Because of extraordinary things happening this newsletter is not a mirror of the projects and work of Global Goodwill Ambassadors.
Today we call these actions taken by only a few members on LinkedIn the snowflake revolution. It emerged and disappeared like a cold snowflake in the sun.
What have Global Goodwill Ambassadors (GGA) to do with Kofi Annan and the Kofi Annan Foundation? Wait and read …
Who we are:
Global Goodwill Ambassadors is an initiative founded by Richard DiPilla.
It concentrates on honoring humanitarians around the world.
We collect no money and we spend no money. Global Goodwill Ambassadors network mainly on LinkedIn across the borders of countries, governments, religions, biases and social status. What we do:
We name humanitarians Global Goodwill Ambassadors.
We name these wonderful human beings – they are our angels. They are working relentlessly for nutrition, justice and peace.
Indeed we name Angels. They work among us and we publish and honor their photo, their name and what they do. Because we are proud of them. No matter if they work in your neighborhood, an NGO, at UN or for a government. No matter what religion – what origin – no matter if poor or rich.
GGAs want to be good and show it and celebrate it and thus get even more motivated to make a difference in this world.
To be a Global Goodwill Ambassador will become part of pop culture. People used to be in competition with their neighbors – “oh, they have a new car – lets buy a bigger one”.
After decades of societies never changing routines in aiming for better job, more money, bigger house, car, ship … without becoming happier and at the same time widening the gap between poor and rich … we are looking forward to a new challenge and competition:
I help others more than you do
Helping others does not depend on whether you have money or not, if you are successful or not, if you have time or not – it’s a matter of your heart.
To help others:
Here some wonderful, inspiring and helpful quotations from the website of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation:
“We recognize that improving people’s lives often happen at the local level, where individuals take action in their own communities.”
“Our resources alone are not enough, so we work to change public policies, attitudes, and behaviors to improve lives.”
And here the 10 most important questions and answers about the work of their foundation:
Around the second week in May 2018 Global Goodwill Ambassadors felt high. Why?
A connection on LinkedIn pretended to be Kofi Annan, former Secretary-General of the United Nations and recipient of The Nobel Peace Prize, jointly presented to Kofi Annan and the United Nations in 2001.
First we wondered. But it is common that a person has two accounts on LinkedIn – maybe one for business connections and one for private use – therefore LinkedIn enables the option to merge accounts.
It was a FAKE Account. With the photo of the real Kofi Annan. We nominated Annan Kofi Global Goodwill Ambassador. The person behind the Fake Account felt honored and agreed on it. Almost 1000 people around the world congratulated him in Richards timeline on LinkedIn.
We nominated Annan Kofi Global Chair of Global Goodwill Ambassadors. The person behind the Fake Account felt even more honored.
Suddenly from some accounts on LinkedIn news spread that “our” Annan Kofi is Fake. Till today we think the Fake-Account was started from there.
Soon people who were rejected Global Goodwill Ambassador or quit because of different opinions in the past – some wanted to make it a money machine – mixed lies and reality to snowballs and threw it packed in discrediting comments at Global Goodwill Ambassadors. Today we call it the snowflake revolution. It emerged and disappeared like a cold snowflake in the sun.
When the news spread that “our” Kofi Annan is a Fake Account we immediately contacted the Kofi Annan Foundation:
Dear Mr. Kofi Annan
Millions of people all over the world know, appreciate and respect you. Good intentions often need an integrity figure – someone whose CV is great and demonstrably for the good cause – like yours.
What’s the matter? I write this letter to you humbly.
I live in Switzerland / Kölliken and publish the newsletter of the Global Goodwill Ambassadors. The Global Goodwill Ambassadors honor people who are humanitarians.
We don’t raise money or spend it. At best, Global Goodwill Ambassadors network worldwide and exchange ideas. About how peace, nutrition and justice can be restored.
Based on the information that humanitarian people share in their LinkedIn profiles, Global
Goodwill Ambassadors are appointed. Everyone works on a voluntary basis. From the Global Board to the Country Boards to the local people.
Due to a fake account with your name we appointed you Global Goodwill Ambassador – see link:
…
Almost 1000 humanitarians on LinkedIn liked the idea that you are Global Goodwill Ambassador and many congratulated you.
After consultation with the profile holder – we thought it was you – we honored you Chairman of the Global Board of Global Goodwill Ambassadors. Now after a few days it turned out to be what we call a fake account.
3500 Global Goodwill Ambassadors worldwide – last autumn there were only 400 – are shocked that something like this could happen.
We want to apologize to you from the bottom of our hearts.
For a few days we had a dream. The big dream that you would lead us into the future, that peace, nutrition and justice are possible and unite millions of people who work in NGOs and on a voluntary basis.
Thank you so much for what you do. You are a great leader like Nelson Mandela – and you still have the knowledge, the network and the power to change this world and make it a better place.
Kind Regards,
Hans-Jürgen John
And here is what they replied:
Dear Mr John,
Thank you very much for contacting us regarding this issue. It is clear from our side that you
have indeed been in touch with an imposter, as Mr Annan’s LinkedIn account is managed by his staff at the Kofi Annan Foundation. We thank you for taking the appropriate action to remove the “fake” Kofi Annan from your group.
…
Due to an overcommitted schedule Mr Annan is unfortunately unable to join any additional organizations or accept honorary positions, but we are once again grateful for your vigilance
in protecting his identity.
Kind regards,
The Kofi Annan Foundation Team
Thanks for reading this article. Want to be up to date concerning Global Goodwill Ambassadors?
Please follow Richard DiPilla – Founder of Global Goodwill Ambassadors – on LinkedIn:
Global Goodwill Ambassadors (GGA) – Unite People of Goodwill
Global Goodwill Ambassadors has created strong friendships throughout the world. The value of these friendships is immeasurable. LinkedIn has a responsibility to provide a platform free of false profiles. When we receive a nomination from people and get substantiation through correspondence we can either say, nobody is good online so we don’t believe you, or we can evaluate what we are told, shown, and referenced and make a designation for that person. If there is a belief that anyone has the ability to check and verify beyond that, then they could question LinkedIn’s existence, how false passports exist, how Google and government websites can get hacked into.
To hold us to standards of infallibility is ridiculous.
The vast majority of Global Goodwill Ambassadors, are wonderful, loving, people. If they are not, they are removed or blocked.
What people are confused about is that there is no scam. We ask nothing of any Global Goodwill Ambassador. We are all the same. We have no headquarters, we keep no data, we do not run scandals, or do anything illicit. We are in fact, you.
I will not judge anyone, even those who make up lies and promote hate.
If any person has one iota of evidence of any behavior or scam they would have produced it. The only thing produced has been a ridiculous smear campaign based on hatred and jealousy. I speak to GGAs every day. I am available to take calls when I’m not working, and offer my email freely. Those who wish to see me can visit me or use a visual phone app. I hide from no one. To those who decided to leave GGA, that is their choice. Each day we get hundreds of people asking to become a GGA. We will tighten up our criteria but understand, doing so won’t stop people who want to hate.
I hope all GGAs see the love and kindness of our simple mission. Unite people of Goodwill. It’s that simple.
I started GGA with a loving heart. My heart has only gotten fuller. Let the haters follow their own path. Those of you who have felt the goodness and kindness of sharing the human experience will hopefully feel all the love I feel from all of the good people who are reading this newsletter.
Richard DiPilla
Reader and Supporter of Global Goodwill Ambassadors around the world!
The Newsletter of Global Goodwill Ambassadors is comprehensive. To make it easy for you to navigate through the newsletter here are the links which bring you directly to GGAs, text and images:
Chrissy Sykes introduces her My Body Is My Body program.
Quintus Andradi informs about the Loyola Campus building fund by the Society of Jesus – Jesuits – in Sri Lanka.
Alaha Ahrar about Successful versus Unsuccessful People.
Rosanna Bonci, our Italy chair interviewed by Deborah Levine.
Jon Kleinsays wise things in a few words. Combined with photos that say more than 1000 words, this results in guard rails for searchers.
Excerpt from the book “To India, with Tough Love” written by Jaya Kamlani, Global Goodwill Ambassador (GGA). The reading example focuses on the work of Dr. Hanumappa Sudarshan with the Soligas tribal in India. It’s as exciting to read as a thriller. And it shows by way of example how the efforts of a single person can make the good in the world defeat the bad.
Rosemary Penroseis promoting Aboriginal Australian Culture and Art for several decades.
Global Goodwill Ambassador Herold Superdescribes the arrival and rise of a destitute young tennis player in Switzerland.
Maseeha Nabie, Global Goodwill Ambassador from Canada, is Former President of ‘Help for Humanity’, Toronto. She presents one of her poems: Seek.
Chrissy Sykes introduces her My Body Is My Body Program
Successful versus Unsuccessful People – by Alaha Ahrar
Think about what makes successful people better than those who aren’t successful. Getting to the top is not easy, requires hard work and much sacrifice.
Successful individuals set goals and work to achieve them. Also, they believe in doing right, even when no one sees them.
However, when we consider those who aren’t successful, we often encounter two types. First, there are those who don’t work hard, who think mainly of their own interests, although they do appreciate the successful individuals around them. Then there are the unsuccessful people who are liars: they lie about everything and spend their lives trying to ruin others. They are good at making up numbers. They claim to be successful but have no proof.
And worst of all, these unsuccessful ones spend time denying the success and hard work of those who achieve.
Remember, hard work is like sunlight and truth. It cannot be hidden. Again and again the light of the sun and the truth of good people keep emerging to shine over everything, to brighten the earth and our lives.
Hard work and honesty are the truth
but lies are short and untrue
Sooner or later
Everyone will learn the truth
Truth lasts forever
Truth is stronger than any small or large lie
And liars are always losers
Because honest and true people are winners
Alaha Ahrar
Quintus Andradi about the Loyola Campus building fund by the Society of Jesus – Jesuits – in Sri Lanka
Rosanna Bonci interviewed by Deborah Levine
Rosanna Bonci is an author and real estate agent in Rome, Italy. She describes her background:
“I was raised in a Catholic family. Caring about others was a mainstream value, especially family and elders.”
Her passion is writing, “I used to write online for an Italian web site. I write novels and kids stories since 2009 and have taken creative writing courses”.
Rosanna helps the Paoletti Foundation with funds to build schools in Africa for children’s education. The Foundation provides their food and schooling. She sends a donation every month which goes to a school in Kenya to pay for the children education, books, teachers, school meals, and schooling support. She also supports Greenpeace, and Change.org, an organization promoting civil rights which is especially critical in non-democratic countries.
Gandhi is her mentor given his politics of acquiring with non violence. Also, Mother Therese is a life lasting example of virtuous life and right attitude toward life and it’s living beings.
Rosanna’s advice to others is inspiring,
“Find your passion in helping others cause it has roots in your soul which is the most valuable being on earth and in life itself.”
Jaya Kamlani could not receive two more awards in India due to health problems in 2017 – a stroke followed by surgery.
She is so grateful for the kind consideration of her merits. On May 11 2018 she was again asked to receive an award: the Global Icon & Leadership Award 2018 – the event took place on May 23 2018 in New Delhi, but unfortunately she could not receive it.
Rules that you must be present to receive the prize in person prevent this.
Asked if she is sad because of this she replies:
“I am just as honored that they considered me for the awards.”
She thanks all for wonderful support of her fight against poverty and for social justice and continues to work on her book on the 2016 US elections. She has been working on it for two years and plans to publish it at the end of 2019.
#JayaKamlani, #GlobalGoodwillAmbassadors
Dear Richard,
Dear Hans,
Dear Global Board,
Dear 3500 Global Goodwill Ambassadors in 100 countries,
— Thank you so much for all you do to support Goodwill around the globe —
At the October 2010 IDCA (International India Development Coalition of America) poverty conference held at Indiana State University, I met Dr. Hanumappa Sudarshan, the keynote speaker and recipient of India’s prestigious Padmashree award in 2000 for his work with the tribals.
Indiana State University is in Indiana, U.S., from where U.S. Vice President Michael Pence hails.
Later that morning, he joined Joyasree Mahanti, Ram Krishnan, and me on the poverty panel.
Given below is an excerpt from my book “To India, with Tough Love”.
Kind Regards,
Jaya Kamlani,
Atlanta, USA
Dr. Hanumappa Sudarshan: Empowering the tribals
All the wealth in the world cannot help one little village
If the people are not taught to help themselves
–– Swami Vivekananda
For decades, Dr. Sudarshan, a tribal rights activist, has been uplifting the Soliga tribe, whose 20,000 members live in the forested Chamarajanagar district of the southern state of Karnataka. After graduating from Bangalore Medical College in 1973, he joined the Ramakrishna Mission, a charitable health institution, and worked with the tribal communities in the Himalayan forest region.
When asked what inspired him, the doctor responded, “Swami Vivekananda’s nation-building and Gandhi’s philosophy for rural development.”
Leprosy in the Chamarajnagar region of Karnataka had prompted him to offer his medical services. It is not easy for a civilian to be accepted by a tribal community anywhere, he acknowledged, but the Soligas’ need for healthcare opened a doorway for him into the tribal community.
In December 1979 Dr. Sudarshan arrived at the Biligirirangan Hills (BR Hills), home of the Soliga tribe, who had no access to modern healthcare. But where were the tribal people? Scared of outsiders they had emptied the hamlets and gone into hiding in the woods when they heard of Dr. Sudarshan’s arrival. But the doctor did not lose heart. With the aid of his assistant, he set up a clinic in a one-room shack, which doubled as their living quarters. And the patients came –– patients with allergies, injuries from tree falls and wild boar and bison attacks, snake bites, worm infestations, and sickle-cell anemia. And they were helped. Next, the doctor and his assistant went in search of patients from hamlet to hamlet and found some more.
Determined to change the lives of the Soliga tribe, he converted the day clinic to a night school in the evenings. Seven students enrolled in his first class. They ate and studied together. When there was food, the teacher and students shared their meals. When food was scarce, they had watery porridge. Then help came from the Ramakrishna Mission of Mysore, where the doctor had worked before. They sent him used clothing for the tribals. Thus, life went on, one day at a time.
Soon word of the young doctor practicing medicine in the woods spread to the outside world. Many professionals, social workers, and philanthropists flocked to meet him and see his work. With their support, in 1981 Dr. Sudarshan founded the Vivekananda Girjana Kalyana Kendra (VGKK), a center for the holistic development of the Soliga tribe in the BR Hills.
The doctor eventually hired a small staff. The hut on the rock gave way to a ten-bed hospital, and the one-room night school expanded to a regular school for tribal children. A mobile health unit, with a doctor and a healthcare worker on board, visited the remote hamlets. Those who required hospitalization were transported back to the hospital, which was equipped with a lab, X-ray facilities, an operating room, and a well-stocked pharmacy. The doctor then moved on from healing patients to providing preventive healthcare services, such as vaccines for polio, whooping cough, and tuberculosis. He used both contemporary and traditional herbal cures. Tribals who live in the forests generally do not have major health problems such as cancer, diabetes, and heart disease, but those who live away from the forests have started developing these lifestyle illnesses.
The Soliga women seldom experience obstetric complications because they give birth to children in a squatting position. Natural births are common among them; cesarean births are very rare. Maternal mortality rates are low. Midwives, known as dais, help with the delivery and are consulted for infertility problems. They know how to turn a baby in the womb if the baby is in a breech position. Some can even tell the sex of an unborn child without access to an ultrasound machine.
Uma Devi, who started a nursery, looked after the little children. She recalls the early days when the children attended school merely for free lunch. She spent her mornings washing them, trimming their hair and nails, and teaching them personal hygiene. Soon the children learned to bathe themselves.
When a primary school was established in 1982 with funding from the state government, finding students was a challenge. The school had two classes and two teachers.
The children hung around until the midday meal was served and then vanished into the woods or climbed up trees and threw sticks and stones at the teachers. Sometimes they climbed out the window after the teacher called the roll. The staff members would search for them and find some of them wandering down the road, or hanging out at the nearby lake. They would bring the children back to class and punish them. But the children remained unrepentant and continued to skip classes.
The parents also were not cooperative. They did not want outsiders to come and change their traditional ways.
