India recently elected a majority government that promised sustainable development, but Abhay Joshi, 19, a Correspondent from India, says that every individual has to be a part of the development process.  India is a land of varied culture and has a multi-lingual, multi-religion and varied heritage which sets it a class apart from other countries …

"Everyone has to take responsibility" Read More »

Behaviour can be a reaction to stereotypes, but as Harmanan Singh, 17, a Correspondent from Mumbai in India writes, there is much to learn from looking beyond first impressions. It was yet another crowded, packed day at the railway station. I scuttled with a million others as I took the eternal climb on the staircase …

"To the kid at the station: you taught me a lesson!" Read More »

Climate change has been regarded as an environmental or business  issue, but Naman Sanghvi, 23, a Correspondent from India, argues that viewing it as an ethical issue changes the imperative for action. Can we evoke greater motivation among negotiators if climate change were to be treated as an ethical problem and not simply a leash on …

"Can we treat climate change as an ethical problem?" Read More »

Humans have treaded the earth from time immemorial and the story of mankind has been one of innumerable highs and steadfast progress, writes Harmanan Singh, 17, a Correspondent from Mumbai in India. Sheer grit and scientific temper make us wonder, “What lies ahead”? Future cities may take calculated measures to reach the pinnacle of glory and …

"The Danish diaries – my Scandanavian trip" Read More »

History is a progress of meeting adversity with innovation, writes Harmanan Singh,17, a Correspondent from Mumbai in India, who argues that current and future problems can be solved by using the best of human qualities. Humans have treaded on this earth from time immemorial, and the story of mankind has been one of innumerable highs …

"We must continue to strive and progress" Read More »

Small island developing states are especially vulnerable to external economic and environmental shocks. At the Third International Conference on Small Island Developing States in Samoa, 1-4 September, the Commonwealth is partnering with the United Nations, governments and international organisations to help build the resilience of these countries. The unique natural life on small islands plays a …

SIDS 2014: "Oceans, seas, and valuable biodiversity" Read More »

Public libraries are usually considered to be temples of knowledge, but Harmanan Singh, 17, a Commonwealth Correspondent from Mumbai in India, argues that when it comes to author rights libraries are pirates. Piracy – we all know what it means, right?  Administrations around the globe will tell you that it is the illegal sharing of content …

"Libraries are pirates – we need public lending rights" Read More »

Harmanan Singh, 17, a Commonwealth Correspondent from Mumbai in India, teamed up with a videographer to create a short film that follows a growing friendship and explores the concept of empathy. I wrote the story for this short film called, “Letters”.  It carries the message of social cohesiveness and empathy. The world has become highly globalised. Interactions between …

"Everyday heroes can create social cohesiveness" Read More »

Learning about global food security means knowing about rice production, biodiversity, women in agriculture and climate change, as Shomira Sanyal, 20, a Commonwealth Correspondent from New Delhi in India, discovered while attending summer school hosted by the Association of Commonwealth Universities. ‘Global Food Security: Can We Feed A Growing World?’  The theme for the 4th Association …

"The ACU Summer School 2014 on Global Food Security" Read More »

India faces a huge task in educating its youth. Harmanan Singh, 17, a Commonwealth Correspondent from Mumbai in India, says the current system has been faulted by employers, and describes one school that offers a markedly different approach. “We are students of words: we are shut up in schools, and colleges, and recitation -rooms, for ten …

"How a Mumbai school redefines education" Read More »