on Twitter

*Source: Aggregated Adobe Digital Publishing Analytics

About Adobe Systems Incorporated

Adobe is changing the world through digital experiences. For more information, visitwww.adobe.com/au. For updates and news about Adobe Australia, follow us on Twitter or like us on Facebook at AdobeANZ and AdobeStudentsANZ

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LG launches World’s First -Curved OLED TV & Curved flexing smartphone

11122013

LG breaks all the barriers of imagination and launches

World’s First -Curved OLED TV & Curved flexing smartphone

New Delhi, 11^th December 2013– LG Electronics today showcased revolution that created waves in the world and is here to take India by surprise. Setting a new milestone in the evolution of the smart screen, LG proudly announced the India arrival of the World’s first stunning range of Curved products, World’s first LG Curved OLED TV, the 55EA9800 and LG G Flex, the world’s first curved flexing smartphone. With the curved range of displays and flexible screens, LG continues to pioneer on futuristic technologies to create premium products.

The industry’s very first curved screen LG 55″ Curved OLED TV features a path breaking ergonomic design with full CINEMA 3D support, cinematic experience and proprietary WRGB technology. The incredibly thin display has a gentle inward flex design, removing the problem of screen-edge visual distortion and detail loss.

The LG G Flex is the latest device in LG’s premium G Series. The G Flex incorporates proprietary innovations from other LG companies in the form of the display and battery such as LG Display and LG Chem. The LG G Flex has captivated early adopters everywhere as the first smartphone curved to follow the contour of the human face, made possible with the implementation of the world’s first curved smartphone battery.

Mr. Soon Kwon, MD – LG India said, “We are proud to present LG Curved OLED TV and LG G Flex Smartphone, world’s first curved technology products to India. India is a strategic market for LG and we are the first company to launch the curved series in this market. The unique and immersive curved design will provide consumers with an ultimate viewing experience. We have initiated a wave of groundbreaking innovation for the industry and also created a milestone for ourselves. We have surpassed anything seen before with our latest innovative creations.”

“The Home Entertainment and Mobile segment is fueled by constant change and growth with new products entering the market every day. Both these segments are growth engines for LG India, and we will strengthen the product portfolio further with new launches. Our target is to capture 30% market share in flat panels and 10% market share in smart phones by end of next year,” added Kwon.

LG CURVED OLED

Picture Perfect

LG’s groundbreaking Curved OLED TV (55EA9800) features unique 4-color pixel technology, a staggeringly thin display (just 4.3mm), a dramatic Curved design and a vivid picture quality that is practically indiscernible from colors found in nature. LG’s Curved OLED TV truly represents the future of TV and is the culmination of years of research and development, with LG committed to continued investment in this technology. LG Curved OLED TV features perfect contrast, absolute motion clarity and a display that produces a pristine image no matter the viewing angle.

Vivid Color and Infinite Contrast

The features that put this television above the rest include its vivid 4 color pixel technology that adds a white sub-pixel to the conventional red, green and blue pixels. The television also allows for ultimate contrast with independently lighted pixels to control their own luminance. Images are now as alive as life, since the contrast ratio is well beyond conventional measure. With self-lighting pixel technology, the TV can range from blazing white to the darkest black with a greater sense of realism and depth on all content.

Clear Speaker

LG’s Clear Speakers offer high quality sound to match the picture quality of the OLED TV. The two channel speaker system consists of thin ceramic film speakers that produce elegant sound. With refined sound at the higher frequencies, you can always enjoy crystal-clear sound at any range or level ahead of conventional display.

Magic Remote

Simple and fun way to choose what one wants to watch. It has features like Gesture, Pointing, Wheel, Voice, and Universal Control; which is the most convenient and advanced TV remote.

The LG Curved OLED 55EA9800 will be available for Rs. 999,000 and is available across LG best shops.

