Under the High Patronage of
Mr Emmanuel MACRON
President of the French Republic

Paris, May 30, 2025 – Responding to the call of the Israeli, Palestinian, and global populations for lasting peace in the Middle East, the Paris Peace Forum is hosting a civil society mobilization event for the two-state solution, peace, and regional security in Paris on June 13, 2025. Entitled “Paris Call for the Two-State Solution, Peace and Regional Security,” the event will be held at the Economic, Social and Environmental Council (CESE) under the high patronage of Mr. Emmanuel Macron, President of the French Republic. This key meeting will take place a few days ahead of the High-Level International Conference on the Peaceful Resolution of the Palestinian Question and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, which will be held from June 17 to 20, 2025, at the United Nations in New York.

This event will bring together several hundred civil society actors committed to the implementation of the two-state solution and a shared future based on mutual recognition, peace, and security for all. At a time when the region is plagued by extreme violence, terrorism, hatred, and injustice, and when the two-state solution faces existential threats, participants—mostly Israelis and Palestinians, but also from the Middle East, Europe, and the United States—will highlight the need for decisive action. They will stress the urgency of an immediate and permanent ceasefire, the release of all hostages, and the unconditional delivery of humanitarian aid commensurate with the needs of the people of Gaza.

On June 13 in Paris, these organizations and civil society figures will put their expertise and experience at the service of concrete solutions for the implementation of the two-state solution and the establishment of a viable Palestinian state, offering security guarantees for all, and for advancing regional integration. In addition to contributing to the work of the eight thematic working groups of the High-Level International Conference on June 17-20, the civil society actors gathered in large numbers on this occasion will launch a call to action to the international community reflecting their commitment to peace and security for all.

This Paris Call will reinforce the action of France and the European Union, which are committed to peace in the Middle East, which cannot be achieved without the implementation of the two-state solution. The conference organized by the Paris Peace Forum aims to support this objective by providing a platform for the concrete expression of civil societies committed to the two-state solution, regional peace, and security.

For media enquiries, please contact media@parispeaceforum.org. For all other enquiries (e.g., if you are a civil society actor), please contact contact@parispeaceforum.org. 

About the Paris Peace Forum: The Forum is a platform to originate, shape & share multi-actor responses towards global peace & sustainable prosperity. By convening key decision-makers and fostering collaboration between governments, international organizations, businesses, and civil society, we ensure that diplomacy is not just discussed but reinvented to meet the demands of a changing world. For more information, visit parispeaceforum.org. 

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See below for the highlights of the past week, and get all your ESG news at ESG Today:

Sustainability Goals, Initiatives and Achievements

TotalEnergies, Equinor, Shell to Invest Over $700 Million to Expand Carbon Storage Project

Kimberly-Clark to Reach 100% Renewable Energy at Kleenex Manufacturing Site

Frontier Signs $33 Million Carbon Removal Purchase with Enhanced Rock Weathering Startup Eion

Airbus Reconfirms Commitment to Develop Hydrogen-Powered Aircraft

Lululemon Partners with Biotech Company ZymoChem to Scale Use of Sustainable Materials in Products

Ares Acquires Stake in 900 MW U.S. Solar and Storage Portfolio from Engie

84% of Companies Keeping or Accelerating Climate Targets: PwC

Guest Post: Clean Energy in the Age of AI – Striking the Right Balance

Guest Post – Melting Hope: Can We Answer the Glaciers’ SOS?

