| For us, the best response to the horrors we see around us (in Burma, Syria, Gaza, Iraq, Yemen and elsewhere) is to work positively for a better future. We envision a future of peace and harmony and we empower ourselves (respect for ourselves), empower each other (respect others), and we respect nature and this planet we share. We always have exciting new things happening every day at the Palestine Museum of Natural History from new discoveries about plants and animals to daily visitors and volunteers who work in our botanical garden (more of an integrated ecosystem) and even to cooking lessons. We will have two workshops open to the public for those interested: Sunday 14 June 3:30-5:30 PM: SCORPIONS. Come learn about the different species of scorpions, how poisonous they are, where they are found, their fascinating life, how to avoid and how to treat stings. We will also learn to make wire scorpions as gifts (recycled wires). Suitable for ages 10 – 110! Register by sending an email to info@palestinenature.org Monday 15 June 2:30-4 PM: Start-Up Opportunities in Sustainable Water, Sanitation and Resource Management. Some of Palestine’s and the region’s biggest environmental and social challenges relate to water and waste: mismanagement of resources, pollution, lack of innovation, awareness, and responsibility to name a few. How can we manage our resources sustainably for future generations? Learn about start-up opportunities in the sector of sustainability; Assess the marketability of your idea; Learn about cewas Middle East StartUp Programme in Sustainable Water, Sanitation and Resource Management; Check if your idea qualifies you as a participant. The workshop is organized by cewas Middle East. cewas is a Swiss non-profit association specialised in improving business practices in water and sanitation through training and awareness-raising so as to increase the sector’s integrity and sustainability. The workshop is conducted in English and is free of charge. Refreshments will be served. Register by writing a short email to: lillian.volat@cewas.org Find the location for both workshops here. Besides these public workshops organized by others hosted here or organized by PMNH, we have intensive in-house training workshops for specific topics and in the next two weeks we are doing work on biodiversity scientific research and publication. Email us here, also if you wish to volunteer. All we ask for is open minds and open hearts to improve life (of ourselves and of all living beings). Dr. Ameenah Firdaus Gurib-Fakim is the new president of Mauritius. She is a fellow biologist/biodiversity specialist. Here is her TED talk. BDS continues to move forward despite shrill racist attacks from Zionist apologists for ethnic cleansing and apartheid. Stay tuned at this website and here on Facebook. Flotilla continues its way: The Swedish ship Marianne, with Canadian activist and marine engineer Kevin Neish on board, has left the port of Bueu in Spain, where the 2011 attack on the Mavi Marmara was remembered. Israel’s brutal assault in 2011 took ten lives and injured more that 50. The Marianne is now in Lisbon, Portugal with the ultimate goal of challenging the blockade of Gaza. Here is some footage from Marianne's trip and stop in Spain. The Marianne has been welcomed by civil society in Portugal, on her way to Mediterranean ports of call. She will be joined by her sister ships along the way. Canadian and international delegates will board the ships as they sail together to the shores of Gaza. The bombardment of Gaza last summer left more than 2,000 dead and destroyed thousands of homes. Life for ordinary Palestinians has since grown more harsh. Whenever there is talk of a flotilla, children in Gaza gather on the beach to await its arrival. The Freedom Flotilla III (FF3) aims to reach them. |