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2CELLOS RELEASE NEW VIDEO FOR “SEVEN NATION ARMY”

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Set to Perform at UEFA Champions League Final On May 26
In anticipation of their upcoming appearance at the UEFA Champions League final, 2CELLOS release a new video for their exhilarating version of “Seven Nation Army,” the anthemic indie rock song known for its underlying riff by The White Stripes. Filmed in-studio in Croatia, the video shows Luka Sulic and Stjepan Hauser rocking out to the iconic song while sporting the jerseys of Real Madrid CF and Liverpool FC – the two competing teams in the UEFA Champions League final. The audio track is also available now via all download and streaming services.
 
“We love a great riff and we love big drums – and they don’t get much better than in ‘Seven Nation Army’ by The White Stripes,” said 2CELLOS. “We thought, why not play both on our cellos? We had a blast filming this video, and we especially can’t wait to perform this song at the UEFA Champions League final – It will definitely be a moment to remember!“
 
On Saturday, May 26 in Kyiv, Ukraine, 2CELLOS will perform versions of the UEFA Champions League anthem as well as “Seven Nation Army” before Real Madrid CF and Liverpool FC get the UEFA Champions League final underway. Just moments before the biggest match in club football commences, Luka and Stjepan will give their own special performance of “Seven Nation Army” as anticipation builds for the two teams to exit the tunnel. Once the players from Real Madrid CF and Liverpool FC have entered the field of play, the dynamic instrumental duo will then begin to perform their version of the iconic UEFA Champions League anthem.

Continue reading “2CELLOS RELEASE NEW VIDEO FOR “SEVEN NATION ARMY””

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‘Green Good Deeds’ Movement Launched by Dr Harsh Vardhan Gets Global Recognition

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BRICS Ministerial on Environment Includes Green Good Deeds in its Official Agenda

Green Good Deeds, the societal movement launched by the Union Minister for Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Dr Harsh Vardhan, to protect environment and promote good living in the country, has found acceptance by the global community. The ongoing BRICS Ministerial on Environment at Durban, South Africa, has agreed to include “Green Good Deeds” in its official agenda in the next Ministerial in Brazil and another meeting in Russia”, Dr Harsh Vardhansaid.Reacting to the adoption of Green Good Deeds by BRICS Ministerial on Environment, Dr Harsh Vardhan said, international conferences on Environment had been deliberating and adopting declarations. However, he wondered how these declarations can be put to practice at the ground level, involving every section of the society. “Green Good Deeds” is an idea to take it to the people and get them involved,” the Minister added.

Earlier, in his opening remarks at the Ministerial, Dr Harsh Vardhan had urged the grouping to jointly work for developing a movement around Green Good Deeds.“In India, we are trying to develop a societal movement of Green Good Deeds, which are small positive actions to be performed by individuals or organisations to strengthen the cause of environmental protection,” Dr HarshVardhan had told  the gathering yesterday.

There was wide acceptance to the suggestion and acting Deputy Executive Director,UN Environment (UNEP) representative at the conclave, Mr. Jorge Laguna-Celis, lauded the initiative. Continue reading “‘Green Good Deeds’ Movement Launched by Dr Harsh Vardhan Gets Global Recognition”

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IIFA AND UNITED NATIONS JOIN FORCES TO CAMPAIGN : ‘BEAT PLASTIC POLLUTION’

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The 19th Edition of IIFA Weekend & Awards 2018 and the United Nations have come together to promote the campaign, “Beat Plastic Pollution”, the theme for World Environment Day, 2018 to combat one of the greatest environmental challenges of our time. The message is clear: If you can’t reuse it, refuse it!

The UN continues its partnership with IIFA this year with a collaborative advocacy campaign to tackle the pressing issue of plastic pollution, under the aegis of Greening the IIFA.

The campaign is a clarion call for action for all of us to come together and consider how we can make changes in our everyday lives to reduce the heavy burden of plastic pollution on our natural habitat, our oceans, our wildlife – and our own health.

The goal is to inspire people to search for the kind of solutions that lead to sustainable behaviour change upstream. Additionally, the campaign will provice momentum to beat plastic pollution and inspire innovators, activists and leaders worldwide to do more than just clean up existing plastics, but also focus our action upstream.

IIFA has always promoted activities that make our world a better place to live in. Since 2007, IIFA has adopted the green carpet as a show of support and to create awareness about environmental concerns. While plastic has many valuable uses, we have become over reliant on single-use or disposable plastic – with severe environmental consequences. Continue reading “IIFA AND UNITED NATIONS JOIN FORCES TO CAMPAIGN : ‘BEAT PLASTIC POLLUTION’”

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Summer In The City: New York City, Orlando and Chicago top travelers’ lists

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Marriott International Finds Cities Top The List For Vacation Plans

Marriott International’s newly released Second Annual U.S. Summer Travel Trends Report says that travelers are favoring cities over beaches in Summer 2018 and planning to take an average of two trips. And among families with children, it’s becoming more common for the kids to pick the destination, the report shows.