ESG Reporting

EU Council Approves Delay to CSRD and CSDDD Sustainability Reporting Regulations

ISSB Launches New Roadmap Tool to Help Jurisdictions Adopt Sustainability Reporting Standards

Guest Post – Interoperability: The Missing Link in Global Sustainability Efforts

Government & Regulators

SEC Drops its Defense of Climate Reporting Rules

ESG Services and Tools

Equifax Launches Financed Emissions Calculator

JLL Acquires Clean Energy-Focused Investment Bank Javelin Capital

Sustainable Finance

ING Becomes First Global Bank with SBTi-Approved Financed Emissions Reduction Targets

Iberdrola Issues Green Bond Linked to its Share Price

EU Platform on Sustainable Finance Proposes New Standard to Help SMEs Access Financing for Sustainability Efforts

Private Equity & Venture Capital

Carbon Accounting and Reporting Software Provider Persefoni Raises $23 Million

GridPoint Raises $45 Million to Expand Platform to Decarbonize Buildings, Stabilize Grids

InnoEnergy “Muscling Up” to Mobilize €160 Billion in Clean Tech Investments by 2030

GravitHy Raises $65 Million to Help Decarbonize Steel Industry

Just Climate Invests $25 Million in Sustainable Agriculture Solutions Provider GreenLight Biosciences

Theion Raises €15 Million for Low Cost Alternative to Lithium Batteries

Sustainable Investing

Fidelity International Raises Over $330 Million for Climate-Focused Real Estate Fund

The post ESG Today: Week in Review appeared first on Good News!.

The endowment empowers a new generation of professionals committed to values-driven leadership at this pivotal moment in world affairs

New York, NY – January 16, 2025 – Today, Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs announced a transformational gift from the Uehiro Foundation on Ethics and Education to establish the “Uehiro–Carnegie Endowment for Future Generations.” The Uehiro Foundation gift builds upon the Council’s recent project to establish its Global Ethics Hub in New York City. The new Uehiro endowment will create novel educational programs and global-scale engagements for next generation leaders. This vital work furthers Carnegie Council’s over 100-year legacy of empowering ethical reflection, analysis, and action.

“Humanity has never been more connected yet more fractured,” said Joel Rosenthal, president of Carnegie Council. “New ethical issues are emerging rapidly, fed by intense polarization, the development of novel technologies, and concern for the core principles of democracy and international cooperation. We are grateful to the Uehiro Foundation for this extraordinary gift, which will inspire a new generation to use the power of ethics to build a better world.”

The grant enables a renewal of Andrew Carnegie’s vision for mobilizing the world’s intellectual and financial resources in the service of peace, education, and moral leadership—a vision that has guided Carnegie Council for more than a century. Such work is essential today as an old order fades, and a new order is struggling to emerge.

In response to this moment, the endowment will focus on applied ethics as a tool for the professional and personal development of next generation leaders. Together, Carnegie Council and Uehiro Foundation fellows, staff, and global partners will provide access to ethics-focused education and programming to assess key moral questions, navigate difficult decisions and tradeoffs, and examine values and interests in an interconnected world.

The endowed partnership builds on a twenty-year collaboration between Carnegie Council and the Uehiro Foundation dedicated to international convenings, ethics, and education. The following statement released today by the Uehiro Foundation touched on the deep history between the two organizations: “Over the years, we have become genuine partners as ‘the voice of ethics’ in international affairs. The Uehiro-Carnegie Endowment for Future Generations will enable us to work together more effectively, with united strength, in pursuit of our common mission.”

About Uehiro Foundation: 

Founded in 1987, the Uehiro Foundation on Ethics and Education is a nonprofit foundation committed to the advancement of moral education in Japan. The Uehiro Foundation is a benefactor of the Uehiro Oxford Institute at the University of Oxford and the Uehiro Center for Advancement of Oceanography at University of Hawaii at Manoa. The Uehiro Foundation has also supported ethical research at higher education institutions in Japan such as University of Tokyo, Kyoto University, Tohoku University, and Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology.

About Carnegie Council:

Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs is an independent 501(c) (3) nonprofit institution that works to empower ethics globally by identifying and addressing the most critical ethical issues of today and tomorrow. Founded by Andrew Carnegie over a century ago, Carnegie Council sets the global ethical agenda by convening leading experts, building active communities, producing agenda-setting resources, and catalyzing the creation of ethical solutions to global problems. For more information, please visit CarnegieCouncil.org, subscribe to the Carnegie Ethics Newsletter, and engage with us on social media.

