1 . Cultural heritage sites are a nonrenewable resource. Today architectural heritage sites are being destroyed at an alarming rate. They’re threatened by rising seas, pollution, overtourism, conflicts and so on. Recently, Notre Dame Cathedral has attracted international attention.

Since its main construction from 1163 to 1350, Notre Dame Cathedral repeatedly has been damaged and repaired. On April 15, 2019, the landmark’s roof caught fire, causing the collapse of its spire (尖顶) and upper walls severely damaged. Work on the site began quickly. Through the work of photographer Tomas van Houtryve, writer Robert Kunzig, and artist Fernando Baptista, people will see restoring scenes where ruins are cleared and statues saved. Even the COVID-19 pandemic caused only a two-month delay. Architects have said the expensive project is on track to be completed in 2024.

And thorny questions arise. What duty do we owe the creations of our ancestors? What lesson can we draw from their presence?

Humankind has answered that differently. In Dresden, Germany, the Frauenkirche, an 18th-century baroque church, was famous for its bell-shaped dome (穹顶). In February 1945, one of the most destructive bombing attacks of World War II reduced the city to ruins. After German reunion, the church was reconstructed using many of its original stones, as a symbol of peace and harmony. Berlin’s Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church also fell to bombing but had a different story. Its spire has been left a ruin on purpose to be a “warning monument” against war and destruction.

Like the Frauenkirche, Notre Dame is being rebuilt as close as possible to how it was before, including using the original, toxic metal — lead (铅) — for the roof, causing the debate about how to restore and maintain historic buildings. Actually, no one claims to have the “right” answers on preservation; there may not even be right answers. What people could do is to continuously monitor the global care of cultural heritage sites, as a matter of significance to humanity’s past, present, and future.

2 . There are many differences in ways of thinking between East and West. Many of them are reflected in daily behaviour. In particular, Chinese people sometimes attach more importance to their appearance and social status than to their inner qualities, while Westerners think the opposite. However, Socrates (Ancient Greek philosopher) and Confucius share significant similarities that are universal.

Both philosophers share several teachings in common; for example, their understanding of the nature of knowledge and their opinions on education. Socrates believed “There is only one good, knowledge;and only one evil, ignorance.” Similarly, Confucius said, “Isn’t it a pleasure to study and practice what you have learned?” But both also acknowledge the limits of knowledge. Socrates said: “All I know is that I know nothing.” Similarly, Confucius said, “When you know a thing, to hold you know it; when you don’t know a thing, to allow you don’t know it-this is knowledge.”

However, there are important differences in their understanding of morality. Confucius believed each person should follow certain regulations according to virtue(德行). Everyone should play their role in a society where people are interdependent in order to achieve harmony in the whole society. For instance, when asked how to govern a country, Confucius stated “An emperor should act like an emperor, a subject should act like a subject.” Socrates, however, places self-knowledge over social knowledge.

Another difference between them is their attitude towards political domination(支配). Confucius believed the best way to govern a country isn’t through legal system, but through virtue. Socrates, by contrast, declared that “nothing is more important than justice”.

Why have East and West developed such different cultural values? A widely accepted theory holds that Eastern civilization was an agricultural civilization. Hence the need for a collective society and friendly relations with neighbors was strong. Western civilization, however, was nomadic(游牧的). Their mobility makes them less dependent on society after migration.

In spite of their differences, the two cultures have more in common than differences. The shared concern for moral values in the teachings of Socrates and Confucius also shows us more fundamental similarities between Eastern and Western cultures in their pursuit of virtuous lives.

5 . Also called the Garden Island, Kauai is the oldest island in the Hawaiian region. As its name implies, it prides itself in being covered with the color green, thanks to well-kept preserves of forests. But the island and its locals aren’t shy of providing events to residents and visitors alike.

Koloa Plantation Days

Held for 10 days every July, Koloa Plantation Days in Old Koloa Town focuses on the history of the area as a former sugar plantation. You can look through local art while listening to Hawaiian music, or pick up some local food specialties and check out an exhibit about the town’s history.

Waimea Town Celebration

The west side of Kauai comes alive during Waimea Town Celebration, a nine-day festival held every February in the historic town of Waimea. Films and performances celebrating the culture of Hawaii occur throughout the event, so you can sit in an air-conditioned theater to relax while experiencing some local culture.

Lei Day

On the first of May each year, Hawaiians celebrate Lei Day on the day traditionally known as May Day. The Kauai Museum celebrates this yearly event with lei-making lessons, food stands, live entertainment and a lei contest. If you’re not into making your own lei, there are leis available for you to buy at the museum, so you can join even if your flower-necklace skills aren’t good enough.

