Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng held phone talks with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz yesterday. — VNA/VNS Photo
HÀ NỘI — Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz have agreed to enhance cooperation between the two countries in fields of mutual interest, during their phone talks held on Thursday.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz is also leader of the Social Democratic Party of Germany.
Party chief Trọng congratulated Chancellor Olaf Scholz and the newly-elected Government of Germany and congratulated Frank-Walter Steinmeier on his election for a second term as German President as well as recent achievements of the Social Democratic Party of Germany.
He briefed the German leader on achievements made by Việt Nam after 35 years of “đổi mới” (renewal) and the country’s development and foreign policies as well as its target to become a developed country by 2045.
He affirmed that Việt Nam attaches great importance to the strategic partnership with Germany in its foreign policy of multilateralisation and diversification, as well as being a friend, reliable partner and an active and responsible member in the international community.
The Party leader proposed the two countries enhance political relations, including exchanges of high-ranking delegations, and promote the relations between the Communist Party of Việt Nam and political parties of Germany, including the Social Democratic Party.
He also suggested increasing cooperation between the two countries in investment, trade, science, technology, education, national defence and security to a new level in conformity with their strategic partnership.
The two countries should tap opportunities from the European Union-Việt Nam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and boost cooperation in fields of green growth, climate change prevention, digital transformation, COVID-19 prevention and control, education and training and vocational training, he said.
The Party chief proposed the German Government continue to create good conditions for Vietnamese nationals living and working in Germany.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz congratulated Việt Nam for its achievements in national development and recent international roles and positions. He affirmed that Germany attaches great importance to the German-Việt Nam strategic partnership which is developing well and has many potentials for further growth.
He proposed the two countries foster bilateral political cooperation and strengthen cooperation in economy, including promoting the advantages of the EVFTA and Germany-invested projects in Việt Nam, in climate change adaptation and in COVID-19 prevention and control.
They also discussed regional and international issues. Regarding the East Sea (internationally as the South China Sea), the two sides agreed on the need to maintain peace, stability, cooperation and development and to respect international laws, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
The Chancellor also mentioned Germany’s viewpoints about the situation in Ukraine. Regarding this issue, Party General Secretary Trọng affirmed the consistent policy of Việt Nam to respect fundamental principles of the United Nations, including respect for independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of nations, peaceful settlement of international disputes without use of force and threat of use of force; and wish all related parties to promote dialogues and negotiations to end wars and restore peace, on the basis of respecting legitimate interests of all parties, in line with international law.
On this occasion, Party General Secretary Trọng invited the German Chancellor to visit Việt Nam and the later accepted the invitation with pleasure. — VNS
Russian gas company Gazprom in Germany, which it suspects of violating competition rules to raise prices
On 29 March 2022, the European Commission carried out unannounced inspections at the premises of several companies in Germany active in the supply, transmission and storage of natural gas.
The Commission has concerns that the inspected companies may have violated EU competition rules that prohibit abuse of a dominant position (Article 102 Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union).
The Commission officials were accompanied by their counterparts from the German national competition authority.
Unannounced inspections are a preliminary investigatory step into suspected anticompetitive practices. The fact that the Commission carries out such inspections does not mean that the companies are guilty of anti-competitive behaviour nor does it prejudge the outcome of the investigation itself.
The Commission fully respects the rights of defence in its antitrust proceedings, in particular the right of companies to be heard.
The inspections have been conducted in compliance with all coronavirus health and safety protocols to ensure the security of those involved.
There is no legal deadline to complete inquiries into anticompetitive conduct. Their duration depends on a number of factors, including the complexity of each case, the extent to which the undertakings concerned cooperate with the Commission and the scope of the exercise of the rights of defence.Antitrust: Commission confirms unannounced inspections in the natural gas sector in Germany
Today, the Commission is proposing to update the EU consumer rules to empower consumers for the green transition. The updated rules will ensure that consumers can take informed and environment-friendly choices when buying their products. Consumers will have a right to know how long a product is designed to last for and how, if at all, it can be repaired. In addition, the rules will strengthen consumer protection against untrustworthy or false environmental claims, banning ‘greenwashing’ and practices misleading consumers about the durability of a product.
Vice-President for Values and Transparency, Věra Jourová, said: “We are supporting consumers who increasingly want to choose products that last longer and can be repaired. We must ensure that their commitment is not hampered by misleading information. We are giving them strong new tools to make informed choices and increase sustainability of the products and our economy with this proposal.”
Commissioner for Justice, Didier Reynders, added: “If we do not start consuming more sustainably, we will not achieve our European Green Deal goals – it is as simple as that. While most consumers are willing to contribute, we have also seen an increase in ‘greenwashing’ and early obsolescence practices. To become the real actors of the green transition, consumers must have a right to information to make sustainable choices. They must also be protected against unfair commercial practices which abuse their interest in buying green.”
A new right for information on the durability and reparability of products
The Commission is proposing to amend the Consumer Rights Directive to oblige traders to provide consumers with information on products’ durability and reparability:
Durability: Consumers must be informed about the guaranteed durability of products. If the producer of a consumer good offers a commercial guarantee of durability of more than two years, the seller must provide this information to the consumer. For energy-using goods, the seller must also inform consumers when no information on a commercial guarantee of durability was provided by the producer.
Repairs and updates: The seller must also provide relevant information on repairs, such as the reparability score (where applicable), or other relevant repair information made available by the producer such as the availability of spare parts or a repair manual. For smart devices and digital content and services, the consumer must be also informed about software updates provided by the producer.
