Voices of Future Generations English - Blog #UN

"We Are Going to Space!" - the voice of Sultan AlNeyadi

Sun, 04 Oct 2020 07:27:15 +0400

Probably one of the most memorable moments of my life was when I was watching the night sky back in the 80s. Back then, the sky looked different, and we were able to see our magnificent galaxy “Milky Way” much more clearly. I was fortunate to be born in a remote area called Umm Ghafa, located 32 km away from Al Ain city, the second-largest city in the emirate of Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. Since Umm Ghafa was quite remote, we had minimal light pollution that made stars more visible. It was fun, especially when trying to count the stars with my brothers and sisters. Although it seemed impossible at that time, the idea of visiting these stars captured my imagination, mostly since Star Blazers - an animated television series was my favourite thing to watch. The series was about the crew of a spaceship, who was the last hope for humanity to defeat an extra-terrestrial enemy. The main character was Derek Wildstar, a pilot and an astronaut. Therefore, my childhood dream was to be a pilot and an astronaut.

My father worked for years in the aviation academy, and I used to see him in his blue suit every day. This convinced me even more to pursue my dream of being a pilot and an astronaut. It was only in the 3rd grade that I learned that my father was not a pilot but was involved in ground training. For an eight-year-old boy that was a setback, as I believed my father would help me fly closer to the stars or at least teach me how to be a pilot like him. It got even more challenging when I found out that to be a pilot, one should have perfect eyesight, which I lacked. I wore glasses throughout my final years in high school. Upon graduation, I applied to many places for higher education. Unfortunately, the aviation academy was not one among them. The aviation academy accepted only those with perfect eyesight, among other medical and physical attributes. So, I decided to be an engineer, just like many of my friends who got scholarships from the military to study communications engineering abroad.

Although I found myself attracted to engineering, I did not let go of my childhood dream. My first assignment in the engineering management course was to write about communication technologies, and I chose communication satellites as my topic. Throughout my military career and academic life, starting from my bachelor’s degree up until receiving my PhD degree in information technology, space was an inescapable obsession. I owned a telescope at one stage that allowed me to view the Moon, Saturn and Jupiter, which was an unforgettable experience. My favourite books and movies were always linked to space. My computer screen wallpapers were pictures of beautiful distant nebulas or galaxies taken by the Hubble space telescope.

In the year 2017, at the age of 37, my passion for space led me to attend the first science event organized by the Mohammed bin Rashed Space Centre (MBRSC). This event came to showcase our country’s achievements in the space sector which included imaging satellites, Emirates Mars Mission “Hope Probe” and Mars Science City. It was evident that the UAE was doing everything possible to further its space sector. It was only a matter of time before we would have an Emirati astronaut. I went to the event with my eight-year-old daughter Reem, in the hope that she would get inspired and fulfil her father’s dream of becoming an astronaut when the opportunity arose within 10 or 15 years. She was so excited and thrilled to be there, and I saw in her eyes a familiar shine - something I had when I was her age. It was only a month after that event that MBRSC announced the launch of the UAE Astronaut Programme. The search for UAE’s first astronauts had officially begun. That announcement revived my childhood dream, and it was like a call for captain Wildstar to join the crew on an epic journey. I applied with no hesitation, and I went back home that day and told my daughter: “Reem! Get ready, I think we are going to space soon!”

Favourite childhood book? World Atlas

Favourite book right now? We Have No Idea: A Guide to the Unknown by Jorge Cham, Daniel Whiteson.

Favourite lesson at school? Science

Favourite animal/lifeform? Falcon

Favourite hero/heroine? My Father

Voice of Sultan AlNeyadi

Sultan AlNeyadi is one of the two selected astronauts in the UAE Astronaut Programme, launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, in 2017. The Programme aims to train and prepare a team of Emirati astronauts and send them to space for various scientific missions.

AlNeyadi was selected from over 4,000 candidates, following a series of mental and physical tests in the UAE and abroad. He is a holder of a PhD in information technology (data leakage prevention).

International Day for Indigenous People - the voice of Tony Juniper

Tue, 04 Aug 2020 07:28:26 +0400

Our world today is a tapestry woven of threads of history, culture and ideas that stretch back to dawn of humankind.

I live in England, and sometimes try to imagine what people who lived here thousands of years ago would have thought and believed. I wonder if they might have been like some of the people I have met on my travels in the tropical rainforests, living in tribal groups, hunting game and collecting wild fruits and vegetables. Those people today still depend directly on the natural world, and that is why they treat the forest with reverence. Their Gods often take the form of animals.

In the modern world, where the vast majority of us do not regard ourselves as ‘indigenous’ and mostly live in towns and cities, peoples nonetheless still rely on Nature for their wellbeing. For our food, water, air and spiritual renewal, we depend on the cycles and processes of the Biosphere, just as much as Indians who dwell in the depths of the Amazon rainforests.

