“Living Hell” respite: Syrian ceasefire agreed at last

The United Nations Security Council yesterday adopted resolution 2401 demanding a cessation of hostilities in Syria to enable delivery of humanitarian assistance. However some of the biggest rebel groups are not covered by the truce so there are concerns that the slaughter will continue unabated. Continue reading “Living Hell” respite: Syrian ceasefire agreed at last

Celebrating diversity: International Mother Language Day

Dear Friends,

We would like to invite you to join the celebration of International Mother Language Day 2018.

Date: Wednesday 21 February 

Time: 11am – 1pm

Venue: Edinburgh City Chambers, 253 High Street EH1 1YJ

International Mother Language day (IMLD) was proclaimed by UNESCO and observed every year since 2000 to promote linguistic and cultural diversity and multilingualism. UNESCO’s theme this year is linguistic diversity and multilingualism count for sustainable development.

Brief program of the day

                  11am – 12pm: Reception event @ European room, City Chambers

o   Hosted by Frank Ross, Right Honourable Lord Lieutenant and Lord Provost. A celebration of language diversity through multilingual cultural performances

12pm – 1pm: City chamber quadrangle (outdoor)

o   A tribute to the language martyrs of Bangladesh whose struggle for the Bangla language is the reason that the 21st of February was chosen by UNESCO for IMLD. We will be laying flower/wreaths on temporary memorial. No registration required.

Please book your place to attend the reception event starts at 11am

booking link: https://goo.gl/forms/u1BKgpZFhHtwTpvk1)

No booking is required to attend the second part which will start from 12 Noon at the City Chambers quadrangle (outdoors).

For more information or queries, please contact us by E-mail: imlsscotland@outlook.com, Tel; 0131 556 0441 / 07930 183352 Find us: http://www.facebook.com/imlsscotland

The event is free and open to everyone.

The event is organised in collaboration with: Councillor Donald Wilson, Convenor of the Culture and Communities Committee, City of Edinburgh Council in partnership with ELREC Routes to Roots, Council of Bangladeshis inScotland (CBS), Polish Cultural Festival Association, Bangla Scot News, Bilingualism Matters and the Edinburgh Chinese Arts Association.

IMLD poster2018

International Mother Language Group

It’s President Trump: God bless America

President Donald Trump’s inauguration address in full:

Chief Justice Roberts, President Carter, President Clinton, President Bush, President Obama, fellow Americans, and people of the world: Thank you.

We, the citizens of America, are now joined in a great national effort to rebuild our country and to restore its promise for all of our people.

Together, we will determine the course of America, and the world, for many, many years to come.

We will face challenges. We will confront hardships. But we will get the job done.

Every four years, we gather on these steps to carry out the orderly and peaceful transfer of power, and we are grateful to President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama for their gracious aid throughout this transition. They have been magnificent.

Today’s ceremony, however, has very special meaning. Because today we are not merely transferring power from one administration to another, or from one party to another – but we are transferring power from Washington, D.C. and giving it back to you, the people.

For too long, a small group in our nation’s capital has reaped the rewards of government while the people have borne the cost.

Washington flourished – but the people did not share in its wealth.

Politicians prospered – but the jobs left, and the factories closed.

The establishment protected itself, but not the citizens of our country.

Their victories have not been your victories; their triumphs have not been your triumphs; and while they celebrated in our nation’s capital, there was little to celebrate for struggling families all across our land.

That all changes – starting right here, and right now, because this moment is your moment: it belongs to you.

It belongs to everyone gathered here today and everyone watching all across America.

This is your day. This is your celebration.

And this, the United States of America, is your country.

What truly matters is not which party controls our government, but whether our government is controlled by the people.

January 20th, 2017, will be remembered as the day the people became the rulers of this nation again.

The forgotten men and women of our country will be forgotten no longer.

Everyone is listening to you now.

You came by the tens of millions to become part of a historic movement the likes of which the world has never seen before.

At the centre of this movement is a crucial conviction: that a nation exists to serve its citizens.

Americans want great schools for their children, safe neighbourhoods for their families, and good jobs for themselves.