Producers and sellers will decide on the most appropriate way to provide this information to the consumer, be it on the packaging or in the product description on the website. In any case, it must be provided before the purchase and in a clear and comprehensible manner.
A ban on greenwashing and planned obsolescence
The Commission is also proposing several amendments to the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive (UCPD). First, the list of product characteristics about which a trader cannot mislead consumers is expanded to cover the environmental or social impact, as well as the durability and reparability. Then, it also adds new practices that are considered misleading after a case-by-case assessment, such as making an environmental claimrelated to future environmental performance without clear, objective and verifiable commitments and targets, and without an independent monitoring system.
Finally, it amends the UCPD by adding new practices to the existing list of prohibited unfair commercial practices, the so-called ‘black list’. The new practices will include, among others:
Not informing about features introduced to limit durability, for example, a software which stops or downgrades the functionality of the good after a particular period of time;
Making generic, vague environmental claims where the excellent environmental performance of the product or trader cannot be demonstrated. Examples of such generic environmental claims are ‘environmentally friendly’, ‘eco’ or ‘green’, which wrongly suggest or create the impression of excellent environmental performance;
Making an environmental claim about the entire product, when it really concerns only a certain aspect of the product;
Displaying a voluntary sustainability label which was not based on a third-party verification scheme or established by public authorities;
Not informing that a good has limited functionality when using consumables, spare parts or accessories not provided by the original producer.
These amendments aim at ensuring legal certainty for traders but also at facilitating enforcement of cases related to greenwashing and early obsolescence of products. Furthermore, by ensuring that environmental claims are fair, consumers will be able to choose products that are genuinely better for the environment than their competitors. This will encourage competition towards more environmentally sustainable products, thus reducing negative impact on the environment.
Next steps
The Commission’s proposals will now be discussed by the Council and the European Parliament. Once adopted and transposed into the Member States’ national legislation, consumers will be entitled to remedies in the event of breaches, including through the collective redress procedure under the Representative Actions Directive.
Background
The proposed revisions in EU consumer law were announced in the New Consumer Agenda and the Circular Economy Action Plan. The revisions aim to support the changes needed in consumer behaviour to achieve climate and environmental objectives under the European Green Deal by ensuring that consumers have better information on the durability and reparability of products, as well as protecting consumers from commercial practices that prevent them from shopping more sustainably.
When drafting the proposal, the Commission consulted over 12,000 consumers, as well as companies, consumer experts and national authorities. Verifying the reliability of environmental claims on products was seen as the biggest obstacle to consumers to engage in the green transition. Around half of respondents said that they were willing to pay extra for a product to last longer without the need for repairs.
Research also shows that consumers are confronted with unfair commercial practices, which actively prevent them from making sustainable choices. Early obsolescence of goods, misleading environmental claims (‘greenwashing’), non-transparent and non-credible sustainability labels or sustainability information tools are common practices.
This proposal is part of the European Commission’s broader goal of becoming the first climate neutral continent by 2050. This can only happen if consumers and businesses are consuming and producing more sustainably. The proposal will also be complemented by other initiatives, including the Sustainable Products Initiative (which was also adopted today) and upcoming initiatives on Substantiating Green Claims and on the Right to Repair (for which a public consultation is open until 5 April 2022). The upcoming Right to Repair initiative will focus on encouraging repair of goods after purchase, while today’s initiative on Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition imposes an obligation to provide information on reparability ahead of purchase, and protection against unfair practices linked to early obsolescence.
On 23 February 2022, the European Commission also adopted its proposal on the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence, laying down clear and balanced rules for companies to respect human rights and the environment, and behave in a sustainable and responsible manner. In parallel, the Commission is also working to support businesses through the green transition, including with voluntary initiatives such as the Sustainable Consumption Pledge.
Credible reports indicate that Russian armed forces have used cluster munitions in populated areas of Ukraine, at least two dozen times since they invaded on 24 February, UN rights chief Michelle Bachelet said on Wednesday. “For more than one month now, the entire population of Ukraine has been enduring a living nightmare,” she said. “The lives of millions of people are in upheaval as they are forced to flee their homes or hide in basements and bomb shelters as their cities are pummelled and destroyed.”
?#UKRAINE: WFP has reached 1 million people inside the country.
While safety is people’s number one concern, food is increasingly becoming a worry.
The systems have been put in place to deliver food to more than 3 million people in need, but more support is essential. — World Food Programme (@WFP) March 30, 2022
In a related development, the UN Human Rights Council on Wednesday announced the names of the three investigators who are to carry out the work of the Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine, which the forum voted to establish on 4 March.
They are Erik Møse of Norway, Jasminka Džumhur of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Pablo de Greiff of Colombia.
The panel’s mandate includes investigating all alleged rights violations and abuses committed during Russia’s military attack on Ukraine, along with related crimes.
Convoys rolling
Nearly five weeks into the conflict, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) said that it has provided emergency assistance to one million people inside Ukraine – no small achievement, considering that the agency had no presence inside the country until a month ago – “no staff, no network of suppliers or partners”.
The agency said on Wednesday that it has also established logistics hubs across the country to provide support to deliver food “at scale” to communities in need.
“Trucks, trains and minivans are today delivering food supplies to the most vulnerable people across the country and more convoys are expected in coming days,” WFP said in a statement.