As we face the twin threats of climate change and ecosystem collapse, we might do well to seek inspiration from the peoples who once lived in lands now transformed by modern humans. What was their culture, who were their Gods, what was the land like thousands of years ago, when they lived where we live today? What would their leaders have said about pollution and the destruction of Nature?

Might their views be relevant today, and if so, perhaps we should listen more to the remaining indigenous peoples. Their message might tell us something profoundly important, including the fact that even those of us living in the highest skycrapers are still children of Nature.

Favourite childhood book? Observers Book of Birds’ Eggs

Favourite book right now? The Great Fen by Alan Bowley

Favourite lesson at school? Biology

Favourite animal/lifeform? Common Swift

Favourite hero/heroine? Chico Mendes

Tony Juniper CBE is Chair of the official Nature conservation agency Natural England. He is the author of many books, including What has Nature ever done for us? (2013) and Rainforest (2018). He has worked with many conservation organisations, including as the Director of Friends of the Earth, President of the Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts and Executive Director at WWF. He is a former sustainability advisor to His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales.

Straight out of Wezi’s mind - the voice of Wezi Emmanuel Chilubanama

Thu, 30 Jul 2020 08:57:46 +0400

A rule book on fairness and justice for children.

Hi, I am Wezi and here is my rule book on fairness and justice for children, please enjoy!

One of my favourite answers when I am asked to do something is that “It’s not fair”! Sometimes I do not even understand what it means to be fair, but I just feel that children should always be allowed to do what they want! I have realised that as children we just think about the nice playful things we are doing at the moment and not necessarily about our future! It is important to have rules that promote fairness and justice for children, so I had a go at making some!

1. Parents, adults and teachers should be open-minded by allowing discussions and listening to children’s views and not shout at them for no reason.

2. Children should be obedient and respectful to elders and their fellow children.

3. Playing time is important but should be balanced with other activities.

4. Children must think about and respect what is best for everyone instead of just thinking about themselves all the time. This will help future generations to appreciate nature.

5. Children should take care of their environment because, as the age-old adage goes, ‘charity begins at home’! This means that children should look after vegetation like fruit trees, flowers and all growing plants in order to avoid effects of climate change.

6. Children should be protected from gender-based violence at home and everywhere.

7. Parents should teach children how to uphold good family values and principles so that children can live in a society where they are well-cultured.

Wezi Emmanuel Chilubanama is 10 years old and is in sixth grade. Wezi is passionate about the environment and nature. He loves gardening and keeping clean and tidy surroundings. As the UN Child Ambassador for the SDGs (Africa), Wezi is focusing on ways to eradicate poverty and embrace equality between girls and boys.

The voice of DrJane Goodall

Sun, 14 Jun 2020 15:12:39 +0400

VOFG provides a wonderful opportunity to encourage and inspire young people to communicate their passion for the issues that interest them – the natural world, the right of children, or animals and so on - through the powerful medium of words. It highlights the importance of getting our youth to take an interest in sustainable development and voice their opinions on the most pressing issues and obstacles that threaten and hinder our planet and its inhabitants; and how desperately important it is to protect and restore the natural world for future generations to come.

I strongly support this project and look forward to seeing it develop. I encourage all youth to take up the challenge in this creative field of expression and thought. From the age of ten I have always wanted to write articles and books and poems about the things I care about.

Voice of Jane Goodall, PhD, DBE

Founder - the Jane Goodall Institute & UN Messenger of Peace

Favourite childhood book? The Story of Doctor Doolitte (and other stories in the Series)

Favourite book right now? The Lord of the Rings – J. R. R. Tolkien

Favourite lesson at school? English Literature.

Favourite animal/lifeform? Dog.

Favourite hero/heroine? Winston Churchill.

Jane Goodall is the world’s best-known female scientist. She started studying chimpanzees in 1960 in Gombe Tanzania, where research continues today. The Jane Goodall Institute (JGI) was founded in 1977 and there are now JGI offices in 27 counties. In 1991 she formed Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots, a programme that empowers young people of all ages to undertake projects for their local community, for animals and for the environment, and is now active in more than 60 countries. In 1994 Jane formed TACARE (Take Care) which is a community-centred conservation and development programme which partners with communities around Gombe to create sustainable livelihoods while promoting conservation goals.

Dr Goodall’s numerous awards and honorary degrees include France’s Order of the Legion d’Honneur, the Medal of Tanzania and Japan’s prestigious Kyoto Prize. In 2002 Jane was appointed to serve as a United Nations Messenger of Peace and in 2003 she was named a Dame of the British Empire. She is author of many books and has featured in many films and documentaries around the world.