XUNICEF News and Views

Nowruz Message | پیام نوروز As Nowruz arrives and spring whispers across the land, our hearts turn to Iran. In the midst of hardship, the people of Iran stand with extraordinary courage for freedom and dignity.

Me:  Non violence succeeded led by Gandhi and Martin Luther King. Why is it not working for Palestinians?  ChatGPT said: There’s a hard truth here, and I’ll walk you through it with the same clarity I’d offer a friend seeking to understand a painful, complicated reality.

i thought it interesting to share my latest exchange on AI chat with you. Baquer MY QUESTION: How can humanity become assured that the resourefullness and knowledge of AI bed used for human prosperity without danger of taking over

 

This is our greatest challenge. Can we form a group to work on this agenda. Who would be best person to lead? Best Baquer Turning a child-centered humanitarian initiative into a global mass movement is an inspiring challenge, and it demands a mix of vision, strategy, and grassroots action. Here are some ideas to help achieve that transformation: 1. Create a Compelling Narrative Craft a powerful, emotionally engaging story around your initiative that highlights the urgency, impact, and the potential to create meaningful change. Use storytelling to humanize the challenges children face and show relatable success stories. 2. Leverage Technology and Media Launch a global campaign on social media platforms with a unique hashtag to create awareness and encourage participation.   Collaborate with influencers, celebrities, and public figures to amplify your message. Develop multimedia content like videos, podcasts, and interactive posts to engage a diverse audience. 3. Build Str...

Article shared by Baquer Namazi I wanted to share this article from CSMonitor.com. Please share widely: A retired bishop transforms guns into garden tools to help youths envision peace. Baquer

Dear Friends,   I have been reading memoirs of the first women from East Germany who became Chancellor of united Germany. She keeps referring to the terms social capitalism. I got AI to do a short essay on this concept, which I thought I could share with you.

While discussing concepts of holistic development, a wise friend in Iran reminded me of the importance of taking account of spiritual aspects to ensure authentic human advancement. Acknowledging that we have saints in our group ( such as Kul and Tom) and believers blessed with strong ethical principles, such as all of you, I felt like sharing the elevating feeling messages below endow me with strength. Bless your kind hearts. Baquer

Dear all UNICEF and XUNICEF Friends, As the current year draws to an end and we get prepared to step into 2025, I find myself reflecting on the journey that has brought me here, and I cannot express enough how grateful I am for your unwavering support during the darkest times. Your courage, kindness, and dedication made a profound difference in my life and in my son's, helping us to regain our freedom from unjust circumstances. And most important you have raised our morale and reinforced out confidence that with such great friends we can cope with any challenge no matter how formidable.

Video shared by Baquer Namazi Greetings, This was my message after seeing the piece below. Baquer Siamak jan, I am so proud of you. You were the real star to this very valuable event. I do think people like you and myself have much to contribute, perhaps we can do so more effectively through credible, independent, non-government institutions, preferably set up by coalition of former hostages. Our Lebanese friend seems to have made a start already. What do you say. your dad. Baquer

Article shared by Baquer Namazi Every change that occurs with new technologies that are increasingly being made available to all people, obviously the resulting transformative changes that takes place proves unsettling to those who have become complacent with the status quo. I hope and pray this new scientific power will be used for the good of humankind and will not be applied by the few profit and power seeking individuals to the detriment of the masses. In case you missed this: Best wishes Baquer Click here for the article in Foreign Affairs Summary The article highlights the potential for AI to revolutionize both war and peace. On one hand, AI could enhance military capabilities, leading to more precise and efficient warfare. On the other hand, it could also facilitate diplomatic solutions and global cooperation. However, the author warns of the risks associated with AI, including the possibility of an arms race, cyberattacks, and even the potential for AI to become a dominant for...

Editor's Note: Baquer is referring to the mini-reunion in Washington, D.C . and the suggestion by Sheila Barry Tacon for XUNICEF members to share more of their experiences at field level. Dear Friends, I would like to follow up on the good suggestion made by Sheila Tacon kindly shared with all of you on news and views. She had the splendid idea for us to share our knowledge and experience based on our practical work at the field level. We all know well that knowledge based on practice, particularly those tested as success cases, are the most valuable pioneering efforts to be shared widely. I am confident that most of you, committed to the noble cause of child protection have much to offer. In this light I want to make an earnest request to Sheela to get us started with her offer to share her experiences on empowerment of women. We have many outstanding women leaders, such as Mary Racelis and Misrak Elias, who have, because of their valuable contributions, won widespread respect ...

Baquer Namazi sent this message to the editors: Dears Since returning to US after being held in unjust captivity in the country I loved and served by oppressors who have hijacked the country's leadership, I have been touched by the endless kindness of people from all walks of life. As my deep feeling of appreciation and gratitude deepened I thought I share this experience - a bright light shining in the darkness of bad things happening all around our world. The kindness I have experienced comes from old and young, from all the rich ethnically diverse people, from shopkeepers, waiters, taxi drivers, physicians, lawyers, journalists, civil society activists, and particularly from men and women in the Police Force. All I need is to ask for direction and people stop what they are doing, often insisting on walking with me some of the way in the right to ensure I have got the direction right.  The last time I was in New York, travelling by train to Boston, the volunteer guide and his wif...

On Monday we posted the Instagram announcement of this interview. Here is the full interview on YouTube:

 Instagram post shared by Niloufar Pourzand View this post on Instagram A post shared by Christiane Amanpour (@camanpour)

Editor's Note:  Alan Court spotted this letter from Siamak Namazi to the editor of the Economist and kindly passed it on to us.  It is a good reminder that Wednesday, 18 September , will mark the one year anniversary of Siamak's release following 8 years of imprisonment in Iran.

I asked a query to AI and got the following response. We seem to be on the right track. I asked: How best to build alliances across the globe for peace and justice

Great news Media has reported that our dear old friend and champion of the poor, Yunus has assumed leadership of Bangladesh. I join the millions to wish him success in restoring the freedom rights of his compatriots and moving his great country forward. Hopefully, this country will become a beacon of liberty for all Islamic countries. Baquer

Report shared by Baquer Namazi All the outrage expressed world wide is not stopping the crimes against humanity by the current regime ruling Israel. However, public outrage must continue to be expressed, as pressure mounts among the justice minded jews in Israel and America, not to forget the whole world. Baquer

Article shared by Baquer Namazi Click here for the article Excerpts: "With the Gaza death toll topping 30,000 and famine warnings in northern Gaza, Palestinians cannot help but recall the violence preceding and during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war that drove an estimated 700,000 Palestinians from their homes and into refugee camps in Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon." "Israel’s aim, some believe, is to drive them from the besieged strip completely.  People may think that this war is against Hamas. It is against us,” Abu Ayman argues. “The first war [in 1948] was to displace Palestinians from our own villages. This time [the war’s goal] is to displace us from Gaza.” Feeding Palestinians’ fears, far-right Israeli politicians and senior Cabinet officials have made inflammatory threats. Israeli Agriculture Minister Avi Dichter, a security Cabinet member, described the war in November as “rolling out the Gaza nakba.”