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Job seekers follow interview guidelines provided by their respective companies, which vary in their standards. Some companies may consider factors like marriage, weight, and height, in addition to age, gender, and education, but these are not very common.

A Chinese company, Chengdu Ant Logistics, has recently implemented a unique interview policy requiring both the interviewer and the interviewee to wear full-face masks.

The instruction of a mask was reportedly given in order to avoid discrimination over appearance while selecting candidates during the company’s biannual recruitment fair. The masks, the company believes, would else ease the stress and anxiety among candidates.

The video of the interview process went viral on social media, with many people applauding the company’s decision as a step towards combating racism and bias. Chengdu Ant Logistics had previously used unconventional methods to assess candidates, including testing their athletic abilities.

“It could benefit people with a social phobia,” South China Morning Post quoted the woman who filmed the video as saying.

Breasts are often considered a symbol of femininity and beauty in many cultures around the world. They play an important role in women’s physical and emotional well-being. Breasts not only provide nourishment to newborns, but they also have an important psychological and social function, as they are often associated with attractiveness, sexuality, and motherhood. For many women, their breasts are an integral part of their self-image and self-confidence. As such, it’s important to appreciate and respect the beauty and importance of breasts, while also recognizing the need to prioritize their health and well-being.

‘Breast flattening’, or Breast ironing

Breast flattening, also known as breast ironing, is a harmful practice that is predominantly carried out in some African countries, such as Cameroon, Nigeria, and Guinea. The practice involves massaging, pounding, or using hot objects to flatten or suppress the growth of a girl’s breasts during puberty.

Breast flattening is often carried out by the girl’s mother or other female relatives in an attempt to delay the onset of puberty and reduce the likelihood of sexual harassment or assault. However, the practice can cause physical and psychological harm to the young girl.

Physically, breast flattening can cause tissue damage, infection, and even breast cancer. It can also lead to the misalignment of breasts, scarring, and other long-term health complications. Psychologically, breast flattening can result in feelings of shame, embarrassment, and low self-esteem, which can negatively impact a girl’s mental health and well-being.

Several organizations and governments have taken steps to raise awareness of the dangers of breast flattening and encourage its eradication. Education campaigns, laws, and policies have been implemented to discourage the practice and promote the health and well-being of young girls. However, changing deeply ingrained cultural practices and beliefs can be a slow process, and continued efforts are needed to protect young girls from the harmful effects of breast flattening.

The Animal Welfare Board of India has suggested in a circular to embrace a cow on Valentine’s Day. The circular mentions that the cow is a significant aspect of India’s culture and rural economy and thus, “Cow Hug Day” should be celebrated.

According to the circular, hugging cows brings happiness, which has been causing the circular to spread widely on social media. The circular also mentions the influence of Western culture on Indian society and explains that the call for embracing cows was made to promote compassion towards animals.

Cows are considered sacred and revered in Hinduism, which is the majority religion in India. Worshipping cows is a common practice among many Hindus who believe that cows are a symbol of wealth, strength, motherly love, and nurturing nature.

In Hinduism, cows are believed to represent the divine and selfless giving nature and are associated with the Hindu god Lord Krishna. The worship of cows is seen as a way to attain blessings and good fortune, and the milk of the cow is considered pure and sacred.

Eminent writer and Jnanpith Awardee Dr Prathibha Ray announced the fourth Panorama International Literature festival 2023 conducted globally by Writers Capital Foundation. The world-record-winning literary festival for being the lengthiest literature festival dedicated to humanity is scheduled to be held from 1-31 of January and will feature ‘Air’ as the theme.

“Man is lonely today because he builds walls instead of bridges. Literature builds bridges and breaks down walls and enriches human personality,” said Dr Prathibha Ray announcing the event. “The theme of the festival which discusses both philosophical and environmental aspects of air is relevant in the present day. I hope that the platform would facilitate excellent deliberations, cross-cultural communication and a reaffirmation of the power of the written word,” she added.

