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Crurated Becomes the First Blockchain and Member-Based Wine Community to Offer Fractional Barrel Sales Backed by NFT Technology

New features give Crurated Members the ability to buy fractions of wine in barrels and customize exclusive bottle formats and labeling

Participating world–renowned producers include Domaine Fourrier, Charles Lachaux, Domaine Robert Groffier, Domaine Vincent Dancer, Domaine De Montille, and Domaine Pierre Girardin

LONDON, Sept. 26, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Wine futures, sometimes called En Primeur, is a way to buy the most highly–sought after wines before they are bottled and released on the market. Crurated, a blockchain and member–based wine community, is taking this concept to the next level with new technology that offers provenance as well as customization to the mix. Alfonso de Gaetano, the company's Founder has announced that Crurated Members can now purchase fractions of barrels which are certified through blockchain and NFT technology. This new offering also gives members the ability to customize bottle formats and labels based on their unique needs.

Crurated is introducing fractional barrel sales with world–renowned producers that include Domaine Fourrier, Charles Lachaux, Domaine Robert Groffier, Domaine Vincent Dancer, Domaine De Montille and Domaine Pierre Girardin.

Crurated is also offering curated experiences for the top 10 fractional barrel purchases, in terms of monetary value. Experiences include a visit with the wine producer, tour of the winemaking facility, a winemaking dinner and other curated events based on location.

"Many of our esteemed clients often ask for larger format bottles. Determining how many to produce beyond the traditional Magnum can be challenging," said Nicolas Groffier of Domaine Robert Groffier. "Fractional barrel sales and the ability for buyers to customize bottle size allows us to determine the exact number and sizes of bottles we will need. And now the only way to have larger size formats from Domaine Robert Groffier is through Crurated."

"This new concept completely changes the way rare, pre–bottled wines are sold to consumers," said Alfonso. "Fractional ownership has been around for decades and is just now being applied to digital art in the NFT space. While a fraction of a Bored Ape may be a unique application of the technology, it is shared and not something you can enjoy on its own. Our concept revolutionizes fractional ownership backed by NFTs by offering the value of provenance to further authenticate the wine. Members can also customize their bottle formats and labels and then appreciate their fraction of rarity in the real world."

The current schedule for the fractional sales of French barrels includes:

  • Sept. 26 "" October 2: Domaine Fourrier "" 2 Barrel
  • Oct. 3 "" October 9: Charles Lachaux "" 6 Barrels
  • Oct. 10 "" October 16: Domaine Vincent Dancer "" 1 Barrel
  • Oct. 17 "" October 23: Domaine De Montille "" 2 Barrels
  • Oct. 24 "" October 30: Domaine Robert Groffier "" 5 Barrels
  • Oct. 31 "" Nov. 6: Domaine Pierre Girardin "" 5 Barrels

About Crurated
Launched in 2021 with an emphasis on France and Italy, Crurated is a membership–based wine community designed to connect connoisseurs directly with world–class producers. A team of specialists provides personalized services and authentic experiences, while Crurated's seamless logistics service guarantees quality and provenance thanks to secure wine cellar storage and innovative blockchain technology. For more on Crurated, visit crurated.com.

PR Contact
Michael Volpatt
Michael@larkinvolpatt.com
415.994.8864

A video accompanying this announcement is available at
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/76fdc665–93d6–49be–bbe8–7521cc9f8a50

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b8d22d10–fc31–4bb6–99bc–abffd615962f

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d092b0af–8ddd–4073–aaef–86b1469eee9e

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/8087242c–c414–4aea–b740–99a0269b6104


Of the Mexican Joke and the Nuclear Top Guns

Nuclear Test. Credit: United Nations

By Baher Kamal
MADRID, Sep 26 2022 – A Mexican joke goes: “I kill people for money. But you are my best friend, so I will kill you for nothing.”

This seems to be the dominating thinking of the five permanent members of the so-called Security Council, who, according to their own definition, hold the “primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security.”

“The Security Council takes the lead in determining the existence of a threat to the peace or act of aggression,” they say, while calling upon parties to a dispute to settle it “by peaceful means.”

Nevertheless, they self-attribute the strange right of launching wars.

