Life in unprecedented times - 28th December 2020

January 2020 now feels like a distant memory. As the year began, the Bengaluru Police Force in India enlisted mannequins as new recruits to bring the city's motorists into line, despite some misgivings from the public.

Man 2: "We do not, do not follow rules even if they are real."

The climate emergency remained in the headlines, as wildfires ravaged huge swathes of Australia, a plague of locusts decimated Africa's crops and even Earth's most rain-soaked village lacked water.

Diengdoh: "We don't have that proper system of harnessing the rain."

Preparations were underway for the Lunar New Year festivities, including spending time with loved ones.

Subtle transformations had also begun their slow burn in many places, with digital technology being harnessed in home kitchens by housewives using spatulas to turn a profit.

Rashmi: "This kind of platform gives them a chance to work at home, look after the family, look after her dreams."

Companies helped olive farmers to bridge community divides, making their oil the proverbial olive branch.

Philippides: "Coliveoil is trying to promote the peace process in Cyprus through a common goal."

And promoting sustainable fashion in London, a fabric expo showed garment manufacturers groundbreaking uses of materials, sowing the seeds of ecological clothing production.

Rodrigo: "The skins were just going to waste then we turned into this beautiful leather."

The Academy Awards welcomed global cinema into the Oscar family, declaring the Korean-language film "Parasite" the year's best picture - its first non-English language recipient. The pandemic had yet to rear its head and shutter Hollywood, and Parasite's producer accepted the award filled with optimism.

Kwak Sin-ae: "I feel like a very opportune moment in history is happening right now."

Within weeks, Covid-19 had thrown the world into panic, cities lay deserted as governments desperate to save lives imposed unprecedented lockdowns. Our common efforts both curbed the pandemic and let nature breathe.

Renowned for its heavy smog, Delhi gleamed under azure skies and the fresh air provided vistas unseen for generations as bees made hay, or in their case honey by the gallon, unhindered by our pollution.

Singh: "when human activity stops naturally air quality improves."

Behaviours shown by animals in zoos closed for public safety revealed that, like us, their moods were also affected by the lack of social interaction that our presence brought them.

Jennifer: "I feel like they are really missing the visitors as well as all the staff."

Meanwhile, people did gather in one voice to take the knee and state for the record that Black Lives Matter, joining protests which spanned the globe calling for a world without discrimination.

When July came around, we kept calm and carried on as firms battled hardship on several fronts,

Nikki: "the climate is changing so they have to adapt to warmer temperatures."

Social interaction took on new, open air forms and, behind closed doors, Liverpool belatedly became Premier League champions. The social value of this was not lost on manager Jurgen Klopp.

Klopp: "When you have a successful football club in your city, it always gives the city a lift."