War

305’2024 (2024-10-31) – Thursday

Posted on by What did you learn in School today ?

Today, I learned about:

Continuing my post of last month abount the armed conflicts in the world, there is an interesting theory called the Democratic peace theory, which states that there is a strong connection between peace and democracy. However, as with any such theory, there are different opinions about the reasons, does peace lead to democracy or vice-versa, etc. See also reference #1 below.

I think it would be interesting to dissicate that theory further and see if it may apply to the current situation in the world. So, through the Global Peace Index (GPI), we have a measure of the state of unrest today, but what we can say about the democratic situation in the world? Luckily, there is the Democracy Index, which is published by the British group the Economist.

The current Democracy Index 2023 was published on 46’2024 (2024-02-15) and you may find it commented in references # 2 and 3 below. Here is just an exercept:

The Democracy Index states that there are four types of regimes:

  1. Full democracies, 24 countries, 14,4 % of all countries covered in this study, with 7,8 % of the world’s population;
  2. Flawed democracies, 50 countries, 29,9 % of all countries covered in this study, with 37,6 % of the world’s population;
  3. Hybrid regimes, 34 countries, 20,4 % of all countries covered in this study, with 15,2 % of the world’s population; and
  4. Authoritarian regimes, 59 countries, 35,3 % of all countries covered in this study, with 39,4 % of the world’s population.

The following world map, extracted from page 5 in the Democracy Index report for 2023 shows the situation in a nutshell. See also reference #4 below for the complete report.

This world map shows the troublesome situation today in our world

I am interested in trying to compare the information in the Global Peace Index report and the Democracy Index report and see if there is any real substance in the Democratic Peace Theory. It may take a while, but once I have it, you will be the first one to know, I promise!

That’s what I learned in school today!

Ref.:

1: Democratic Peace Theory

2: The Economist Democracy Index

3: Conflict and polarisation drive a new low for global democracy

4: Democracy Index 2023, full report

*: What did you learn in school today?

274’2024 (2024-09-30) – Monday

Posted on by What did you learn in School today ?

Today, I learned about:

My post today is unfortunately about a sad fact about our Earth. In 1982, when I was still living in Sweden, I learned about a young Canadian couple that was planning their family life ahead. One important thing was that they were looking for a very peaceful place where their children could grow up in all tranquility. So they spun the globe, closed their eyes and pointed jointly to a random spot on Earth. The outcome was a small archipelago in the South Atlantic ocean, in English called the Falkland Islands and in Spanish lslas Malvinas. Then in October, 1982, Argentina tried to invade the islands but was defeated by the UK joint forces.

The reason I mention this story is that currently we earthlings are seeing the worst situation since the end of the Second World War. According to the Global Peace Index (GPI) there are currently 56 wars which impact the lives of millions of people spread out over 92 different countries, almost half of all nations in the world.

So, if you like the Canadian couple would search for a peaceful place to settle down today, where would you go? GPI appoints the following top 5 countries in regards to security:

  1. Iceland
  2. Ireland
  3. Austria
  4. New Zealand
  5. Singapore

The following world map, extracted from pages 8 and 9 in the GPI report for 2024 shows the situation in a nutshell. See also reference #1 below for the complete report.

This world map shows the troublesome situation today in our world

If you are interested in what makes Iceland this secure place, I suggest that you start by reading my post from 17’2016 (2016-01-17).

That’s what I learned in school today!

Ref.:

1: Global Peace Index 2024

*: What did you learn in school today?

2017-11-11 (Saturday)

Posted on by What did you learn in School today ?

Today, I learned that:

Exactly 39 years ago today, I was studying in the French city of Compiègne, located 80 km north of Paris. And on that very day, there was a big crowd coming into the city to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the signing of the armistice agreement of the first world war between France and Germany. The signing had taken place in a railway car in the forest of Compiègne, and the railway car is still there close to the original site, and copies of the documents and utensils used for the signing can still be found inside. However, the car as such is also only a replica, the original one was confiscated as a war bounty when Germany invaded France in June, 1940. The following painting of the 1918 event is also considered to be not totally true to the original. More information can be found in references #1, 2 and 3 below.

