Schools : "Every Breath Has a Story" ! A Global Photo Call for Clean Air !

 

@UNEP

Air pollution is often invisible, but its impacts are deeply personal. 

In 2023, exposure to air pollution worldwide resulted in an estimated 7.9 million deaths, and millions of healthy years of life lost. 

It affects how we breathe, how we live, how we feel, our ability to earn a living, and how we imagine the future.

Every Breath Has a Story is a global call for powerful photographs and personal reflections that reveal the human reality of air pollution: its sources, its consequences, and the hope found in action and cleaner air solutions.

Africa Clean Air Forum 2026

https://event.fourwaves.com/

We are especially proud to launch the first chapter of this campaign at the Africa Clean Air Forum 2026, in Pretoria, spotlighting stories and images from across Africa. 

https://www.stateofglobalair.org/news-events/2026/

👉Selection works

Selected works will also be featured globally for the International Day of Clean Air for blue skies on 7 September 2026, together with the State of Global Air.

Whether you are a professional photographer, student, activist, journalist, or someone who captured a meaningful moment on your phone, we want to see the world through your eyes.

• What to look for : 

Submissions will be welcome that capture one or more of the following:

• Air Pollution Sources: Traffic, smoke, waste burning, cooking fuels, generators, industry, dust, agriculture, open burning, or other unique sources.

• Human Experience: How polluted air affects daily life, movement, work, family life, schools, and wellbeing.

• Health Impacts: Children, elders, vulnerable communities, hospitals, respiratory challenges (e.g., use of inhalers).

• Environment & Landscapes: Haze, reduced visibility, urban congestion, damaged ecosystems.

• Solutions & Hope: Clean transport, renewable energy, cleaner cooking, greener streets, community action, policy progress.

• Emotion & Resilience: Strength, frustration, grief, determination, joy, hope.

💚Requirements :

• File format: JPG or PNG
• Minimum size: 800 x 800 pixels
• High-resolution preferred
• Maximum 5 images per person
• Original work only
• Basic edits permitted

🌈What's in it for you

• Selected entries will be featured in a clean air campaign during the Clean Air Day (September 7).
• Selected entries will also be featured in global reports on air quality published by the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) and State of Global Air (SoGA).
• Selected entries from Africa will be featured in a photo exhibition in Pretoria, South Africa in July 2026.
• All selected contributors will receive full credit.

✅Submissions : Friday, June 26, 2026.

Submit your photos here

❓For any queries, please email: contactsoga@healtheffects.org

• Education:

If you are a teacher in Africa or have African students among your students, it will be a wonderful activity to promote into your curricula.

Interesting activity to students who love Photography or study Arts & Photography, don't you think?

Students love participate in contests. They get excited to show off their skills no matter the contest. But a contest about Photography?  

You can ask for help from a colleague who loves photography or is on the Photography Club at school.

Participating in this photo contest uploading a photo that young people can shot in a big city, a small town, a village, whatever.

The contest could be an interesting activity to those students who are enjoying summer holidays or to those students who preparing their exams. During a breack and going, a good relaxing activity.

💛Note : Photos from Africa will be spotlight. However all photos about Pollution will be welcome.

G-Souto

14.06.2026

Copyright © 2026G-Souto'sBlog, gsouto-digitalteacher.blogspot.com®

Schools : "Every Breath Has a Story ! A Global Photo Call for Clean Air ! by G-Souto is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Source: UNEP UN environment programme

Schools & families : World Autism Awareness Day ! "Advancing Neurodiversity and the UN Sustainable Development Goals"

 

https://www.un.org/

April 2 is the World Autism Awareness Day. The United Nations General Assembly unanimously declared 2 April as World Autism Awareness Day to highlight the need to help improve the quality of life of those with autism so they can lead full and meaningful lives as an integral part of society.

"Throughout its history, the United Nations family has celebrated diversity and promoted the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities, including learning differences and developmental disabilities."

United Nations

• The World Autism Awareness Day April 2, 2025 theme:

The theme for World Autism Awareness Day 2025 is "Advancing Neurodiversity and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)."

The 2025 observance, under the theme "Advancing Neurodiversity and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)", highlights the intersection between neurodiversity and global sustainability efforts, showcasing how inclusive policies and practices can drive positive change for autistic individuals worldwide and contribute to the achievement of the SDGs.

This year’s discussion explores the role of neurodiversity in shaping policies that promote accessibility, equality, and innovation across multiple sectors. Discussions focus on inclusive healthcare, quality education, workplace accessibility, reducing inequalities, and designing autism-friendly cities and communities.

https://www.un.org/

Goals of World Autism Awareness Day :

• To educate people about autism and its impact on individuals and families
• To promote understanding and acceptance of people with autism
• To support individuals with autism in the community
• To encourage scientific research to develop effective treatments

The term Autism Spectrum refers to a range of characteristics. Appropriate support, accommodation and acceptance of this neurological variation allow those on the Spectrum to enjoy equal opportunity, and full and effective participation in society.

