Nestled along the Arabian Sea, Mumbai, India’s bustling metropolis, epitomizes the juxtaposition of extremes – wealth and poverty, tradition and modernity, chaos and serenity. Let’s delve into the intricate fabric of Mumbai’s urban landscape, exploring its intricate strain network, burgeoning subway system, economic disparities, and cinematic allure, while drawing comparisons with Delhi, Kolkata, and New York City.
The subway in Mumbai rivals any in the world. The subway cars were built in China with funds borrowed from Japan.
Subway Cars built in China with Funds Loaned from Japan
At the heart of Mumbai’s bustling streets lies its lifeline – the intricate train network, affectionately known as the “Mumbai locals.” These overcrowded trains crisscross the city, ferrying millions of commuters to their destinations every day. The strain network is not merely a mode of transportation but a symbol of Mumbai’s resilience and vitality. Despite its challenges, including overcrowding and safety concerns, the strain network remains indispensable, connecting people from all walks of life and serving as a testament to Mumbai’s spirit of endurance.
In recent years, Mumbai has embarked on a transformative journey with the introduction of its new subway system, the Mumbai Metro. Designed to alleviate congestion and provide faster, more efficient transportation options, the Mumbai Metro represents a bold step towards modernizing the city’s infrastructure. With its sleek design and state-of-the-art facilities, the Mumbai Metro is reshaping the urban landscape, offering commuters a comfortable and convenient alternative to the traditional strain network.
Local Mumbai train taken from a train ride from Andheri to Churchgate in Mumbai. Photo: Nestor Lacle.
Stark Disparities Between Rich and Poor
However, Mumbai’s story is not just one of progress and prosperity. The city’s economic landscape is marked by stark disparities between the rich and the poor. On one hand, Mumbai boasts a glittering skyline dotted with luxury high-rises, corporate headquarters, and extravagant malls, symbolizing the aspirations of India’s burgeoning middle class and elite. On the other hand, sprawling slums and makeshift dwellings dot the city’s peripheries, home to millions of impoverished residents struggling to make ends meet.
The juxtaposition of wealth and poverty is perhaps best exemplified in the iconic film “Slumdog Millionaire,” which was shot on location in Mumbai. The film vividly captures the city’s vibrant street life, bustling markets, and sprawling slums, offering a glimpse into the lives of its diverse inhabitants. “Slumdog Millionaire” serves as a poignant reminder of Mumbai’s complex social fabric, where dreams and despair coexist amidst the chaos of everyday life.
Despite Dharavi‘s negative light as a filthy Mumbai slum with people living in poor conditions it is also known to be industrious and enterprising.
Comparisons between Mumbai and other Indian cities, such as Delhi and Kolkata, offer further insights into the country’s urban landscape. Delhi, India’s capital, is renowned for its rich history, political significance, and expansive boulevards. Kolkata, on the other hand, exudes a distinct cultural charm, with its colonial architecture, literary heritage, and bustling street markets. While each city has its unique character and challenges, Mumbai stands out for its relentless energy, entrepreneurial spirit, and unparalleled diversity.
Mumbai from A to Z
Aspirational – Mumbai attracts migrants from across India seeking opportunities, making it a city of dreams and ambition.
Chaotic – The traffic, crowds and pace of life in Mumbai can feel chaotic and overwhelming at times.
Contrasting – Mumbai juxtaposes wealth and poverty, with gleaming skyscrapers next to sprawling slums.
Cosmopolitan – As a global financial center, Mumbai has a diverse, international population and culture.
Crowded – With a population of over 20 million, Mumbai is densely populated, especially in the slums and informal settlements.
Diverse – The city is home to people from all backgrounds, religions and cultures, creating a rich tapestry of diversity.
Noisy – Mumbai is one of the noisiest cities in India, with constant traffic, construction and human activity.
Polluted – Air and noise pollution are major issues in the densely populated, industrialized city.
Resilient – Despite the challenges, Mumbaikars are known for their grit, determination and ability to adapt.
Vibrant – Mumbai is a lively, energetic city full of activity and color.
Zonal – Mumbai is divided into distinct zones or areas, each with its own unique features and characteristics.
Contrasting Mumbai with global metropolises like New York City reveals both similarities and differences. Like New York City, Mumbai is a melting pot of cultures, a hub of commerce and creativity, and a magnet for ambitious individuals seeking to fulfill their dreams. However, Mumbai’s urban landscape is characterized by greater extremes of wealth and poverty, a more chaotic and congested transportation network, and a unique blend of traditional and modern architecture.
Mumbai is a city of contrasts and connections, where the old and the new, the rich and the poor, converge in a vibrant tapestry of urban life. From its intricate strain network to its burgeoning subway system, from its economic disparities to its cinematic allure, Mumbai embodies the complexities and contradictions of modern India. As the city continues to evolve and grow, it will undoubtedly remain a source of inspiration, fascination, and intrigue for generations to come.
U.S.S. Buchanan, one of six destroyers leaving Boston for delivery to London in 1940, under Lend-Lease.Photo: U.S. Naval Institute.
Naval History Magazine of the U.S. Naval Institute By Captain Michael A. Lilly, U.S. Navy (Retired)
Before U.S. entry into World War II, a deal was made to avail England of U.S. destroyers then in mothballs—but it took some crafty manipulation of the famous Time-Life publisher and his equally famous wife to make it happen.
Washington, D.C. In 1981, my grandmother Una Walker asked me to deliver several germinating coconut trees to her lifelong friend, the famed writer and editor Clare Boothe Luce (widow of Henry “Harry” Luce, the pioneering publisher of Time, Life, and other magazines). Clare was living at her Kahala beach house on the island of Oahu. At that time, Clare revealed to me that, back in the early days of World War II, she and Harry’s unwitting participation in a tale of international manipulation and intrigue involving the Lend‑Lease plan had helped save England from Hitler.
Clare’s maid answered my knock and ushered me to a small alcove overlooking a pool and spacious lawn. Soon, I heard Clare’s cultured voice behind me: “Well, Michael . . .”
I turned to see Clare—then in her senior years, but elegant and dynamic. Her skin was flawless, “translucent as a pearl” as one author put it. There was very little about her that suggested her age. She was graceful and beautiful.
“Come kiss your Auntie Clare,” she said with her arms outstretched. “Don’t you look marvelous. If I recall correctly, the last time we were together, you caught me a lobster for lunch.”
Prime Minister Winston Churchill is welcomed aboard the USS Augusta during the historic Atlantic Charter meeting, which lasted from August 9-12, 1941. Photo: U.S. Naval Institute Photo Archive.
“Yes, I remember catching it for you.” As I grew up, Clare frequently stayed at my grandparents’ beach home, “Muliwai,” on the north shore of Oahu. It had been Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz’s weekend hideaway during the Pacific war.
After exchanging pleasantries, Clare settled back and said that, under then-President Ronald Reagan, “I’ve finally got my old job back. I’m on the President’s Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board—a sort of secret, hush‑hush group of people that reviews intelligence information. We make recommendations to the President. I had the job under [President Richard] Nixon. Then I was out under that pitiful [Jimmy] Carter. And now I am back again.”
Clare had a remarkable ability to bring any subject to life. As did anyone who came within her charming sphere, I became instantly captivated.
“You know,” she continued, “intelligence, in the spy game, is really three factors: the gathering of data, its evaluation, and its dissemination to those who need it.”
Her intelligence board consisted of specially selected civilians who evaluated intelligence information for the President. The idea was that private citizens brought a fresh perspective to intelligence that was sometimes more effective than relying only on professional evaluations.
“This is fascinating, Clare,” I interjected, “because I recently read a book, A Man Called Intrepid, about the best spies in England before World War II being informal groups of civilians who foresaw the inevitability of war with Hitler.”
“Well,” smiled Clare with a twinkle in her eye, “you’ll recall my name in that book, along with Greta Garbo’s. And there’s an interesting tale I learned as a result of that book and other declassified sources after my husband Harry died.”
That is when she launched into her story about her and her husband’s pivotal role in helping Winston Churchill defeat Adolf Hitler.
“You see, Harry came to me one night before we had entered the war and said, ‘Clare, I had lunch with Churchill’s emissary, Bill Stephenson, and I came up with a wonderful idea. You know all those old destroyers we have sitting around in mothballs? I think the President ought to give them to Churchill to fight Hitler!’
“Well, I said that was an excellent idea and suggested he call President [Franklin D.] Roosevelt, which he did. Later, we were invited to dinner and to spend the night with Roosevelt at the White House. Harry spent the evening talking with Roosevelt about the destroyers. And I,” continued Clare with a look of exasperation, “had to endure hours with that dreadful Harry Hopkins [a former social worker who became Roosevelt’s ‘ambassador‑at‑large’].
“Later that night we slept in the Lincoln Bed in the White House. As I lay there on my pillow, Harry leaned over and whispered in my ear, ‘Clare, I’ve convinced the President! He thinks it’s a great idea about the destroyers. Except he’s afraid of being called a warmonger and being impeached and all that. He says he’ll do it, but he wants me to support him with publicity in Time and Life. I said I’d do it.’
“Well, Harry gave the President the publicity, and eventually the destroyers were lent to England. That’s the story as Harry and I knew it back before the war. Then, after Harry died, that book, A Man Called Intrepid, came out, and lots of secrets from World War II were told for the first time. I finally learned what had really happened.
“You see, it all began with Churchill. He was fighting for the life of England and needed those old destroyers sitting around in mothballs in the United States. So, he asked his spy man William Stephenson, who he called ‘Intrepid,’ to convince Roosevelt to turn them over.
“So Stephenson went to Roosevelt and explained the situation to him. Roosevelt told Stephenson he couldn’t just turn them over to England because he’d be accused of being a warmonger and be impeached with all the isolationist sentiment in the country at that time.
“Stephenson wondered if there was any other way to get the destroyers. Roosevelt replied he could do it if he could get the right publicity. He suggested that Stephenson talk to Harry Luce with his Time–Life business and plant the idea of the destroyers in his head. Harry would then have to convince the President that the destroyers should be turned over. And the President would agree so long as Harry backed the idea with publicity.
“So Stephenson went to Harry and planted the idea. That was when Harry came to me with what he thought was his original idea about the destroyers.
Clare Booth Luce and the author in 1967 when he was still in college and working summers as a Pan Am passenger service agent, hence the uniform. Photo courtesy of author.
“All those years, Harry privately credited himself with getting the President to lend the destroyers to England. In fact, Churchill had come up with the idea of the destroyers in the first place and Roosevelt had come up with the idea of Harry.”
In part because of Harry Luce’s help, Roosevelt got the Lend‑Lease Act through Congress on 11 March 1941, the destroyers were lent to England, Roosevelt was called a warmonger but was not impeached, and England was saved from Hitler. And Clare Boothe Luce became a member of President Reagan’s intelligence committee.
And I learned it all because I dropped off some coconut seedlings at my “Auntie” Clare’s Kahala beach house.
Originally published in Naval History Magazine of the U.S. Naval Institute, December 2022
In the 1990s, I marched with ACT-UP and handed out condoms in the bars, bathhouses and back alleys of New York City. Here, with my second partner who I would kiss goodbye to on the subway platform as an act of defiance.
Results of the General Assembly’s vote on the resolution on the status of the Observer State of Palestine. U.N. Photo/Manuel Elías.
By adopting this resolution the General Assembly will upgrade the rights of the State of Palestine within the world body, but not the right to vote or put forward its candidature to such organs as the Security Council or the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).
New York, N.Y. The U.N. General Assembly convened again in New York on Friday for an emergency special session on the Gaza crisis and overwhelmingly passed a resolution which upgrades Palestine’s rights at the world body as an Observer State, without offering full membership. It urged the Security Council to give “favorable consideration” to Palestine’s request.
What does the resolution mean?
Here’s a quick recap of what this means: by adopting this resolution the General Assembly will upgrade the rights of the State of Palestine within the world body, but not the right to vote or put forward its candidature to such organs as the Security Council or the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).
Granting Palestinian membership requires a recommendation from the Security Council. At the same time, the Assembly determines that the State of Palestine is qualified for such status and recommends that the Security Council “reconsider the matter favourably”.
None of the upgrades in status will take effect until the new session of the Assembly opens on 10 September.
Here are some of the changes in status that Palestine will have a right to later this year:
To be seated among Member States in alphabetical order
Make statements on behalf of a group
Submit proposals and amendments and introduce them
Co-sponsor proposals and amendments, including on behalf of a group
Propose items to be included in the provisional agenda of the regular or special sessions and the right to request the inclusion of supplementary or additional items in the agenda of regular or special sessions
The right of members of the delegation of the State of Palestine to be elected as officers in the plenary and the Main Committees of the General Assembly
Full and effective participation in UN conferences and international conferences and meetings convened under the auspices of the General Assembly or, as appropriate, of other UN organs
6:04 PM
The meeting has adjourned for the day. Vice President Jörundur Valtýsson announced that the session will reconvene on Monday, 13 May, at 10 AM New York time.
For a full summary of this and other major UN meetings, visit UN Meetings Coverage in English and French.
4:59 PM
Saudi Arabia: Re-establish the truth
Saudi Arabian Ambassador Abdulaziz Alwasil recalled General Assembly resolutions adopted over the years that reaffirmed the rights of the Palestinian people, including their right to self-determination.
UN Photo
“The resolution presented today is fully in line with those resolutions. It seeks to implement the will of the international community and contribute to building true peace in the Middle East based on the two-State solution,” he said.