“In some cases, the Security Council can resort to imposing sanctions or even authorise the use of force to maintain or restore international peace and security.”

In 2020, the report estimates that nine countries spent $72.6 billion on nuclear weapons, $27.7 billion of which went to a dozen defence contractors to build nuclear weapons. Those contractors then spent $117 million lobbying policy makers

These five Security Council power monopolists –United States, the United Kingdom, France, Russia and China– are the world’s major possessors of all kinds of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD), be them nuclear, biological, or chemical, among others, some of them would be still unknown.

Their power seems unlimited. In fact, no matter if the other 190 plus countries adopt democratic decisions within the UN General Assembly — any one of the world’s five biggest WMD holders can override them through their self-proclaimed “veto” right.

 

 

The war cheerleaders

Now that the Western politicians and mainstream media are tirelessly spreading panic about the –real or not– threat that a nuclear war is already looming, the UN General Assembly continues to mark on 26 September each year the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons.

That said, is there any real chance to achieve such an ambitious goal?

 

The facts

The following are just some of the key findings:

  • Today around 12,705 nuclear weapons remain. Countries possessing such weapons have well-funded, long-term plans to modernise their nuclear arsenals.

  • More than half of the world’s population still lives in countries that either have such weapons or are members of nuclear alliances.

  • While the number of deployed nuclear weapons has declined since the height of the Cold War, not one nuclear weapon has been physically destroyed pursuant to a treaty. In addition, no nuclear disarmament negotiations are currently underway.

 

The MAD doctrine

Meanwhile, the doctrine of nuclear deterrence –known as the Mutual Assured Destruction (MAD) principle, still persists as an element in the security policies of all possessor states and many of their allies.

This MAD means that a full-scale use of nuclear weapons by an attacker on a nuclear-armed defender, with second-strike capabilities, would cause the complete annihilation of both the attacker and the defender.

Despite not being permanent members of the so-called Security Council, there are four more nuclear armed States: India, Pakistan, Israel and North Korea.

The nine of them continue to modernise their nuclear arsenals and although the total number of nuclear weapons declined slightly between January 2021 and January 2022, the number will probably increase in the next decade.

Such a Mutual Assured Destruction simply means that any of the big nuclear powers –or all of them– would be able to kill the whole world, not only their arbitrarily-declared “enemies” but also their best “allies” (read friends).

 

The false promise

The above data comes from the prestigious global peace research body, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) which on 13 June 2022 launched the findings of its Yearbook 2022.

According to SIPRI, Russia and the USA together possess over 90% of all nuclear weapons. Of the total inventory of an estimated 12.705 warheads at the start of 2022, about 9.440 were in military stockpiles for potential use.

 

Nukes on “high operational alert”

Of those, an estimated 3.732 warheads were deployed with missiles and aircraft, and around 2.000—nearly all of which belonged to Russia or the USA—were kept in a state of “high operational alert,” according to SIPRI’s 2022 Yearbook Global nuclear arsenals are expected to grow as states continue to modernise.

“These [nuclear] weapons offer false promises of security and deterrence – while guaranteeing only destruction, death, and endless brinkmanship,” UN Secretary-General António Guterres said on 20 June 2022.

 

The big frustration

Frustration has been growing amongst UN Member States regarding what is perceived as the slow pace of nuclear disarmament, warns the UN on the occasion of this year’s International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons.

“This frustration has been put into sharper focus with growing concerns about the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of the use of even a single nuclear weapon, let alone a regional or global nuclear war.”

 

Who profits from mass destruction?

The 2017 Nobel Peace Laureate: International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), is a coalition of non-governmental organisations promoting adherence to and implementation of the United Nations nuclear weapon ban treaty.

Its report: “Complicit: 2020 Global Nuclear Weapons Spending” unveils one year of the cycle of spending on nuclear weapons from countries to defence contractors to lobbyists and think tanks and back again.

“In 2020, the report estimates that nine countries spent $72.6 billion on nuclear weapons, $27.7 billion of which went to a dozen defence contractors to build nuclear weapons.”

Those contractors then spent $117 million lobbying policy makers and up to $10 million funding think tanks writing about nuclear weapons to ensure they can continue to line their pockets with nuclear weapon contracts for years to come, ICAN reports.

