2020 Review of the Year (part 2)

Summer 2020 rolled on, and amid the pandemic, some inspiring stories came up from around the world. A self taught ballet dancer brought high culture to ordinary people, inspiring children to develop dancing skills.

Olamide: "And maybe one day I will become a dance teacher too."

Meanwhile, one monk in lockdown combined his worldly talent for beatboxing with Buddhist chants, which then went viral.

Akasaka: "If my music attracts younger people, it will be a good opportunity for them to know about the Buddhism."

And in Doha, with gyms out of action, people took to parkour as a means of keeping fit and became hooked.

Chakachero: "I did my first back flip and I was like, okay, that's it."

The challenges of the pandemic renewed our focus on mental wellbeing too. People in India began adopting four-legged companions to help ease the isolation of social distancing.

Avani Naresh: "Dog absorbs your entire stress, so they understand, you know, what you are going through."

In London, a mural art festival brightened up the capital's streets in a bid to build community connections.

Lee Bofkin: "They encourage people to slow down, to have new conversations."

The invention of noise cancelling windows promised to soothe away the stressful sounds of the city.

Professor: "We are basically going after the low frequency noise coming from the traffic."

And with venues closed to the public in Barcelona, plants took in the soothing vibrations of classical music in the city's stunning opera house.

UK paramedics resembled Iron Man as they trialled using jet packs to reach casualties quickly in remote locations.

Mawson: "That can mean the difference between life and death."

Meanwhile, one South American priest diversified to ensure his parishioners were fed while businesses were closed.

In the United States, many mourned the death of pioneering supreme court judge Ruth Bader Ginsberg.

Lorena Blanco: "She stands up for everyone - supported women, supported the LGBTQ community."

They also celebrated the election of the first woman to high office. Vice president elect Kamala Harris paid tribute to those who came before.

Kamala Harris: "Women who throughout our nation's history have paved the way for this moment tonight."

And on her re-election, New Zealand's Prime Minister urged people to find the determination to beat the pandemic and build a better society.

Jacinda Ardern: "Now more than ever is the time to keep going."

As 2020 finally came to an end, things were starting to look up. Aberdeen in Scotland was powering into in a low carbon future with hydrogen double deckers.

Couples were following in famous footsteps and committing to love in the time of corona.

Miani: "John Lennon got married with Yoko Ono here and it was like, for us."

People were standing up and making the arguments to protect local habitats.

Mahera: "It's only if nature thrives here, that it's good for the entire city."

And in Hong Kong, skaters taking part in a socially distanced sport were deeply affected by the connections that they'd made.

Gigi: "Just go and skate and, and meet a whole community. That's so nice."

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