— by maibrahimblog
As the curtain falls on the tumultuous year of 2024, we find ourselves reflecting on a journey that has been nothing short of a rollercoaster ride.
When I think of the year 2024, I think of a roller coaster ride. Then again a collection of synonyms and their antonyms come to mind; excitement and subduing, hopelessness and hopefulness, systole and diastole, ebb and flow, peaks and valleys, oscillation and vacillation; I do believe you get my gist; “come on, you and I know what I’m talking about.”
“I actually, I don’t,” replied Bret Baier of Fox News (in an interview) to Vice President Kamala Harris’ response of “Come on, you and I know what I’m talking about,” an obvious evasion of a question concerning what she thinks about the 79% respondents’ belief that the US is taking the wrong trajectory under the Biden-Harris administration, the journalist’s quick comeback exposed her. That was among my instances of vacillation, ebb, diastole, valleys, and hopelessness: I had some hope, albeit a teeny-tiny one, that the superpower of the world would have its first female president; a moment of glass-ceiling being broken, alas! it evaporated into nothingness.
Further on, my lows are the continuous wars in the Middle East, Ukraine, and Sudan, the likely deterioration of Syria into another Iraq and Libya, and an ominous feeling of World War III with Iran in 2025; the detrimental effects of these wars on women and children. Thus the United Nations Foundation (2024) reiterates this concern of mine, of the devastating effects of wars on females: “And once again, wherever there is conflict, disaster, or destruction, girls and women unfairly bear the brunt.”
Speaking of “brunt”, how about Artificial Intelligence and its “brunt” on the world; influencers are creating media content that is rivaling that of mainstream media and even royals are sharing the brunt of Artificial Intelligence: Kate Middleton’s “fidgeting” with Artificial Intelligence was exposed by the eagle-eyes of her followers. Later, sadly but bravely, she told the world how she was undergoing treatment for cancer (CNN, 2024). I guess that will be her version of “coming out of the closet.” She does seem to shy away from cameras.
But there is some good news for Kate: Russia has just discovered the cure for cancer: “Russia has announced a groundbreaking development in cancer treatment with the creation of an mRNA-based vaccine designed to treat cancer patients. This revolutionary vaccine is set to be launched in early 2025,..” (Business Today, 2024).
Finally, the United Nations is waking up to the concept of inclusivity. For an organization that proclaims to be for everyone no matter what corner of the world, it’s a little elitist; most especially when it comes to its Security Council: imagine the elitism; permanent and non-permanent members, really? It’s a recipe for vetoing and doing as we wish. But the new kid on the block “Pact for the Future” seems promising: “The Pact lays out 56 actions across five key areas, from safeguarding peace to financing the Sustainable Development Goals to governing new frontiers in cyber- and outer space. But as Julie explains, “The central connotation of the Pact is rebuilding trust through the reform of outdated institutions.” Calls for greater representation of emerging powers and smaller nations on the Security Council grew louder this year” (United Nations Foundation, 2024).
What a year 2024 has been: over sixty countries in the world went through the democratic process of elections (Pew Research Centre, 2024), not excluding the USA and Ghana. I cannot wait to see what 2025 brings with the return of controversial President-elect, Donald Trump of the USA, and diplomatic and hope-inspiring President-elect, John Drama Mahama of Ghana.
Works Cited
Vice President Kamala Harris grilled on pivotal issues as election nears on ‘Special Report’. 16th October, 2024. https://www.foxnews.com/video/shows/special-report
The world this week. France 24. 20th December, 2024. https://www.france24.com/en/tv-shows/the-world-this-week/20241220-the-world-this-year-2024-a-look-back-at-events
Rabbitt, Megan., Altman, MJ. Year in Review: the events that shaped the UN and Our World in 2024. United Nations Foundation. 13th December, 2024.
Stalter, Brian. Year in Review: Top Media Stories of 2024. December 2024.
https://edition.cnn.com/2024/12/23/business/video/top-media-stories-2024-yir-stelter-pkg-digvid
Massive breakthrough: Russia develops cancer vaccine, will distribute it for free from 2025. Business Today. 2024.
Wike, Richard., Moira Fagan., Clancy, Laura., Global Elections in 2024: What We Learned in a Year of Political Disruptions. Pew Research Centre. December 11, 2024.