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Poetry takes on center stage to dispel mis- and dis-information on COVID-19

Misinformation is a dangerous weapon for it takes one man to hit the trigger but a lot more are sure to hear the sound of the gun whether as pictures as voice notes or in writing Excitement or fear refusing us to let rationalitys light in we share Believing we are doing the right thing Forgetting a half truth is worse than a lie

COVID-19 recovery and indigenous peoples

While the planet waits to see whether there is a distinct end point to the COVID19 pandemic UNESCO is working with indigenous peoples to consider elements necessary for a recovery process The pandemic crisis highlighted inequalities while also shining light on new opportunities and creativity 91�鶹��Ʒ�� responded swiftly to the COVID19 pandemic by mobilizing its expertise and partnerships in cooperation with other agencies of the United Nations through its presence at country and regional levels and through its network of Chairs and Centres The partnerships with indigenous peoples organizations have been key to understanding their needs and contexts which shape UNESCOs actions and which we have attempted to relay in this newsletter UNESCOs mandates create a nuanced interface of culture sciences educational expertise information and communications this multidimensional capacity has allowed the organization to respond to the complex social and economic impact of the Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 SARSCoV2 pandemic The UNESCO Intersectoral Working Group on Indigenous Peoples issues has looked at the needs and opportunities to provide support in the context of UNESCO programme mandates and the UNESCO Policy on engaging with indigenous peoples This first bulletin is an effort to share insights analyses and lessons to be drawn from the current experience recognizing that this is an ongoing emergency for many countries Indigenous peoples history has been shaped by the impact of pandemics over centuries In a modern world with a high degree of economic and social connectivity virologists have predicted for decades that we could experience a global pandemic It turns out that 2020 was the year when the prediction became a global reality Despite the virus having no intention other than selfreproduction it has had a massive impact on societies and economies across the planet and this has amplified issues of both preparedness and vulnerability In this part of the bulletin UNESCO reflects on lessons learnt and how we support recovery that is inclusive of indigenous peoples and their needs UNESCO recognizes its duties and opportunities in supporting Member States and the global community to recover heal and build back better The UN system has picked up the motto of Build back better with a mind to greater attention to our natural environment our development goals and identifying where weaknesses have been exposed and where creative solutions help us move forward Many communities will experience social cultural and economic shocks which will require attention over time working towards greater resilience and equity in how indigenous peoples are considered during this and future crises UNESCO recognises that emergency responses are enhanced where there are efficient mechanisms for dialogue between indigenous peoples and national authorities to implement culturally appropriate responses to current and future impacts of the pandemic Good communication including effective use of existing primary health care networks accurate and timely information in appropriate languages and involving those from within indigenous communities to help conceptualise prevention and care strategies Spaces for participation and dialogue can address the current emergencies but also contribute to economic and social recovery plans The current crisis has highlighted the need to work towards transformational and green economy policies and systems that can reconcile health and nature eg in sites designated under the auspices of UNESCO programmes or standardsetting instruments such as Biosphere Reserves UNESCO Global Geoparks and Natural World Heritage Sites while drawing upon intangible cultural heritage knowledge and practices of local communities and indigenous peoples building local supply chains and respecting domestic community economies The Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme IHP has highlighted the need to boost water management efficiency by integrating indigenous cultural practices UNESCO sites are learning spaces for actively and effectively involving indigenous peoples in prevention and mitigation of future threats The UNESCO World Heritage Centre is undertaking efforts to identify recognize and map World Heritage properties of relevance to indigenous peoples and their interrelationship with elements inscribed on the lists of the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Similarly the Man and Biosphere and UNESCO Global Geoparks programme are collecting data on indigenous peoples and languages within these designated sites These are important steps towards engaging in a sustained dialogue with indigenous peoples on the longterm consequences of the pandemic on their cultural heritage livelihoods and their own preservation and safeguarding practices UNESCO promotes interculturality from a comprehensive and human rights perspective in accordance with the global purposes of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the seventeen goals to transform our world The pandemic will likely reveal a major impact on achieving the SDGs and remedial actions necessary for the recovery process In designing recovery the situation of indigenous peoples within the SDG actions and the disaggregation of statistics related to their situation can contribute to culturally appropriate targeted actions and reliable results A number of rightsbased issues have been raised during the first six months of pandemic which invite further dialogue and reflection in relation to UNESCO activities Impacts vary substantially amongst indigenous peoples Not all indigenous peoples experience additional vulnerability others experience severe vulnerability COVID19 invites attention to human rightsbased responses and analysis with regards to the most vulnerable or those subject to additional discrimination eg sex sexual orientation andor gender identity age disability etc There is evidence of a strong gender differentiation of impacts of the pandemic Some communities reported a surge in teenage pregnancies others observed that girls education may be permanently disrupted Though there are great variations attention to gender equality across communities requires attention The pandemic has in some cases exacerbated existing social tensions Discrimination hate speech racism or violence may arise during the pandemic and indigenous peoples require support through advocacy strengthened monitoring and special protection measures It appears productive to promote a wholeofgovernment approach to mobilize and empower local governments in developing and implementing policies and programmes that address the disproportionate impact already sustained and expected on indigenous peoples

