New Year Wishes

I wish you Health...

So you may enjoy each day in comfort.

I wish you the Love of friends and family...

And Peace within your heart.

I wish you the Beauty of nature...

That you may enjoy the work of God.

I wish you Wisdom to choose priorities...

For those things that really matter in life.

I wish you Generousity so you may share...

All good things that come to you.

I wish you Happiness and Joy...

And Blessings for the New Year.

I wish you the best of everything...

That you so well deserve.

~ Author Unknown to me ~

I wish all the students, teachers and my friends a

"Happy New Year!

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Facts about Christmas

Did you know?

Caroling (singing carols in the street) is one of the oldest customs in Great Britain, going back to the Middle Ages when beggars, seeking food, money, or drink, would wander the streets singing holiday songs. Over the years, the word 'carol' changed its meaning, referring only to certain kinds of songs, the word carol became known as Christmas songs.

Christmas carols were banned between 1647 and 1660 in England by Oliver Cromwell who thought that Christmas should be a solemn day.
People today still go carol singing. This is where people go from house to house singing carols and collecting money for charity.

St Francis of Assisi introduced Christmas Carols to formal church services. The word comes from the ancient Greek choros, which means "dancing in a circle," and from the Old French word carole, meaning "a song to accompany dancing."

The popular Christmas song "Jingle Bells" was composed in 1857 by James Pierpont, and was originally called "One-Horse Open Sleigh." It was actually written for Thanksgiving, not Xmas.

The Story of the Silent Night Carol.

The carol Silent Night was written in 1818, by an Austrian priest Joseph Mohr. He was told the day before Christmas that the church organ was broken and would not be prepared in time for Christmas Eve. He was saddened by this and could not think of Christmas without music, so he wanted to write a carol that could be sung by choir to guitar music. He sat down and wrote three stanzas. Later that night the people in the little Austrian Church sang "Stille Nacht" for the first time.

The first instrument on which the carol "Silent Night" was played was a guitar.

Christmas banned

In 1647, the English parliament passed a law that made Christmas illegal. Christmas festivities were banned by Puritan leader Oliver Cromwell, who considered feasting and revelry on what was supposed to be a holy day to be immoral. Anybody caught celebrating Christmas was arrested. The ban was lifted only when the Puritans lost power in 1660.

Christmas Poem

Christmas really isn't about toys,
However much we love them, young and old.
Reductions in the fat of Christmas day
In time restore its vigor and its health.
So let us not display our absent wealth,
Though children should have ample chance to play.
More sweet and joyous music must be sung,
And thoughts of peace and mercy make their way

Silent and uncluttered through the noise

The oldest fim director in the World: Manoel de Oliveira

Manoel de Oliveira was born in Oporto, Portugal, on December 11 (but he was only registry in the next day) of 1908, to a family of wealthy industrialists. Since his early days he desired to become an actor, later he decided that it would be best to become film maker. He made some distinctive representation as actor like in the second Portuguese sound film, A Canção de Lisboa (1933).

His first film as a director was made in 1942, Aniki-Bóbó, and it was about a poor boy who lived in Oporto streets.

He is still working and he is the Portuguese film director with more awards. Since 2001, he is the oldest director in the world who is still active, and remains one of the most influential film makers in Europe. "Cristóvão Colombo - O Enigma" (Christopher Columbus - The enigma) is the last film he directed so far and as strange as you can imagine he still have two projects in mind!

Today with 100 years, it's really amazing his capacity of working and facing life with such a young spirit!

Congratulations!

Human rights declaration 60 years old

The 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights will be marked globally on Wednesday 10 December, International Human Rights Day.

What are human rights?

Human rights are rights inherent to all human beings, whatever our nationality, place of residence, sex, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, language, or any other status. We are all equally entitled to our human rights without discrimination. These rights are all interrelated, interdependent and indivisible.

Universal human rights are often expressed and guaranteed by law, in the forms of treaties, customary international law , general principles and other sources of international law. International human rights law lays down obligations of Governments to act in certain ways or to refrain from certain acts, in order to promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms of individuals or groups.

Link: The Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Self-esteem

What is self-esteem?

The term self-esteem comes from a Greek word meaning "reverence for self." The "self" part of self-esteem pertains to the values, beliefs and attitudes that we hold about ourselves. The "esteem" part of self-esteem describes the value and worth that one gives oneself. Simplistically self-esteem is the acceptance of ourselves for who and what we are at any given time in our lives.

Be yourself!

International Day of Disabled People_ 3rd December

What is the International Day of Disabled People about?

On the 3rd December 1982, the UN General Assembly decided on the World Programme of Action for Disabled People. The United Nations committed itself and its members to promote the full participation of disabled people in social life and development as well as prevention and rehabilitation measures.

Disabled people are not yet fully considered within international development issues. They are still excluded from society in many countries of the world. Even where effective disability legislation is in place, the implementation lacks ideas and is hindered by negative attitudes towards disabled people.

Facts and figures

The World Health Organization estimates that there are 600 million disabled people worldwide, about 10% of the world population. It is also estimated that about 80% of all disabled people worldwide live in developing countries.

More and more, disability is seen as a social issue which is not only based on medical reasons. The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) defines a disabled person as someone who has a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on his or her ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities. Therefore the reasons for disability are always complex and can only be understood within the context of societies and cultures.

What does inclusion mean?

Inclusion is applied to a variety of fields such as education, employment, society in general or international development. Inclusion means the acceptance of all people and is not limited to disabled people but also includes other marginalized groups such as immigrants, women, poor people or people with HIV/AIDS.
In the disability field the concept is best known through inclusive education or inclusive development, promoting the consideration of disabled people in all aspects of school or international development.

"Disabled People deserve the same rights"