War Cry 24 January 2026

Return journey

The Salvation Army is a Christian church and registered charity seeking to share the good news of Jesus and nurture committed followers of him. We also serve people without discrimination, care for creation and seek justice and reconciliation. We offer practical support and services in more than 700 centres throughout the UK. Go to salvationarmy.org.uk/find-a-church to find your nearest centre.

What is the War Cry?

The Salvation Army first published a newspaper called the War Cry in London in December 1879, and we have continued to appear every week since then. Our name refers to our battle for people’s hearts and souls as we promote the positive impact of the Christian faith and The Salvation Army’s fight for greater social justice.

From the editor’s desk

You have to be prepared to receive some surprising answers if you ask a child what job they would like to do when they grow up. Their imagination and ambitions allow them to dream of an exciting future.

As we discover in an interview in this week’s War Cry, when a teacher asked the young Fabio D’Andrea that question, he replied that he wanted to be a film director. The teacher didn’t regard Fabio’s answer as a sensible response – but in the years since, Fabio has come to realise his childhood dream.

Primarily, he has made his name as a musician and composer, but Fabio has also created and directed videos to accompany some of his pieces, working with stars such as the singer Mel B and adventurer Bear Grylls.

Many of the videos that Fabio has created have a recurring theme –they explore what he describes as ‘hidden aspects’ of society, including domestic abuse, cyberbullying and suicide.

‘I realised that it was possible to create a piece of art that can touch people,’ he tells us. ‘I realised that people want to have art which talks about universal social issues.’

Editor: Andrew Stone, Major

Managing Editor: Philip Halcrow

Staff

Staff

Staff

Editorial

Graphic

Graphic

Emily Bright

Claire Brine

Ewan Hall

Linda McTurk

Mark Knight

Natalie Adkins

Email: warcry@salvationarmy.org.uk

The Salvation Army United Kingdom and Ireland Territory 1 Champion Park London SE5 8FJ

Tel: 0845 634 0101

Subscriptions: 01933 445445 (option 1, option 1) or email: subscriptions@satcol.org

Founders: Catherine and William Booth

International leaders: General Lyndon Buckingham and Commissioner Bronwyn Buckingham

Territorial leaders: Commissioners Jenine and Paul Main

Editor-in-Chief: Major Julian Watchorn

Fabio also explains that his Christian faith has a significant influence on all his current work.

‘A few years ago,’ he says, ‘I definitely made the decision that I wanted everything that I would write from that point on to reflect some form of my faith and belief and to have some meaning behind it.’

And what he writes makes an impact. Fabio regularly hears from members of the public who tell him that his music and films have helped them in their own personal struggles.

It’s another example of the positive difference that the Christian faith is making to countless people’s lives. It is a faith that brings hope, security and purpose. Whether our dreams for our lives have come true or not, following Jesus is the best decision we can possibly make.

INFO INFO

Broadcast journalist champions a continent’s culture

By Emily Bright

Having reported from more than 90 countries during his career, broadcast journalist Clive Myrie is no stranger to foreign assignments. But his latest series – BBC2 documentary Clive Myrie’s African Adventure – has a personal significance.

Twenty years ago, Clive was based in Johannesburg, South Africa, reporting news from across the continent. Since then, he has longed to return to Africa to highlight its positive stories and to explain why life there can feel so much ‘bigger and bolder’ than anywhere else in the world.

In the first episode, Clive visits Soweto, the biggest township in South Africa.

‘Sometimes called the rainbow nation for its colourful mix of cultures and languages,’ he says, ‘South Africa is a land of sophisticated cities, spectacular wildlife, brilliant beaches and great complexity.’

It’s also a land still marked by its recent history. Decades after apartheid ended, the forms of cultural resistance that it sparked endure. Clive meets a local street artist, who explains how outdoor paintings became an alternative to apartheid’s

white-only galleries and offered an outlet for self-expression.

And at Soweto Drift Academy, Clive tries the increasingly popular sport of car spinning, which began in the 1980s as a form of illegal rebellion against the country’s system of segregation and discrimination.