Google Images Archive

Autism is mainly characterized by its unique social interactions, non-standard ways of learning, keen interests in specific subjects, inclination to routines, challenges in typical communications and particular ways of processing sensory information.

The rate of autism in all regions of the world is high and the lack of understanding has a tremendous impact on the individuals, their families and communities.

The stigmatization and discrimination associated with neurological differences remain substantial obstacles to diagnosis and therapies, an issue that must be addressed by both public policy-makers in developing nations, as well as donor countries.

Autism-friendly events and educational activities take place all month, aiming to increase understanding and acceptance of people with autism, foster worldwide support and inspire a kinder, more inclusive world. 

Google Images Archive

• Strategies For Parents To Help Children With Autism Thrive :

Autistic children may present with skills, talents and abilities that seem well developed in some areas but may have challenges in other areas of life. This may make it difficult for parents So, here some strategies for parents:

• Be patient and positive

• Seek support

• Establish a routine

• Encourage social skills

• Take your time

Note: These strategies provide generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. 

Google Images Archive

• Teachers and parents:

Autism is mainly characterized by its unique social interactions, non-standard ways of learning, keen interests in specific subjects, inclination to routines, challenges in typical communications and particular ways of processing sensory information. Autism-friendly events and educational activities take place all month, aiming to increase understanding and acceptance of people with autism, foster worldwide support and inspire a kinder, more inclusive world.  Memoirs if an imaginary friend Matthew Green https://www.amazon.co.uk/ My name is BUDO. I have been alive for 5 years. 5 years is a very long time for someone like me to be alive. MAX gave me my name. Max is 8 years old. He is the only human person who can see me. I know what Max knows, and some things he doesn't. I know that Max is in danger. And I know that I am the only one who can save him. Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend was the 2014 Dolly Gray Award winner and a finalist for the 2017 Nutmeg Award. And Goodreads finalist 2012 as voted by over 1 million readers. Memoirs of an imaginary friend Matthew Green https://www.amazon.co.uk/ "Memoirs of an imaginary friend" by Matthew Dicks is told from the point of view of an imaginary friend who has been created in the mind of an eight year old autistic boy named Max.   The reader learns that imaginary friends can see one another and that who they will see is what their friend has imagined them to be. They are also limited by what their friend imagines that they can do.   Budo, Max's friend can walk through doors and is smart and imaginative himself.  Those qualities are important to the story, as they will allow Budo to save Max in the end.   "The readers learn about real love (a man lays down his life for another) and real evil (manipulate others until you get what you want) while reading this engaging and truly imaginative story." Matthew Green is a teacher so the school setting of most of this book feels natural and real (at least for this former teacher.  In the midst of chaos, reading to a child autist or not can create a small oasis of calm, for both kids and parents. If the one thing this awful crisis has given us, it’s time. Books and children respond well to that. "When we read, our minds grow wings. When we write, our fingers sing. (...) Words invite us to dance - rhythms, rhymes, heartbeats, hoofbeats, and wingbeats, old tales and new ones, fantasies and true ones." Margarita Engle, in The music of words G-Souto 02.04.2025 Copyright © 2025G-Souto'sBlog, gsouto-digitalteacher.blogspot.com® Schools & families : World Autism Awareness Day  !  "Advancing Neurodiversity and the UN Sustainable Development Goals" by G-Souto is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

To a New Generation : International Year for Peace & Trust 2025 : Resources & Activities !

 

International Year of Peace and Trust 2025

https://digitallibrary.un.org/

“Peace cannot be kept by force; it can only be achieved by understanding.”

Albert Einstein

2025 has been declared by The UN General Assembly (UNGA) the International Year of Peace & Trust.

The resolution calls on the international community to resolve conflicts through inclusive dialogue & negotiation in order to ensure the strengthening of peace & trust in relations between UN member states

Underlines that the International Year of Peace and Trust constitutes a means of mobilizing the efforts of the international community to promote peace and trust among nations based on, inter alia, political dialogue, mutual understanding and cooperation, in order to build sustainable peace, solidarity and harmony.

credits: UN Geneva

https://x.com/UNGeneva

• Education:

Just in time  to include the Intl' Year for Peace into school curricula, In a world where wars and violence are all around the world.  

Let's begin in school !!

Schools, teachers, students and parents will have a valuable focal point for their efforts in combating violence in school and worldwide. 

Intl' Day for Peace and Trust wants to decrease hate speech, racism, and values as accepting differences, listening to others, recognize others, respect others.

Living in a peaceful and united way. No more wars, no more hate or intolerance between people, countries.

 

Living Together in Peace is all about :

Accepting differences Listening to others Recognizing others Respecting others Living in a peaceful & united way

UN Geneva

via Google Images Archive

• Activities

I'm sure teachers and schools will organized activities on Intl' Year for Peace and Trust all along school year 2025 that will help raise awareness of Year for Peace and encourage students, parents and all school community to join this aim.

Choose to mark different days and cross-curricular projects along this year, whatever the scale of their activity, their commitment matters. 

