“Jasmine Revolution”
Symbol of peace: Flowers placed on the barrel of a tank
in very much calmer protests than in recent days in Tunisia

'The Protester' - Time Person of the Year 2011

'The Protester' - Time Person of the Year 2011
Mannoubia Bouazizi, the mother of Tunisian street vendor Mohammed Bouazizi. "Mohammed suffered a lot. He worked hard. but when he set fire to himself, it wasn’t about his scales being confiscated. It was about his dignity." (Peter Hapak for TIME)

1 - TUNISIA Democratic Change / Freedom of Speech (In Transition)


How eyepatches became a symbol of Egypt's revolution - Graffiti depicting a high ranking army officer with an eye patch Photograph: Nasser Nasser/ASSOCIATED PRESS

2 - EGYPT Democratic Change / Freedom of Speech (In Transition)


''17 February Revolution"

3 - LIBYA Democratic Change / Freedom of Speech (In Transition)

5 - SYRIA Democratic Change / Freedom of Speech (In Transition)

"25 January Youth Revolution"
Muslim and Christian shoulder-to-shoulder in Tahrir Square
"A Summary" – Apr 2, 2011 (Kryon channelled by Lee Carroll) (Subjects: Religion, Shift of Human Consciousness, 2012, Intelligent/Benevolent Design, EU, South America, 5 Currencies, Water Cycle (Heat up, Mini Ice Ace, Oceans, Fish, Earthquakes ..), Middle East, Internet, Israel, Dictators, Palestine, US, Japan (Quake/Tsunami Disasters , People, Society ...), Nuclear Power Revealed, Hydro Power, Geothermal Power, Moon, Financial Institutes (Recession, Realign integrity values ..) , China, North Korea, Global Unity,..... etc.) -
(Subjects: Egypt Uprising, Iran/Persia Uprising, Peace in Middle East without Israel actively involved, Muhammad, "Conceptual" Youth Revolution, "Conceptual" (without a manager hierarchy) managed Businesses, Internet, Social Media, News Media, Google, Bankers, Global Unity,..... etc.)
"The End of History" – Nov 20, 2010 (Kryon channelled by Lee Carroll)
(Subjects:Abraham, Isaac, Ishmael, Muhammad, Jesus, God, Jews, Arabs, EU, US, Israel, Iran, Russia, Africa, South America, Global Unity,..... etc.) (Text version)

"If an Arab and a Jew can look at one another and see the Akashic lineage and see the one family, there is hope. If they can see that their differences no longer require that they kill one another, then there is a beginning of a change in history. And that's what is happening now. All of humanity, no matter what the spiritual belief, has been guilty of falling into the historic trap of separating instead of unifying. Now it's starting to change. There's a shift happening."


“ … Here is another one. A change in what Human nature will allow for government. "Careful, Kryon, don't talk about politics. You'll get in trouble." I won't get in trouble. I'm going to tell you to watch for leadership that cares about you. "You mean politics is going to change?" It already has. It's beginning. Watch for it. You're going to see a total phase-out of old energy dictatorships eventually. The potential is that you're going to see that before 2013.

They're going to fall over, you know, because the energy of the population will not sustain an old energy leader ..."



African Union (AU)

African Union (AU)
African Heads of State pose for a group photo ahead of the start of the 28th African Union summit in Addis Ababa on January 30, 2017 (AFP Photo/ Zacharias ABUBEKER)

Nelson Mandela

Nelson Mandela
Few words can describe Nelson Mandela, so we let him speak for himself. Happy birthday, Madiba.

Friday, November 23, 2012

Playing politics: new ways to win votes in Africa

Deutsche Welle, 23 November 2012



Politics is changing in Africa, reflecting the growing role played globally by modern information technology. Campaign strategies are also changing in a bid to attract more young voters.

Ernest Bai Koroma is hoping to be confirmed in office as president of Sierra Leone but just weeks earlier he seemed more interested in football. During his campaigning for the November 17 election, he frequently wore a tracksuit and tossed footballs in the air to his supporters. This earned him the nickname "World's Best."

