Posts
2021
John Donne's No Man is an Island: Feeling a Oneness With Humanity
In today’s world besieged by isolationism, America First, Britain First, white supremacy, cyber bullying, homophobia, racism, vaccine tug-of-war, colonialist withdrawal symptoms (… shall I go on?) and the like, never before have the words of John Donne been more relevant; “No man is an island…”. In the age of Brexit, the very notion that every man is part of a greater humanity is a powerful assertion.
Taming The Governing Strategies of Ongoing Socio-Economic Development by Way of G-Localization
Ultimate goal and Foregrounding The aim of this reflection is to create favourable conditions for progress by mobilizing the intellectual, spiritual and material forces with a sense of belonging to one and the same human community. This requires finding new ways of living in society and of facing the future together.
A Powerful Panacea? The Sanctions Dilemma
“Yesterday, upon the stair, I met a man who wasn’t there! He wasn’t there again today, Oh how I wish he’d go away!” The above quote from Hughes Mearns’ poem, Antigonish, could so easily allude to sanctions. They are full of sound and fury, and yet, they signify nothing concrete, but rather an absence of something.
What is The United Nations General Assembly?
The following is an extract from UN-aligned’s new publication that highlights the shortcomings of the United Nations with details that cover its foundation, structure and monumental failures. You may be surprised at the murky facts that this book will bring to your attention.
News in February 2021 You May Have Missed
AFRICA 01.02.21: Somalia. Al-Shabab militants stormed the Afrik Hotel in the capital Mogadishu and started shooting at guests.
Photographer Anwar Sadat: “If you listen, people are always willing to talk”
On the 15th of February 2021, the 2020 UN-aligned photo competition winner, Anwar Sadat, tells us about the story behind his prize-winning photos and his love for photography. Could you tell us a bit about yourself and your love for photography? Well, my name is Anwar Sadat and I am a photographer based in Nairobi Kenya.
The 40th day of winter: Kurdistan Celebrates Pir Shaliar - in pictures
In the Kurdish city of Uraman Takht, the ancient Pir Shalyar festival marks a legendary wedding with roots in pre-Islamic Zoroastrian tradition.
To Sanction or Not to Sanction?
"Yesterday, upon the stair; I met a man who wasn't there! He wasn't there again today; Oh how I wish he'd go away!" The following quote from Hughes Mearns’ poem, Antigonish, could so easily allude to sanctions. They are full of sound and fury, and yet, they signify nothing concrete, but rather an absence of something. In this issue of The Gordian we talk about sanctions, what they aim to achieve and whether they are successful or not. This issue contains exclusive reports by Alex Liberto, Anahita Ahmadi and Ayten Aydin. To read this issue free of charge, click on the link below.
Religion that unites...
People with bigotted or selfish agendas have always tried to hijack religion, but there have always been spiritual adherents who have understood that kindness is paramount and they have highlighted the essence that unites us rather than the dross that divides us. Here are some inspirational quotes from a range of religious thinkers.
So You Have Been Called 'Laowai'? Here's What it Means
In Chinese, foreigners are often referred to as ’laowai’, a term that carries different meanings depending on context and perception. In this article, we shed light on the social and cultural aspects of language use.
"The Greatest Metaphysical Poet": Your Full Guide to John Donne’s Life, Career & Poems
Family background John Donne was born in London in 1572 to a relatively wealthy family. His father, who died when Donne was only four, was a successful tradesman and his mother, Elizabeth, was the daughter of the writer John Heywood. Both parents were Roman Catholics and were in obvious difficulty to come to terms with the newly established Church of England. Donne’s family, especially on his mother’s side, were persecuted for being Roman Catholics and for refusing to swear the Oath of Supremacy which acknowledged the English monarch as the Head of the Church of England. This is the general atmosphere in which John Donne was brought up. As a child he was educated privately by Catholic tutors and at the age of twelve he was sent to Oxford University. The reason for attending Oxford at such a young age was due to the fact that all students had to pledge allegiance to the Queen and therefore to the Church of England by the age of sixteen. Donne’s mother was naturally hoping that her son would obtain a degree before that age. However this did not happen and the young student was eventually compelled to leave Oxford without a degree.
"No, it's not just a snip": Why Circumcision is Legalised Child Abuse
Mutilating the sexual organs of a child (circumcision) in the name of culture, religion or dubious preventative medical claims is outrageous and a blatant breach of the child’s human rights. Female genital mutilation is thankfully on the decline and relatively rare in developed countries.
Understanding conspiracy theories and its victims in the golden age of nonsense
Guarded by some 25 000 troops, Joe Biden successfully took the oath of office. Earlier Mr Ex-President had taken off for Mar-a-Lago.
5 Times the Russian Orthodox Church Flouted Norms of Decency
Under the former communist regime, the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) was suppressed, its properties confiscated and its followers harassed and imprisoned. This was until a Messiah came along.
The Lingering Sins of Religion: When books weigh us down
Written in stone There are thousands of religions in the world today and many thousands more have come and gone. Many of these claim or have claimed a monopoly on truth relating to the divine and the moral, as well as to the rituals necessary to accompany a devout life.
The Gordian Magazine New Series: Doughnut Economy, Davos Agenda and more
As the Human Right Series of the Gordian comes to its eighth issue, we sincerely thank all of our readers and authors for their generous support and contributions. It is because of you that The Gordian Magazine has developed into its current form and has become a platform for members to express their thoughts and ideas.
What you may have missed January 2021
Africa 02.01.21: Niger. Scores of villagers were slaughtered by suspected Islamist terrorists in coordinated attacks on two villages near the border with Mali.
Unravelling the United Nations, Argead style
How can the UN achieve its sacred mission without the shackles of obsolete structures and bullying superpowers? This is how!
Announcing the Winners of the UN-aligned Photo Competition
Anwar Sadat Swaka declared as the winner of the 2020 UN-aligned photo competition.
Hijacking Religion to Down Human Rights...
People with bigotted or selfish agendas have always tried to hijack religion. Many of them claim a monopoly on truth relating to the divine and the moral. Today however, we know that religion cannot be used as an excuse for indifference, oppression or injustice of any kind, whether it be to fellow humans, to animals or to the planet itself. In this issue of The Gordian we highlight why it is important to put human rights before religious rights. This issue contains exclusive reports by Alex Liberto, Jonna Lappalainen and Aryan Yekrangi.
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