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World’s Greatest Smile

News / Blog
Archiv 2012

12/31/2012, 12:27, Meike, HRM, Nova Scotia, Canada


We wish you all a peaceful, smiling, happy, healthy, successful and amazing New Year!
Let’s make 2013 one for the history books - in a positive way!

 

12/24/2012, 14:12, Meike, HRM, Nova Scotia, Canada


 

12/21/2012, 20:40, Meike, HRM, Nova Scotia, Canada


Someone just earned some extra milk and cookies...!

Since I have an especially loving relationship with Santa I expected me to put him (or one of Santa’s helpers) on our unofficial list of heroes at some point.
But who would have thought that I would put Santa (or one of Santa’s helpers) on our heroes list for denying presents to someone? Oh well, I did...

Here is what Santa (or one of Santa’s helpers) answered when asked by children for a gun:
““You might get a gun from your father or your mother or grandfather, but you won’t get one from me,” he tells kids who request weapons, either real or make-believe, at the Fairfax County nursery. “Guns were put on this earth to take the life of a bird, an animal or a person. Guns were designed to make people cry, to make people die. Now, take a candy and a holy card.””
The Washington Post

Brilliant! Well done, Santa!
And if you’d ask me you could deny them to adults, too!

 

12/20/2012, 14:12, Meike, HRM, Nova Scotia, Canada


 

12/10/2012, 13:45, Meike, HRM, Nova Scotia, Canada


Happy Human Rights Day 2012!

Dear Human Rights,

Wishing you supporters with determination, a strong voice and a good common sense for your upcoming year of life!

Love, Meike
 

“This year, the spotlight is on the rights of all people - women,  youth, minorities, persons with disabilities, indigenous people, the  poor and marginalized - to make their voices heard in public life and be included in political decision-making.

These human rights - the rights to freedom of opinion and expression, to peaceful assembly and association, and to take part in government (articles 19, 20 and 21 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights) have been at the centre of the historic changes in the Arab world over  the past two years, in which millions have taken to the streets to  demand change. In other parts of the world, the ”99%” made their voices  heard through the global Occupy movement protesting economic, political  and social inequality.” UN, My Voice Counts

Everyone’s Human Rights: Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Eleanor Roosevelt

 

11/25/2012, 13:09, Meike, HRM, Nova Scotia, Canada


Today is International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women

Despite the fact that the right of women and girls to live free of violence is inalienable and fundamental - and enshrined in international human rights and humanitarian law - violence against women and girls is widespread throughout the globe and takes many forms.

On December 17, 1999, the United Nations General Assembly designated 25 November as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence  against Women. The UN invited governments, international organisations and NGOs to organise activities designed to raise public awareness of the problem on this day.

More info:
UN - events - International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women

 

11/19/2012, 12:31, Meike, HRM, Nova Scotia, Canada


Today is World Toilet Day

“Every day, 7,500 people die due to a lack of sanitation, 5,000 of whom are  less than 5 years old. Every year, 272 million schooldays are missed due to water-borne or sanitation-related diseases,” said the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the human right to safe drinking water and sanitation, Catarina de Albuquerque, on World Toilet Day.
One out of three people do not have access to improved sanitation facilities.

Read more:

 

10/12/2012, 12:19, Meike, HRM, Nova Scotia, Canada


Nobel Peace Prize 2012

The Nobel Peace Prize 2012 was awarded to European Union (EU) "for over six decades contributed to the advancement of peace and reconciliation, democracy and human rights in Europe".
www.nobelprize.org

More about the European Union:
www.europa.eu

 

10/11/2012, 14:58, Meike, HRM, Nova Scotia, Canada


Today is International Day of the Girl Child

On December 19, 2011, the United Nations General Assembly declared October 11 as the International Day of the Girl Child, to recognise girls’ rights and the unique challenges girls face around the world.

http://www.un.org/en/events/girlchild/


scuplture “I am perfect like I am” by Meike Duch
- speaking up against female genital mutilation -

 

10/02/2012, 13:53, Meike, HRM, Nova Scotia, Canada


Happy International Day of Non-Violence

“On 15 June 2007 the United Nations General Assembly voted to establish 2 October as the International Day of Non-Violence. The resolution by the General Assembly asks all members of the UN  system to commemorate 2 October in "an appropriate manner and disseminate the message of non-violence, including through education and public awareness."”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Day_of_Non-Violence

UN declares 2 October, Gandhi’s birthday, as International Day of Non-Violence

 

08/01/2012, 12:36, Meike, HRM, Nova Scotia, Canada


There is a new inspiring hero

Chinese rubbish collector Lou Xiaoying, now 88, found and raised more than 30 abandoned Chinese babies from the streets while she managed to make a living by recycling rubbish.