In an effort to reduce the number of runaways, the teachers went to other hamlets to recruit children to stay at the school’s residential facilities. Some teachers and social workers carried children on their backs; others played the part of the Pied Piper, singing songs all the way to school while the children followed them. Occasionally, the children were hauled in on bullock carts. But that did not help, either. The children ate during class hours and escaped from their classes to take a nap or pluck fruits from the trees. This reckless behavior continued into their teenage years.
Meanwhile, funds poured in from philanthropists and social activists. The Christian Children’s Fund sponsored 800 children and offered incentives, such as a cow or cash to families who enrolled their children in the residential school program. The first class of students was much older than those in the same grade at city schools. This presented a dilemma, as the children were already set in their ways and disciplining them was difficult. Nevertheless, they had a peaceful temperament and were simple and honest.
The school, now with an enrollment of about 500 students, follows the ancient Gurukul model, where the teacher lives on the campus with the students and guides them like a guru. This promotes greater bonding between them. They share food, shelter, and dorm chores, and nurse each other in times of illness. Dormitories blend in with the natural environment. The forest children enjoy sleeping on bunk beds. The staff and students gather wild mulberries and other fruits. They grow vegetables, millets, and corn. They learn to cook, clean, collect firewood, attend to vegetable gardens, raise silkworms and poultry, and maintain beehives. They learn to cultivate spice crops, such as coffee, ginger, turmeric, and pepper.
The school building is designed with open architecture and large windows to let in fresh air and sunlight so the forest children do not feel constrained, but rather experience learning in a natural environment. The school day begins with assembly and prayers. No textbooks are used. Instead, stories, experiments, games, and activities are used to teach the basic concepts of science, mathematics, history, and geography. Group discussions and mock elections teach the children civic lessons and help them develop leadership skills. The children are taught Kannada, the state language. The science and computer labs, the library, the drama school, and the museum are housed in separate buildings. Since the tribal society is deeply rooted in nature and traditional culture, students also learn about tribal matters, including the cultural alienation of tribal societies and ecology conservation. They are trained in critical thinking, decision making, problem-solving, and communication skills.
Sunday mornings are reserved for meditation. Thursday evenings are filled with storytelling, singing, standup comedy, and drama. Sometimes, children learn around campfires. They are taught to live a life of empathy, kindness, and responsibility. Every year they participate in educational trips to historic sites in southern India. They also have to participate in an annual essay competition on the life and works of Swami Vivekananda, the great Indian philosopher of the nineteenth century.
With this holistic curriculum, the student dropout rate fell to 3 percent, while the state’s dropout rate was 31 percent and the national rate was 53 percent. Upon graduating from the primary school, the students attend the middle school and then the high school in the BR Hills. The Soliga students also fared well on the state exams, and their scores were on par with those of the city students. Since tribal children have higher physical endurance, they excel in sports. Over the years, a drama school has sprung up and a rural development university and the Industrial Training Institute have been launched. The institute offers six-month technical courses in welding, home appliance repair, and electrical motor rewinding. It also offers two-year courses in drama and forest conservation and utilization. The tribal children have thus blossomed with confidence.
Once Dr. Sudarshan’s medical practice and education program were established, he moved on to water and sanitation issues. Through street plays, he encouraged people to eat nutritious foods. Since they suffered from malnutrition, the doctor thought of income-generating activities so the tribal community could afford to eat better. The tribals learned about dairy farming, fishing, and cultivating cash crops. They acquired vocational skills, such as basket weaving, tailoring, welding, candle making, and honey and food processing. They learned about organic farming and rainwater harvesting. The community’s Village Resource Center offers telemedicine and virtual learning services.
The VGKK center then got involved in community development. The tribal people learned to build low-cost housing, gas energy plants using manure, drinking water facilities, and roads. They nurtured orchards and kitchen gardens. They grew medicinal plants for herbal cures. Each family received a cow for milk. They consumed some and sold the extra at the dairy collection center. They owned parcels of land, became self-reliant, and were empowered.
In 1983, the state government of Karnataka passed the Panchayati Raj Act, which empowers people at the village level to elect their own representatives to the state government. Three years later, for the first time, two tribals from Chamarajnagar district, home of the BR Hills, were elected. The Soliga tribe was now motivated to become politically and socially active in the community. The tribe led a peaceful protest for better wages and to raise tribal rights awareness. Those who profited from the Soligas’ exploitation were upset by the protest, as 80 percent of the Soligas were bonded laborers. Two tribal leaders trained youth with leadership skills in several counties, taluks. The empowered youth then protested against bonded labor and harassment from police and forest department staff. Women also participated in these street marches.
It was then that Dr. Sudarshan and the VGKK management team learned the tamarind trees on the Soligas’ property were contracted out to a politically astute businessman. Years before the doctor’s arrival, the tribals had been forced to sign away their rights to the trees, with their thumbprints, to the robber baron who made Rs 4,000 from the fruit of just one tree but paid only Rs 100 to the tribals. The tribal leaders informed their communities about it. With the help of social workers, they got the Soligas organized. Joining forces with another local tribe, they demanded their land rights back, to no avail.
Come harvest time, the shrewd businessman arrived with a band of police and once again reaped a bounty from the tamarind trees.
The tribal community demonstrated. To quell the protests, the police arrested twelve Soligas and Dr. Sudarshan. The doctor refused to apply for bail and was moved to the jail in the city of Mysore. Through the media, news of his imprisonment traveled far and wide. Many people came to the jail demanding his release. Within forty-eight hours, Dr. Sudarshan and the tribals were freed. The land issue was settled in favor of the Soligas, and the doctor was hailed as a local hero.
The next challenge was to free the bonded laborers. But bulldozer operators had begun to clear the forests to make room for new development, and miners were using dynamite in Chamarajnagar district where black granite is found in plenty. The deforestation and mining operations had received approvals from officials. Both operations exploited nature and made life difficult for the Soligas, who then protested against miners dumping debris on their land. Still, the mining activities continued. With the forests being cleared, the Soligas’ homes were at risk.
When the Wildlife Protection Act was implemented in 1972, the forest land was taken over by the government. In the name of preserving wildlife and forests, the Soliga tribe was prosecuted for living there. In the following decade, tribal people across Karnataka state were herded away by forest officials.
Twenty years later, in 1992 the state declared BR Hills as a wildlife sanctuary. Land cultivation, hunting, and collecting firewood were banned, even for the Soligas tribe who had been living there for generations. Forest officials razed their hamlets or set them on fire. Those who continued to live in the forests were either evicted to the periphery, where they worked as bonded laborers in the neighboring tea and coffee plantations or forced to live closer together in settlements so park rangers could monitor them. This made them lose contact with their own tribe in another hamlet.
For tribals who were moved to the settlements, the main source of income came from the harvesting and sale of non-timber forest products, such as honey and herbs. Since they were illiterate and lived in fear of the outside world, they were exploited and cheated out of their earnings by government officials, contractors, and traders. They could only barter forest products with city traders in exchange for cheap clothing and kitchen utensils. The traders then had the tribal people use their thumbprints to sign false documents stating they had been paid.
While the Soligas and other tribes were exploited, industrialists across India were allowed to mine and haul away granite and timber from tribal land. Poachers were permitted to hunt in the woods for rabbits, deer, wild boars and peacocks. Dealers and traders were given state licenses to sell alcohol to the tribe and buy forest products from them.
Sale of alcohol had been banned within ten kilometers (six miles) of a temple or a tribal settlement in the state of Karnataka since 1989. The BR Hills community was considered a liquor-free zone, yet liquor licenses were issued to vendors who sold alcohol in tribal areas. Liquor shops also sprung up in the hamlets. This led to domestic violence, as the men spent their money on alcohol while their children went to bed hungry. The women got together and protested. They asked officials to revoke the liquor licenses, but the officials refused. In protest, the tribal women blocked the roads. The police and local officials threatened to take action against them, but the women refused to back down until their demands were met. The women won. Next, the Soliga community decided to impose fines of Rs 1,000 ($25 then) on drunkards who created a nuisance in their neighborhood.
For a while, the tribal area remained a liquor-free zone until an entrepreneur set up a liquor distribution center at his house on the hill. He sold arrack, a rum-like alcoholic drink made with malted rice and toddy or molasses. Everyone, including the police, knew the man sold arrack, but no one could catch him in the act. When the locals told him to stop selling liquor, he denied ever selling it. The women asked the Karnataka state commissioner to revoke his license, but the official denied ever having issued one to him.
Refusing to give up, the tribal women sought help from the women’s self-help groups and social workers. Together they decided to inspect vehicles going up the hill on January 24, 2004, the day the next consignment was to be delivered to the man on the hill. On the awaited day, the women and children stopped a jeep driving up the steep path. Upon inspection, they found 182 packets of arrack inside. They summoned the police, the commissioner, and the media. The liquor license was shredded and the vendor arrested. Following the arrest, no more liquor was sold on tribal property, but the die-hard drinkers managed to sneak in a packet or two under their turbans or in vegetable sacks when they returned from the city.
Deforestation in the country has led to a dwindling number of wooded areas, forcing wildlife and forest dwellers to coexist. But this was not the case with the Soliga community at BR Hills. In 2004 the government banned all forest dwellers across the country from accessing forest products.
In other parts of the country, entire tribal communities have been displaced. More than 300,000 families have been driven to destitution and starvation. In the state of Madhya Pradesh, more than 125 villages have been burned to the ground. Torture, bonded labor, extortion, and sexual assaults are common.
Meanwhile, the Soligas continued to fight for their rights to access forest products and to their ancestral land. With the passage of the Forest Rights Act of 2006, the community was given the right to manage and protect forest land and wildlife in this tiger reserve area. It also entitled the Soligas to harvest on forest land as well as collect, use, and sell forest products.
Five years later, in a landmark victory in 2011, the Soligas tribe was also granted the right to use the forest territory as its ancestral land. The deed protects the Soligas from future eviction by the Karnataka state authorities. According to Stephen Corry, director of Survival International, “The Indian government is beginning to realize that tribal people are the best conservationists, by far. If only the rest of the world could catch on. Evicting tribespeople from their ancestral land in the name of ‘conservation’ is not only illegal and destroys them, it also spells disaster for the local environment and wildlife.”
The organization’s website states, “Communities are just as badly affected whether they lose their land to conservation projects or other ‘developments’ such as mines and dams. Their health, livelihoods and culture suffer immeasurably. Once self-sufficient and independent, conservation refugees typically find themselves dependent on hand-outs, divorced from the land and livelihoods which sustained them. This plunges the community into poverty and all that entails –– poor health, poor nutrition, severe distress, and mental illness. They often find themselves on the receiving end of racism and discrimination from the authorities and the non-tribal society.”
End of excerpt.
Jaya Kamlani:
I am including 2 video links. These are links that are mentioned in my book that the doctor told me I could use. I am sure you will like them, as they are very informative.
You will see the doctor sitting with the children outside his one-room hut, when he arrived at the B.R. Hills in 1980. You will also notice the school that the Soligas tribal people built for their community’s children, as well as the forest products they produce for their livelihood. The Soligas tribe is very ancient, dating back to about 800 to 1,000 B.C. They live in the woods and are a very spiritual group of people.
Video 28:33 minutes, “Gorukana: The Bamboo Children” published by Deepashree Mysore Ravi, February 11, 2013.
* Note: Bamboo Children means “Children of the forest.”
Video 25:16 minutes, “Gorukana: A Film on Tribal Development,” published by Deepashree Mysore Ravi, February 13, 2013.
** Note: Delayed start of the video.
Rosemary Penrose has been promoting Aboriginal Australian Culture and Art for several decades.
Dear Richard,
Thank you for my acknowledgement today as a Global Goodwill Ambassador. I am very proud …. Thank you. I have had many congratulations.
Received this message of thanks from Apache Chief Taina Amayi for acknowledgement of my promotion of Aboriginal Art and Culture and helping to Close the Gap and unite First Nations people worldwide. It is an Honor and a Blessing!!!
My reply:
Richard DiPilla:
Wow that’s awesome. I want to share this with the publisher of our GGA newsletter Hans-Jürgen John!
Rosemary Penrose:
Thank you, Richard
Please share it … sending love not hate worldwide !!!
Art speaks a thousand words !!!
Kind Regards,
Rosemary Nabanati Penrose
Global Goodwill Ambassador Australia
Vision by Jon Klein
Herold Super, Global Goodwill Ambassador, Switzerland
A True story by Herold Super.
Living in the so-called ‘Gold Coast Area’ at the Lake of Zürich, Switzerland – we say ‘Oligarch County’-surrounded by at least 35.000 Millionaires …
On a sunny day, the very pretty moms drive their Range Rovers…Pretty daughters their Mini Coopers and dad in his Ferrari, Lamborghini or Porsche Old Timer along the boulevards at the Lake. For lunch, they meet in the ‘Leue Gärtli’ on the waterfront in Meilen, ‘Frascati’ in Zürich or in one of the hundred fine restaurants around the lake. A spaghetti Bolognese with salat and a drink is served for a ‘robbery on your wallet’ price, for any ‘Not Swiss Citizen’.
It’s mid-January 2005. The Stork International Tennis Europe U-14 Trophy, Cat.2 Tournament, Entry List has been published on the Tennis Europe Website. The Tournament has reached a high appreciation standard with the players and coaches on the Tennis Europe Junior Tour. As the founder and tournament director, I get a call from Moscow. ‘Ello? Ziss iss Nataaasha from Moscow, Mr. Zuper???’ You could imagine the beauty of this ‘Natasha from Moscow’ by her sexy voice. She wanted me to reserve the Presidential Suite, a Junior Suite and a Single Room at the five-star Hermitage Hotel in Kusnacht at the Lake. ‘Ziss iss for my Bosss and hisss Zon and the coach. One week! And a Mercedes 500 SEL, Chauffeur-driven. ‘No hospitality’ I counter,’ the boy has to play Qualification! (the Cut MD was somewhere at TE 85 that year). You have to reserve your request yourself, Natasha. – We, the organizers, ending up with the bill of at least 30.000 Euro … the fish disappeared? No way!!! – ‘I will E-Mail you all the info you need!’ ‘Thank you Mr. Zuuperrr’.
Thursday, mid-February, Sign In Quali is tomorrow, Friday between 4 and 6 pm. A clearly sharp dressed Man with the posture of a Russian Bear, accompanied by a big boy for a U-14 and an ‘Adidas Track-Suit Wearing Former Box-Champion’ walk into Sportscenter Stork.
‘Good afternoon Mr. Super, I’m Mr. A and this is my son B and his coach C. We are from Moscow. My secretary spoke to you on the phone. We would like a practice court?’ He was lucky. Somebody canceled their reservation. One of the seven Indoor Courts was free at 6 pm. Right next to me where I was coaching…
It didn’t take long for me to figure this boy out. Big, slow, poor technique based on power. Not good enough for the Main Draw. The ‘poor’ boy had to play a strong player from Germany in the Quali. Saturday morning at 9 am … At 10 am, the 6-0, 6-0 for the German was on the scoreboard…. The Russian bear turned to me and said: ‘OK! We take a week of vacation in beautiful Switzerland! How far is it to St. Moritz???’
Behind him stands a man in his fifties, no more teeth and looking like one of the Clochards, you find underneath the bridges of the Seine. He was from Bosnian Herzegovina. The Balkan War ended only a couple of years ago, leaving the people with nothing. Yesterday, during the Sign In, he walked into the Tournament Office with his Son. I first thought ‘he’ was a ‘she’…… long hair, very fine features in his face, sparkling eyes, moving like a Jaguar, not too big. ‘Excuse me, Mr. Super. We are from Bosnian Herzegovina and I want to ask, can my boy be Alternate on Sight?’ His English sounded well… ‘Just sign-in and we can tell you at 6 pm!’
God has its own ways to deal with its Angels. The boy entered the Quali … 6 pm Friday evening. It was snowing outside. Minus 10 degrees Celsius, freezing! The father without teeth asked me: ’Can he put his tent up outside? They don’t have money for accommodation. And if he helps in the restaurant collecting the plates of the Guests and do dish-washing, can he get the ‘leftovers’ for him and his son??’