Read a web version of the announcement

Contact:

Kevin Maloney

Director of Communications, Carnegie Council

kmaloney@cceia.org

The post Carnegie Council and Uehiro Foundation Establish the Carnegie Endowment for Future Generations appeared first on Good News!.

THE NEWEST STRAINS OF THE VIRUS ARE CAUSING A SURGE THIS SEASON, AND EXPERTS SAY IT’S IMPORTANT TO GET IMMUNIZED, ESPECIALLY IF YOU’RE AGE 65 OR OLDER.[i],[ii],[iii]

HERE NOW TO HELP CLARIFY LINGERING CONFUSION AROUND COVID-19 AND VACCINATION ARE PHARMACIST JOHN BECKNER AND SILVIA TAYLOR, CHIEF CORPORATE AFFAIRS AND ADVOCACY OFFICER AT NOVAVAX.

BIO:
John O. Beckner, R.Ph.

John is a pharmacist consultant with the National Community Pharmacists Association. Most recently, he served NCPA as Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives where he helped independent community pharmacies develop diversified revenue streams and maximize patient care activities. In his current role, John continues to be involved in several diabetes and immunization related activities, and he hosts Independent Rx Forum, NCPA’s podcast. He is a staunch supporter of innovative community pharmacy practice, especially with respect to immunizations. During his tenure as Director of Pharmacy and Health Services for Ukrop’s Super Markets, the company received numerous awards for excellence in immunizations, including the Immunization Champion and Pinnacle Awards from APhA.  John is a member of the Virginia Pharmacists Association, of which he served as president in 1996-1997. He received the 2014 APhA-APPM Distinguished Achievement Award in Pharmacy Management and the 2015 Bowl of Hygeia Award for outstanding community service, sponsored by APhA and NASPA. Most recently John received the Ed. D. Spearbeck Virgina Pharmacist Service Award for 2024.
John holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in biology from Wake Forest University and a Bachelor of Science degree in pharmacy from VCU/ MCV. He is on the board of directors of the Virginia Pharmacists Association Research and Education Foundation, the Board of Trustees of the MCV Foundation, and the VCU School of Pharmacy National Advisory Council.  John has served on the board of the Central Virginia Chapter of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), the board of CrossOver Healthcare Ministry, the Health Practitioners Monitoring Committee for the Virginia Department of Health Professions, the board of Health Quality Innovators, and the Virginia Board of Pharmacy. John serves on several industry advisory boards including the Novavax Advisory Board and the Drug Store News Editorial Advisory Board. He is a luminary for CPESN VA and has been involved with the network since its inception.
John and his wife Pam have 3 children, 2 grandchildren, and 2 chocolate rescue labs!

Silvia Taylor
Executive Vice President,
Chief Corporate Affairs and Advocacy Officer
Silvia Taylor is the Executive Vice President and Chief Corporate Affairs and Advocacy Officer at Novavax. In her capacity, Ms. Taylor oversees both external and internal communications, government affairs, public policy, patient advocacy, corporate reputation, global corporate digital experience and engagement, and corporate responsibility. With a career spanning over 25 years in the pharmaceutical, biotech, and public health sectors, she brings a wealth of experience in commercial, corporate, and financial communications to her leadership role. Ms. Taylor’s diverse background includes marketing blockbuster and specialty pharmaceuticals, product launches, capital raising, and holding key positions in global investor relations and corporate affairs at prominent biopharmaceutical firms such as Pfizer, MedImmune, Sucampo, and Autolus.
Originally from Argentina, Ms. Taylor holds a Master of Business Administration degree from Columbia University and a Bachelor of Arts in foreign affairs from the University of Virginia. She also serves on the Board of Directors for the Maryland Technology Council.

The post THE NEWEST STRAINS OF THE VIRUS ARE CAUSING A SURGE THIS SEASON appeared first on Good News!.

The post Thought for the Day…08/30/24 appeared first on Good News!.

As Manhattan’s 28th Borough President, Mark Levine is informed by decades of experience in public service and is driven by a deep care for Manhattan and its people.
He is a strong believer in the power of local governance to shape lasting change and continuously improve our city for the next generation of New Yorkers.