While in Soweto, the presenter also meets a former colleague and BBC producer, Milton Nkosi, who was previously the BBC’s Africa bureau chief. The old friends make a stop outside a museum which was once a house where activist-turned-South African president Nelson Mandela stayed after his release from prison in 1990. They meet his granddaughter over lunch to hear her recollections of the national figure.

Clive and Milton remember how the 1976 Soweto Uprising, in which police fired on protesters, marked a significant moment for them both. Milton took part in the uprising as a student; while – after watching the events unfold from his childhood home in Lancashire – Clive decided to become a journalist. Years

later, the pair would work together to bring breaking news stories from across the African continent, including Nelson Mandela’s death in 2013.

‘Back in the 1970s,’ Clive remembers, ‘the struggle against apartheid was one of those stories that made me realise I wanted to become a reporter. I had to try to shine a light on injustice, wherever it was taking place.’

The desire to shed light on and challenge injustice is nothing new. One ancient prophet felt God say: ‘Here’s what I want: Let justice thunder down like a waterfall; let righteousness flow like a mighty river that never runs dry’ (Amos 5:24 The Voice).

While viewers may not have experienced apartheid, many may relate to being unjustly treated or oppressed in their lives –whether that be by institutions, individuals or both.

But the good news is that there is a God who is passionate about fairness, kindness, dignity and equality.

If we turn to him, he can support us as we face injustice in our own lives – and sustain us as we fight it in the wider world.

She’s a Barbie girl in a diverse world

Emily Bright gives her take on a story that has caught the attention of War Cry

reporters

I’m

A new autistic Barbie is improving representation for neurodivergent children, reported BBC News. Developed in consultation with the US non-profit organisation the Autistic Self Advocacy Network, toy company Mattel’s latest version of the doll has autism-friendly accessories: a fidget spinner, used to reduce stress and improve focus; noise-cancelling headphones, which prevent sensory overload; and a pink tablet showcasing apps used by many non-verbal autistic people to communicate.

delighted that Barbie is improving representation

The Barbie has an indirect gaze, mirroring how some with autism avoid eye contact. And the doll’s elbow and wrist articulation are a nod to how some use hand gestures to cope with sensory stimulation or show excitement.

UK autistic writer Ellie Middleton said that she was ‘so emotional’ at the prospect of the new toy.

‘Statistics show that young girls are often undiagnosed or misdiagnosed,’ she said. ‘So to have a powerful symbol like this autistic Barbie doll helps bring the conversation around neurodivergence in women to the forefront, so that autistic girls can feel accepted and seen.’

I’m delighted that Barbie is putting her best foot forward in improving representation. It’s important that people with all backgrounds and life experiences feel recognised, understood and valued.

As a Christian, I believe in a God who created humankind to be beautifully diverse, and who loves each and every person unconditionally. He celebrates and champions us for who we are, in the midst of our biggest challenges.

And when God’s Son, Jesus, was on Earth, he modelled compassion and made a point of welcoming those who felt that they were on the margins or didn’t fit in with the rest of society.

I try my best to follow Jesus’ example in making people feel included and valued. But, for all the times I fall short, I know that I can rely on the unconditional love and grace that God offers me, as I aim to do better next time.

Knowing I’m accepted and understood by God is a powerful thing, which emboldens me to be the best person I can be.

MSPs praise oil chaplains

The Scottish parliament has formally recognised a chaplaincy service for the care it provides to people working in the North Sea oil and gas industry.

In a motion lodged by Shetland MSP Beatrice Wishart, more than 20 politicians from across the parties praised the UK Oil and Gas Chaplaincy for providing financial, pastoral, emotional, mental and spiritual support to offshore and onshore staff, whether or not they have a faith.

Founded in the 1980s, the ecumenical chaplaincy provides ‘coffee with the chaplain’ meetings, offshore visits to workers, and emergency response care for families in times of bereavement and difficulty. It also maintains a book of remembrance for those lost offshore.

‘I am deeply honoured that the work of the UK Oil and Gas Chaplaincy has been recognised this way,’ says chaplain the Rev Michael Mair. ‘We have the real privilege to respond to families, friends and colleagues on the worst of days. We can only hope that, through our presence alongside those enduring grief, pain, stress and challenge, we can bring some comfort.’