The contractors are all profiled in detail in the Don’t Bank on the Bomb list of nuclear weapon producers.

The International Campaign defines nuclear weapons as “the most destructive, inhumane and indiscriminate weapons ever created. Both in the scale of the devastation they cause, and in their uniquely persistent, spreading, genetically damaging radioactive fallout, they are unlike any other weapons.”

 

Too many ‘nuclear endorsers’

ICAN also reports on 26 countries (plus the five hosts) who “endorse” the possession and use of nuclear weapons by allowing the potential use of nuclear weapons on their behalf as part of defence alliances, including the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) and the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO).

These “nuclear endorsers” are: Albania, Armenia, Australia, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czech, Denmark, Estonia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Montenegro, The Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Turkey.

By the way: in the aftermath of World War II, the United States warned China that they had enough nukes to destroy the whole world… up to four times. China responded that it had enough nuclear weapons to do so… only once.

Now that the number of nuclear weapons has since then notably increased and that they are technologically modernised, does anybody know how many times the war lords can now destroy the world?

 

Uplifting the youth of Saint Lucia

CASTRIES, Saint Lucia, Sept. 26, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Countries across the globe have recognised the importance of investing in their youth. Beyond providing basic amenities such as healthcare, education, employment and housing to their citizens, developing economies need to act purposefully to uplift their young populations. These efforts largely define how rapidly a nation will advance.

From this perspective, the government of Saint Lucia is proactively investing in its citizens "" with its youth at the top of its list of priorities. The country is advancing at a significant pace, particularly in terms of infrastructure development and its economic undertakings. This growth and development are directly linked to its Citizenship by Investment Programme (CIP), launched in 2016.

The major inflow of funds generated by the Citizenship by Investment Programme has propelled Saint Lucia's economy, promising a brighter future ahead for its young population.

Rates of employment on the island have improved significantly over the last few years. This is directly linked to the development of various multi–million dollar projects. These projects have been stimulated by foreign investment generated by the country's CIP.

The advancement of infrastructure is opening a wide range of opportunities not only for investors but also for the country's youth across a diverse range of industries which include hospitality, service, architecture, banking, and broadcasting. Saint Lucia is growing, and so too are its people.

Recently, the Global Hyatt group signed plans to construct the 345–room Grand Hyatt luxury hotel in Saint Lucia. The project will provide employment for at least 2000 of the island's citizens through opportunities in construction, operations and management. While providing a major boost to the economy, it will also create significant opportunities for aspiring youth to grow professionally and achieve financial independence. This is just one of the many examples of how foreign investment is directly benefitting the country.

Mathurin is a media and communications professional in Saint Lucia who is reaching new heights in her career. She has expressed confidence about the role that the CIP plays.

“It makes me so happy every time when our talent and accomplishments are celebrated. For me as a young Saint Lucian, as a young creator, I am looking forward to projects like CIP helping us channel resources in the right direction,” said Mathurin.

Mathurin looks forward to the programme providing her with a wider platform to exhibit her talents and further hone her skills. With the development and growth of CIP in Saint Lucia, she is just one of the country's young professionals who will benefit from the increased investment.

Saint Lucia's Citizenship by Investment Programme allows foreign investors to become citizens of the country in exchange for investing in the country's economy. It is a much sought–after programme, ranking third in the CBI Index of 2022 and scoring 87% with 78 points.

The CBI Index is released annually by the Professional Wealth Management Magazine (PWM), published by the Financial Times. It provides a comprehensive evaluation of citizenship by investment programmes in thirteen jurisdictions.

The Index compares jurisdictions according to nine parameters, known as the "nine pillars of excellence." These include: the minimum investment outlay, the extent to which investors can obtain citizenship for family, the timeline for securing citizenship, the due diligence of the process, ease of processing, freedom of movement within and between countries, mandatory travel or residence conditions, and the certainty and robustness of the programme.

Saint Lucia has particularly excelled in the minimum investment outlay, freedom of movement and ease of processing pillars. This excellent score has drawn a diverse range of individuals with adequate resources to invest in the country. The programme has thus proved mutually beneficial "" helping both the country and investors.

