· May, 2008

Stories about Citizen Media from May, 2008

Plastic bag plan takes effect in China

  31 May 2008

Starting June 1, the Chinese government's country-wide plan to make shoppers pay small fees for plastic bags, and to forbid the production of ultra-thin bags will take effect. The move should save China 37 million barrels of oil a year. NGOs have been into the act earlier, pushing for relief...

China: After the quake, hoping for aid

  30 May 2008

From inside and outside China, concerned citizens are helping, and putting their hands out to help the victims of the devastating 7.9 in the Richter scale earthquake that leveled out industrial cities, transforming them into refugee camps where people are living under plastic bags, trying to find out their relatives and remake their lives. Four different videos bring us perspectives on how people are dealing with their losses all around the world, and how reaching out to help others could help help ease the pain.

China: Environmental Fallout After Sichuan Earthquake

  26 May 2008

A week after China's deadly earthquake killed nearly 56,000 people, environmental and other costs of the 8.0 magnitude earthquake are becoming clearer. On this post we examine posts related to the environmental fallout of the earthquake, and also the plight of animals in the earthquake area. Plans for a proposed...

Colombian anti-military youth group commemorates 10 years of resistance

  23 May 2008

Last May 17th marked the ten year aniversary of the Antimili sonoro, an event organized by the Youth Network as a way to spread the word about resistance to the mandatory military service in Colombia through music. The date was celebrated with a concert, and the whole month of May was programmed with conferences, talks and marches commemorating the 10 years of the youth organization's Disobedience and Civil Resistance movement. Showcasing the invitation to the events, the promotional clips and a short video from one of the ska bands playing in the concert.

Videos: Creativity in facing the water crisis

  20 May 2008

With two very recent natural disasters in mind: the cyclone in Myanmar and the Earthquake in Sichuan, China, the topic of getting pure and drinkable water to needy populations has come back into the conversation. Following, several videos which propose different solutions to supply clean water or at least make it easier for people to have a healthful liquid to drink.

Trinidad & Tobago: Failed State?

  19 May 2008

Jumbie's Watch links to an article in the Trinidad Guardian which makes reference to the twin island republic as one of 96 countries “in danger of becoming a failed state”, adding: “Much work is needed in 4 areas…security, health, education, and in the judicial system.”

Caucasus: Eurovision Countdown

With the first of the semi-finals in this year's Eurovision Song Contest in Belgrade, Serbia, just days away, the countries of the South Caucasus are becoming increasingly excited about the international song contest and how their representatives will fair. Global Voices rounds up the reaction to the three songs in the Eurovision blogosphere.

Angola: On the standardization of the Portuguese language

  16 May 2008

Eugénio Costa Almeida [pt] breaks the news that the deal to standardize the Portuguese language in all countries was ratified in the Portuguese Parliament and within six years new spelling rules may be adopted. “Everyone has thought about “getting into the habit” but the most important thing was forgotten: children...

Myanmar: Citizen videos in Cyclone Nargis’ aftermath

  16 May 2008

Despite restrictions on journalists imposed by the Burmese junta who govern the country, people have been going out and recording what is really happening to the victims of this natural disaster. On May 2nd, 2008, Cyclone Nargis struck Myanmar (Burma), generating massive damage and tens of thousands dead or missing.

India: Jaipur blasts, Terrorism and the Government

  14 May 2008

On 13th May, serial blasts rocked Jaipur. Reports suggest that more than sixty people were killed, and another 150 were injured. MyZone writes about Jaipur, which as a city has been relatively peaceful, and the sheer panic the blasts created. Disbelief turned into shock as over the fifteen minutes the...

China: “Strolling” for the Environment

  13 May 2008

Earlier this month, before an earthquake killed thousands, about 400 to 500 people in Chengdu, China took to the streets to protest the construction of a proposed petrochemical plant, calling their outing a “stroll” to get around applying for a permit to protest. The event was organized through cell phones,...

Sri Lanka: Images from Burma

  12 May 2008

Restrictions on media in Burma have meant that the world has to rely on the Burmese government broadcaster for information and visuals, explains Moving Images, Moving People.

Sri Lanka: Government Wins Eastern Polls

  12 May 2008

The much hyped Eastern Provincial council elections were held last Saturday ( 10, May ) with the government winning 20 of the of the allocated 37 seats.United National Party won 15 seats and JVP and TDNA won 1 seat each.While the government hailed this as a major victory in the...

PangeaDay: an event lived worldwide

  12 May 2008

Pangea Day took place Saturday, and people from different parts of the world got together to watch movies and be a part of the worldwide event where movies, speakers and music showed us a bit of life on the other side of the globe, uniting people from all walks of life to believe that we aren't as different as we would believe. It also included a mobile video contest, with an international lineup of winners.

PangeaDay: Impressions from Brazil

Pangea day took place this Saturday, May 10 2008, and the world watched together a selection of films broadcast via the internet and TV simultaneously to every corner of the planet and with live broadcast in Cairo, Kigali, London, Los Angeles, Mumbai, and Rio de Janeiro. See here a comprehensive wrap up: PangeaDay as seen by a Brazilian blogger.

Musical instruments from around the world

  11 May 2008

Videos with interesting instruments from different corners of the world, including some made from recycled cans and plastic sodabottles, a record of how didgeridoos are made, and a Russian folk song on a hurdy gurdy.

Brazil and Orkut: made for each other?

  8 May 2008

Orkut, Google's experiment on Social Networking Services, is extremely popular in Brazil. More than 53% of Orkut users is Brazilian -- even more, if you take into account the Brazilian's profiles that don't show their country information and the profiles of Brazilians living abroad -- and more than 70% percent of Brazil's Internet users are actually profiled and active in the network. Daniel Duende takes a look on what are all these Brazilians doing there.

Georgia: War with Russia?

The South Caucasus has always been a volatile and unstable region riven by ethnic conflict and instability. This is definitely the case in Georgia where tensions with Russia have increased to the extent that the battle of words between Tbilisi and Moscow might yet turn into war over the breakaway and defacto independent [Georgian] region of Abkhazia. The increased tension follows last month's apparent downing of a Georgian drone allegedly by a Russian MiG-29 and reports that Russian troops are being sent to Abkhazia in case of a Georgian attempt to re-take the territory by force. Russia and Georgia are playing brinkmanship again, but this time the consequences are uncertain.

Hong Kong: Olympic Torch Relay, the Virtual and the Real

  2 May 2008

The real Olympic torch relay in Hong Kong has been criticized as a political decision as most of the non-athletic torch bearers were from the pro-China political clan. In the street, the Beijing supporters also out-numbered the protesters for human rights. However, in the virtual torch relay organized by local...