One hour after the Sign-In had closed I went onto the parking lot. I hear somebody hitting a ball against a wall. It is the boy from Bosnia. ‘I still have a spot free on a practice court. You can have it if you want to? I organize you a partner!’ His eyes were shining. I continue: ‘I have a Squash Box, heated, for you and your dad tonight. We will put some blankets in there!’ He reacted very humbly: ’Thank you, but we can sleep in our tent?’ ‘No Ways’, I counter ‘you freeze to death tonight’.
It’s 10 am Saturday morning. The Russian bear says Goodbye. Mr. ’no teeth’ takes the moment: ‘Thank you very very much for everything, Mr. Super. When my boy qualifies for the MD, can he get free meals?’ He doesn’t know that I was already in the Office at 7 am that morning and I gave his son practice balls to hit the Wall inside. One of our coaches is also early there with his 8-year-old son. The boy from Bosnia asks whether the boy would like to hit a couple of balls with him? Flattered by this invitation, the little boy gives all he’s got. I can see what kind of diamond hides in the boy from Bosnia. I tell his dad: ‘He qualifies? I give you free hospitality!’
The boy crashes all his opponents…. In the Semi-Final Main Draw his legs cannot help him anymore. In a 3-set fight, he almost collapses but doesn’t give up, he finally has to capitulate.
It was the End of a Beginning! 5 years later the boy becomes U-18 European Champion and now DAMIR DZUMHUR is one of the most respected players on the ATP Tour.
Whatever happened to the Oligarch Son? Most probably Junior Oligarch …
Maseeha Nabie, Global Goodwill Ambassador from Canada, is Former President of ‘Help for Humanity’, Toronto. Here is one of her poems:
Seek light
even in the darkest places
Seek hope
even in the harshest conditions
Seek happiness
even in the gloomy moments
Seek success
even in the consistent failure
Seek your right
even if you have to sacrifice
My dear sisters, you can’t carry this huge burden on your shoulders anymore. You have done what you were expected to do and yet they have hurt you, burned you, shaved your head, cut your nose, treated you like a slave. That is inhumane way of living. I know you kept quiet because you thought THIS will change. But it wont change if you don’t speak up. It wont change if you don’t show how strong and brave you are. It wont change if you don’t teach them a lesson. It wont change if you suffer and swallow your pain. Don’t do this to your self. Take whatever step you have to take to stand up for your pride.
You are a lion.
Roar. Roar out loud
The earth will shake
The thunders will light
The wind will blow
The mountains will break
To remind you of your strength.
YOU are nature.
You gave birth to all and all is made for you.
Maseeha Nabie
Former President
Help for Humanity
GGA Canada
Goodwill is expanding …
new Global Goodwill Ambassadors in April 2018 – 3/12/2018 to 4/11/2018
Name
New Role
Yon Ta
Director of Nominations & Engagement ~ Australia
Joseph Dalton
Director of Nominations & Engagement ~ UK
Veena Gaur
Co-Chair ~ India
Nia Maria Haaranen
Director of Nominations & Engagement ~ The Baltics
Finland ~ Sweden ~ Norway
Fardus Dirir
Director of Nominations & Engagement ~ Africa
Castro Mariam Jen
Director of Nominations & Engagement ~ USA
Shruti Rana
Director of Nominations & Engagement ~ UAE
Lena Landgren
Director of Nominations & Engagement ~ Sweden
Basma (Mohammed Zeineddine) EL ZEIN
Director of Nominations & Engagement ~Saudi Arabia
Andrew Benson Greene, Jr.
Director of Nominations & Engagement ~ Sierra Leone
Farhana Chowdhury
Director of Nominations & Engagement ~ Bangladesh
Indunil Fernando
Director of Nominations & Engagement ~ Sri Lanka
Ron Malhotra
Director of Nominations & Engagement ~ Australia
Fateh Ali
Director of Nominations & Engagement ~ Asia ~ Singapore, GGA
Global Goodwill Ambassadors (GGA) – The most amazing people in the world – Richard DiPilla
I have to constantly remind myself that each day, month, and year, are specks of time in the evolution of humanity. As I remind myself I ask each of you.
Are you doing things in your life that are an example to others? Are you leaving behind your own personal legacy beyond what you do in your career?
There is not enough time for me to tell you all the stories of great works I’ve witnessed just over the last thirty days from Global Goodwill Ambassadors. Within this newsletter, you will read yourself about a series of goodwill and goodworks.
I still get messages from people who ask: “What exactly does Global Goodwill Ambassadors do?” I wish they understood that it is not the organization of GGA, it’s the people themselves who do so much, and now in collaboration with others like each of you, who are writing the world’s greatest love story. You are advancing the evolution of civilization through inspiring humanitarian actions.
CAN WE MAKE A DIFFERENCE? We already are. Day in and day out. And yes, specific instances of using our group to unite people across the globe to help people in desperate need. I can tell you we have saved lives just this month due to interactions between Global Goodwill Ambassadors. We have helped save someone in a critical abusive situation. We have brought out the stories of those suffering from horrors that will bring you to tears.
Lastly, I need to thank Lisa Jones, Ted Batchelor, Hans-Jürgen John, Taranum Khan, our Country Chairs and Directors, our Nominations team, all those who are stepping up to produce our GGA designations, (yes we need many more of you), our GGA Whats App participants, our other outreach through all social media, our cause initiative volunteers you will read about in this newsletter, our new country chapter chairs and directors, our contributing writers and bloggers, and EVERY GLOBAL GOODWILL AMBASSADOR, for being a kind heart in a world that needs your kindness.
As always we are open to your thoughts on what we can do to be better in what we do. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me and let me know. I love hearing from the most beautiful people in the world.
I founded Global Goodwill Ambassadors to honor people who provide humanitarian aid.
I am all the more astonished that I have now been honored myself.
International reputed think tank Institute of Peace and Development INSPAD announced renowned humanitarian and Peace Activist Honorable Mr. Richard DiPilla (USA) Founder Global Goodwill Ambassadors (GGA) as new Ambassador of Peace.
Much appreciated! Thank you so much!
Many thanks to Muhammad Tahir Tabassum President / CEO INSPAD Pakistan!
Richard DiPilla
Founder Global Goodwill Ambassadors (GGA)
Berkshire Hathaway BHMG INC.
Corporate Markets Development
Global Goodwill Ambassadors have reached nearly 100 countries with about 3000 GGAs and to ensure our continued growth, we are organizing GGA by creating chapters in each country with a Board Chair and directors of nominations and engagement.
This is a very important step in having each country become self-sustainable thus enabling them to receive nominations, vet nominations, and produce images for the announcement.
USA, United Kingdom, Canada, Gambia, Singapore & S.E. Asia, Afghanistan, and Italy are just a few of the countries that have already reached this point, and our goal is to have all self-sustainable by May 1, 2018.
We want to encourage countries to have meetings, set up LinkedIn groups specific to each country to disseminate information and for general communications.
There is a GGA WhatsApp group for individuals from around the world to speak with each other and learn more about what is happening in other parts of the world. There is also a YouTube channel where we will place videos highlighting GGAs and events as they take place.
It is also our goal to keep GGAs engaged and we will keep finding venues for GGAs to get to know one another.
These are exciting times as growth has been growing at rocket speed and we do not expect it to slow down.
— this newsletter is twice as extensive as the last —
— we published half of the material we got —
— content that did not find a place is published in the April newsletter —
What’s the news from Global Goodwill Ambassadors (GGA) worldwide?
Who is your role model?
As we grow up, we search for our destiny in life. This can be faith, support for other people or one’s own career.
We always like to look up. To people who have used their lives to do good and thus become role models for whole generations. These were and are often actors who are in the focus of public attention.
One of these wonderful people is Brigitte Bardot. She did not sunbathe in fame as an actress but became a person who stood up for the rights of animals.
Many thanks for this. You deserve being honored and be recognized by Global Goodwill Ambassadors worldwide!
I am whom they pointed at saying there is a punishment if you feel freedom, there is a sharp border to raise head up thinking widely with boundless hope.
I am who was told don’t speak, don’t work, don’t study but I did – when I was running through the Syrian-Turkish borders, escaping from my city Raqqa in Northern Syria, where the air strikes could not be closer, the desire to live only one more day is all I had.
street cafe – Syria #cryforpeace
I was choking, I felt there was no air to breathe and my hands were shaking with fear and weakness, and literally, I carried nothing from my house but my clothes on my back.
when a man fights fire because others became fire #syriacryforpeace
I found myself out of my country, no home, no college, no friends and of course no peace, days passed by, the war in my country became worse, but I realized that this war would not change my aims or stop my ambitions.
bombings – children in syria #cryforpeace
That was the time when I took a brave decision to return to Syria again, the situation there was too dangerous but nothing would stop me.
Under the fire, I finished my study and got a bachelor in Architecture, no words could explain how proud I was and since then I decided that I will fight for all girls and women everywhere who deserve to feel the same.
Joud Mushaweh
I came back to Turkey and volunteered in NGOs to help displaced people, I helped many Syrians inside and out Syria to find jobs through LinkedIn by posting thousands of jobs advertisements, besides, I organized many successful campaigns to support children in Turkey.
imagine there is no sky – only dust #syriacryforpeace
I had the commitment to help refugees and displaced people who were struggling for their rights – the right to live in peace and to be treated with dignity and equality.
#justiceforsyria
The war was not our fault, we paid a price for a crime we’ve never committed. I heard once, that some people fear the fire, but others become the fire, and I chose the second one.
After five years of hard working, a work that came from the heart, I awarded the Turkish citizenship and was invited to the 3rd international day for women and girls in science in the United Nations HQ in New York City, USA.
I raised up my voice so that those without a voice can be heard, we are exhausted, terrorism and conflicts stop us dreaming of tomorrow, all we need is peace.
We don’t want to get married early anymore.
We don’t want our children to be forced to child labor.
Raqqa, my city, suffered from the hurdles of extremism by ISIS, they killed the life in there, colored the city with black because they were afraid of our light.
why – no one knows the answer no one cares and death reigns #syriacryforpeace
ISIS is no more in Raqqa, but people are there, the hopes and dreams are there. I want women, men, boys, and girls everywhere to have a chance to be empowered, to know their rights and responsibilities.
I believe in the power of the words, also I believe in the strength of humanity. I want to invite you all, to help me wage a global struggle against wars, poverty, and conflicts, for those who have dreams, hopes, and deserve to have a bright future.
Prerana Sharma – Global Goodwill Ambassador (GGA) and Assistant Vice President of Ease Of Doing Business – an initiative of Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India, – at the UP Investors Summit 2018.
Global Goodwill Ambassadors make a difference where ever they are – Prerana Sharma.
Who am I?
I am Prerana Sharma, Global Goodwill Ambassador (GGA) from India.
What do I do?
Presently I am country level volunteer for Dristi Samajik Sansathan. It provides assistance to all types of disabled children of weaker section to improve their personality as a whole with proper education and training and rehabilitate them comprehensively.
I am also a Managing Director of Travoinspire Global Pvt Ltd which provides travel & event services exclusively to Corporate companies globally.
Recently I have been given an additional responsibility of Assistant Vice President of Ease Of Doing Business – easeofdoingbusiness.in – , an initiative of Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India, for four sectors i.e. Tourism, Hospitality, Aviation and Wellness for five states (Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttrakhand, Bihar & Orrisa) of India.
In relation to that, I attended the first UP Investors Summit 2018 in February. Uttar Pradesh is the growth engine of India (more than 200 million inhabitants), and country’s third largest growing economy. The Taj Mahal, a national symbol of India, is located in Uttar Pradesh.
A Book on Kumbh was presented in Tourism Session – Prerana Sharma – GGAs.
The Investor summit was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It was mammoth summit of investors of across the globe and presence of 20 Union ministers (including six Cabinet Ministers Arun Jaitley, Nitin Gadkari, Nirmala Sitharaman, Rajnath Singh, Piyush Goyal and Smriti Irani).
The designation comes with great responsibility. My work in the summit was to provide the cushion between Government and Investors and to monitor, assist & facilitate the investors of these sectors. My experience was fantastic. It was great to be a part of UP Investors summit. There were exchange of great ideas by top notch industrialists and Government. Many new investments were welcomed by Government and will be witnessed in future by UP.
It was valuable listening to Mr. Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India.
Wonderful speeches also by Mr. Piyush Goyal, Minister of Railways and Coal in the Government of India, Suresh Prabhu, Minister of Commerce & Industry of India, Keshav Prasad Maurya, Deputy Chief Minister (Uttar Pradesh), Satish Mahana, Minister of Industrial Development (Uttar Pradesh), and many industrialists.
Dr Rita Bahuguna Joshi Minister of Women Welfare, Family Welfare, Maternity and Child Welfare and Tourism at Government of Uttar Pradesh informing the press.
At last but not the least I had a fruitful long interaction with Dr. Rita Bahuguna Joshi, Minister of Women Welfare, Family Welfare, Maternity and Child Welfare and Tourism at Government of Uttar Pradesh.
The summit will be followed by steering committee meetings, round table meetings and so on.
No matter who and where we are in this world – we all contribute to make this world a better place. Try to build a network. Your humanitarian efforts will multiply.
Chat conversation between Sultana Daliri, Richard DiPilla and Hans-Jürgen John
Hello from Afghanistan! I am Sultana Daliri.
Kindly view my LinkedIn profile, please.
I am a girl with a disability from Afghanistan, studied my bachelor program in India and master program in Germany.
I worked in the field of finance with NGOs, having a disability in my right leg.
When the Taliban left Afghanistan I was 9 years old and started school from 5th grade. I finished my high school when I was just 16 years old.
I was 6 months that I got polio, but I never stop believing in my abilities.
In 2005 Afghanistan govt. signed the UNCRPD convention with Geneva and did nothing for infrastructure and transportation – in order to make all accessible for disabled people.
I wrote the shadow report of this convention and reported it to Geneva, no actions yet. Should submit the report first to NGOs.
Now I am a project manager for a German organization and cross-border business adviser, helping the returnees from Germany to start a small or medium-size business in Afghanistan for a better re-integration.
I am writing this message to you in order to share my dreams in humanitarians.
Due to suffering disability, being Afghan violated and discriminated, I don’t want that the next generation suffers these problems. I want to work in this sector and quit my job from returnees program.
Is it possible to give me advice and support?
Thank you in advance, looking forward to hearing from you.
I will nominate you as a Global Goodwill Ambassador.
During Taliban period I was in Afghanistan. In 1993, the attack and internal war of Afghanistan is my birthday, and sometimes I cannot believe that I am here.
I worked as a Labour child in carpet waving when I was just 6 years old to support my family economically.
@Sultana Daliri I’ve added @Mursal Mahboobi Kakar and @Farid Ahmadi to this conversation.
We will make you a Global Goodwill Ambassador.
We WILL be sure your story is told.
We WILL show the world the new generation of Afghan people who will say NO MORE EVER… to the generational cycle of war.
I may not live to see a totally peaceful Afghanistan but… You, @Mursal Mahboobi Kakar @Farid Ahmadi and alike WILL.
I want to help be a part of helping you, beautiful people.
Thanks. I appreciate your attitude towards my homeland, and it motivates me more to work as hard as possible for peace in Afghanistan.
My heart hurts for all oppressed people.
We are a homeless generation.
We have no place to go, nowhere to live and we have a responsible generation that brings war and conflict since 1979 and still they are in power in the government and non-government sectors.
The 1980 youths were responsible for us.
And we are responsible for next generation.
We have a lot to do: build what our father’s destroyed and handover it peacefully to next generation.
All we need is support and power against corruption.
We can bring peace by talking ourselves responsible and know our duties more than our rights.
Because this duty will handover the rights.
@Hans-Jürgen John Please tell this story in our March Newsletter Publication.
I will.
Sultana Daliri:
I support women with disability in Kabul – they are already making wedding dresses for a Super Market. They earn some money by this. They are girls in the wheelchair. BARFI organisation is a new established NGO in Germany to support these girls.
It will change the attitude of “Afghan” society towards disability and Women Empowerment.
