Sunday, December 16, 2007

Alcool au volant

Dans un magasin je me suis retrouvée dans l ' allée des jouets. Du coin de l ' oeil, j ' ai remarqué un petit bonhomme d ' environ 5 ans, qui tenait une jolie petite poupée contre lui...

Il n ' arrêtait pas de lui caresser les cheveux et de la serrer doucement contre lui. Je me demandais à qui était destinée la poupée. Puis, le petit garçon se retourna vers la dame près de lui : ' Ma tante, es-tu certaine que je n ' ai pas assez de sous ? '

La dame lui répondit avec un peu d ' impatience :

' Tu sais que tu n ' as pas assez de sous pour l ' acheter. '

Puis sa tante lui demanda de rester là, et de l ' attendre quelques minutes.

Puis elle partit rapidement.

Le petit garçon tenait toujours la poupée dans ses mains. Finalement, je me suis dirigée vers lui, et lui ai demandé à qui il voulait donner la poupée.

' C ' est la poupée que ma petite soeur désirait plus que tout pour Noël. Elle était sûre que le Père Noël la lui apporterait. '

' Je lui dis alors qu ' il allait peut-être lui apporter. '

Il me répondit tristement : ' Non, le Père Noël ne peut pas aller là où ma petite soeur se trouve maintenant... '

' Il faut que je donne la poupée à ma maman pour qu ' elle la lui apporte '

Il avait les yeux tellement tristes en disant cela. ' Elle est partie rejoindre Jésus. Papa dit que maman va aller retrouver Jésus bientôt elle aussi, alors j ' ai pensé qu ' elle pourrait prendre la poupée avec elle et la donner à ma petite soeur ' .

Mon coeur s ' est presque arrêté de battre. Le petit garçon a levé les yeux vers moi et m ' a dit :
' J ' ai dit à papa de dire à maman de ne pas partir tout de suite. Je lui ai demandé d ' attendre que je revienne du magasin ' .

Puis il m ' a montré une photo de lui prise dans le magasin, sur laquelle il tenait la poupée en me disant : ' Je veux que maman apporte aussi cette photo avec elle, comme ça, elle ne m ' oubliera pas. J ' aime ma maman et j ' aimerai qu ' elle ne me quitte pas, mais papa dit qu ' il faut qu ' elle aille avec ma petite soeur ' .

Puis il baissa la tête et resta silencieux. Je fouillai dans mon sac à mains, et j ' en sorti une liasse de billets et je demanda au petit garçon :

' Et si on recomptait tes sous une dernière fois pour être sûrs ? '

' OK ' , dit-il, ' Il faut que j ' en ai assez ' .

Je glissai mon argent avec le sien et nous avons commencé à compter. Il y en avait amplement pour la poupée et même plus. Doucement, le petit garçon murmura : ' Merci Jésus pour m ' avoir donné assez de sous ' .

Puis il me regarda et dit : ' J ' avais demandé à Jésus de s ' arranger pour que j ' ai assez de sous pour acheter cette poupée afin que ma maman puisse l ' apporter à ma soeur. Il a entendu ma prière. Je voulais aussi avoir assez de sous pour acheter une rose blanche à ma maman, mais je n ' osais pas lui demander. Mais il m ' a donné assez de sous pour acheter la poupée et la rose blanche. Vous savez, ma maman aime tellement les roses blanches... '

Quelques minutes plus tard, sa tante revint, et je m ' éloignai en poussant mon panier. Je terminai mon magasinage dans un état d ' esprit complètement différent de celui dans lequel je l ' avais commencé.

Je n ' arrivais pas à oublier le petit garçon.

Puis, je me suis rappelée un article paru dans le journal quelques jours auparavant, qui parlait d ' un conducteur en état d ' ivresse qui avait frappé une voiture dans laquelle se trouvait une jeune femme et sa fille.

La petite fille était morte sur le coup et la mère gravement blessée.

La famille devait décider s ' ils allaient la faire débrancher du respirateur.

Est-ce que c ' était la famille de ce petit garçon ? Deux jours plus tard, je lus dans le journal que la jeune femme était morte. Je ne pus m ' empêcher d ' aller acheter un bouquet de roses blanches et me rendre au salon mortuaire où était exposée la jeune dame.

Elle était là, tenant une jolie rose blanche dans sa main, avec la poupée et la photo du petit garçon dans le magasin. J ' ai quitté le salon en pleurant sentant que ma vie changerait pour toujours. L ' amour que ce petit garçon éprouvait pour sa maman et sa soeur était tellement grand, tellement incroyable.