In total, WFP aims to help three million of the most vulnerable, in a country where more than four in 10 people are worried about finding enough to eat.
To do so, it has appealed for $590 million to assist 3.1 million crisis-affected people, for the next three months.
In Kharkiv, WFP has provided 330,000 loaves of bread to families; in Lviv, people who’ve fled fighting have received cash assistance and ready-to-eat food, which has also been distributed in other parts of the country.
Four million refugees, 2 million are children
To date, more than four million people have fled Ukraine to neighbouring countries, according to the UN Refugee Agency portal, with 2.3 million now sheltering in Poland and 608,000 in Romania and hundreds of thousands more in Moldova, Hungary, Russia and Slovakia.
Meanwhile, UN Children’s Fund, UNICEF, warned that two million children have now been forced to flee Ukraine, as the war rages on. More than 2.5 million youngsters have been internally displaced inside the country.
“The situation inside Ukraine is spiralling”, said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. “As the number of children fleeing their homes continues to climb, we must remember that every single one of them needs protection, education, safety and support.”
In her update to the Geneva forum, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights also told the Human Rights Council, that her Office had verified 77 incidents in which medical facilities have been damaged, including 50 hospitals.
Where are you from? His reply, ‘I am from Izium, a city that no longer exists’
Echoing calls from the UN Secretary-General for an end to the fighting, Ms. Bachelet insisted that “the hostilities must stop, without delay”.
And in a direct appeal to the Russian Federation, she urged the country’s leaders “to heed the clear and strong calls of the General Assembly and of this Council, and immediately act to withdraw its troops from Ukrainian territory”.
Dire shortages
In many areas across the country, people urgently need medical supplies, food, water, shelter and basic household items,” Ms. Bachelet said, before noting that it is still proving difficult to assess just how many people have been killed in places of constant shelling and intensive fighting, such as Mariupol and Volnovakha.
“Every day, my colleagues are listening to the heartbreaking stories of Ukrainians whose lives have been shattered by this conflict,” she said. “Just last week, they asked a simple question to a displaced man from a town in eastern Ukraine, ‘Where are you from?’ His reply, ‘I am from Izium, a city that no longer exists‘”.
After a month of war, local authorities have reported that more than 733 educational institutions have been damaged or destroyed.
Beyond learning, education offers a protective environment that is even more relevant to crisis-affected populations, particularly children, the UN Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) said in a press release.
UNESCO has also announced that it is mobilizing support for learning continuity. Through its Global Education Coalition. Created in 2020 to facilitate distance learning solutions during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Organization will provide computer hardware and digital learning tools to young refugees.
Every humanitarian crisis is also an education crisis, but one unprecedent factor of the war in Ukraine, is that the European Union (EU) decided early on to activate its temporary protection scheme, which allowed the millions fleeing the wartorn country, to enjoy equal rights to benefits.
The EU countries directive grants access “to persons under 18 years-old benefiting from the temporary protection status under the same conditions as their own nationals and EU citizens”, UNESCO notes.
Adopted on 4 March, less than two weeks after the Russian invasion started, the directive had an immediate impact, and prompted a dynamic influx of refugees, with Ukrainian nationals able to move freely into EU countries.
The move, according to the UN agency, “calls for increased coordination of host countries, both within and outside the EU, to assist and integrate Ukrainian learners, teachers and education staff in national education systems”.
Mapping the response
UNESCO’s response includes mapping how host countries are supporting the educational needs of Ukrainian refugees.
This includes transitional measures for integrating learners into mainstream education; language and curriculum considerations; psychosocial support, teacher training and accreditation, among other practical steps related to governance, registration, certification, and financial support.
In a first review, UNESCO analysed 29 countries’ provisions, and divided the findings into the following categories: transition vs direct mainstreaming, teaching and teachers, credits and examinations, and financial resources.
Students’ inclusion
Many countries mentioned existing programmes and protocols to include foreigners in their national education systems. In Portugal, for example, international students can enroll in pre-K (pre-kindergarten) classes directly, while older students get assessed or go through a transition process. The goal is to integrate Ukrainian students as soon as possible.
As such, Portugal introduced extraordinary measures for speedy integration, including simplified procedures granting equivalence to foreign qualifications. Similarly, Belgium, Denmark, France, Lithuania, Slovakia and Spain, mentioned ‘bridging’, ‘reception’ or ‘adaptation’ classes.
These transition classes provide language classes, familiarise students with their local education system, provide counsellors for psychological support, and evaluate competencies. As the students strengthen their language skills and get evaluated, they can then be integrated into regular classes.
Some countries offer public education with instruction in a minority language. In Romania, for instance, there are 45 schools and ten high schools offering instructions in Ukrainian.
Some initiatives also include connecting Ukrainian refugee students with distance learning options in Ukrainian.
Many countries are also declaring they will allow Ukrainian students to access their higher education institutions, such as Austria, France, Hungary, Poland, Romania, as well as offering to waive tuitions or provide extra financial support.
The UK for instance is launching the Homes for Ukraine Scheme for visa applications from Ukrainians who have people willing to sponsor them.
People arriving under this scheme will be able to live and work in the UK for up to three years, access healthcare, benefits, employment support, and their children will be able to attend local schools and receive English language lessons.
Language barriers
According to UNESCO, the large influx of Ukrainian refugee students will pose particular challenges, such as the obvious language barrier. Teachers will need support dealing with that, as well as how to gradually incorporate students into a welcoming classroom; how to discuss the Russian invasion and the state of the war in their homeland; and how to provide them cultural and psychological support.