We Stand with New Believes: “Afghan Women Can!“
1- We make accessible the opportunities to Afghan disabled women, and they will change the society’s attitude with their actions in Afghanistan. (OAA)
2- We make accessible the opportunities to immigrant / migrant Afghan women, they will take actions, start showing up in the labor market / placing to job, business plan supports and cross boarder/ transitional business ideas for becoming self-independent, self-employment and business women to contribute back in Afghanistan in Women Development Sectors from Germany. (OAA)
OAA are the stages to step up for movements which stands for Opportunity, Accessibility and Action.
Good Morning Sir Richard. Hope you are doing well. This is Zubair Ahmad from Afghanistan. We are proud of you and see that you are working for peace and humanity globally.
Afghanistan concerning Girls Education, Democracy & Human Rights:
Afghanistan is a country that has suffered greatly and that after more than 30 years of war and conflict is characterized by deep poverty.
In recent decades Afghanistan has been hit by a series of wars. Since the fall of the communist regime in 1992, the country has been ruled by brutal warlords and the Taliban and bombed by the US and its allies.
The war is still part of everyday life. The number of civilian casualties has increased considerably in recent years. 2017 saw a 30 percent increase compared with 2015 & 2016.
Afghanistan is described as one of the most corrupt countries in the world and corruption is prevalent at all levels of society.
The human rights situation has improved markedly after the fall of the Taliban and the anarchy of the 1990s, especially when it comes to women’s and girls’ rights.
International Girls and Children days – every year we are taking Orphan girls and children from Orphanage house in Kabul – Photographer – Abid Ahmad – Zubair Ahmad Khugyani – GGA
However, there could be setbacks due to the aggravated conflict, the presence of warlords in political life, and the inability of the rulers to meet basic human rights.
The judicial system is weak with a limited range. Patriarchal customs and structures mean that women and girls are not seen as full citizens.
Ghor Province – Afghanistan during Human Rights protesting against Force marriage of Girls in less age and Selling of Girls to Old men in Afghanistan
The widespread violence against women and girls is a fundamental obstacle to development in Afghanistan.
Nearly seven out of ten Afghans are under 25 years of age and the literacy rate is very low, particularly among women. The education system suffers from major shortcomings, particularly in terms of availability of trained teachers, classrooms, and textbooks.
Free seminars for capacity building including photography classes – Computer and English for Boys and Girls – Zubair Ahmad Khugyani – Global Goodwill Ambassador GGA
The situation is worst in rural areas where there are few female teachers and often it is far to the nearest school. Girls don’t have the same educational opportunities as boys.
At the same time, there have been major improvements in the education sector after the fall of the Taliban. In 2001, only 900,000 children were in school, basically, none of them were girls. Recently the figure had increased to 8.5 million, of which 39 percent are girls.
Seminars sponsored by Lincoln Learning Center – Private Universities – Italy Embassy – Killid Media Group and Corporate Businesses – Zubair Ahmad Khugyani – Global Goodwill Ambassador GGA Afghanistan
Currently:
Recently there are lots of NGO’s national and international. Most of the staff are youth working or serving in the area of human rights such as women’s rights, children’s rights, Peace, Education, against torture and ill-treatment as well as freedom of expression.
Constructive discussions were held about the situation in Afghanistan and about cooperation between the EU and Afghanistan, including with its member states present in the country.
The Government reiterated its commitment to improve the human rights situation in Afghanistan in line with national and international obligations and to launch the necessary judicial reforms.
The Government presented achievements such as its renewed Penal Code and its provisions on crimes against humanity, war crimes, human trafficking and sexual harassment.
Appreciated by Province Governor for Human Rights protests – Zubair Ahmad Khugyani – Global Goodwill Ambassador GGA Afghanistan
The EU also pointed out that, although the adoption of laws and national action plans is a positive step, it has to be followed by the implementation and more concrete action to ensure human rights for all Afghan women and men, boys and girls.
The EU emphasized its commitment to strengthen human rights and the rule of law in Afghanistan and encouraged the Government of Afghanistan to follow up on the recommendations made by the UN Committee against Torture as well as to increase the efforts to stop violence and discrimination of women and girls in society.
After this we Youth are willing to expand our social activity for Humanity, Peace, Rights, and Education as Globally.
That’s why we need your support. Therefore we need strongly your advise, motivation and appreciations.
We are serving humanity without any expectation. We are happy with helping other people and serving.
We need advise of our seniors, motivation, and appreciation. We are willing to be a member of GGA.
Thanks & Regards,
Zubair Ahmad Khugyani
A LUCKY BOY by Rosanna Bonci
I’m a lucky boy. Sure I am. Because as a ten-year-old, I’m allowed to travel to Europe! Happy and grateful I am, on the Lungotevere of Rome, the eternal city.
Today is a special day, March 20th, the start of spring. Dad and mom have organized a unique event: we are going to spend the day at the Orto Botanico. We walk along the Tiber river, smelling the Platani’s bunches and watching the water running toward the Mediterranean sea.
The way turns inwards, we step on the typical ancient Roman alley, made of sampietrini – cobblestones. We cross Trastevere, I take some pictures of some ancient building with lights hanging on its walls. Because of my passion for photography, I’m used to seeing those details.
In front of us suddenly is Largo Cristina di Svezia, 24; the gate is open, we enter the Orto Botanico. A fresh smell enters my nose, it must be mint.
Mom is reading a guide. She tells us we are in the Villa Corsini garden and today is the Equinox, which means it is the day of the year when daylight and night are equally long. In honor of the equinox, I take a picture of my parents near the rosemary bush.
As I turn around attracted by some happy voices laughing out loud, I see a group of maybe fifteen youngs in my age coming our way. Mom keeps telling the story. The Villa Corsini garden is 500 years old and it used to be the Vatican ‘Giardino dei semplici’, meaning simple people garden of medicinal plants. The kids pass by, they are loud, mom’s voice seems mute and I can only read her lips!
I learn there are three thousand plants in the garden. I take pictures in a sequence so that I can choose the best later on. Basilic, sage, pepper and many other spices catch my attention from far, they smell fresh and spicy!
As I look into my camera I suddenly see a pair of binoculars in front of a face with long hair, held up by three white thin fingers on each side. She can see my eyeballs from there, she is close enough and looking straight at me, I can tell.
For a moment we both stand and watch at one another then rapidly turn in another direction. It wasn’t by accident I think, she was looking at me in purpose. How can I tell? I guess I just know it. She has turned her back on me now and I remained way behind my parents.
I reach the bamboo forest and find mom and dad there They pull out a sandwich each and give one to me. It is an italian panino, typical roman ‘rosetta with mortadella’, a kind of bread shaped like a flower, crunchy and round. Tastes delicious. We stand under the tall thin trees waving in the spring light wind of this sunny day. We seat on a bench and have a rest.
I hear mom talking about a rose garden and go on my own to shoot some pics. I can smell the roses. Then I hear someone screaming. I step forward to see where the voices come from, and here I am already in the rose garden.
My binos girl and her girlfriend are in a rose bush. They yell for some help. What can I do? The poor girls are about to cry, with thorns in her clothes, hands, and face. Of course, I don’t want to wait for my parents and prefer to help now! I start pushing and pulling the bush with my sneakers till they are liberated and crawl out of it.
I hear my parents calling my name and I answer. The binos girl says: “Ciao I’m Mila” – then she adds “Grazie”, which I understand. I say back to her “Ciao I’m Sam” and I don’t really know how to continue the conversation.
The teacher calls “Erika! Mila! There you are! What happened? You look so dirty!” They explain the adventure and the teacher thanks me in English. My parents have arrived too.
We all move toward the Japanese garden with the cherry trees blossoms. The area is all pink and beautiful and to close my equinox adventure I take a picture of the two girlfriends in front of the cherry trees and post it on Instagram. Is the best pic I took, maybe for the fact that Mila looks like an angel to me and now we are friends. I do feel a lucky boy! Did I say that already?
Deborah Levine interviews Global Goodwill Ambassadors (GGA) about their humanitarian work.
Who is Deborah Levine?
Deborah Levine is an award-winning author, speaker on cultural diversity, and the Editor-in-Chief of the American Diversity Report.
Deborah Levine interviewed Global Goodwill Ambassadors about their background, their work, and the people they help. She also asked them to share their words of wisdom to inspire others who want to make a difference and offer them practical advice.
Let us celebrate people making a difference in their own way. These stories from Global Goodwill Ambassadors will motivate you to pursue your efforts to change the world for the better. Their words of wisdom will inspire you to be a model for others to follow in your footsteps. Here are interviews with Dr. Nadia Cheaib and Abdul Asill Azizi.
Dr. Nadia Cheaib
Who is Dr. Nadia Cheaib?
Dr. Nadia Cheaib is Founder and CSO of Clingroup, a healthcare services provider. Dr. Cheaib has a doctoral degree in Pharmacy and Medical Sciences from France. She is an International expert on drugs development. She is Founder and President of Hope MCF Philanthropic Foundation which operates in Lebanon, UAE, and Egypt.
As founder of Hope MCF, she helps children in the Middle East and Africa to get a proper schooling because their parents can’t finance their education. She helps women in these countries to create their own businesses so that they can support their families in a sustainable way. In addition, she mentors NGOs in these countries to improve their performance. While these organizations are greatly motivated by their causes, they have little expertise in managing NGOs.
Dr. Cheaib explains her philosophy and why her work makes a difference, “We believe and apply the proverb,
Don’t give me a fish, but rather teach me to fish.
For example, we educate women and then integrate them into professional societies. Our cases, all activities included, number over 15,000 today.”
What can we do to make a difference?
To do this life changing work, Dr. Cheaib takes her inspiration from Mother Theresa’s endless faith and sense of giving as well as from Marie Curie’s devotion to science. Dr. Cheaib’s own words of wisdom for others who want to make a difference include:
a. Believe there is some goodness in people despite all you may face.
b. Carry on regardless of people’s reaction or abuse. What matters is how faithful you are to your own beliefs, not people’s recognition.
c. Build always in a sustainable long-term manner so that those you helped yesterday become your arms to multiply giving today.
Abdul Asill Azizi
Who is Abdul Asill Azizi?
Abdul Asill Azizi is a Human Resource Specialist working with Sarakkhumar, Ltd. in Kabul, Afghanistan. He shares his humble beginnings, coming from a small family that had nothing the time he can remember. He encountered many obstacles to develop from a small boy to a young man.
My country has been full of violence and war among my own people which I pity to this day. I dream of changing that perspective among my people and I will keep dreaming to make my country a better place just as I dreamed when I was a young boy. I seek to change this world in the best way without being disrespectful. I was brought up with love, to spread love, to give love, to create love, and, hopefully, complete my life with love.
What is his philosophy of making a difference?
Abdul shares his philosophy:
I believe in humanity. The world needs humanity and I want to help because the world needs us to lay hands on the needy ones. There are thousands and thousands of refugees around the globe that are in need of help. The more we help, the more the world becomes a beautiful place to live in. Hence, we should not just fold our hands and wait for the world to become a better place.
He has applied that philosophy in a personal way:
I helped a relative of mine a few years ago by giving him tuition when he took his final exams in his last year in school. He is now studying at one of the good university’s in Kabul, Afghanistan.
The young man has an internship in mechanical engineering and a scholarship due to his high marks. He is a humble and hardworking student in his field and always grateful for the help provided to him.
Abdul explains that the person who inspired him the most is Mahatma Gandhi. Gandhi fought for freedom, he fought for his country and the goodwill of the country, and he fought for peace regardless of the violence and oppression. Abdul’s own words of wisdom for others who want to make a difference include,
Follow the goodwill in your heart and never turn your back on people who are in need of your help.
Encourage a person to follow his dream and to never give up on his dreams of achievements.
Keep a disciplined mindset for every step you take in life and always be a caring, loving icon to the younger ones. You may start from nothing, but you can become a goodwill ambassador among your people.
By: Sharon Bingert, Chair – Global Goodwill Ambassadors, USA
Both my Husband and I have Always Believed in “Paying it Forward”. Today I had an amazing experience meeting and talking to a complete stranger.
My husband and I went to a Dollar Store to browse, and possibly purchase some items there.
What happened next to me, was a “Total Surprise”.
A lady in the store was buying items for what looked like something a child would enjoy. She had one that had “Streamers with a Sunshine Character”, plus another one that had a “Happy Face with Bright Colors and Streamers”. She also had in her basket coloring books, crayons, etc.
I started to ask her about a coloring book that she was looking at, and she said that she was a nurse and had a little boy who was about 5 or 6 years old as a patient.
The little boy had a debilitating disease. The nurse had worked for a Private Company out of the Children’s Hospital in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and that’s where she met the young boy. She said that he was so ill, that his parents recently had to move him to another facility, and that he would probably remain there for the remainder of his life. She said that everyone had lost hope for him to ever get better and recover, so she was on her way to visit this young boy on her own time.
The more she talked about him, the more my heart broke. I felt, whatever problems I thought I might have, after hearing about this little boy, “I had NO Problems at all“.
What I did next, was something that I felt compelled to do!! I had never met this nurse before, and unfortunately, would probably never get a chance to meet the little boy, but I HAD to Do Something for Him.
I told her that I wanted to buy him something, and asked her to pick it out for him, which she did. I then told her to please pick another item as well for him.
It seemed to amaze her that a “Total Stranger” would do something regardless of how small an “Act of Kindness” it was, to put a smile on a young boys face. Next, she asked me what my name was. I told her “Sharon”. She thanked me and told me that she was going to tell the young boy that he NOW has a New Friend by the name of Sharon.
Sometimes, you just have to forget your own problems and reach out and touch a complete stranger, if for nothing else, to put a smile, even for a little while, on their face!!
In March 2018 Jaya Kamlani was honored Global Goodwill Ambassador (GGA) by Richard DiPilla.
Who is Jaya Kamlani?
Jaya Kamlani is an award-winning Indian-American author and poet. She is a former Silicon Valley technology consultant and a graduate of St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai and has been living in America since 1969.
What are the awards she received for?
In 2016, she received three prestigious awards from the Government of India: the “Mahatma Gandhi Pravasi Samman” for Literature, the “Bharat Samman” (Pride of India) and the “Hind Rattan” (Jewel of India) awards as an outstanding author.
Jaya Kamlani received the NRI Institute’s Bharat Samman (Pride of India) Award from former Army Chief, General V K Singh, Minister of State for External Affairs and Manu Jagmohan Singh, Secretary General of NRI Institute at Leela Palace, Delhi.
What can we learn by her example?
As a 20-year Silicon Valley technology veteran, she is a firm believer of continuous improvement “Kaizen”, whether it is to improve our business, our country, or ourselves.
Her debut non-fiction book, “To India, with Tough Love” (2013) was written to promote public awareness of social, economic and environmental issues impacting India, as well as sustainable solutions, which can be adopted by any country in the world.
Hello from Canada! My name is John Duncan Hood.
Great to meet you here!
Why should I tell my story?
To all those who know what goes on in life: run after your goals!
To all those who are searching for their way: maybe my way will give you some inspiration!
When I was 6 years old, my father asked me,
‘what did you want to do when you got older?’
I said: ‘I want to grow things to feed people’.
Now here I am past 60 times around the
Sun, fostering 5 children under 10 and having been doing
this for 17 years, had 20 plus children slip through the
cracks of society, come through my front door.
Beside my fostering, in have been running a Gardening
Service off and on for 23 years. Owned my own company twice,
built parks, owned an organic 5-acre market garden, a
blueberry farm and built native plant filtration ponds.
In addition, I’ve written an Education Program for
Elementary School Children about life in a Fruit Orchard,
the pollinators who live there and the important role they play.
My passion is drawing, as I’ve been doing it since I was 6
years old and I’ve developed my own style over the years.
I am a realistic / sometimes surreal artist and as an artist,
we are always looking to draw something everyone will recognize.
Some people draw flowers, others landscapes,
some abstracts others still living.
Me I decided to draw some realistic pieces
only to find out the hard way about copyrights.
So who does one draw that does not have a copyright on them.
I pondered who to draw for a long time and then it
came to me in a series of dreams.
I was told in my dreams to draw Jesus, walking to the cross,
with a look on his face, that would make people stop in
their tracks and I was instructed to do it in an old style
of dots.
