Following the anniversary of the proclamation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights - and beyond the widespread media coverage of disregards for the most basic human rights all over the world - a four notes register to make us think about:

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An European petition reached 5.4 million signatures in less than a year - for the right to life of every human being, from conception to natural death.
A Northen-American (Canada, United States and Mexico) petition with 330 000 signatures in about two months - for the extension of the right to life to all members of the human family, including the unborn child.

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See also other related posts: DIGNITY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL OF US and HUMAN RIGHTS.

[Portuguese post on Dec 12th, 2008]

Category: OTHER IMAGES

DIGNITY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL OF US has been the theme of Conferences, Seminars, Symposia, Exhibitions and several different other activities all over the world to celebrate the year of the 60th anniversary of the proclamation of the UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS by the United Nations.

The anniversary is today - December 10th 2008.

And now, sixty years after the Declaration was proclaimed, the High Commissioner of the United Nations for Human Rights, Navanethem (Navi) Pillay states on December 9th 2008 [my bold]:

Tens of millions of people around the world are still unaware that they have rights that they can demand, and that their governments are accountable to them, and to a wide-ranging body of rights-based national and international law. [...]
For this reason, I warmly welcome the fact that next year has been designated the International Year of Human Rights Learning. And I would like to encourage ministries, institutions, teachers, parents and others in a position of responsibility all across the planet to take this opportunity to ensure that the next generation is given the maximum opportunity to claim what was promised to them in that extraordinary document known as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

See also the post about HUMAN RIGHTS.

[Portuguese post on Dec 9th, 2008]

Category: THE UNIVERSAL TEXTS

One of the most famous NASA's photographies of the Earth - by the Apollo 17 crew on December 7th 1972 - the AS17-148-22727, named Blue Marble, has been chosen as the (non official) Earth flag.

Both celebrations of the International Earth Day use this image on their flag - the original one on March 21st (the Equinox) and the other one on April 22nd.

Does the fact that March 21st has so many different celebrations mean that there is some lack of imagination around?

And besides, every day is good to celebrate the Earth!

[Portuguese post on Apr 21st, 2008]

Category: OTHER IMAGES

The United Nations support the annual celebration of International Earth Day - a global holiday to celebrate the wonder of life on our planet - on the March equinox.
However, a similar celebration is held in some countries on April 22nd. Both initiatives started in the United States, between 1969 and 1970 (how strange is that?).

From top to bottom, all images in Portugal: Madeira Island (north coast), Monte Gordo (Vila Real de Santo António), Vialonga (Vila Franca de Xira)  and Odrinhas (Sintra).

[Portuguese post on April 21st, 2008]

Category: QUARTERS

In rural areas, courtyards are often a house extension - an outdoor «living room», a place to take a rest by the end of the afternoon or even to store some tools, fruits and seeds.

In urban areas, patios and courtyards can be very appealing places for different activities while providing quiet and privacy, even when the broad busy avenues are just around the corner...

Pleasant city patios - from top to bottom: in Seville (Spain), Ljubljana (Slovenia, ex-Yugoslavia) and Vienna (Austria).

[Portuguese post on Apr 20th, 2008]

Category: THE CITY

The Rectorate and some Faculties of the University of Seville are housed, since the mid-twentieth century, in the (former) Royal Tobacco Factory, an industrial architecture building from the eighteenth century.

Main entrance to the Rectorate - Seville, Spain.

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A curious note is that the heroine of Carmen (Prosper Mérimée, Georges Bizet) «worked» in the Royal Tobacco Factory of Seville.

[Portuguese post on April 19th, 2008]

Category: THE ARCHITECTURE

It's really a privilege having a tree in front of the window!

Young and adult, male and female Sparrows (Passer domesticus) on a Nettle tree (the European Hackberry - Celtis australis, family Ulmaceae).
Pictures taken between mid February and mid March. Cascais, Portugal.

[Portuguese post on Apr 18th, 2008]

Category: NATURALLY

During the last couple of weeks, the two little Cork Oaks (Quercus suber, Fagaceae family) have inverted their proportions: the one that was smaller (Q. suber I) suddenly «jumped up» and is now the higher. In the meanwhile, the other one's growth slowed down considerably. This is biodiversity!
Cascais, Portugal.

[Portuguese post on Apr 17th, 2008]

Category: A STORY ABOUT CORK OAKS

Milreu ruins (a Portuguese National Monument located close to Faro - Algarve) consist of a roman house with peristyle, baths, temple and other buildings. According to different authors the main house dates back to the 2nd or the 4th century. The site displays an interesting and original mosaics collection, specially because of the marine fauna scenes.

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More details about these (and other) roman mosaics: Roman Mosaics in the Southwest of Hispania - Andaluzia and Algarve.

[Portuguese post on Apr 16th, 2008]

Category: THE HERITAGE

Comment by PEJA - 2008-12-05 - 22:42:55
Oooh! You must come in Ladispoli (where i live)! You must see etruscan mosaic from Girpy (ancient commercial city...)

Comment by AM.MA - 2008-12-07 - 02:48:36
Yes, I'd like that, it sounds great!

Feb. 2009: Images down to 20% of ORIGINAL SIZE (click to see). Comments closed.

The largest falls in Europe - 150 metres wide and 23 metres high - are located on the High Rhine, northern Switzerland, between the cantons of Schaffhausen and Zürich, at about 400 metres altitude and not far from the border with Germany.

The Rhine falls at Neuhausen am Rheinfall - canton of Schaffhausen, Switzerland.

[Portuguese post on April 15th, 2008]

Category: THE WATER

Comment by Neuhausen - 2008-12-16 - 20:42:31
I love the flow of water. It is such a nice place to go visit it.

Comment by AM.MA - 2008-12-17 - 19:13:04
Indeed it is.
I didn't know about «your» Neuhausen auf den Fildern - it also looks like a nice place!

Feb. 2009: Images down to 20% of ORIGINAL SIZE (click to see). Comments closed.

A ray of sunlight - on an old tree trunk.

[Portuguese post on Apr 14th, 2008]

Category: NATURALLY

Feb. 2009: Image down to 20% of ORIGINAL SIZE (click to see). Comments closed.

The favourite post of visitors 1 to 1 000:

(51) GLASS AND STEEL

- new challenges in Architecture.

Canopy over the central atrium of the Sony Centre (eight buildings complex), Potsdamer Platz in Berlin - Germany.

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Glass canopy over the main entry to the DG Bank building (a project by Frank O. Gehry), Pariser Platz in Berlin - Germany.

[Posted on March 15th 2008, under Category THE ARCHITECTURE].

NOTE: The Portuguese blog's favourite post of visitors 1 to 1 000 was THE FRIGATE D. FERNANDO II E GLÓRIA.

Dec. 2008: Images down to 20% of ORIGINAL SIZE (click to see). Comments closed.

Miniatures are published on Saturdays. March had five of them:

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[Portuguese post on Sep 19th, 2008]

Category: MINIATURES

Today I'm starting another Category - MINIATURES - to post the weekly miniatures that have been showing on the side bar since the beginning of this blog.

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[Portuguese post on Sep 19th, 2008]

Category: MINIATURES