“'I realised if we had strength enough to  collect garbage how could we not recycle something as important as human lives,' she explained.” DailyMail Online

 

07/31/2012, 22:24, Meike, HRM, Nova Scotia, Canada


“Knotted drone” by Meike Duch

 

05/03/2012, Thursday, Meike, HRM, Nova Scotia, Canada


Happy World Press Freedom Day everyone!

“Every year, May 3rd is a date which celebrates  the fundamental principles of press freedom; to evaluate press freedom around the world, to defend the media from attacks on their independence and to pay tribute to journalists who have lost their lives in the  exercise of their profession.

3 May was proclaimed World Press Freedom Day the UN General Assembly in 1993 following a Recommendation adopted at the  twenty-sixth session of UNESCO's General Conference in 1991.” UNESCO

More: UNESCO - World Press Freedom Day

 

01/25/2012, Wednesday, Meike, HRM, Nova Scotia, Canada


We wish you all a

Happy 8th

World’s Greatest Smile - Day!

The goal of World’s Greatest Smile Day is to give people from all over the world the possibility to state together that there is willingness for an intelligent and peaceful international communication. As we say “World’s Greatest Smile - Start with a Smile!”. It’s a start - to move on from there!

We know that lots of you are having a great day celebrating World’s Greatest Smile events around the world today! Enjoy!

And we like to cordially thank all of the wonderful supporters of the World’s Greatest Smile Peace Project for everything you do!
 

And we got E-mails from two very appreciated long-term supporters of the World’s Greatest Smile announcing their smile for peace:

Nobel Laureate Prof. Dr. George F. Smoot

Professor Smoot received the Nobel Prize in Physics for his discovery of the blackbody form and anisotropy of the cosmic microwave background radiation in 2006.

Nobel Laureate Prof. Dr. William D. Phillips

And Professor Phillips was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for the development of methods to cool and trap atoms with laser light in 1997.

 

01/24/2012, Tuesday, 14:19, Meike, HRM, Nova Scotia, Canada

Update 01/25/2012:

Senator Vivienne Poy is smiling today – and here’s her picture.


Two more Smiles from the Canadian government for the Word’s Greatest Smile!

Senator Vivienne Poy, Member of the Senate of Canada, “is happy to join in your endeavour”.

And Isabelle Morin, Member of the Parliament of Canada, wrote us she as well “will definitely smile on January 25th...”.

 

 

01/23/2012, Monday, 19:07, Meike, HRM, Nova Scotia, Canada


Lovely...!

(Thanks a lot for sending the picture!)

 

01/18/2012, Wednesday, 19:07, Meike, HRM, Nova Scotia, Canada


A lot more Nobel support for the World’s Greatest Smile!

Nobel Laureate Professor Dr. Dudley Herschbach

Professor Herschbach is a highly cherished supporter of the World’s Greatest Smile for many years.
He is a source of inspiration and dedication for all of us!

We just received another lovely mail from him with a wonderful suggestion for the World’s Greatest Smile which we would love to implement!
Unfortunately the funds of the World's Greatest Smile don't allow to realise it so far - we work very hard to change that.
If you like to help, please find our Donate-button on the left side of this web site or contact us! Any help - big or small - is highly appreciated!

So please keep in mind that there are more WGS-sub-projects in the making “... to remind the world that we are all citizens of the only inhabitable planet we know of!” (Dudley Herschbach)

In 1986 Professor Herschbach was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his contribution concerning the dynamics of chemical elementary processes.
 


New supporter of the World’s Greatest Smile is Nobel Laureate Professor Dr. Ronald H. Coase.

Professor Coarse is probably one of our most experienced smilers since he already smiles since 101 years!

Professor Coase got the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences for his discovery and clarification of the significance of transaction costs and property rights for the institutional structure and functioning of the economy in 1991.


Also new to the fine group of Nobel Supporters is Nobel Laureate Professor Dr. James Heckman.

Professor Heckman received the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences for his development of theory and methods for analyzing selective samples in 2000.


And Nobel Laureate Professor Dr. Martin Chalfie

wrote us he is “... glad to do it” again. And we are glad he does it again, too!

Professor Chalfie was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for the discovery and development of the green fluorescent protein, GFP, in 2008.

 

01/17/2012, Tuesday, 14:29, Meike, HRM, Nova Scotia, Canada


And our newest Nobel Smile comes from Professor Dr. Robert J. Aumann

He has “already started practicing for January 25th”!

The Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel 2005 was awarded to Robert J. Aumann for having enhanced our understanding of conflict and cooperation through game-theory analysis.

Professor Auman’s Prize Lecture had the title “War and Peace”.

 

01/16/2012, Monday, 20:54, Meike, HRM, Nova Scotia, Canada

Shelly Glover MP

Two more Canadian smiles for the World’s Greatest Smile!

Senator Terry Mercer, Member of the Senate of Canada, notified his participation in the World’s Greatest Smile-Day to us today and wrote: “...I think every day should be World’s Greatest Smile-Day”.
We might even see his smile because he actually lives pretty close to us right now!

And Shelly Glover, Member of the Parliament of Canada, also gave notice of her smile.

 

 

01/13/2012, Friday, 23:04, Meike, HRM, Nova Scotia, Canada


Some more inspirations on World’s Greatest Smile - Day activities

So Nobel Laureate John Hall will participate in the World’s Greatest Smile with his wife and a primary school...
That makes me sooo happy! I'd love to see that event! I’m sure everyone will enjoy that event so much! Wonderful!

And what do you plan for the World’s Greatest Smile - Day?
Here is our new page with some more inspirations on what you can do on the World’s Greatest Smile - Day on January 25th!

 

01/12/2012, Thursday, 23:17, Meike, HRM, Nova Scotia, Canada


“Dear, you’ve got an e-mail...”

Andreas wanted to read a new e-mail to me. Therefor I knew that this would be something very cool due to the fact that he only may read things to me which make me very happy, because I want his voice in my head only associated with good things.

John Hall
in the Oval Office at
the White House

So while he was reading we both went from smiling to smiling deeply moved, to smiling amused, then to laughing out loud, back to smiling touched, to more smiling glowingly where we stood for a while - and then to cheering enthusiastically.

Nobel Laureate Professor Dr. John Hall wrote - amongst some very friendly, touching and motivating things about the World’s Greatest Smile - that he would participate in the World’s Greates Smile Day.
And in addition he announced that he and his wife “...will be in a primary school that day, so we'll probably be able to add quite a few more participants”.
Isn’t that lovely and gorgeous and adorable and ...?!

Professor John Hall was awarded The Nobel Prize in Physics 2005 for his contributions to the development of laser-based precision  spectroscopy, including the optical frequency comb technique.

 

01/11/2012, Wednesday, 14:37, Meike, HRM, Nova Scotia, Canada


The 21st Nobel Laureate announced her participation in the World’s Greatest Smile Peace Project !

Exciting news again:
Nobel Laureate Professor Dr. Elizabeth Helen Blackburn wrote us an e-mail and announced her Smile for the World’s Greatest Smile Day!

Blackburn was listed among Time Magazine's “The TIME 100 - The People Who Shape Our World” in 2007.
She researches on finding a cure for cancer and according to Time Magazine used to sing to critters - what a wonderful new member of the World’s Greatest Smile family! We are very happy to welcome her!

Professor Elisabeth Blackburn was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2009 for the discovery of how chromosomes are protected by telomeres and the enzyme telomerase.

 

01/10/2012, Tuesday, 20:25, Meike, HRM, Nova Scotia, Canada


“Dooouuug...!!!”
or - in a much more serious tone:
The first Nobel Laureate in 2012 announced his Smile for the World’s Greatest Smile Day!

very nice picture of
Professor Doug Osheroff

If you live more or less nearby and heard someone excitedly exclaiming “Dooouuug...!!!” or saw someone hoping around happily waving her arms - well, yes, that was me.
I just got an e-mail in which Nobel Laureate Professor Dr. Douglas D. Osheroff promises that he “will smile on January 25, for as long as my face will support a smile”!

As an explanation for the hoping and waving I have to mention that I had a printed extract of one of the personal e-mails Professor Osheroff wrote to me some years ago taped to my computer screen for several years!
So he has not just a special place in my heart but also had one on my screen - what is very hard to accomplish...! So I’m very, very excited!

Professor Douglas D. Osheroff was awarded the The Nobel Prize in Physics 1996 for the discovery of superfluidity in helium-3.

 

01/05/2012, Thursday, 15:11, Meike, HRM, Nova Scotia, Canada


I just published a new game in our series of World’s Greatest Smile Games:
Show your shiny bearskin, swing your fluffy bunny ears, and play “Smile at bears”!

Andreas and I invented “Smile at bears” on a cold winter day for a special event we had. And it became one of my favourite games of all times for several reasons!

One of the reasons why I love this game so much is because it is so lovely to explain the “rules”...
It’s great for creating a fabulous atmosphere..., overcoming preconceptions, being there for others, and using a smile as a friendly form of communication.

friendly bears, happy bunnies and the bear’s den...

 

01/01/2012, Sunday, 14:59, Meike, HRM, Nova Scotia, Canada


We wish you all a peaceful, happy and healthy New Year 2012!

May 2012 make history as the most peaceful year so far on humankind’s way to world peace.
Just let’s do it! If we can make it in 2012 we can spend 2013 cuddling puppies. Worth a try?

♪♪ “...
And a happy New Year
Let's hope it's a good one
Without any fear
War is over over
If you want it
War is over
Now...”
John Lennon - Happy Christmas (War Is Over)

 

 

 

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