When the piece was completed I would go on the
internet, to find people who would like to have a free copy
and send it to them. Then in 2015, I tried to give it to the
Vancouver School of Theology and the receiver did not
believe I was the artist. I instructed her perhaps in
inappropriate language to tear it up, if she thought I was
not the artist and sent another to His Holiness Pope
Francis.
On LinkedIn, I met a fellow artist and now good friend
Erasmo, who lives in the United States. He guided me on the
the proper method to introduce myself, my artwork and suggested
who His Holiness should pray for, I said the ‘children of
our Earth as they need the most help’.
You find me and my art also on Google and links to websites which show:
Think big and if your heart is pure you can reach anything:
In 2016, Canada day, I received a letter from His Holiness
thanking me and blessing me for my gift to Him.
I am truly Honored but I want my artwork to do more.
I want it to feed the hungry so what does one do
I started knocking on doors online to find out how to make my art do more.
Along my way, I met many people of different faiths who offered assistance as I wanted my piece to feed the hungry, as Jesus did,
so many years ago, and I think that he would be happy with that.
10% of each sale from these art works on this website goes towards supporting a soup kitchen or food bank of the Buyer’s choice within their own community.
I was appointed Ambassador to Energime University which promotes sustainability practices around the world and on their website – under Ambassadors – you will find me and an article about pollinators, plus the effect of the higher CO2 levels upon them.
One important link if you want to know more about me and my work is here:
60% of proceeds to go to the UN World Food Program – there is information about what I do, my Vatican Accepted piece and my 6-year-old choice, to feed the hungry.
God Bless you all.
John Duncan Hood
Global Goodwill Ambassador
My way
By: Rosemary McKenzie-Ferguson
An unexpected journey really did happen- not the Hobbit type of journey but the Rosemary type of journey.
Oddly enough as with Bilbo Baggins, I was also a reluctant participant.
My journey has split my life in two sections- there is my life as it was before my workplace injury and then my life after my injury.
Before injury
Pre-injury I had a very quiet life (not as ordered as a Hobbits life); I had a family, 2 cats and a dog, as well as a back yard chook yard. I sat on school committees and was involved with my children’s sports and basically just living a normal suburban life and building “the dream” the life post children leaving school and before being too old too this too that too something else.
Then my workplace injury happened and in less than the blink of an eye life as I knew it came to an end.
I won’t dwell on the incident as to be honest I really don’t need to relive it again.
What I will tell you is that I never experienced such blinding pain and such a toxic feeling of fear. Over the years I have tried to understand it, I have tried to explain it and I have tried to forget it. Now I just live with it in a never-ending dance that is at times frenetic and at other times oddly normal.
After injury
Post injury my life became a living nightmare or fear, addiction to prescription medication, and endless downward spirals.
Decide the path to take
At a point I knew I had to decide the path to take. Let me pause here, path taking is not as easy or as glamorous as it is portrayed to be. There are no signposts, there is no guru there is nothing that appears with a signpost pointing in “that” direction. And in many ways (with the benefit of hindsight) I did not make the choice, it was made for me and I went along as the unwilling reluctant student.
During the first 5 years I met people who had also been injured at work, a pattern started to form, I started to ask questions and I was more than frustrated because the answers I was getting did not match what I was seeing. This is where the choice really does come in. At the point I had two choices: walk away and say “that sucks” or stand and learn and fathom out what the conundrum in front of me really was. I have never been good at walking away, I knew too much to do that, but I didn’t know enough to make a stand.
There are no university courses that I could sign up for to teach me what I wanted to know and the truth is I didn’t have any idea just what it was that I wanted to know.
I had no idea as to the size or the multitude of issues that I was wading into.
What I did know was there was no going backwards.
Search and live the change
I went to public lectures on anything and everything I could get into- I knew I needed to challenge my own limited thoughts-I went to lectures on carrot farming and to lectures on precision pistons and lectures on medical breakthroughs- I immersed myself in the world of expanding my ability to formulate concepts.
I read (and still do) endlessly- I read white papers from the workers compensation industry, I read Parliamentary inquiries into workers compensation, I read international papers and I read legislation.
I asked questions to everyone around me, I wrote letters and I dug deep- I was looking for “it” without knowing what “it” was.
Then as oddly as the research started, it ended when I understood that what I was looking for was never going to be found within the pages that everyone else had written, what I was looking for was within the intention of the legislation.
It didn’t matter which legislation I read, the intention was always the same- return an injured worker to the best possible of wellness and health and then return them to their community and then to the workplace.
Rosemary McKenzie-Ferguson at InterContinental Sydney – Informa Workers Compensation Summit in February 2018. She spoke about Craig’s Table. And how we can shift everything for the injured worker community.
Put hope back into lives
Hence, I wrote Craig’s Table.
What Craig’s Table does is provide injured workers (we call them participants) firstly to themselves and to a purpose build community and then to the work place.
It is a whole of person approach, we include the families and the wider community, we include the employers and the workplace families as well the providers to the workers compensation industry.
In essence Craig’s Table is a village (it takes a village to raise a child; it takes a village to heal a person).
This approach is very different to anything else, it is written by an injured worker, it is lead by injured workers, it is for injured workers.
The impact of Craig’s Table needs to be seen to be understood.
In just a few weeks one participant dropped the amount of medication she was taking for depression and has reported that she is sleeping all night for the first time in years.
Another has gone from being angry with the world and not wanting to try anything new to taking on tasks he had never considered.
All that has happened is a doorway to a new environment has been put in place.
Yes there are training programs and real tasks to do that fill the day, but it is more than all of that. Craig’s Table puts hope back into the lives of people who had hope taken from them.
Still there is much to do.
Craig’s Table now has to roll out over Australia, not just for the injured worker community but for everyone. There is much to plan and work on.
I am open to the idea of introducing this concept in other countries such as the USA.
And I would love to discuss international workers compensation issues with the International Labor Organisation (ILO) in Lucerne!
My hope and Global Goodwill Ambassadors (GGA)
I hope and be grateful that GGAs will help me.
As everyone knows I write Monday Muses on LinkedIn.
If every GGA just liked Monday Muses it would add to a far wider reach than I can on my own. Thank you so much my friends!
In return I promise I will do my best to support ever other GGAs.
As a group GGAs has the ability to make a huge positive difference in this world.
Dr. Swati Chakraborty about Holi
India as a pluralist country is celebrating all kind of occasions with its open arms.
“Holi” is the celebration which one can find all over India with equal spirit. It has a special story in the state West Bengal where Kavi Guru Rabindranath Tegore started this occasion as ‘Basanta Utsav’ which literally means the ‘celebration of spring’.
Falgun and Chaitra according to the Bengali calendar is the season of Dol Utsav (Holi). During this season nature shows its own beauty with colorful flowers of Palash, Shimul etc.
This year “Holi” is on 1st March 2018.
Dr. Swati Chakraborty is Assistant Professor of Human Rights in Schoolguru Eduserve Pvt. Ltd. She is an International Fellow of KAICIID at Vienna, Austria. She is also a Director for International Relation and Campaign, NVPF India. Dr. Swati Chakraborty is working for Peace and Conflict resolution with the notion of interreligious and intercultural dialogue.
Greetings from Hyderabad, India – The Pearl city – Ravi Kumar
I thank Richard DiPilla – The GGA Founder and the team for connecting me with the GGA network and I appreciate this commendable initiative which craves for Global peace and understanding.
Located in the heart of peninsular India, our city is also famous for Bangles of Hyderabad.
This city is unique cos of a multi-track Ring Road looking like F1, complemented by an International Airport.
India has a dash of cultural spectrum and the ethnicity and my city reflects same, perfectly.
Leading in the areas of IT, ITES, Pharma, AeroSpace and Biotechnology, people are very friendly, understand and speak English too.
During Holi we experienced a dash of colors splashing across people with no warning. I do not wish you to keep away, but invite the global citizens for that splash spoiling the clothes they wear- Holi, The festival of colors…
[Lyrics by my friend Vanamala in our regional Language Telugu – Holi Song 2018 by Singer Madhu Priya – Vanamala]
India celebrates many festivals with Christians 5%, Muslims 15% and Hindus over 70% of population besides other minorities.
I am actively involved in social work and mentor the project English Teachers Club, Hyderabad as a chief sponsor having adopted the project under a registered educational society, PJM Educational Society, in which I am a General Secretary.
A school for poor children also had been operating under the society/Trust.
Project ETC is part of a CPD [Continuing professional development] initiative and is a TAG [Teacher Activity Group]. English teaching communities network on this platform focused on continuing professional development. The project envisages networking of interior rural teachers with global teachers with the advent of social media like Facebook etc.Clubbing teachers add fun to their professional life with informal meetings including outings. Teachers visiting this country from across the globe felt comfortable in taking the local support of our club too, in the past.
India embraced liberalized economic policy in 90’s which opened floodgates for job opportunities and today youngsters get jobs with minimum qualifications with proficiency in the English Language.
Thus English teaching communities became pivotal to the development and the challenges in their professional pursuit came into focus. Notably teaching communities are known for their low resources and output involving maximum unpaid work hours, especially in the Indian context.
I work for a corporation as a Deputy General Manager and earn my living from which I support such charity/voluntary initiatives and I will be continuing in this work as long as it sustains.
I thank Mr. Richard DiPilla once again for connecting me here and for his highly commendable initiative.
Thank you and I wish all GGA’s a great success under his leadership.
Yours sincerely Ravi Kumar
PORTUGAL Informal caregivers work worth 82 million euros per week!
By: Luìza Palma UN WFGP Ambassador for Peace – Chair GGA Portugal & CPLP
The beads are both astronomical and silent. In 2016, the Caregivers Portugal Association estimated that the work done by people who have sick relatives in charge, at home, is worth more than 82 million euros per week.
Care is provided both in Portugal and in Europe, especially for women, aged between 45 and 75 years. Most informal caregivers are still in working age, but it is difficult to reconcile these functions at home with work, often compromising the latter.
They also have, on average, low academic qualifications. One year, in Portugal it would be necessary to spend four billion euros – “more precisely 3 951 223 008 euros” – to take care of all these people. Values based on the monthly minimum wage ( 580€)
Farheen Lodhi about child education
– – Who are the key figures in raising a child? – –
In our society child education is confined to books only. Moral values, respect for others opinion, humanity can only be taught by the parents. Rather than we expect it at large from teachers.
I have been thinking and feeling for 13 years that it is my mission to work in the education of children.
To educate children morally and academically. Most of “my” children are now grown up and even married and they are passing respect and humanity. Where ever they go and whomsoever they meet.
– – What are the challenges of bringing up children? – –
Character training is not a simple process. To the contrary. The moral education of children in today’s social environment comes with many more diverse challenges than in the past generations.
There are challenges regarding motivation. Why should parents diligently train their children to be kind, considerate and caring when so many other parents are letting these virtues slip by?
There are peer pressure challenges. How should parents respond to friends and relatives who feel “uncomfortable” around children whose “good” and “consistent” behavior challenges the status quo of their own parenting?
The mechanics of moral education also present challenges. How do mothers and fathers actually teach moral truth? How can they make virtues and values meaningful to children? And once taught, how do children acquire the moral initiative needed to follow through on their beliefs?
There are the cultural challenges. Parents must stay vigilant of the many moral inconsistencies confronting children each day.
Some say Hollywood serves up a culture of death, network TV exploits their innocence, and the Internet is sophisticated enough to identify their secret desires and prey on their weaknesses.
— No matter how we look at it. Mother and father pave the way for their child’s future —
In the end, the refinement of a child’s character is largely the product of Mom and Dad’s direct influence. Unless that influence is willfully surrendered to outside forces or sacrificed to life’s busy demands, children will grow up with and reflect the moral lessons of their home life.
It is a simple fact of parenthood — if something is not important to Mom and Dad, it will not spontaneously become important to the child.
Yes, moral education is complex and challenging, and society continues to add more challenges to the mix.
Yet, I am persuaded by the goodness of God that he has not left us without hope or a way to address the challenges.
By intent or neglect, parents are still the greatest influence on their children’s outcomes.
Let’s make this world a better one for and by our children!
My life story – By Isabel Costa
My name is Isabel, I am 54 years old and I was born in Porto, Portugal. My country is very beautiful with many different landscapes from North to South. Portuguese people are known for their friendly style, their country is praised for wonderful food and beautiful beaches.
As for me, I am the oldest of 3 children in my family and since my childhood, I was very sensitive to injustice, poverty, social issues. When I was 10 years old and being at the hospital after a surgery I felt the presence of God surrounding me as if I would be in a warm cloud, in peace, embracing me deeply.
One early morning as I was watching the rising sun I had that experience with God and my heart calmed down.
My adolescence was troubled with anger by the same issues and at the same time a deep wish of bringing a change to society, otherwise I felt it would not be worth living. I heard many times that there is no true love in the world, money was the wheel of life and that way of thinking of my surroundings was a dream breaker.
So, when I turned 19 years old I became a missionary of an international ecumenical movement and at that time, finally, I felt that there is true love and it comes from God unconditionally to each of us. I lived in Germany, USA, Italy, and South Korea in a religious way of life dedicating 14 years of my youth to serve mankind in this way.
At a certain point, I realized that I could not change the world, first of all, I had to change myself and my perspective. Each human being is going its own road and fighting their battles. My mission is to respect them, accept, and have compassion.
Anyway as I improve my relationship with God and see all beings as divine I am definitely contributing to a better world. Since that time regardless of my external activity, I try to help people to realize that they are here to be the best version of themselves, the divine version.
Most of the times this divine version can only be seen when we go through hardships, that is when we can give our helping hand to others no matter what they do to us, and our compassionate and forgiving heart.
After those years I studied Naturopathy, Hypnotherapy and have been working in these fields through personal coaching, lectures, and workshops.
I wrote 2 books about healthy nutrition, organize Multidisciplinary Congress gathering health professionals from different areas of conventional medicine, naturopaths, nutritionists, therapists and others.
In 2011 I was nominated Ambassador of Peace by the Women’s Federation for World Peace in Spain and has been giving lectures on this topic in Portugal and abroad.
Four years ago I created a Course of Holistic Nutrition which I teach in the Institute of Traditional Medicine with the goal of helping people to reflect upon their choices and consequences not just for their individual health but on the planet level. This course has another special characteristic which is nutrition on every level: physical, mental, emotional and spiritual.
Our bodies are our divine vehicles on this earth, so we have to take care of them on every level. We are spiritual beings living a human experience and God gives us many Masters to learn from and our body is surely one of them as it shows us when we are not in accordance between mind and body.
I work to bring consciousness and awareness of our individual choices and their reflections in society. To bring peace to the world we need to master peace within our heart and mind.
I am very grateful for being part of this wonderful group of GGA and wish deeply that we can work together to create a better society for all.
God bless you all.
Isabel Costa
GGA Rahmattullah Ghamai is author of several books:
Investigation of Offender and Crime: A sociology Viewpoint.
The investigation of violence: A sociological perspective.
HATE
By: Alaha Ahrar
I hate to see hatred
I hate to see everyone faded
I hate not seeing any hope
I hate not being able to cope
I hate to see how people are after each other,
I hate to see most people live in fear
I hate these rockets, bombs, and killings
I hate all these manmade sufferings
And of course, of course
I hate to see children bleeding and dying everywhere
I hate to know there is no safe place for anyone anywhere
I hate not seeing any tearless survivor
I hate not seeing any clean river
I hate not seeing smiles on people’s lips
I hate seeing unwanted immigration and endless trips
Yes and yes!
I hate not seeing any hope
I hate not being able to cope
I hate not seeing enlightenment and education
I hate not seeing humble people in peaceful relations
The terrorists should know they are never clever
because they are killing humans everywhere*
Here is war, there is war and everywhere is war
the wars are getting bloodier and a chore
I hate red for it is the color of blood
Now everywhere is red for red blood is red
Red streets, red gutter, red kennel and red streams,
I hate to know that now even humans are red,
Red heads, red necks, red arms,
and red legs
I hate to see birds no longer can fly
Even rivers and mountains mourn and cry
Mountains are red, rivers are red and trees are red
Therefore, birds are red
Everywhere is red for blood is red
I hate not seeing any hope
I hate not being able to cope
I hate seeing these new political mass murders
I hate seeing the UN not forcing the killers to surrender
Ms. Alaha Ahrar works with many different organizations to help people of different nationalities, tongues, ethnicities, economic backgrounds, color and people with disabilities in the United States and overseas.