Since assuming office on January 1, 2022, Borough President Levine has been working to create a more equitable, more resilient, and healthier city by striving to ensure the policies, solutions, and work of the Manhattan Borough President’s office benefit everyday people, especially historically disenfranchised communities.

While in office, Borough President Levine has successfully launched initiatives to strengthen equity and resilience throughout the borough, including:

The Million More Trees plan, which will expand the urban canopy, especially in chronically underplanted neighborhoods.

The Manhattan Small Business Booster Loans program, which has provided $2 million in interest-free loans to local entrepreneurs suffering from the pandemic. Steering the effort to establish an NYC Waterfront Protection Agency that would lead the design, construction, management, and governance of coastal resiliency projects, currently overseen by 11 different city agencies.

The Campaign to Curb Congestion, which advocates for the implementation of two-way, variable congestion pricing, reforming e-commerce and deliveries, and expanding cycling infrastructure, especially through a dedicated bike lane on the West Side Highway.

The Borough President also strives to create a civic and political life in Manhattan that is more accessible and transparent so that all people have equal representation and a place to voice their concerns and values.

Borough President Levine leans heavily on his past experiences as a public school teacher, community organizer, and two-term member of the New York City Council.

#marklevine #buroughpresident

The post Earth Day: Manhattan Goes Green. Manhattan’s 28th Borough President, Mark Levine shares his historic environmental initiatives in Times Square on April 22, 2024. appeared first on Good News!.

Roosevelt Islander Jim Luce, founder of Orphans International Worldwide will be honored with this award tomorrow – December 14th – in Washington. Once again, he turns the spotlight on this local community and its immeasurable impact on the world.

The Roosevelt Island Daily News

Here is the EAWC’s press release.

On December 14, 2023, the European American Women’s Council (EAWC) will host its 27th Annual Global Goddess Artemis Awards Ceremony at the U.S. Capitol Rayburn Building on Capitol Hill.

The distinguished event will be attended by members of Congress, along with prominent leaders and celebrities from Greece, Europe, Latin America, Asia, and the United States. Hon. Carolyn B. Maloney, former Congresswoman representing Manhattan’s Upper East Side and Roosevelt Island, will serve as the Honorary Host.

The ceremony will take place in the U. S. Capitol Rayburn Building with an audience comprised of members of Congress and other distinguished leaders and celebrities in attendance from Greece, Europe, Latin America, Asia, and the United States.

The Seeds of Leadership Sprinkled Again on Roosevelt Island

Roosevelt Islanders Go Around the World, Helping Neediest

In Bihar, Americans Build a School for Orphaned Children

Roosevelt Island resident Jim Luce will be presented with the Artemis Award for his exceptional quarter-century dedication to Orphans International Worldwide, an organization he founded inspired by his adopted Indonesian infant son and child psychologist mother in Boston.

The Artemis Award, bestowed for 27 years, acknowledges individuals aligned with the EAWC mission who have made noteworthy contributions in their respective fields.

Expressing gratitude, Jim Luce acknowledges Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney’s enduring support, citing her instrumental role in facilitating visas for their staff and commemorating her impact with a dedicated home in Aceh, Indonesia.

Jim emphasizes Congresswoman Maloney’s unwavering commitment to advancing women’s rights and gender equality, hailing her as a tireless advocate and champion for women worldwide.

• Interesting Fact #11 – Earth Is the Only Planet Not Named After a God or Goddess
• Jim Luce and his life’s work at making a difference
• In Bihar, Americans Build a School for Orphaned Children
• Jim Luce Touches the World from Roosevelt Island
• Roosevelt Islander Jim Luce is Off to India Helping Kids

In extending thanks, Jim recognizes Loula Loi Alafoyiannis, Founder & Executive Global President of EAWC, praising her as a fierce advocate, ally, advisor, confidant, and friend. He highlights Loula’s significant contributions in mentoring and educating the next generation of women for success in a dynamic world.

