Monday, January 9, 2012

We are 7 billion people!


by Eleonora Anello

On October, 31, 2011, Danica May Camacho was born in the Philippines. Danica is not just a newborn baby but also the citizen number 7 billion of the world, as said the UN global counter. In fact, “baby-7-billion”, who won a scholarship, is the icing on the cake of a broad communicative action.

Early last year, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) launched "7-billion actions - A global movement for all humanity", a campaign that will continue throughout the whole 2012 aimed at highlighting those positive action carried out by individuals or organizations for facing global development-related challenges. By sharing these experiences in an open forum, the initiative aims at fostering communication and collaboration across a more and more populated and interdependent world, as evidenced by the report "The 7 billion world: people, opportunities", which brings to light an unstoppable urbanization. The study photographed a world characterized by great mobility (in particular migrations from south to north and, within south countries, from rural to urban areas. Hoping to improve economic conditions, this migration will cause a progressive wild urbanization, which ultimately affect the environment and the quality of life of the population.

7 themes were identified in order to engage and to inform the public about these issues: poverty and social injustice, empowerment of women, reproductive health, youth, elderly, environment, urbanization.

Joining the movement is very simple and you can do it in several ways. In addition to stories, which can be personal or involve other people, NGOs and/or companies who committed in favor of humanity, you can try to compose your personal version of the song "United", anthem anybody can interpret with personal style and instruments. The Playing for Change Foundation will select some versions for being part of a final mix.

There is even the "1 of 7 Billion" short films contest, organized by the Foundation 10.12.48. Cinema, as well as music, becomes a powerful mean, a universal language ​​particularly suitable for spreading the debate on crucial issues. Furthermore, cinema and music can give a more human face to those challenges the planet (and especially the environment) is facing.

For fresh updates you can tune in on the most popular social networks such as Twitter and Facebook, or read the blog. This is an all-round campaign, which leaves nothing to chance and which also employs the most classic communication resources such as brochures and fact sheets (addressed both inside and outside the United Nations), posters and videos. To ease individuals’ actions, has also been formulated a model of letter.

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