MAY 15: INTERNATIONAL DAY OF FAMILIES

This year marks the ninth anniversary of the International Day of Families. The International Day of Families signifies the importance of families and promotes awareness of various issues pertaining to families, such as conflict resolution, balancing work and home life, and communicating with one another. The United Nations believes that by strengthening family support systems, national development everywhere can be promoted.

Families are the key to socializing and educating younger generations, and to providing care and support for older generations. By helping families provide support networks and enabling environments, we can combat abuse, violence, disrespect and discrimination within families.

The International Day of Families provides an opportunity for people to consider the comfort, the support, and the nurturing that is given and received in the family. Families are invited to use this day to strengthen their relationships with family members both nearby and far away.

The theme for this year is "Preparations for the observance of the Tenth Anniversary of the International Year of the Family in 2004." On this International Day, families are encouraged to take the opportunity to spend some quality time together!

Students and Teachers:

Find out more about the International Day of Families, http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/family/IntObs/IDF/IDFframe.htm

Visit the Strong families, Healthy Children site, http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/dca-dea/family_famille/index_e.html

MAY 17: WORLD TELECOMMUNICATION DAY

Do you know that "Tele", which comes from ancient Greek, means "far off"? So that "Telecommunication" simply means "long-distance communication".

The International Telegraph Union (ITU) Convention or its Charter defines it as "any transmission, emission or reception of signs, signals, writing, images and sounds or intelligence of any nature by wire, radio, optical or other electromagnetic systems".

Given the broad diversity of technology and methods of exploitation, it's hard to imagine how the world telecommunication is functioning as a whole system as it is. In the early days messages could not be sent directly from a source in one country to a receiver in another country because a common code was not used.

The need for technical standardization was recognized by Prussia and Austria and in October l849, these two countries made the first attempt to link telegraph systems with a common code. One year later, an agreement between these two countries, Bavaria and Saxony created the Austro-German Telegraph Union.

The success of this first union gave rise to additional unions such as the International Telegraph Union, then later to the International Radio Conferences, and finally, to the International Telecommunications Union (ITU).

May 17th 1865, a day when the ITU was established, became the World Telecommunication Day. Today, the ITU is the sole regulating institution with power to regulate the transfer of data throughout the world. In 1947 the ITU became an agency in the United Nations.

Teachers and Students:

For basic chronology regarding the ITU and global telecommunications regulation, please, visit: http://www.caslon.com.au/ituprofile3.htm

Students:

Do you know how many member states compose ITU? To find the right answer and to learn more about ITU go to: http://www.imf.org/external/np/sec/decdo/itu.htm

Find out about TakingITGlobal, an international organization, led by youth, empowered by technology. TIG brings together young people in more than 200 countries within international networks to collaborate on concrete projects addressing global problems and creating positive change. With headquarters in Toronto, TakingITGlobal has a team of approximately 16 staff and full-time interns, and has established partnerships with numerous international organizations, including five UN agencies. http://www.takingitglobal.org/

MAY 22: BIOLOGIDAL DIVERSITY DAY

A wide range of natural habitats as well as the animals and plants which live in them are threatened by human activity. David Suzuki says that we are losing at least two species an hour! Most threats to biological diversity are attributable to a growing human population, which is increasing at about 90 million people per year. Biological diversity is also threatened by: Pollution, Over-exploitation, Climate change, Habitat loss, and particularly invasive Species.

The biological diversity of habitats is well known by the people who live there. But scientists are also very interested in the plants, soil and insects particularly as a source of new chemicals for research into drugs and pesticides. Most pharmaceutical companies have programmes to research plant chemicals and their properties, and successful drugs are developed in this way. Often local or indigenous people already have knowledge about the properties of plants and this knowledge may be used by the drug companies to develop commercial medicines.

Today, there is a wider recognition of the importance and value of biological diversity. But much more is needed to increase public awareness of the importance of biological diversity with the ultimate goal of stopping the ever-increasing loss.

The theme for this year's International Day is "Biodiversity and Management of Alien Invasive Species". Invasive alien species are considered to be the most important threat to biological diversity loss after habitat destruction. All ecosystems - from forests and grasslands to marshes and coastal zones - are vulnerable to invasive alien species. Learn more about this eco-threat that every country has experienced. It's estimated more than 1,400 alien species have landed in Canada so far.

Teachers:

Find out how scientists defend Canadian ecosytems from invasive species: http://www.cbc.ca/storyview/CBC/2002/07/29/invasive_spp020729

Beetlemania! The largest park in Halifax went under quarantine because of a foreign pest known as the brown spruce longhorn beetle: http://www.cbc.ca/news/indepth/facts/beetles.html

Teachers and Students:

BIODIVERSITY 101: http://www.davidsuzuki.org/WOL/Biodiversity/default.asp.