“Pack your walking shoes because for the second year in a row, city destinations are at the top of travelers’ lists,” said Brian King, Global Officer, Digital, Distribution & Global Sales, Marriott International.  “Travelers are heading to the cities to soak up the summer sun in urban destinations like New York City and Chicago which come alive in the summer with amazing food, festivals, and live outdoor concerts.”

So where are people going this summer? Here’s a peak at the top five destinations for vacations this summer’s most heavily traveled weekends, based on an analysis of over 1 million Marriott.com searches and bookings:

Memorial Day Weekend Travel

The first official holiday weekend of summer promises to be a busy one when it comes to weekend getaways. The top five most booked cities for Memorial Day Weekend travel topping the list: Continue reading “Summer In The City: New York City, Orlando and Chicago top travelers’ lists”

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Mississauga’s Goan descent Ian D’Sa and his band Billy Talent honoured at Canadian Music Week!

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— Lachman Balani

On their silver anniversary, Mississauga’s powerhouse band, Billy Talent, was honoured with the coveted “Legends of Live” award at the Canadian Music Week festival on May 11, catapulting them into the ranks of former winners “Tragically Hip” and “Blue Rodeo”. The award ceremony was hosted by Canadian Paul Shaffer of David Letterman fame.

Billy Talent formed back in 1993 and have since come a long way, opening up for Guns ‘n’ Roses at their Toronto performance in 2016 and have headlined arenas like the Air Canada Centre in Toronto. They have also performed in many places in Europe. The original band members consisted of  Goan origin Ian D’sa (lyricist and producer), Ben Kowalewicz (vocalist),  Jonathan Gallant(Bassist) and Aaron Solowoniuk (drummer), who due to multiple sclerosis left a couple of years ago and was replaced by Jordan Hastings of Alexisonfire. However to his credit and despite his MS condition, Aaron showed up to accept the award and marked the occasion by delighting the attendees by performing for one of their songs, “Rusted from the Roof”. Jordan took over for the next song “Try Honesty.”

The evening was showered with performances from other bands with many more people, companies and venues being honoured adding yet another notable Peel region winner at the ceremony, the Metalworks Production Group, for best audio visual production company of the year. Metalworks is the brainchild of Gil Moore, former member of “Triumph”, one of Canada’s topmost internationally renowned bands. Continue reading “Mississauga’s Goan descent Ian D’Sa and his band Billy Talent honoured at Canadian Music Week!”

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“A World of Tulips Is A World Friendship”

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A Fitting Theme for the 66th Edition of the Canadian Tulip Festival 

The Canadian Tulip Festival’s World of Tulipstheme stems from last year’s October visit to Ottawa of “tulipists” participating in the World Tulip Summit.  More than 30,000 Cream Yellow World Friendship Tulipsplanted then are blooming now across the capital region including a special commemorative bed at Commissioners Park planted by the National Capital Commission, Official Gardeners of Canada’s Capital.  These cream-yellow Darwin Hybrids represent international friendship, and are the symbol of the 66th edition of the Canadian Tulip Festival which opened today. The Festival will continue for 10 days until May 21st.

Metaphorically the Festival is growing beyond its physical site locations of Commissioners Park-Dow’s Lake, Lansdowne Park, ByWard Market and the Garden Promenade where visitors can expect the sea of tulip beds, floral installations, the Hommage to Malak Photo Exhibit, workshops, garden and cycling tours, crafts market, music by Music and Beyond, dance events, Selfi spots, Mother’s Day Brunch, yoga in Majors Hill Park, Kids’ Fun Zone, and the ever popular fireworks display on May 20th at Dow’s Lake.

Through the World of Tulips theme, the Festival is connecting with and celebrating international relationships. The World Friendship Tulip Garden  is a unique garden setting made up of 5-foot tulips hand-painted by artists representing over 100 countries.  Continue reading ““A World of Tulips Is A World Friendship””

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LIONS DONATE $100,000 FOR INDIGENOUS COMMUNITY

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Toronto Netralya Lions Club (TNLC) Raises thousands of dollars for “Indigenous Eye Health” at the Lions Gala for Sight – 2018
Funds will support Eye Exam Room and Diabetes Care in new Health Centre

The Toronto Netralya Lions Club (TNLC) donated $100,000 for “Indigenous Eye Health” at a fundraiser organized at the Avani Event Centre in Vaughan. Funds raised at the Lions Gala for Sight – 2018 will support an “Eye Exam and Diabetes Care room” for a new Anishnawbe Health Centre in Toronto.

