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2025

The Powerful Women of Jazz Music

30/4/2023

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For a long time, we've associated jazz with men. So it's time to shine a light on the incredible accomplishments of the International Sweethearts of Rhythm, the first integrated women's group in the United States.
These women were not only powerful musicians, they raised awareness about prejudice, racism and inequality within jazz music and beyond. They challenged stereotypes, broadened perceptions, improved situations and celebrated the women around them.
Women have contributed throughout the many eras of jazz history as performers, composers, songwriters and bandleaders. Yet, when we read the history books, we ignore them.
The history of the International Sweethearts of RhythmThe group's first recruits met in 1938 at Piney Woods Country Life School, a school for poor, African-American children in Mississippi. Inspired by Ina Ray Hutton's Melodears, the school's principal and founder, Dr. Laurence C. Jones, wanted to create an all-female group at Piney Woods to raise funds for the school.
In April 1941, the Piney Woods all-female jazz band, known as the International Sweethearts of Rhythm, turned professional and severed its ties with Piney Woods. The term "International" in their name was attributed to the different races represented in the group, including Latina, Asian, Caucasian, Black, Indian and Puerto Rican.
The International Sweethearts of Rhythm performed to predominantly black audiences in theaters across the United States, including the Apollo in Harlem, the Howard Theatre in Washington, D.C., and the Regal Theatre in Chicago. They quickly achieved notoriety with African American audiences, with a show at the Howard Theater setting a new box office record of 35,000.
Throughout the 1940s, the group featured some of the best female musicians of the era. Despite the band's talent level, they faced gender and racial discrimination.
Their Powerful LegacyIn the early 20th century, jazz orchestras featured only one "female vocalist," believing that this was the only place for women in jazz. Women rarely stood on the bandstand and rarely composed arrangements and compositions.
Yet, The International Sweethearts of Rhythm was able to overcome these obstacles and show that women had a place on stage. Although there is still much to change in jazz, these women showed the possibilities. Unfortunately, in their day, few critics took the all-female group seriously, so they were largely ignored by the press.
They were rediscovered by scholars in the 1960s and 1970s, but it was not jazz historians who championed them, but women's studies departments. Their story is part of a shift in the discourse of jazz history. Because of the discrimination they have faced, few female instrumentalists have been recorded, resulting in a lack of memorization of their history.
In addition, The International Sweethearts of Rhythm waged a racial battle. At a time when whites and blacks in South America were forced to live in strict segregation, these women ate, slept, worked and played together - their racial differences were a strength. Jazz pianist and bandleader Earl Hines called the International Sweethearts of Rhythm "the first female riders of freedom."
In 2012, the compilation album International Sweethearts of Rhythm: Hottest Women's Band of the 1940s was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Recording Registry because it is "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant."
Agnès Amorosetti
Agnès is a french volunteer involved in the international Day of Jazz
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why COPYRIGHT IS SO IMPORTANT ?

26/4/2023

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Copyright is an essential aspect of protecting the intellectual property rights of creators, innovators, and artists. It provides legal protection to the original work of individuals and companies by giving them the exclusive right to reproduce, distribute, and profit from their creations. This includes everything from literary works, such as books and articles, to music, films, and software.
Copyright is important because it incentivizes creativity and innovation by ensuring that creators can control and benefit from their work. Without copyright protection, individuals and companies would have little incentive to invest the time, money, and resources necessary to create and produce original works. This, in turn, would lead to a decline in artistic and technological advancements, stifling creativity and innovation.
Copyright protection also benefits society as a whole by promoting the dissemination of knowledge and information. It allows creators to share their work with others while maintaining control over how it is used and distributed. This ensures that creators can receive compensation for their work while still allowing the public to benefit from their ideas and creativity.
Additionally, copyright helps to foster a vibrant creative economy, providing jobs and economic opportunities for creators, publishers, distributors, and other stakeholders. By protecting the value of creative works, copyright helps to support the growth of industries such as music, film, and publishing, which contribute significantly to the global economy.
While there are concerns about the potential abuse of copyright, such as the stifling of free speech or the exploitation of consumers, it is important to remember that copyright law is designed to balance the interests of creators, users, and the public. Copyright infringement, or the unauthorized use of copyrighted material, not only harms creators by depriving them of income and recognition, but also undermines the integrity of the copyright system and the rights of other stakeholders.
In conclusion, copyright plays a vital role in fostering creativity, promoting knowledge and information, and supporting economic growth. By protecting the intellectual property rights of creators, copyright provides an essential framework for the continued development of new ideas and innovation. While there are challenges to ensuring the proper balance between protecting the rights of creators and promoting the public interest, copyright remains a crucial tool in protecting and promoting the value of original works.
Théo Bonetto
Théo is a french volunteer involved in the World day of books and copyright
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Come you will be shocked about the books !