The establishment of wider business networks is yet another aspect of the programme from which young Saint Lucians profit. CIP investors often bring significant entrepreneurial networks from their respective fields to the country. Working and collaborating with investors thus provides a great platform for existing businesses to grow, stimulating the development of new businesses and industries as well. While investors receive a stable and secure environment from which to operate their businesses, young professionals have the opportunity to learn from experts in their field and to grow to their maximum capacity.

Since the Covid–19 pandemic, the government's emphasis has also shifted towards developing and uplifting public health infrastructure and services. CIP funds are therefore also being directed to the health sector. Recently, the Ministry of Health, Wellness and Elderly Affairs donated a haematology analyser and immunoassay analyser to St. Jude Hospital in the coastal town of Vieux Fort. These additions to the healthcare infrastructure will strengthen the delivery of diagnostic testing in the country. In this instance, both young and elderly citizens will reap the benefits of CIP funds.

This is just one of the various impacts of resources generated by Saint Lucia's Citizenship by Investment Programme. However, it is not just the country's citizens but also investors who benefit from the programme. They gain a safe, secure and stable environment from which to grow their families and businesses.

SAINT LUCIA: CITIZENSHIP BY INVESTMENT PROGRAMME (CIP)

Saint Lucia is the latest Caribbean country to open its borders to Citizenship by Investment. Although the programme was launched just six years ago in 2016, it is already considered one of the top three countries for Citizenship by Investment, according to the CBI Index of 2022. The CIP of Saint Lucia provides numerous benefits such as:

1: Providing investors with global mobility

2: Delivering opportunities for diversifying investors' portfolios

3: Planning wealth and business expansion overseas

4: Gaining a citizenship that can be passed down to future generations.

Saint Lucia's Citizenship by Investment programme is also notable for the ease of its application process. This includes five steps:

Step 1: Completion of the application by applicants.

Step 2: Submission of the application via the CIP Portal.

Step 3: Document verification by the CIP Unit and the undergoing of due–diligence processes.

Step 4: The selection or rejection of the application by the board.

Step 5: The provision of certification, subject to selection.

Contact Information:
Nandi Canning
nandi.canning@csglobalpartners.com
+27 82 821 5664


“Global Peace Education Day” can Play a Pivotal Role in Transforming Education

Before speaking at the UN Transforming Global Education Summit, Secretary-General António Guterres addressed the SDG Moment in the General Assembly Hall on September 19. “I regard myself as a lifelong student…Without education, where would I be? Where would any of us be?” he asked those gathered in the iconic General Assembly Hall. Credit: UN Photo/Cia Pak

By Anwarul K. Chowdhury
NEW YORK, Sep 26 2022 – Just a week ago, the international community commemorated the adoption of the United Nations Declaration and Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace, a monumental document that transcends boundaries, cultures, societies, and nations.

That inspirational action took place on 13 September 1999, yes 23 years ago. It was an honor for me to Chair the nine-month long negotiations that led to the adoption of this historic norm-setting document through consensus by the United Nations General Assembly. That document asserts that inherent in the culture of peace is a set of values, modes of behaviour and ways of life.

The quest for peace is the longest ongoing human endeavor going on, but it runs alongside many of the things that we do on a daily basis. Peace is integral to human existence — in everything we do, in everything we say and in every thought we have, there is a place for peace. We should not isolate peace as something separate or distant.

My work has taken me to the farthest corners of the world. I have seen time and again the centrality of the culture of peace and women’s equality in our lives. This realization has now become more pertinent amid the ever-increasing militarism, militarization and weaponization that is destroying both our planet and our people.

Ambassador Anwarul K. Chowdhury

In my introduction to the 2008 publication “Peace Education: A Pathway to the Culture of Peace”, I wrote that as Maria Montessori had articulated so appropriately, those who want a violent way of living, prepare young people for that; but those, who want peace have neglected their young children and adolescents and that way are unable to organize them for peace.

However, the last decades of violence and human insecurity had led to a growing realization in the world of education today that children should be educated in the ways of peaceful living. The task of educating children and young people to find non-aggressive means to relate to one another is of primary importance.

