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Legendary Skateboarder Tony Hawk, Rep. Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), Human Rights Activist Fallu Sowe, and Social Justice Artist Omaid Sharifi were honored by Philanthropist & Fashion Designer Diane von Furstenberg and Vital Voices President & CEO Alyse Nelson for their work in advancing gender equality.

New York, N.Y., Dec 13 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — To mark the 75th Anniversary of International Human Rights Day, this week Vital Voices Global Partnership proudly honored male allies who have shown remarkable courage and commitment to advocating for women’s rights. 

Philanthropist and Fashion Designer Diane von Furstenberg and Vital Voices Co-founder, President & CEO Alyse Nelson hosted the 10th Annual Voices of Solidarity Awards on Monday evening at the historic IAC building in New York City – just one day after the 75th Annual Human Rights Day. They honored Legendary Skateboarder Tony Hawk, U.S. Representative Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), Artist & Activist Omaid Sharifi, and Human Rights Activist Fallu Sowe. 

Tony Hawk was recognized for championing girls in sports, particularly through his foundation, Skatepark Project, and working withSkateistan in Afghanistan. 

Rep. Jimmy Gomez of California’s 34th District was honored for championing equality for caregivers in U.S. national policies and for leading by example in creating the first-ever U.S. Congressional Dads’ Caucus.
Omaid Sharifi, a pioneering artist and activist, was honored for his worldwide efforts to call attention to the oppression of Middle Eastern women and girls through his group, ArtLords, a global grassroots movement founded in Afghanistan to promote peace, women’s rights, and social transformation through street art.
Fallu Sowe, a fearless human rights activist from The Gambia, was recognized for his work in providing critical care services to survivors of gender-based violence.

“For the last decade, it’s been hugely encouraging to count more and more remarkable men as partners in this work. Men’s voices are absolutely critical if we want to accelerate the pace of change — and prove that nothing is impossible,” said Vital Voices Co-founder, President & CEO, Alyse Nelson. 

“This year’s honorees are incredible examples of solidarity in action. Each in their own way, they’ve decided to join the fight for gender equality — a fight that women have been leading for decades, especially the women leaders of Vital Voices,” said Founder and Co-Chairwoman, DVF and Vital Voices Board Member, Diane Von Furstenberg.

Presenting the awards to this year’s honorees were President & CEO of Equimundo Dr. Gary Barker, Ph.D., Zainab Husseini of Afghanistan’s Skateistan, Vital Voices Board Chair Kate James, and Tunisian Human Rights Activist, Entrepreneur & Vital Voices Board Member Amira Yahyaoui.

Photo highlights of the event can be found here.
For more information about the event, contact:media@vitalvoices.org. 

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About Vital Voices Global Partnership
Now celebrating 26 years, Vital Voices Global Partnership has directly invested in more than 20,000 women leaders across 185 countries and territories since its inception in 1997. Driven by the universal truth that women are the key to progress in their communities and nations cannot move forward without women in leadership positions, Vital Voices has provided early support for leaders who went on to become Nobel Peace Prize Laureates, U.S. Youth Poet Laureates, prime ministers, award-winning innovators, pioneering human rights defenders and breakthrough social entrepreneurs, including Amanda Gorman and Malala Yousafzai. To advance and expand this work, in 2022 Vital Voices opened the doors to the world’s first global embassy for women, the Vital Voices Global Headquarters for Women’s Leadership. It is a first-of-its-kind space that allows for convening, innovation, planning, and action—all in the pursuit of serving women leaders who are taking on the world’s greatest challenges.

Find Vital Voices Online:
Facebook:facebook.com/vitalvoices
Twitter: @vitalvoices
Instagram: @vitalvoices
LinkedIn:Vital Voices Global Partnership

Attachments

• Voices of Solidarity
• Vital Voices 10th Annual “Voices of Solidarity” Awards Honorees

Vital Voices
Media@vitalvoices.org

SOURCE: Vital Voices

–BERNAMA

• Acquisition adds smelting capability to serve spent automotive catalyst customers in Europe, Middle East and Africa
   
• Complements ECMS recycling operations and global precious metal services
   
• Broadens range of materials that can be processed by ECMS
   
• Closing of transaction expected in early first quarter 2024

ISELIN, N.J., Dec 12 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — BASF Environmental Catalyst and Metal Solutions (ECMS) has signed an agreement to purchase the assets of Arc Metal AB in Hofors, Sweden. The company currently conducts toll smelting and processing of spent automotive catalyst, among other services, and will further complement ECMS’s existing global precious metal recycling operations in Cinderford, UK, Seneca and Spartanburg, South Carolina, and Caldwell, Texas, USA. The closing of the transaction is expected early in the first quarter of 2024.