Jim Luce’s connection with Loula Loi Alafoyiannis dates to the aftermath of the 2004 Tsunami when she presented Orphans International Worldwide with a substantial donation of $42,000 for the children in Sri Lanka.

for more info, go to https://rooseveltislanddaily.news/2023/12/13/roosevelt-island-proud-jim-luce-gets-goddess-artemis-award-in-dc/

#jimluce #rooseveltisland #eawc #europeanamericanwomenscouncil

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New PSA celebrates the hopeful side of what is possible when people are nourished, encouraging audiences to join the movement to end hunger

New York, NY (June 15, 2023) – Feeding America® and the Ad Council, in partnership with fluent360, today launched a new fully-integrated PSA campaign designed to inspire conversation about and drive passion for the issue of ending hunger in the United States. “The Full Effect” highlights the impact of food on people’s lives and was developed to show when people are fed, futures are nourished, and individuals go from living, to truly thriving. Through short vignettes, the PSA shows the everyday joy of a child receiving a science fair award, and thriving as a working mom, to the bigger life achievements celebrating a graduation with family.

According to recent data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), nearly 34 million people lived in food insecure households in 2021. In that same period, more than 9 million children lived in a food insecure household. While the rates of food insecurity declined in 2021, including among Black and Latino individuals, there remains a wide racial disparity in its impact – Black individuals were almost three times more likely, while Latino individuals were 2.5 times more likely, to face hunger than their white counterparts.

To address this critical issue, the Ad Council and Feeding America partnered with fluent360 on this effort to raise awareness and inspire people to take action in the nation-wide movement to end hunger. Directed by Dan Addelson, the new PSA highlights the impact of food on people’s lives and how a meal goes beyond solely nourishing our bodies. The PSA asks the public to join the movement to end hunger at FeedingAmerica.org/ActNow by donating, volunteering, or advocating.

WATCH THE PSA HERE:

“When you’re fed, you’re fueled to take on any challenge and are set up to thrive,” said Heidi Arthur, Chief Campaign Development Officer at the Ad Council. “With this powerful new creative, we’re rallying individuals and communities to join the movement to end hunger in America. By taking action and raising awareness, we have the power to make a real difference in the lives of people impacted by food insecurity.”

“There is still work to be done to ensure that the 34 million people in the United States who face hunger receive the food they need to thrive,” said Jennifer Polk, Chief Marketing & Digital Experience Officer for Feeding America. “These new PSAs will help us share stories of how access to nutritious food is essential for each of us to reach our full potential and reminds us that we can all help to create positive change in our communities to ensure that no one goes hungry in America.”

“Food insecurity is one of the most devastating issues facing Americans and specifically people of color, who are sadly over indexing at an alarming rate. And this includes households with children,” said Danielle Austen, Founder and CEO of fluent360. “As not only marketers, but advocates for the multicultural community, partnering with Feeding America and the Ad Council was mission driven and aligned with our own values.”

Developed by fluent360, a multicultural agency with deep expertise across African American, US Hispanic, Asian American, and LGBTQ+ audiences, the new campaign platform and strategy is designed to reach a total market audience and was driven by insights from Black and Latino audiences. The fully integrated national campaign includes broadcast, online video, radio, print, digital banners, and out-of-home (OOH) assets, all in English and Spanish. The campaign was tested through qualitative and quantitative research among individuals from various backgrounds and communities, including people who have lived experiences with food insecurity. All PSA materials drive audiences to FeedingAmerica.org/ActNow in English and FeedingAmerica.org/HazTuParte in Spanish where they can learn more about the issue and find ways to support neighbors facing hunger in their communities.

The campaign will also feature co-created custom content produced by NBCUniversal. The PSAs will benefit from generous guaranteed donated media support across NBCUniversal properties.

Feeding America’s work has made a significant impact in the fight against hunger in America. In 2021 alone, more than 53 million people relied on the charitable food system for assistance and the Feeding America network of food banks distributed over 5.5 billion meals to people in need. According to tracking research provided by The Harris Poll, the partnership between the Ad Council and Feeding America, which began in 2008 to raise awareness of the issue, has yielded significant results. The organizations have driven a 33% increase in the percentage of individuals who intend to act with Feeding America to help people experiencing food insecurity. The organizations have also seen a dramatic increase in the proportion of individuals who say they took action in the past year to help people facing hunger, from 3% in 2008 to 29% in 2022. 