As a result, more and more peace concepts, values, and social skills are being integrated into school curricula in many countries.

Peace education needs to be accepted in all parts of the world, in all societies and countries as an essential element in creating the culture of peace. To meet effectively the challenges posed by the present complexity of our time, the young of today deserves a radically different education – “one that does not glorify war but educates for peace, non-violence and international cooperation.”

They need the skills and knowledge to create and nurture peace for their individual selves as well as for the world they belong to. Learning about the culture of peace having the potential of personal transformation should be incorporated in all educational institutions as part of their curricula and that should become an essential part of our educational processes as reading and writing.

All educational institutions need to offer opportunities that prepare the students not only to live fulfilling lives but also to be responsible and productive citizens of the world.

Often, people wonder whether peace education should be introduced when the child is very young. I believe rather strongly that all ages are appropriate for such education – only the method of teaching has to be suited to the age.

For younger children, such teaching should include audio-visual materials and interactive exchanges. Teaching the value of tolerance, understanding and respect for diversity among the school children could be introduced through exposing them to various countries of the world, their geography, history, and culture.

To begin with, an informal class format could help. Such a format could even be included in any of the existing arrangements that involve social studies or general knowledge classes.

In addition to expanding the capacity of the students to understand the issues, peace education should aim particularly at empowering the students, suited to their individual levels, to become agents of peace and nonviolence in their own lives as well as in their interaction with others in every aspect of their lives.

Targeting the individual is meaningful because there cannot be true peace unless the individual mind is at peace. Connecting the role of individuals to broader global objectives, Dr. Martin Luther King Junior affirmed that “An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity.”

Peace education is more effective and meaningful when it is adapted according to the social and cultural context and the country’s needs and aspirations. It should be enriched by its cultural and spiritual values together with the universal human values.

It should also be globally relevant. Indeed, such educating for peace should be more appropriately called “education for global citizenship”.

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development of the United Nations in its sustainable development goal (SDG) number 4 and target 7 includes, among others, promotion of culture of peace and non-violence, women’s equality as well as global citizenship as part of the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development. It also calls on the international community to ensure that all learners acquire those by the year 2030.

Recognizing that education is a foundation for peace, tolerance, human rights and sustainable development, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had convened a Transforming Education Summit (TES) which concluded yesterday at the UN. Its three overarching principles are: Country-led, Inclusive, and Youth-inspired.

Let me conclude by emphasizing that the role of education should be to encourage the young people to be themselves, to build their own character, their own personality, which is embedded with understanding, tolerance, and respect for diversity and in solidarity with rest of humanity. That is the significance of the Culture of Peace. It is not something temporary or occasional like resolving a conflict in one area or between communities without transforming and empowering people to sustain peace.

Peace education needs to be transformative, forward-looking, adaptive, comprehensive, and, of course, empowering.

Let us resolve at this conference to campaign for the proclamation by the UN of a Global Peace Education Day to transform the role of education in embracing the culture of peace and global citizenship – as emphasized by the United Nations – for the good of humanity, for the sustainability of our planet and for making our world a better place to live.

Ambassador Anwarul K. Chowdhury is Founder of the Global Movement for The Culture of Peace (GMCoP), Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the UN (1996-2001) and Under-Secretary-General and High Representative of the United Nations (2002-2007)

This article is based on a presentation made by Ambassador Chowdhury as the Distinguished Featured Speaker at the Second Conference on Global Peace Education Day on 20 September 2022.

IPS UN Bureau

 


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Dominica paves clear path to climate resiliency amid climate-related disasters

ROSEAU, Dominica, Sept. 26, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The climate crisis is real. Several severe weather patterns are confirming this.

Take Pakistan, the scale of the recent deadly flooding in that country is staggering to say the least. Floods triggered by early monsoon rains began in June and remained intense throughout the season. A full one–third of Pakistan is underwater""an amount of land that exceeds the total area of the United Kingdom. More than 30 million people or 15 percent of the population have been affected – 1,200 people have lost their lives and half a million are homeless.

After Hurricane Maria left an estimated 90 percent of buildings damaged or destroyed in Dominica in 2019, the small Caribbean Island of just 70,000 has been on a clear path to become the first climate–resilient nation by 2030.