Prince Kuhio Celebration

March 26 is Prince Kuhio Day, a statewide holiday honoring the Hawaiian prince who helped preserve local cultural practices and protect the rights of native Hawaiians. Kauai residents celebrate it for up to two weeks. Events in some towns include historical tours, cultural displays, canoe races and drumming performances.

6 . Thanksgiving is one of those times of year that inspires reflection. For some, it is a moment to think about the meaning of family. But for me, there is a simpler message to take away: We should all have more pie in our lives.

What’s refreshing about Thanksgiving is that, for all the travel delays and the potential for family arguments, the focus is on cooking for once. At Christmas, the feast easily gets overshadowed by the mountain of gifts. At thanksgiving, by contrast, everyone recognizes that the food is what matters. Will the mashed potatoes be smooth enough? And crucially, is there enough pie?

Too many of us spend our lives in a state of pie deprivation (缺少), judging from the hunger with which the pies are greeted on a Thanksgiving table. Few things ins till more of a sense of comfort than the sight of a golden topped fruit pie.

There have been times and places when eating pie was a daily occurrence for American families. Thanksgiving aside, I don’t know anyone who regularly eats pie. This is a bit sad. Think of all that joy we are abandoning.

Thanksgiving pies have a way of living on in memory long after the other dishes are forgotten. Years ago, I made an apple pie for my nieces for Thanksgiving. The following year, I planned to make a cardamom tart instead. But my sister said I had to make the pie exactly the same as the previous year, because the girls had been talking about it for months. I can’t pretend I wasn’t pleased by this.

A pie isn’t just any dessert. It is a sign that care has been taken. I suspect that the single biggest reason we don’t make pies more often is that we don’t have time. Yet there is something about the process of fitting pie into a dish that can actually make you less rushed. “Rest for at least an hour”, reads the instruction in most pie recipes. It’s referring to the pastry, but what if it also means you?

7 . Where would we be without food? We certainly wouldn’t be at Starbucks, grocery stores or restaurants. We wouldn’t, in fact, be anywhere for very long, because we need food to live. Food is seen as a basic human right, and yet one in nine people globally experience hunger. As far back as 1945 the United Nations recognized food as not a privilege, but a right, and that’s why they created World Food Day, observed annually on October 16, in 1979. It’s a day of observance to draw attention to the plight of the hungry. So, today, join us in alleviating hunger.

HOW TO OBSERVE WORLD FOOD DAY

(1).Give to a local food bank

In the United States it’s estimated 1 in 7 people rely on food banks as their primary or supplemental food source—many of these are working families who suffer from unemployment and cannot afford the groceries needed to help their family live healthily. The top requested items for food banks are healthy, nutritious and easy-to-store items high in protein, such as canned or dry beans, peanut butter, rolled oats, low-sodium soups and vegetables and tuna canned in water.

(2).Support small scale farms

Ninety-eight percent of the farms in the world are family farms. They usually practice sustainable agriculture with plants that are native to the area, rotating crops and limited use of pesticides. Sadly, many family farmers are unable to produce the variety of crops needed for their own survival and without support, can suffer from insufficient nutrition themselves. On World Food Day, shop locally and support family farms.

(3).Raise money to eliminate hunger

On World Food Day there are typically a number of food drives. If you don’t know of a local food drive, organize one yourself and donate the food to it. Globally there are hunger walks, World Food Day dinners or food packaging rallies. Get involved and let’s end world hunger!

8 . A popular short video series titled Escape From the British Museum has captivated millions of viewers and sparked a renewed call to repatriate (遣送) unlawfully taken relics. The three-part series tells the story of a jade teapot that comes to life and embarks on a journey from the British Museum back to China. With over 340 million views and nearly 2 million comments on Douyin, a short-video platform, the series has had a significant effect.

In the story, the jade teapot transforms into a young woman and escapes from the museum. She meets a Chinese journalist named Zhang Yongan in the United Kingdom and implores him to take her back to China. Upon returning home, she not only travels across the country but also carries “letters” written by other artifacts in the museum to their respective families in China.

The series was created by two young Chinese vloggers using the pseudonyms (网名) “Jianbing Guozai” and “Xiatian Meimei”. Zhang Jiajun, whose real name is “Jianbing Guozai”, graduated from Sichuan University of Media and Communications.

Inspiration for the series came from a netizen’s suggestion to create a cartoon series where artifacts come to life and return home for Chinese New Year. Zhang turned this idea into a video and spent three months researching the British Museum and crafting the storyline.

The videos have deeply moved netizens, with scenes like “writing brushstrokes on English newspapers” and intense dialogues among the artifacts striking an emotional chord. In the comments, many netizens expressed their desire for cultural artifacts overseas to return home with dignity and honor.

The creator of the series, Zhang Jiajun, expresses gratitude for the love the series has received and hopes that more attention would be paid to the issue of cultural relics located overseas.