“It is high time for the international community to re-establish the truth because the world can no longer ignore the suffering of the Palestinian people that has lasted for decades,” he added.
Ambassador Alwasil further noted Israel, the occupying power, has perpetrated “all sorts of crimes” against Palestinian people, scorning international law.
“Israel is convinced that they are above these resolutions and that they enjoy a certain level of immunity…which explains their ongoing hostile and brutal policies,” he said.
He highlighted the dire situation in Rafah, the last refuge for the Palestinian people which was also densely populated by those displaced from elsewhere and called he for a strong international position to put an end to the Israeli practices in Gaza.
Concluding his statement, the Ambassador expressed Saudi Arabia’s commitment to supporting the right of Palestinian people to self-determination and to build their own independent State within the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, in line with relevant resolutions.
4:43 PM
China: Resolution reflects the will of the international community
Ambassador FU Cong of China said that Palestine should have the same status as Israel and that Palestinian people should enjoy the same rights as Israeli people.
UN Photo
“It is the common responsibility of the international community to support and advance the process of Palestinian independent Statehood, and provide strong support for the implementation of the two-State solution and a lasting peace in the Middle East,” he said.
He further noted that on the Palestinian-Israeli issue, the United States repeatedly used its veto “in an unjustified attempt” to obstruct the international community’s efforts to correct the “historical injustice long visited on Palestine”.
“It is not commensurate with the role of a responsible major country,” he said.
He also recalled the overwhelming support for the General Assembly resolution, adopted earlier in the day, reaffirming the right of Palestinian people to self-determination and recommending that the Security Council reconsider favourably its application to join the United Nations.
“China welcomes this historic resolution, which reflects the will of the international community,” Ambassador Fu said.
“We believe that the special modalities adopted within the limits permitted by the UN Charter will enable the international community to listen more adequately to the voice of Palestine and help it to talk and negotiate with Israel on a more equal footing.”
3:04 PM
Assembly President Francis resumed the meeting, with about 72 speakers left to take the floor. The spokesperson for the General Assembly announced earlier in the day that due to the number of remaining speakers, the meeting will likely continue on Monday.
1:07 PM
With the last speaker for the morning having delivered their statement, the President of the General Assembly adjourned the meeting. It will reconvene at 3 PM New York time.
1:00 PM
Switzerland: Ceasefire urgently needed
Swiss Ambassador Pascale Christine Baeriswyl explained that her country’s abstention from the vote was in line with its position at the Security Council last month.
UN Photo
“We felt that in view of the great instability prevailing in the region, this stage was not conducive to improving the situation,” she said.
“Without opposing it, we believe it would be preferable to consider admitting Palestine as a full member of the United Nations at time when such a step would insert itself in the logic of emerging peace,” she added, noting that such admission would have to follow the procedures enshrined in the UN Charter.
She also voiced Switzerland’s firm support to the two-State solution, stating that only a negotiated solution in which two States – Israel and Palestine – live side by side in peace and security can lead to lasting peace.
Ambassador Baeriswyl also voiced deep concern over the catastrophic situation of civilians in the ongoing conflict in Gaza, stating that it could worsen further in the event of a major Israeli military offensive in Rafah.
“Such a prospect is unacceptable, and Switzerland reaffirms its opposition to such an operation,” she said, emphasising the need to ensure protection of humanitarians and respect for international humanitarian and human rights laws.
In conclusion, she called for an immediate ceasefire.
“Safety of civilians must be ensured. All hostages must be released immediately and unconditionally, and safe, rapid and unhindered access for humanitarian aid must be allowed via all crossing points.”
12:10 PM
Firmly committed to two-State solution: UK
Barbara Woodward, Ambassador of the United Kingdom, said that her country remains “firmly committed” to the two-State solution that guarantees security and stability for both the Israeli and the Palestinian people.
UN Photo
“We are abstaining from this resolution because we believe the first step towards achieving this goal is resolving the immediate crisis in Gaza,” she said, emphasising that the fastest way to end the conflict is “to secure a deal which gets the hostages out and allows for a pause in the fighting”.
“We must then work together to turn that pause into a sustainable, permanent ceasefire.”
She added that “setting out the horizon” for a Palestinian State should be one of the vital conditions from moving from a pause in fighting to a sustainable ceasefire.
“Recognising a Palestinian State, including at the UN, should be part of that process,” she said.
Ambassador Woodward also noted that the UK remains deeply concerned about the prospect of a major operation in Rafah and that it will not support such an act, unless there is a “very clear plan” on protecting civilians as well as their access to aid and medical care.
“We have not seen that plan, so in these circumstances, we will not support a major operation in Rafah,” she said.
11:58 AM
France: High time for political solution
French Ambassador Nicolas de Rivière said his country voted in favour of the resolution, noting also the clarifications provided in the text on the right to vote and the right to be elected, which are the prerogatives of Member States alone.
UN Photo
“France recalls that the procedure for admitting a new Member State is defined by the UN Charter, and it must not be circumvented,” he said.
He also noted that France is in favour of the admission of Palestine as a full member of the Organization, which is why it voted in favour at the Security Council last month.
Reiterating his country’s condemnation of the terrorist attacks by Hamas and other groups on 7 October, Ambassador de Rivière stated France’s demand for a ceasefire and release of all hostages.
“The offensive that has started in Rafah risks causing numerous victims and displacing people at a time where nowhere can be deemed safe today in Gaza. There is further risk of disrupting delivery of aid,” he said, expressing his country’s opposition to the military operation.
“All parties must do everything they can to protect civilians and guarantee access for humanitarian aid. It is high time to mobilise for a political solution,” he added.
11:46 AM
Statehood must be negotiated: US
Explaining the US’s negative vote, Ambassador Robert Wood said that it did not reflect opposition to Palestinian statehood.
UN Photo
“We have been very clear that we support it and seek to advance it meaningfully. Instead, it is an acknowledgement that statehood will come from a process that involves direct negotiations between the parties,” he said.
“There is no other path that guarantees Israel’s security and future as a democratic Jewish State. There is no other path that guarantees Palestinians can live in peace and dignity in a State of their own,” he added.
He further expressed the US commitment to intensifying its engagement with Palestinians and the rest of the Middle East region to advance a political settlement that will create a path to Palestinian statehood and subsequent membership in the UN.
“This resolution does not resolve the concerns about the Palestinian membership application raised in April in the Security Council…and should the Security Council take up the Palestinian membership application as a result of this resolution, there will be a similar outcome,” he said.
UN Photo/Manuel Elías
Results of the General Assembly’s vote on the resolution on the status of the Observer State of Palestine.
11:24 AM
Draft resolution passed overwhelmingly
The vote is in. It has passed overwhelmingly with 143 countries in favour, nine against and 25 abstaining.
11:22 AM
The Assembly just voted to pass the draft resolution as long as two thirds agree.
11:18 AM
Pakistan: Resolution vote will determine strong support
Ambassador Munir Akram of Pakistan said there will come a day when Israel will be held accountable for the crimes committed against Palestinians, especially in Gaza.
The insults hurled today are “the arrogance of the aggressor” reflecting the impunity of the occupier, he said, explaining his delegation’s position ahead of the vote on the draft resolution.
He also expressed hope that the international community will appropriately respond in that regard.
The Ambassador underscored that the resolution’s adoption will determine the widespread support for Palestine to be accorded full UN membership.
11:05 AM
Russia: A moral duty
The Assembly is now preparing to vote on the draft resolution.
Before that, some countries are exercising their right to make statements before the vote, starting with Russia’s Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia.
UN Photo
He is criticising the US, saying that the resolution is complicated because it is attempting to advance Palestinian membership as far as possible without provoking another veto from Washington on full membership.
He said Palestine deserves nothing less than full membership at the UN.
“It is the moral duty of everyone,” he said.
“Only full-fledged membership will allow Palestine to stand alongside other members of the Organization and enjoy the rights that this status implies.”
10:55 AM
Israel: Extra benefits for Palestine would appease terrorists
Israel’s Ambassador Gilad Erdan said that after Hitler’s rise to power, the Nazis had sought to annihilate the Jewish people and all those they deemed sub-human, but the forces of good fought to return peace to the world, and the UN was founded to ensure that such tyranny never raised its head again.
UN Photo/Manuel Elías
“Today, you are doing the opposite…welcoming a terror State into its ranks,” he said.
“You have opened up the United Nations to modern-day Naziism. It makes me sick.”
The terrorist group Hamas controls Gaza and has taken over areas of the West Bank, he said, holding up a poster showing Hamas’s leader, who he described as “a terrorist diplomat whose stated goal is Jewish genocide”.
“Today, you have a choice between weakness and fighting terror,” he said, adding that the UN is appeasing “murderous dictators” and destroying the UN Charter. “This day will go down in infamy.”
In closing, he held up a mini portable electric document shredder and inserted the cover of the UN Charter.
10:48 AM
Palestinian flag ‘flies high and proud’
Riyad Mansour, Permanent Observer of the observer State of Palestine, recounted the devastating impacts of the ongoing war in Gaza, with over 35,000 Palestinians killed, a further 80,000 injured and over two million displaced.
“No words can capture what such loss and trauma signify for Palestinians, their families, their communities and for our nation as whole,” he said.
He added that the Palestinians in Gaza have been pushed to the “very edge” of the Strip “to the very brink of life” with “bombs and bullets haunting them”.
Mr. Mansour highlighted that despite the attacks and destruction, the flag of Palestine “flies high and proud” in Palestine and across the globe, becoming a “symbol raised by all those who believe in freedom and its just rule”.
UN Photo/Manuel Elías
‘Lives cannot be restored’
“It is true that we will not disappear, but the lives lost cannot be restored,” he stated.
The Permanent Observer said people have to make a decision: stand by the right of a nation to live in freedom and dignity on its ancestral land, standing with peace and recognising the rights of Palestinians or they can stand on the sidelines of history.
Mr. Mansour said after holding observer status for 50 years, “we wish from all those who invoke the UN Charter to abide by the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination guaranteed by the Charter.”
“A ‘yes’ vote is a vote for Palestinian existence; it is not against any State, but it is against attempts to deprive us of our State,” he added, stating that it would be an investment in peace and empowering the forces of peace.
10:29 AM
Security Council must heed global call for Palestinian statehood: UAE
On behalf of the Arab Group, Mohamed Issa Hamad Mohamed Abushahab, Permanent Representative of the United Arab Emirates to the UN, introduced the draft resolution, saying it recommends that the Security Council reconsider Palestine’s full UN membership application.
“Today marks a defining moment,” he said.
UN Photo/Manuel Elías
The State of Palestine has demonstrated that it deserves full membership in the international community by acceding to international treaties, adhering to the UN Charter and meeting requirements of statehood. In addition, more than 140 countries now recognise Palestine as a State, he said.
Voting for the resolution amid the ongoing conflict would support the two-State solution to the crisis, he said, adding that the Security Council must respond to the will of the international community.
Vote to take place at 11:00 AM
After delivering his statement, the UAE Ambassador called on the Assembly to vote on the draft at 11:00 AM New York time.
Members agreed to do so and would afterwards resume the debate.
10:17 AM
Middle East on course for ‘full-scale catastrophe’, warns Francis
Mr. Francis said from the podium of the Assembly Hall that the Israel-Palestine crisis was the original crisis before the world body when it was founded in 1946.
Peace has remained elusive, and today has become an untenable situation that is deteriorating “at an alarming speed”, he told delegates.
UN Photo/Manuel Elías
This is “bringing countless innocent victims into its deadly fold and pushing the region further to the brink of full-scale catastrophe”.
He urged the international community to not look away from the dire situation that has unfolded since the 7 October terror attacks and the ensuing Israeli devastation of Gaza.
End the scourge of war
“Today, let us remember the legacy from which we hail. We stand proudly upon the shoulders of those who, many decades ago, recognised their ultimate responsibility to forge a peace that will banish the scourge and terror of war,” he urged.
“I therefore call upon the membership to purposely assess the situation before us, with nothing else in mind but a commitment to peace as our utmost ambition,” he said.
He called upon the parties to the conflict, supported by nations with leverage, to urgently come to an agreement on a ceasefire to bring to an end to the suffering of countless people and secure the release of all hostages.
“We must believe in the essential goodness of others,” he said, and “in the understanding that no problem of human relations is insoluble”, calling on them to help bring lasting peace, save lives and end the violence.
10:14 AM
He’s inviting the Assembly to recognise the fact that some members are in arrears with their mandatory contributions. If you don’t pay up, you lose your vote. Those are the rules. But, there are exceptions that have been made, including today.
10:12 AM
The President of the General Assembly Dennis Francis has just gavelled in the resumed session on the Gaza crisis.
09:55 AM
Aid operations have come to a standstill since the start of the military’s ground operation in Rafah this week, with an estimated 100,000 Palestinians displaced once again in a highly fluid situation, according to humanitarians.
Smoke rises above Rafah as bombardments continue.
UNRWA
The Assembly is also expected to vote on a draft resolution, co-sponsored by a group of countries, concerning the status of the observer State of Palestine at the United Nations.
Read our explainer on Palestine’s status at the UN here.
The draft resolution follows the veto cast by United States at the Security Council on 18 April, which blocked Palestine’s admission as a full UN Member State. That draft resolution, submitted by non-permanent Council member Algeria, had received 12 votes in favour, with Switzerland and the United Kingdom abstaining.