Students:

Interested in a career in biological diversity or biotechnology? Visit http://biotech.acadie.net/english/volume1/natural.html.http://biotech.acadie.net/english/volume1/natural.html

Discussion Questions:

Why are conservation and preservation of biological diversity important?

What might be the causes of loss of fish and forest biological diversity in Canada?

MAY 31: WORLD NO TOBACCO DAY

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that about one third of the world's adult population are smokers. It is also predicted that 250 million children and adolescents will lose their lives due to tobacco related illnesses

Overwhelming evidence indicates that tobacco use leads to serious health concerns. World No Tobacco Day is an opportunity for the public to increase their awareness about health concerns related to smoking. By educating ourselves in our schools, communities and homes, the ill Effects of tobacco use can be recognized and prevented.

This year, the World No Tobacco Day theme for 2003 will focus on the role of the fashion and film world in fostering the worldwide tobacco epidemic. The world of film and fashion cannot be accused of causing cancer and other illnesses, but the glamorization of cigarettes by the fashion and film industry certainly does not have to be tolerated.

Also within the community, there are many initiatives and programs available for the prevention of smoking and education about tobacco and its harmful effects. Please see below for related websites and help make World No Tobacco Day a success!

Teachers:

The Lung Association site for Teachers, http://www.lung.ca/children/teachers/resources7_12.html

Teachers and Students:

Visit the World No Tobacco Day Website, http://www.wntd.com/cfwntd_index.cfm

Learn about WHO's Tobacco Free Initiative, http://www5.who.int/tobacco/page.cfm?sid=86

Students:

Teenage girls are fighting back against the tobacco industry and promotional campaigns designed to turn them into addicts. Find out more: http://ww1.heartandstroke.ca/Page.asp?PageID=33&ArticleID=1626&Src=living&From=SubCategory

Visit the Lung Association site for students: http://www.lung.ca/children/grades7_12/index.html

Q4L is designed to help Canadians aged 12 to 18 quit smoking, even if you're just an occasional smoker. Use it to learn some new death-defying skills! http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hecs-sesc/tobacco/youth/quit/quit.html

CONFLICT AND THE ENVIRONMENT IN IRAQ

The war in Iraq increased environmental damages that have been accumulating in Iraq over the past two decades. The country's environment shows severe damage from the Iran-Iraq war of the 1980s, the 1991 Gulf War, environmental mismanagement by the former Iraqi regime, and the impact of economic problems.

Currently, a major threat to the people of Iraq is the destruction of water and sanitation systems that has led to higher levels of pollution and health risks. Continuous electricity cuts have often stopped the pumps that remove sewage and circulate freshwater. Destruction of military and industrial infrastructure has released hazardous substances into the air, soil, and water. Smoke from oil-well fires and burning oil-trenches during the past few months have caused air pollution and soil contamination. The impact that the use of radioactive weapons will have is not known.

The Marshlands of Mesopotamia in Iraq are considered to be the Biblical location of the Garden of Eden. Just 7% of the original area is left and the rest will likely be gone in three to five years.

Teachers:

Information about Iraq's environment can be found here: http://postconflict.unep.ch/actiraq.htm.

Students:

This article has more information about the environmental situation in Iraq: http://www.villagevoice.com/issues/0316/pyne.php.

Discussion Questions:

What do you think the impacts of these environmental problems are for the people who live in and around Iraq?

What could be done about the environmental problems in Iraq?

WHERE IN THE WORLD?

Teachers:

You can improve your class' knowledge of world geography. Quick Questions is a list of questions and answers about different countries and cities around the world: http://www0.un.org/cyberschoolbus/quick/qqs.asp

Students:

Do you know lots of flags? One country, three or more flags - tag the right flag! http://www.cyberschoolbus.un.org/flagtag/

FUN FACTOIDS

Ontario was the birthplace of modern-day telecommunications. On August 10, 1876, Alexander Graham Bell made a call from Mount Pleasant to Paris, Ontario-a distance of 15 kilometres.

A plot of land in Amazonia the size of a suburban lawn supports 300 species of trees.

The Atlantic Ocean is the planet's youngest ocean, and it is widening at a rate of about 1-10 centimeters a year.

An aluminum can takes about 90 days to return to the shelf after being recycled.

There are more than 500 active volcanoes around the world.

China and Russia each share a common border with 14 other countries.