To watch “The Full Effect” and join the movement to end hunger in America, visit FeedingAmerica.org/ActNow.

About the Ad Council

The Ad Council convenes creative storytellers to educate, unite and uplift audiences by opening hearts, inspiring action and accelerating change around the most pressing issues in America. Since the non-profit’s founding, the organization and its partners in advertising, media, marketing and tech have been behind some of the country’s most iconic and impactful campaigns – Smokey Bear, A Mind Is a Terrible Thing to Waste, Love Has No Labels, Tear the Paper Ceiling and many more. With a current focus on mental health, racial justice, gun violence and other critical issues, the Ad Council’s national campaigns encompass advertising and media content, ground game and community efforts, trusted messenger and influencer engagement, among other innovative strategies to move the needle on the most important issues of the day.

To learn more or get involved, visit AdCouncil.org, join the Ad Council’s communities on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter, and view campaign creative on YouTube.

About Feeding America

Feeding America® is the largest hunger-relief organization in the United States. As a network of more than 200 food banks, 21 statewide food bank associations, and over 60,000 agency partners, including food pantries and meal programs, we helped provide 5.2 billion meals to tens of millions of people in need last year. Feeding America also supports programs that prevent food waste and improve food security among the people we serve; brings attention to the social and systemic barriers that contribute to food insecurity in our nation; and advocates for legislation that protects people from going hungry. Visit www.feedingamerica.org, find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.

About fluent360

fluent360 is the fastest growing agency leader shaping the multicultural marketing industry. Equal parts integrated marketing agency and cultural hub, we specialize in giving brands a resonating voice to effectively speak to various cultural segments – both ethnic and identity followings. As a multi-talented, multicultural agency, we offer a full spectrum of integrated marketing communications services from our Chicago, Nashville, and New York City offices.

Media Contact

Ben Dorf

The Ad Council

bdorf@adcouncil.org

Zuani Villarreal  

Feeding America  

zvillarreal@feedingamerica.org

The post The Ad Council and Feeding America’s new PSA Shows What’s Possible in a World Without Food Insecurity appeared first on Good News!.

Publishers Adrian Council and Jean Nash Wells

Great American Emancipation Day Awards Celebration Honoring
DIONNE WARWICK, ROBERT “Kool” BELL, REV. DR. ALBERT MORGAN and
Community Leaders
Presented by The Positive Community Magazine
Saturday, February 25, 2023 from 2PM – 6PM

NEWARK, NJ, February 7, 2023— The Positive Community (TPC) announced their highly anticipated 4th Annual Emancipation Awards Celebration “The Dawn of Freedom.” The celebration takes place during Black History Month on Saturday, February 25th from 2pm-6pm at the historic Robert Treat Hotel, 50 Park Pl, in downtown Newark, NJ. The program will be hosted by Reverend Jacques Andre DeGraff.

TPC’s special honorees highlight the event. They are Newark’s own Grammy-award winner Dionne Warwick, Robert “Kool” Bell of Kool and the Gang, Rev. Dr. Albert Morgan, senior pastor of Union Baptist Temple; Jacob Walthour, Jr. CEO, Blue Print Capital; Jennifer Jones Austin, CEO Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies; Rev Dr. Valerie Durrah;CEO of Neighborhood Technical Assistance Clinic; and A. Curtis Farrow, McDonald’s Gospelfest producer

January 1, 2023 marks 160 years since the Emancipation Proclamation, signed by President Abraham Lincoln, went into effect—a day that changed history for millions of Black Americans and should be recognized and commemorated. TPC Publisher Adrian A. Council Sr. states, “Emancipation Day brings into focus how far we have come and how far we need to go. Our year of Positive Change continues. It signifies legacy work to provide long-term equitable and economic solutions to race-based disparities.