According to Germanwatch's 2021 Global Climate Risk Index "" an Index that analyses to what extent countries and regions have been affected by impacts of weather–related loss event "" Dominica ranked 11th out of 150 countries at risk based on an analysis of extreme weather events between 2000 and 2019. Two factors were cited for Dominica: the impact of global warming on rising sea levels that increase the risk of storm surges, and the increase in the strength of hurricanes. Dominica is at risk to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, floods and landslides, and hurricanes.

The Prime Minister of Dominica, Dr Roosevelt Skerrit, has been an advocate and voice for sustainability, urging nations across the globe to implement serious and tangible measures to deal with global warming as they impact smaller nations more acutely.

He recently conveyed his condolences over material and human losses caused by the floods in Pakistan and again called upon the international community to stand together to act against climate change in order to mitigate its often–deadly consequences. He said, “Together, we must ensure a better future for our coming generations.”

Taking to Twitter he stated, “The Commonwealth of Dominica stands in solidarity with Pakistan at this time of crisis. Climate change is destroying the world, and it is now our time to take responsible actions.”

Dominica is leading the fight against climate change, and the government continues to invest in new projects and programmes to achieve their goal of resiliency and having the strength to fight back when catastrophic events occur.

This year marks five years since Dominica witnessed the deadliest Hurricane Maria.

Dominica's objective to become resilient by 2030 needs around EC$4 billion to EC$5 billion in funding and around 40 percent of that funding could come from funds generated through the country's citizenship by investment programme.

In response to the destruction caused by Hurricane Maria, Dominica launched a climate resilience policy framework to help guide its recovery journey in the form of the National Resilience Development Strategy 2030 (NRDS). The NRDS speaks to the overall policy framework of the government and summaries 43 resilience goals desired to assure that development is people centred.

The Climate Resilience and Recovery Plan of Dominica aims to build strong communities, build a robust economy, have a well–planned and durable infrastructure; strengthen institutional systems and, protect and sustain natural and other unique assets.

It centres around three pillars: structural resilience, financial resilience, and post–disaster resilience.

Pillar 1: Structural resilience:

Under this pillar, the government of Dominica strives to build a resilient infrastructure capable of withstanding natural disasters, including category five hurricanes. It includes the construction of climate–resilient homes, healthcare centres, roads, bridges, airports and schools.

The revolutionary “Housing Initiative” will deliver climate–resilient homes to the public, who were displaced as a result of Tropical Storm Erika and Hurricane Maria in 2015 and 2017, respectively. The government is aiming to construct more than 5 000 climate–resilient homes and has already handed over keys to about 1 500 families who were displaced by Hurricane Maria.

The construction of 40 climate–resilient homes in the Salybia constituency commenced in February 2022.

In July of this year, Dominica also launched the “Future Housing Programme” which provides reasonably priced homes to youth aged 45 or younger.

The World Bank Emergency Agriculture Livelihoods and Climate Resilience Project is a five–year projects worth US$25 million and it aims to restore agricultural livelihoods and enhance the climate resilience of farmers and fishers affected by Hurricane Maria.

The project will ensure:

  • Farmers adopt new technologies and climate–smart practices for increasing modification and climate resilience in the crop, livestock, and fishing sectors;
  • Reconstruction and climate proofing of key agriculture infrastructure.

Several bridges have been built and damaged roads have been rehabilitated with the inclusion of slope retention walls and expanded sections to increase capacity and facilitate the movement of larger construction machinery.

Pillar 2: Financial Resilience:

The government of Dominica is implementing institutional fiscal reform to ensure stronger fiscal resilience which will aid in the strengthening of debt sustainability utilising several key institutional fiscal areas.

Pillar 3: Post Disaster and Social Resilience

This pillar helps encourage farmers to plant more root crops which are more resilient to heavy rain and wind, increases farmer training programmes and government assistance with the provision of seeds and fertilizers. The government's plan to strengthen food security, includes specific policies for the resiliency of the agriculture and fisheries industries.

During a time when larger and more developed countries have been holding talk–shops about finding accurate solutions to climate change, Dominica has emerged with concrete and efficient plans and strategies to mitigate the effects of these global issues.

