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Asia

Asia 2023. A Year of Uncertainty.

In 2023, Asia will be a continent of global uncertainties, regional trends and attempts at recovery. Four general elections. It will be the year of India. The first elections are scheduled in Thailand on 18 June which will design the new National Assembly, or rather the bicameral Parliament. In fact, only the 500-member House of…

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The identity ‘card’.

The latest census of India, that of 2011, indicates that 79.9 per cent of Indians identify themselves as Hindu, 14.2 per cent as Muslims and 2.3 per cent as Christians (about 30 million, divided almost equally between Catholics and those belonging to other Churches or denominations). However, while Muslims and Christians seek in their identity…

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Socio-economic imbalances.

Unlike most countries with a medium or high level of development, India has a population that is still growing rapidly and for the most part young, with an average age of 27.8 years, ten less than its neighbour and rival, the People’s Republic of China. Consequently, choices must be primarily geared to support employment, education,…

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India. A Country in Transition.

With an evident crisis in the availability of widely distributed agricultural production from Ukraine as a consequence of the conflict, India has emerged on the world stage due to the potential consequences of the choice to reduce or stop the export of wheat, first, and then of sugar with a limit on that of rice…

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The Path of Reforms.

A country like India that aspires, at least in Asia, to be the first competitor of the People’s Republic of China and to guarantee stable and sensitive progress for a young population, with an economy that has many difficulties in launching itself, now sees a further slowdown at the conjunction of pandemics with conflicts causing…

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India. Phulkari, floral work.

The folk art of phulkari, that represents the tradition and culture of Punjab, is now regaining popularity globally. If it is colourful, geometrical and traditional, it is got to be phulkari, – the magnificent hand embroidery from Punjab.  Literally meaning floral work, phulkari has been synonymous with the people and the culture of Punjab for…

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The Philippines. Towards a new “Flowers and Rosaries Revolution”.

On May 9, the Philippines will be the scene of multiple elections that will have particular importance and, in all likelihood, also significant consequences. There are so many issues on the table, so many personalities, and so much at stake for this archipelago of 300 thousand square kilometres, fragmented into over seven thousand islands which…

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Duterte, the Executioner.

In office since June 30, 2016, despite the criticisms, Duterte ‘the executioner’ seemed unstoppable. After having won the election with an overwhelming majority, basing his electoral campaign on the fight against crime and street violence, he has implemented his programs with violent methods that have caused thousands of deaths. Most of these were drug dealers…

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Internal Conflicts.

Once again, on May 9, the Filipinos will also bring persistent situations to the polls which, although less relevant than in the past, contribute to keeping a substantial part of the archipelago in uncertainty, starting with the communist and Islamist guerrillas and the response of the authorities. Despite various rounds of talks with the mediation…

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The Catholic Church.

The motto of the 500th anniversary year was ‘Missio ad Gentes’, to show that the story that began with the arrival of Magellan is the epic of a Church which, originally foreign, was able to define the physiognomy of an entire Asian nation and make it a missionary community, with an important role entrusted to…

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Economy. Dynamic Development.

The country is extremely rich in water resources and minerals. The latter have featured largely in its economy. On the contrary, the agricultural sector occupies a secondary position but, despite this, it employs as much as 37% of the workforce, a much higher percentage than the industrial sector which absorbs about 14,3%. These figures show…

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Advocacy

Maria Ressa. Information that gives hope.

“We want to create a federation of international journalistic organisations that collaborate in this effort, starting from the global South,” says Filipino journalist and 2022…

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Baobab

The Leopard, the Dog and the Tortoise.

Once upon a time, there was a leopard. He had a huge walnut tree that was full of nuts. Stingy as he was, however, he forbade…

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Youth & Mission

Mission. In the school of life and humanity.

Three young Comboni missionaries from three continents share their vocation stories and missionary experiences. Fr Victor Cunanan Parungao from the Philippines reflects on 15 years of…

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