23/4/2023

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The most expensive book ever sold is a copy of Leonardo da Vinci's Codex Leicester, which was purchased by Bill Gates for $30.8 million at an auction in 1994. The Codex Leicester is a collection of scientific writings and sketches by da Vinci, covering topics such as astronomy, geology, and water flow.

The book is named after Thomas Coke, the Earl of Leicester, who purchased it in 1717. It was later acquired by Armand Hammer, the American businessman and art collector, who sold it to Bill Gates.

Other expensive books include a copy of the Gutenberg Bible, which was sold for $5.39 million in 1987, and a first edition of James Audubon's Birds of America, which was sold for $11.5 million in 2010. However, neither of these books come close to the Codex Leicester in terms of price.

Determining the most read book of all time is difficult because there is no accurate way to measure the exact number of times a book has been read throughout history. However, the Bible is widely considered to be the most read book in the world, with an estimated 5 billion copies sold and distributed worldwide.
The Bible is a collection of religious texts and scriptures that are sacred to Christians, Jews, and Muslims. It contains two main sections: the Old Testament and the New Testament. The Old Testament is a collection of religious writings that date back to ancient times and tell the story of the Jewish people, while the New Testament is focused on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ.

The Bible has been translated into over 2,000 languages and dialects, making it accessible to people all around the world. It has influenced art, literature, and culture in countless ways throughout history, and continues to be a source of inspiration and guidance for millions of people today.

The oldest known book is the "Epic of Gilgamesh," a collection of Sumerian poems and myths that were written down on clay tablets in cuneiform script. The stories in the epic date back to as early as the 3rd millennium BCE, although the tablets that have been found are from the 7th century BCE.

The "Epic of Gilgamesh" tells the story of a king named Gilgamesh, who goes on a quest for eternal life after the death of his friend Enkidu. The story includes themes of mortality, friendship, and the relationship between gods and humans.

Other ancient books include the Egyptian Book of the Dead, a collection of spells and prayers for the afterlife that dates back to around 1550 BCE, and the Chinese Book of Documents, a collection of speeches and historical records that dates back to the 5th century BCE.
Mohamed Frah
Mohamed is a french volunteer with the World day of books 
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mother earth day

19/4/2023

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Mother Earth Day, also known as Earth Day, is an annual event celebrated on April 22nd to shine a light on the serious environmental problems we’re facing and to demonstrate support for earth protection. The day was first celebrated in 1970 and now it is observed in more than 193 countries around the world.

Earth Day was the brainchild of US senator and environmentalist Gaylord Nelson, following a 1969 oil spill in Santa Barbara, California. He came up with the idea of having college teach-ins to highlight the importance of clean air and water, with 22 April chosen as a convenient date between Spring Break and finals.

The theme for Earth Day 2023 is Invest In Our Planet, continuing on the same theme from 2022. It’s a call for governments, businesses and individuals to invest in a better future for the planet and raise awareness about environmental issues such as climate change, pollution, deforestation and species extinction. It is also a day to encourage people to take action to protect the planet, whether through individual actions such as recycling and reducing waste or through collective efforts such as advocating for policies that support environmental sustainability.
Many Earth Day events and activities focus on educating people about environmental issues and inspiring them to take action. These can include tree plantings, beach cleanups, educational workshops, and community outreach programs. Earth Day also serves as a reminder that we all have a responsibility to protect the planet and preserve it for future generations.

There are many things that we can do as individuals to help save the Earth and protect the environment. Here are some ideas:

Reduce, reuse and recycle: one of the simplest things we can do is to reduce our consumption of resources, reuse items whenever possible and recycle materials that can be reused.

Conserve water: conserving water is essential to protect this valuable resource. We can take shorter showers, fix leaks and avoid watering our lawns excessively.

Use energy-efficient products: Using energy-efficient light bulbs, appliances, and el
ectronics can significantly reduce our energy consumption and lower our carbon footprint.

Plant trees: trees absorb carbon dioxide from the air, produce oxygen and provide habitat for wildlife. Planting trees is a simple way to help combat climate change.

Reduce meat consumption: the production of meat has a significant impact on the environment, particularly in terms of greenhouse gas emissions.

Reducing our meat consumption, or choosing plant-based alternatives, can help reduce our carbon footprint.

Support renewable energy: supporting renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power can help reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
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Educate others: sharing information about environmental issues and encouraging others to take action is an important way to create change.

