One World Centre Isle of Man

On so-called Black Friday, one of the biggest shopping days of the year, it feels like a good time to announce the winners of our SDG Art Competition on the subject of Being a Responsible Consumer. This was a competition that was run earlier in the year and asked entrants to reflect on Sustainable Development Goal No 12, Responsible Consumption and Production. We had some very interesting entries which were judged by OWC Chair Phil Craine and IoM Arts Council Board Member Jade Boylan.

Congratulations to overall winner Sarah Pitts, and also to our two runners up Hannah Grove and Pat Wiles. Also many thanks to Shakti Man for helping out with prizes!

Thanks to everyone who took part – we’ll be running another art competition on one of the SDG themes next year.

There is a great opportunity to hear from Chine McDonald, author, regular speaker on BBC Radio 4, Trustee of Greenbelt and head of community fundraising and public engagement at Christian Aid, who is visiting the Island to speak at the Manx Museum next week.

Hosted by Judith Ley, the evening will be a challenging and thought-provoking event for anyone interested in the environment, equality and justice. The event starts at 7pm on Tuesday 26th October. More information and link to free tickets here. 

We were delighted to help facilitate this photographic exhibition from Send A Cow, showcasing their ongoing work to combat hunger in rural Africa.

Called “Food and Livelihoods in Burundi”, it is on show at the Isle of Man Airport and will remain available to view until the end of October.

Featuring 16 stunning photographs from Burundi, the exhibition is a way of demonstrating the work that is being funded by the Isle of Man Government through the Isle of Man’s international development budget. It was formally opened by outgoing Chief Minister Howard Quayle who spoke of the importance of richer countres helping other less privileged communities.

Richard Granville and Doug Statt of Send A Cow were also in attendance and earlier in the day they visited Ballakermeen High School to give an assembly. A team of students from Ballakermeen had represented Send A Cow in last year’s One World Charity Challenge, winning £1,750 for the charity.

The exhibition is free to attend and is located in the atrium area of the top floor of the airport.

With the election only days away, we have collated replies from candidates on their attitude to international development and aid. You can see their answers here.

Not all prospective MHKs have replied (come on Arbory!) so maybe you would like to ask your candidates the same questions if their answer does not yet appear.

International aid saves and improves lives around the world but is still a contentious issue for those who believe the money should stay on-Island. With a general election coming up and the prospect of new MHKs in Tynwald, we look at why it’s important to take a global perspective as well as a local one.

Read our article here.

We are hearing many voices of concern from Island residents concerning events in Afghanistan.

Even before the Taliban takeover, the UN projected that some 12 million people (30% of the population) would face insecurity and malnutrition. 3.5 million are displaced and this number can be expected to rise. The UN has called on neighbouring states to keep their borders open to those fleeing. We are suggesting that anyone wishing to help in the short term consider donations to charities which are already working with those in need of humanitarian assistance in Afghanistan as well as those who have fled. These include the British Red Cross, UNICEF, International Rescue Committee and the UN Refugee Agency.

The UK Government is setting up a scheme to resettle 20,000 Afghan refugees over the next five years. The One World Centre fully supports the Isle of Man’s proportionate participation in such a scheme. We understand that the Government’s External Relations department has already had conversations with their UK counterparts on this issue and the External Relations team will brief the new administration after the General Election is concluded. Many charities in the UK have been overwhelmed with donations of clothes and household items for incoming Afghan families so please note we are not collecting at the present time.

We have been pleased to work with Manx National Heritage to create a Google Arts and Culture online story about the Transatlantic Slave Trade and its connections to Peel, now available here: https://artsandculture.google.com/story/aAWRvefqDZ8o4g

The presentation is based on a guided walk put together by One World Centre chair Phil Craine and focuses on the locations and past residents of Peel involved with the “Guinea Trade”, as it was euphemistically known, using artefacts and resources from the Island’s national museum collections and archives. 

The Google Arts and Culture story forms part of a series of educational projects that reflect on the impact slavery had in fostering racial and cultural prejudice and injustice which are still playing out in society today. It also highlights that slavery is not consigned to history, with forms of modern slavery still occurring around the world.

Just a reminder the closing date for the art competition is Friday 23rd July. If you have any difficulty in getting your entry in – for example, if you are currently isolating – please call 800464 and we will make alternative arrangements.