We are happy to see that Covid infection rates are dropping fast. We hope that trend continues, because I think we all miss being with other people, and for so many people, the pandemic has been absolutely heartbreaking.

A special shout-out to the folks who attended the Careers in Changemaking: Working in Humanitarian Aid & Non-Governmental
Organizations webinar that took place yesterday. It was inspiring to hear the personal stories of our speakers who have worked in international humanitarian organizations. It was an honor to partner with the Kroc School for Peace Studies and the San Diego United Nations Association. We look forward to forging new partnerships for events and projects.

A goodly number of events to cover this week, some virtual and some live.

The Human Rights Watch Film Festival got underway on Wednesday, and they will be screening films (virtually) through next Tuesday.

The annual San Diego Tết Festival begins today and runs through Sunday. We have attended in the past and the festival is both fun and interesting.

Tomorrow (Saturday), performances of Trouble in Mind begin at the Old Globe (Shiley Stage). The show will run through to mid-March.

On Sunday, there will be a Hands-On Kimchi Workshop at Mujeres Brew Pub. Performances of On Her Shoulders We Stand begin. It looks like it will be a rather unique theatrical experience. Performances will continue throughout this month. Sunday afternoon, the San Diego Buddhist Association will host a Chinese New Year Celebration. Acclaimed Brazilian guitarists Romero Lubambo & Chico Pinheiro will perform at the Athenaeum Music & Arts Library down in La Jolla.

On Tuesday, San Diego Opera will begin performances of Mozart's Così fan tutte (The School for Lovers). There will be a total of 4 performances with the final show on the 20th.

Next Wednesday, Warwick's will host Rebecca Sacks as she discusses her debut novel, City of a Thousand Gates. Nordic-folk musicians Dreamers’ Circus will perform at Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center in La Jolla. Ottmar Liebert & Luna Negra return to the Belly Up to perform their brand of Nouveau Flamenco. The 11-day San Diego International Jewish Film Festival will get underway next Thursday with films screened both live and virtually.

Next Friday and Saturday, Cinema Under the Stars will feature the film romp The Grand Budapest Hotel.

Next Saturday and Sunday, the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association's Chinese New Year Fair will take place virtually on Facebook and Instagram.

Next Saturday, the City Heights Festival of Love will take place to celebrate cultural diversity. Poway Library will celebrate Chinese New Year with the Lucky Lion Dancers. Mexican stand-up comedians Jo Jo Jorge Falcon & Gira De Despedida will perform at the Magnolia Performing Arts Center in El Cajon. WorldBeat Cultural Center will present a children's theater production of The Wiz. Mexican cumbia romantica band BXS Bryndis will perform at the Music Box.

Next Sunday, you can join a Native American Flute Circle at Mission Trails Regional Park.

Everyone here at the San Diego Participant Observer and the Worldview Project wish you a fulfilling, illuminating, enlightening and culturally rich weekend and week ahead. Take care, be safe, and see you next week!

Your Window to the World

Afghan Universities Reopen With Strict Rules for Female Students UK Tourists Head to Albania for ‘Sense of Exotic’ Without Long-Haul Flight ‘Nobody Can Say Anything’: China Cracks Down on Dissent Ahead of Olympics ‘It Gives Me Joy’: the Lgbt Colombians Embracing Visibility in Town With a Legacy of Abuse Cuba Leads the World in Vaccinating Children As Young As Two Against Covid Victory in Court for Indigenous Women Raped During Guatemala's Civil War Honduras: Can First Female President Usher in a New Era for Women? Japan to Reform 19Th Century Law That Puts Ex-Husband on Child's Birth Certificate South Korea's Nose-Only ‘Kosk’ Mask for Covid-Safe Eating Raises Eyebrows Lithuanian Girl's Letter From Polish Pen Pal Delivered 51 Years Late Us Bans Imports of Disposable Gloves From Ansell Supplier in Malaysia Over Allegations of Forced Labour Archaeologists Uncover Ancient Helmets and Temple Ruins in Southern Italy Fruit Pickers Lured to Portugal by the Dream of a ‘Raspberry Passport’ New Gender-Neutral Pronoun Likely to Enter Norwegian Dictionaries Native Peruvians Threaded Corpses’ Spines on to Sticks, Study Suggests Catalonia to Pardon up to 1,000 People Accused of Witchcraft Swedish Firm Deploys Crows to Pick up Cigarette Butts ‘Our Culture Has Changed’: Young Thais Boycott Graduation Ceremonies Supermoustache! Sounds Like a Job for Venezuela's Socialist Superhero In Beijing, the Subject on Everybody's Mind but Not Lips Where a Thousand Digital Eyes Keep Watch Over the Elderly In Congo, Floating Pastors Follow Mobile Flocks Along Busy River Leprosy Hospital Offers Healing, and a Haven, to the Shunned How Malaysia Got in on the Secondhand Clothing Boom