LG G Flex Smartphone

Form + Function: Design that Understands Human Curves

The vertically curved design of the LG G Flex reduces the distance between one’s mouth to the microphone when the device is held against the ear, as traditional telephone handsets used to. The LG G Flex employs a curvature arc that is optimized for the average face, to deliver improved voice and sound quality. The curved form increases the sound level by 3dB compared to typical flat smartphones. The curved design also offers a more reassuring grip and fits more comfortably in one’s back pocket. Also, in landscape mode, the display offers a cinematic experience, with the result being the most comfortable viewing angle for watching videos or playing games. LG G Flex also features the Rear Key first introduced in the LG G2. Devoid of any buttons on the sides, there is less chance of accidentally powering off the phone and the convenience of using one’s index finger to adjust the volume when conversing is maintained.

Innovation Delivered Through Collaboration

The development of LG G Flex was only possible through the successful collaboration with sister companies LG Display and LG Chem. The 6-inch display found in the G Flex is the world’s largest Plastic OLED (POLED) display developed and mass produced specifically for smartphones. The ultra-thin, ultra-light flexible POLED display and curved OLED panel are built on plastic substrates instead of glass, giving LG G Flex its unique shape and durability. The POLED display is brighter and more precise thanks to the application of Real RGB, which contains all three sub-pixels — red, green and blue — in one pixel.

User-Centered Technologies

Among the several new technologies, the LG G Flex is the first smartphone to apply a “Self-Healing” coating on the back cover. The elastic coating has the ability to recover from the daily wear-and-tear scratches and nicks that un-cased smartphones are likely to receive, keeping the G Flex looking newer longer.

LG G Flex will be available in India in February 2014.

About LG Electronics, Inc.

LG Electronics India Pvt. Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of LG Electronics, South Korea was established in January 1997 in India. It is one of the most formidable brands in consumer electronics, home appliances, IT hardware and mobile communications space. In India for a decade, LG has earned a premium brand positioning and is the acknowledged trendsetter for the industry.

LGEIL’s manufacturing unit at Greater Noida is one of the most eco-friendly units among all LG manufacturing plants in the world. The second Greenfield facility is located at Ranjangaon; Pune has the capacity to manufacture, LED TVs, Air Conditioners, washing machine and refrigerators.

Media Contact:

Neeta Linz- neeta.linz@lge.com

Arem Mukim- arem.mukim@lge.com

Divya Khurana- divya.khurana@lg-one.com

Shubreet Sidhu- Shubreet.sidhu@lg-one.com

Kshitija Sharma- Kshitija.sharma@lg-one.com

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On Human Rights Day,People’s Movements Assert Right to Life,

11122013

Human Rights Day

People’s Movements Assert Right to Life, Dignity and Nature

and Expose Failure of Rights Institutions and the State   

Mumbai / Nagpur / Delhi, December 10 : Today is Human Rights Day. It is a recognition of the rights of the people but will mean nothing if people across the globe didn’t fight to assert those rights and fight for it.

On this day hundreds of working class people living in slums, bastis, resettlement colonies of Mumbai, under the banner of Ghar Bachao Ghar Banao Andolan, protested in front of State Human Rights Commission, Maharashtra demanding its complete failure in protecting their rights. They charged complete absence of basic amenities – water, sanitation, electricity, education and health services. Rights bodies in State have failed to prevent or provide relief when their homes have been demolished unjustly by the administration or been arbitrarily arrested for defending their homes from getting demolished. Can Rights bodies ensure their safety and protect their constitutional rights, they ask ?

With no permanent shelter and a sword of demolition hanging over their permanent houses, state refuses to recognise their right to livelihood and shelter. Is this not human rights violation? Is this not a threat to the right to life ? Why is Commission silent on this ?

NAPM along with the National Sugar factory Workers Federation launched Sahkar Bachao, Desh Bachao dharna on the second day of the Mahrashtra Vidhan Sabha in Nagpur. The unpaid workers of the sugar factories and farmers, whose land had been taken over by the mills, have joined the rally. Not only were Sugar factories sold at throwaway prices, the workers have not been paid their dues and farmers not been returned their deposit amount along with interest too. Farmers had given their land for cooperative factories and not private units. They should be returned their land. A 20,000 crore scam has taken place in connivance with the political party leaders of Congress, NCP and BJP.