Draft resolution on Palestine
The draft resolution expected to be put to a vote at the 193-member General Assembly, where no nations have veto power, would have the world body “recommend” that the Security Council reconsider the matter of Palestine’s membership favourably in line with Article 4 of the UN Charter concerning membership and the advisory opinion issued by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in 1948.
A revised version of the draft resolution, as of Thursday evening in New York, also included an annex, which on an exceptional basis and without setting a precedent, lists significant changes to the State of Palestine’s status at General Assembly meetings and conferences, including its order in the list of speakers and seating arrangements.
These would not just be of symbolic importance, but signal a shift in Palestine’s diplomatic heft within the entire UN system. That said, General Assembly will not grant Palestinian membership in the UN, since this requires a recommendation from the Security Council.
No voting rights
The draft resolution also notes that as an observer State, Palestine does not have the right to vote in the General Assembly or to put forward its candidature to UN organs such as the Security Council or the Economic and Social Council.
If adopted, the resolution’s provisions would only apply from the start of the 79th session of the General Assembly, which gets underway in mid-September 2024.
Draft resolutions do not represent the official position of the General Assembly until they are formally adopted.
Once the resolution is voted on, the whole issue of Palestine’s status will return to the 15-member Security Council for further consideration, where any effort to attain full membership is likely to be blocked again by the United States, which holds veto power alongside the organ’s other permanent members – China, France, Russia and the United Kingdom.
The majority of the General Assembly will have had their say, however, amid the continuing crisis.
10th Emergency Special Session
The meeting is the continuation of the 10th Emergency Special Session (ESS), which last convened on 12 December 2023, against the backdrop of a worsening crisis in Gaza.
At that meeting in a resolution passed overwhelmingly, the Assembly demanded an immediate humanitarian ceasefire as well as the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.
The Assembly also decided to adjourn the session temporarily and authorised the President of the General Assembly to resume its meeting upon request from Member States.
The 10th ESS convened for the first time in April 1997 following a request from Qatar. It followed a series of Security Council and General Assembly meetings regarding the Israeli decision to build a large housing project in an area of East Jerusalem.
The United Nations Security Council called Friday for an immediate independent investigation into mass graves allegedly containing hundreds of bodies near hospitals in Gaza. Members of the council expressed in a statement their “deep concern over reports of the discovery of mass graves, in and around the Nasser and Shifa medical facilities in Gaza, where several hundred bodies, including women, children and older persons, were buried.”
New York, N.Y. They stressed the need for “accountability” for any violations of international law and urged that investigators be given “unimpeded access to all locations of mass graves in Gaza to conduct immediate, independent, thorough, comprehensive, transparent and impartial investigations.”
Israel has repeatedly struck hospitals in Gaza since the beginning of its military operation in the enclave, which was prompted by an October 7 attack on Israeli residential communities and a music festival by Hamas militants.
Israel has accused Hamas of using these medical facilities as command centers and in some instances as places where it held hostages abducted during Hamas’ October 7 attack.
The World Health Organization said in April that Gaza City’s Shifa Hospital had been reduced to an “empty shell,” with many bodies found in the area.
The Israeli army has said around 200 Palestinians were killed during its military operations there.
The U.N. rights office called last month for an independent investigation into reports of mass graves at Shifa and the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Yunis.
Rafah exodus
The U.N. says about 110,000 people have fled the southern Gaza city of Rafah as of Friday, amid fighting between Israeli forces and Hamas militants, along with Israeli bombardments that have increased in and around the city.
Meanwhile, cease-fire talks brokered by Qatar and Egypt are back to square one, Hamas said Friday, accusing Israel of rejecting a truce proposal written by the mediators.
Negotiators for Israel and Hamas left Cairo late Thursday, ending the latest round of indirect negotiations.
National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby on Friday called the development “deeply regrettable.” The U.S., Qatar and Egypt were mediating the talks.
“We are working hard to keep both sides engaged in continuing the discussion, if only virtually,” he said.
While a full-scale invasion of Rafah does not appear to be imminent, the more limited incursion launched earlier this week is continuing.
Speaking Friday at a press conference in Nairobi, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres once again appealed to both Israel and the Hamas leadership to “demonstrate political courage and spare no effort to reach an agreement to stop the bloodshed and to free the hostages.”
He described the situation in Rafah as being “on a knife’s edge” as airstrikes continued throughout southern Gaza. More than 1 million Palestinians, half of whom are children, have crowded into the Rafah governorate for shelter.
At a news briefing earlier Friday, the head of the U.N. Gaza Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, or OCHA, Georgios Petropoulos, said the fighting surrounding Rafah is exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Speaking remotely, Petropoulos said all crossings into the Rafah area in southern Gaza are closed, preventing movement of supplies, humanitarian staff or any civilians needing to evacuate. He said even if the Rafah crossing was open, the nearby fighting would make it too dangerous to use.
The OCHA chief said unless there is a solution quickly, humanitarian activities will come to a halt in Gaza “within the next two days.”
The Gaza Health Ministry, which is controlled by Hamas, said Friday that 34,654 Palestinians have been killed and 77,908 injured since Israel’s military offensive on Gaza began in October after the Hamas terror attack on October 7.
The White House on Thursday once again warned Israel against expanding its limited operation into an all-out assault on Rafah, this time not only for long-held humanitarian concerns but for strategic calculations.
Kirby told reporters, “Our view is that Rafah operations, certainly any kind of major Rafah ground operation, would actually strengthen Hamas’ hands at the negotiating table, not Israel’s.”
He said that Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas leader currently believed to be hiding in the network of tunnels in Gaza, would have “less incentive to want to come to the negotiating table” if there were massive new civilian casualties in Rafah.
But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remained defiant, saying Israel is prepared to “stand alone” against its enemies. In a later interview on U.S. television, Netanyahu said he hoped that he and Biden could overcome their disagreements.
Netanyahu ordered Israeli forces to carry out a “limited operation” in eastern Rafah earlier this week after rejecting a proposed cease-fire deal that Hamas said it had agreed to. The deal would have provided a temporary pause in hostilities paired with the release of hostages held by Hamas in exchange for Palestinians detained in Israeli jails.
State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters Thursday that negotiators are still working to make changes to Hamas’ counterproposal, but finalizing the agreement’s text was an “incredibly difficult” process.
Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz said Thursday that his country’s military “will continue to fight Hamas until its destruction.”
In a report to the U.S. Congress on Friday, the State Department raised doubts about whether Israel has in all instances used U.S. military assistance in a manner consistent with U.S. and international law, but it stopped short of a final conclusion and said it was still investigating.
Washington, D.C. On balance, the report said Israeli assurances that it has been using the materiel appropriately were found to be “credible and reliable.” The determination allows the U.S. to continue providing materiel to Israel.
A senior State Department official said the U.S. had not currently assessed that the Israeli government was prohibiting or restricting the transport or delivery of U.S. humanitarian assistance, but it is an ongoing evaluation.
While Israel has the knowledge, experience and tools to implement best practices for mitigating civilian harm in its military operations, the results on the ground, including high levels of civilian casualties, raise substantial questions as to whether its military is using them effectively in all cases, the report said.
The politically sensitive report to Congress came as Israel was pressing ahead with its military operation in Rafah and amid growing concerns about restricted humanitarian aid to Gaza. The Rafah crossing into Egypt has been the main portal for delivery of food and other humanitarian assistance into Gaza.
The U.S. is watching Israel’s operation in Rafah with concern and urges Israel to reopen the Rafah crossing immediately, White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby told reporters Friday.
“There’s going to be more suffering, and that’s deeply concerning to us,” Kirby said.
In the past five days, more than 100,000 people have fled Rafah, where more than half the enclave’s population had sought refuge from the fighting, said a senior UNICEF humanitarian coordinator earlier Friday. Israel seized the Gaza side of the Rafah crossing on Tuesday.
Israel’s military campaign has killed nearly 35,000 Palestinians and wounded nearly 80,000, most of them civilians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The offensive was launched following a Hamas terror attack into Israel that killed 1,200 people.
National security memorandum
In February, U.S. President Joe Biden issued a national security memorandum, known as NSM-20, that required the State Department to assess and report to Congress on whether it found Israel’s assurances “credible and reliable” regarding the use of U.S. weapons in ensuring compliance with international and U.S. law.
Israel has provided written assurances to Washington that its use of weapons supplied by the U.S. in the Gaza war has not violated U.S. or international legal standards in its conduct of the war or its treatment of civilians, including the provision of adequate humanitarian assistance.
A Palestinian searches through rubble of his destroyed home hit by Israeli strikes in Towers Al-andaa – the northern Gaza Strip. UN Photo/Shareef Sarhan
But analysts said there’s currently no government mechanism to monitor how American weapons are used.
“What we call end-use monitoring is an unfortunate misnomer. It’s basically just checking if a munition is in the hands of a designated end user, rather than how that end user is using this munition,” said Ari Tolany, director of the Security Assistance Monitor program at the Center for International Policy.
“So it’s for this reason that NSM-20 was very reliant on humanitarian and documentary organizations to submit credible allegations of abuses of U.S. weapons, because the U.S. government does not have statutory authority going to be regularly tracking that.”
Others, including the Independent Task Force on the Application of National Security Memorandum-20, a private, volunteer group of policy experts, said the State Department’s assessment that Israeli forces have in some instances used the U.S. weapons in a manner inconsistent with humanitarian law “continues to inch towards reality.”
The task force recommended that Congress conduct strong oversight of arms transfers.
State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller explained that the NSM-20 report examines past events, with the department reviewing various aspects from the previous year up until the time of the report’s submission.
“It goes to questions of intent. It goes to questions of proportionality,” Miller told reporters Thursday.
U.S. opposes full-scale assault
The U.S. has been opposing a full-scale military assault by Israel in Rafah, situated in the southern part of Gaza. Such an operation would endanger the lives of 1.3 million civilians who evacuated from the northern and central areas of the territory to seek safety from Israel’s military response to Hamas militants’ October 7 attack on Israel.
Biden has made clear the U.S. will not make available certain types of military assistance to Israel for its use in a military campaign in Rafah. The Biden administration recently paused bomb shipments to Israel, sending a political message to its ally.
Polished French restaurants in expansive art nouveau-style spaces.
New York, N.Y. As someone who dedicates a significant amount of time to humanitarian efforts in some of the world’s most impoverished regions, it’s a rare but cherished opportunity to enjoy the finer things in life. My partner, Bix Luce, and I recently indulged in such an experience at Boucherie in New York City. Known for his appreciation of fine cuisine, Bix was particularly excited about this culinary adventure, and our evenings exceeded all expectations.
La Grande Boucherie
With a dazzling dining gallery featuring 40′ glass ceilings, this one-of-a-kind brasserie is built in the tradition of the Belle Epoque, inspired by elegant and ornamental Art Nouveau style. The menu features French classics and timeless bistro favorites, with a focus on prime cuts and an in-house meat program.
Boucherie West Village
Nestled in the heart of the West Village, this Boucherie boasts a beautiful location that combines the charm of a French bistro with the bustling energy of New York City. The restaurant’s exterior, with its inviting facade and classic Parisian awnings, sets the stage for the delightful experience that awaits inside. Upon entering, we were greeted by a warm and elegant ambiance that felt both luxurious and welcoming. The décor, with its rich wood paneling, vintage posters, and soft lighting, created a cozy yet sophisticated atmosphere that immediately put us at ease.
Boucherie Union Square
The wait staff at Boucherie on Union Square deserves special mention for their exceptional service. From the moment we were seated, we felt genuinely cared for. Our waiter was attentive without being intrusive, offering insightful recommendations and ensuring that every aspect of our meal was perfect. Their knowledge of the menu and wine list was impressive, and their friendly demeanor added a personal touch to our dining experience.
Now, onto the highlight of the evening: the food. Boucherie’s menu is a celebration of classic French cuisine, and every dish we sampled was a testament to the chef’s skill and dedication to quality.
We started with the Escargots de Bourgogne, which were tender and flavorful, bathed in a rich garlic parsley butter. For our main courses, Bix opted for the Duck à l’Orange, while I chose the Filet Mignon au Poivre. The duck was perfectly cooked, with a crisp skin and succulent meat, complemented by a tangy orange sauce that balanced the dish beautifully. My filet mignon was equally impressive, cooked to a perfect medium-rare and accompanied by a creamy peppercorn sauce that added a delightful kick.
No meal at Boucherie would be complete without dessert. We shared the Tarte Tatin, a classic French apple tart, which was beautifully caramelized and served with a dollop of vanilla ice cream. It was the perfect ending to a truly memorable meal.
Our experience at Boucherie was nothing short of spectacular. The combination of a beautiful location, elegant ambiance, considerate wait staff, and delicious food made for an unforgettable evening. It’s a reminder that while our work in humanitarian efforts is crucial, it’s also important to take time to enjoy life’s pleasures and create cherished memories with loved ones.
