Sunday Roundup: Osama Bin Laden, Food crisis, Africa

Osama Bin Laden is dead. Al-Qaeda founder and leader died last Sunday in his Pakistan hideout at the hands of Navy SEALs. The mastermind behind the worst-ever terrorist attack on U.S. soil is no more. Although Bin Laden’s death summoned joy for good reasons, it was only for a short time. Eric Schmitt explains: Bin Laden’s Death Doesn’t Mean the ... More

Sunday Roundup: Graffiti, Congo, Sudan, J. Stiglitz, J. Silva

Sunday Roundup. Everything is said, the title of this post is quite self-explanatory. I have been inspired by the Sama Gazette and their weekly Rendezvous Friday Digest. I think this is an interesting way to share with you the news that caught my attention and which are worth mentioning on this blog. This is my first #Sunday Roundup, I hope you will ... More

2011: blissful optimism and weariness, Twitter says!

Happy new year everyone! I guess we are going to hear those words many times again in the coming hours, days and weeks. Today is the first day of 2011 and many are already recovering from a bash that lasted until early this morning. Most of the people I know are celebrating, wishing everyone the best for the new year. Me too I hope everything will be better ... More

Half the Sky: Moving Individual Stories To Engage People

Last week I met with friends to discuss Half the Sky, by Pulitzer-prize winning American journalists Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn. I mentioned the book for the first time in International Women’s Day: Ordinary Extraordinary Women and since then, many people I know decided to buy the book, whether it is the English or the French edition (published ... More

Conflict minerals: the bloody Pandora’s Box…

I usually don’t wear jewelry. Diamonds may be a girl’s best friend but they are definitely not mine. So when I heard about blood diamonds years ago, it didn’t come as a big disillusion. In 2007 I posted about Hotel Rwanda, Syriana, Blood Diamond… Not only entertainment. These films are informative movies the general public needs, and ... More

Sudan, Burma, Congo… The power of carrot and stick: reductio ad absurdum?

I have expressed my humble opinion about Sudan, Burma, Congo and other issues on many occasions on this blog, looking at the root causes and trying to explain them with simple words. I have close friends working in local organizations in France but also abroad, and it is always rewarding to discuss with experienced people. For the “60 Signers for the 60th ... More

International Women’s Day: Ordinary Extraordinary Women

Yesterday I met with extraordinary women. It was the 100th 99th Anniversary of International Women’s Day and I was invited to talk with women coming from many different countries. There was Betti from Rwanda, Clara from Mexico, Armita from Iran and French women: Fatima, Laurence, Karima, Francesca, Caroline… All had in common a difficult life ... More