Waffenstillstand

This image appears to be a painting, not a colourized photograph. (It might have also been published as a sepia postcard.) The probability that it is not a photograph is also indicated by the inaccurate depiction of furniture, in Maréchal Foch’s ‘dining car’, which had a fixed-to-the-floor table and French chairs (as seen in photographs of the event). The probable inaccuracy of the depiction might be the reason for its anonymity.

Then, on the very same day 4 years later, I had the pleasure of going to a concert with the Swedish singer Lill Lindfors. After the concert, she signed her portrait with a dedication to me. In reference # 4 you can read more about her and references # 5 and 6 give links to one of the songs she sang then. In Swedish the title is Teresa (about a young girl and her dreams), whereas the original Brazilian title is Tristeza (which means sadness, but you can make it go away when you sing, just like Elis Regina does here). ENJOY!

Lill

The newspaper insert from Svenska Dagbladet reads, translated into English : “Lill finishes her concert tour in Akalla. Lill Lindfors will give her last concert of the tour she is making in the outer suburbs of Stockholm tonight at 19.30 at Akalla Träff. The set list is based on the theme of longing and it is a performance of songs and music, where also the trio Anders Ekdahl (piano), Jan Bergman (base guitar) and Ola Brunkert (drums) participates.”

Finally, today’s photo shows the Ayrton Senna bridge joining the Brazilian states of Mato Grosso do Sul and Paraná. On the right side can be seen the city of Guaíra, PR. Photo taken on 2017-10-28. See also my post from 2016-11-30.

Ponte Ayrton Senna 2017

Ponte Ayrton Senna, the bridge that joins the Brazilian states of Mato Grosso do Sul and Paraná. In the right corner can be seen the city of Guaíra, PR. Photo taken on 2107-10-28.

 

That’s what I learned in school !

Refs.:

1: Forest of Compiègne

2: Compiègne Wagon

3: Painting of November 11, 1918

4: Lill Lindfors

5: Lill Lindfors – Teresa, 1987

6: Elis Regina – Tristeza, 1965-1968.

*: What did you learn in school today ?

2016-12-24 (Saturday)

Posted on by What did you learn in School today ?

Today, I learned that:

The world is still a very unsafe place and every day we hear and see how evil actions from other people threaten the peace of the world. But today I read a news story that reminded me of how we all must contribute by going in baby steps and then, hopefully, one day we will arrive at making the world a peaceful habitat for all human kind. How does one eat an elephant? Some say it is impossible, but if you take a tiny bite every day, one day you will find that you have eaten it all!

It is therefore that I am very happy to announce that 2016 is the first year in many from the recent history of the world that the number of armed conflicts have lowered, from 33 at the end of 2015 to 32 today. According to the University of Hamburg, Germany, no new conflict has been added and the one in northeastern India is now considered as history only.

But the world is still a scary place. Of the 32 conflicts still present, here is some information: The bloodiest of them all is of course the terrible situation in Syria, and there are 11 more in the Near and Middle East. In the rest of Asia, there are 8 wars going on and 10 more in Africa. The remaining two are Ukraine in Europe and Colombia in South America.

But I sincerely hope that you are safe and can celebrate Christmas with your loved ones, so M E R R Y  C H R I S T M A S to all of you!

lagoa-tree3

Illuminated Christmas tree in Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. Photo taken in December 2015.

The photo above was taken in 2015 by a friend in Rio de Janeiro, when the city still had money to light up the Christmas tree. What a lovely view from ” cidade maravilhosa”!

… That’s what I learned in school !

byran

Do you need to TRANSLATE DOCUMENTS between ENGLISH, BRAZILIAN PORTUGUESE, and the SCANDINAVIAN (SWEDISH / DANISH / NORWEGIAN) languages? Contact “Byrån / The Taskforce” here !!!

Refs.:

1:
Ingen har startat krig i år

+: What did you learn in school today ?