She graduated from University of Mary Washington in May 2012 with triple majors and one certificate on time in four years. Alaha Ahrar’s majors are Political Science, International Affairs, and Human Rights.
Currently, Ms. Ahrar works full-time as Community Development Advocate– FACETS for the Education and Community Development Program, a US organization in Virginia, which helps people in need and breaks the cycle of poverty.
Furthermore, she is one of the Board of Directors for the Afghan Women’s Writing Project (AWWP), and the Directors of International World Poetry, Canada. .
In addition to the above-mentioned jobs and responsibilities Ms. Ahrar is an active member of National Association of Professional Women and also she is the US reporter and Journalist of Banu Magazine in European Union Countries. Meanwhile, she pursues her Master’s degree in Social Justice and Human Rights at George Mason University right now.
Alaha Ahrar is multilingual. She has had numerous certificates and appreciation letters, such as, Appreciate of Kindness (Big Heart) 2016 from FACETS, Fairfax, VA; Certificate of Appreciation in 2013 from Diplomatic Language Services (DLS), Arlington, Virginia; Certificate of Recognition in 2012 from the Embassy of Afghanistan, Washington DC; and Certificate of Excellence and Dedication in 2012 from the Initiative to Educate Afghan Women, USA.
Alaha Ahrar is a poet and writer as well. She was awarded the “Best Poet of the Year 2011 for Afghanistan and the United States” in Canada. She was also appointed as the Ambassador of Youth and Peace for Afghanistan in 2011.
Abdul Asill Azizi – Global Goodwill Ambassador GGA – about the history and situation of his beloved country Afghanistan and his definition of helping others.
To Global Goodwill Ambassadors and To Founder GGAs Richard Dipilla
I am Barbara Everett Heintz, and I treasure belonging to the initiative Global Goodwill Ambassadors (GGA). I was so delighted when Richard invited me to share my writing in March’s newsletter, for he’s caused me to look within and to share my gifts with all of you.
My book, “Pinkhoneysuckle”, available through Amazon has touched many lives, for though I have the repertoire of a person raised in privilege — that is not the case, for all that I’ve ever achieved has come with the stress an Appalachian and Bible Belt woman has faced.
Who among you even knows about, “The Appalachian Trail,” and why should you care?
Were we not just a bunch of coal miner’s daughters, the ones seeking marriage before school was out?
The answer is a large, “No”, for the lower third where I’m from held the last of the boys and men who loved and prospered on their land of cotton and tobacco bases but soon they would realize their beloved General on the battlefield would soon see the Farm and Bible Belt as the easiest group of workers Washington could dispense to the north where factories could not keep up with the demand for cars new appliances and the little houses being bought up by everyone except for farm hands.
Those home from war were called up again, the agrarian Appalachians to go north as base crops were cut to starvation. A whole population of people had never heard of a diaspora, were loading up their belongings, and we children and mothers were left to keep going. It was a population larger than the dust bowl. Night stars, the faces of the moon, and our peace disappeared from our father’s view. I promised that I’d tell the story, and I hope to meet others such as I on, “Global Goodwill Ambassadors” …
My childhood writing appeared in, “The Nashville Banner,” and all teachers wanted me to seek a path in journalism. This hidden girl got poetry published in National High School Anthologies each year before graduation, but I seek not to brag but to share my voice.
Thank you so much Richard and Hans-Jürgen.
For the rest of their lives, I would seek to make my parents proud, and, “Pinkhoneysuckle”, is the first book to tell the story of the women and children who were raised as servants in, “The Bible Belt”, faced even angrier men who came home as our heroes. I write and I speak for these women and children, for I was one, and not until I won the first place in Hollywood, and an award in San Francisco for my writing did I realize that I could make changes with my writing.
My Santa Monica son will not share the book with his Santa Monica neighbor who was born to a famous show business father and mother. She knows show business, and is an advocate for women and children, but I think my son does not wish for his mother’s story to be cast in the light of his own life, but I’m accustomed to going in to battle for a book which many of you have compared to Steinbeck’s, “Grapes of Wrath”, and even more often similar to tales of William Faulkner.
I had little to offer to, “Global Goodwill Ambassadors,” but I’d already spoken for Bible Belt through my own book, “Pinkhoneysuckle”, and Richard already knew that I’d been mentor and friend to a young man wishing to improve his English, and after 6 years we are still communicating.
I have reviewed books at no cost, and so often I am asked questions about self-publishing – the truth of what happens with books over time, and I even write opinions to pharmaceuticals sharing my voice and hopes showing that we consumers actually pay attention and do read about the pros and cons of advances in care when it seems appropriate.
I ask fellow Ambassadors to feel pride and to know that not one of us is without the simple gift of, “Self”. It just takes looking within to open your own gifts.
Bless you,
Barbara
Hello ladies and gentlemen! My name is Sanja Arsenovic
I am a 40 years old lady from Serbia, from a small town called Loznica.
I adore my family and I love my parents, sister Rosa and my niece Teodora.
I am happily married, dear Lord has given me the best man, to call my friend / and owner of my heart – my husband Dusko.
God has given us two hands: one to give, second to receive.
We are all humanitarians, in our own ways:
My way is reaching out, to all the aching souls out there, with my poems
God bless us all!
The first poem is called: Goodwill
The second poem is called: Prayer
GOODWILL
Small town lady, was born to hold dreams:
showing grace, to everyone – as part of human race.
Sorrow, that occupied – so many aching souls…
Anger, and rage out there – that erased the space:
for love, we are blessed by – for a helping hand…
For unique, and special – that will understand…
Good Will Ambassadors – were brought to this world:
to bring joy, and happiness – no one ever heard…
To help: “wounded” families – arise from the ground…
To help, silent whisper – becomes a big sound…
To help, hungry one’s – or those, without a home…
World, is our family – so, you’re not alone…
To help, all the refugees – mother, that lost the child…
We are all, the followers – chosen, the right guide…
To embrace, the goodness – protect destroyed land…
We are here, and now – time stops, as we STAND:
Rhapsody of empathy – let’s all reunite…
Wars, just have to stop- and all sorts of fight…
Killings aren’t forgiven – God, has given love:
who gives us, the right – changing rules above?
Neglecting the Earth – spoiling all her’s worth…
Impossible mission – or, possible vision?
Small town lady, here – talking with a low voice:
I know, there is a chance – we’ve been given choice…
I am here, to help – words, follow my step:
Heaven of existence – Hell, can’t make the trap…
God is love, my friend – we are all, God’s children:
Time, to stop destruction – then, we’ll be: forgiven…
I am proud, to live – I have chosen good:
If u had, a chance: I know, you too – would…
Meaning of my name is woman of the dreams:
Sanja wants the Paradise – that we just can’t miss…
Let us heal the world – make it, a better place…
Let’s all, bring the magic – catch her’s: shiny trace…
Stars, do live within – let us stop the dark…
Doing deeds, for others – let us make the mark…
We are all: survivors – Earth, needs us the most…
We’re not, empty shells – you are not: the ghost…
GOODWILL, in your lives- I see that, in your eyes:
We all have: forever- future, in us lies
Written by:
Sanja Arsenovic ⭐
PRAYER
Where does, beauty resides?- I want to, beautify life…
Where is, devotion hidden?- Don’t hide: it’s forbidden..
Why can’t I find – that sacred space?
In my dreams- I’ve found it’s sparkle trace…
Where can I seek for – feelings sublime?
Revelation we need – dear God of mine…
I want to tell you – in the name of all…
How magnificent, and divine- is your role…
Some lives, are ruined- but, accepting your will…
Some doubt you- thinking: you’re not real..
Some walk in dark- with an open heart…
With hope, you’ll protect, and be their guard…
Some have it all- but lost: their vitality…
Thinking- all they’ve done, was just futility…
Some pray, for health- afraid cos they “melt”…
Do you see, how we are eager: to find…
Peace, in ourselves- in our souls and mind…
Our days, are filled- with anticipation…
Deep, in our hearts- we show appreciation…
We are praying- dear Lord: gives us, your love…
Today- I am praying: to Heaven above
Written by:
Sanja Arsenovic ⭐
Hello World! I am Senior Pastor Amanat Masih from Pakistan.
Global Goodwill Ambassdors worldwide is great and by its Founder Richard DiPilla is a wonderful initiative. We hope and pray for your attention.
I hope that everything is turning in a mood to let us know that we are in a season of love, peace and in the season of feeling the warmth of God in us!
I wish to greet the seasons with you from hopes Christian children of Pakistan (Ministry work) and all of Angels and team and our church fellows.
We also want to come up with a request during this winter season. For many years we had not been able to and please do seed into hopes – Christian children of Pakistan – for these dear ones!
I assure you that it would be a great blessing. Prayers and Peace Blessings to you, your family, friends and all of yours! Yours in Him, Senior Pastor Amanat Masih.
Greeting in Christ… God loves the poor and rich equally and his love is faithful and his promises always fulfill with Yes…
Glory our savior Jesus Christ who choose me for compassion care international to reach the unreached area … here is leg broken man who is in bed last two years and there two kids begging in street only for eating food…
I cry when I see them in this condition… Holly spirit please speak with me.
You will do give this needy to operate and he survives and earns a living for his kids… His wife left him and kids and married to another man …
I feel very sad and worried about it. God speak with me.
I am with you and him … thanks to the Lord for hope and encouragement… because in God’s eye not matters poor or rich.
He loves the whole world equally and his mighty hand is always equal to poor and rich.
So I request to save this person’s life.
In this bad situation, he needs $700 for operation and new bone will attach his hip and then he will able to walk …
God’s eye does not matter big or little love gift for him … he knows the heart of givers … please concentrate on this and contact us …
sunadventureministries@gmail.com and cell +3483034889
Your Brother in Christ Senior Pastor Amanat
Sun Adventure Ministries and Prayer Center for all Nations of Pakistan
This is Jaimin Shah from Gujarat, India.
I am the part of GGA. I am working with reliance industries limited. I am also part of LinkedIn chat group which is created by Richard.
Please find herewith attached some photos for the upcoming newsletter.
I donated 100 nos of Toothbrush, 100 nos of Toothpaste, 100 Nos of Bathing Soap, 100 nos of Washing Soap & 100 nos of talcum powder at Orphan Home in Surat.
I have also organized dinner for 100 nos of orphan children.
If you feel this may be published in upcoming newsletter then you can publish it. Feel free to ask me anything.
How many children live there?
About 100 children.
What are their living conditions?
Living conditions are not good. Even sometimes if the orphan home doesn’t have the money then all children stay hungry. I mean to say they need the donor for every day. I heard that if they don’t find the donor for one day then children will eat only once a day.
Are there more Orphan Homes there?
Yes. There are lots of orphan homes in Gujarat, India.
Jaimin Shah
Is the Orphan Home run by the government or by a non-profit or by private people?
This is run by an NGO
If people want to donate they need to know where the Orphan Home is?
Yes. This is situated in Surat, Gujarat, India.
We all love stories!
Please, if possible tell us more about your caring for others.
How did you get the idea to help?
My Mom is breast cancer patient & my dad is heart patient. My dad strongly believes in giving happiness to others. So I learn from him to donate in orphan homes. My birthday is 18th April 1982 – my Moms and Dads anniversary is on 17th February.
On my every birthday I went to orphan homes & celebrate my birthday with orphan homes children by giving them these type of gifts. And on my parents anniversary I went to old age home & donate one day lunch & dinner.
I am doing this for last 5 years.
Did you donate to them in the past, too?
Yes.
Do the children have the possibility to get an education there?
Orphan homes itself provide education to the children.
Spiritual Veda
Dear Richard,
Thank you for sharing the kindness, until human learn to drop I, Me or Mine, and wear Our, Us or We, the world will always face challenges to sustain humanity.
Like rose, which even being surrounded by thorns doesn’t forget to share its beauty and fragrance to the world around, more the thorns more beauty he resonates, similarly we human, no matter how cruel the world turns, but there are always roses, sharing their love and care, change is happening, and happening for good, its a transition phase, where gradual change is happening, humans are becoming aware of humanity, sooner or later, everyone realizes.
The wrong doesn’t go far, while right always flourish, rewind the life and witness the history, every wrong has been lost in time, while goodness always prevails.
Our purpose is to seed the plant of love and care, whether we exist or not, that plant will share its fruits and shade to millions.
Please allow me to share a small story with you, an ancient Sufi story:
The King of Bhagdad used to go around the city on his beautiful horse, just to see how things were going — of course in disguise, not as the king — so that he could see reality as it is. If he went to as king, then he could not see everything that was beautiful and he would not be shown the real face — he would have to see only the mask.
Every day he saw a man, a very old man, must be more than one hundred years, working in the garden, putting in small plants, but those small plants were not seasonal flowers.
If they were seasonal flowers there would be no question at all.
Those were the plants of the cedars of Lebanon, which grow one hundred feet, two hundred feet high, just almost touching the stars and they take hundreds of years to grow to that height. They live one thousand years, two thousand years, three thousand years and they are some of the most beautiful trees.
The king was puzzled because this old man, who is one hundred years, cannot even hope to see the next spring. His hands are shaking; he is so fragile, any moment death may take him away. And why is he planting these cedars? He will never be able to see them grow, to see them come of age, to see their beauty when they start touching the stars.
Finally, it was impossible for the king to resist the temptation. He stopped his horse one day and went to the old man and said, “I should not interfere in your work, but I cannot resist the temptation.”
The old man said, “There is nothing to worry about, my son. You can ask anything you want.”
The king said, “My question is, you will never be able to see these trees come of age; you will be gone long before that…”
The old man said, “That’s true.”
The king said, “You know that’s true and still you go on doing it?”
The old man said, “If my forefathers had not planted the seeds — just see on the other side of my garden those tall Lebanon cedars — I would have never seen them.
If my forefathers were so generous about the children with whom they are not yet acquainted, who will be coming, who will be the visitor, who will be the guest….
Still, they worked hard and they created those monumental trees. Looking at those trees I gather courage and work hard because certainly I will not be able to see the beautiful growth but somebody will.
My children’s children, or perhaps even their children, will be able to see when they come to their full glory. It is enough that I am not betraying my forefathers.
If they could trust in the future, in the unknown guest, I can also trust.”
Lotus doesn’t see where he is blossoming, he still blossoms irrespective of surroundings, some praise his beauty, some use it to offer to God and some admire,
Stay blessed,
Spiritual Veda
Goodwill is expanding …
new Global Goodwill Ambassadors in March 2018 – 2/10/2018 to 3/10/2018
Name
Role and Location
Luiza Palmer
Chair ~ Portugal and CPLP
Khalid Belhabib
Director of Nominations and Engagement – USA
MS SUCHI
Chair ~ Singapore & S.E. Asia
Barbara Josefina Taylor Galindo
Director of Nominations & Engagement ~ Guatemala
Mursal Mahboobi Kakar
Co-Chair ~ Afghanistan
Farid Ahmadi
Co-Chair ~ Afghanistan
Dr. Laura Stephanie Toledo Nudding
Director of Nominations & Engagement ~ Mexico
Paul Conway
Director of Nomination & Engagement ~ Wales
S.T. Wilkison
Director of Nominations & Engagement ~ Singapore & S.E. Asia
Mohamed Abd-Elmoniem
Director of Nominations & Engagement ~ Italy
Paul Conway
Director of Nominatinos & Engagement ~ Wales
Sandra Adaobi Achusim
Director of Nominations & Engagement ~ Nigeria
Daniela Capdepon MD
Chair ~ Argentia
Chrissy Sykes
Director of Nominations & Engagement ~ England
KODOU JENG
Director of Nominations & Engagement ~ Gambia
Kelly (Kelleen) McIntyre
Director of Nominations & Engagement ~ Scotland
Claude Ribaux
Assistant, Director of Digital Communications, GGA~Global
Beatrice Ribaux
Assistant, Director of Digital Communications, GGA~Global
Nejma K.D.
