Uganda's spiritual and ecological sanctuaries – DW – 07/30/2025
Nestled at the edge of Kampala, Kabaka's Lake is more than a historical landmark—it's a living bridge between culture and ecology. Created in 1886 by King Mwanga II of Buganda, it now serves as a spiritual symbol for the Baganda people. Every day, Lameck Kalule removes garbage from the lake, driven not by a wage but by reverence for his king. In return, the lake fosters biodiversity, offering refuge to open-billed storks, marabou birds, and egrets, all thriving in its rain-fed waters. Kalule's quiet stewardship shows how sensing a spiritual connection with nature can lead to conservation.
🛡️ How Ugandan sacred sites how helping to preserve nature
Kabaka's Lake is not the only example. Thirty kilometers east, the Ssezibwa Falls echo a similar harmony between nature and culture. Steeped in legend—where twin rivers are said to have sprung from a woman's womb—the falls are guarded by spiritual caretaker Mubiru Basaawa. Certain trees here are protected by ancient taboos, believed to carry irreversible consequences if felled. Environmental scientist Mary Therese Kaggwa views such beliefs as nature's insurance policy, turning sacred landscapes into de facto conservation zones and even biodiversity banks that could support future restoration efforts.
Beyond myth and ritual, these sites are increasingly used to educate the next generation. Students visiting Ssezibwa Falls are confronted with both environmental decay and resilience, learning how spiritual reverence can translate into practical action. As student Timothy Balukalo notes, forests absorb carbon dioxide—an essential fact often overlooked until seen firsthand. UNESCO also acknowledges that identity, pride, and spirituality can galvanize conservation efforts. In places where legislation falters, culture steps in, proving that the path to preservation may lie not in lawbooks, but in stories, rituals, and hearts.
This video summary was created by AI from the original DW script. It was edited by a journalist before publication.
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Japan: Passing on the pain of Hiroshima and Nagasaki – DW – 08/05/2025
As Japan marks the 80th anniversary of the atomic bomb attacks, a new generation of storytellers is stepping up to preserve the memories of survivors and ensure the world never forgets the human cost of nuclear war. Japan on Wednesday marks 80 years since the US dropped an atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima during the last days of World War II, killing close to 80,000 people in the initial blast. The memorial ceremonies taking place in Hiroshima on August 6 and Nagasaki three days later will attract thousands of people from across the world. There will, however, be fewer survivors — known as the "hibakusha" — than last year. A government report released in March confirmed that there were now just 99,130 hibakusha alive — 7,695 fewer than last year as age inevitably takes its toll on their numbers. The average age of the survivors today is 86.13. As first-person accounts of the only wartime use of nuclear weapons are being lost, museums, organizations and individuals are stepping forward to keep their stories alive. One of the Hiroshima "successors" is Shun Sasaki, who helps convey the horror of the attack on his hometown and its aftermath. Since August 2021, the 12-year-old has been talking with foreign tourists about many of the sites that make up the Hiroshima Memorial Peace Park. "When I was in the first grade at school, I was walking past the Atomic Bomb Dome and I wondered why it was still there because it was in bad shape," Sasaki told DW, referring to one of the only structures left standing after the bomb exploded in 1945. "I did some searching on the internet and I went to the Peace Memorial Museum and learned about the bomb that was dropped here." Sasaki's interest in the tragic history of his hometown was further piqued when he learned that his own great-grandmother had survived the August 6, 1945, attack — but later died of cancer. "She was 12 years old when the bomb was dropped and inside her home about 1.5 kilometers [0.93 miles] from the hypocenter," he said. "She was not burned because she was indoors, but she was exposed to radiation and when she was being evacuated, the 'black rain' fell on her." "Black rain" was a mixture of dust, soot from the fires started by the bomb, and radioactive fallout that came down from rain over the city for several hours after the blast. Sasaki's great-grandmother, Yuriko, contracted breast cancer at the age of 38 and colon cancer when she was 60 before dying at the age of 69. Sasaki was given English-language learning toys before his first birthday, was able to communicate in the language by the age of four and today says he prefers speaking English to Japanese. It also enables him to speak with foreign tourists who arrive in Hiroshima with some preconceived ideas of what happened in the city in 1945. Sasaki tells them how the uranium bomb, nicknamed "Little Boy," exploded almost directly above the Genbaku Dome, the stone building now known as the Atomic Bomb Dome, with an energy equivalent to around 15 kilotons of TNT. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Virtually every building was destroyed and every person was killed within a radius of 1.3 kilometers. The total death toll rose to around 140,000 by the end of 1945 as a result of severe burns or radiation-related illnesses. "A lot of people tell me that they came to Hiroshima thinking they knew the story and that the city was only badly damaged," Sasaki said. "But then they say they didn't know what actually happened." "Some of them cry," he said. "Most of them are pretty surprised and they all tell me we must never do this ever again. I think wars happen because people do not really know what happens." "I was guiding one American man and he said he now thinks we should ban all nuclear weapons," Sasaki recalled. "That made me happy because if he goes away and tells someone the truth about Hiroshima and then they tell someone else, the message of peace will spread." "We cannot change the facts about what happened here, but we can use the truth about the bomb to change the future," Sasaki added. Similar efforts to pass on the experiences of hibakusha in Nagasaki, which was the target of the "Fat Man" plutonium bomb on August 9, 1945, eventually killing as many as 80,000 people — from the original detonation itself as well as from long-term effects such as leukemia and other radiation-related illnesses. "We are approaching an era when the hibakusha are no longer with us," said Takuji Inoue, director of the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum. "However, as an atomic-bombed city, we are deeply concerned about the increasing risk of the use of nuclear weapons, fueled by the turmoil from the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East and other troubling events." The museum launched a new international campaign to "convey the reality" of the atomic bomb attacks and spread understanding of the impact of the bombs "across generations." "Hiroshima will forever be engraved in history as the first atomic bomb site," he said. "However, whether Nagasaki will remain as the last depends on the future that we create." On August 6, at 8:15 a.m. — the time the first bomb detonated above Hiroshima — the city will come to a standstill for people to pay their respects. Among the speeches delivered in the Peace Park will be the Children's Commitment to Peace. This year, that address is being delivered by Shun Sasaki. "I have always wanted to speak in front of a large group of people so I am very happy that I was chosen," he said. "My hope is that everyone who has an interest can come to Hiroshima and think about peace."
DW
6 days ago
- DW
How India's Gen Z is redefining spirituality – DW – 07/31/2025
Young people in India have a huge interest in spirituality and religion, but they are doing it differently than older generations. For many Gen Zers, it is a personalized experience rather than a ritualistic compulsion. Rohit Singh was born into a Hindu family, but he doesn't identify as religious. The 24-year-old does, however, occasionally go to the local temple as well as gurudwara, a place of worship and assembly in Sikhism. Singh also believes in astrology, and this month joined his cousins on the Kanwar Yatra, an annual pilgrimage of devotees of Lord Shiva, one of the three major Hindu deities revered in India. "I am not religious, I am spiritual," he told DW. "I don't go to the temple as frequently as my parents, I go sometimes for the calm and peaceful vibe. I started going when I was unable to find a job and my mental health was at its worst." The resident of Gurugram, a tech and finance hub just outside the capital, New Delhi, still hasn't found a job. But he says his spirituality has helped his mental health. "A lot of my friends are like me. We just want some solace," he says. Interest in religion is declining worldwide. A study by Pew Research Center showed that religious affiliation fell globally by 1% in the decade spanning 2010 to 2020. In the same period, the percentage of people who showed no religious affiliation grew from 23% to 24.2%. But in India, it's a different story. In the same Pew study, the global population of Hindus — 95% of whom live in India, where they form 80% of the population — held steady, whereas the number of Muslims, who represent more than 14% of Indians, grew. Unlike many around the world, India's youth, which makes up 65% of its population, seem to be reconnecting with religion and spirituality. But they are doing it in their own way. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video A YouGov-Mint survey showed 53% of India's Gen Z — which refers to people born roughly between 1997 and 2012 — believe religion is important and 62% of them pray regularly. An MTV Youth Study in 2021 found that 62 % of India's Gen Z believe spirituality helps them gain clarity. Almost 70% said they felt more confident after prayer. "Gen Z has a lot of different vocabulary that they can lean on to explain what they are feeling, which is different from previous generations," counselling psychologist Manavi Khurana told DW. "Terms like healing, grounding, getting in touch with the self. Spirituality, religion, wellness and well-being all get mixed up, though they have intersections as well," Khurana added. She is the founder of the mental health organization Karma Care in Delhi, which has a mix of Millennial (people who were born roughly between 1981 and 1996) and Gen Z clients. "There's also a lot of people connecting to Hinduism given the current political climate," Khurana said. "A lot of people find solace in religion. If they have absolutely lost hope, they find religion or some mantras or beliefs that help them find that hope. They may not have a lot of other support systems at this time," she explained. But whether religion is helpful in each case is "always a 'yes