Footballs for votes

“The young people were equating him with Lionel Messi and Ronaldo,”  Leonard Balogun Koroma, the president's national campaign coordinator, told DW. "The nomenclature was so attractive particularly with the youths,” Balogun Koroma said. "That is why the party decided to adopt it as a campaign slogan."

Young people are increasingly becoming targets for African politicians because they make up the highest percentage of the population in many countries on the continent.

Yoweri Museveni's rap became
a sensational hit in Uganda
Hip hop star

Just a year ago, another African president decided it was time to actively woo young voters. President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda became a chart topping star overnight after his rap message to young people was mixed with hip hop beats. The song “You want another rap” topped the play list on Uganda's radio stations and at night clubs.

“The main target I will say is the young and educated who understand what is going on,” Jerry Sam, project coordinator of the Ghana-based African Elections Project told DW. His organisation monitors elections and media coverage across the continent. When young people get the message, “they can go home and explain to their family and siblings," Sam added.

"It is the youths that have access to Internet and understand the tools involved,” Sam says. Social media for example have become an attractive meeting point for Africa's youngsters.

'Facebook president'

 Goodluck Jonathan seems ever
present on Facebook
.
In response politicians have started abandoning formalities to join the social media bandwaggon. Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria is dubbed "the Facebook president". He boasts over 700,000 'likes' on his page. He even announced his candidacy for the 2011 elections via Facebook.

For others, an attractive website is the first choice.

"Mobile phones and Internet connectivity makes politicking easier in Africa,” says Kenyan political analyst Dr. Carey Francis Onyango. Nowadays “it will be strange if you don't have a website as a politician in Kenya.”

One example is the colorful and sophisticated homepage of Kenya's Prime Minister Raila Odinga which contains frequently updated social media elements. “This is Kenya's moment” is the first greeting that catches your eye when you open the page. “Using technology is also an easy and convenient way to reach people,” Dr. Onyango says.

 Young people are actively being wooed by African politicians.

Techno - campaigns growing

Nico Mele is an American pioneer in the integration of social media and the Web with politics. “Technology and the Internet are not just a source of power for the politicians but also for the voters,” he says. And technology is continuing to change.

“When I started using technology for campaigns, there were no smartphones, there were no online videos,”Mele recalls.

Being able to access information helps voters make decisions on polling day and so it is no surprise that more and more politicians are coming up with new strategies to  try and influence those decisions. Some opt for hip hop, others try to become a social media star, or even Lionel Messi. Whatever they choose, they all have one goal in mind – to win votes.  

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"..  Let me tell you where else it's happening that you are unaware - that which is the beginning of the unity of the African states. Soon the continent will have what they never had before, and when that continent is healed and there is no AIDS and no major disease, they're going to want what you have. They're going to want houses and schools and an economy that works without corruption. They will be done with small-minded leaders who kill their populations for power in what has been called for generations "The History of Africa." Soon it will be the end of history in Africa, and a new continent will emerge.

Be aware that the strength may not come from the expected areas, for new leadership is brewing. There is so much land there and the population is so ready there, it will be one of the strongest economies on the planet within two generations plus 20 years. And it's going to happen because of a unifying idea put together by a few. These are the potentials of the planet, and the end of history as you know it.

In approximately 70 years, there will be a black man who leads this African continent into affluence and peace. He won't be a president, but rather a planner and a revolutionary economic thinker. He, and a strong woman with him, will implement the plan continent-wide. They will unite. This is the potential and this is the plan. Africa will arise out the ashes of centuries of disease and despair and create a viable economic force with workers who can create good products for the day. You think China is economically strong? China must do what it does, hobbled by the secrecy and bias of the old ways of its own history. As large as it is, it will have to eventually compete with Africa, a land of free thinkers and fast change. China will have a major competitor, one that doesn't have any cultural barriers to the advancement of the free Human spirit. …."       

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