Nandi Canning (PR Dominica) nandi.canning@csglobalpartners.com +27828215664


Dominica paves clear path to climate resiliency amid climate-related disasters

ROSEAU, Dominica, Sept. 26, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The climate crisis is real. Several severe weather patterns are confirming this.

Take Pakistan, the scale of the recent deadly flooding in that country is staggering to say the least. Floods triggered by early monsoon rains began in June and remained intense throughout the season. A full one–third of Pakistan is underwater""an amount of land that exceeds the total area of the United Kingdom. More than 30 million people or 15 percent of the population have been affected – 1,200 people have lost their lives and half a million are homeless.

After Hurricane Maria left an estimated 90 percent of buildings damaged or destroyed in Dominica in 2019, the small Caribbean Island of just 70,000 has been on a clear path to become the first climate–resilient nation by 2030.

According to Germanwatch's 2021 Global Climate Risk Index "" an Index that analyses to what extent countries and regions have been affected by impacts of weather–related loss event "" Dominica ranked 11th out of 150 countries at risk based on an analysis of extreme weather events between 2000 and 2019. Two factors were cited for Dominica: the impact of global warming on rising sea levels that increase the risk of storm surges, and the increase in the strength of hurricanes. Dominica is at risk to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, floods and landslides, and hurricanes.

The Prime Minister of Dominica, Dr Roosevelt Skerrit, has been an advocate and voice for sustainability, urging nations across the globe to implement serious and tangible measures to deal with global warming as they impact smaller nations more acutely.

He recently conveyed his condolences over material and human losses caused by the floods in Pakistan and again called upon the international community to stand together to act against climate change in order to mitigate its often–deadly consequences. He said, “Together, we must ensure a better future for our coming generations.”

Taking to Twitter he stated, “The Commonwealth of Dominica stands in solidarity with Pakistan at this time of crisis. Climate change is destroying the world, and it is now our time to take responsible actions.”

Dominica is leading the fight against climate change, and the government continues to invest in new projects and programmes to achieve their goal of resiliency and having the strength to fight back when catastrophic events occur.

This year marks five years since Dominica witnessed the deadliest Hurricane Maria.

Dominica's objective to become resilient by 2030 needs around EC$4 billion to EC$5 billion in funding and around 40 percent of that funding could come from funds generated through the country's citizenship by investment programme.

In response to the destruction caused by Hurricane Maria, Dominica launched a climate resilience policy framework to help guide its recovery journey in the form of the National Resilience Development Strategy 2030 (NRDS). The NRDS speaks to the overall policy framework of the government and summaries 43 resilience goals desired to assure that development is people centred.

The Climate Resilience and Recovery Plan of Dominica aims to build strong communities, build a robust economy, have a well–planned and durable infrastructure; strengthen institutional systems and, protect and sustain natural and other unique assets.

It centres around three pillars: structural resilience, financial resilience, and post–disaster resilience.

Pillar 1: Structural resilience:

Under this pillar, the government of Dominica strives to build a resilient infrastructure capable of withstanding natural disasters, including category five hurricanes. It includes the construction of climate–resilient homes, healthcare centres, roads, bridges, airports and schools.

The revolutionary “Housing Initiative” will deliver climate–resilient homes to the public, who were displaced as a result of Tropical Storm Erika and Hurricane Maria in 2015 and 2017, respectively. The government is aiming to construct more than 5 000 climate–resilient homes and has already handed over keys to about 1 500 families who were displaced by Hurricane Maria.

The construction of 40 climate–resilient homes in the Salybia constituency commenced in February 2022.

In July of this year, Dominica also launched the “Future Housing Programme” which provides reasonably priced homes to youth aged 45 or younger.

The World Bank Emergency Agriculture Livelihoods and Climate Resilience Project is a five–year projects worth US$25 million and it aims to restore agricultural livelihoods and enhance the climate resilience of farmers and fishers affected by Hurricane Maria.

The project will ensure:

  • Farmers adopt new technologies and climate–smart practices for increasing modification and climate resilience in the crop, livestock, and fishing sectors;
  • Reconstruction and climate proofing of key agriculture infrastructure.