Besides providing material and training on handling the language barrier -provided by several countries’ education ministries already in some cases – other options include experimenting with bilingual material, learning basic Ukrainian, using translation apps, and using interpretation services for more complex communication struggles.
In addition to language support, an often-mentioned measure across education ministry websites is providing materials and direction to teachers on how to discuss the war with students, including webinars and podcasts.
For instance, Croatia, Czechia (the Czech Republic), and Slovakia have handbooks on how to protect pupils’ mental health, prevent conflict in classes, and talk about sensitive topics.
In Paris, a Ukraine ‘crisis unit’ was created, and one of its services is to provide teachers with an online pamphlet outlining how to welcome pupils who have suffered trauma.
Policy gaps and available resources
In the crucial policy area of how host countries tackle final exams, transfer of credits in higher education and teaching accreditation, UNESCO found that understandably, very little has been prepared to help Ukrainian students so far.
Furthermore, in the resources area, some governments have developed financial measures to support the education response, such as extra-budgetary allocation.
That was the case of France, Italy, Poland, and Romania. In Italy, for example, €1 million will be used specifically to include Ukrainian students in national education systems.
In terms of direct financial support, most measures focus on students in higher education. Austria for example has waived the tuition fees for Ukrainian university students currently enrolled in its higher education institutions. In Lithuania, depending on the institution’s capacity, studies for Ukrainian citizens will be State sponsored.
Some countries are also providing support at early stages, such as Romania, where Ukrainian students can be accommodated free of charge in boarding schools, and will receive allowances for study and bedding items, for example.
Strengthening distance learning
According to UNESCO’s Institute for Statistics data, Ukraine’s total school-age population stands at more than 6.84 million students, from pre-primary to the tertiary education level.
In order to respond to the needs on the ground, UNESCO said it is in permanent contact with the local authorities, and all relevant partners, to protect and restore education in the country, with a focus on distance learning.
“In line with UNESCO recommendations, Ukraine had an effective system in place in response to school closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic, through the All-Ukrainian School platform”, said UNESCO’s Assistant Director-General for Education Stefania Giannini, adding that the UN agency is working with the Government to adapt it to the current needs.
Mapping methodologies
In a dynamic way which can quickly evolve as the war continues, and the influx of people on the move increases and spreads, UNESCO is adopting an incremental approach to its data project.
The data and analysis will occur in waves with an incremental number of countries, increasingly detailed content, and evolving ways of filtering and visualizing information.
The first wave of mapping of 29 countries, is based on a desk review of the information found on host countries’ Ministries of Education websites.
The mapping will also specify if any non-EU country relies on existing legislation for access to education or is also issuing special directives for the Ukraine crisis.
In doing so, it will also allow host countries to take stock of concrete steps taken to integrate and support Ukrainian learners and teachers fleeing the war, including international students enrolled in Ukrainian higher education institutions.
Council of Europe in Strasbourg. (Credit: THIX Photo)
The Committee to Protect Journalists joined other civil society groups and press freedom organizations in a joint statement on Wednesday welcoming recent steps by the Council of Europe to limit abusive lawsuits aimed at restricting public speech.
A Committee of Experts with legal and media freedom backgrounds is set to draft a Recommendation for the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers to address strategic lawsuits against public participation, known as SLAPPs.
The joint statement recommended enabling courts to dismiss such lawsuits at an early stage, to sanction individuals who abuse the legal system to limit public participation, to financially and legally support defendants in such cases, and to prevent “forum shopping,” whereby litigants deliberately bring lawsuits in jurisdictions that are inconvenient or expensive for the defendant.
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, comprised of parliamentarians from member states, has also tabled a motion on SLAPPs that could lead to a separate resolution to restrict their use, the statement says.
Last year, CPJ and other organizations made a similar call to the Council of Europe to take action against SLAPPs.The full statement can be read here.
Courtesy of ADF International - Finnish MP wins on all charges in major free speech trial
All charges against Finnish Parliamentarian Päivi Räsänen and Bishop Pohjola are unanimously dismissed following high-profile free speech trial
The former Finnish Minister of the Interior, faced three criminal charges for sharing her faith-based beliefs, including on Twitter
HELSINKI (30 March 2022) – ADF International. A Finnish court has upheld the right to free speech by dismissing all charges against Finnish MP Päivi Räsänen and Bishop Juhana Pohjola. In a unanimous ruling the court concluded that “it is not for the district court to interpret biblical concepts”. The prosecution was ordered to pay more than 60,000 EUR in legal costs and has seven days to appeal the ruling.
The former Minister of the Interior had been charged with “hate speech” for sharing her faith-based views on marriage and sexual ethics, in a 2019 tweet, a 2019 radio debate, and a 2004 pamphlet. The bishop faced charges for publishing Räsänen’s pamphlet for his congregation over 17 years ago. Their case has garnered global media attention this year, as human rights experts voiced concern over the threat this case posed to free speech in Finland.
“I am so grateful the court recognized the threat to free speech and ruled in our favour. I feel a weight has been lifted off my shoulders after being acquitted. Although I am grateful for having had this chance to stand up for freedom of speech, I hope that this ruling will help prevent others from having to go through the same ordeal,” said Päivi Räsänen after her victory.
The high-profile trial received significant attention, particularly after the prosecution attacked core Christian teachings and cross-examined the bishop and Räsänen on their theology in court. The prosecutor began the first day of the trial by arguing that the case was not about beliefs or the Bible.