दृष्टिकोण: गांधी का दृष्टिकोण बनाम मोदी का राष्ट्रवाद – भारत के लिए एक मार्ग
समर्थन: मोदी के अधिनायकवाद के सामने राहुल गांधी का नेतृत्व क्यों महत्वपूर्ण है
न्यूयॉर्क, एन.वाई. भारत के वर्तमान राजनीतिक परिदृश्य में, जो हिंदू-राष्ट्रवाद और अधिनायकवादी प्रवृत्तियों के उदय से चिह्नित है, राहुल गांधी लोकतंत्र, धर्मनिरपेक्षता और एकता के मजबूत समर्थक के रूप में खड़े हैं। गांधी परिवार के एक प्रतिष्ठित सदस्य के रूप में, वह राष्ट्र के प्रति समर्पण की एक विरासत को आगे बढ़ाते हैं, जो अहिंसा, समावेशिता और प्रगतिशील मूल्यों के सिद्धांतों पर आधारित है।
राहुल गांधी का नेतृत्व नरेंद्र मोदी के विभाजनकारी और अधिनायकवादी दृष्टिकोण के विपरीत है। जहां मोदी का कार्यकाल सत्ता के केंद्रीकरण और विभाजनकारी बयानबाजी से चिह्नित है, गांधी संवाद, सहमति निर्माण और अल्पसंख्यक अधिकारों की रक्षा पर जोर देते हैं। लोकतांत्रिक संस्थाओं को संरक्षित करने और एक समावेशी समाज को बढ़ावा देने के लिए उनकी प्रतिबद्धता अब पहले से कहीं अधिक महत्वपूर्ण है।
भारत के समृद्ध अतीत – महात्मा गांधी (कोई संबंध नहीं) के अहिंसक दर्शन और इंदिरा गांधी के सामाजिक न्याय पर ध्यान केंद्रित करने से प्रेरणा लेते हुए – राहुल गांधी एक ऐसे भारत की कल्पना करते हैं जहां विविधता का उत्सव मनाया जाता है और हर नागरिक को सशक्त बनाया जाता है। उनके शासन का दृष्टिकोण सभी भारतीयों की भलाई को प्राथमिकता देता है, धार्मिक और क्षेत्रीय विभाजनों से परे एक सुसंगठित और लचीले राष्ट्र का निर्माण करता है। राहुल गांधी का भारत के लिए दृष्टिकोण प्रगति, न्याय और साझा समृद्धि का है।
भारतीय संविधान में निहित लोकतांत्रिक मूल्यों को बनाए रखने के प्रति उनकी प्रतिबद्धता उन्हें उन चुनौतियों के समय में भारत के लिए आवश्यक नेता के रूप में अलग खड़ा करती है। राहुल गांधी का समर्थन करके, हम एक ऐसे भविष्य का समर्थन करते हैं जहां भारत एक बहुलवादी, लोकतांत्रिक और समावेशी समाज के रूप में फले-फूलेगा, जो उन आदर्शों के प्रति सच्चा है जिन पर इसकी स्थापना हुई थी। नरेंद्र मोदी से तुलना और विरोध
राहुल गांधी और नरेंद्र मोदी भारत के लिए दो पूरी तरह से अलग दृष्टिकोण प्रस्तुत करते हैं:
राहुल गांधी:
लोकतांत्रिक और समावेशी: लोकतांत्रिक मूल्यों, धर्मनिरपेक्षता और समावेशिता की वकालत करते हैं, यह सुनिश्चित करते हुए कि सभी नागरिकों, चाहे वे किसी भी धर्म या पृष्ठभूमि के हों, का प्रतिनिधित्व किया जाए और उनका सम्मान किया जाए।
सेवा की विरासत: सेवा के गांधी परिवार की परंपरा को जारी रखते हुए, सामाजिक न्याय, अहिंसा और न्यायसंगत विकास पर जोर देते हैं।
सहमति निर्माण: नीतिगत निर्णयों में संवाद और सहमति पर ध्यान केंद्रित करते हैं, विविध समूहों के बीच एकता और सहयोग को बढ़ावा देते हैं।
नरेंद्र मोदी:
अधिनायकवादी और राष्ट्रवादी: सत्ता के केंद्रीकरण और हिंदू-राष्ट्रवादी एजेंडे को बढ़ावा देने के लिए जाने जाते हैं, जिसने अक्सर अल्पसंख्यक समुदायों को हाशिये पर रखा है।
मजबूत नेतृत्व: एक मजबूत, निर्णायक नेतृत्व शैली पर जोर देते हैं, जिसे आलोचकों ने लोकतांत्रिक संस्थानों और स्वतंत्रता को कमजोर करने का तर्क दिया है।
विभाजनकारी बयानबाजी: समर्थन जुटाने के लिए विभाजनकारी बयानबाजी का उपयोग करते हैं, जो अक्सर धार्मिक और सांस्कृतिक आधार पर सामाजिक विभाजन को गहरा करते हैं।
गांधी के समावेशी, लोकतांत्रिक दृष्टिकोण की मोदी के अधिनायकवादी राष्ट्रवाद से तुलना करके, यह स्पष्ट हो जाता है कि भारत के भविष्य को एक विविध और लोकतांत्रिक राष्ट्र के रूप में सुरक्षित रखने के लिए राहुल गांधी का नेतृत्व क्यों आवश्यक है। हम राहुल गांधी को उन प्रगतिशील नेताओं के समूह में शामिल करते हैं जिन्हें हम विश्वभर में समर्थन करते हैं, जिसमें मैक्सिको की क्लाउडिया शीनबाम, ताइवान के लाई “विलियम” चिंग-ते और थाईलैंड के पिटा “टिम” लिमजारोएनराट शामिल हैं।
टैग्स: राहुल गांधी, भारत, भारतीय राजनीति, मोदी सरकार, राजनीतिक नेतृत्व, धर्मनिरपेक्षता, लोकतंत्र, गांधी परिवार, विविधता में एकता, प्रगतिशील मूल्य, भारत का भविष्
Endorsement: Why Rahul Gandhi’s Leadership is Crucial in the Face of Modi’s Authoritarianism
New York, N.Y. In the current political landscape of India, marked by the rise of Hindu-nationalism and authoritarian tendencies, Rahul Gandhi stands as a steadfast advocate for democracy, secularism, and unity. As a member of the illustrious Gandhi family, he carries forward a legacy of dedication to the nation, rooted in the principles of non-violence, inclusivity, and progressive values.
Rahul Gandhi’s leadership offers a stark contrast to the divisive and authoritarian approach of Narendra Modi. While Modi’s tenure has been characterized by centralization of power and polarizing rhetoric, Gandhi emphasizes dialogue, consensus-building, and the protection of minority rights. His commitment to preserving India’s democratic institutions and fostering an inclusive society is more crucial now than ever.
Drawing on the rich heritage India’s past—the non-violent philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi (no relationship) and Indira Gandhi’s focus on social justice—Rahul Gandhi envisions an India where diversity is celebrated and every citizen is empowered. His approach to governance prioritizes the welfare of all Indians, transcending religious and regional divides to build a cohesive and resilient nation.
Rahul Gandhi’s vision for India is one of progress, fairness, and shared prosperity.
His dedication to upholding the democratic values enshrined in the Indian Constitution sets him apart as the leader India needs in these challenging times. By supporting Rahul Gandhi, we endorse a future where India thrives as a pluralistic, democratic, and inclusive society, true to the ideals upon which it was founded.
Compare and Contrast with Narendra Modi
Rahul Gandhi and Narendra Modi represent two vastly different visions for India:
Rahul Gandhi:
Democratic and Inclusive: Advocates for democratic values, secularism, and inclusivity, ensuring that all citizens, regardless of religion or background, are represented and respected.
Legacy of Service: Continues the Gandhi family tradition of service to the nation, emphasizing social justice, non-violence, and equitable development.
Consensus-Building: Focuses on dialogue and consensus in policymaking, promoting unity and cooperation among diverse groups.
Narendra Modi:
Authoritarian and Nationalist: Known for centralizing power and promoting a Hindu-nationalist agenda, which has often marginalized minority communities.
Strongman Leadership: Emphasizes a strong, decisive leadership style, which critics argue undermines democratic institutions and freedoms.
Polarizing Rhetoric: Utilizes polarizing rhetoric to galvanize support, often deepening societal divides along religious and cultural lines.
By contrasting Gandhi’s inclusive, democratic vision with Modi’s authoritarian nationalism, it becomes clear why Rahul Gandhi’s leadership is essential for safeguarding India’s future as a diverse and democratic nation. We add Raul Gandhi to the pantheon of progressive leaders around the world we support including Claudia Sheinbaumof Mexico, Lai “William” Ching-te of Taiwan, Benny Gantz of israel, and Pita “Tim” Limjaroenrat of Thailand.
TAGS: Rahul Gandhi, India, Indian politics, Modi government, political leadership, secularism, democracy, Gandhi family, unity in diversity, progressive values, Indian future
Bodhgaya, Bihar. In a transformative pilgrimage to Bodhgaya, I found myself immersed in the sacred rites of the Kalachakra, beckoning seekers to spiritual awakening. Accompanied by the esteemed Dr. Kazuko Tatsumura, a beacon of guidance and philanthropy, our journey was dedicated to supporting the Manjushree Orphanage for Tibetan Children in Tawang, India, nestled near the Chinese frontier.
Bodhgaya‘s profound Buddhist heritage resonated tranquility and spiritual depth, drawing devotees worldwide to absorb its teachings and bask in its divinity. The unfolding of the Kalachakra revealed ancestral wisdom and spiritual consciousness, etching an indelible mark on my soul.
Our path led us to Dharamshala, the humble abode of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Encountering him at the Kalachakra was a serene experience, with silent conversations echoing in a peaceful realm. A subsequent private audience deepened our commitment to Dr. Kazuko’s noble work, a promise embraced by His Holiness.
The author with His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Dr. Kazuko Tatsumura in Dharamshala, India.
Dr. Kazuko’s leadership in Orphans International Worldwide and the James Jay Dudley Luce Foundation, alongside my role in the Gaia Holistic Foundation, empowered our collaboration to uplift the Manjushree Orphanage, impacting the lives of Tibetan children in Tawang.
Dr. Kazuko Hillyer Tatsumura, founder of Gaia Holistic Foundation, at the Tibetan Buddhist Orphanage at Manjushree. Photo: Dr. Kazuko Tatsumura.
Remembering Audiences with His Holiness the Dalai Lama with Dr. Kazuko Tatsumura in Bodhgaya, India.
Standing amidst the Himalayas near the Chinese border, pride swelled within me. The inscription honoring Dr. Kazuko Tatsumura and Orphans International on the orphanage’s main building cornerstone filled me with immense gratitude. The joyous welcome from the children of Manjushree Orphanage warmed our hearts.
The Dalai Lama‘s calm demeanor and profound peace left an enduring impression, transcending religious boundaries. Inspired by his wisdom and compassion, I am reminded of the importance of service and mentorship in shaping interactions and giving back to communities in need.
His Holiness‘s words, “Our prime purpose in this life is to help others. And if you can’t help them, at least don’t hurt them,” resonate deeply, encapsulating the essence of our journey. Through compassion and service, this profound odyssey fosters hope, purpose, and interconnectedness in a world in need.
In 1939, at the height of the Sino-Japanese War, a 19-year-old Harvard art history student set off for the remote region of Lijiang, China, in search of the mysterious ancient culture of the Naxi (Nah-shee).
New York, N.Y. Launched on his quest after receiving a gift of a 40-foot Naxi funeral scroll depicting a soul’s journey through heaven and hell in a pictographic script, Quentin Roosevelt, grandson of President Theodore Roosevelt, traveled for four months before he finally reached the mountainous region on the Tibetan border.
There, with the help of the Reverend James Andrews, a family friend and Pentecostal missionary based in Lijiang, he spent ten days assembling what was to become one of the most complete collections of Naxi art outside of China.
Crown. Northwestern Yunnan Province. 18th-early 20th century.Paint on cardboard. 4.3 x 7.3 in. Private Collection, Spain
This first-ever exhibition of the collection of Naxi art that the young Roosevelt gathered on his journey of discovery is on view at the Rubin Museum of Art. Quentin Roosevelt’s China: Ancestral Realms of the Naxi, which will remain on view through September 19, 2011, unites the Roosevelt collection with that of legendary botanist-explorer Joseph Rock, the first Western explorer to extensively study the complex religious and linguistic traditions of the Naxi, and whose collection has also never been publicly displayed.
Quentin Roosevelt, grandson of Teddy Roosevelt, traveled for four months before he finally reached the mountainous region on the Tibetan border.
Guest-curated by Cindy Ho and anthropologist Christine Mathieu, along with the Rubin Museum of Art’s former Chief Curator Martin Brauen, the exhibition includes 147 works showcasing the art central to the Naxi Dongba religion, a highly-structured tradition comprising approximately one thousand ceremonies and sub-ceremonies. Much of the art is adorned with a pictographic script that is unique to the Naxi, and possesses a freshness and spontaneity that suggests a focus on content rather than artistic labor.
Among the highlights are:
Ceremonial funeral scrolls, which are central to the Dongba religion as they act as bridges for souls to reach the realm of the gods.
One such scroll, forty feet long and a foot wide, leads a soul on the arduous journey through the gates of hell on to the realm of the gods in intricately painted scenes of the various realms of existence. Funeral scrolls are unique to the Naxi religion and are found nowhere else in China or Tibet.
Ritual cards were used in the many Dongba ceremonies. One set of cards that represents flying creatures was ritually hung above the altar. The ten brightly painted cards that each depict a wild bird, except one which shows a bat, were used in a ceremony called Sizhpiu to request longevity.
Ceremonial Manuscripts were written by Dongba priests in a pictographic script and contain the entire religion’s corpus in about one thousand ceremonial books. The pictographs represent words or syllables, and script tended to be altered as priests took on their own styles and created their own schools.