These are the just and reasonable demands of righteous people and a righteous public.

But for too many of our citizens, a different reality exists: Mothers and children trapped in poverty in our inner cities; rusted-out factories scattered like tombstones across the landscape of our nation; an education system, flush with cash, but which leaves our young and beautiful students deprived of all knowledge; and the crime and the gangs and the drugs that have stolen too many lives and robbed our country of so much unrealised potential.

This American carnage stops right here and stops right now.

We are one nation – and their pain is our pain. Their dreams are our dreams; and their success will be our success. We share one heart, one home, and one glorious destiny.

The oath of office I take today is an oath of allegiance to all Americans.

For many decades, we’ve enriched foreign industry at the expense of American industry;

Subsidised the armies of other countries while allowing for the very sad depletion of our military;

We’ve defended other nations’ borders while refusing to defend our own;

And spent trillions and trillions of dollars overseas while America’s infrastructure has fallen into disrepair and decay.

We’ve made other countries rich while the wealth, strength, and confidence of our country has dissipated over the horizon.

One by one, the factories shuttered and left our shores, with not even a thought about the millions and millions of American workers that were left behind.

The wealth of our middle class has been ripped from their homes and then redistributed all across the world.

But that is the past. And now we are looking only to the future.

We assembled here today are issuing a new decree to be heard in every city, in every foreign capital, and in every hall of power.

From this day forward, a new vision will govern our land.

From this day forward, it’s going to be only America First, America First.

Every decision on trade, on taxes, on immigration, on foreign affairs, will be made to benefit American workers and American families.

We must protect our borders from the ravages of other countries making our products, stealing our companies, and destroying our jobs. Protection will lead to great prosperity and strength.

I will fight for you with every breath in my body – and I will never, ever let you down.

America will start winning again, winning like never before.

We will bring back our jobs. We will bring back our borders. We will bring back our wealth. And we will bring back our dreams.

We will build new roads, and highways, and bridges, and airports, and tunnels, and railways all across our wonderful nation.

We will get our people off of welfare and back to work – rebuilding our country with American hands and American labour.

We will follow two simple rules: Buy American and hire American.

We will seek friendship and goodwill with the nations of the world – but we do so with the understanding that it is the right of all nations to put their own interests first.

We do not seek to impose our way of life on anyone, but rather to let it shine as an example – we will shine – for everyone to follow.

We will reinforce old alliances and form new ones – and unite the civilised world against radical Islamic terrorism, which we will eradicate completely from the face of the Earth.

At the bedrock of our politics will be a total allegiance to the United States of America, and through our loyalty to our country, we will rediscover our loyalty to each other.

When you open your heart to patriotism, there is no room for prejudice.

The Bible tells us: “How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity.”

We must speak our minds openly, debate our disagreements honestly, but always pursue solidarity.

When America is united, America is totally unstoppable.

There should be no fear – we are protected, and we will always be protected.

We will be protected by the great men and women of our military and law enforcement and, most importantly, we will be protected by God.

Finally, we must think big and dream even bigger.

In America, we understand that a nation is only living as long as it is striving.

We will no longer accept politicians who are all talk and no action – constantly complaining but never doing anything about it.

The time for empty talk is over.

Now arrives the hour of action.

Do not allow anyone to tell you that it cannot be done. No challenge can match the heart and fight and spirit of America.

We will not fail. Our country will thrive and prosper again.

We stand at the birth of a new millennium, ready to unlock the mysteries of space, to free the Earth from the miseries of disease, and to harness the energies, industries and technologies of tomorrow.

A new national pride will stir our souls, lift our sights, and heal our divisions.

It is time to remember that old wisdom our soldiers will never forget: that whether we are black or brown or white, we all bleed the same red blood of patriots, we all enjoy the same glorious freedoms, and we all salute the same great American Flag.

And whether a child is born in the urban sprawl of Detroit or the windswept plains of Nebraska, they look up at the same night sky, they fill their heart with the same dreams, and they are infused with the breath of life by the same almighty Creator.

So to all Americans, in every city near and far, small and large, from mountain to mountain, and from ocean to ocean, hear these words:

You will never be ignored again.