On December 30, 2022, in preparation for the Emancipation Awards and to build awareness, hundreds gathered in Newark for the first Annual Pre-watchnight Prayer Walk to celebrate “Emancipation: The Dawn of Freedom.” City officials, clergy, and residents walked from Lincoln Park to Newark City Hall in solidarity and prayer, thanking the ancestors for their sacrifice for our freedom.

Our sponsors include: Prudential, New Jersey VisitNJ.org, RWJBarnabas Health, Aetna.

To purchase tables of 10 and individual tickets for The Positive Community’s annual Emancipation Awards Celebration, please visit https://www.eventcreate.com/e/the-positive-community-eman

To be an event sponsor, contact adrian@thepositivecommunity.com or call 973-233-9300.

About The Positive Community
The Positive Community publishes the only faith-based lifestyle magazine targeted to the African American consumer in the dynamic New York/New Jersey market. As its tagline denotes, the magazine focuses on the “Good News from the Church and the Community.”

MEDIA ASSETS
The Positive Community (December 2022) https://issuu.com/thepositivecommunity/docs/tpcdecemberissue2022web

LINK TO ASSETS IN GOOGLE DRIVE HERE

Connect with The Positive Community on social media
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thepositivecommunity
Instagram: @thepositivecommunity
Twitter: @thepositivecomm

For interviews, please contact Jameel Barfield, Barfield Public Relations Inc. 917- 279-5329 or via email at jameel@Barfieldny.com or Barfieldmedia@gmail.com.

The post The Great American Emancipation Day Awards Celebration Honoring DIONNE WARWICK, ROBERT “Kool” BELL, REV. DR. ALBERT MORGAN and Community Leaders Presented by The Positive Community Magazine appeared first on Good News!.

Statement of the Council of Bishops of the UOC of the USA: Pray for Ukraine!
Звернення Собору Єпископів УПЦ США: Молімось за Україну!
God is with us! Christ is amongst us! He is and always shall be!

These ancient Christian greetings are so necessary for us all to embrace in hope and love, with a sense of deep concern and an unfathomable desire for peace, as the world watches the news reports from Ukraine and around the world concerning yet another threat from Russian leadership.

The scare and intimidation tactics with the presence of the armed vehicles and over a hundred thousand of soldiers around the borders of Ukraine combined with systematic cyber attacks at all levels of life in Ukraine can only be interpreted as terroristic threats that target innocent lives of Ukrainian citizens.

They seem to be instigated by an extremely low sense of self-esteem among the leadership of what has become the aggressor nation of modern times – which creates a very dangerous set of circumstances.
Ukraine – the geographic reality – with its own sovereign borders has always been coveted by neighbors from anywhere beyond those borders because of the expanse of her natural resources, especially the incredibly rich black soil, which earned her the name “the Breadbasket of Europe”, which produced the abundance of wheat that was shared with the world. It was and is this land that so many other countries have attempted to annex, dominate, subordinate and benefit from not only in modern history, but throughout the early Kyivan-Rus’ history.

It is no secret that Russia, under the guise of the “Soviet Union” wanted not only the rich natural resources, but just as importantly, a buffer zone between itself and the rest of the Western world. Further, Ukraine, as a blossoming democracy inspires surrounding nations. Therein lies the key to comprehending modern Russian and other earlier invasions. In seeking to control the land, the resources and the political system, hardly a thought has ever been given to the real people who live in that land. These people are the “nation” of Ukraine, and that nation possesses a self-identity that is impossible to annihilate.

Through centuries of invasions the “nation” was unimportant to the invaders. Thus, the “nation” bore the loss of millions and millions of victims to genocide, most atrociously under the former Soviet Union and its Holodomor. Throughout all this history of terror, the self-identity of the “nation” survived – in the hearts, minds and souls of the people. It is with the people that we are desperately concerned as we write these words. It is for the them, our brothers and sisters, that we ask you to join is in prayer.