She then proceeded to quote Old Testament Bible verses and criticize the phrase “love the sinner, hate the sin”. In their closing statement, the prosecution alleged that the use of the word “sin” can be “harmful” and called for heavy fines in the event of a guilty verdict.
Free speech prevails
Räsänen’s defence, supported by the legal advocacy organization ADF International, argued that finding Räsänen guilty would significantly damage free speech in Finland. What Räsänen said, they argued, was an expression of Christian teaching.
The Court recognized that while some may object to Räsänen’s statements, “there must be an overriding social reason for interfering with and restricting freedom of expression.” The Court concluded there was no such justification.
“We welcome the Helsinki District Court’s ruling. This is an important decision, which upholds the fundamental right to freedom of speech in Finland. In a free society, everyone should be allowed to share their beliefs without fear of censorship. This is the foundation of every free and democratic society. Criminalizing speech through so-called ‘hate-speech’ laws shuts down important public debates and poses a grave threat to our democracies,” continued Coleman, author of ‘Censored: How European Hate Speech Laws are Threatening Freedom of Speech’.
International support for free speech
On both days of the trial (24 January and 14 February) crowds gathered outside the Helsinki courthouse to express their support for the politician and the bishop. In Hungary, over 3000 people gathered in front of the Finnish Embassy in Budapest to demonstrate against the charges before the closing arguments were heard.
Räsänen has also received letters of support from many denominations including the International Lutheran Council with Bishops and presidents of Synods from all over the world, the European Evangelical Alliance, Catholic and Pentecostal churches in Lithuania, representatives of the Evangelical, Catholic, Baptist, Pentacostal, Reformed and Unitarian churches in Romania, as well as the Evangelical Church of Macedonia, Christian NGOs in Latvia and other individuals.
Several US Senators penned a letter addressed to Rashad Hussain, US Ambassador-At-Large for International Religious Freedom, expressing their concern over the “alarming” prosecution of Räsänen: “We are greatly concerned that the use of Finnish hate speech law is tantamount to a secular blasphemy law. It could open the door for prosecution of other devout Christians, Muslims, Jews and adherents of other faiths for publicly stating their religious beliefs,” read the letter.
In January, UK MPs filed an Early Day Motion in parliament, highlighting the controversial prosecution and raising concerns about “the potential implications of that case for other countries”.
Trial for a Tweet
Police investigations against Räsänen started in June 2019. As an active member of the Finnish Lutheran church, she had addressed the leadership of her church on Twitter and questioned its official sponsorship of the LGBT event ‘Pride 2019’, accompanied by an image of Bible verses from the New Testament book of Romans. Following this tweet, further investigations against Räsänen were launched, going back to a church pamphlet Räsänen wrote almost 20 years ago.
In the last two years, Räsänen attended several lengthy police interrogations about her Christian beliefs – including being frequently asked by the police to explain her understanding of the Bible.
In April 2021, Finland’s Prosecutor General had brought three criminal charges against Räsänen. Two of the three charges Räsänen faced had come after the police made strong recommendations not to continue the prosecution. Räsänen’s statements also did not violate the policies of Twitter or the national broadcaster, which is why they remained freely available on their platforms. The Helsinki District Court has now acquitted Räsänen of all charges.
Räsänen has served as a Finnish Member of Parliament since 1995. From 2004-2015 she was chair of the Christian Democrats and from 2011-2015 she was the Minister of the Interior. During this time, she held responsibility for church affairs in Finland.
Here are 10 benefits of reading that illustrate the importance of reading books. When you read every day you:
Gain valuable knowledge
Exercise your brain
Improve your focus
Improve your memory
Enjoy entertainment
Improve your ability to empathize
Improve your communication skills
Reduce stress
Improve your mental health
Live longer
Now, let’s dive a little deeper to better understand the advantages of reading.
1. Gain Valuable Knowledge
One of the most obvious benefits of reading every day is learning.
And unlike a YouTube video or podcast, books provide access to in-depth knowledge. In other words, if you want to become more productive, which do you think you’ll learn more from:
A book by someone who’s studied productivity for 20 years,
Or a 10-minute YouTube video by someone interested in the topic?
Which do you think you’ll absorb more from? Which do you think is more likely to help change your habits? Books, of course!
Going beyond the surface of a subject is essential to success, too. This is probably why the author Roald Dahl once said, “If you are going to get anywhere in life, you have to read a lot of books.”
Plus, you can learn literally anything from books. For example, whenever anybody asks Elon Musk, the founder of SpaceX, how he learned to build rockets, he says, “I read books.”
Why is reading important? As the 17th century English writer Joseph Addison once wrote, “Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.”
So, what does reading do to your brain?
Research has confirmed that reading stimulates a complex network of circuits and signals in the brain. Plus, as you improve your reading ability, these networks become stronger and more sophisticated.
In another study, researchers measured how reading a novel affects our brains. The study’s participants read the novel “Pompeii” by Robert Harris, and as tension in the story developed, more areas of the brain were activated.
Want to know the best part?
The scans showed that brain connectivity increased while reading and for days afterward, demonstrating the enormous benefits of reading books every day.
Bottom line, our brains have a “use it or lose it” policy, just like our muscles. In other words, if we don’t exercise our minds regularly, our cognitive abilities may decline. However, when we read every day, we can keep them strong and healthy.
