FairPlanet

26/06/2025

Fourteen years after war forced them to flee, Syrians are returning to homes that have been burned, looted and shattered by conflict. In Homs, families are stepping back into the ruins — not just to rebuild, but to reclaim dignity, memory and a future.⁠
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FairPlanet is exposing first-hand accounts of resilience and forgiveness by those choosing to return.⁠

Photos by ⁠
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https://www.fairplanet.org/story/syrians-return-to-the-ruins-of-occupied-looted-and-destroyed-homes/

06/05/2025

Photojournalist offers a rare look inside one of Southeast Asia’s largest—and most controversial—shark markets, on Indonesia’s Lombok Island.

Full photo essay via the link in our bio 🔗

05/05/2025

Half of England and Scotland is owned by less than 1% of the population, and that land is bleeding biodiversity.

In his searing new Op Ed, Joel Scott-Halkes of asks a simple question:�
How can we save nature when the power to control it remains so concentrated — and so unaccountable?

From the royal family to the Church of England, the UK’s most powerful landowners are failing to steward the landscapes they control — and communities are being shut out of decisions that affect everyone.

For Joel and his fellow campaigners at Wild Card, rewilding is about survival, not sentiment — and land reform is a democratic necessity, not a radical demand.

📖 Read the full piece here: https://www.fairplanet.org/op-ed/why-britain-cant-save-nature-without-facing-up-to-who-owns-it/

�Image by Crispin Hughes.

Britain’s land is in the grip of a powerful few. A growing movement is fighting to rewild it, reclaim it, and return it to the people.

23/04/2025

At Expo 2025 Osaka, the Netherlands and Philippine Pavilions are using immersive, emotionally resonant storytelling - designed by Tellart - to inspire climate action through art, technology and cultural connection.

FairPlanet’s Global South Editor Chermaine Lee was on the ground to explore how experience design is reimagining the way we engage with the climate crisis.

Full story via the link below 🔗
https://www.fairplanet.org/?post_type=stories&p=59336

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The soundscapes featured across both pavilions were composed by South Africa–based studio .audio

Images by

16/01/2025

Effective forest fire prevention over the last century has meant that forests in the US have become dense with tree growth – creating a fire risk in themselves. Fungi appear to be providing a solution.⁠
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In our climate-changed world, forest fires are becoming bigger and more frequent. But the methods used to prevent them cause problems of their own. ⁠
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Thankfully, as it so often does, the humble mushroom might offer a solution.⁠
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In our climate-changed world, forest fires are becoming bigger and more frequent. But the methods used to prevent them cause problems of their own.

24/12/2024

Thank you, FairPlanet community, for another year of bringing underreported stories to the surface together. Your support for independent journalism means the world to us!

Behind the scenes, we’ve been hard at work on new ideas, concepts and partnerships. Now, it’s time for those ideas to breathe – and for our small team to rest.

As Tricia Hercey beautifully says in Atmos Magazine:
“It’s the matter of whether or not we’re going to stop and listen and slow down and reclaim our bodies and reclaim the Earth and honor ourselves and honor the Earth. We’re only going to be able to do that by slowing down. Rest is really literally going to be the foundation to build this new world. [...] If we don’t really catch that in our hearts and minds and spirits and in our souls, and start to meticulously see resting as a love practice that’s going to save our lives and save the world, we’re done.”

With that in mind, we wish you a calm and peaceful end to the year. We’re logging off 🦥

See you in 2025!

24/12/2024

How can art and design help shape narratives that unite and create empathy in times of crises? And how can we create platforms and spaces that amplify underrepresented perspectives and ensure these narratives reflect the diversity of human experience?

In a panel with Kofi Boachie, Schaho Balbas, Marina Helena Müller , and Lisa-Marie Bosbach we tried to untangle these questions from different angles.

An opportunity was born from the community at Noplace, an interdisciplinary open space in Cologne: A group exhibition presenting 12 artworks by international artists*, exploring the theme “Flags are Fiction.”

In an era when “multi crisis” feels like the defining term of our time, true community offers us a deeply needed sense of belonging and - spaces for artistic and political exchange. With this thought in mind, - Räume für Austausch curated an extensive programme featuring:

EXHIBITION, SOLI-KIOSK, CONCERT, SPOKEN WORD, WORKSHOP AND PERFORMANCES - ALL FREE AND OPEN TO ALL.

The event provided an incredible opportunity to step out of the digital space and discuss the powerful stories circulating on FairPlanet off screen, sparking empathy and dialogue in a way that cannot be replicated online.