Director of Nominations & Engagement ~ Switzerland
H. Robert de Kruyff
Director of Nominations & Engagement ~ Indonesia & S.E. Asia
Isabel Costa
Director of Nominations & Engagement ~ Portugal & CPLP
Global Goodwill Ambassadors – Founder’s Letter – Richard DiPilla
The Beginning of Global Goodwill Ambassadors
From its humble beginnings, four years ago, I sought to highlight the Goodwill work of a single LinkedIn Connection. The birth and growth of the Global Goodwill Ambassadors were born. Almost immediately, other connections were telling me their stories and the humanitarian work they did for the love of goodwill for all. We witnessed a chain of narrative voices.
I could hardly comprehend, that there was and still is a thirst for learning about global humanitarian efforts. A residual affect was an understanding that the mainstream news defined, countries, nations, regions, races, genders, and castes, of geo-political reporting. However, there was much more time with the coverage of a terrorist attacks, but no coverage of all the heroes in these countries, who were saving lives and doing selfless work to make the world a better places.
Global Goodwill Ambassadors Mission
Four years later the Global Goodwill Ambassadors has nearly 2000 designees and a structured board in many countries. Our simple mission has remained as pure. And that was on the first day! We recognize individuals who are engaged in humanitarian work without bias or commercialization.
The later is what keeps us pure as possible. No, we have no website. Websites can put many people in difficult regions at security risk.
We have a LINKEDIN company page and group page that can be found at: Global Goodwill Ambassadors (GGA). We also have a presence on many other social media; but our catalyst is the LinkedIn profile, the volunteer and humanitarian work individuals have listed.
By using the company page you can list your designation with our official logo. We have nomination guidelines with a committee, and a GGA Executive Board.
Global Goodwill Ambassadors Executive Board
Ted Batchelor serves as our General Council and has a duel role as Chairman of Canada.
Lisa Jones serves many key roles, International Development, Training, oversight of our Screening Committees, Executive of Profile Production, Executive Steering Committee.
Hans-Jürgen John is our Director of Digital Communications and the Publisher of our GGA Newsletter.
Anthony James is our World Communications Director.
Dr. Ameena Ali is our Director of Diversity.
Our Executive Advisors are often names you will recognize as nominators of Ambassadors. We have Country Chairpersons and Directors, Nomination and Engagement Directors, and GGA Brand Ambassadors.
Each person does his/her part to grow our ambassador numbers. With each new designation we are extending the reach of goodwill.
In a recent article that I would like to tell my grandchildren, that rather than sit idly by, I did something to bring a sense of peace and harmony to the world. The truth is, every Global Goodwill Ambassador, can say the same thing.
The sum total of expense and profit in currency for this initiative is ZERO. Our only currency is Goodwill. I challenge all people who read this newsletter to do good deeds and give back to the world. We all share the same world. Don’t just take, give back to make it a better place. As a GGA you will join together with people who are doing the same.
Richard DiPilla
Founder Global Goodwill Ambassadors
Berkshire Hathaway BHMG INC.
Corporate Markets Development
Alexandra Kutas – Ukraine – is world’s first runway model in a wheelchair
Thanks to Global Board and Contributors to this Newsletter
Some Global Goodwill Ambassadors contributed to this newsletter. Who are they? Here the links to their profile on LinkedIn – they work if the profile is public. It is unbelievable what these people have achieved and what they will do in the future.
Richard DiPilla / Virginia / USA is a wonderful person. A role model. He believes in goodness in man. He believes in people who do the right thing. People who help others. Richard DiPilla’s initiative focuses the spotlights on these people.
I am happy and grateful to be able to support Global Goodwill Ambassadors. Wonderful people are on the Global Board: Ted Batchelor, Lisa Jones, Anthony James, Dr. Ameena Ali. They invest a great deal of work and dedication. They value and respect every single Global Goodwill Ambassador. Wonderful people, wonderful aims!
Virginie Guignard Legros Geneve / Switzerland is an architect, communications director of www.festivaldufilmvert.ch – and head of the LAB MOOC GDP – which trains project management. She founded the Cocööön Organization to help create the societies and organizations of tomorrow supported by all innovative technologies – https://cocooon.co/
Jon Klein is a mentor / role model / speaker on substance abuse. He brings attention and help where silence prevails.
I’ve come to know many people throughout the world who do great works. Of all those people, Ameena stands out as a person who epitomizes the word humanitarian. When you combine a brilliant mind and a true kind-hearted spirit, you can at least start to get a sense of who Dr. Ameena Ali really is. – Richard DiPilla
Roland Wiederkehr is unique. He recognizes early on social developments that need to be fought or supported. And establishes organizations that have been pushing this – for decades. Roland Wiederkehr is a wonderful person and a role model. Some of us see movies to watch heroes. This one is real.
Combat-tested and highly decorated in the military – Shaurya Chakra – and always in search of new challenges and helping others – Alwar Gaurav Award – in civilian life. The example of Maj Rakesh Sharma / Delhi / India shows that everyone can do humanitarian work and be proud of it. Anyone can! No matter where on earth! No matter how extensive! Let the sun rise in charity for our fellow men. Great work Maj Rakesh Sharma!
Money is not decisive. Anyone can do good. Dipti Dhakul / India works as a mentor at a school in her spare time. She teaches women to make art and crafts – so that they have an income. She reads books to children and elderly people. Thank you so much Dipti Dhakul for contributing!
Razi Hashmi Syed is one of the angels who see the good in their fellow human beings and nominate them as Global Goodwill Ambassadors. As a humanitarian volunteer he supports educational campaigns of Alif Ailaan and is a Trustee of Syed Foundation / charity / givings / Zakat distribution. Follow him on LinkedIn please!
Humor always helps. Adam Kennedy – Brisbane – Chair Global Goodwill Ambassadors Australia has made us laugh in chat. This is important. We often hear sad stories from all over the world.
His wonderful work as a fundraiser for RizeUp Australia and Youngcare culminated in his dedication to Trust, which brings all kinds of support to families, children and people from his local community.
Hans-Jürgen John: What am I supposed to write about myself? Self-praise doesn’t go down well. I am honest. I regret that I still haven’t translated Roland Wiederkehr’s website into English. Also the article for the English Wikipedia about him is not finished.
Rosanna Bonci – Chair GGAs Italy works for Donatore – a non-profit organization founded in 2000 on the initiative of President Patrizio Paoletti. “Donatore will improve the lives of millions of children worldwide through education.” She mentions her unselfish work in her LinkedIn profile – …”has awaken in me the attention to other’s needs”. Her children story here is a read!
Dario Ruggiero is the Author of the web-site www.lteconomy.it. In interviews and interesting articles he shows how successful business management and a world worth living in is possible for future generations! Please support and share his articles!
Safiya Al Bahlani – Teaching Art for Children with Disabilities
Perseverance, Love and Philanthropy by Virginie Guignard Legros
A person’s worth is measured not by the quantity of his or her actions, but by the degree of love and perseverance that he or she puts into carrying them out – Cécile Fortier Keays
What distinguishes an ambassador of goodwill from another person? Is it his personal story? Is it his education? Is it his personality? Actually and maybe a little bit of everything. We and our behavior are the results of our past, experience and education.
In the end, what distinguishes a humanitarian from others is the sum of his acts. These can be small, large, light as butterflies and with implications that have far-reaching consequences. It doesn’t matter!
The essential thing is to do something for others – in the broadest sense of the word.
Because we live in a cohesive and interactive world. Everything we do for people, animals, nature, culture and art is precious.
Goodwill is a gift. It also means knowing how to appreciate gifts of others. It’s like a relationship. There is a transmitter – ambassador, a receiver – needy – and the gift that unites them both, the act of unselfish giving.
These 3 parts have to be considered as a treasure – and cared for with benevolence. What happens if an ambassador gives, gives and gives without any counter-giving? Perhaps it will exhaust his ability to give.
If the recipient receives uninterruptedly without asking for it and without understanding what is being given to him – he could, in the long run, see the gift as normal. Or maybe even as an aggression?
What is the reason behind giving? Is it important to know? One intention is either love or the inner need to solve the problem of the other. This is unconditional love.
Another intention tries to mirror the other. Helping others can be a powerful tool to help oneself. Perhaps we feel guilty because we could not help a person close to us in the past?
We love to experience gratitude. To see how someone is happy because we helped this person. This is indescribably beautiful. It doesn’t even have to be a spoken “thank you”. A smile can reward us a thousand times over.
These are different states of mind to reach the state of philanthropy. It doesn’t matter why or how. The essential thing is to help others. To help individuals, a community, to help animals and to support ecosystems to develop!
Virginie Guignard Legros
Global Goodwill Ambassador Switzerland
Virginie Guignard Legros is a pioneer, innovative concept designer and solution designer. She is an architect, communications director of the FFV – www.festivaldufilmvert.ch – and head of the LAB MOOC GDP, which trains project management and its direct application in the project incubator. She founded the Cocööön Organization to help the emergence of new ways to create the societies and organizations of tomorrow in benevolence and co-creation with all innovative technologies – https://cocooon.co/
Credibility is your number 1 asset in business and life – by Jon Klein
Credibility and Trust are earned through your actions but can easily be lost through your reactions – Jon Klein
In her videos she talks about Cross Cultural Diversity and Inclusion – how important it is to say “Thank you” with gratitude, about “Responding and Replying – The intentional tact of our efforts” … see some videos and more on her Channel:
Road accidents eat up development aid – Roland Wiederkehr
500 children die every day on their way to school. 1.3 million people die each year as a result of road traffic collisions. Between 15 and 20 more million people suffer road traffic injuries.
The WHO (World Health Organization) has declared this number of fatalities an epidemic. It estimates that if we do not stop this epidemic, it will result in 2 million deaths and 30 million injured between 2020 and 2030.
In addition, victims are hardly ever insured. Aside from the immeasurable suffering, follow-up costs of traffic accidents add up to 1 to 3 % of the gross domestic product of these countries. That’s twice the total of development aid that these countries receive!
Most leaders and citizens around the world are unaware of it: a Tsunami (3500 death toll) or the 9/11 attacks (3000 death toll) are extensively covered by the media and remain in people’s minds for months. On the other hand, the scale of these world deaths due to traffic accidents is hardly covered by the media and therefore not present in our minds.
CareCross.org and many other organizations want to change this now. I helped to make road safety to a development aim in the agenda 2030 of UNO. Now I help to reach this aim: www.carecross.org. Please support.
Roland Wiederkehr – Global Goodwill Ambassador Switzerland – 20 years Director of WWF, Co-Founder VCS, Road Cross, Green Cross, exCHANGE FOR PEACE, CareCross
Shaurya School – by Maj Rakesh Sharma – Global Goodwill Ambassador
Shaurya School – Built on Foundations of Courage and Honesty – by Maj Rakesh Sharma
The world has more than its fair share of grief and agony. Small efforts by us can change a lot.
If a lot of small people in a lot of small places do a lot of small things, they can change the face of the world — Old African saying.
First thing that came to my mind when I started thinking about building Shaurya School was that today’s children, who will take over from us tomorrow, need to be educated, even the ones whose family could not afford good education. That thought made me realize that I have to do something to educate underprivileged children.
This thought drove me to keep trying till I found a small plot of land in Najafgarh, which is a New Delhi suburb, Indian Capital.
Once I knew I could use that plot, it was a big encouragement for me and I put in my efforts and almost all of my life’s savings to acquire that piece of land and an 8-room structure that was furnished with everything a school needs. This small building is where Shaurya School is located at present.
Acquiring the building was relatively easier than convincing the local underprivileged families to send their kids for studying. In its first year, I had just 10 students studying in Shaurya and had to literally knock on doors and convince people to raise the strength to the present number of 55 students.
During this time, I had to frequently borrow money from friends and relatives also.
There were many times when the school was on the verge of closure but those children’s expectations kept me going. Today Shaurya has 55 smiling faces studying in it and they are taught by a staff of five, four teachers and one caretaker.
This year, we celebrated India’s 69th Republic Day (Jan. 26) on the school’s grounds and the encouragement I received from people, both who visited and who learnt about it later in platforms, such as, LinkedIn was overwhelming.
Along with the students’ smiles and expectations, it is encouragement like this which keeps me going.
On behalf of the students at Shaurya, I request your good wishes and support-in form of donations of money, books, furniture, uniforms, etc-so that more and more underprivileged children can finally look forward to a living a dignified life not overshadowed by poverty and want.
A Photo Of the Republic Day Celebration at Shaurya School:
Finding Humanity – Dipti Dhakul – Global Goodwill Ambassador
It is easy, locating humaneness!
Experimenting for wide visibility,
Collecting goodwill for gratefulness,
So we took a tender move to grip those hands,
Nerves those turn pink,
The one in millions that catch our sight,
By the deeds you pour in so many hearts.
Thumbs up, live lives in affirmation,
So many Goodwill Ambassadors wiping sweat,
From brows of fearful, restless, nervous lucky charms,
Lost in blanket of dark souls.
Tears roll down, goose bumps aroused,
Everyday I hear these Goodwill Deeds,
A new chance to start, A new day to recognize,
Happiness to galore & bright expectations lie on my shoulder.
My heart rejoiced when I saw goodwill germinate.
I recommend humanity nomination.
Let the world know humaneness is growing.
Dipti Dhakul – India – Global Goodwill Ambassador
How I Find Humanitarians for GGA – by Razi Hasmi Syed
The answer is simple. I find humanitarians from searches within my contacts and google searches.
I search forHuman Right Activists for civil liberties, woman empowerment, against child abuse, sexual harassment, and discrimination based on color, cast, and religion.
These searches are in our regions and different continents. You can also classify these into developing, devolved countries. In developing countries and non-devolved, it is easy to find humanitarians since a lot of irregularities, illegal wrongdoings and civil right violations are common.
Nominations require some research work on profiles of prospective people and thorough review of their profile. In my opinion, it is not enough to look to their humanitarian work history, but one should look their career development and its relationship with humanity.
In other words humanitarians touch in their personality. This is an important task as the new Global Goodwill Ambassador will carry forward our work or in better word the work of founding fathers, Richard DiPilla and few others who had done great work with him.
We simply want people who are not just interested in writing with their name GGA. One important thing for nominators is to properly evaluate the profile using their judgement, and prescribed rules should be considered as guidelines.
We are producing future leaders who can work within the framework and as per vision of Founder.
One has to assess whether someone is not a member of any extremist group, political group or racial organizations.
We are now entering a stage where we need a dedicated team of Global Goodwill Ambassadors.
Razi Hashmi Syed – USA – Global Goodwill Ambassador
Insure yourself (and others) with Goodwill – by Adam Kennedy
A few weeks out from Christmas I ran into a guy at the local cafe near my gym. I see him down there from time to time.
He looked like something was troubling him, he was usually quite lively and outgoing. I asked him and he said – hey you’re in finance, aren’t you? I said yes, and he said do you know how I can get a short-term loan? I said for how much and he said, about $3,000.
I was curious and didn’t want to be nosy but had to ask! I asked why he needed the money and he said his son was sick (again) and needed a routine operation to fix a problem that had come back. He said due to the time of year cash flow and savings were tight and they’d been putting it off but his son was in pain now so they had booked in at the hospital for late January and the invoice would soon be due for payment.
I felt for him as I have kids too but I didn’t have a lazy $3,000 sitting around to give away or loan to a guy I hardly knew.
I recalled that I had just watched the movie Jerry Maguire the previous night and I found myself saying to him – “help me, help you!” He said what do you mean by that? I explained I didn’t want him taking a short-term high-interest rate loan out as it would cause undue stress long after his son was better, he understood but then said so what can I do?
I asked him if I could do a quick review of his existing finances, etc – free of charge and with no obligation. He said OK, why not. So we grabbed a coffee and went from there. To make a long story short I was able to save him around $1,400 in fees and another $1,700 on insurance premiums. He said that’s great and thanked me for the advice which we implemented in accordance with the laws I operate under as an adviser. I made $3,700 commission (paid to me by the new insurer) for 4 days work that I had not seen coming right before Christmas!
The next day I said to him, look I’ve just made some money I wasn’t expecting to make and I’d like to gift you $3,000 so you can get your son that operation without going into debt. He said oh my God, man I will not forget this and will pay you back for sure. I said, buddy it’s a gift – you and your son need it more than I do. He was a bit flabbergasted and had a tear in one eye.