3. Improve Your Focus
Being able to concentrate and focus for long periods is essential to our success and wellbeing. Cal Newport, the author of Deep Work, writes:
“To remain valuable in our economy … you must master the art of quickly learning complicated things. This task requires deep work.”
“Deep work is the ability to focus without distraction on a cognitively demanding task. It’s a skill that allows you to quickly master complicated information and produce better results in less time. Deep work will make you better at what you do and provide the sense of true fulfillment that comes from craftsmanship.”
Newport also argues that this skill is becoming increasingly rare due to constant multitasking, notifications, and social media apps. A study by Microsoft would agree, finding that people generally lose attention after just eight seconds.
Yikes.
Thankfully, one of the key benefits of reading is that it helps you practice concentrating on just one thing at a time.
For example, a novel requires all of your attention for it to whisk you away to another world. And if you want to learn from a non-fiction book, it requires you to be fully present and engaged.
In short, if you want to succeed, you need to focus. And if you want to focus more, you can practice by reading books.
4. Improve Your Memory
Are you always forgetting things? Do you have a bunch of to-do lists, but you can’t quite remember what’s on them? Fear not – one of the advantages of reading books is that it can improve your memory.
When you read a non-fiction book, you also consume an enormous amount of information on the subject you’re reading about.
Similarly, whenever you read a novel, you have to remember tons of information about the story’s plot and subplots, the characters and their relationships, and the environment in which the story takes place.
That’s a lot of information!
All of this new information creates new memories. And every new memory creates synapses or strengthens old ones.
The upshot? Reading every day can improve your memory – it can help you learn how to store new information and recall memories more effectively.
5. Enjoy Entertainment
Books provide some of the most engaging entertainment on the planet. As the author Stephen King said, “Books are a uniquely portable magic.”
Have you ever read a book that you couldn’t put down?
Do you remember feeling so invested in the story or what you were learning that you would keep reading even when you needed to use the bathroom or were hungry?
To replicate that feeling, or to experience it for the first time, all you need to do is find the right books to read.
There are millions of incredible books out there, and there’s a perfect reading genre for everyone – from fantasy novels and classical literature to self-help guides and business books.
Plus, with the world still grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting economic recession, there’s no better time to take up reading as a hobby.
Reading is something you can enjoy safely at home. And books don’t cost that much – especially with services like your local library and Amazon’s Kindle Unlimited ($9.99 per month for unlimited ebooks).
So, step away from your smartphone each day, open the pages of a book, and dive in.
6. Improve Your Ability to Empathize
Another one of the benefits of reading books is that they can improve our ability to empathize with others. And empathy has many benefits – it can reduce stress, improve our relationships, and inform our moral compasses.
How?
Research has shown that long-term fiction readers tend to develop a better “theory of mind” – the term used to describe our capacity for empathy and ability to understand others.
Another study found that when we read stories that explore characters’ inner lives and emotions, our ability to understand others’ feelings and views improves.
For example, experiencing the world through the eyes of Harry Potter or Jane Eyre can help us learn to see the world from the perspectives of our families, friends, and coworkers.
The author John Green said it best: “Great books help you understand, and they help you feel understood.”
7. Improve Your Communication Skills
The ability to communicate effectively is a vital life skill.
In fact, one study discovered that 69% of employers are looking to hire people with “soft” skills, such as effective communication.
Reading every day can improve our communication skills in a few ways. For example, reading can influence your writing and increase your vocabulary.
When we read well-written work, we naturally observe its writing style, cadence, and composition. These characteristics inevitably seep into our writing, in the same way that musicians are influenced by each other.
What’s more, studies show that those who read regularly tend to develop large vocabularies.
Finally, don’t forget that reading also helps improve our communication skills by increasing our ability to empathize and understand others.
Long story short? Read more, communicate better, and improve your life!
8. Reduce Stress
Another one of the effects of reading is that it can reduce stress.
Research has proven that just 30 minutes of reading can lower your blood pressure, heart rate, and feelings of psychological distress.
Another study discovered that reading is the best way to reduce stress – compared to taking a walk, having a cup of tea or coffee, and playing video games. The study found that even six minutes of reading can be enough to reduce stress levels by more than two-thirds.
“Losing yourself in a book is the ultimate relaxation,” said Dr. David Lewis, the cognitive neuropsychologist who conducted the study.
So, the next time you’re feeling stressed, remember the benefits of reading for pleasure and let the tension melt away.
9. Improve Your Mental Health
The pros of reading also extend to mental health.
Researchers studied the effects of self-help books and found that many have a measurable impact on depression or other mood disorders.
As a result, the UK’s National Health Service (NHS) began a book prescription program called Reading Well. This service prescribes self-help books curated by medical experts for certain conditions.
The act of using books as therapy is called “bibliotherapy.”
So, if you’re struggling – and despite what life looks like on Instagram, we all struggle from time to time – consider reading one of the books on the NHS’s curated list, which are proven to help ease symptoms.
10. Live Longer
This last effect of reading is perhaps one of the most exciting and interesting: It turns out that the health benefits of reading can help us live longer.
A 12-year study on health and retirement found that those who read books survived around two years longer than those who didn’t read books or read magazines and other forms of media. Additionally, those who read for 30 minutes a day (3.5 hours per week) were 23% more likely to outlive those who didn’t read often.
Pretty cool, right?
As noted above, reading is a great way to exercise our brains to make us smarter and sharper. However, the knock-on effect of this is that reading also helps prevent age-related cognitive decline.
