Inspiring News Articles
Excerpts of Highly Inspiring News Articles in Major Media
Below are one-paragraph excerpts of highly inspiring news articles from the major media. Links are provided to the original inspiring news articles on their media websites. If any link fails, read this webpage. The most inspiring news articles are listed first. You can also explore the news articles listed by order of the date posted. For an abundance of other highly inspiring material, see our Inspiring Resources page. May these inspiring news articles inspire us to find ever more ways to love and support each other and all around us to be the very best we can be.
They've been preparing every Tuesday for the past four months, learning to belt out favorites like "Singin' in the Rain" and "Bridge Over Troubled Water." Those attending their first Giving Voice concert may not know what to expect–it is a dementia-friendly choir, meaning many of the participants have some form of dementia and are joined onstage by caregivers and loved ones. Giving Voice, a nonprofit dedicated to helping people in all stages of memory loss, was founded in 2014 with an initial chorus of 35 members. There are now more than 70 "memory choirs" throughout the world that use Giving Voice's model as the foundation for their programs–and a slew of similar dementia-friendly choirs and bands, including Music Mends Minds, AlzheimHER's Chorus, and The Unforgettables Chorus. The premise of these memory choirs is simple but powerful: Making music is not just a feel-good community activity; it's also a powerful weapon to help preserve memories and enhance brain function. Over 55 million people worldwide are believed to be living with dementia. The success of memory choirs [raises] scientific questions about whether music therapy can rewire the brain in addition to improving mood and fostering community. Borna Bonakdarpour, a behavioral neurologist ... is on a quest to show that social singing can help address some of the underlying causes of the disease, such as decreased mental stimulation, isolation, and inactivity.
Note: Explore more positive stories like this on the power of art.
Audrey Tang ... is determined that digital technology will once again become a force for good – a supreme listening tool for humanity, bringing us together by celebrating difference and uniting over what we have in common. Tang spent eight years in Taiwan's government (the last two as the world's first minister of digital affairs), putting her theory into practice – and it has worked, from a fantastically efficient response to Covid to countering misinformation about electoral fraud. In 2012, she was part of the digital community that created g0v, pronounced Gov Zero. The project ran in parallel with the official government and was there to support it, even if ministers didn't initially think so. Through g0v, government websites were examined and rewritten to make them more comprehensible and reachable. "We created a parallel web around which citizens could have a normal conversation. For example, when we did the ministry of education dictionary project, we copied everything from the official website, but turned it into something more accessible." The thinking is simple, she says: the more clearly information is displayed, the more people will know, and the easier it becomes to have a conversation about what is and isn't working in a democracy. After g0v came vTaiwan, an online forum allowing people to discuss and petition on issues of public interest. Once there were 5,000 signatures, the petition was taken to the government to be addressed.
Note: Read more about how vTaiwan is changing the game. Explore more positive stories like this on healing social division and technology for good.