Our recipe of the month is Karydopita (Καρυδόπιτα) or Greek Walnut Cake. Kardopita is a delicious concoction of walnuts, cinnamon, and a hint of orange which is baked and then suffused with a sugary syrup. It is enjoyed around Christmas time and other special occasions. It is a very good dish to make ahead of time and take to a potluck party.

The Participant Observer Book of the Month selection is Aunty Lee's Delights: A Singaporean Mystery by Ovidia Yu. This delectable and witty mystery introduces Rosie “Aunty” Lee, feisty widow, amateur sleuth and proprietor of Singapore’s best-loved home cooking restaurant. Note: As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. International Films Around Town NOTE: Covid-19 remains a serious public health problem. Please use utmost caution so that you protect yourself and others. Belfast A semi-autobiographical film which chronicles the life of a working class family and their young son's childhood during the tumult of the late 1960s in the Northern Ireland capital. Belle A high school student becomes a globally beloved singer after entering a fantastic virtual world. She soon embarks on an emotional and epic quest to uncover the identity of a mysterious beast who's on the run from ruthless vigilantes. Encanto The Madrigals are an extraordinary family who live hidden in the mountains of Colombia in a charmed place called the Encanto. the magic of the Encanto has blessed every child in the family with a unique gift -- every child except Mirabel. However, she soon may be the Madrigals last hope when she discovers that the magic surrounding the Encanto is now in danger. Flee On the verge of marriage to his long-time boyfriend, a successful academic in Denmark is confronted with a secret from his past. Good Luck Sakhi Plagued by seemingly endless bad luck, including the accidental death of her fiance, a young woman trains to compete as a sharpshooter at the national level. Hridayam A man in his early 30s reflects on his misspent youth and the rocky road that brought him to adulthood.. My Hero Academia: World Heroes' Mission Japan's greatest heroes must track down the mastermind behind a deadly chemical attack. Parallel Mothers Two single women meet in a hospital room where they are both going to give birth. One is middle aged and doesn't regret it, while the other is adolescent and scared. The two women form a strong bond with one another as they both confront motherhood. Rifkin's Festival A woman has an affair with a French filmmaker, while her husband falls in love with a beautiful Spaniard. The French Dispach A love letter to journalists set in an outpost of an American newspaper in a fictional 20th-century French city that brings to life a collection of stories published in "The French Dispatch." The Tragedy of Macbeth A Scottish lord becomes convinced by a trio of witches that he will become the next King of Scotland. His ambitious wife will do anything to support him in his plans of seizing power. West Side Story Love at first sight strikes when young Tony spots Maria at a high school dance in 1957 New York City. Their burgeoning romance helps to fuel the fire between the warring Jets and Sharks -- two rival gangs vying for control of the streets.

Have you thought of new features that you would like to see in the Participant Observer? Let us know by writing to us at: tjon@thewvp.org

Important Disclaimer: While as a public service we list political, religious, spiritual, consciousness-raising and commercial events in our calendar, this does not mean that The Participant Observer necessarily endorses or otherwise supports any of the views, sentiments, beliefs or products presented or promoted in such events. We endeavor mightily to ensure that our calendar listings are accurate, but please confirm dates and times of events.

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