One study found that older adults who regularly read or play mentally challenging games like chess are two and a half times less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease.
On the other hand, people who don’t exercise their grey matter stand a chance of losing brain power, says the study’s primary author, Dr. Robert Freidland.
All in all, when you read every day, you’re more likely to retain your mental abilities and live longer!
What Should I Read? 4 Top Book Lists
Now that you understand the importance of reading books and why you should read every day, what should you read? To help you find the perfect book, here are four lists of curated books to check out:
Why is reading good for you? Reading is good for you because it improves your focus, memory, empathy, and communication skills. It can reduce stress, improve your mental health, and help you live longer. Reading also allows you to learn new things to help you succeed in your work and relationships.
The best part? You can get all these benefits of reading books while enjoying some fantastic entertainment.
Do you read every day? What are you reading right now? Let us know in the comments below!
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It’s no secret that reading is good for you. But how exactly does reading improve your life? And why should you make it a priority this year? I’m so glad you asked!
1. Reading is good for your brain
“Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.” Joseph Addison Research has confirmed that reading stimulates a complex network of circuits and signals in the brain. Plus, as you improve your reading ability, these networks become stronger and more sophisticated. The scans showed that brain connectivity increased while reading and for days afterward, demonstrating the enormous benefits of reading books every day.
2. Improve your focus
Reading seems to change the physical wiring of a person’s brain. It’s a way to build the mental structures that allow us to exercise top-down control over our own attention. While several studies have demonstrated the negative impact of excessive screen exposure on concentration, reading promotes calm and develops attention skills
3. Reading books can improve your memory.
When you read a non-fiction book, you also consume an enormous amount of information on the subject you’re reading about. Similarly, whenever you read a novel, you have to remember tons of information about the story’s plot and subplots, the characters and their relationships, and the environment in which the story takes place.
All of this new information creates new memories. And every new memory creates synapses or strengthens old ones.
4. Reading improves your conversational skills
Because reading increases your vocabulary and your knowledge of how to correctly use new words, reading helps you clearly articulate what you want to say. As well as what you want to communicate in writing, since by reading you become familiar with writing styles and composition.
The ability to communicate effectively is a vital life skill. In fact, one study discovered that 69% of employers are looking to hire people with “soft” skills, such as effective communication.
5. Improve Your Ability to Empathize
Another one of the benefits of reading books is that they can improve our ability to empathize with others. And empathy has many benefits – it can reduce stress, improve our relationships, and inform our moral compasses.
Another study found that when we read stories that explore characters’ inner lives and emotions, our ability to understand others’ feelings and views improves.
6. Reading increases your knowledge
Reading can teach you historical politics, customs, cultures, economics, and intellect. Often these facts are set in a context of a story, making history easy to remember.
With books historical fiction we can effortlessly learned historical facts, people and cultures of the past while reading a story.
Reading books set in countries different from our own provides knowledge of those cultures and the emotional and spiritual lives of the people who live there.
7. Reading increases your skill in an area of interest
Reading about your specific field or interests can improve your success in your field. You’ll gain factual knowledge and learn from others’ experiments and mistakes.
Reading also allows you to learn new things to help you succeed in your work and relationships.
The best part? You can get all these benefits of reading books while enjoying some fantastic entertainment.
Bangkok (Thailand), 30 March 2022 – Transnational organized crime and illicit trafficking continue expanding in Southeast Asia and the Pacific, threatening the health, livelihoods and security of communities. Inequalities within the region continue to increase, in part due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with crucial implications for crime and security trends.
Against this backdrop, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has designed a new Regional Programme for Southeast Asia and the Pacific for the period 2022–2026. The Regional Programme will translate UNODC’s expertise in key thematic areas — the response to illicit drug trafficking, transnational organized crime, corruption and economic crimes, terrorism, and building accountable criminal justice systems — to the region, contributing to making it safer and more resilient.
Announcing the programme in Bangkok, UNODC Executive Director Ghada Waly emphasized UNODC’s renewed support to countries in the region, stating: “the new Regional Programme represents UNODC’s commitment to preventive strategies that will improve the lives of all people in Southeast Asia and the Pacific, leaving no one behind.”
While the new Regional Programme harnesses UNODC’s global expertise in its traditional mandate areas, it also offers swift and urgent assistance to crisis situations, informed by lessons from the recent global pandemic and other crises the region has experienced. It is centred upon supporting and empowering people, particularly women, youth and the society’s most vulnerable.
At the launch, UNODC’s key partners in host country Thailand – the Thai National Security Council (NSC), the Thailand Institute of Justice, and the United Nations (UN) Development Coordination Office – highlighting the importance of the Regional Programme to different parties. Also present were representatives from regional and international communities , as well as UN and civil society organizations. Participants discussed crime and security challenges facing the region.
UNODC Regional Representative Jeremy Douglas informed participants that “Southeast Asia and the Pacific face a unique set of challenges due to diverse characteristics and strategic geography. UNODC is in a good position to build on our work here over the years and will continue to support the region.”
** *** **
While in Thailand, UNODC Executive Director Waly held key meetings with Her Royal Highness Princess Bajrakitiyabha Narendira Debyavati, NSC Secretary-General Supot Malaniyom, Minister of Justice Somsak Thepsuthin, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and other senior officials from across the Government of Thailand.