I simply said: “Remember my friend, some things are far more important than money, like being blessed that you can help somebody like another human being get well.” This is a true story.
Being a Global Goodwill Ambassador isn’t something that you are given – it’s a calling, we just recognize others who may not normally be recognized for goodwill.
Adam Kennedy
Chairman
Board of directors (Australia)
Global Goodwill Ambassadors
Luiza Palma – Portugal – Gender Parity – Global Goodwill Ambassador
trust this finds you in the pink of your health & the most happening moments of your life!
Please find below a few pics of myself with my Engineering Classmates settled in various parts of the globe, got together in Dubai, after 35 years of graduation in Chennai! This kind of reunions helps us not only to renew our relationships but also to get to know their family members & the bonding becomes much stronger!
Further, as a team, we are able to be collectively resourceful to address the genuine needs of the less privileged of the society. Which will pave way for peace!
Kind Regards,
LINGESWARAN SRINIVASAN
Think never to do good is for nothing. One day you will be rewarded!
I am so grateful for this award and very proud. Many thanks to the International Peace Council USA for this honour!
The footsteps of Nelson Mandela are very big. We need role models that young people can follow. And who knows – maybe one or the other will become another Nelson Mandela …
Imagine by Hans-Jürgen John
Are you like me? Every day I take about one hour of my time and like and congratulate new Global Goodwill Ambassadors on Richard DiPilla’s timeline on LinkedIn.
And every time I feel fresh and good afterward. Where does that come from? Because I can welcome people who do great things in the humanitarian world? Because they show their gratitude in the comments?
I don’t know. It’s like riding on a wave of good vibrations. After that, my day is wonderful. I’m feeling good. It’s like I saved the world myself.
A vision
Look around you. Everything that exists in this world, created by people, is first a vision, a dream. What are your dreams? Have some of them come true?
So many dreams have come true. First the dream of fast car travel, then the dream of flying.
Many diseases that threatened the entire human race could be contained. Have you ever been sick? And would you have died if modern medicine hadn’t existed?
People never wanted to go hungry again like their ancestors – it came true. Do you have enough to eat?
People dreamed of a warm home – it became reality. Do you heat with wood, coal, oil or solar energy?
They dreamed of peace for their families – it became reality.
They dreamed of less work and more free time – it was fulfilled.
Why become visions true?
Why? Do miracles really exist? Or do we not see developments as miracles because they are slowly occurring?
Some will say: We have created this through hard work and diligence. Others say: Our faith, our religion, our God is the cause.
Maybe everyone’s right. And all of this adds up to what’s good?
The fact is, it works. We imagine something and it becomes reality after a while. Let us use this wonderful opportunity to improve life for all of us on this earth.
Compare our and their reality
It is true – many diseases could be cured – but not for all people.
Our warm food on the table – we go to the supermarket and can choose from thousands of products at an affordable price – but not all in the world can.
A warm home for our loved ones, yes, but not for all people.
Peace – yes, it does exist – but not everywhere in the world.
Now we could sit back in the TV chair and say:” I can’t save the whole world. I donate to some charities, and that’s all I need.”
Some try to. And yet they know – consciously or unconsciously – our prosperity, the future of our children is in danger.
Conflicts and love
War is not just a word. In 20 minutes, nuclear missiles could reach any place on Earth. So let us resolve conflicts today.
How do conflicts arise? People want to achieve advantages for themselves and their society – or simply survive with their families and have a future.
How do you avoid conflicts? People are taken seriously and you help them to develop a future perspective. Imagine you love the whole world. It is the first step.
This world doesn’t end in 20 minutes and not tomorrow and not in a year and not in 100 years. Spreading fear does not help people.
Some media spread bad news. This world is good!
Look around you. Children? Family? If you want to secure the future of your children in prosperity, you must help those who have nothing. They will stay in their homeland if food, water and education make survival possible.
Global Goodwill Ambassadors show that the goodwill in the world exists – people who help others generate gratitude – the currency that further motivates those who help.
Imagine you love all the people in this world. It is the first step. If you feel this, all the other steps will follow automatically. Then imagine you love the whole world. This world that feeds you and carries you through space. And this world will continue to endure and protect us.
Why would you do that? Love is the strongest of all feelings. You’re feeling good. You start a family with your partner. If you love your work, you feel wonderful.
Only people who have never experienced love try to get attention with bad actions. This explains why there are criminals and Nobel laureates, rapists and saints, war criminals and those who long for peace.
Please give people of this world love and trust, food and a home, education for their children and an opportunity.
Giving a voice to people doing great works – Anita Eyong
A SPECIAL FRIENDSHIP by Rosanna Bonci
Lessons were over and kids were running toward the school’s exit. A tall, big girl stood by the gate and as soon as Carol approached she stopped her and said:
-Give me your doll, right away!
Carol knew that girl. Her name was Marta. She was aggressive and naughty. It was the first time Marta ever spoke to her. Carol noticed Marta’s jeans were too tight for Marta’s belly. She pressed her dear toy against her T-shirt, against the chest and said nothing, just hoping her mom would arrive soon. Marta went on saying:
-Did you hear me? Give me that doll or I’ll smack your face!
Carol got quite fearful. She gave her the beautiful princess barbie. Marta pulled the doll by her feet and some of the blond hair remained between Carol’s fingers. She closed her hand and felt mad. All she desired was being alone and cry, but her mom had arrived.
Before leaving Marta told her:
-You are just a little wimp!
Then she walked through the gate. Carol followed her slowly and got to the back seat of her mom’s car. She didn’ t want to tell her mother she acted like a coward but she believed it.
Some days after the incident all seemed forgotten. Carol was playing in the park and suddenly Marta appeared.
She sat there on a bench, alone, Carol’s doll in her hands.
Carol felt nervous at first; she watched Marta for a long while, till she looked down on the floor. A warm feeling arose in Carol’s heart, she wasn’t afraid anymore. She realized Marta was a lonely girl, nobody wanted to be friend with her because she was overweight. She felt sorry for her.
She decided to talk to her mom about it. That afternoon would have been the perfect time, when they would have gone together buy toys to give to a center for less fortunate kids.
As they got in the car, Carol told her mom about what had happened at school. That she gave Marta the doll and how she had felt about it. Her mother asked her:
-So, how do you feel now?
–You know mom, Marta is a very lonely girl and I want to do something for her.
-That’s very nice Carol! What made you forgive her, dear? – asked her mom.
-When I saw her in the park today, I felt so sad for her – Carol said.
They stopped at the toy shop where Gena bought colorful race cars, little dolls, blocks, a balloon and a basketball set for the center. As Gena was paying, her daughter came with a princess doll, pretending to buy it with her own savings.
As Gena and Carol arrived to the Children’s Center, they parked and delivered the toys to the reception. Hanna welcomed them with a smile, grateful for the gifts. How nice was to receive these toys for the less fortunate kids! Carol thought.
Next morning Carol took the doll she had bought, wrapped up as a gift, and brought it with her at school. As she saw Marta she joined her, standing by her she said:
-I want you to know we can be friends if you’d like to and this is my gift of friendship. Would you like to come over my house sometime? – She added.
Marta stood surprised and speechless, so Carol said:
-Would you like to take my gift for you?
Marta had a rush on her face, she had so much emotion she almost cried, but Carol was smiling and suddenly they both laughed. Marta opened the gift, inside there was a doll same as the one she had taken from her new friend. Carol than said:
-Now you have one just for you, the one you liked so much…
–Carol it ‘s wonderful, you pardoned me? I’m going to give you back your doll so we both have the same – said Marta.
-Yes, I have forgiven you, Marta, I wish us to be friends, I told you – Carol said.
That weekend Gena welcomed Marta home and she made a chocolate cake for the girls. They became best friends and spent many more weekends together.
Marta became a happy girl, finally, since she had a girlfriend and more to come. She learned from Carol that goodwill makes up good friends which are surely worth much more than just a toy and their friendship lasted for ever!
@Rosanna Bonci our Italy Chair
Dear Richard,
To be one of the GLOBAL GOODWILL AMBASSADORS has made me part of the best network – of liked minded people on LinkedIn – in my experience and in the internet too. I’ ve got connected to people with whom I share a very important part of my life: how we care about others.
My nomination has been few days before Christmas, as a gift. It arrived in the very special atmosphere of loving and caring that this time of the year brings. In this beautiful and awesome world – spinning in a galaxy in the universe – it is so magical to be united among heart felted people – a really great and special experience.
That is why I wish to say Thank You for having had this vision and mission to start GGAs. Since Christmas my solitary work of acting for a better world has transformed in a chorus of voices from people all around the world. It’s beautiful. It’s a dream becoming true. And I ‘m more than happy to be at your service.
Thank you Ambassadors! Thank you Richard!
Rosanna
The Sarcars and their non profit organization Surtarang – India – Global Goodwill Ambassadors
Interview in Long Term Economy with Richard DiPilla – Founder Global Goodwill Ambassadors
It supports the diffusion of the concept of ‘Long Term Economy’ – building up an economic system that serves the purpose of enhancing economic value and human well being in the long term.
Mary D. Moore – Philippines – making the world a better place
Life is good! – A test – by Hans-Jürgen John
Look around! Where are you? What do you see? Take a few seconds and write it down please.
Who are you? How are you? Please take a few seconds and write it down.
That’s a simple test. You can be honest. No one but you will know the result.
In search of purpose in life and basis of existence
In 2009 I came to Switzerland. My last job in Germany earned me 6 Euro 43 Cent per hour. Lots of money for the hungry – little if you have to pay rent, insurance, taxes and many jobs require a car – mobility.
So I went to the Promised Land – Switzerland – situated in the middle of Europe – peacefully – and blessed with a high standard of living.
You are the starting point of your new life
So, did you write something down about yourself? Are you brave enough to learn something about yourself? Don’t be afraid. You’ll be surprised.
There are books, entire libraries. Only written about the meaning of life. And how to behave in order to become happy and successful.
The good news is, everything you want and you can do is in you. The challenge is: You have to decide. Ongoing.
First: Do you want to be a good person? Do you feel it? Everything that follows is dominated by it. No matter what happened before. Then it doesn’t matter if you murdered and tortured people or not. Whether you’re a Nobel Peace Prize laureate or not. Whether you’re illiterate or beggar. That’s the miracle. You are the starting point of your new life.
Look around you. Richard DiPilla founded the Global Goodwill Ambassadors initiative. Why – he explained that.
It is much more. I see people all over the world who realize that goodwill is everywhere. People honored as Global Goodwill Ambassadors are role models. Often they work almost unnoticed. And do their job. Global Goodwill Ambassadors give a face to their humanitarian work worldwide. And now GGAs present their work.
Do you remember our test?
You wrote down where you are and what you see. And who you are and how you feel.
What’s all this about? You’re gonna wonder. Remember the headline? Life is simple!
Here is the result of the test. Look at what you wrote down.
Where are you?
The sum of your choices has brought you here. Or someone else’s decision? Always make sure that you determine your destiny. Or are you comfortable following other people’s decisions? The only important thing is that you feel comfortable. Be it in the slum areas in Calcutta or the street gorges of New York.
What do you see?
If you have written:”Heaven” – you may no longer be on earth or be a great visionary like Richard DiPilla. If you have written: “the rain – the sky cries” – work on your positive attitude. What you see you have imagined at some point and what you imagine you get – fate is more reliable than Amazon.
Maybe your attitude changes: “the rain – it brings water to so many living beings and makes the plants grow”.
Who are you?
Did you write – loser? Successful businessman? Mother or father? Victim? Or just your name? The only thing that matters is you deal with it.
It doesn’t matter what others think or say about you. You’re the one you want to be. Bad childhood? Poverty? Disability? Divorce? Troubles? No more excuses! Change what you do not like.
How are you feeling?
Here’s what you wrote down what all is really about. Some say feelings are superfluous. To show them even more.
Why?
Because they know what power have feelings. No government in the world can stop the people who wants peace and freedom. No one can permanently separate a loving mother from her child. Hunger makes us walk hundreds of miles. Look around you: Look at what men created because they want to please women. Simply incredible what creates love.
Feelings are at the beginning of every big thing. Use this knowledge. Either to change your present condition or to strengthen it.
If you like and love people, you will become a great humanitarian. Not because you choose to be one. If you do everything important in your life out of a feeling you will be successful in it.
Whether it is a religion that acts with love or people’s longing for a life after death. Feelings govern us. The same applies to faith in us or in something.
To all the traders out there – please don’t buy and sell shares and warrants as of today by feeling – we don’t need another financial crisis.
The readers who didn’t write anything down
And now what? Let’s get to the readers who didn’t write anything down. They didn’t have a pencil with them. Or no paper at hand. And no smartphone. Or worse?
What does it take to follow instructions? If only such a simple request? Not knowing where it is headed?
Trust.
Are you a person who trusts others? Even if they just show you the way to the next street corner in your life?
Then the world is at your feet. People who trust others start companies. Hire employees. Getting married. Have lots of friends. Help others. Trust in gratitude. Found Global Goodwill Ambassadors.
Trust paves the way without concrete or tar.
Some people have never experienced trust in their lives.
They’re working. For money. They are getting married. For sex. They act. For base motives. If you meet such a person, you may have to trust her or him 12 times and succeed in doing so.
Some must learn to deal with trust. They do not know it. A lot of work. It’s still worth it. Think how many people they infect with their trust and goodwill?
And how did I find out? By reading books?
No.
When I came to Switzerland in 2009, I was lucky. Lucky to meet a person who never criticized me. My employer. The one who trusted me. A gift. My self-confidence grew every year. In 2012 I founded Johntext – a worldwide literature platform. Not knowing how to build websites. Some people laughed at me.
Do you remember? If you have a dream, follow your inspiration. And not the criticism of others. It’s your dream. And maybe you have the vision to bring out the good in the world – like Richard DiPilla.
And what was the name of the man who trusted me first? Jörg Mathys (1950 – 2017).
What else can be said about him? Very much. I could write a book. Summarized: He had a good heart for others. He had been suffering from heart failure for a long time.
What’s positive about it? I have to wait for someone who trusts me? To gain confidence in my abilities?
No.
Do you trust me? Even if I only show you the way to the next street corner of your life?
Try! Start loving people. Look around and create a strong feeling of love in you. At first, it’s just words. Then these words ignite wonderful feelings.
Go for a walk. Half an hour every day. Imagine you love everything that this world encompasses. Every plant, every tree, every animal with all its peculiarities.
You hate spiders? Start liking them. Love the tiger for its power. Love without prejudice. Love all the people around you. Accept all men as they are. With all their peculiarities.
Whether they are big and small, bearded or odd, tattooed or sick and desperate. What’s going to happen? I won’t tell you everything.
By the way: Many people love animals. Why? They show their gratitude to us: Cats, dogs, horses …
That’s me with a couple of one-year-old foals. They feel that I like them. Show gratitude and people will love you. Always. Remember the headline? Life is good! And life is simple!
It started with Jörg Mathys. Since then I have trusted many people. And they trust me and my abilities. Richard DiPilla never met me. He trusted me to be Global Goodwill Ambassador, Brand Ambassador and Director Digital Communications in the Global Executive Board. And now I compile the first Global Goodwill Ambassadors newsletter.
Thank you so much Richard DiPilla. You are a role model in this world. Great people bring great initiatives on the way. Great people like you trust others and and will therefore strengthen the positive in this world!!!
Hans-Jürgen John is our Director of Digital Communications and the Publisher of our GGA Newsletter.
Newest GGA members and appointments over the last 20 days:
Welcome and congratulate them in the timeline of Richard DiPilla – or if you meet them on LinkedIn … They are role models and proof that goodness lives in every human being.
Imitation explicitly recommended and allowed!
Name
Country/Location
Title
Gemma Smith
United Kingdom
Chair, Board of Directors, United Kingdom
Markus Krebsz
England
Nominations & Engagement, England
Laura Goldie
Scotland
Director, Nominations & Engagement, Scotland
Pascal Derrien
Republic of Ireland
Director, Nominations & Engagement, Republic of Ireland