Invite your students to create public or private activities related to Peace and Trust inside and oudside the school to help spread the word about the Year of Peace and Trust 2025 and/or attend events in school city.

Make schools exchanges in your country or foreign countries, talking and working together to build future sustainable peace, solidarity and harmony.

• Books suggestions:

Different age and level

Peace

Paul Miranda/ Paul Baptiste

illustration: Estelí Meza

https://www.bookdelivery.com/pt-en/

Synopsis:

"A valuable, necessary lesson that beautifully defines peace for children and their adults."

A stunning and multicultural introduction to the concept of peace for young readers, now available in paperback. Peace is on purpose. Peace is a choice. Peace lets the smallest of us have a voice. From a hello and pronouncing your friend's name correctly to giving more than you take and saying I'm sorry, this simple concept book explores definitions of peace and actions small and big that foster it. 

Award-winning authors, Baptiste Paul and Miranda Paul, have teamed up with illustrator Estelí Meza--winner of the 'A la Orilla del Viento' the premier Picture Book Contest Award in Mexico - to create an inspiring look at things we can all do to bring peace into our lives and world.

Putting Peace First

7 Commitments to Change the World

Eric David Dawson

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/

Using the inspiring stories of real life peacemakers, each chapter highlights a different aspect of peacemaking, from Opening Your Heart to Taking a Stand.

When he was just eighteen, Eric David Dawson co-founded the non-profit Peace First based on the idea that young people can change the world for the better–not someday, but right now. 

Twenty-five years later, Peace First has reached millions worldwide, teaching young people how to become peacemakers and create real change. 

Now, Dawson has written PUTTING PEACE FIRST, the handbook every aspiring peacemaker needs.

Invite your students to Look Inside...

Champions for Peace

Women Winners of  Nobel Peace Prize 

Judith Hicks Stiehm

https://www.amazon.com/

Synopsis:

Only seventeen women have won the Nobel Prize for Peace since it was first awarded in 1901. Hailing from all over the world, some of these women have held graduate degrees, while others barely had access to education. Some began their work young, some late in life. 

In this compelling book, Judith Stiehm narrates these women’s varied lives in fascinating detail. 

The third edition includes the story of Pakistani activist Malala Yousafzai, the youngest laureate, who won as a teenager in 2014.

I Am Malala

Patricia McCormick

https://www.amazon.com/

Malala Yousafzai was only ten years old when the Taliban took control of her region. They said music was a crime. They said women weren't allowed to go to the market. They said girls couldn't go to school.

Raised in a once-peaceful area of Pakistan transformed by terrorism, Malala was taught to stand up for what she believes. So she fought for her right to be educated. And on October 9, 2012, she nearly lost her life for the cause: She was shot point-blank while riding the bus on her way home from school.

Malala's powerful story will open teens eyes to another world and will make them believe in hope, truth, miracles and the possibility that one person - one young person - can inspire change in her community and beyond.

The Little Book of Peace

World Peace Begins With The Individual

Nola Lucas

https://www.amazon.com/

"The Little Book of Peace" was written in the spirit to inspire peace in the day-to-day life of modern society, with the belief that world peace starts with the individual, based on the philosophy of Nichiren Buddhism.

The Little Book Of Peace is timely and timeless given the ongoing challenges of establishing peace, and honouring the sanctity of human life in today's world.

Note: This book is for any human being from any walk of life, regardless of age, race, gender or nationality; It is firmly rooted in the current reality of our individual day to day living, amongst the challenges of work, family life, maintaining various types of relationships within our individual communities and society at large.

It goes beyond the focus on the self and self happiness and also aims to make an impact on the positive development of the whole of humanity, that begins with the happiness of the self and spreads through our interaction with those who we are intertwined with.

"Someone once said that the Little Book of Peace is "A balm for the soul" however I would also like to think that most importantly, that it is a balm for our shared humanity."

Nola Lucas

credits: Getty Images

Teachers, it's just a suggestion! You will choose to read these or other books with your students depending of the level or age of them.

It could a big help tp develop the feeling of peace in the world with some of these examples, some of them from children or teens. 

You will complete with activities or cross-curricular different disciplines in school or around with community.

Don't forget the schools exchanges with schools from different countries to think about how you as teachers and students could help finish this feeling of impunity od some countries to other countries. 

Make grew a renew generation to the world!

Some of you think... Well, International Year for Peace and Trust was in 2021. Yes! But the world in 2025 is so dangerous, There is no peace in different countries and they are tormented so many people and the fear of a world war is touching us that the UN decided to repeat the respect for peace with the International Year for Peace and Trust 2025.

Let's develop students and teachers of lots of schools a positive development thought to the whole of humanity to Peace in the world!

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.”

Martin Luther King Jr

G-Souto

17.01.2025

Copyright © 2025G-Souto'sBlog, gsouto-digitalteacher.blogspot.com®

To a new Generation : International Year for Peace and Trust 2025 ! Resources &  Activities ! by G-Souto is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Sources : UNGA / UN Geneva/ Librarians