“This investment will allow us to grow our recycling business in Europe and bring in best-in-class pyro-metallurgical technology providing flexibility to process high carbon containing materials, like Silicon Carbide found in spent automotive catalyst materials as well as access to new markets,” said Tim Ingle, Senior Vice President, Precious Metal Services and Recycling, ECMS. “We look forward to welcoming our new colleagues who bring vast experience in smelting and processing of spent automotive catalysts.”

The additional smelting capacity at the Sweden site will also increase utilization of the new refinery capacity in Seneca, South Carolina. Recycled catalysts go through a smelting process and are then refined to produce the high purity precious metal needed to make new catalysts and other end use products, supporting a circular economy. Recycled platinum group metals can also lower carbon emissions by up to 97 percent, in comparison to refining mined or primary materials¹.

“The asset purchase will enable ECMS to meet increased customer demand for spent automotive catalyst recycling and position ECMS more competitively in the region,” said Dirk Bremm, President and CEO, ECMS. “The acquisition also aligns with our sustainability efforts and those of our customers since catalyst recycling as a secondary supply is a significant source of precious metals, preserving our critical resources.”

To learn more about BASF’s recycling business, visit www.basf.com/ecms.

¹ Source: Sphera Solutions GmbH (2022): GaBi Database Edition 2022, SP37

About BASF Environmental Catalyst and Metal Solutions
Leveraging its deep expertise as a global leader in catalysis and precious metals, BASF Environmental Catalyst and Metal Solutions (ECMS) serves customers in many industries including automotive, aerospace, indoor air quality, semiconductors, and hydrogen economy, and provides full loop services with its precious metals trading and recycling offering. With a focus on circular solutions and sustainability, ECMS is committed to helping our customers create a cleaner, more sustainable world. Protecting the elements of life is our purpose and this inspires us to ever-new solutions. ECMS operates globally in 15 countries with over 4,500 employees and 20 production sites.

Media Relations contact:
Betsy Arnone
Phone: +1 973-519-9808
betsy.arnone@basf-catalystsmetals.com 

SOURCE : BASF Environmental Catalyst and Metal Solutions LLC

BANGKOK, Dec 11 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) — 12Go has prepared a list of the best travel destinations for the winter season in Asia. This list is based on the internal ticket data gathered by 12Go. Analyzing the tickets sold throughout the year, 12Go identified the top travel destinations suitable for different groups of travelers, including solo travelers, couples, families, and friends.

The top 10 countries that stand out are Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines, India, Cambodia, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Laos, Malaysia, and Japan.

Thailand tops the list, with Chiang Mai and Bangkok offering great options for all travelers. The top spot for solo adventurers is Koh Phangan, while families prefer Koh Samui. Vietnam secures the second spot, with Da Nang, Hanoi, and Ho Chi Minh City. Sapa provides a winter retreat for families, while Hanoi’s bustling streets await solo adventurers.

The Philippines claims the third position, promising a unique New Year celebration. Manila and El Nido are popular destinations for all travelers. Solo travelers often opt for Legazpi, while friends and couples prefer Coron, and families find El Baguio appealing.

India takes the fourth spot, where India, Agra, Jaipur, and Delhi stand out as the primary choices for New Year travel among all travelers. However, many families are also opting to explore Goa during this season. Cambodia secures the fifth spot, with travel destinations for New Year celebrations, including Phnom Penh, Sihanoukville, and Siem Reap.

In sixth place, Indonesia offers the top travel spots, Bali and the Gili Islands. Solo travelers and families often go to Sanur, while Nusa Penida is a great pick for friends and couples. Sri Lanka captures the seventh position, enchanting travelers with these top destinations: Ella, Kandy, and Nuwara Eliya. Colombo is another solo travel choice, while Nuwara Eliya is ideal for couples and families.