WAR CRY

Clothes make the Grantchester man

Rishi Nair, who plays the Rev Alphy Kottaram in the ITV series says that returning to the role for his second series and getting to wear a vicar’s dog collar again was a ‘lovely’ experience.

Ahead of the launch of the series, the actor said: ‘There is something very funny about wearing a vicar’s suit. I do hold myself differently. I feel a sense of responsibility as well, because I’m portraying a religious character.’

Rishi also revealed that, while he was on a break from filming, he walked down the high street in Hemel Hempstead wearing his vicar’s costume.

‘People were smiling at me and being really friendly,’ he recalled. ‘I thought, “Wow, everyone in this town is really lovely!” Then I remembered I was wearing the vicar’s suit. Yes, they might have recognised me from the TV, but most of them probably just

Rishi Nair plays the Rev Alphy Kottaram

Semenyo posts celebration video

Footballer Antoine Semenyo (pictured) celebrated the new year with a message of faith by posting a video on Instagram of him being baptised on Bournemouth beach.

The 25-year-old Ghanaian international, who left AFC Bournemouth for Manchester City in this month’s transfer window, shared a number of photos that highlighted his memories of 2025 alongside the caption: ‘I don’t know where to start; the love was endless. These pictures don’t even tell the full story but I thank you God for your protection, your blessings and your work over my life.’

Saint recognition gains currency

Bulgaria has become ‘the first European Union member state to include Christian saints on its euro coins’, reported the Church Times. The country made the move when it adopted the single currency on 1 January, entering the eurozone alongside 20 other countries.

The new €1 coin depicts Ivan the Wonderworker (876–946), who founded the Rila Monastery. The €2 coin, which bears the inscription ‘God protect Bulgaria’, honours Paisius of Hilendar (1722–1773), a priest and historian central to Bulgaria’s national revival.

‘There’s good news in sad stories’

Author ANNIE F DOWNS explains how the illness and death of her nephew led her to write a book for children about bereavement

Interview by Ewan Hall

The loss of a loved one can be difficult for everybody. For families facing bereavement, one of the hardest parts of the process may be trying to explain to children why they will never see a certain person again – which was the situation that Tennessee-based author Annie F Downs encountered in her own family.

Even before Annie’s nephew TJ was born, the family had been warned that he had a life-limiting condition. Doctors said that most babies with his diagnosis didn’t live long, if at all, outside hospital.

Annie wanted to find a book that would help TJ’s brother, Sammy, understand what was happening, but she couldn’t find anything suitable for children facing bereavement. So she created one herself.

‘A couple of weeks before TJ was born, I was on a 30-minute drive’ Annie explains, ‘and I asked myself: “If we can’t find a story to read Sammy, could I tell him one?” So, I started recording myself narrating the story I intended to share with him.

I wrote it for Sammy, but loss is universal

‘W

hen I later told it to him, I cried as I helped one nephew while talking about the other nephew dying.’

Having recorded the story, Annie typed it up, split up the sentences on pages, added clip art and then printed it out, taking it to a shop where she made two bound copies – one for her sister and the other for her parents.

And that’s where Annie thought the story would end: a family book to

remember her nephew by and to help Sammy understand grief, what was happening and what Heaven might be like for TJ.

After receiving some feedback from Sammy on which pages could be more engaging, Annie – a New York Times bestselling author of nonfiction Christian books for adults and children – asked her publisher if her story could meet a wider need.

‘I know families who’ve faced miscarriages, stillbirths or a life-limiting disease like TJ’s,’ she says. ‘My publisher agreed there was a need for this to be a book. And since Where Did TJ Go? was published, I get messages daily from parents saying this book helped them.

‘I wish no one needed it. I wish we hadn’t needed it either – but we did, and so do many others. And I am so thankful it exists now.

‘When I wrote it, I wrote it for Sammy, but loss is universal. The death of an infant is deeply personal, yet sadly not uncommon.

‘Adults struggle to find the words while grieving. This book gives parents language that they can share with their children when they can’t find their own. Someone told me that after the grandfather of the family died, they used the book to help their children understand Heaven.’

Despite living three hours away from her family, Annie travelled to support them every weekend when she wasn’t working. TJ lived for almost two months and spent some of his life being cared for

outside the hospital.

Through it all, though, Annie found her faith being tested.