Manuscript Page. Northwestern Yunnan Province; date unknown. 3.5 x 11 in. Harvard‐Yenching Library, Harvard University.
The exhibition will include a number of texts, including those used in divination ceremonies, funerals for those who died at a young age, and ceremonies for honoring spirits of the natural world, among others.
The dramatic story of Roosevelt’s journey is brought to life in the exhibition’s Explore Area, which features digitized photographic documentation, written correspondence, and actual artifacts from his trip, including Roosevelt’s camera and passport. This section provides a glimpse into Roosevelt’s personal experiences on his journey—what he saw and felt as he encountered the Naxi culture, religion, and art.
Residing in a remote mountainous region between Tibet and the south-western Chinese provinces of Yunnan and Sichuan, the Naxi and especially their religious art are still relatively unknown. In fact, the thesis Roosevelt wrote as an undergraduate in 1941 remains the only academic thesis on Naxi art in Western and Chinese scholarship.
“In an era before easy air travel and GPS, the young Roosevelt, inspired by the gift of an enigmatic scroll, embarked on an extraordinary journey to a remote region of war-torn China,” said Martin Brauen. “His expedition has brought exceptional artifacts to the United States and the Naxi culture to the attention of a larger public, a great and enduring contribution.”
Ritual Cards. Northwestern Yunnan Province. 18th-early 20th century. Watercolor on hemp paper (?). 8.9 x 6 in. Collection of Dr. John M. Lundquist.
Guest curator Cindy Ho first researched and conceived of an exhibition on Naxi religious art in 1993. Ho gained access to Roosevelt’s personal journals and collections through the generous support of his family, enabling her to track down all of the works he had assembled through his explorations. She traveled to Lijiang four times, retracing his footsteps and visiting villages he and Joseph Rock had written about.
In 1997, Ho was joined by ethnohistorian Christine Mathieu, who had just received her PhD on the reconstruction of the social, religious, and political history of the Naxi. Mathieu traveled to Yunnan twice to research the details of the Roosevelt collection in consultation with Naxi priests and scholars. In 2009, sixteen years after Ho first began working on a Naxi exhibition, she and Mathieu were approached by the Rubin Museum of Art’s Chief Curator Martin Brauen about collaborating on a show about the Naxi culture.
Manuscript Cover. Northwestern Yunnan Province. 18th-early 20th century. Ink and paint on paper. 3.6 x 11 in. Private Collection, Spain.
“Roosevelt’s detailed study of the Naxi tradition, illustrated with his own diagrams and photographs, provides an invaluable window into the world of a little-known culture. His undergraduate work exhibits tremendous courage in its original interpretations and analyses,” said Ho. “In many ways, it has been a blessing that the exhibition took so many years to realize. The Rubin Museum is the perfect venue and has allowed us to expand on our original concept of exhibiting Roosevelt’s collection.”
The ancestors of the Naxi people, called Mosuo (Mo-so), settled in the Lijiang plain in Yunnan province, China in the tenth or eleventh century. Today, the Naxi are one of fifty-six national groups that form the Chinese nation. The Naxi have fascinated scholars and visitors from around the world with their complex and highly-structured religion, Dongba, and especially for the spontaneous and freeform pictographic script in which the religion is written.
Chinese troops fighting along the Salween River front, 1942.
Dongba artist-priests were recognized for their artistic ability and the most influential created their own styles and schools, adding to the complexity and mysteries of the tradition. Quentin Roosevelt’s China examines and explores the artistry central to the Dongba religion.
“The Rubin’s curatorial and educational programs are focused on journeys of discovery. Discovering new cultures and ideas. Discovering rare and magnificent works of art. And personal discovery for our audiences as they encounter cultures and worlds for the first time,” said Marcos Stafne, Head of Education and Visitor Experience. “The museum strives to create a window into a diverse landscape of artistic expression and to capture the shared human drive to explain the complex world around us.”
Quentin Roosevelt’s China continues the museum’s tradition of bringing to the fore previously little-known cultures and creating ground-breaking exhibitions. In 2007, the museum presented Bon: The Magic Word, the first major exhibition in the world dedicated to art of the Bon culture and belief system that predates Buddhism in Tibet.
In 2009 the museum was home to the first public display of Carl Gustav Jung’s famous Red Book, in conjunction with the first ever facsimile and translation of the original work. The exhibition on the Naxi religion exemplifies the museum’s interest in providing audiences with unprecedented experiences.
Cindy Ho reconstructed the Quentin Roosevelt collection and conceived the idea for an exhibition on the Naxi based on the collection in 1993. She identified the Naxi Dongba artifacts collected by Roosevelt, forgotten and dispersed in five different locations. Ho has lectured about the Roosevelt collection at Harvard University and New York’s China Institute. In 1997, she produced Trailing the Written Word: The Art of Writing Among China’s Ethnic Minorities and West of the East – A Journey Through Macau, Asia’s First and Last Colony in 1999, sponsored by the New York Foundation for the Arts and supported by Fundaçao Oriente. Ho lives in New York City.
Christine Mathieu is an ethnohistorian and anthropologist who has studied the histories and cultures of the Naxi and Mosuo people since 1989. She was one of the first anthropologists to work in the field of Naxi studies after the communist revolution of 1949. In 1997 she joined Cindy Ho to work on the Roosevelt exhibition. She has contributed chapters to several anthologies and authored two books on the Naxi and Mosuo, A History and Anthropological Study of the Ancient Kingdoms of the Sino-Tibetan Borderland and the internationally-acclaimed Leaving Mother Lake, with Yang Erche Namu. Mathieu lives in Melbourne, Australia.
Dr. Martin Brauen, former Chief Curator at the Rubin Museum of Art, studied Buddhism at Delhi University and anthropology and history of religions at Zurich University. Field studies have taken him to Ladakh, Nepal, Bhutan, and Tibet. Brauen joined the museum as Chief Curator in 2008 and served until July 1, 2011. He had previously been head of the Department of Tibet, Himalayas and the Far East at the Ethnographic Museum of the University of Zurich. He is the author of numerous English language publications about Tibetan and Himalayan art and culture, including The Dalai Lamas, Dreamworld Tibet, and Deities of Tibetan Buddhism, as well as a number of publications in German.
The exhibition Quentin Roosevelt’s China: Ancestral Realms of the Naxi is accompanied by a 200-page color-catalogue edited by Christine Mathieu and Cindy Ho that offers a comprehensive introduction to Naxi art, iconography, and religion and will be the first publication of its kind.
The contributions include introductions by Mathieu and Ho; two biographical pieces: the first on Quentin Roosevelt’s journey to China by Chief Curator Martin Brauen, and the second on the life of Joseph Rock by Rock’s late biographer Sylvia Sutton.
It also includes essays by scholars of the Naxi nationality on Naxi history, Dongba art, and women in the Dongba religion; a comparative review of Naxi and Mosuo religious traditions; an essay on Dongba language and the pictographic script; a comprehensive review of Dongba religion and its history by Mathieu; and an interview with Yang Fuquan, also a scholar of the Naxi nationality and vice-president of the Yunnan Academy of Social Sciences.
The Rubin Museum of Art holds one of the world’s most important collections of Himalayan art. Paintings, pictorial textiles, and sculpture are drawn from cultures that touch upon the arc of mountains that extends from Afghanistan in the northwest to Myanmar (Burma) in the southeast and includes Tibet, Nepal, Mongolia, and Bhutan.
The larger Himalayan cultural sphere, determined by significant cultural exchange over millennia, includes Iran, India, China, Central Asia, and Southeast Asia. The museum explores these rich cultural legacies—largely unfamiliar to Western viewers—from a variety of perspectives, offering multiple entry-points for understanding and enjoying the art of the Himalayas.
The name change is the latest effort by the BSA to brand itself as a more inclusive organization after years of declining membership. The group began allowing girls to join the Cub Scouts, its program for children ages 7 to 10 years old, in 2018.
Washington, D.C. The Boy Scouts of America announced Tuesday it will change its name to Scouting America as it struggles to recover from a sexual abuse scandal involving its adult scout leaders.
The organization said the change will take effect on Feb. 8, 2025, the 115th anniversary of its founding. The BSA describes itself as “the nation’s foremost youth program of character development and values-based leadership training,” with its mission “to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes.”
The next year it opened its flagship Boy Scout program to older girls and changed its name to Scouts BSA.
BSA says more than 176,000 girls have joined Scouts BSA since the changes, with more than 6,000 obtaining the prestigious rank of Eagle Scout.
The organization has also lifted its ban on openly gay youth and openly gay adult leaders over the last decade.
The BSA is under a bankruptcy reorganization plan that allows it to operate while spending $2.4 billion to compensate more than 82,000 men who sued the organization, claiming they were sexually abused during their scouting years.
Israeli military manoeuvres and shelling continued in and around eastern Rafah in southern Gaza on Wednesday morning as UN humanitarians stressed that “no fuel or aid” is getting into the enclave.
Thousands of people leave Rafah for central Gaza as hostilities escalate in and around the enclave’s southernmost town. U.N. News / Ziad Taleb
“We’re not receiving any aid, the crossing area has ongoing military operations and is an active war zone,” said Scott Anderson, from the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, in a post on X. “We are hearing continued bombardments in this area throughout the day. No fuel or aid has entered into the Gaza Strip and this is disastrous for the humanitarian response.”
The development comes amid deepening international concerns including from the UN Secretary-General about a full-scale Israeli military operation in Rafah, fuelled by the closure of the Kerem Shalom crossing following a deadly rocket attack claimed by Hamas last weekend, and the seizure of Rafah crossing on Tuesday by Israeli forces, dashing ceasefire hopes.
Forced to evacuate
In addition to concerns over dwindling supplies of fuel, food and other basic necessities in Gaza, UN humanitarians reported that tens of thousands of people in Rafah have been uprooted once more by Israeli evacuation orders.
“Every day we are displaced. Every hour we are displaced,” said Rafah resident Salah Rajab Gazan speaking to U.N. News inside the enclave. “We expected that the deal would be reached and we’d go [back] to Gaza City. But, what we expected did not happen, and the opposite happened.”
Gaza ‘has no future’
In another interview with our Arabic service correspondent there, a former resident of Jabalia camp in northern Gaza described his exhaustion and loss after seven months of war which had claimed the lives of his children.
“I can’t find a mattress to sleep on,” he said. “I used to have a house and floors. I am tired of life because there is no life in Gaza. Gaza has no future.”
Guterres concern
In a bid to secure an end to the war and the release of all remaining Israeli hostages in Gaza, UN Secretary-General António Guterres issued a direct appeal to the Government of Israel late Tuesday “to stop any escalation and engage constructively in the ongoing diplomatic talks”.
Posting on X late on Tuesday, the UN chief said that he was “disturbed and distressed” by the Israeli Defense Forces’ renewed military activity in Rafah, just as he called on Hamas leaders and Israel “to show political courage” and secure a ceasefire.
“After more than 1,100 Israelis killed in the Hamas terror attacks of 7 October, after more than 34,000 Palestinians killed in Gaza, haven’t we seen enough?” Mr. Guterres asked.
To the brave students following in our noble tradition, I say, you are on the right side of history. Dare to struggle, dare to win!
By Marjorie Cohn Professor Emerita, Thomas Jefferson School of Law
Author’s Note: The following are remarks I delivered on Saturday, May 4, 2024 at the 55-year reunion of the Stanford University antiwar movement, in which I participated. On April 3, 1969, an estimated 700 Stanford students voted to occupy the Applied Electronics Laboratory (AEL), where classified research on electronic warfare was being conducted at Stanford. That spawned the April Third Movement (A3M), which holds reunions every five to 10 years. The sit-in at AEL, supported by a majority of Stanford students, lasted nine days. Stanford moved the objectionable research off campus, but the A3M continued with sit-ins, teach-ins and confrontations with police in the Stanford Industrial Park.
This reunion comes at an auspicious time, with college campuses erupting all over the country in solidarity with the Palestinian people. Once again, 55 years later, Stanford students are rising up for peace and justice. They have established a “People’s University” encampment and they are demanding that Stanford: (1) explicitly condemn Israel’s genocide and apartheid; (2) call for an immediate ceasefire, and for Israel and Egypt to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza; and (3) immediately divest from the consumer brands identified by the Palestinian BDS National Committee and all firms in Stanford’s investment portfolio that are complicit Israeli war crimes, apartheid and genocide.
At this moment in history, there are two related military occupations occurring simultaneously – 5,675 miles apart. One is Israel’s ongoing 57-year occupation of Palestinian territory, which is now taking the form of a full-fledged genocide that has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians. The other is at Columbia University, where the administration has asked the New York Police Department to occupy the school until May 17. Both occupations are fueled by the Zionist power structure. Both have weaponized antisemitism to rationalize their brutality.
The students at Columbia are demanding that the university end its investments in companies and funds that are profiting from Israel’s war against the Palestinians. They want financial transparency and amnesty for students and faculty involved in the demonstration. Most protesters throughout the country are demanding an immediate ceasefire and divestment from companies with interests in Israel. More than 2,300 people have been arrested or detained on U.S. college campuses.
Israel has damaged or destroyed every university in Gaza. But no university president has denounced Israel’s genocide or supported the call for divestment.
The Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement was launched in 2005 by 170 Palestinian civil society organizations who described BDS as “non-violent punitive measures” to last until Israel fully complies with international law. That means Israel must (1) end its occupation and colonization of all Arab lands and dismantle its barrier wall; (2) recognize the fundamental rights of the Arab-Palestinian citizens of Israel to full equality; and (3) respect, protect and promote the rights of Palestinian refugees to return to their land as mandated by UN General Assembly Resolution 194.
Boycotts are the withdrawal of support for Israel, and Israeli and international companies that are violating Palestinian human rights, including Israeli academic, cultural and sporting institutions. Divestment occurs when universities, churches, banks, pension funds and local councils withdraw their investments from all Israeli and international companies complicit in the violation of Palestinian rights. Sanctions campaigns pressure governments to stop military trade and free-trade agreements and urge them to expel Israel from international fora.
“A particularly important source of Palestinian hope is the growing impact of the Palestinian-led nonviolent BDS movement,” according to Omar Barghouti, co-founder of BDS. It “aims at ending Israel’s regime of military occupation, settler-colonialism, and apartheid and defending the right of Palestinian refugees to return home.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called the BDS movement an existential threat to Israel – an absurd claim in light of Israel’s arsenal of nuclear weapons.
The BDS movement is modeled largely on the boycott that helped end apartheid in South Africa. As confirmed by Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and the Israeli human rights organization B’Tselem, Israel also maintains a system of apartheid. Israel’s system is “an even more extreme form of the apartheid” than South Africa’s was, the South African ambassador told the International Court of Justice (ICJ) at the recent hearing on the legality of the Israeli occupation.
The U.S. has a long, proud history of boycotts – from the civil rights bus boycott to the United Farm Workers Union’s grape boycott. But at the behest of Zionists, anti-boycott legislation has been passed at the federal and state levels to prevent the American people from exercising their First Amendment right to boycott.
“The genocide underway in Gaza is the result of decades of impunity and inaction. Ending Israel’s impunity is a moral, political and legal imperative,” Palestine’s Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki told the ICJ. “Successive Israeli governments have given the Palestinian people only three options: displacement, subjugation or death; these are the choices, ethnic cleansing, apartheid or genocide.”
“Israel restricts every aspect of Palestinian life, from birth to death, resulting in manifest human rights violations and an overt system of repression and persecution,” al-Maliki said. “Through indiscriminate killing, summary execution, mass arbitrary arrest, torture, forced displacement, settler violence, movement restrictions and blockades, Israel subjects Palestinians to inhumane life conditions and untold human indignities, affecting the fate of every man, woman and child under its control.”
The Israeli military is poised to compound its genocidal campaign by ethnically cleansing 1.4 million people sheltering in Rafah, who have nowhere to flee. The violence in Gaza did not start on October 7, 2023, with the killing of some 1,200 Israelis by Hamas. It is the continuation of Israel’s brutal Nakba (Arabic for “catastrophe”) that began 75 years ago.
The Ambassador of Belize told the ICJ, “No state reserves to itself the right to systematically violate the rights of a people to self-determination — except Israel. No state seeks to justify the indefinite occupation of another’s territory — except Israel. No state commits annexation and apartheid with impunity, except — it seems — Israel.” He said that “Israel must not be allowed such blatant impunity.”
Yet the U.S. government continues to fund Israel’s occupation and genocide, and protect the Israeli regime from any accountability. The U.S. also provides Israel with diplomatic cover, consistently vetoing resolutions in the Security Council that call for an enduring ceasefire.
Israeli officials believe that the International Criminal Court is about to issue arrest warrants for senior Israeli government officials, including Netanyahu, for their crimes, including the obstruction of humanitarian aid to the people starving to death in Gaza. Hamas leaders also reportedly face arrest warrants. The Biden administration is taking steps to shield Israelis from ICC arrest warrants.
Meanwhile, Francesca Albanese, United Nations special rapporteur for the occupied Palestinian territory, called for an arms embargo and sanctions on Israel. The amazing student movement that only promises to grow will hopefully be a game changer in stopping Israel’s US-backed genocide.
To the brave students following in our noble tradition, I say, you are on the right side of history. Dare to struggle, dare to win!
Marjorie Cohn is professor emerita at Thomas Jefferson School of Law, dean of the People’s Academy of International Law and past president of the National Lawyers Guild. She sits on the national advisory boards of Assange Defense and Veterans For Peace. A member of the bureau of the International Association of Democratic Lawyers, she is the U.S. representative to the advisory council of the Association of American Jurists. Her books include Drones and Targeted Killing: Legal, Moral and Geopolitical Issues.
This article originally appeared at Common Dreams; licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Two colonels in the State Guard of Ukraine, which protects top officials, were arrested on suspicion of treason for enacting the plan, Ukraine’s state security service said in a prepared statement, which added that the plot was drawn up by Russia’s Federal Security Service.
Washington, D.C. Ukrainian counterintelligence investigators said Tuesday that they thwarted a plan by Russian agents to assassinate President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other high-level officials.
Two colonels in the State Guard of Ukraine, which protects top officials, were arrested on suspicion of treason for enacting the plan, Ukraine’s state security service said in a prepared statement, which added that the plot was drawn up by Russia’s Federal Security Service.
Moscow did not immediately comment on the reports, which indicate that the colonels were recruited prior to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
“The terrorist attack, which was supposed to be a gift to [Russian President Vladimir] Putin for the inauguration, was indeed a failure of Russian special services,” Vasyl Maliuk, head of Ukraine’s State Security Service, told his agency via Telegram.
The United States and most European Union countries skipped Putin’s 6th term swearing-in ceremony on Tuesday.
The inauguration comes more than two years after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Zelenskyy said in 2022 that there had been at least 10 attempts to assassinate him. A Polish man was arrested in April on allegations of working with Russia’s GRU military intelligence on an alleged plot to assassinate the Ukrainian president.
Zelenskyy is leading Ukraine’s effort to fight off Russia’s aggression as the war enters its third year.
As a frequent traveler, I’ve marveled at the seamless public transit systems in cities like Bangkok, Singapore, and Tokyo. So when the MTA unveiled its new OMNY contactless payment system, I was thrilled that New York was finally catching up with the times. The promise of simply tapping my phone or card to board seemed like a dream come true.
Little did I know, it would soon become a nightmare. #ShareIfYouCare #CrosstownBusNightmare #NeverTapAgain
New York, N.Y. One recent afternoon, I tapped my phone on the OMNY reader as I boarded a crosstown bus. The screen flashed “GO,” and I took my seat, feeling smug about embracing this modern convenience. However, my satisfaction was short-lived when a squad of MTA police officers boarded and began checking everyone’s receipts or phone statements.
Despite having followed the instructions and being granted entry, my bank statement showed no record of the payment. Protests fell on deaf ears as four of us were unceremoniously ordered off the bus, surrounded by burly officers who seemed more interested in flexing their authority than hearing our explanations.
The Humiliation and Consequences
The humiliation of being publicly escorted off the bus like a common criminal was bad enough, but the consequences didn’t end there. Not only was I issued a $100 fine that could potentially tarnish my record, but I was also left stranded, forced to reschedule a crucial doctor’s appointment – a significant inconvenience.
Insult was added to injury when, hours later, the charge finally appeared on my statement, confirming that I had indeed paid the fare. But by then, the damage was done.
The Plot Thickens
I called my credit card company and they said that when I swipe my cell in the subway, it registers “MTA,” but when I swiped on the bus, it registered as “NYC go now” or something. And because I usually take the subway and not the bus, it was the first time that new charge hit my card. So they held up payment deeming it suspicious and didn’t approve it for 12 hours.
In short, the fault seems to lie with both MTA and my credit card company. I don’t really care whose fault it was, I was still kicked off the bus by uniformed police, missed my medical appointment, and was fined $100. This so-called seamless experience is full of wrinkles. It is simply not for me anymore.
A Broken System
The MTA’s heavy-handed approach and lack of understanding or flexibility in dealing with a clearly flawed system is appalling. Why should I, or any law-abiding citizen, cooperate with an agency that humiliates and penalizes us for their own technological shortcomings?
Until the OMNY system is refined and its enforcers are trained to handle such situations with more empathy and common sense, I’ll be steering clear of this so-called “convenience.” The MTA has lost my trust and my business. I, for one, will never tap again.
Photos: Marc A. Hermann / MTA New York City Transit
With Wynton Marsalis, world-renowned trumpeter, bandleader, composer, and a leading advocate of American culture.
New York, N.Y. I was thrilled to be with Wynton Marsalis[Luce Index™ Score: 95] at the French Embassy in New York City the night in 2009 he received France’s highest distinction, the insignia Chevalier of the Legion of Honor, an honor that was first awarded by Napoleon Bonaparte.
Marsalis has been called the “Pied Piper” of Jazz and the “Doctor of Swing”
Since his recording debut in 1982, he has released 127 jazz, classical and alternative recordings and won many awards. From the very beginning of his career, education has been vital to his mission. He has taught and mentored a voluminous number of musicians who have gone on to play, teach and advocate in their own brilliant ways. Through these relationships Marsalis has ensured that the legacy of jazz music will continue to propagate for generations to come.
Over the past four decades, Marsalis has rekindled and animated widespread international interest in jazz through performances, educational activities, books, curricula, and relentless advocacy on public platforms. Today, Marsalis continues the renaissance that he sparked in the early 1980s, attracting new generations of young talent to jazz and illuminating the mythic meanings of jazz fundamentals.
Wynton Marsalis’ core beliefs are based on jazz fundamentals: freedom and individual creativity (improvisation), collective action and good manners (swing), as well as acceptance, gratitude and resilience (the blues). Marsalis believes that music has the power to elevate our quality of life and lead us to both higher and lower levels of consciousness. He maintains that music can elevate the quality of human engagement for individuals, social networks and cultural institutions throughout the world.
A Musical Upbringing
Wynton was born in New Orleans in 1961, to jazz pianist and music educator Ellis Marsalis Jr. and Dolores Marsalis. He developed an avid desire to participate in the cultural community that surrounded him. He was curious about his father and his musician friends that would always come by the family home for a visit, or to shed tunes. Hearing how passionately Ellis and his musician friends talked about the Civil Rights Act, and key political figures of the time such as Bobby Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jr., and Lyndon B. Johnson led Wynton to first start to understand the intrinsic link between music and the human experience that it represents.
Early Years in New York
After receiving his diploma from Benjamin D. Franklin High School in New Orleans, Marsalis left home to continue studying classical music at The Juilliard School in New York City. He enrolled in the fall of 1979.
While a student at Juilliard, Marsalis quickly began to take note of the flourishing jazz scene that was transpiring in New York. He soon started playing jazz gigs around the city; it didn’t take long for the grapevine to begin to buzz as people wondered who this young cat from New Orleans was.
Columbia Records signed Marsalis to his first recording contract in 1980— just a year after he had left home.
Since his boyhood encounter with the young man on the New Orleans streetcar, Marsalis has maintained his love of classical music. His deep interest in the compositions of Bach, Beethoven, Mozart and others has driven him to pursue classical music as well as jazz throughout his career.
Television, Radio & Literary
Throughout his career, Marsalis has taken on an inexhaustible advocatory role for jazz music. He has often been referred to as The Conscience of Jazz. Through the mediums of television, radio, journalism and literature, he has communicated his message to the world about the imperative force of jazz to elevate our livelihood and culture.
Marsalis had two documentaries made on his music and perspective early in his career: Catching a Snake in 1985 and Playing Through the Changes in 1992. Though many years have passed since these two pieces aired, Marsalis’ overall message about jazz music and its importance as a classic American art form have remained consistent to date.
In the fall of 1995, Wynton launched two major broadcast events. That October on PBS, he premiered Marsalis on Music, an educational television series on jazz and classical music which he wrote and hosted. Writers distinguished Marsalis on Musicwith comparisons to Leonard Bernstein’s celebrated Young People’s Concerts of the 1950s and 60s. That same month, NPR aired the first of Marsalis’ 26-week series entitled Making the Music. These entertaining and insightful radio shows were the first full exposition of jazz music in American broadcast history. Wynton’s radio and television series’ were awarded the most prestigious distinction in broadcast journalism, the George Foster Peabody Award. The Spirit of New Orleans, Marsalis’ poetic tribute to the New Orleans Saints’ first Super Bowl victory (Super Bowl XLIV) has also received an Emmy Award for Outstanding Short Feature (2011).
Marsalis has been interviewed for countless documentaries and educational specials on jazz music, as well as classical. One of his most notable moments in this vein was his collaboration with Ken Burns in 2001 on his documentary miniseries Jazz. Other examples include his contributions to A World Without Beethoven? (2020), TCM’s Jazz in Film series (2020), and his interviews with LIFE on Billie Holiday and Louis Armstrong (2015). Marsalis is consistently called upon to speak about the legacies of other jazz legends. He has given interviews on Leonard Bernstein, Duke Ellington, Thelonious Monk, Dizzy Gillespie, and so many others.
Select Awards and Accolades
Marsalis’ creativity has been celebrated throughout the world. He has won the Netherlands’ Edison Award and the Grand Prix Du Disque of France. The Mayor of Vitoria, Spain, awarded him with the city’s Gold Medal – its most coveted distinction.
In 2001, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan proclaimed Wynton Marsalis an international ambassador of goodwill for the Unites States by appointing him a UN Messenger of Peace. Then, in November 2005, Wynton Marsalis was bestowed The National Medal of Arts, the highest award given to artists by the United States Government. Marsalis was honored with The National Humanities Medal by President Barak Obama in 2015, in recognition of his work to deepen the nation’s understanding of the humanities and broaden American citizens’ engagement with history, literature, languages and philosophy.
