Nowruz 1389 / 2010

Happy Iranian New Year

Iran’s Clean Air Day

Yesterday was celebrated as Iran’s Clean Air, Blue Sky Day. Air pollution is a major issue in mega cities like Tehran. Most days, Tehran is clouded by a thick layer of smog making it difficult to breath especially for children and elderly.

Every year on January 19, they celebrate Clean Air day, encouraging people to use public transportation or bicycles instead of their personal cars so that it will reduce the polution of the mega city.

This year, in a symbolic act, President Ahmadinejad first rode a bicycle for a short distance and then joined a group of hiking athletes affiliated with the Federation of Sport and some of the ministers and officials. He seemed cheery, happy and skilled in riding bicycle!

They called on officials and the nation to increase the public interest in physical exercise for having fit and healthy society.

I hope they continue this way, through the year.Iranians are interested in sports but most of them seem to be  too busy with their daily affairs to include exercising in their schedule. Many Iranian women attend gyms and clubs to remain fit and healthy, though it’s not yet a national habit.

I wish they would make it easy for women as well and encourage them to use bicycle in Iran. Though it’s not banned for them and some women ride bicycle in public, but still it seems more like a taboo in some areas.

P.S: Has been cross-posted on MEY

2010; Year Of Protecting The Earth

2009 was a chaotic year. The Gaza war just ended on January 18, 2009 , leaving many people around the world in grief and concerned about the result: Around 1500 Palestinians murdered-many of them women and children- , more than 400’000 Gazans were left without running water, 4000 homes were distroyed or badly damaged and the siege which has not been ended up to now.

Around the time, Barack Obama was inaugurated as the 44th president of the US. The first black american who was entitled to the position.

Despite Obama’s promises of change, US and NATO troops remained in Afghanistan and Iraq and were also increased in number. Obama also got a noble prize which most believe it was for ‘nothing’!

Let’s not forget Iran’s nuclear disputes, the famous presidential election in Iran and pre-post election events which more or less still warm up the western media.

There was also the epidemic of H1N1 (wrongly named as swine flu),the Yemen war, the death of famous Micheal Jackson and the economic crisis.

Well, now that 2010 is coming (has come already), i’m not going to drag on explaining all the sadden events that took place in 2009.

2010 was proclaimed by the United Nations as The International Year of Biodiversity (IYB). Humans as a part of nature and its diversity have the power to protect it. However human activity is heavily causing so much damage to the life in a great part of nature.  2010 will actually be a year-long celebration of biological diversity and its value for life on Earth.

Now that 2009, the International year of astronomy ended already, i wish you all a very happy 2010. I wish for a much better year to live in. A year of prosperity, LoVe, Peace and justice all over the world.  A year in which as to protecting the nature, we will also protect the human values all together.

Now that we watched the sky enough during 2009,  let’s look after The Earth!

P.S: Has been cross-posted on Mideast Youth