Your voice, your hopes, and your dreams, will define our American destiny. And your courage and goodness and love will forever guide us along the way.

Together, we will make America strong again.

We will make America wealthy again.

We will make America proud again.

We will make America safe again.

And, yes, together, we will make America great again.

Thank you, God bless you, and God bless America. Thank you. God bless America.

Donald Trump is the 45th President of the United States

Dozens die in Paris attacks

State of Emergency declared following multiple attacks in French capital

front page

More than 120 people have died and hundreds more injured following a series of bomb and gun attacks across Paris last night. The dead toll is expected to rise today as the enormity of the outrage becomes clearer.

Four restaurants, a concert venue and the Stade de France national football stadium all came under attack in an evening of horror. So far, no group has claimed responsibility but there is strong eyewitness evidence to suggest that Islamic extremists were responsible for the atrocities.

The deadliest attack took place at the Bataclan concert venue when gunmen opened fire during a gig by rock group Eagles of Death Metal – the 1,500-seat venue was sold out. It’s believed that up to eighty people died in a shootout as security forces acted to end a hostage situation.

President Hollande was attending the friendly match between France and Germany at the Stade de France stadium, which was being broadcast on TF1, one of the country’s main TV channels. The game was abandoned when two explosions were heard – at least one of which is now known to have been a suicide bomber.

Police say all eight gunmen involved in the Paris attacks are now dead but the country’s security forces remains on full alert. Four were killed in the Bataclan concert hall, three by activating suicide vests and one shot by police. Three more died near the national stadium and a fourth was killed in a Paris street.

Prime Minister David Cameron said: “I am shocked by events in Paris tonight. Our thoughts and prayers are with the French people. We will do whatever we can to help.”

President Obama called the attacks in Paris an “outrageous attempt to terrorise innocent civilians” and an “attack on all of humanity”.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she was “deeply shaken by the news and pictures that are reaching us from Paris”.

 

 

 

 

Edinburgh College student Sarah is ‘tres bon’!

Auld Alliance: Award for Scotland’s top French student

DSC_0529

An Edinburgh College student said ‘bonjour‘ to success as she was crowned the country’s best Advanced Higher French student after working her way to top marks in her final exam.

Sarah McArthur scored 190 out of 200 in her final exam, the highest mark in the country. The Franco-Scottish Society has presented her with the Lansdowne Prize, awarded annually to the candidate who achieves the best mark in Advanced Higher French.

Sarah studied for the qualification at the college through open learning while completing her sixth year at Balerno High School, which was unable to run the Advanced Higher course.

Her college lecturer, Caroline Cordier, said: “I am extremely proud of Sarah. I would like to emphasise the difficulty of the Advanced Higher exam. The Advanced Higher courses is a huge jump from Higher and is very challenging academically. Taking an Advanced Higher course is the perfect way to prepare yourself for progressing to university study.

“Her achievement is all the more outstanding considering that she took an open learning course, which requires a great deal of self-motivation. Thanks to resources and feedback available through new tools like Skype tutorials, Sarah was able to make huge progress and have a fulfilling learning experience.”

Sarah, who is now going to the University of St Andrews to study Sustainable Development and hopes to work for charities in the developing world, said: “I was surprised and delighted to discover that I had won the Lansdowne Prize, and I am of course very grateful to the Franco-Scottish Society for presenting me with this award and for the support they give to French language learners.

“I am also very grateful to Edinburgh College for running the course, as otherwise I would have been unable to study Advanced Higher French. I am especially grateful to my lecturer Caroline. She was so flexible and willing to work around my busy timetable as I’m sure I was not the most convenient student.”

Tom Wight, vice-president of Franco-Scottish Society of Scotland, said: “Sarah McArthur’s results in the Advanced Higher Exam are outstanding. She is a worthy recipient of the prize and an inspiration to young language learners throughout Scotland.”

Since studying at the college, Sarah has taken part in an eight-month placement in the Democratic Republic of Congo with Africa Inland Mission where she taught English to English teacher trainees and developed her French-language skills.