In the five decades preceding Marsalis’ 1997 Pulitzer Prize win for Blood on the Fields, the Pulitzer Prize jury had refused to recognize jazz musicians and their improvisational music, reserving the distinction solely for classical composers. In the years following Marsalis’ award, the Pulitzer Prize for Music has been awarded posthumously to Duke Ellington, George Gershwin, Thelonious Monk and John Coltrane.
TIME magazine selected Wynton as one of America’s most promising leaders under age 40 in 1995; in 1996, TIME celebrated Marsalis again as one of America’s 25 most influential people. In 2011, the Marsalis family, including Wynton, became the first to receive a group NEA Jazz Masters Award from the National Endowment of the Arts. Honorary degrees have been conferred upon Marsalis by 41 of America’s leading academic institutions including Columbia, Harvard, Howard, Princeton, Yale and Tulane University in his hometown of New Orleans.
In the winter of 2021, Marsalis was welcomed into the American Academy of Arts and Letters. The same year, he was winner of the Dr. Maria Montessori Ambassador Award given by the American Montessori Society, Brooklyn for Peace’s PathMakers to Peace Award, the winner of the American Prairie Reserve’s Ken Burns American Heritage Prize and was presented the Key to the City of New York by Bill DeBlasio. In 2022, Marsalis was presented with SFJAZZ’s Lifetime Achievement Award. Marsalis’ album Black Codes (From the Underground) was inducted into the National Recording Registry at the Library of Congress in the spring of 2023.
“The Hijras taught me that being trans and Indian is enduring. The Hijras can teach all trans people that their experiences are enduring. The Hijras can teach society that trans people are enduring.” – Alex Parmar-Yee
New York, N.Y. — In a recent article published by Queer A.F. and titled “The Hijras taught me that being Trans and Indian is enduring,” Alex Parmar-Yee.
Parmar-Yee writes, “‘People like me aren’t transgender, right?’ This is a question that I and many trans folks have asked ourselves as we have begun exploring our identities.
“However, “people like me” can mean different things for each individual. It might refer to an individual’s experience of dysphoria, their hobbies, or their friends.
“For me it was my ethnicity. Although born in London, I’m a second generation immigrant of Chinese and Indian heritage, and growing up in the ‘90s and ‘00s meant that the representation of transgender people and LGBTQIA+ people in general that I saw tended to be controversial. Moreover, those people were usually white.
“As I began to scratch the surface of trans-ness online in my 20s, I saw the trans community indeed appeared to be mostly white folks.
“As I got deeper I discovered more about Black trans pioneers, but I didn’t encounter many brown, South Asian trans siblings. Perhaps, I thought, being born and raised British had allowed me to assimilate with identities which aren’t for people like me?”
She continues, “As my initial gender exploration and experimentation ended and I became more confident as a non-binary trans feminine individual, I sought more information on trans people throughout history. I fell down an internet research rabbit hole, and ended up on a page which surprised me…
“The Hijras taught me that being trans and Indian is enduring. The Hijras can teach all trans people that their experiences are enduring. The Hijras can teach society that trans people are enduring,” she concluded.
🏳️⚧️
This article was one part of a series of official content produced for the first-ever Trans+ History Week. During the week Queer A.F. invested in, mentored and published over 30 Trans+ creatives from the U.K., U.S., and Europe.
The report also reveals ongoing challenges. Although most people continue to live in the country where they were born, an estimated 281 million people worldwide are international migrants, or roughly 3.6 per cent of the global population. Of this number, 117 million are displaced – the highest level yet.
Dhaka, Bangladesh. Money sent home by migrants abroad has surpassed foreign direct investment in boosting the gross domestic product (GDP) of developing countries, UN migration agency IOM said in the latest edition of its flagship report, released on Tuesday.
World Migration Report 2024 reveals a significant shift in global migration patterns, including a record number of people displaced due to conflict, violence, natural and other disasters.
Speaking at the launch in Dhaka, Bangladesh, IOM Director General Amy Pope said the report aims to “demystify the complexity of human mobility through evidence-based data and analysis”.
Driving development and growth
International migration remains a driver of human development and economic growth, as highlighted by a more than 650 per cent increase in international remittances from 2000 to 2022, rising from $128 billion to $831 billion.
Growth continued despite predictions that remittances would decrease substantially due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Most of the money, $647 billion, was sent to low and middle-income countries, constituting a significant portion of their GDP – that is, the amount of money earned from the sale of all goods and services.
Globally, these remittances now surpass foreign direct investment in those countries.
Record displacement
The report also reveals ongoing challenges. Although most people continue to live in the country where they were born, an estimated 281 million people worldwide are international migrants, or roughly 3.6 per cent of the global population. Of this number, 117 million are displaced – the highest level yet.
IOM said migration is an intrinsic part of human history, but it is often overshadowed by sensationalized narratives and headlines that belie the reality on the ground.
“Most migration is regular, safe, and regionally focused, directly linked to opportunities and livelihoods,” the UN agency affirmed. “Yet, misinformation and politicisation have clouded public discourse, necessitating a clear and accurate portrayal of migration dynamics.”
Spotlight on Bangladesh
IOM chose Dhaka as the site for the report’s launch to both highlight Bangladesh’s efforts to support vulnerable migrants and promote pathways to regular migration and to recognize the country’s important role in shaping global migration discourse and policy.
As a champion of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration, adopted in December 2018, Bangladesh has demonstrated a strong commitment to addressing migration issues and implementing policies that safeguard migrants’ rights, IOM said.
The country’s Foreign Minister, Dr. Hasan Mahmud, said “Bangladesh will not only continue to act upon the pledges it has made for its domestic context but would also take up emerging issues and challenges pertaining to migration and development for informed deliberations at the international level.”
In the United States, where the right to publicly criticize the government and the right to assemble to protest its policies are both enshrined in the Constitution, the dispersal of protests is a sensitive subject. But while federal law guarantees freedom of speech, that freedom is not unfettered.
Washington, D.C. In the weeks since protests against Israel’s war in the Gaza Strip began on U.S. college campuses, the number of people facing arrest has soared into the thousands.
Police from New York City to Los Angeles have been breaking up protest encampments, sometimes violently, and rounding up demonstrators.
FILE – The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., right, accompanied by Rev. Ralph D. Abernathy, center, is booked by city police Lt. D.H. Lackey in Montgomery, Alabama, on Feb. 23, 1956.
Choosing civil disobedience
Over the centuries, federal courts have established that some restrictions on speech, particularly related to the “time, place and manner” in which it is delivered, are legally permissible.
Dating to at least the Civil Rights Movement, members of protest movements in the U.S. have often knowingly and purposefully violated those restrictions, engaging in what is commonly known as civil disobedience.
In states across the country, protesters demonstrating against the war in Gaza have faced a variety of charges, including trespassing and unlawful assembly. Many of those arrested may face jail time, an appearance before a judge and possible legal sanctions. Student protesters may also face internal discipline from universities.
First Amendment binds government
The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution guarantees Americans’ right to free speech and assembly. It reads, “Congress shall make no law … abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
However, it is important to note that the First Amendment only binds the federal and state governments, not private individuals and institutions.
“At a public university, the First Amendment will regulate what that institution can do with respect to protesters,” Vera Eidelman, a staff attorney at the American Civil Liberties Union’s Speech, Privacy, and Technology Project, told VOA. By contrast, private universities are free to establish their own rules about permissible speech.
“The government can impose content neutral rules, meaning they can’t be based on the message that is being expressed by the protesters that reasonably get at the time, place or manner of the protest,” Eidelman said.
In practice, that often means limits on things such as using amplified speech late at night and camping out in public spaces.
“Rules like that, that are content neutral and are reasonable and are not aimed at suppressing a message, are generally available for the government to apply,” she said.
Not all neutral
Civil liberties advocates have pointed out that some of the enforcement actions being taken against protests appear to be examples of the government acting to shut down particular kinds of speech, which is not permitted under the First Amendment.
In Texas, which has a state law that protects the right of students to protest on campus, Governor Greg Abbott nevertheless preemptively announced that pro-Palestinian protests at the University of Texas at Austin would not be allowed to take place and sent in law enforcement officers to prevent protesters from assembling.
Abbott said he was blocking the protest because it would be “antisemitic” — a claim that civil rights advocates said does not justify suppressing speech.
“We were very concerned about what we saw at UT Austin,” Alex Morey, vice president for campus advocacy at the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, told VOA.
“We took huge objection to that, because we said, ‘This is not you breaking up civil disobedience or keeping the campus safe from violence. You’re preempting peaceful protest, and you’re saying that it’s viewpoint based,'” she said.
Impact of arrests
For the thousands of protesters who have faced arrest over the past few weeks, the consequences can range widely.
In Austin, for example, most of the dozens of protesters taken into custody during Abbott’s preemptive raid had their charges dropped almost immediately. They were quickly released from custody after prosecutors found little basis for pressing charges.
However, according to Trisha Trigilio, a senior staff attorney with the ACLU’s Criminal Law Reform Project, the impact on other protesters could well be more severe.
In the U.S., police can legally hold a person in custody for 48 hours before they are brought before a judge and formally charged with illegal activity.
“The arrest can be quite violent, and the next few days after arrest when people are held in jail can also be really harmful,” Trigilio told VOA. “Protesters could miss work and lose their jobs. There’s a lot of students arrested, and they miss important deadlines leading up to finals and graduation. People were arrested towards the end of the month, and rent was due at the time that many people were jailed.
“You’ll hear folks in law enforcement talk about being jailed for ‘just a few days,’ but it’s actually really serious,” Trigilio said. “These arrests can have really lasting effects.”
Various charges
The kinds of charges protesters face vary significantly. Some are relatively minor, with the maximum penalty consisting of a fine. Others, however, face much more serious consequences, including for some of the students arrested at Columbia University, who broke into and occupied a campus building before being removed by police.
“We’ve seen people charged with felonies,” Trigilio said. “Here in New York, people were charged with burglary. It’s very common, when you have this kind of emotional back and forth between police and protesters, for police to charge people with resisting arrest or assaulting an officer. Your charges like assault and burglary can be elevated to felonies depending on the jurisdiction you’re in.”
In the U.S., conviction for a felony can be a serious burden. In some states, felons are deprived of the right to vote, and in many cases, a felony will complicate a person’s employment prospects.
But even simply being charged with a felony can be damaging, with many jurisdictions requiring the accused to post cash bail before they are released from custody.
“A recent study showed that most Americans cannot afford a $400 emergency expense,” Trigilio said. “And it’s very common for cash bail to require payments that are greater than that in order for people to get out of jail.”
In the heart of Madrid, where the pulse of culture and intellect beats strongly, there exists a man whose literary prowess and global perspective have captivated audiences around the world.
New York, N.Y. Mario Vargas Llosa, acclaimed author, intellectual heavyweight, and unwavering advocate for freedom and democracy, stands as a towering figure in the realm of literature and beyond.A decade ago, amidst the refined ambiance of The Americas Society on Park Avenue in NYC, I had the distinct honor of meeting Mario Vargas Llosa—an encounter that left an indelible mark on my soul and reinforced my commitment to championing the ideals of thought leadership and global citizenship through my writing.
Mario Vargas, one of the world’s most important novelists, explains a finer point to me. From: Mario Vargas Llosa on the end of the Incan Empire at the Americas Society, NYC.
As a contemporary Japanese literature major studying the works of Kōbō Abe and Mishima Yukio, with deep familial ties to the world of French literature, Mario Vargas Llosa‘s work resonates with me on a profound level. Growing up surrounded by the rich tapestry of literary traditions, with my father and stepmother both professors of French literature, and my father a translator of Louis-Ferdinand Céline and Jules Verne, I developed an appreciation for the power of storytelling and the enduring impact of cultural exchange.
Meeting Vargas Llosa was not just a meeting of minds, but a convergence of literary legacies—an encounter that underscored the universality of the human experience and the transcendent power of literature to bridge divides and foster understanding. In Vargas Llosa‘s work, I find echoes of the themes and motifs that have long captivated me in Japanese and French literature.
From Peru to the Global Stage
From the cobblestone streets of his native Peru to the hallowed halls of academia and the global stage, Mario Vargas Llosa’s journey is one of literary brilliance and unwavering conviction. Born into a world of political turmoil and social upheaval, he emerged as a voice of reason and enlightenment, using his pen as a mighty sword to challenge oppression, confront injustice, and champion the power of individual freedom and human dignity.
A Literary Oeuvre of Depth and Diversity
Vargas Llosa’s literary oeuvreis as vast and diverse as the landscapes that inspire it. From the lush jungles of the Amazon to the bustling streets of Lima, his novels transport readers to worlds both familiar and fantastical, weaving intricate tales of love, power, and the human condition. Through works such as The Feast of the Goat, Conversation in the Cathedral, and the seminalThe War of the End of the World, he invites readers to confront the complexities of history, politics, and morality, urging us to question, to reflect, and to dare to imagine a better world.
A Thought Leader and Global Citizen
But Vargas Llosa‘s influence extends far beyond the realm of literature. As a thought leader and public intellectual, he has dedicated
his life to advancing the cause of freedom, democracy, and human rights on a global scale. From his outspoken criticism of authoritarian regimes to his unwavering support for marginalized communities and oppressed individuals, he embodies the principles of solidarity and compassion that lie at the heart of true global citizenship.
