Article Archives  >  September, 2009

After a successful South East Asia book tour, Himalayan Consensus founder, Laurence Brahm, and his team are preparing for the upcoming U.S. book and lecture tour. Please join us!To check confirmed tour dates, check out calendar on Laurence Brahm’s official website.

Nowadays Eco-tourism has a big meaning, even if it has not a specific definition yet. It appeals to ecologically and socially conscious individuals. It helps educate the traveller, providing funds for conservation. It directly benefits the economic development and political empowerment of local communities, respecting different cultures and human rights.

We know change is difficult but it’s possible. It is demonstrated in Bangladesh, where life for millions of people is going to improve thanks to the support of the United Kingdom-funded, UNDP-supported Urban Partnerships for Poverty Reduction programme.

Rural Credit Cooperatives in China should give access to the farmers, but they often can’t help the poorest communities. Therefore, a lot of local and international organisations have tried to create micro-finance institutions (MFI), such as they would finance rural development projects through the interest on loans.

A very big news from Grameen Foundation, a global non profit organization that supports world’s poorest people through financing and technology strategies for the local associations and new micro-business opportunities.

The indigenous communities of the Himalayan region have distinguished themselves for their unique cultures and distinct identities, but nowadays the strong influence of western and urban culture is destroy them. This is why Pragya - a non-profit development organization with activities in India, Nepal and United Kingdom – is working to stimulate the right development of these vulnerable communities.

Jokhang Monastery, Tibet’s most sacred pilgrimage site is to Buddhists what Mecca is to Muslims. Inside, yak butter candles burn dim, sending a natural radiant glow that illuminates the Jowa image of Sakyamuni, the first Buddha. Hundreds of Tibetans prostrate at the door outside.

On October 23, 2008, Alan Greenspan, former chairman of the United Stated Federal Reserve, was hauled before Congress to testify on causes underlying the largest financial crisis since the 1930s Great Depression. “I made the mistake in presuming that the self interest of organizations, specifically banks and others, was such that they were best capable of protecting their own shareholders,” explained the ex-central banker adding he had “found a flaw” in his underlying economic assumptions. “The whole intellectual edifice,” he admitted, “collapsed in the summer of last year."

I first met Professor Muhammad Yunus known to the world as “banker to the poor”, after it was announced that he would receive the Nobel Peace in autumn 2006. He had arrived in Beijing to speak in Bangladesh which pioneered grass roots credit model based on human trust and not physical collateral, Yunus put a new spin on humanism declaring, “Credit is a human right.” That autumn, his words rang in ears of his Chinese hosts.

“Come visit my shop,” calls out Yu Drun to foreign visitors passing by in the alley outside. “I can make you a cafe latte while you brose at my jewellery. Remember, my jewellery is designed and made by me, and I am Tibetan. So when visiting Tibet,” she pleads with a laugh, “please do not buy Tibetan jewellery made by other peoples!”