"Nen�� do Zap": UNESCO and the Maria Cecilia Souto Vidigal Foundation promote a webinar on the importance of interaction in early childhood

UN Joint Programme Impacting Girls�� and Adolescent Women��s Lives in Tanzania

UNESCO Dar es Salaam Office is leading the implementation of a fiveyear Joint Programme JP on Empowering Adolescent Girls and Young Women through Education in Tanzania in collaboration with the government of Tanzania UNFPA and UN Women

Minding our minds during COVID 19

Preventing the next pandemic: the One Health approach

As the world still grapples with COVID19 and its numerous and costly consequences UNGRASP participated in the drafting of a scientific assessment and key messages for policymakers on Preventing the next pandemic zoonotic diseases and how to break the chain of transmission launched by the United Nations Environment Programme UNEP

Intercultural dialogue during the pandemic: impact and response

Whilst underscoring humanitys interconnectedness and interdependency COVID19 has also led to a rise in discrimination inequality and vulnerability putting pressure on the capacities of societies for intercultural understanding at a time where solidarity and cooperation are needed more than ever Exploring these themes a new UNESCO brief has been released examining both the impact of COVID19 on intercultural relations and the creative responses undertaken to strengthen crosscultural cooperation within this unprecedented context Highlighting several core areas of impact which threaten intercultural understanding during the pandemic from the rise of xenophobia and ethnocultural racism to increases in genderbased violence the brief echoes various of the UN SecretaryGenerals messages which underscore the need to address structural injustices in order to foster more effective and cohesive responses to and recovery from the crisis It identifies the availability of online platforms as a key means through which governments practitioners and communities have managed to create effective solutions through which to continue intercultural learning and exchange during the crisis Categorizing the responses into four key areas from the use of innovative artistic mediums to promote intercultural learning to antiracist activism through social media the brief highlights the dynamic and creative good practices that have emerged through necessity during the crisis Looking ahead the brief posits that the emerging postCOVID19 world will be shaped by new dynamics and complex realities immersed in virtual interconnectivity and driven by crosssectoral engagements To this end the intercultural dialogue agenda will have a significant role to play in developing a new sociocultural compact that will contribute to shaping the way we live work connect and engage across national ethnic and civilizational lines To this end recommendations to policymakers and practitioners are suggested to both maintain intercultural exchange during the crisis and respond to the lessons of the pandemic including strengthening human rights protections as a fundamental foundation of intercultural exchange bolstering structures to support civic exchange and deliberation and addressing social inequalities that can fuel discrimination and marginalisation Read the full brief More on Intercultural dialogue Contact interculturaldialogueunescoorg

