For some, it’s as routine as paying at the checkout counter. For others, it’s as nerve-wracking as a prostate exam, and as undignified as being reprimanded in front of class. Which experience you have depends largely on one thing: where you were born.
We’re talking about international travel.
Continue reading “Travel is a right, not a privilege, and the Global South is leading the way”
January 29, 2025 is the first day of a new year, the Year of the Snake, on the lunisolar Chinese calendar. People of Chinese heritage all over the world are immersed in the festive joy of Chinese New Year – or the Spring Festival, as it is more commonly known. Just in time for this year’s Spring Festival, UNESCO inscribed the festival on its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. If you have ever seen the vibrant dragon and lion dances or wondered about the meaning behind the red envelopes handed out during this time, you have had a glimpse into the traditions of the Spring Festival. You may not know much about the details, but when it comes to family affection, the emotional core that defines the Spring Festival, you are surely no stranger.
Continue reading “From China to the world: The universal spirit of the Spring Festival”
I strongly condemn today’s slaughter of thousands of dogs for the Yulin Dog Meat Festival in the southern Chinese province of Guangxi. Some dogs are being boiled alive, some are being beaten to death, and some are being skinned alive. All dogs suffer, more than anybody ever should, and all are eaten. Continue reading “The Yulin Dog Meat Festival and our double standards”
Rainer Ebert 