In Delhi, Pension Parishad’s dharna entered 15th day today at Jantar Mantar. In the winter of Delhi nearly 500 elderly people from across the country have been holding on the footpath of Delhi demanding their right to a dignified life, demanding a pension of Rs. 2000, linked with the inflation, which is a meagre Rs. 200 at the moment. Is that too much to ask from a democratically elected State with pretensions of being a socialist republic ? Why is the rights bodies failing to take note of such issues ?

In Muzzafarnagar, more than 30 children die living in the relief camps in this winter after the worst riots with no place to go and the rights bodies, minority, sc/st or woment commissions look other way and have no power to deal with this.

Today, the world is going under control of corporates be it Deshi or Videshi. Nature based communities are being displaced by the corporates with help of the state every now and then across the country in complete violations of their rights. Thousands of people in Koodankulam, Posco, Niyamgiri, Chhindwara and elsewhere are charged with sedition charges because of upholding the rights given in the constitution. A large number of young people from Muslim community are in Indian jails today in fabricated cases with false implications. Is that not a violation of their human rights ?

The time has come when there is an urgent need to address not only the social and political rights of the people but the special rights of the nature based communities to their livelihood, which includes access to land, water, forests, minerals and eek a honest living. Rights bodies, be it NHRC, SHRC, NCW, SC/STC, NCM or others, they all have a role to play in this, more so when State itself violates the rights of the people.

We are besotted with new problems today, manifesting themselves in the climate crisis, having a serious impact on the earth and human beings. Our development model needs to change, the iniquitous growth will lead us no where, this will mean disaster for humanity. It is time we woke up to that.

Medha Patkar - Narmada Bachao Andolan – National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM); Prafulla Samantara - Lok Shakti Abhiyan, NAPM, Odisha; Dr. Sunilam, Aradhna Bhargava - Kisan Sangharsh Samiti, NAPM, MP; Gautam Bandopadhyay – Nadi Ghati Morcha, NAPM, Chhattisgarh; Vilas Bhongade, Suniti SR, Prasad Bagwe - NAPM, Maharashtra; Gabriel Dietrich, Geetha Ramakrishnan – Unorganised Sector Workers Federation, NAPM, TN; C R Neelakandan – NAPM Kerala; Ramakrishnan Raju, Saraswati Kavula, P Chennaiah – NAPM Andhra Pradesh, Bhupender Singh Rawat, Rajendra Ravi, Anita Kapoor – NAPM, Delhi; Arundhati Dhuru, Sandeep Pandey - NAPM, UP; Sister Celia - Domestic Workers Union, NAPM, Karnataka; Sumit Wanjale, Madhuri Shivkar – Ghar Bachao, Ghar Banao Andolan, NAPM, Mumbai; Manish Gupta - Jan Kalyan Upbhokta Samiti, NAPM, UP; Vimal Bhai - Matu Jan sangathan, NAPM, Uttarakhand; Krishnakant, Anand Mazhgaonkar, Paryavaran Suraksh Samiti, NAPM Gujarat

– 

===============================================

National Alliance of People’s Movements6/6, Jangpura B, Mathura Road, New Delhi 110014
Phone : 011 26241167 / 24354737 Mobile : 09818905316
Web : www.napm-india.org

Facebook : www.facebook.com/NAPMindia

Twitter : @napmindia

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Delhi Male policemen assaulting and beating Catholic sisters

11122013

Delhi police today lathicharged and watercannoned Christian bishops, nuns, pastors and others who were leading a peaceful march of Dalit Christians and Muslims at Parliament street demanding schedule caste rights for Dalit Christians and Muslims.

Several priests and nuns and lay leaders were inured badly in the lathicharge. Thereafter, the Christians courted arrest and were taken to parliament street police station.

