London, U.K. – Michael Palin highlights the beauty of Brazil in his new show while Hayes & Jarvis offer customers some great opportunities to explore the country for themselves.

Michael Palin is one of the most respected travel broadcasters in the UK and around the world, having fronted several popular BBC travel magazine shows such as Pole to Pole (1991) and Full Circle (1997). Palin has explored and documented a large percentage of our planet, his whimsical, measured style has always been a hit with viewers. Next on his list is the large, South American country of Brazil, soon to be catapulted onto the world stage as it prepares to host the 2014 Football world cup and 2016 Olympic Games.

Palin’s latest adventure is split over four episodes, each with a unique theme as he uncovers distinct areas of the country from the dense Amazon rainforest inland to the vibrant colourful cities located along the coast. Discovering the places and people of Brazil makes for a fascinating journey for Palin, but Hayes & Jarvis customers can enjoy a similar experience by taking advantage of some of the great Brazilian hotels and resorts offered by the luxury long haul specialist.

Some might assume that Brazil is all about Rio De Janerio, particularly since this city is becoming ever more famous, but Brazil offers plenty of other lesser known gems, and is a great place to explore the local culture or just relax and enjoy the tropical climate. Praia do Forte is Brazil’s answer to the classicCaribbean beach resort, but with added South American vibes as well as basking on the beach, holidaymakers here can bath in natural lagoons and marvel at the local wildlife as turtles lay their eggs on the beach.

Iguazu is another Brazilian haven for nature lovers, exhibiting one of the most visually arresting network of waterfalls in the world, towering even higher than Niagra. Set in a national park that also boasts toucans and butterflies, Igazu is perfect for the holidaymaker who enjoys the great outdoors.Visitors can explore from the comfort of a luxury hotel here, Hayes & Jarvis offer both the Bourbon Cataratas and the Hotel Das Cataratas.

For something a little more upmarket, Buzios is just north of Rio and is arguably Brazil’s most luxurious and fashionable resort. Made famous by Bridgette Bardot and voted in amongst the ten most beautiful areas in the world, Buzios has all the credentials of a jet-set holiday resort. Of course Hayes & Jarvis can offer the hotel to match, customers can choose between the Porto Bay Glenzhaus and the Serena Buzios.

Finally, Rio is the jewel in Brazil’s crown, a fun-loving city set on the Copacabana and Ipanema beaches between the Atlantic and the mountains, all the while watched over by the iconic Christ the Redeemer statue. Rio is about to become a world city so enjoy before the influx of tourists arrive, or go on a reconciliation meeting before going back for the sporting  festivities that are soon to envelop this already lively city.

Catch Brazil with Michael Palin on BBC1 at 9pm on Wednesday nights, and visit the Hayes & Jarvis site for more information on the resorts and hotels offered in Brazil, as well as all the other great destinations available including Dubai, Thailand, Mauritius and The Maldives.

For customers looking for a truly customizable holiday, Hayes & Jarvis now offer a tailor-made holiday service, with a team of experts on hand to guide holidaymakers through planning their perfect multicentre holiday.

Image Courtesy : Stanislaw Tokarski / Shutterstock.com

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Tokyo, Japan – Daisaku Ikeda, president of the Soka Gakkai International (SGI) Buddhist association, issued a proposal on June 6 stressing that empowerment of individuals and communities is vital to achieving a sustainable global society. The proposal puts forward ideas related to the Rio+20 UN Conference on Sustainable Development opening in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on June 20.

Ikeda states: “It is unacceptable to consider the pursuit of sustainability as simply a matter of adjusting policies in order to find a better balance between economic and ecological imperatives. Rather, sustainability must be understood as a challenge and undertaking requiring the commitment of all individuals … constructing a society that accords highest priority to the dignity of life.”

The proposal, entitled “For a Sustainable Global Society: Learning for Empowerment and Leadership,” emphasizes that education is key.

Ikeda was a strong advocate of establishing the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (DESD) which ends in 2014, and he now calls for a successor framework, an educational program for a sustainable global society to start in 2015, focused on fostering agents of positive change. Such a program should give rise to empowerment, and beyond that, to leadership, if it is to generate real transformation.

Ikeda puts forward ideas for far-reaching institutional reform of the United Nations agencies responsible for development and environmental protection. He suggests the consolidation of the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and related agencies to create one integrated “global organization for sustainable development.”

He proposes a more substantial collaborative relationship with civil society and a “committee of the future generations” as a forum through which youth representatives could advise the new organization on its annual plans and policies.

Ikeda also stresses the need for a set of sustainable development goals, with a focus on the local community as a site of both lifelong learning and action.

Examples of proactive engagement might include tree planting, disaster prevention efforts, strengthening local production and consumption, promotion of recycling and encouraging the introduction of renewable energy.

Ikeda’s view of humanity’s place on our planet is ultimately hopeful. He comments: “Although physical resources are finite, human potential is infinite, as is our capacity to create value. The real significance of sustainability is as a dynamic concept in which there is a striving or competition to generate positive value and share it with the world and with the future.”

In connection with the Rio+20 Conference, “Seeds of Hope: Visions of sustainability, steps toward change,” an exhibition co-organized by SGI, the Earth Charter International and the City of Rio de Janeiro, will be shown in English and Portuguese at the Planetarium of Rio de Janeiro from June 16 to July 15.

A 10-minute film, “Nurturing Seeds of Hope in the Amazon,” highlighting the environmental education work of the Amazon Ecological Conservation Center founded by Mr. Ikeda in 1992 will be launched at the Planetarium on June 15.

At the Rio+20 Conference, a roundtable discussion on learning for empowerment, pooling experience from education related to sustainability, peace and disarmament and human rights, will be hosted by SGI and other organizations on June 20.

Daisaku Ikeda is a Buddhist philosopher, author and peacebuilder. Since the 1970s, he has engaged in dialogues and issued proposals related to peace and environmental protection.

Image Courtesy of   Daisaku Ikeda

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