December 1st: AIDS day...

Do you know everything about AIDS?

Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS or Aids) is a set of symptoms and infections resulting from the damage to the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).^[1] This condition progressively reduces the effectiveness of the immune system and leaves individuals susceptible to opportunistic infections and tumors. HIV is transmitted through direct contact of a mucous membrane or the bloodstream with a bodily fluid containing HIV, such as blood, semen, vaginal fluid, preseminal fluid, and breast milk.^[2][3] This transmission can involve anal, vaginal or oral sex, blood transfusion, contaminated hypodermic needles, exchange between mother and baby during pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding, or other exposure to one of the above bodily fluids.

AIDS is now a pandemic.^[4] In 2007, an estimated 33.2 million people lived with the disease worldwide, and it killed an estimated 2.1 million people, including 330,000 children.^[5] Over three-quarters of these deaths occurred in sub-Saharan Africa,^[5] retarding economic growth and destroying human capital.^[6] Most researchers believe that HIV originated in sub-Saharan Africa during the twentieth century.^[7] AIDS was first recognized by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 1981 and its cause, HIV, identified by American and French scientists in the early 1980s.^[8]

Although treatments for AIDS and HIV can slow the course of the disease, there is currently no vaccine or cure. Antiretroviral treatment reduces both the mortality and the morbidity of HIV infection, but these drugs are expensive and routine access to antiretroviral medication is not available in all countries.^[9] Due to the difficulty in treating HIV infection, preventing infection is a key aim in controlling the AIDS epidemic, with health organizations promoting safe sex and needle-exchange programmes in attempts to slow the spread of the virus.

(source: wikipedia).

"Streets of Philadelphia" is a wonderful song and soundrack of "Philadelphia" movie...take a look at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9L9_8vwx2w8.

For more information about the movie look at: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0107818/.

We should raise our awareness...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkITvAd_X4Y

10th December : Human Rights Day

Human Rights Day is observed by the international community every year on 10 December. It commemorates the day when, 60 years ago, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). The theme for 2008, 'Dignity and justice for all of us', reinforces the vision of the UDHR as a commitment to universal dignity and justice.
Have a alook at the following last year's webcast short videos and other presentations by the United Nations in order to commemorate this day
(http://www.un.org/webcast/humanrightsday/archive.html)

Watch some of the following videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixjACBvv2mE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmHS-bSIH9g


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If you also want to know about your rights as a citizen of the EU, check the following link:
http://ec.europa.eu/youreurope/index_en.html

Announcemnet

Dear all,

I would like to inform you that the session we missed last Monday will be held probably on Tuesday 2nd December at 16:00-17:30. There will be an announcement on TEI's bulletin board the soonest possible. However, I would like ro discuss this with you during tomorrow's session. Please feel free to contact me and suggest alternative dates and hours, although I have great difficulty in finding some more free hours in my schedule...So don't worry if some of you cannot attend the session and of course there will be no problem with your absence (κοινώς απουσίες).
See you tomorrow.
Please do come on time, and do your homework so as not to spend much time on previously taught materials. And don't forget your booklets!!!
Please inform your co-students and especially Fotis, since his email has changed and I can't reach him.

The EU in your country

Check the following link in case you would be interested in finding out more about EU agencies or information centres in Greece.
http://europa.eu/euinyourcountry/index_en.htm

Announcement

Dear students,
I am in the "pleasant" position to announce you that Monday's session will not take place due to a seminar I am currently attending in Ioannina. I am going to notify the secretariat tomorrow, but please do me the favour to notify other students attending this course.
See you next Monday.

Have your say!!! Let the politicians know what young people need!

urope's present and future lie with its young people, and government policies meant to serve them must stay tuned to their ever-changing needs.

That also goes for action by the European Union (see background document for more information). The aim of this consultation is to help us evaluate what European cooperation on youth policy has achieved since 2000 and propose fresh objectives

Why this consultation?

The purpose of this public consultation is to find out how EU youth policy should developwhat proposals we should make to European Union member countries. for the decade to come. in the coming years and

If you are an individual or organisation interested in the future of young people in Europe and you are based in an EU country, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Turkey, Croatia or the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, we want to hear from you.

Thank you for responding to this open consultation and playing an active part in the future European strategy for young people – and please spread the word to others.

Please read the privacy statement (see background documents at the beginning of this questionnaire) for information on how your personal data and contribution will be dealt with.

The consultation will be open until 25 November 2008. The outcome of the consultation will be published on www.ec.europa.eu/youth.

http://ec.europa.eu/yourvoice/ipm/forms/dispatch?form=Youthchallenges&lang=en

Notes...coming!

Dear all,
I would like to remind you that tomorrow you will get a notes package including all materials that will be taught throughout this course. Please be there!

European Youth Week 2008: The future challenges for youth on the top of the agenda

The future challenges for young people will be placed at the top of the agenda during the fourth edition of the European Youth Week, to be held from 2-9 November 2008. An unprecedented number of political debates, cultural and other activities will be organised in all corners of Europe, with numerous activities taking place in Brussels for some 200 selected young participants. Read more..

More information:

European Commission's Youth homepage: http://ec.europa.eu/youth/index_en.htm

Youth portal: http://europa.eu/youth/

Youth in Action Programme overview:

http://ec.europa.eu/youth/youth-in-action-programme/doc74_en.htm

Financial crisis hits the globe!

A quick guide to the EU’s response to the financial crisis

The crisis that started in the US over a year ago has sent shock waves around the globe. Former giants of the financial world have found themselves suddenly facing bankruptcy. Inevitably, the crisis is also having an effect on households and businesses - economic growth has slowed sharply and in some EU countries unemployment has begun to increase for the first time in several years.

In the EU, the turmoil has prompted action on many levels – by national governments, the European Central Bank and the Commission. All have been working closely together to protect savings, maintain a flow of affordable credit for businesses and households and put in place a better governance system for the future.

Looking ahead

Amid fears of a global recession, the Commission is pressing for rapid adoption of measures proposed in June to help small businesses, which create most new jobs in the EU.

It is also asking the European Parliament and the 27 EU member countries to quickly adopt the proposed directive on capital requirements for financial institutions, aimed at reining in excessive risk-taking by banks and improving supervision of banks that operate in different EU countries.

The Commission is drawing up proposals for stricter regulation of credit rating agencies. These agencies advise investors on how safe investments are, but they failed to spot some of the risks that led to the current crisis.

The Commission is also looking at the issue of executive pay, amid concern that highly-paid bankers are not held accountable for making poor investment decisions.

A comprehensive plan to help the EU economy recover from the crisis is also being prepared. It is due out on 26 November and will include short-term measures. At the same time, the Commission has also made a commitment to drive European coordination, to work tirelessly to improve global cooperation and to apply EU law with the maximum flexibility.

Read more...