Several bridges have been built and damaged roads have been rehabilitated with the inclusion of slope retention walls and expanded sections to increase capacity and facilitate the movement of larger construction machinery.

Pillar 2: Financial Resilience:

The government of Dominica is implementing institutional fiscal reform to ensure stronger fiscal resilience which will aid in the strengthening of debt sustainability utilising several key institutional fiscal areas.

Pillar 3: Post Disaster and Social Resilience

This pillar helps encourage farmers to plant more root crops which are more resilient to heavy rain and wind, increases farmer training programmes and government assistance with the provision of seeds and fertilizers. The government's plan to strengthen food security, includes specific policies for the resiliency of the agriculture and fisheries industries.

During a time when larger and more developed countries have been holding talk–shops about finding accurate solutions to climate change, Dominica has emerged with concrete and efficient plans and strategies to mitigate the effects of these global issues.

Nandi Canning (PR Dominica) nandi.canning@csglobalpartners.com +27828215664


The LEGO Foundation Announces US$25 Million in New, Additional Funding to Education Cannot Wait at Global Citizen Festival, Bringing Total Contributions to US$65 Million

‘Imagine there was a magic lever that could transform the lived experiences of the 222 million children and youth living in crisis contexts into the peacekeepers and builders of tomorrow. Well, there is: Education.’ – Anne-Birgitte Albrectsen, CEO, The LEGO Foundation.

By External Source
NEW YORK, Sep 26 2022 (IPS-Partners)

Taking the stage at this weekend’s Global Citizen Festival in New York’s Central Park, the LEGO Foundation CEO Anne-Birgitte Albrectsen announced a substantial new US$25 million contribution to Education Cannot Wait (ECW), the United Nations global fund for education in emergencies and protracted crises.

Joining her on stage, ECW Director Yasmine Sherif hailed the impact the new, additional contribution will have in realizing the dreams of an education for children impacted by wars and crises across the globe. The LEGO Foundation is the largest private-sector donor to ECW, with approximately US$65 million in total contributions to date.

“Imagine there was a magic lever that could transform the lived experiences of the 222 million children and youth living in crisis contexts into the peacekeepers and builders of tomorrow. Well, there is: Education. To help build this lever, the LEGO Foundation is thrilled to announce US$25 million in new funding to Education Cannot Wait,” said Albrectsen.

The LEGO Foundation shares the mission of the LEGO Group: to inspire and develop the builders of tomorrow. The Foundation is dedicated to building a future in which learning through play empowers children to become creative, engaged, lifelong learners. With contributions from The LEGO Foundation and other donors, ECW has reached 7 million crisis-impacted children and adolescents with holistic educational supports since its inception in 2016.

“ECW deeply appreciates this new, additional contribution from the LEGO Foundation, our largest private sector donor. The LEGO Foundation shines as an example of the private sector’s transformative force for humanity. Today, 222 million children worldwide have had their education disrupted by crises; funding like this is essential to get them back on track. We call on all public and private sector partners to help ECW achieve our financing challenge for an additional $1.5 billion to urgently deliver quality education for millions of crisis-affected children,” said Sherif.

Shocking new analysis from ECW indicates that as many as 222 million crisis-impacted girls and boys are in need of urgent education support – up from previous estimates of 75 million in 2016. More than 78 million of these children are out of school altogether, with approximately 120 million not attaining minimum proficiencies in math or reading.

Global Citizen is a long-standing partner of Education Cannot Wait. In advance of this year’s festival the organization called for Global Citizens everywhere to support ECW’s goals to mobilize US$1.5 billion over the next four years to reach 20 million crisis-impacted children and adolescents with the safety, hope and opportunity of a quality education through the #222MillionDreams campaign.

Performances at Global Citizen included Metallica, Charlie Puth, Jonas Brothers, Måneskin, Mariah Carey, Mickey Guyton and Rosalía. Throughout the day, world leaders, major corporations and philanthropic foundations announced new commitments to End Extreme Poverty Now, including notable contribution announcements to Education Cannot Wait.

People looking to make a difference can call for leaders to take action using the #222MillionDreams hashtag, by making individual donations to ECW, and by taking action with Global Citizen and The LEGO Foundation.