Remember, every small action we take can make a difference in protecting the environment and saving the Earth for future generations.When it comes to big problems, there’s no better way than to start taking action!
Elena Bevilacqua
Elena is an Italien volunteer involved in the mother Earth day with Praxis
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International Day of Sport for Development and Peace.

12/4/2023

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In August 2013, the United Nations General Assembly decided to proclaim April 6:  
           international day of sport for development and peac
 ❝ Sport has gradually been recognized and used as a low cost, high impact tool.

Sport can no longer be considered a luxury in our societies, but rather an important investment in the present and the future, especially in developing countries.  ❞ - UNESCO -


Why is it important?

This day is an opportunity to highlight the role of sport as a driver of social change, community development, and a factor of peace.

It allows you to reflect on how sport and the Olympic Games have brought people together over the years, creating bridges and fostering understanding.
This International Day would like to recall how much the practice of sport, the one that allows us to combine physical and mental health, also carries an ethic of living together and peace.
    "This is the mission of the Olympic Games: to bring us together in peaceful competition. Always build bridges, never erect walls, unite humanity in all its diversity." 
Thomas Bach, IOC President, at the opening ceremony of the Olympic Winter Games


            Peace : Tranquility, calm, absence of conflict / war / violence 

            Development : Growth, progression 


Peace and development are really linked in sport, since it brings health and well-being between individuals. The well-being of each individual makes it possible to live in a peaceful world since if people feel good they will not create conflicts.

It also allows development since the well-being of the inhabitants is an objective in the development of a country. The beneficial effects of sport are numerous: improved quality of life, reduced risk of obesity or chronic diseases, etc.

Physical exercise can have a positive effect on mental health. It improves self-esteem and self-confidence and reduces depression and anxiety. It also helps children and young people make healthy choices, stay active and fight non-communicable diseases.
We appreciate sport's growing contribution to development and peace through the tolerance and respect he advocates; the empowerment of women and young people, of the individual and of the community; and the achievement of health, education and social inclusion goals.
Harnessing its immense potential, the United Nations Office of Sport for Development and Peace (UNOSDP) has a long history of bringing people together through sport and supporting peace-through-sport initiatives by organizing high-profile sporting events. wingspanor local activities.these initiatives help the sport harness its ability to achieve global goals.

Sport helps development because it is a means of learning values.these values ​​help to live in a peaceful world because students acquire essential skills, including team spirit, fair play, respect for rules and others, cooperation, discipline and tolerance.
The idea of ​​integrating physical education as an important part of the school curriculum has been highlighted in the UNESCO international charter on sport and physical activity. this text underlines, in fact, that sport enables children to acquire values ​​such as respect, friendship, team spirit, fair play, self-discipline and social inclusion in a lasting way.

Sport has also been shown to support the empowerment of women, especially girls and young women who are marginalized or have limited social, economic and physical development.
for example, a study in Delhi, India, showed that in entrenched patriarchal social structures, sports-based programs offered girls and young women the opportunity to learn important knowledge related to reproductive health and improve theminsurance, social status and social relationships.Sport and physical education have also become powerful levers for promoting economic equality and gender equality. in particular, they make it possible to strengthen the autonomy of women and young girls, by giving them access to sports activities, by increasing their self-confidence, by helping them to make decisions and to access resources.
Sport has also been used as an effective tool for peacebuilding and conflict resolution. In this approach, it brings disparate groups together.
Sport, which is an important vector of image and brings together millions of practitioners and supporters around the world, can thus play an essential role in the global mobilization for the environment by becoming a lasting example, by inspiring and encouraging its stakeholders to do the same.
Physical activities have largely demonstrated their potential to break down barriers between generations, genders, religions, castes, origins and nationalities. they are, by their universal scope, useful tools for the achievement of many sustainable development goals.
Sport allows those who practice it to come together, regardless of their age, gender, skin color… but also to supporters who also come together without distinction for a common goal: to obtain victory for their favorite team.

Also, sport can mobilize all ages; to have a lasting influence, it must therefore be promoted as an activity that accompanies individuals throughout their lives.

Physical education must, as such, be popularized among young people, the best way being to include it in primary and secondary education, which corresponds well to the principle of quality education advocated in the sustainable development objectives.

Here inclusion enables both peace and development.

In addition, sport and physical education are increasingly used to promote peace, solidarity and social cohesion, especially among young people affected by conflict. they therefore have a vital role to play in some of the Sustainable Development Goals, such as gender equality and the promotion of peace and justice  


Bénédicte Lopez  
Bénédicte is a French volunteer involved in the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace .
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