Protecting culture and nature: how World Heritage Sites are chosen

Protecting culture and nature: how World Heritage Sites are chosen

It all started in the summer of 1954, when the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) launched an international campaign to rescue the twin Abu Simbel temples in Egypt, threatened by the construction of a dam. The $80 million operation was such a success that it paved the way for world heritage protection

70 years of the United Nations

70 years of the United Nations

Peace, security, sustainable development, human rights, and fundamental freedoms. These key words are the goals the United Nations (UN) have been setting for 70 years, since the moment when 51 nations (later 193, i.e. all world’s independent countries, apart from Vatican City) autonomously decided to sign – on 26 June 1945 – the treaty that

The dark side of gold: opium in Myanmar

The dark side of gold: opium in Myanmar

“Gold” is a word often used when talking about Myanmar. It is known as the “Land of Gold”, and this is apparent even before landing in Yangon, Myanmar’s largest city. Its surroundings are covered by myriads of golden pagodas, as is the rest of the country: gold enriches monasteries and monuments everywhere you look. Ironically,

Hungary’s wall to stop migrants is the latest in a long series

Hungary’s wall to stop migrants is the latest in a long series

The Hungarian government decided to build a 4-metre-high fence along its border with Serbia, in order to stop the unauthorised entry of migrants coming from the Balkans. The Minister of Foreign Affairs Peter Szijjarto announced the plan to the international community, talking about a possible border fence up to 175 km long.   The measure