Pictured: Lecturer Caroline Cordier, Sarah McArthur, Franco-Scottish Society of Scotland president the Rt Hon Lord Brodie, vice president Tom Wight and honorary treasurer Anne Collette Lequet.

Some places are still available on a range of part-time Higher and Advanced Higher courses at Edinburgh College including a range of languages courses such as French, Spanish, Italian, German and Gaelic.

For more information on available courses, visit www.edinburghcollege.ac.uk/august2015/pt.aspx

Ebola: one year on

ebola

Yesterday marked the anniversary of the first reported case of Ebola in Sierra Leone. International Development Secretary Justine Greening said:

“A year ago today it was confirmed that the deadly Ebola virus had reached Sierra Leone. In the months that followed this terrible disease swept across the country claiming thousands of lives, devastating communities and temporarily crippling the economy.

“The UK can be immensely proud of its life saving work leading the international humanitarian response in Sierra Leone. Working hand in hand with the government of Sierra Leone and its people, we have supported them through every step of this disease — setting up labs to quickly diagnose Ebola, raising awareness about how the disease is spread, building treatment centres, training frontline health workers, and funding teams to provide safe and dignified burials. The number of cases has now fallen from a peak of over 500 a week in November to just 8 last week. We won’t have won this battle until we get to zero infections and stamp out Ebola. We will continue to work with Sierra Leone’s government and local communities to seek out and isolate every new case.

“There is no room for complacency, but we hope that the end is in sight. The UK will continue to stand by Sierra Leone until the job is done but it is vital that others now join us to help Sierra Leone get back on its feet. UK support will help get health and education services up and running, kick start the economy and protect the people most affected by the disease — including the children who lost their families. We cannot wipe out the suffering this disease has inflicted but we can help to build a stronger, more prosperous Sierra Leone that is better prepared to tackle disease outbreaks in the future.”

Travellers: know before you go!

Don’t get caught out by local customs: advice to holidaymakers from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office:

did you know Every year British nationals risk getting caught out by local laws and customs when travelling overseas. From driving a dirty car in Russia, to wearing camouflage clothing in Barbados, travellers could end up with a hefty fine or may even be arrested if they are caught unaware.

According to new research issued by the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, while 70% of people believe that researching local laws and customs would make their holiday more enjoyable, less than half would actually make this part of their preparations when visiting somewhere new. For those visiting places they had been to before, just 40% said they would do this research, despite the fact that local legislation and even local customs can change at any time.

In 2014, the following changes in local law were introduced:

  • fines were increased to $500 for swearing publicly in certain parts of Australia
  • new requirements were introduced for parents travelling with children in or out of South Africa
  • e-cigarettes are now banned from being brought into the United Arab Emirates
  • from January 2015 tourists must have passport valid for at least 60 days from expiry date of their visitor visa when travelling to Turkey

FCO Minister Mark Simmonds said: “It’s easy to throw caution to the wind when on holiday but it’s important to be aware of the local laws and customs before you set off. We want people to enjoy their holidays so we encourage them to be prepared. Laws and customs vary widely from country to country and visitors should respect them to avoid causing offence or even being arrested. Spending five minutes reading our travel advice may save travellers a lot of time in the long run”.

Just last year, two British tourists were arrested for swimming in the Emperor’s moat at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo. This might sound like a bit of harmless fun, but their actions were the equivalent of attempting to break into Buckingham Palace – and being arrested in Japan for even a minor offence can mean remaining in custody for 23 days while awaiting an investigation.

Jaywalking in the USA, the Czech Republic and Poland; entering churches or mosques with arms or legs uncovered in Italy or Turkey; and leaving the beach still in swimwear in Mallorca and Barcelona; are just a few examples of common laws and customs broken by foreigners who didn’t research their destination before going on holiday.

How many cigarettes can you legally bring into Thailand? What equipment should you carry in your car when driving in France? What is appropriate attire to wear in public in Saudi Arabia? Wherever you are going, the FCO’s travel advice pages have a laws and customs section for each destination and are a great place to begin your research. Also take a look at our Local Laws and Customs visual graphic (below) for some interesting examples from around the globe.

J3089_Local_Laws_and_Customs_Infographic_Final_AW