International Solidarity and the Global Compact on Refugees: What Role for the African Union and the European Union?

On the 70th anniversary of the UN Refugee Convention, this article examines the concept of solidarity and explains its relevance today, through the lens of the Global Compact on Refugees (GCR). While stressing the potential as well as the challenges for thorough implementation of the solidarity mechanisms established by the GCR, the article argues that regional organizations may contribute to meeting the GCR objectives. This is particularly urgent for regions that are most affected by migratory flows. In proposing new ways of approaching the concept of solidarity, the article suggests that the African Union strengthen mechanisms other than the physical sharing of refugees, including pooling resources to support states experiencing large influxes of refugees. In addition to a system of financial support for refugee protection, the article also recommends that the European Union ensures safe channels for arrivals and a more robust resettlement programme, to help realize the GCR objectives.

Du Bois and Brazil

In this article, I discuss Black transnational solidarity and liberation in the Americas by analyzing the historical relationship between W. E. B. Du Bois and Brazil from 1900 to 1940. At the beginning of the twentieth century, Du Bois was studying, writing, and publishing about Brazil. He was interested in creating international solidarity and cooperation among Black people. However, Du Bois (as well as other African Americans) promoted the idea that Brazil was a place without racism, a racial paradise. This idea served as a basis for a theory that oppressed Afro-Brazilians—the myth of racial democracy. In this article, I explore Du Bois’s relationship with Brazil, highlighting possible reasons why Du Bois engaged with the myth of racial democracy. In addition, I argue that this historical event teaches us that an Afro-diasporic liberation project must seriously consider global and material inequalities among Black people.

Cathedral and Town

Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim is the historical resting place of St. Olav and an end point of many of the pilgrimage trails in Norway. The history of the cathedral intersects with the history of the city and the region as one of significant economic and religious significance. The movement of St. Olav’s relics throughout the city matches urban and religiocultural development of city and nation. This chapter explores the cathedral’s architecture and use and how contemporary engagements with the space facilitate ritual creativity and are part of the hosting and welcoming of pilgrims. Along with other centers of hospitality, the cathedral looms especially large as a main attraction point for both tourists and pilgrims in Trondheim, as an adaptable space for many purposes. The annual St. Olavsfest is a ten-day festival that begins with the saint’s day and features liturgies, concerts, plays, lectures, a medieval market, and televised panel discussions to involve city and region in the celebration of local history and culture. Controversial topics such as the colonial repression of Sámi indigenous peoples, the violent heritage of Viking king St. Olav, religious and other forms of discrimination, social injustice, and international solidarity are among the themes discussed during the festival. Thus, the “protest” in Protestantism is reflected in a critical engagement with history and with the ongoing development of the ritualization of Christian history and heritage in Norway.

The Value of Ho Chi Minh's Ideology, Morality and Style to the Vietnamese Nation Today

This article aims to clarify the basic contents of leader Ho Chi Minh's ideology, morality and style that are valuable to the Vietnamese nation. In fact, Vietnam has been proving the miraculous vitality of Ho Chi Minh's ideology on the path and goals of national development, on the strategy of great national unity and international solidarity, innovative thinking, culture and humanities. His moral example and views on revolutionary ethical standards and ethical practice principles are the red thread throughout the progress of progressive and civilized human development. His style is extremely lively, natural, unique, attractive, magical in daily activities and behavior, which is shown as independent, self-directed and creative thinking style; scientific, democratic and mass working style; modest, polite, sincere, warm, natural and flexible behavior style; simple, clean, moderate, moderate living style. These legacies form a consistent whole in Ho Chi Minh's people, have deep scientific, theoretical and practical values ​​in terms of ethics and aesthetics, consistent with the history of the Vietnamese nation and the development trend of mankind.