Herbs & Plants. Cinnamon. A special spice
Cinnamon is a spice obtained from the inner bark of several tree species from the genus Cinnamonum in plant family Lauraceae. There are several species which are often sold as cinnamon including. C. tamale (Indian Cinnamon), C. verum (Sri Lanka Cinnamon), C. loureiroi (Vietnamese cinnamon), C. cassia (Chinese Cinnamon), C. burmannii (Indonesian cinnamon), and C. […]
Angola. On the side of the poorest and marginalised
The Vincentian Family in Lobito runs several projects and initiatives in the fields of education, health, training and charity, which give life to thousands of people in the most marginalised areas of this coastal city in Angola. We went to visit them. We are in Kassai, one of the poorest neighbourhoods of Lobito, in the […]
Algeria, the call of the desert
The Tassili Ajjer massif houses the world’s largest museum of rock art, as well as incredible rock formations shaped over millions of years. And among the Hoggar mountains, you walk between earth and sky, enveloped in silence. Southern Algeria is a treasure chest of secrets. In this remote area of the Sahara, between the geological […]
African art and sense of beauty
When you look at some African art, you may wonder whether what you see is fine art or something else. African scarification is part of African art, which is mainly iconographic. In traditional African art, colours are not only used for aesthetic purposes. They have deep meanings. African art is functional, community-orientated, depersonalised, and contextualized. […]
Mexico. The Land and the People. A Common Destiny
Peasant communities of indigenous origin see the land not as a commodity to be consumed and exploited. But a living being integrated into their history and their identity. This is how the earth takes on a face with which to establish a relationship as a living being, as a neighbour, an ally and a witness […]
Vietnam. Music. “Sounds of Brotherhood”
Thanks to a World Youth Orchestra project, a group of orphaned or abandoned children welcomed by the Missionaries of Charity had the opportunity to take part in music and singing workshops. Discovering talents and potential. With its ultra-modern skyscrapers, its wide and very busy streets, but above all its endless suburbs, Ho Chi Minh City […]
Kenya. Lake Magadi. Enchantment of colours
In the heart of the Rift Valley, Lake Magadi, fed by natural springs, with its warm, salty waters rich in micro-organisms, is a true natural spectacle. We visited it. From Nairobi, the distance to travel is only about a hundred kilometres. It is a rather tortuous road but it’s not in the least boring. The […]
Herbs & Plant. Dichrocephala integrifolia. A Medicinal plant
It is used in traditional medicine to treat and prevent a wide range of ailments. It is native to Africa and is found in grasslands and semi-shaded areas. Dichrocephala integrifolia (Family Asteraceae) is an erect or spreading, aromatic annual plant growing to an average of 40cm in height. It often branches freely at the base, […]
Bolivia. The Sound of the Andes
Native music is very important for the Andean peoples’ cultural and spiritual identity since it expresses the sentiment and joy of the Quechua and Aymara indigenous communities and other cultures of the Andes. It also plays a fundamental role in their agricultural calendar. Native music is the expression of an identity woven between verses and […]
The Philippines. Santo Niño Devotion. The Filipino Faith
The image of the Santo Niño is a symbol of Filipino devotion, rooted in the traditions and history of Catholicism in the Philippines. This year, it will be celebrated on 19 January. The origin of the Santo Niño devotion dates back to 1565, 44 years after the Christian faith was brought to the Philippine archipelago […]