This is the first time Lions and the Indian Diaspora have created a legacy and taken the lead to raise funds for the Indigenous Community of Canada. “Our Toronto Netralya Lions Club wanted to do something to help the Indigenous people, one of the most vulnerable communities in the Greater Toronto Area,” says Lion Kanta Arora, Founding Member, Club President and Gala Chair on May 5, 2018. “The TNLC is dedicated to ending preventable blindness and to provide funding for programs that help eradicate eye disease in underprivileged communities. I’m proud that TNLC got behind this cause and we are proud to contribute to ‘Truth and Reconciliation’ for our Indigenous brothers and sisters with this donation.”

In Canada, Diabetes is a leading cause of preventable eye disease. Diabetes is the 6th leading cause of death and one in three Canadians with Diabetes will develop Retinopathy Continue reading “LIONS DONATE $100,000 FOR INDIGENOUS COMMUNITY”

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University of Virginia offers “Medical Yoga for Health Professionals” course

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The University of Virginia in Charlottesville, public research university and tier-one research institution with a nationally renowned health system, is offering “Foundations of Medical Yoga for Health Professionals” in Fall this year.

This three-credits course “will provide graduate students, medical students, and practicing health professionals with a foundational understanding of medical yoga to improve health and wellness from a historical, theoretical, and research perspective”, the announcement states.

It will explore history of yoga, theories and conceptualizations of medical yoga as a healing modality, review of significant research related to therapeutic yoga, applications of medical yoga for self and clinical care, etc. It will include both didactic and experiential components. Dr. Maureen Mala Cunningham, Clinical Assistant Professor of Nursing, is the instructor.

Highly selective University of Virginia, founded by Thomas Jefferson in 1819, which claims to be nation’s #2 public university, has about 22,800 students and one of its “purposes” is “providing world-class patient care”. It recently established a “pan-university Brain Institute that will address important challenges on the frontiers of understanding, treating, and reverse-engineering the brain”. Teresa A. Sullivan and Frank M. Conner III are President and Visitors Board Rector respectively. Continue reading “University of Virginia offers “Medical Yoga for Health Professionals” course”

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Flato Markham Theatre’s 18/19 Diamond Season: Redefining Canadian Diversity!

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18♦19 Diamond Season Line-Up Announced for Flato Markham Theatre 
Live performing artists are redefining Canadian diversity at York Region’s Premier Cultural Destination!

In harmony, movements, words, and spectacles, the 18♦19 Diamond Season of the Flato Markham Theatre is the perfect space to be inspired and entertained. This year, the theatre is redefining Canadian diversity as the wealth and depth of the various Canadian artists and their programs are unparalleled.

 “The 18♦19 Diamond Season line up promises to amaze. Flato Markham Theatre is a premier cultural destination where creativity and imagination inspire, lifting us on wondrous journey.”
– Mayor Frank Scarpitti, City of Markham
 “This year’s Canadian mosaic gives a new meaning to live performing arts, enriched by yet another impressive contingent of international artists and productions.”
– Eric Lariviere, Flato Markham Theatre General Manager

The 18♦19 season focuses around ten different entertainment series: Festival of Illusionists, Special Attractions, Comedy, Fabulous Footwork, Nostalgia, Great Canadian Performers, All That Jazz!, World Stage, Totally Classical!, and Family Fun!. Continue reading “Flato Markham Theatre’s 18/19 Diamond Season: Redefining Canadian Diversity!”

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Around the World in a Weekend!

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Carassauga Festival of Cultures, now celebrating its 33rd anniversary, is inviting everyone from Ontario and beyond to the province’s largest multicultural festival.

More than 50 countries will be represented this year in 10 venues, filling hockey arenas, sports fields, community and cultural centres to celebrate their proud heritage. Carassauga is famous for its exotic foods, breathtaking performances and vibrant costumes and this year will be no exception. Held over three days, throughout the City of Mississauga, Carassauga boosts more than 338, 700 visits and over 6,000 volunteers, chefs, artisans and entertainers(local and international) for this multi venue world tour, right in our backyard.

The Festival will take place over the weekend of Friday May 25th – Sunday, May 27th at various community and cultural centres throughout Mississauga. The Opening Ceremony will be on Friday night at 7.30 pm at the Hershey Centre on the Outdoor Stage featuring a Parade of Nations, Special Guests & Musical Performances.

Carassauga Passports are $10.00 in advance and $12.00 at the door. Children 12 and under are FREE. A Passport entitles a visitor to unlimited entry into all Pavilions during Festival hours. Passports are sold in advance at various locations throughout Mississauga including City Libraries and online through http://www.carassauga.com.

Highlights for 2018: