Lydia's Weekly Lifestyle blog is for today's African girl, so no subject is taboo. My purpose is to share things which may interest today's African girl.

This week's contributors: Lydia, Pépé Pepinière, this week's subjects: Alarming rate of drug abuse II, The Gold Coast Restaurant and Cocktail Bar, Venice Biennale.

Alarming rate of drug abuse II Education and Prevention: Education plays a vital role in preventing drug abuse among Ghanaian youth. Implementing comprehensive drug education programs in schools, colleges, and communities can equip young individuals with knowledge about the risks and consequences of drug abuse. These programs should focus on building resilience, promoting healthy coping mechanisms, and fostering a sense of self-worth and purpose among the youth. Access to Treatment and Rehabilitation: Efforts to combat drug abuse must include accessible and affordable treatment and rehabilitation options. Establishing rehabilitation centers, counseling services, and support groups can provide much-needed assistance to those struggling with addiction. Collaboration between government agencies, healthcare providers, and community organizations is crucial in developing a comprehensive support system for individuals seeking help.

Engaging the Community:Addressing drug abuse requires a collective effort from all segments of society. Engaging the community through awareness campaigns, workshops, and community outreach programs can help break the stigma associated with drug abuse and encourage individuals to seek help. Involving religious institutions, community leaders, and local organizations can provide a support network that promotes a drug-free lifestyle and provides alternatives for youth engagement. The rise of drug abuse among Ghanaian youth is a pressing issue that demands immediate attention and action. By understanding the scope of the problem, raising awareness about the health implications, addressing socioeconomic impacts, providing education and prevention programs, ensuring access to treatment and rehabilitation, and engaging the community, we can work towards a drug-free future for Ghana’s youth. Let us come together to protect and empower the next generation, ensuring that they have the opportunity to thrive and contribute positively to society.

The Gold Coast Restaurant and Cocktail Bar at Cantonment 32 fifth ave ext, Accra. Weekdays this place is nicely quiet and they do a reasonable BBQ. I felt like eating gizzard kebabs, and to be on the safe side I first called, and yes, they had. But they had not. I demanded to see the person who had answered the phone, but even when insisting the staff wisely mentioned that he had left. Don't worry, next time I'll go there and then call when I am seated and then he can enjoy some of my vocabulary. But this is a common problem, before opening the restaurant staff are not told what they need to know for the day, so they have no idea that this or that has run out, they allow the customer to order and then come back to say that the thing no dei. And then typically have to face an angry customer. Have a plan B for your ordering, especially if the plate you try to order is not too common, like maybe gizzards.

The Venice Biennale is an international cultural exhibition hosted annually in Venice, Italy and has been organized every year since 1895, which makes it the oldest of its kind. (this article is a bit lengthy, but I am trying to make a point). The main exhibition alternates between art and architecture and there is also theatre, film, music, and dance.The Art Biennale is one of the world's largest and most important contemporary visual art exhibitions with an exhibition space of over 7,000 square meters, and artists from over 75 countries The first exhibition in 1895 attracted 224,000 visitors, at a time when travelling was only for the wealthy. From 1907 on, several countries installed national pavilions at the exhibition. From 1910 the first internationally well-known artists were displayed, like Gustav Klimt, Renoir, and Courbet. A work by Picasso “Family of Saltimbanques” was removed from the Spanish pavilion because it was feared that its novelty might shock the public. 1922 saw an exhibition of sculptures by African artists (I checked, they were African allright, but all were white South Africans). In the 30's three new events were added, the International Festival of Contemporary Music, the Venice Film Festival (which was the first film festival in history), also referred to as Venice International Film Festival and the International Theatre Festival. After the second World War (1939-1945, Italy was on Germany's side) Impressionists and many protagonists of contemporary art including Chagall, Klee, Braque, Delvaux, Ensor, and Magritte, as well as a retrospective of Picasso's work were shown, and Peggy Guggenheim (one of the richest art collectors ever) was invited to exhibit her collection, later to be permanently housed at Ca' Venier dei Leoni. 1949 saw the beginning of renewed attention to avant-garde movements in European—and later worldwide—movements in contemporary art. Abstract expressionism was introduced in the 1950s, and the Biennale is credited with importing Pop Art into the canon of art history by awarding the top prize to Robert Rauschenberg in 1964. In 1954 the Biennale hosted the first Japanese Noh theatre shows in Europe. 1956 introduced Indian cinema to the West.

So Venice Biennale has a long and solid history of exhibiting new art movements.
From 1907 onwards 30 permanent national pavilions were built, countries that don’t have their own pavilion rent space. In 2007 for the first time there was an African Pavilion. In 2011 South Africa and Zimbabwe took part, later joined by Angola and the Ivory Coast. In 2015 Mozambique and Mauritius came on board, Nigeria in 2017. And finally, in 2019 Ghana took part. Benin will enter in 2024. Leslie Lokko, Scottish Ghanaian, has meanwhile been made Director of the Architecture department. So here is a chance to put Ghana on the map. Do we read anything about it? Non Ghanaians are writing more about us than our own press does, search for it !

Lydia...

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