Et en une fraction de seconde, un conducteur ivre lui a tout enlevé...

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Monday, April 09, 2007

Set a date for real Middle East talks





Arab leaders are making a serious peace offer, and the world supports them. Ordinary Israelis want negotiations too, but their leaders risk losing this rare chance. Talks just about security will never bring peace.

Tell Israeli, Palestinian & Arab leaders to make an urgent date for real talks on core issues like the 1967 borders – and we’ll put that message on billboards in Jerusalem where decision-makers will see it. Time is short - sign the petition, act now.


Wednesday, April 04, 2007

Nearly 400 men are trapped in the prison at Guantanamo without charge or trial. Stop it Now !!!




Saturday, March 31, 2007

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Tuesday, March 27, 2007

Virgin Annunciate. Just for the beauty of it!


The Virgin interupted in her reading
by the archangel Gabriel.

Antonello da Messina (c. 1430 - 1479),
Virgin Annunciate, c. 1476,
Museo Nazionale, Palermo.


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Sunday, March 25, 2007

Le père Joseph au couvent…

Il était temps pour le vieux père Joseph de prendre son bain du samedi soir. La jeune soeur Nathalie avait préparé l'eau du bain, les serviettes et tout le reste … en suivant exactement les instructions données par la vieille soeur Berthe: ne pas regarder la nudité du père Joseph et faire tout ce qu'il lui demanderait en priant.

Le matin suivant, soeur Berthe demande à soeur Nathalie comment le bain de la veille s'était déroulé. "Oh! ma soeur !" répond soeur Nathalie les yeux rêveurs, "J'ai été sauvée !"

"Sauvée? Et comment ce beau miracle s'est-il produit ?" demanda la vieille soeur incrédule, qui savait que le vieux Père Joseph avait plus d'un tour dans son sac.

"Eh! bien, lorsque le père Joseph était dans son bain, il m'a demandé de le laver. Pendant que je le lavais, il a guidé ma main entre ses jambes, à l'endroit où le Seigneur garde la clé du paradis. C'est ce qu'il m'a dit.

"Ah! bon! Il a fait ça..." répliqua la vieille soeur, le regard froid et direct.

Soeur Nathalie continua: "Oui, et le père Joseph m'a dit que si la clé du paradis fonctionnait avec ma serrure, les portes des cieux seraient ouvertes pour moi et je serais assurée d'être sauvée. J'aurais ainsi la paix éternelle. Et ensuite le père Joseph a guidé sa clé du paradis dans ma serrure."

"Ah! oui ?", dit la vieille soeur encore plus froidement.

"Au début, c'était très douloureux, mais le père Joseph a dit que le chemin de la rédemption était souvent rempli de douleur. Mais que la Gloire de Dieu remplirait bientôt mon coeur d’extase. Et c'est arrivé! C'était si bon d'être sauvée !"

Sur ce, la vieille soeur se choqua. "Le vieil escroc! Il m'avait dit que c'était la Trompette de l'Ange Gabriel. Et ça fait 40 ans qu’il me fait souffler dedans!!"


Friday, March 23, 2007

Email from Avaaz.org ! We did it !

More info on the blog of Avaaz.org here.

Please help them get 150.000 signatures by Teusday here!

Dear friends,

Last week, Avaaz campaigners hand-delivered our 100,000-signature climate change petition to the environment ministers of the world's most polluting countries. It worked. The chair of the meeting waved the petition in the air, calling on his fellow ministers to act--and they agreed that climate change would be the #1 issue at the G8 summit in June.

Here's how our campaigner Iain Keith, who presented the petition, describes his experience:

When my turn came to speak to the Environment ministers, I was so nervous that I thought my voice would quiver. But I wasn't just speaking for myself--I was there on behalf of 100,000 Avaaz members, and I couldn't let them down. I walked to the microphone, took a deep breath, and said, "Dear Ministers, ladies and gentlemen, m y name is Iain Keith and I'm here on behalf of the 1 Million members of Avaaz. Avaaz is a new online community where global citizens can go to take action on the biggest issues facing our world. I have here, in my hands, a petition from our members who would like to tell you that they are scared of climate change, and the lack of action being taken. The countries represented in this room are responsible for the majority of global greenhouse gas emissions. As ministers of the environment you are in an excellent position to persuade your leaders to make tackling climate change the number one priority for the next G8 summit. Our members humbly request that you accept this petition as a reminder of your responsibilities, and to help persuade your leaders."

I handed the petition to the German environment minister, Sigmar Gabriel. The meeting continued, with speeches on other issues from other organizations. I wondered if all of the work had been worth it.

And then came Minister Gabriel's closing speech.

I could hardly believe it: he was saying that climate change must be the number one priority at the G8 summit. And he was holding our petition.

"Thanks to increased pressure from people around the world," he said, "the tide is turning. When an international NGO can gather this many signatures" (here he holds up the petition), "we cannot ignore this problem anymore... As Environmental ministers, we have a responsibility both to the environment and our voters to make sure our heads of state act!"

And a few days later, German Chancellor and G8 President Angela Merkel vowed to put climate change at the top of the agenda for the G8 Leaders Summit.

We did it!!

Iain's right. And we can do even more. Can you forward this email to ten friends, and help us reach our goal of 150,000 signatures by Tuesday?

http://www.avaaz.org/en/climate_action_g8

It's amazing what can happen when we work together. Thanks for all that you do.

With hope,

Ben, Iain, Ricken, Lee-Sean, Galit, Graziela, and the rest of the Avaaz team



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Sunday, March 18, 2007

Adopt a disability attitude

Adopt a disability attitude

On a daily basis, persons with disabilities face social and physical barriers, such as attitudinal prejudice related to their disability, inaccessibility of buildings and other architectural infrastructure as well as inaccessibility of information and communication tools.

These barriers very often results from a lack of knowledge or awareness which can easily be overcome with very simple actions. Disabled persons can fully participate in the society if the attitudinal and physical barriers are removed.

Whether in your personal or in your professional activities

You can do it!

What you can do as a citizen…
  • Focus attention on the person, instead of on the disability
  • Disabled persons should be treated like anyone else
  • Avoid prejudices linked to the outward appearance of a disabled person
  • Avoid a childlike or a pitying attitude towards a disabled person
  • Realize that disabled persons are no braver than anyone else
  • Always include the disabled person(s) in the conversation, he/she might also have interesting things to say
  • In a conversation with a disabled person accompanied by a personal assistant, address yourself directly to the disabled person, not the personal assistant
  • Always ask if the person needs help, do not assume he/she does
  • Let the person express his/her needs, do not make assumptions

Do you employ and manage staff?
  • Develop an equal opportunities recruitment policy
  • Offer traineeship opportunities for persons with disabilities
  • Develop a diversity policy within your business
  • Organize a disability awareness training for your staff
  • Make the building and the work place as accessible as possible (wider doors, ramps, accessible toilets, accessible telecommunication and technological tools, ….)
  • Whenever modifying the infrastructure of the work place or changing hardware and software material, always consult a disabled person before you implement anything

Do you organize leisure activities?
  • For excursions or trips, plan to order adapted vans/buses, enquire about the accessibility level of the places to be visited, ensure that sufficient accessible hotel rooms (adapted bathroom, large room, wider doors,…) are available for disabled participants
  • In sports activities, offer an accessible building or centre, including accessible changing rooms and easy access to the sport area.
  • For any activity, make sure that your leisure venue includes at least one accessible toilet, accessible buildings including indications in braille

Do you own a shop, a restaurant, a bar,… ?
  • Make sure your shop or restaurant is accessible to welcome disabled customers
  • Accept guide and assistance dogs in any place under any circumstances. These dogs are working dogs, not only for blind persons but also persons with reduced mobility.
  • Make sure your premises offer an accessible toilet

Do you own a hotel ?
  • Make sure your hotel provide some adapted rooms. An adapted room is a larger room including an adapted bathroom and wider doors
  • In the public area, provide ramps, adapted toilets and accessible lifts with indication in Braille, and if possible a voice system announcing the floors
  • Allow assistance dogs under any circumstances

What can you do as a public authority ?
  • In libraries, offer a ramp to enter the building, offer a range of braille signs, audio or braille books, books in large print, books in easy-to-understand format. Bookshelves should be accessible to all, including wheelchair users and persons of short stature
  • In museums, offer an accessible building (ramps, braille, etc…) and ensure exhibitions are accessible to all (audio guided tour, braille descriptions, sign language video,…)
  • In shopping malls, next to steps and escalators, lifts and ramps should be provided.
  • Provide sufficient parking spaces for disabled persons near all public spaces
  • Any person has the right to move around freely and independently to any public building or any public space. Whenever creating or renovating building or a public space, think about the accessibility requirements on the basis of the “design for all” principles
  • Whenever public toilets are provided, one or more should be accessible to disabled persons
  • In any case, whatever you undertake, a very simple and useful tip : involve persons with disabilities in consultations on your constituency policies and intiatives

Do you organise events, meetings and conferences ?
  • Ensure that the venue infrastructure/hotel is totally accessible (ramps, lifts, door width, accessible toilet, indications in braille, assistance dogs allowed, adapted rooms including adapted bathrooms….)
  • Consult with each disabled participant about the necessary technical aids to compensate for their different needs
  • Place materials within reach (pens, paper, documents,….) rather than inaccessible place such as on the top shelf or high reception desk.
  • Provide accessible vehicles where a person can enter using a wheelchair and parking spaces for disabled persons arriving by car
  • For standing receptions, provide extra chairs for persons with walking/standing difficulties and place some ordinary tables (rather than high cocktail tables) which is more accessible to wheelchair users and which can also be used by deaf persons who needs their hands free for sign language
  • For blind and visually impaired persons, provide information in advance of the event information in large print or in electronic format for to read it with a braille reader
  • Make powerpoint or flipchart presentations as accessible as possible to visually impaired persons through a clear oral description of its content, or if possible send it in advance of the event
  • Blind people focus on sounds, therefore background noise or loud music should be avoided
  • For hard of hearing persons, provide a induction loop system (sound amplifying system) and/or a velotyping system (simultaneous transcription)
  • Ø For deaf persons, provide sign language interpretation if no sign language interpreter is accompanying the deaf participant.
  • Persons with mental disabilities might have difficulties to understand complex ideas. Provide signs they can use in case they do not understand. Provide easy-to-understand information together with pictograms.
  • Pay special attention to persons with disabilities in case of emergency

Do you provide information to the public ?
  • A blind person will prefer Braille, audio-tape and computer compatible material
  • A person with a visual impairment will prefer information printed in large letters and computer compatible tools
  • Persons who hard of hearing prefer visible written information such as simultaneous captioning, written display, subtitling. They also prefer sound amplifying systems. More specifically, deaf persons, who are sign language users, prefer communication presented in their native sign language. They often communicate with hearing persons through the medium of a sign language interpreter.
  • A person with an intellectual impairment will prefer easy-to-understand text and marks such as pictograms
  • Make sure your website respects the Web accessibility guidelines (WAI guidelines) enabling disabled persons to surf on the web without technical barriers

Are you a journalist or do you work in the media industry ?
  • Don’t talk about “the disabled” as though they are a group apart, say “disabled persons” or “persons with disabilities”
  • Don’t use the word ‘handicap’ because it can prompt negative images
  • Don’t say ‘he is wheelchair bound’, or ‘confined to a wheelchair. Just say ‘He uses a wheelchair” or “he is a wheelchair user”
  • Don’t use words that make disabled people seem frail or dependent, like ‘victim of’, ‘crippled by’, or ‘suffering from’. The word ‘invalid’ should also be avoided as it can be understood as the person is ‘not valid’.
  • Promote positive images of disabled people that are not based on charity or the medical approach and avoid negative stereotypes
  • Increase the visibility of disabled people in all genres and improve the portrayal and inclusion of disabled people
  • Increase programmes which specifically concern disabled people and their families
  • Include the participation of persons with disabilities in mainstream programmes
  • By entering in the 21st century, we entered the digital era, which must benefit also to people with disabilities bringing the opportunity for all television programmes to be subtitled and provided with audio-description

Do you develop websites?
  • Persons with disabilities very much like to surf on the web. For some it is their own window out to the society. Make sure that your websites are developed in accordance with the Web Accessibility Guidelines

Do you work in telecommunications?
  • Disabled persons should be able to access the same range of telecommunication products as any other consumer. Make sure that you develop any device, eg mobile phone, telephone, computer, etc… according to the principle of “design for all”
  • Whatever you undertake, a very simple and useful tip : always consult with persons with disabilities first, they are the consumers.
A pinch of knowledge,
two spoons of awareness,
and a handful of simple actions,
are the ingredients of a very successful
“Disability Attitude”


1 000 000


50 million disabled citizens have the ambition to become equal citizens

TAKE A STEP, MAKE A CHANGE

One minute of your time can change the lives of 50 million disabled citizens

SIGN NOW to reach 1 000 000 signatures