Laos secures the eighth spot with Vang Vieng, Vientiane, and Luang Prabang. Malaysia, with its famous destinations, such as Kuala Lumpur, Penang, and Langkawi, offers a unique vacation and claims the ninth position. In the tenth spot, Japan – Osaka, Tokyo, and Kyoto are excellent choices for a New Year getaway, appealing to all travelers.

Source: 12Go https://12go.com/en/articles/top-new-year-destinations

About: 12Go is a leading travel platform that offers transportation booking services that give travelers easy access to various buses, ferries, trains, transfers, and flights.

View source version on businesswire.com: 
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20231208089452/en/

Contact

Tetiana But, PR & Marketing tetiana.but@12go.asia

Source : 12Go

Statistics show 1 in 3 women will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime – timely advancements in research and treatment are crucial to women’s health

DALLAS, Dec 8 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) — Mary Kay Inc., the world’s No. 1 direct selling skin care and color cosmetics brand¹ and its company-sponsored foundations, including the Mary Kay Ash Foundation in the U.S., continue to provide unwavering support to women’s cancer research through funding a variety of research programs and projects, awarding grants to world renowned scientists, and facilitating clinical trials, all in the name of finding a cure.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: 
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20231207401297/en/

Mary Kay recently hosted a virtual meeting between Dr. Joyce O’Shaughnessy, Celebrating Women Endowed Chair in Breast Cancer Research at Baylor University Medical Center and Chair, Breast Cancer Research at U.S. Oncology based in Dallas, Texas, and Dr. Eva Ciruelos, Breast Cancer Unit Coordinator, University Hospital and HM Hospitals and Chair, SOLTI Group on Breast Cancer Research, and FERO Foundation grant recipient supported by Mary Kay Spain, based in Madrid, Spain. Both lead their own research teams in their respective home countries focused on investigating the rare and aggressive form of cancer in women: triple negative metastatic breast cancer (TNBC). Despite being separated by thousands of miles, the two go way back – they have collaborated for years on TNBC research in their fight to find solutions and a cure for this devastating disease.

The two leading researchers and experts in their respective fields sat down to discuss the importance of global scientific collaboration, in which they stressed the urgency for researchers worldwide to share their findings and advances to pool results.

”It is not a matter of having the best idea, but of arriving together to obtain the best treatment for each patient, and this is something that must permeate the medical, clinical, and pharmaceutical industries. The incidence of breast cancer in women is seeing an upward trend in the world, and today we can say that 1 in 3 women will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime²,” said Dr. O’Shaughnessy.

”Without continuous collaboration among all the experts, it would be impossible to arrive at specific diagnoses,” commented Dr. Ciruelos. ”It is vital to follow up each patient’s treatment in a personalized way; only then will we be able to detect why the same treatment for people with similar characteristics works for some, but not for others.”

They confirmed their frustration with the differences and inconsistencies they see in access to therapies, drugs, and treatments within various countries and called for unity in offering more consistent treatment for all patients regardless of their place of living. The two researchers also agreed that it is challenging to find time to fully dedicate themselves to cancer research as they have to deal with funding challenges and expressed their gratitude to their sponsors, including the Mary Kay Ash Foundation and Fero Foundation who make their life-saving work possible.

Dr. O’Shaughnessy added, “In 1985, we were terribly frustrated by the lack of therapeutic options for women with cancer. Today, we are seeing great advances on this front and I’m very optimistic for the success of the next generation of researchers.”

Through the funding of cancer research projects by the Mary Kay Ash Foundation in the United States and Mary Kay Spain’s grant award to FERO Foundation in Spain, Dr. O’Shaughnessy and Dr. Ciruelos have been able to continue collaborating on their life’s work. Mary Kay is at the forefront of women’s cancer research, supporting groundbreaking research led by women for women. Mary Kay is committed to helping researchers around the world by supporting translational research (research that links laboratory research directly to the patient), clinical trials aimed at improving the detection, prognosis, and treatment of women’s cancers, as well as organizations that support cancer research, such as the FERO Foundation in Spain.

