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“No one succeeds without effort …Those who succeed owe their success to perseverance.” --Ramana Maharshi
Hello everyone! We know that our truly great successes -- the ones that are celebratory, awesome, and momentous -- come as a result of the effort we put in. We celebrate among our stories this week examples of effort, determination, and perseverance. In Ukraine, a very young girl loses her leg in a missile strike and comes back to win a gold medal in gymnastics. A Canadian man walks over 2,600 miles to help pay off his carbon footprint. And two women in their 80s inspire others as they let go of limitations and travel the globe. This week, may your dreams come into reality! Wishing you a wonderful week!
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@EmineDzheppar | Twitter
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A seven-year-old Ukrainian girl, Oleksandra Paskal, who lost her leg during a Russian missile strike on Odesa Oblast in May 2022 has returned to competition with a prosthetic and won a gold medal. The Russians launched a missile strike at a recreation center in the Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi district, Odesa Oblast, early on May 16, 2022, resulting in the girl ending up under the rubble of the facility. Paskal suffered severe injuries, was in a medically induced coma for 15 days, and after many months of treatment, she underwent rehabilitation in Austria, where she learned to walk again after being given a prosthetic leg. Amazingly, she returned to training in March, 2023, and has since won a gold medal in competition. Fellow Ukrainian gymnast Anna Rizatdinova wrote the following on Instagram about Paskal, "You have all the strength, all the will and all our inner world. It's impossible not to be proud of you. This entry alone, this victory alone is worth all our medals at the Olympics during the years of Independence … Thank you, thank you for inspiring us and teaching all of us to rejoice every day, every victory!"
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Walk It Back
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Craig Cohon will turn 60 as he ends his pan-European "Guilt Trip" in Istanbul on World Environment Day. The former executive for Coca-Cola and Cirque du Soleil began walking the 4,200 kilometers in January as part of the Walk It Back campaign, speaking to community leaders, CEOs, journalists and others about carbon removal along the way. During COVID reflections, he discovered his lifetime carbon footprint was 8,147 tonnes. So he also has dedicated its value -- $1 million -- to 10 technologies working to capture carbon. "People like me need to be part of the solution and not wait around for the next generation to shame us," Cohon says. "I have created part of the problem and I want to help solve it." Emily Benson, advocacy lead for Walk It Back, said the goal is to draw focus to carbon capture, which "will be the next frontier tackling climate change."
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Dan Roizer | Unsplash
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Wake up to the smell of fresh croissants as you journey through Europe. The rise of a new generation of night trains in Europe are providing a virtuous alternative to air travel. As the founder of the crowd-funded European Sleeper, Chris Engelsman envisions sustainable and profitable journeys, offering competition to airplanes while reducing carbon emissions. Engelsman emphasizes the time efficiency of night trains, allowing travelers to cover longer distances to destinations like Barcelona, Milan, Prague, and Copenhagen. By convincing just 5% of current air travelers, the company could achieve full bookings daily. Support from the EU and initiatives like France's ban on short-haul flights encourage the expansion of these eco-friendly journeys. The Belgian government even promises to subsidize night trains, envisioning Brussels as a night train hub, with connections to Vienna, Berlin, and a future service to Southern Europe. With the night trains, affordability meets retro glamour, weaving together luxury and simplicity. Passengers appreciate the practicality and enjoyment of the journey. Mark Smith, founder of "The Man in Seat 61" train enthusiasts' website, highlights the stress-free nature of night riding, where travelers can sleep away the night and awaken in a new country. With the expansion of night train services, the dream of exploring Europe's diverse landscapes becomes a delightful reality.
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Raphael Andres | Unsplash
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As the World Health Organization marks "World No Tobacco Day" this week, Sweden, which has the lowest rate of smoking in the European Union, is close to declaring itself "smoke free" – defined as having fewer than 5% daily smokers in the population. Many experts give credit to decades of anti-smoking campaigns and legislation, while others point to the prevalence of "snus," a smokeless tobacco product that is banned elsewhere in the EU but is marketed in Sweden as an alternative to cigarettes. Whatever the reason, the 5% milestone is now within reach. Only 6.4% of Swedes over 15 were daily smokers in 2019, the lowest in the EU and far below the average of 18.5% across the 27-nation bloc. Figures from the Public Health Agency of Sweden show the smoking rate has continued to fall since then, reaching 5.6% last year. "We like a healthy way to live, I think that's the reason," said Carina Astorsson, a Stockholm resident.
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Eleanor Hamby
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When Eleanor Hamby and Dr. Sandra Hazelip met more than two decades ago, they never thought that one day they would be the "TikTok traveling grannies." Ms. Hamby, 81, and Dr. Hazelip, 82, whose "Around the World in 80 Days: At 81 and Still on the Run" racked up more than a million likes, first crossed paths at a Christian medical mission in Zambia. Five years later, Ms. Hamby's husband died unexpectedly and Dr. Hazelip began visiting her in Texas for part of the week."One day, I said: Ellie, I've always wanted to ride the trans-Siberian train." Dr. Hazelip recalled. After that first adventure in 2008, there were trips to Southeast Asia and the Middle East in 2010 and 2011. They both still work but their next trip, around South America, is already in the works for 2024, Dr. Hazelip said. "And our theme will be: 'We Are 82, and Travel We Can Do.'"
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