This is the first time after 27^th November 1997 that Bishops and Church leaders have been arrested for espousing the Dalit cause.

Among the arrested were Delhi Archbishop Anil Couto, CNI Genral Secretary Alwan Masih, EFI’s Rev. Vijayesh Lal, NCCI’s Dr. Roger Gaikwad, NCDC President Mary John, Delhi Minorities Commission Member A C Michael, National Integration Council Member and All India Christian Council Secretary General Dr. John Dayal and Member of Parliament Anwar Ali.

A complaint has been lodged with the women cell of the police station against the Delhi police for male policemen assaulting and beating Catholic sisters and other women with lathis and manhandling some of them. There was no woman police present at the spot.

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Events photographed

11122013

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Delhi Economic Conclave Dec 11-12

11122013

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A moving tribute to a legendary figure Nelson Mandela

11122013

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

A moving tribute to a legendary figure Nelson Mandela’s struggle against South African apartheid inspired millions. And his great call for justice and equality continues to resonate around the world, as new generations of young people pursue the ideals he embraced. Earlier today in Johannesburg, President Obama paid tribute to a hero and a leader — and spoke about the path that’s still ahead. It’s a powerful, moving speech. Watch this tribute to Nelson Mandela: Stay Connected

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ECHO’s International Agriculture conference. ECHO

