Veronika Wild

  Long Term Philanthropy by Celebrities  While many celebrities made headlines for their generosity this year, many others just keep contributing over the long haul. They are the 'elephants' who carry the weight of the world upon their shoulders, not once or twice, but over a long period. If you think the world is a mess now, imagine what it would look like without their continued efforts. Leonardo Di Caprio   is one of those who contributes immensely to the protection of the world's rainforests.  Bill  and Melinda Gates has done so for a long time with respect to global health. I watched a bit of Melinda Gates' biography here and she was very much a financial contributor and a driving force in this project and other causes such as education and women's health.  There is a terrific line -up of stars doing all kinds of good work at this celebrity giving site, though I am not sure how up to date it is. See for example, George Clooney with 37 ch...

  At a house near me I always have mixed feelings about this, in the same way that I do about New Year fireworks. At least no animals are as traumatised by this, so while it might be a bit kitschy, it does bring good cheer. It also brings people together -kids love it - and raises money for charity. You also have to admire the love and labour which have gone into it. I guess what I don't want, is that it becomes a new competitive sport - i.e. yours has to be bigger and better than your neighbour's each year.  In Brisbane it's become a regular tourist attraction and the Government or Council supplies a bit of green energy for it.  Meanwhile, I have bought my first Christmas present this week. It's a book for one of my granddaughters. I am so pleased that some of the youngest members of my family have taken up reading in a big way, despite the allure of electronic media.  At the risk of being accused of cultural appropriation, there's an Icelandic Christmas tradit...

Australia's Book Week Poster - Aug 17 -23, 2024 At this time of the year, there are several days which highlight the importance of literacy and education. Beginning in late August, Australia has had Book Week which it has been holding since 1945. On September 8 th the world celebrates International Literacy Day, on the 9 th it’s the International Day to Protect Education from Attack and on October 5, it's  World Teacher’s Day. Book Week is all about celebrating the importance of books and the joy of reading. Over the last week or two there have been all kinds of colourful characters on buses and in schools and kindergartens as children dress up as their favourite characters from books they know and love. It has also meant lots of story -telling, parades, celebrating home – grown literature, book awards, author signings in book shops and events in libraries.  Many other countries celebrate books as well. The USA for example, has a Book Month coming up in October...