and no' answer," Khurana said. "If spirituality leads to extremism, it's not the best scenario. But if someone uses it as a way to get in touch with themselves and as a coping mechanism, it is very important," she said. Young Indians don't seem to be shying away from religion — they are reinventing and customizing it. Surya, 27, is a solo traveler and influencer with more than 290,000 followers on Instagram. Many of her trips are spiritually inclined. Surya has traveled to a number of major Hindu pilgrimage sites and festivals, including the Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj this year, Kedarnath and the Haridwar Kumbh in 2021. She says while social media platforms and influencers have made religion more accessible to younger generations, there's more to it than that. "Spirituality is no longer seen as 'boring' or only for the old. It's becoming a way to find peace in a chaotic modern life," she told DW. "Today's youth aren't following blindly. They're asking why, exploring how, and embracing what resonates personally. Instead of attending temples because they 'have to,' they may visit Varanasi, Rishikesh, or Isha (Foundation) to feel something real," she added. During an address to the parliament this year, India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the youth are "embracing their traditions, faith, and beliefs with pride, reflecting a strong connection to India's cultural heritage." He was speaking before the Maha Kumbh Mela, which was held from January to February this year and saw thousands of younger attendees. Modi's right-wing, Hindu nationalist government has pumped funds into developing and promoting important religious sites such as Ayodhya. The states of Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra have also announced plans to revamp sites of religious, historical and mythological significance. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video With social media playing such an important role in young people's interest in and engagement with spirituality, some critics say these public platforms make the experience less authentic or performative. Psychologist Khurana says that while there may be an element of truth to this, that does not make the youth's relationship with religion or spirituality inauthentic. "Just because a lot of Gen Z communicate via Instagram or the internet and that is their way of community, we can't totally write it off as performative," she said, pointing out that young people have been "brought up around phones and raised by technology." Yoga, meditation, astrology and even spiritual leaders and speakers using relatable language all appeal to the country's youth. According to a 2023 survey by OMTV, a spiritual storytelling app, 80% of Indians aged 18 to 30 engage with spiritual or religious content online. "Gen Z's world is noisier and faster than any before. So, their entry points to spirituality look different. They may not read entire scriptures, but they'll listen to a 60-sec clip of Gita wisdom. They might not sit in a temple for hours, but they'll do a 10-minute guided meditation at night. That doesn't make it less real, just modern," Surya said.
DW
30-07-2025
- DW
Saving threatened owls in Germany – DW – 07/30/2025
Across Germany, volunteers are going on patrol to protect owls and their disappearing habitats. Grazing areas often have to make way for new building projects. In the orchard meadows nestled between Bonn and Cologne, conservation volunteers Andrea Caviezel and Jonas Bode are on summer patrol—checking nesting boxes for little owls, one of the country's most vulnerable owl species. The carefully placed nesting boxes offer a lifeline to the elusive birds. With food availability and habitat quality playing a major role, successful broods—like the four healthy chicks found during one inspection—signal hope. The chicks are fitted with identification rings so they can be tracked by conservationists. These young owls will soon learn to hunt mice and beetles from low perches, provided the grass remains short and the environment intact. 🌾 Shrinking Habitats, Expanding Efforts But habitat loss is a key problem for the owls. Prime owl territory is rapidly vanishing. Orchard meadows, once rich habitats, are being cleared for development or left ungrazed—diminishing ideal nesting grounds. Yet, there's progress too: webcams now monitor the nests of Eurasian eagle owls, a species rescued from the brink of extinction in the 1960s. Today, over 850 breeding pairs thrive across Germany thanks to groups like the Society for the Conservation of Owls (EGE). With 75 nesting boxes in the Bonn-Cologne area and half already occupied, long-term conservation efforts are clearly bearing fruit. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video 🏥 Second Chances Through Rescue and Rehabilitation But not all owls make it unaided. For orphaned or injured birds, rescuer Dirk Sindhu and his shelter provide crucial care. Each summer, up to 15 birds arrive in need—some pulled from rivers, others found weak and stranded. Using surrogate parent birds, including eagle owls and buzzards, Sindhu ensures chicks are reared with proper instinctual guidance. The highlight comes when a rehabilitated bird—like today's exhausted buzzard—is released back into the wild. It's proof that with compassion, tradition, and teamwork, even the most delicate wildlife can take flight again. This video summary was created by AI from the original DW script. It was edited by a journalist before publication.