An Encounter with a Literary Giant
At The Americas Society on Park Avenue in Manhattan a decade ago, I witnessed firsthand the depth of Vargas Llosa’s intellect and the breadth of his vision. In conversation, he exuded a rare combination of humility and intellectual rigor, engaging with topics ranging from the future of democracy to the role of art in society with equal parts passion and insight. It was clear that here was a man who not only understood the world in all its complexity but who was also determined to shape its future for the better.
A Guiding Light in Uncertain Times
As I reflect on that momentous encounter, I am reminded of the impact Mario Vargas Llosa has had on my own journey as a writer and advocate. His unwavering commitment to the principles of freedom, democracy, and human rights serves as a guiding light in an often tumultuous world, inspiring me to use my voice and my pen to amplify the voices of the marginalized, challenge the powerful, and champion the cause of justice and equality.
In an era defined by uncertainty and upheaval, Mario Vargas Llosa stands as a beacon of hope and inspiration, reminding us of the enduring power of literature, the importance of intellectual engagement, and the imperative of global citizenship. As we navigate the challenges of the 21st century, let us look to Vargas Llosa not only as a literary luminary but as a steadfast ally in the quest for a more just, equitable, and compassionate world.
Using visual cues from the paintings of Caravaggio, Indian filmmaker Bedabrata Pain has produced a triumphant film, that screened in New York last week.
New York, N.Y. Using visual cues from the paintings of Caravaggio, Indian filmmaker Bedabrata Pain has produced a triumphant film, Chittagong, that screened in New York last week. It is based upon a little-known episode leading to Indian Independence: a group of schoolboys who, with the help of their teacher, temporarily toppled the British a decade before the Union Jack was removed permanently.
Although independence was gained in 1947 through Mahatma Gandhi’s non-violence (Satyagraha), growing up hearing stories of the American Revolution I could certainly understand the desire to raise arms against colonial rule. The film tells this story brilliantly. Riveting and spectacular, Chittagong is the Gandhi for our age.
A trailer for the film is available online. Image: www.chittagongthefilm.com.
Chittagong is only the first film of producer, director and main writer Bedabrata Pain. The film opened the 12th annual New York Indian Film Festival (NYIFF) sponsored by the Indo-American Arts Council (IAAC). Bedabrata stated in the Q&A following the screening at Manhattan’s Paris Theater last week:
This story had to be told: Kids standing up to the British Empire and its army. Although the story had to be told, I was left with how best to tell it. We needed character development — the kids.
The main protagonist was a 14-year-old named Jhunku. We interviewed him on what turned out to be his death bed in a nursing home in Calcutta. He passed away two weeks after we filmed him. He was so pleased his story had finally been recorded.
Jhunku was the least likely candidate to lead a revolt: his father was an attorney for the Crown and he was bound for Oxford under the tutelage of the local British commander.
I spoke with Bedabrata after his film’s opening, as well as throughout the festival, and found him to be as pleasant as he is talented.
Chittagong’s producer, director and main writer Bedabrata Pain with Aroon Shivdasani, director of Indo-American Arts Council. Photo courtesy of Archana Desai.
After the festival, I spoke with the New York Indian Film Festival’s director Aseem Chhabra at the Light of India Awards at the Taj Pierre Hotel. Aseem explained to me:https://bb646c8aa066fedb10f95e6fba22f27e.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-40/html/container.html?n=0
The film deals with the facet of Indian Independence — an unforgettable story — that had never been told to a broad audience before. In telling it, Bedabrata created an epic. I liked the fact that it was such a bold plan: children almost toppled British rule. It was very fantastic, and the film captured it so well.
This beautiful film was shot mostly during morning hours. The resulting lighting, coupled with the director’s use of shallow, depth-of-field perspective creates a stunning, historical tableau. Composed over just five days, the musical soundtrack for the film is sad and romantic and adds to the film’s layers.
Focus on the Chittagong Uprising of 1930. Graphic: New York Indian Film Festival.
I chatted at length with the filmmaker Dev Bengal about Chittagong. He told me:
It’s like watching a painting in motion. Bedo has the eye of a Renaissance artist. You’d never imagine this is his first film. Wow, what a debut. He directs like a master. Add to that, the courage and madness in taking on a political story of resistance and making it ring true to us today. Bedo’s film stayed with me days after I had seen it.
Bedabrata Pain with Aroon Shivdasani whose Indo-American Arts Council runs the New York Indian Film Festival. Photo courtesy of Archana Desai.
After the festival I followed up with filmmaker Bedabrata Pain. We discussed how not only was Chittagong historically significant, but the message that ordinary people can generate social change resonates in this moment of Arab Spring and Occupy Wall Street. He told me:
Chittagong is a film about celebration of human spirit — a spirit that refuses to give in the face of injustice and adversity, and triumphs at the end. Today, when there’s a striving for change all over the world — from Greece to Wall Street, from Africa to Asia — I hope my film reminds everybody that David can win the battle against Goliath.
The reason for the uprising’s initial success was due to its leader Masterda Surya Sen’s brilliant and audacious strategy to capture the two main armories and then destroy the telegraph and telephone office and railroad line. They also planned to capture the British Raj officials in the European Club and raid the local armories for weapons, however these two plans went awry. Retreating to the countryside, it was only a matter of days for several thousand troops to surround them. By the end, over 80 British troops and 12 of the revolutionaries lay dead. The number of dead may have been as high as 150 as their bodies were actually thrown in the Bay of Bengal to prevent an accurate count. Surya Sen was eventually betrayed, arrested, and hung — but for a good three years he eluded capture, protected by Muslim peasants, even though he was of Hindu religion. But there temporary victory lay the groundwork for India’s independence.https://bb646c8aa066fedb10f95e6fba22f27e.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-40/html/container.html?n=0
As Bedabrata Pain told me, “Most of the revolutionaries survived and went on to lead mass uprisings — something that is integral to the narrative of Chittagong. These uprisings played no small a role in the struggle for India’s independence.”
The film Chittagong is a brilliant, poignant action-drama, made more so by the fact that it is true. I thank Bedabrata Pain for bringing such an import, little-known story to global attention. If this is only his first film, we can only imagine what his next films will be like. I await them eagerly.
Graphic courtesy of the New York Indian Film Festival.
Indo-American Arts Council (IAAC) The oldest and largest Indian arts organization outside India, it was founded by Aroon Shivdasani in New York City.https://bb646c8aa066fedb10f95e6fba22f27e.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-40/html/container.html?n=0
New York Indian Film Festival (NYIFF) A project of the Indo-American Arts Council, NYIFF is the oldest and largest Indian film festival outside India. 2012 is its twelfth year.
The James Jay Dudley Luce Foundation (www.lucefoundation.org) is the umbrella organization under which Orphans International Worldwide (OIWW) is organized. If supporting young global leadership is important to you, subscribe to J. Luce Foundation updates here.
New York, N.Y. I’ve always considered myself fortunate to meet the people who are doing big things– positively impacting lives in meaningful ways. Recently I met a kindred spirit, Jonathan Hollander, founder and director of Battery Dance Company. His lower Manhattan-based dance company demonstrates the tremendous public good that the arts can contribute to society. He has done it now for almost four decades.
With a budget just under $1 million, Battery Dance Company organizes the city’s longest running dance festival, operates in six public schools per year, manages international programs in 10 to 12 countries, produces at least one new production each year, and operates a low cost studio share program that serves over 300 choreographers. This puts him in the realm of great NYC arts masters such as Susan Wadsworth, Aroon Shivdasani, and Marie-Monique Steckel.
Battery Dance Company in “Shell Games” choreographed by Jonathan Hollander, 3LD Art + Technology Center, New York, May, 2013. Photo by Darial Sneed.
Battery Dance Company is perhaps best known for its wonderful performances at New York’s premier venues and on the world’s major stages. Many around New York City also know Jonathan as the artistic director and organizer of the Downtown Dance Festival, which recently held its 32nd annual event.
But many are unaware of Battery Dance Company’s involvement in public schools–at a time when school art programs have been slashed or altogether eliminated. For 38 years, the dance company has brilliantly filled the gaps. Battery Dance Company Portrait. Photo: Battery Dance Company.
“Social relevance has always been an important piece of what we do,” Jonathan underscored in our conversation. “Not every New York City public school child has access to the arts. It’s a matter of chance as to whether he or she lives in a zone where there are arts classes.”
Also, few people know about the company’s impressive cultural diplomacy program: Dancing to Connect. Battery Dance Company created this initiative to engage youth in creativity and team building through modern dance. Since 2006, the company has implemented the program in 38 countries and plans on expanding to 50 by 2015. Jonathan Hollander in 1976, the same year he formed Battery Dance Company. He was a dancer and choreographer at the time. Photo: Ed Robbins.
Dancing to Connect is an intensive 20-hour program that brings together a diverse group of 100 students, most with little or no dance experience. Under the instruction and guidance of five Battery Dance Company teaching artists, the students learn how to express themselves through dance and create an original choreographed piece that they perform on a big stage.
For some of these students, learning dance can be therapeutic. Jonathan recalled the company’s experience in Thailand where some of those students were rescued sex workers who experienced many horrors in their young lives. Having written about such kids in Southeast Asia (story), I was really impressed. Dancing to Connect rehearsal, Potsdam, Germany Theme: “Inclusion/Exclusion” Program sponsored by HeinrichBoell-Stiftung-Brandenburg, Federal Ministry of Education, U.S. Embassy Berlin. Photo: Battery Dance Company.
The program also builds bridges. For example, Israeli, Palestinian and German teens learned to overcome distrust and work together. Amazing. In Iraq, a Dancing to Connect program was held recently in Erbil, a Kurdish region of the country. The U.S. State Department facilitated the participation of Kurdish, Shia and Sunni students–groups with simmering tensions against each other. Fantastic.
At the beginning, there is often friction, but at the end, the students hold each other’s hands and lean on each other, he noted to me. “You can’t dance with somebody you distrust,” Jonathan commented. “It’s impossible.” Aboriginal Taiwanese Dancing to Connect participants with Jonathan Hollander in Taichung, 2008. Photo: Battery Dance Company. To measure its success and ultimately improve its program, the dance company tracks the opinions of participants before and after Dancing to Connect workshops. The detailed survey asks the participants to identify “the other” and how he or she feels about them. The Democratic Republic of Congo has been one of the most challenging locations. “You can’t walk anywhere in Kinshasa without being concerned for your safety,” Jonathan said. In addition to the dangers, the students live in extreme poverty in shantytowns, and many of the facilities for dance are decrepit. “Yet our program in the DRC is one of the most fulfilling ever,” he added. Despite the challenges, students showed up each day, dressed immaculately and ready to practice. Dancing to Connect participants in Erbil, Iraq, 2012 Jonathan Hollander is one of the most accomplished artists I’ve met. Some of his accolades include a Choreography Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts, two Fulbright awards, the Silver Mask of the Silesian Dance Theatre (Poland) and the USable Award (Germany). He has been a guest speaker for the Aspen Institute, India Foundation for the Arts, and keynote speaker for the 2011 Asia-Pacific International Dance Conference. As a philanthropist and writer, I’m always curious about what motivates other people to do big things. I was not surprised to learn from Jonathan that, like me, the fruit didn’t fall far from the tree. Both of Jonathan’s parents were on the boards of directors of NGOs and nurtured an ethos of giving in the family. Dancing to Connect participants with immigrant backgrounds in Offenbach, Germany As a 16-year-old high school student, Jonathan lived in India for three months as an exchange student. “That experience jump-started my international outlook,” he told me. The Indian family he lived with was a leader in business and arts, yet they lived a humble life and cared a great deal about providing social services for the poor. My start in global thinking came from being a high school exchange student to Germany with AFS. Reared in the wealthy suburbs of Chevy Chase, Md., he also spent time tutoring inner city schoolchildren in Washington, D.C. He spent the summer following his high school senior year at Junior Village in D.C., which he recalled as “a rundown facility for homeless children.” He encountered talented children who, if given the opportunity, would excel in life. Ironically, those children, who had experienced so much, enriched Jonathan’s life. Dancing to Connect Workshop sponsored by the U.S. Embassy Madrid and Centro de Danza Canal. Given all that Jonathan has accomplished, he said achieving sustainability for Battery Dance Company is his major accomplishment. “During the last 38 years we’ve seen a lot of dance companies come and go,” he noted. Jonathan said, “We glued ourselves to a community at the very beginning.” There was a lack of art in lower Manhattan at that time. Downtown workers spent all day crunching numbers or erecting scaffoldings and needed some balance. “That gave us a unique reason for being among the hundreds of other dance companies that already existed in New York. There was a territory that needed us and that gave us a sense of purpose right from the beginning,” he added. Battery Dance Company founder Jonathan Hollander. Photo by Richard Termine As the dance company expands at home and overseas, Jonathan wisely plans to grow by engaging and becoming a part of the communities where his company plants its roots. I encourage you to do whatever you can to support the Battery Dance Company and its founder Jonathan Hollander. The company is unrivaled in its scope, its vital mission dedicated to using the arts to bridge differences around the world, and its founder a true thought leader and global citizen. Edited by Nigel Roberts of The Stewardship Report. Battery Dance Company 380 Broadway, 5th floor, New York, NY 10013 | (212) 219-3910 www.batterydance.org, Twitter: @batterydance Facebook/batterydancecompany