‘For most of TJ’s life, I would lie in bed and just cry, praying that it wasn’t too late and that God could still save him,’ she says.

‘His death brought the deepest grief I’ve ever known. But it also expanded my view of Heaven. I realised this life is the short part of the story; eternity is the long part. That became so real to me.

‘The hardest days were the first after he was born, when we just didn’t know what would happen, and the last days, when we did know.

‘TJ’s final Saturday was bittersweet. All his cousins came for a barbecue, and I was telling him: “This is going to be the best Saturday of your life.” He only had

seven or eight Saturdays, but it was his best one.

‘He passed away the following Wednesday.

‘In my grief, I myself needed the story I had written – to remember there’s good news even in sad stories. As a family we prayed for a miracle, which would be TJ having a long life. That isn’t what we got, but God still performed a miracle, because we had 56 days with him, and it was a miracle that he did not suffer any longer than he did.

‘I think God has also performed a miracle with this book, as he is impacting more lives through it. But it was painful getting it down on paper, as I didn’t want it to be true. I didn’t want to tell that story.’

Since publication, Where Did TJ Go?

has influenced thousands of people, including the members of a church in Annie’s community where a child died from an asthma attack. To help the church process what had happened, Annie donated copies of the book.

‘Grief makes us question how God can be good in a broken world,’ she says. ‘That’s normal – I’d worry more if someone never asked that.

‘Wrestling with God is valuable. We need to keep bringing our questions to him. He’s near to the broken-hearted.’

l Where Did TJ Go? is published by Revell

hear See,

FABIO D’ANDREA composes and performs piano works that are accompanied by his own short videos – and, in doing so, aims to raise awareness of ‘hidden’ social issues

Interview

by Philip Halcrow

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Composer and pianist Fabio D’Andrea is part way through an ongoing and – to use his word – ‘unusual’ project. His album 24 features, he explains, ‘a series of piano pieces I’ve written: 24 pieces, one in every musical key’.

In writing a piece for G minor, A flat minor and all the other keys, Fabio is following the practice of past masters such as Chopin and Rachmaninov. But he is also bringing to the project his belief that ‘we live in a time now where we can approach art in such a different way and there are not set boundaries’ – he is making videos for the pieces, featuring appearances by well-known figures such as actor Russell Tovey, singer Mel B and adventurer Bear Grylls.

When tracing the origins of his dual fascination for music and the moving image, Fabio evokes scenes from childhood.

00:00:01:02

00:00:01:03

‘I started to learn the piano when I was about four or five years old,’ he says.

‘Music has been an integral part of my life for so long, I don’t know a life when I was not playing an instrument.’

Fabio became a choirboy at Peterborough Cathedral and went on to study at the Royal Academy of Music, where he was taught by composers including George Benjamin and Harrison Birtwistle.

He remembers also being attracted to film-making from an early age.

‘Actually it was a music teacher who once asked us in class whether any of us knew what we wanted to do when we grew up. I said I’d like to direct movies. I was told: “Sensible ideas, please.” So, after that, I told everybody I was going to become a barrister.’

Fabio says that his path into filmmaking developed naturally. He ‘fell into’

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00:00:01:0

00:00:01:05

‘Pace’ features Bear Grylls as a man who helps someone experiencing homelessness

In ‘Love Should Not Hurt’, Mel B portrays a woman attempting to escape domestic abuse

directing when he wanted to make videos for some of his own pieces of music.

‘Even in terms of editing, it felt a smooth transition,’ he says. ‘I’ve spent many years working in recording studios and using programs for recording, and the programs for video editing were very similar to music production programs. So the great thing is that, by creating what I do now – short film stories set to my music – I’ve been able to combine the world of being a composer and the world of being a film director.’

Many of the videos that Fabio has been creating for his visual album 24 are marked by a recurring theme. They explore social issues – and particularly, he says, ‘hidden aspects’ of society.

‘In one of my early music videos, I featured the actor Russell Tovey. It’s called “Something Left to Love”. I’d brainstormed the idea with the

00:00:01:06

choreographer Jerry Reeve, and he came up with a concept based on mental health.’

In the video, Russell portrays a man who seems confident in public, smiling in front of flashing cameras at a red-carpet event, but in private is struggling.

People want art which talks about social issues

‘W e released that video at the start of the lockdowns,’ says Fabio, ‘and I received some amazing messages. One came from somebody based in Canada, who said that the video really affected him because he had been abused as a child, and he had always blamed himself, but now he was learning to open up.

‘I realised that it was possible to create a piece of art that can touch people. I realised that people want to have art

which talks about universal social issues. It led me on a journey to start making some of my music videos based on issues which I felt were quite important.

‘I knew somebody who’d lost a friend who was murdered by a partner. I saw how domestic abuse, which resulted in the loss of life, had such a ripple effect among lots of other people. Especially during the lockdowns, there were a lot of people stuck in those relationships. So I asked Mel B to be part of a video based on domestic abuse. It had quite a huge impact.’

In ‘Love Should Not Hurt’, Mel B portrayed a woman attempting to escape an abusive relationship. The video gained widespread attention in the media, and Mel B, a patron of Women’s Aid, gave

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interviews about her own experiences and her campaigns for more support to be given to domestic abuse survivors.

Further videos exploring social issues followed. In ‘Hope Reborn’, Fabio’s music accompanied a mini-drama designed to raise awareness of the challenges of living with multiple sclerosis, in which a woman, played by actress Rose Leslie, responds to her diagnosis.

‘Then I made a video about cyberbullying, teenage suicide and the dangers of smartphones,’ says Fabio. ‘It seems that another hidden aspect of our society is that we are all so reliant on our technology – and I love using modern technology – but we’re walking blindly into a world where we’re not really aware of the impact, especially on children.’

The video ‘Another Way’, in which Peter Andre plays a father whose son takes his own life, was screened at an event in Parliament, supported by Joe Powell MP and Lord Nash, who have been pushing for children’s access to social media to be reduced.

Then last year, Fabio released ‘Pace’ –the title being the Italian word for ‘peace’ – accompanied by a video featuring

Bear Grylls as a man who becomes aware that someone nearby is experiencing homelessness. The song was made to support the homelessness work of Big Issue and The Salvation Army.

‘After the video that I made with Mel B about a survivor of domestic abuse running away from home, I wanted to tackle homelessness,’ says Fabio. ‘I got in touch with Shelter and Crisis, and they arranged for me to have a focus group meeting with people who had lived experience. It was a profound moment for me.

‘I met a lady in her 50s, who said that she had been homeless. She had been married for most of her life, but her husband started to beat her during the lockdowns. She had to leave, because it was literally a matter of life or death, and she now found herself in this situation that she never thought she would – she was homeless and didn’t have anything.

‘I naively used to think of homeless people mostly as being on the streets because of drug and alcohol addictions – though what I subsequently learnt was that those problems with addiction tend to stem from people going through something that is very dehumanising and not having support around them for whatever reason.

‘But when I spoke to the people in the focus group, I saw that the big issue is actually hidden homelessness – which is people living in temporary accommodation, sleeping in vehicles and sofa-surfing.

‘I have a friend, Baroness Stroud, who has carried out a comprehensive study on the levels of poverty in the UK, and there are many people struggling right now. So there’s possibly somebody that each

Fabio with Joe Powell MP and Peter Andre at a parliamentary screening of his video on cyberbullying ‘Another Way’ 00:00:01:01

of us knows who’s actually facing some level of homelessness. They may not be people who are obviously categorised in this way – for example, they may even be an entrepreneur who’s just had a lot of failed attempts at setting up a business and is now in a lot of debt. Homelessness is really about when people are vulnerable and don’t have family that they can rely on, like single mothers being forced to live in bedsits.’

Unlike many of Fabio’s works, ‘Pace’ is not simply instrumental. The title echoes the words which Fabio has set to music for the track, and which are sung by operatic tenor Freddie De Tommaso: the traditional prayer which begins ‘Make me a channel of your peace’.

Fabio explains: ‘I’m a Christian, and I’d always wanted to set those words to music. The music wasn’t made specifically for that video, but I think they work nicely together.

‘The words are so important at this

time – a prayer about letting each of us be a channel of peace, bringing light into darkness and hope where there’s despair. People who are facing hopelessness can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel.