The festival will be held in hybrid mode this year where delegates will be presenting their works virtually as well as physically at national festivals in the participating countries. In India, the festival is being partnered with the Central University of Kerala and Kerala Sahitya Akademi. Though internationally, Spain is hosting the event, the national event in India will be held in Kerala Central University campus in Kasaragod of Kerala.

It is the linguistic/cultural diversity of Kasaragod, a land of seven languages, that attracted the Panorama International Literary Festival to the district. Writers from different parts of the country are participating in the three-day event in and around the campus. Various departments in the university jointly lead the programme.

Unlike other literary festivals, Panorama International Literature Festivals are held as literary sanctuaries where places of historic and culturally significant places will become the venues for various sessions. Apart from visiting various historic locations in Kasaragod, the group of delegates will also learn art forms like Theyyam (Daiva) which are prominent in the northern part of Kerala which was formerly as part of Karnataka.

Athens (Greece): With more and more people coming up to read poetry in the coming days, it is a language of the heart capable enough to touch the hearts of people, said noted children’s writer, poet and artist Dr Meenakshi Mohan. She was speaking during the Meet the Author Programme conducted by the Writers Capital Foundation in association with Writers International Edition, Greece.

Poetry has been a part of children. As children, we all have grown up listening to and reading poetry and for this very reason, it has a greater influence on our lives. We need to expose children to poetry as much as we can so that just like a sponge they will absorb the content in it, Dr Meenakshi said adding that it is as much exposure we give they develop an interest in reading habit. The programme also discussed ‘Tapestry of Women in Indian Mythology’ an anthology of poetry by seventy poets edited by Dr Meenakshi Mohan.

Writers Capital International Foundation Secretary-General Irene Doura Kavadia presided over the programme. Chief Human Resources Officer Johanna Devadayavu, executive board member Joan Josep Barcelo, Poet Ramakrishna Perugu, Writers International Edition advisory board member Theodoros Dalmaris, executive editor Despena Dalmaris and other dignitaries participated in the event. Renowned poet Meera Vineeth introduced the author.

Athens (Greece): In the beautiful universe, everything is connected with an unbreakable string of love, promoting the same is the very purpose of my poetry, said Johanna Devadayavu, noted poet and humanitarian. She was speaking during the ‘Meet the Author’ programme conducted by Writers Capital Foundation in association with the Writers International edition.

“I mostly write about love. When I say love, it could be love, it could be about the energy that is all around us from which everything evolves. In all my poems readers would find an alignment with this concept,” said Johanna. “This greater love dwells in everyone. Some are aware of it and nurture it into unfolding something magnificent in their lives, but some strangle it. My poems are aimed to touch the heart of people so that they will nurture this love in their hearts and do something beautiful in their lives and make it meaningful,” she added.

Greek authors Pantelis Hatzis and Elena Karabi also attended the event. Secretary General of Writers Capital Foundation Prof. Irene Doura Kavadia presided over the programme. Dr. Janatha Ramanathan introduced the author. The weekly programme of WCIF, ‘Meet the Author’ introduces popular authors from across the world who have marked their presence in the sphere of literature with their significant works.

After the great success of the first edition presented at the “Biennale Amedeo Modigliani” in Venice (Italy), ‘REGENERATION 2’ returns in a second edition. In the innovative first “Holoperformance” where the artist Filippo Papa in an act of regeneration anointed his naked body by spreading it with primary colours but not only, holographic dematerialization was seen through holographic technology. The unpublished verses of the poet Joan Josep Barcelo echoed throughout the duration of the performative act. Filippo Papa and Joan Josep Barcelo create a new way of making art by coining the neologism “Holoperformance”, the union between performing art, holographic technology and poetry.

This innovative work returns on 3 September 2022 after being selected by the organization of the international event “Cittadella Art Parade – Fluxus 60th – Tribute to Francesco Conz”. Cittadella Art Parade wants to give the city and the public something new and innovative and offer itself over the years as a forge of ideas, catalyst and producer of excellent culture. Cittadella Art Parade will be a cultural bridge between past, present and future. For this first edition, the organizers want to pay homage to the Fluxus artistic movement on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of its birth and to Francesco Conz (Cittadella 1935-Verona 2010). In fact, not everyone knows that Conz was, a promoter, publisher and collector of Fluxus works and of the most important international avant-gardes in the world.