Watch their full conversation on the Mary Kay Global YouTube channel.

About Mary Kay

Then. Now. Always. One of the original glass ceiling breakers, Mary Kay Ash founded her dream beauty brand in Texas in 1963 with one goal: to enrich women’s lives. That dream has blossomed into a global company with millions of independent sales force members in more than 35 countries. For 60 years, the Mary Kay opportunity has empowered women to define their own futures through education, mentorship, advocacy, and innovation. Mary Kay is dedicated to investing in the science behind beauty and manufacturing cutting-edge skincare, color cosmetics, nutritional supplements, and fragrances. Mary Kay believes in preserving our planet for future generations, protecting women impacted by cancer and domestic abuse, and encouraging youth to follow their dreams. Learn more at marykayglobal.com, find us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, or follow us on X (formerly known as Twitter).

¹ ”Source Euromonitor International Limited; Beauty and Personal Care 2023 Edition, value sales at RSP, 2022 data.”

² American Cancer Society. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/breast-cancer/about/how-common-is-breast-cancer.html

View source version on businesswire.com: 
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20231207401297/en/

Contact

Mary Kay Inc. Corporate Communications
marykay.com/newsroom
972.687.5332 or media@mkcorp.com

Source : Mary Kay Inc.

–BERNAMA

SHENZHEN, China, Dec. 8, 2023 /Xinhua-AsiaNet/–

Green development is a crucial lens for the world to observe China’s high-quality development. At the recent Qianhai Global Investment Promotion and Talent Conference, Qianhai introduced the new Six Agglomerations. It is believed that environmentally-friendly enterprises and investments in green industries will see more development opportunities in Qianhai.

Green development is accelerating in Qianhai, making the area a new epitome of China’s low-carbon development. The Qianhai Cooperation Zone has thoroughly promoted green buildings in regional construction and development, focusing on the intensive and extensive development of green buildings, according to Authority of Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone. In that way, it has been seeking a sustainable urban development model under high-intensity development.

Qianhai has established a cross-industry and cross-sectoral management and control mechanism across the chain in the field of green buildings, which has presented remarkable results. According to the latest data, a total of 48 projects in Qianhai have been awarded the Green Building Design Label, with a cumulative increase of 6.907 million square meters of green building area. Compared to cities such as Beijing and Shanghai, Qianhai has set itself as a frontrunner in terms of the new area density and growth rate of green buildings.

At the beginning of the year, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment of China released the latest typical cases of comprehensive planning and policies on its official website, which included the Construction of a Large-scale Demonstration Area for High-Star Green Buildings launched by the China (Guangdong) Pilot Free Trade Zone Shenzhen Qianhai Shekou Area.

Promoting green building development is just one way for Qianhai to accelerate regional low-carbon construction. The construction of a regional centralized cooling system is another key approach to building Qianhai into an energy-efficient and environmentally-friendly urban area with low energy consumption, low pollution, and low emissions.

Shenzhen Qianhai Energy Technology Development Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Shenzhen Qianhai Development Investment Holding Co., Ltd., undertakes the investment, construction, and operation of the regional centralized cooling system. The representative of the company stated in an interview, “The construction of Qianhai’s centralized cooling system has offered a very meaningful ‘Qianhai model’ that is worth learning from and promoting for the development of green buildings.”

The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) serves as a pivotal gateway connecting domestic and international markets. In the GBA, ports constitute a key component for Qianhai to connect with the world and a focal point of Qianhai’s low-carbon development. Mawan Smart Port in Qianhai has incorporated green, low-carbon, and smart elements, utilizing green and low-carbon systems to achieve green development and comprehensive environmental protection. It is estimated that the port can reduce carbon emissions by 90% per year compared to traditional ports, including a reduction of approximately 1350 tons of nitrogen dioxide, 450 tons of carbon monoxide, and 15 tons of sulfur dioxide emissions.

Industry insiders predict that Qianhai’s green development practices will set an impactful model for the GBA and even other parts of China. It is believed that in the low-carbon transition, Qianhai will lead the way and catalyze the GBA to enhance the overall quality of its green development.

Source: Authority of Qianhai Shenzhen-Hong Kong Modern Service Industry Cooperation Zone