We must beseech God in the Holy Trinity to protect her people from the horrors that far too many of their ancestors knew and perished from. We direct all our clergy to offer the following prayer during the Litany of Fervent Supplication of each Divine Liturgy. Further, we ask you all to make this prayer part of your daily prayers in your home chapels. May God hear our loving petition and soften the hearts and minds of all, within and without Ukraine during these dangerous times.

With prayers,
+Antony, Metropolitan
+Daniel, Archbishop
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

Звернення Собору Єпископів УПЦ США: Молімось за Україну!
З НАМИ БОГ! ХРИСТОС ПОСЕРЕД НАС! ВІН Є І ЗАВЖДИ БУДЕ!
Ці стародавні Християнські вітання так необхідні для нас усіх, щоб ми огорнулися надією та любов’ю, з почуттям глибокого занепокоєння та незбагненного бажання миру, коли світ спостерігає за новинами з України та світу, про чергову загрозу з боку Російського керівництва.

Тактика залякування та шантажу за наявністю воєнної техніки та понад ста тисяч військовослужбовців біля кордонів України у поєднанні із систематичними кібератаками на всіх рівнях життя в Україні можна трактувати лише, як терористичні загрози, спрямовані на невинне життя громадян України. Вони, здається, спонукані вкрай низьким почуттям власної гідності у керівництві, що і призвело їх називати нацією-агресором в сучасному світі, яка створює дуже небезпечні обставини.

Україна – географічна реальність – зі своїми власними суверенними кордонами завжди була приманкою для сусідів з усіх сторін своїх кордонів через великі її природні ресурси, особливо неймовірно багаті чорноземи, які дали їй назву “Житниця Європи”, яка вирощувала велику кількість пшениці і ділилися зі світом. Саме ці землі намагалися анексувати, домінувати, підпорядкувати і отримати користь не лише в новітній історії, а й протягом усієї ранньої історії Київської Русі.
Ні, це для кого не секрет, що Росія під виглядом “Радянського Союзу” хотіла не тільки багатих природних ресурсів, але, що не менш важливо, буферної зони між собою та рештою частиною Західного світу. У цьому криється ключ до Російських та інших попередніх вторгнень. Додаймо до цього ще і реальність того, що теперішня загроза для тоталітарного режиму є реальність демократичного способу життя молодої нації, яка провела шість відкритих і спокійних президентських виборів, та веде подальші впевнені демократичні реформи. Прагнучи контролювати певні території, ресурси та демократію, навряд чи прагнення людей було взято до уваги, які проживають на цій територій. Ці люди є “народом” України. Хоча поняття “Україна”, як назва географічної території не така давня, як “Київська Русь”, “нація” чи народ цієї країни мають самоідентичність, яку неможливо знищити.

Протягом століть вторгнень, “нація” була неважлива для загарбників. Таким чином, “нація” понесла міліонні втрати жертв в геноциді, найбільш жорстоким під час колишнього Радянського Союзу Голодоморі. Протягом усієї цієї історії терору самоідентичність “нації” збереглася – у серцях, розумі і душах цього народу. Саме про “народ”– людство – ми відчайдушно стурбовані, коли пишемо ці слова. Саме за “народ – наших братів і сестер, наших людей” ми просимо вас приєднатися до молитви.

Ми повинні благати Бога в Пресвятій Трійці, щоб захистив свій народ від жахіття, яких зазнали, і від яких вмирали занадто багато їхніх предків. Просимо всіх вас приєднатися до нас у цій молитві, яку ми доручаємо всьому духовенству виголошувати під час Потрійної Єктенії за кожною Божественною Літургію. Крім того, ми просимо всіх вас мовити цю молитву у ваших щоденних молитвах, у ваших домашніх капличках. Нехай Бог почує наше прохання з любов’ю та пом’якшить серця та розум усіх, як всередині України, так і за її межами в цей непевний час.

З молитвами,
+Антоній, митрополит
+Даниїл, архієпископ

Choir of St. Volodymyr Cathedral,
Conductor Nataliya Vashchenko.

Pastor Rev. Volodymyr Muzychka

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