For the occasion, the film “Conz. The last collector” by director Roberto Delvoi will be screened and a path will be created where unpublished images and texts will tell the human and artistic story of the great publisher and collector from Cittadella. Just before the screening of the film “Conz. The last collector” Papa and Barcelo will present “Regeneration 2” where body and soul will merge into a single performance that has already marked the beginning of a new vision that bridges art visual, literature and new innovative technologies. Given this recognition, “Regeneration 2” is a bodily, poetic and holographic performance homage to the global artistic inspiration that goes towards the future. It is shown in continuity with the research of the past as a new frontier of art multidisciplinary and contemporary multimedia.

Protagonists the living and holographic body of Papa and the sonorous and holographic presence of Barcelo. Art blends with the word. Colour dematerializes through holographic technology and becomes matter with the physicality of the body. The leitmotif is an original representation of positive feelings, regenerating oneself, loving oneself and returning to the essentiality of shapes from black and white to colour and vice versa. Leave only the naked soul visible to the eyes of those who have seen this event live. Joan Josep Barcelo and Filippo Papa must be acknowledged for having created a new dimension of art between dream and reality.

Filippo Papa born in Leonforte (EN) in 1986 is an eclectic Sicilian visual artist who has been included, among the most significant exponents of the contemporary art scene, in the two most important Italian publishing publications such as the Atlas of Contemporary Art published De Agostini and CAM Mondadori. In addition, he is the winner of the Italy prize for photography 2022. His art finds its maximum expression ranging from architectural photography – characterized by contact with the divine through the extreme synthesis of forms obtained from black and white and the strong contrasts between lights and shadows – and the performance in which his body is the protagonist, mirror of his many intimate and carnal facets. Movement becomes strength, gestures pay homage to myths and artists of the past. A new metaphysical vision that connects time and space by creating hybrid languages ​​between the various forms of art.

Joan Josep Barcelo born in Palma de Mallorca (Spain) in 1953 is the author of numerous poetry books in Catalan and Italian which has received important international awards in his literary career such as the Dante 2021 award. His unique style is characterized by surrealism and abstraction, with references to a dreamlike and mythical, spiritual and carnal world, in search of a revolutionary concept. He tells us about the land and the sea, the polar landscapes and the desert, following the characteristics of a universe in which the word becomes the breath of a new time. Light and darkness dominate the language until desire is the spark of fire in search of infinity.

Mysore: The Central University of Kerala, one of the pioneer institutions in India under the Ministry of Education, India has joined the Panorama International Literature Festival (PILF) as the major collaborator of the national event which is scheduled to be held in January 2023. National events are being held in various countries as a part of PILF season 4 worldwide in which prominent writers and academicians will be taking part.

The fourth season of one of the major literature festivals in the world, the Panorama International Literature Festival is having the participation of more than 76 countries across the world. Hosted by Spain this year, the festival is a World Record-Winning programme for being the lengthiest literature festival dedicated to spreading humanitarian values and helping cultural exchange and is being participated by renowned writers and academicians from across the world.

The Central University of Kerala came into being in 2009 under the Central Universities Act 2009. The University is founded on the noble vision of a ‘Caring Wisdom’ and is guided by the lofty ideals of academic and social commitment, moral steadfastness and intellectual and spiritual enlightenment, as reflected in the vision statement. From this humble beginning, the University has grown into an institution offering twenty-seven postgraduate and twenty-two research programmes with a total enrolment of around 2500 students. The campus of the University known as Thejaswini Hills is located at Periye, Kasaragod on 310 acres of land.

Writers Capital Foundation thanked Vice-Chancellor Prof. (Dr) Venkateshwaralu, Associate Professor & Head, Department of English & Comparative Literature Dr. Joseph Koyippally and staff and faculty of the Central University of Kerala for being a part of the major festival aimed at uniting nations through creative media and fostering global peace and harmony.