As this incredible space prepared to close its doors, Noplace, - Räume für Austausch, Flags are fiction, and us rallied together for one last effort. With late night brainstorming and tools buzzing, they filled these walls with vision, warmth and commitment to transformation. Here is a recap of the event in pictures!

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We’re still collecting donations for e.V. supporting their vital humanitarian aid in Gaza. All proceeds from the event and shirt sales were donated.

Pre-order yours now via the link below! :)

https://supportyourlocaldealer.org

06/12/2024

Statelessness impacts 10 million people globally, leaving many, especially children, vulnerable to trafficking and exploitation while denying access to education and healthcare. A technological innovation in Burkina Faso uses tamper-proof identifiers for newborns, enabling midwives to register births via smartphone.⁠
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This system is called iCivil and enables midwives to register births via smartphones, transmitting data securely to national registries. Despite challenges like limited infrastructure, smartphone access, and cultural barriers, the system has been scaled to over 100 health facilities, providing a model for other nations. Global commitments, like the UN’s goal for universal legal identity by 2030, emphasise the urgency of expanding such initiatives.⁠
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Read more through the link below!

https://www.fairplanet.org/story/how-a-smartphone-app-is-enabling-newborn-registration-in-burkina-faso/

02/12/2024

Second-hand clothes are refurbished in the textile hub of India’s Panipat, but toxic byproducts of the seemingly sustainable process have polluted the region’s air and water.

Ram Bahadur Yadav regularly travels almost 80km from Delhi to Panipat for work in its textile-based industry.
The city processes 250 tonnes of global textile waste daily, earning its title as the world’s largest textile recycling hub. While the industry supports thousands of livelihoods and promotes sustainability, it has severe environmental and health costs. Efforts to transition to cleaner technologies and government support are crucial for balancing economic benefits with sustainability.

Can recycling second-hand clothes truly be sustainable if it comes at the cost of a community’s health and environment? Find out through the link below!

https://www.fairplanet.org/story/voices-from-panipat-condemn-clothes-recyclers-for-polluting-air-and-water/

29/11/2024

Women in Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Afghanistan face severe restrictions under strict interpretations of Sharia law, including limited access to education, employment, and personal freedoms. ⁠
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Despite recent reforms, such as Saudi Arabia’s lifting of the driving ban, activists highlight the deep-rooted systemic oppression that persists. In Iran, the mandatory hijab law and male guardianship system continue to restrict women’s rights, while Afghan women have faced devastating rollbacks since the Taliban's return to power, barring them from schools and public spaces.⁠
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Organisations like @القسط ALQST which monitors abuses in Saudi Arabia, International which advocates globally for women’s equality, and for Afghan Women , which supports survivors of gender-based violence, are actively working to improve women’s lives in these regions.⁠
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Read full article through link below!
https://www.fairplanet.org/story/3-countries-where-sharia-law-is-hardest-on-women/

23/11/2024

Today, we focus on the work of Ampannee Satoh, a Southern Thai photographer whose work captures the resilience of Pattani’s Muslim minority during decades of cultural suppression.

Through series like Lost Motherland and Burqa, Satoh explores the intersections of identity, migration, and resistance. Her photographs reflect on the universal struggle for freedom.

Growing up in Pattani, Satoh’s work is deeply rooted in the experiences of her community. Her series Lost Motherland serves as both a tribute and a prayer for those displaced by violence, while Burqa, created during her time in France, questions societal perceptions of Muslim women and the right to self-expression. At the recent Pattani Decoded Biennale, Satoh returned home to exhibit her work and amplify the voices of local women in the creative industry.

Swipe through to explore the stories Ampannee Satoh shares through her photography.

Full story through the link below!

https://www.fairplanet.org/story/muslim-southern-thai-photographer/

21/11/2024

All eyes are on COP29 right now, but what happened at COP16?
Last month, Cali, Colombia, hosted the 16th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP16), where global leaders convened to address the biodiversity crisis, setting goals like protecting 30% of ecosystems by 2030 and reversing human-driven extinctions by 2050. While the Cali Fund was established to share benefits from genetic resources, the conference exposed a critical gap: securing trillions in funding for large-scale restoration and protection.

Nature-based solutions, such as restoring degraded ecosystems and replanting native species, offer proven benefits from preventing extinctions to enhancing climate resilience.

Read the full opinion piece though the link below!

https://www.fairplanet.org/op-ed/takeaways-from-cop16-cali-biodiversity/