News stories by A. D. McKenzie

PARIS, Nov 29 (IPS) - Morna, the haunting, traditional music of Cabo Verde, is slated to join UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage List when a committee meets in Bogotá, Colombia, Dec. 9 to 14, to consider submissions from around the world.

PARIS, Oct 11 (IPS) - Fresh from unveiling a huge statue of a black man on horseback in New York's Times Square, renowned African American artist Kehinde Wiley flew to France this week to "meet" 18th-century French painter Jacques-Louis David.

LONDON, Aug 29 (IPS) - It must be a daunting prospect to sing songs made famous by the incomparable Nina Simone, but performers Ledisi and Lisa Fischer brought their individual style to a BBC Proms concert in London, honouring Simone and gaining admiration for their own talent.

KINGSTON/PARIS, Jun 24 (IPS) - Dogs barking in the distance. Birds chirping nearby. A man walking through the mist, surrounded by lush vegetation. A distinctive vibrato singing "Speak Softly, Love" over it all.

PARIS, May 07 (IPS) - An alarming report about the massive loss of biodiversity around the world warns that future generations will be at risk if urgent action isn't taken to protect the more than one million species of plants and animals threatened with extinction.

BELGRADE, Apr 19 (IPS) - This article is part of a series on the current state of civil society organisations (CSOs), which was the focus of International Civil Society Week (ICSW), sponsored by CIVICUS, and which took place in Belgrade, April 8-12.

Bridge 47, a Finland-based organisation created "to bring people together to share and learn from each other", put global citizenship education (GCED) centre-stage at a recent annual meeting of civil society.

BELGRADE, Apr 15 (IPS) - This article is part of a series on the current state of civil society organisations (CSOs), which will be the focus of International Civil Society Week (ICSW), sponsored by CIVICUS, and scheduled to take place in Belgrade, April 8-12.

Abraham M. Keita says he was nine years old when a girl of thirteen was sexually assaulted and strangled in his home community in Liberia.

BELGRADE, Apr 11 (IPS) - This article is part of a series on the current state of civil society organisations (CSOs), which will be the focus of International Civil Society Week (ICSW), sponsored by CIVICUS, and scheduled to take place in Belgrade, April 8-12.

"Stay safe. There's no story worth dying for."

That's the message to journalists from Nada Josimovic, programme coordinator of Amsterdam-based media rights organisation Free Press Unlimited.

BELGRADE, Apr 10 (IPS) - This article is part of a series on the current state of civil society organisations (CSOs), which will be the focus of International Civil Society Week (ICSW), sponsored by CIVICUS, and scheduled to take place in Belgrade, April 8-12.

The murder of Brazilian politician and human rights activist Marielle Franco just over a year ago and attacks on other rights activists around the world have galvanised civil society organisations, with the United Nations heightening its own strategy to protect rights defenders.

PARIS, Apr 07 (IPS) - This article is part of a series on the current state of civil society organisations (CSOs), which will be the focus of International Civil Society Week (ICSW), sponsored by CIVICUS, and scheduled to take place in Belgrade, April 8-12.

Amid rising attacks on rights campaigners, and mass protests in countries such as France and Serbia, civil society groups are urging governments to ensure the protection of "democratic values" and freedom of expression.