8 September 2020

Universities tackle the impact of COVID-19 on disadvantaged students

Cooperation between UNESCO and its UNESCO Chairs dealing with human rights and social inclusion issues stems from the need to better understand the social impact of COVID19 on the most vulnerable segments of the population and the mitigating measures adopted so far With educational institutions at all levels closing in191 countries learning continues through distance and notably digital solutions Yet for many students in tertiary education online teaching is not an option

UNESCO engages African memory institutions on their response to Covid-19

UNESCO Iraq, and EAA��s programme, Educate A Child have reprogrammed activities to support the Ministry of Education

TV debate on "Coronavirus: Stay Home vs. Get Out��

As pandemic policies in many countries shift from lockdown to managed deconfinement the question Should we stay in or go out is on everyones lips

Growing Sport for Development in Vietnam

Sport is an integral part of our society and can be so much more than learning how to get better at kicking and catching Sport can be an effective development tool to achieve a number of social and community goals including promoting healthy lifestyles providing employment opportunities and bringing political groups together As the UNs lead agency for physical education and sport UNESCO is driven to ensure sport contributes positively to global development In Vietnam UNESCO is looking to see how it can best assist the Ministry of Culture Sport and Tourism MOCST and Vietnam Sports Administration in their effort to strengthen sport for development work To begin this process UNESCO in consultation with Football for All Vietnam hosted a roundtable with Vietnamese organizations working in sport for development The meeting provided one of the first opportunities for organizations working in sport for development in Vietnam to reflect together on the possibility to increase joint collaboration in 2020 and beyond The roundtable was held at UN headquarters in Hanoi and was attended by representatives of organizations who have demonstrated work in the sport for development area Representatives from the following organizations attended the roundtable Vietnam Sport Administration as represented by Vice Chairman L Hong Yn Plan International Football for All Vietnam FFAV Vietnam Olympic Committee Good Neighbours Vietnam Stop Human Trafficking Vietnam Blue Dragon Church World Service Child Fund and the UNESCO National Commission For the representatives it was an opportunity to connect with UNESCO and understand their role and the way in which sport can effectively contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals Representatives were interested to learn that there is strong evidence of sport being effective in contributing towards seven sustainable development goals 3 Good Health and Wellbeing 4 Quality Education 5 Gender Equality 8 Decent Work and Economic Growth 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities 16 Peace Justice and Strong Institutions and 17 Partnerships for the Goals After being asked How can we unite by the FFAV director the representatives shared their organisations interesting and impactful work in sport for development While each organisation had a slightly different approach and focused on different development areas all were using the power of sport for good The work of these organisations was predominantly in the areas of youth empowerment building life skills and ensuring the protection of children in sport While understanding the sport for development activities being completed in Vietnam was key there was a strong interest in the ongoing collaboration between UNESCO the Vietnam Sports Administration and each organisation working in sport for development Importantly representatives emphasised that to achieve advances in sport for development work in Vietnam a bridge between development of sport and sport for development is required Development of sport is all about participation and nurturing talent to create the most highly skilled athletes Sport for development focuses on the role sport can play in contributing to the achievement of development outcomes beyond sport Connecting these commonly separated areas allows for greater pooling of resources and knowledge to reach a greater number of people with sport While sport for development projects are widely implemented globally there there are still many ways in which they could improve Through the simple task of hosting a roundtable UNESCO Vietnam was able to connect sport for development organisations and understand the importance of diverse partnerships This connection and understanding lays the foundation for stronger and more sustainable sport for development work in the future

Inclusive distance learning for students with disabilities at the University of Padua

The COVID19 pandemic has resulted in school closures across the world and in the adoption of distance learning Students with disabilities are amongst those facing the biggest obstacles as the specific support and teaching tools they require are not always available in distance and online learning The University of Padua Italy host institution of the UNESCO Chair in Human Rights Democracy and Peace has taken specific measures in order to address their needs and ensure access of students with disabilities to online teaching and other services In this interview Professor Laura Nota deputy Rector for Inclusion and Disabilities and lecturer in psychological counselling for the inclusion of disabilities and social discomfort at the University of Padua tells us more about these inclusive measures