I want my faith to make a difference

‘When we look at the world right now – whether it’s the numerous wars going on or people struggling financially –there’s a lot of turmoil. I thought the words were applicable to pretty much everybody in every country.’

Although ‘Pace’ is unusual among his works for its explicitly religious content, Fabio insists that ‘there’s a strong sense of faith throughout everything that I compose’. He believes that, as his faith has developed, so has his desire to use his creativity for a purpose.

‘A few years ago,’ he says, ‘I definitely

made the decision that I wanted everything that I would write from that point on to reflect some form of my faith and belief and to have some meaning behind it. I don’t really see the point now in creating something just for the sake of it.

‘For any artist who has faith, inevitably, their faith is going to affect their creative output at some point. And I guess that’s why I’ve been making music to address social issues. I want my faith to be practical and to make a difference.

‘Being a Christian, you realise that, alongside other believers, we each have an important part to play – even somebody who can feel that their job is mundane. For me, I’ve been on a journey of finding out how I can use my musical skills to exemplify a Christian message and how I can try to use them to change society for good.’

l For the videos released on the 24 album visit fabiodandrea.com/24

Your prayers are requested for Joseph, who has a broken toe.

The War Cry invites readers to send in requests for prayer, including the first names of individuals and details of their circumstances, for publication. Send your Prayerlink requests to warcry@ salvationarmy.org.uk or to War Cry, 1 Champion Park, London SE5 8FJ. Mark your correspondence ‘Confidential’.

Becoming a Christian

There is no set formula to becoming a Christian, but many people have found saying this prayer to be a helpful first step to a relationship with God

Lord Jesus Christ,

I know that I have done things in my life that are wrong and I’m sorry. Thank you that I can ask you for forgiveness because of the sacrifice you made when you died on the cross.

Please forgive me and help me to live a better life in the future as I learn how to love you and follow your way of living.

Thank you, Lord Jesus.

If you’ve prayed this prayer, scan the QR code or contact us using the coupon on this page

Nigel Bovey gives chapter and verse on each book of

the Scriptures

Romans

The apostle Paul’s letter to the church in Rome is all about salvation. He has bad news and good news.

The bad news is that, because it disobeys divine law, all humankind is subject to God’s wrath (1:18–32). The letter outlines the principles of divine judgement. Not even the Jews, who felt called to be God’s ‘chosen people’, were living up to his standards of righteousness (2:17 to 3:8). In short, ‘all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God’ (3:23 New International Version).

Paul runs through some potential solutions that don’t work. He tells his readers that following religious observances, such as the Jewish practice of circumcision, wouldn’t win God’s approval (2:25–29). Trying harder to live a good life will fail (3:20). Simply put, nothing people do can earn God’s forgiveness for sin. All are condemned.

But Paul gives the readers of his letter good news. God’s Son, Jesus, died so that we could be forgiven. He was God’s ‘sacrifice of atonement’ (3:25). In effect, God accepts the death of Jesus as the penalty for our law-breaking. God does this not because humankind deserves it, but precisely because it doesn’t. It is an act of grace. Paul writes: ‘All are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus’ (3:24).

He goes on to explain that God ‘justifies those who have faith in Jesus’ (3:26), and he expands on the need for personal faith in the risen Jesus (chapters 4 and 5).

Being saved does not mean having a carefree life. There is an ongoing internal battle between sin and righteousness (chapters 6 and 7). God, though, provides spiritual resources to empower those who trust him (chapter 8).

Being a Christian is not only about belief; it is also about behaviour. In chapters 12 to 14, Paul offers guidance about how Christians should behave towards God, the state, fellow believers and those who have yet to discover God’s offer of salvation.

Or email your name and postal address to

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QUICK QUIZ

1 2 3 4 5 6

Which sci-fi film and TV franchise features the Starfleet Academy?

Which band had a No 1 in 1967 with their album Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band?

Which philosopher wrote The Republic?

Who starred as Don Lockwood in the 1952 film Singin’ in the Rain?

Dennis, Gnasher and Biffo the Bear are characters in which comic?

Mini, micro and nano are used to describe what type of card commonly used in mobile phones?