11122013

Dear Naresh,Greetings from Ft. Myers, Florida where I’m speaking at ECHO’s International Agriculture conference. ECHO has been working for more than 30 years to help development practitioners around the world disseminate information about sustainable farming practices to communities. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the conference and experts from all over the world are gathered to discuss innovative ways of alleviating hunger and poverty while protecting biodiversity and natural resources. This week, we’re focusing Food Tank’s newsletter on the challenges–and opportunities–older people have in accessing healthy foods and also how they’re sharing their knowledge with younger generations. The number and proportion of older persons–defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as over 60 years old–are growing in almost all countries. On a worldwide level, the elderly population has grown at an average annual rate of 13 percent.By 2050, the over 65 population will grow to be 1.9 billion people, 840 million of whom will be living low-income countries. In 2011, nearly 20 percent of Greece’s population was over age 65. In China, 123 million people are over the age of 65. Brazil projects 30 percent of its population will be aged 60 and over by 2050. By 2020, the population in the United States over the age of 65 is expected to increase to about 55 million. To meet these challenges, many organizations around the world are realizing the importance of making sure that older people are getting the nutrition they need to stay active and healthy for as long as possible. And many older people are staying active in their communities, teaching younger generations about gardening and farming, food culture, and traditional cuisines. Here are 11 programs and projects aiding older people in appropriate nutritional education, connecting them to kids, or providing access to healthy food and active lifestyles. NOTE: You can view this article on the web by clickingHERE. 1. Danny Woo Garden and Children’s Garden Located in the heart of downtown Seattle, the Danny Woo Community Garden was created in 1975 and makes up part of 1.5 acres of the largest green space in Seattle’s Chinatown/International District (C/ID). It consists of 100 plots, tended by 70 elderly Asian gardeners and is an important place where low-income gardeners can socialize, get exercise, and raise vegetables that reflect their cultural foods of choice. In 2009 the Children’s Garden began an intergenerational component which is a unique opportunity for immigrant elderly gardeners, most of whom do not speak English, to both teach and learn from the youth who are learning to garden through the Children’s Garden Educational Program. 2. Fly the Phoenix This charity has projects in Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Ecuador and Peru. Fly the Phoenix believes education and food are basic human rights. Sarah Riggott, CEO of Fly the Phoenix, reported that their older people’s program has been handing out food for some time, but now they are trial-ing veggie gardens. These gardens are in several countries and bring together whole families as well as provide nutrition to elders. Fly the Phoenix strives to keep older people as involved in the community as much as possible. 3. Gift of the Givers Foundation In South Africa, about 1,000 Limpopo pensioners who care for their orphaned grandchildren received much needed blankets and food parcels from Gift of the Givers. They are the largest food parcel delivery agency in South Africa. This international non-governmental organization (NGO) responds to hunger crisis, feeding elders and their families through a fast, inexpensive, and efficient system of donations. 4. HelpAge International  This global network helps older people claim their rights, challenge discrimination and overcome poverty, so that they can lead dignified, secure, active and healthy lives. They provide older people skills to start urban and rural microenterprises and the network also runs socio-legal counseling centers (COSL) in Lima and Ayacucho, Peru helping teach older people about their rights and helping them access legal benefits and state services to which they are entitled. 5. MyPlate for Older Adults The Elder Nutrition and Food Safety (ENAFS) program partnered with faculty and staff at the University of Florida to review and update the 2006 publication, “MyPyramid for Older Adults,” to make it consistent with new dietary guidance and the USDA’s new MyPlate. MyPlate for Older Adults was introduced in September 2011 and includes lower calorie levels in the food plan due to the lower caloric needs of elderly. It also includes foods that are easy to purchase, chew/swallow, and/or prepare. 6. Newbridge on the Charles Retired psychiatrist, Joseph Sabbath, lives on this 162 acre wooded campus. The grounds include both a school and a retirement community, which provides the opportunity for the elderly and school children to create intergenerational relationships through the Newbridge garden. The garden includes 30 raised beds which are accessible to seniors. Sabbath explains, “The garden gives them [school children] the chance to understand the role of food and vegetables in everyday life.” Every spring and fall a group of students work with the retirement community to tend to the garden, while seniors educate them on the importance of food and how it is grown. “It’s a wonderful outlet,” said Sabbath of the garden. 7. Pigsah In Hebrew, Pigsah translates to “the mountain top where Moses saw the promised land.” The Pigsah facility in Los Angeles, CA has been developed by the Women Organizing Resources, Knowledge, and Services (WORKS) organization to house 75 low income elderly citizens and provide access to healthy food and companionship. 8. Physical Activity and Nutrition (PAN) Project In Japan, the country is referred to as a “super-aging society,” which is why International Life Sciences Institute (ILSI) Japan decided to target middle-aged and elderly people to help them improve exercise and dietary habits. Since 2001, two programs have been created; a Lifestyle Modification program (LiSM10!) to prevent obesity, and TAKE10! to prevent elderly from becoming bed-ridden by targeting behavioral changes. 9. Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP) This program awards grants to U.S. states and territories, as well as federally recognized Indian tribal governments, to provide low-income seniors with coupons that can be exchanged for fresh produce, including fruits, vegetables, honey, and fresh-cut herbs at farmers’ markets, roadside stands, and community-supported agriculture programs. 10. Sustainable Garden Project In Australia, this project was an initiative of Jeff Herd of the Department of Human Services (DHS) as a Neighborhood Renewal project. DHS saw the need for aging residents to have low maintenance and sustainable garden plots. The project helped 15 clients with their gardens allowing them to remain independent in their homes. The project brought people all ages together including; clients, volunteers, client’s children and project coordinators. 11. UGArden This student organization at the University of Georgia seeks to promote the social, environmental, and nutritional benefits of sustainable gardening through the creation of a student-run community garden. UGArden is dedicated to the management of a 1-acre garden plot and has become a teaching garden for students. UGArden produce is also used to help alleviate poverty and hunger in the senior citizen population of Athens, GA. Produce is prepared by Campus Kitchen volunteers and delivered to elderly citizens. Don’t forget to share this article by clicking HERE and please email me at danielle@foodtank.org with any other suggestions of projects we should include! Onward! Danielle Nierenberg Co-Founder, Food Tank foodtank.org Email: danielle@foodtank.org Phone: 202-590-1037 Let’s Connect!: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn,  Pinterest, YouTube, Instagram, Google+ & Flickr! Ageless Agriculture To meet challenges of an aging population, many organizations around the world are realizing the importance of making sure that older people are getting the nutrition they need to stay active and healthy for as long as possible. 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