Waly raised matters concerning UNODC’s current and future cooperation with Thailand – including improving the number of women in key justice roles, access to justice for vulnerable communities, collective responses to rises in transnational organized crime and illicit trafficking, and highlighting Thailand’s leading role in regional cooperation for safety and prosperity.
The announcement and policy meetings were followed by an extensive field visit to the north of the country to learn about Thailand’s approach to alternative development and addressing challenges along its northern border.
An African human rights and cultural development organisation, AIDO, has launched its most ambitious project yet – to bring the African continent closer to its estranged diaspora.
The slavery and the transport of millions of African people under appalling conditions is one of the most egregious examples of human rights abuse and criminality that still carries with it a damaging social impact to this day. The overwhelming burden of responsibility towards slavery rests on the shoulders of the colonial powers in Africa and have left many in the African diaspora distanced and not even aware of their roots. Blacks in the United States are a prime example of both these matters.
AIDO (African International Development Organisation) is working to bring about a synergy between the African continent and its diaspora – particularly throughout the Americas – and is holding their Grand Royal Summit in August 2022 as the focus of its annual convention. The “Tears of Love” summit is being held in cooperation with the prestigious African American human rights advocacy organisation, Saint Louis Black Woman and Diaspora African Kingdoms Alliance (DAKA), both are aimed at bringing Africans closer together and developing cultural, human rights and business connections. Around thirty African royalties are planning to attend the convention.
HH Paul Eganda and HH Grace Eganda
AIDO President, His Highness Paul Eganda, himself, a Prince and a Global Chief, from Ateker Iteso people of East Africa summed up the potential when talking to our reporter, “We, just like many people in the world, know that Africa’s offsprings – wherever they are in the world still live as despised, discriminated and deprived people – often treated as lesser human beings. This is just one of the negative legacies of slavery. Much has been said about it from BLM activism to UN declarations. We continue to support awareness-raising on this subject and through our work we are also making known the rich cultural heritage of Africa and bringing a sense of pride, belonging and self-respect to our people, wherever they are from.
“We also hope that the preachers of the message that civilisation was taken to Africa from the West will start to ask themselves questions about the veracity of the information they keep spreading. It may surprise many that present-day African Kings and Queens trace their origins from as far back as 3000 years. Emperors such as Sundiata Keita (circa1235) and many others – not to mention the Egyptian Pharaohs[1] who are well documented in the Bible. This dignified and powerful ancestry will be made clear and practically demonstrated by the visiting African traditional rulers and we intend it, to have a significant beneficial spiritual uplift amongst African descendants overseas.” added AIDO’s Vice President Amb. Ireneo Namboka.
UBUNTU
Ubuntu is an African concept embracing human rights along with love and fellowship for one another. AIDO’s approach to community development is based around Ubuntu and on the maintenance of good traditions, culture and heritage. Traditional African Kings and Queens as well as other traditional leaders have been working with AIDO for some years now and as the movement continues to grow there are also many “modern leaders” – Presidents, Ministers, faith leaders as well as entrepreneurs taking an interest in this initiative of forging closer ties with Africa’s diaspora. A commitment to the event has also been shown by CARICOM, an organisation that promotes and supports a unified Caribbean Community that is inclusive, resilient and competitive, sharing in economic, social and cultural prosperity.
Ambassador Namboka, previously a UN Human Rights specialist, is intimately involved in the event’s organisation. “I have experienced the trials and tribulations, the poverty of Africa, its beauty and its tragedies. I have had the privilege to serve for over a decade with the United Nations – thus becoming familiar with the challenges African people are confronted with. Today, I continue my work through AIDO and aim to bring about greater equality and financial regeneration in these parts of the world. It’s a long haul but the work has to be done and AIDO is making its contribution. In the USA we already have a lot of interest from the African diaspora there and our main partners, STL Black Woman and the Diaspora African Kingdom Alliance.”
As one of AIDO’s key US partner, St Louis Black Woman epitomises the spirit of African American self-esteem and respect for the black woman. They share AIDO’s ideals such as respect for African cultural values, being the voice of the voiceless and bringing about community upliftment. DAKA’s CEO, HRH Queen Ameenata told us, “We have inherited a legacy from our ancestors, and it is that legacy which we must continue. We are the legacy that we leave behind for future generations to follow.” DAKA will provide a platform that brings together African stakeholders and the descendants of Africa in the Americas to universally connect, celebrate and engage critically with each other on topics and ideas that build unity and promote brotherhood for all people of African Descent and for future generations to see, emulate and learn from.
AIDO leadership was insistent on making the point that the organisation is inclusive in matters of religious faiths, cultures, and races. They further revealed that they have many friends from Europe who support their activities, playing an important role in AIDO. “Whilst we have a focus on restoring the culture, rights and dignity of the Africans and all people of African descent, we are not blind to the fact that ultimately, all humanity belongs to one race.“
AIDO is registered in the UK where President Eganda currently resides as he develops the organisation. Ambassador Namboka lives in Geneva. There are many chapters of AIDO throughout Africa and other Western counties. For more information see aidonetwork.org.
[1] For example Pharaoh Thutmose III, often regarded as the greatest of the rulers of ancient Egypt. Thutmose III was a skilled warrior who brought the Egyptian empire to the zenith of its power by conquering all of Syria, crossing the Euphrates (see Tigris-Euphrates river system) to defeat the Mitannians, and penetrating south along the Nile River to Napata in the Sudan. He also built a great number of temples and monuments to commemorate his deeds. Encyclopaedia Britannica – on Line.