School of thought

Day teaches the importance of education

Feature by Ewan Hall

Nelson Mandela once said that ‘education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.’ And on Saturday (24 January), the International Day of Education aims to remind the world that teaching young people is a fundamental human right which is vital for peace and global development.

According to Unesco – the UN’s agency that encourages international co-operation in education, science, culture and communication – young people aged under 30 make up more than half of the world’s population. Education offers a way to a promising future for all. Yet 250 million children and young people are not in school, and 763 million adults are illiterate.

Unesco wants to tackle such challenges and believes that young people can play a crucial role in shaping the future of education. To meet students’ needs, it is encouraging young people to play a part in creating new learning systems, especially as technology continues to transform education and how it is delivered.

Ahead of the day, an event was arranged to take place at Unesco’s headquarters in Paris to bring students from around the globe alongside international decision-makers. Meanwhile an online event was giving young people the opportunity to talk about their role in advancing quality education in crisis-affected areas.

Education has equipped many of us – wherever we live – with knowledge about ourselves and the world around us. Yet, as life unfolds, we often face questions that no textbook or course can answer.

Christians meet such moments of uncertainty with trust in God. They turn to the Bible, where they find his life-changing teaching and guidance.

One Bible figure sensed God say to him: ‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know’ (Jeremiah 33:3 New International Version).

There will be many times when we lack the answers to our questions. But when we first choose to confide in God, we begin a lifelong journey in which he will help us with whatever problems we face.

With God by our side, we can learn more about the positive changes he can make in our lives.

1. Walk heavily (5)

5. Pal (5)

8. Also-ran (5)

9. Frighten (5)

10. Pending (5)

11. Spanish farewell (5)

12. Gentlewoman (4)

15. Rotten (6)

17. Sword (5)

18. Tantalised (6)

20. Jest (4)

25. Interior (5)

26. Circus jester (5)

27. Live (5)

28. Similar (5)

29. Not drunk (5)

30. Bestower (5)

1. Cushion decoration (6)

2. Astounded (6)

3. Fold (5)

4. Savoury jelly (5)

5. Abrupt (7)

6. Deviation (6)

7. Bawled (6)

19. Poise (6) ACROSS

14. Possessed (3)

15. Snoop (3)

16. Irritate (3)

13. Consumed (3) 21. Choice

17. Study group (7)

18. Pathways (6)

HONEYCOMB

1. State between solid and gas 2. Untidy mixture 3. Make a journey

Fish lasagne with cauliflower, spinach and cottage cheese

INGREDIENTS

750g MSC-certified white fish

2tbsp plain flour

Sea salt and black pepper

250-300g frozen spinach, defrosted and finely chopped

1 cauliflower, cut into bite-sized pieces

1 leek, finely chopped

70-100g concentrated tomato puree

50-100ml water

1tsp nutmeg

400-500g cottage cheese

3-4 lasagne sheets

70g cheddar and Parmesan cheese, grated

Oil, for frying

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas Mark 4.

Cut the fish into bite-sized pieces and generously coat them in flour. Place in a greased baking dish. Season with salt and pepper.

Put all the vegetables in a pan and fry briefly. Heat the tomato puree and water in a pan on a low heat and briefly simmer. Season with salt and pepper.

Grate the nutmeg into the cottage cheese and spread it over the fish. Lay the lasagne sheets on top.

Add a layer of the vegetable mixture and the tomato puree mix.

Bake the dish in the oven for 20 minutes, covered with foil with a few holes punctured in it. Sprinkle with the grated cheese and place back in the oven uncovered for a further 20-25 minutes.

Serve with a green salad.

Steamed hake and vegetables

INGREDIENTS

200g MSC-certified hake

½ glass squeezed orange juice

½ glass squeezed lemon juice

Olive oil

50g artichokes

3 pea pods

100g green beans

100g asparagus

6 bay leaves

6 lemon slices

Salt and pepper

METHOD

Marinate the hake in the orange and lemon juice for 1 hour. Heat some olive oil in a pan and sauté the artichokes, peas, green beans and asparagus.

Place the bay leaves and 4 lemon slices in a steamer and top with the marinated hake pieces. Bring a pan of water to the boil, then place the steamer on top and cover with a lid. Steam the fish for 8-10 minutes.

Serve the hake with the vegetables and season with salt and pepper, to taste.

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