New Year Bear Dancing Festival, Comanesti, Moldova, Romania, Europe

Woman in doorway of a 200 year old beehive house in the desert, Ebla area, Syria, Middle East

Etchings on sandstone, 6000 years old, finest rock art in Africa, Twyfelfontein, Damaraland, Namibia, Africa

The mihrab in the Friday Mosque or Masjet-eJam, built in the year 1200 by the Ghorid Sultan Ghiyasyddin on the site of an earlier 10th century mosque, Herat, Herat Province, Afghanistan, Asia

Bronze doors in the courtyard of the Friday Mosque or Masjet-eJam, built in the year 1200 by the Ghorid Sultan Ghiyasyddin on the site of an earlier 10th century mosque, Herat, Herat Province, Afghanistan, Asia

The Friday Mosque or Masjet-eJam, built in the year 1200 by the Ghorid Sultan Ghiyasyddin on the site of an earlier 10th century mosque, Herat, Herat Province, Afghanistan, Asia

Chinatown, during Chinese New Year celebrations colourful lanterns decorate the surrounding streets, Soho, London, England, United Kingdom, Europe

After 45 years of teaching the Dharma, the Buddha passed into Parinirvana, scene from the Life of Buddha, Seoul, South Korea, Asia

A five year oldgirl and four year old boy walking together in Devon

Fossil logs 200 million years old scattered over desert floor in National Park, Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona, United States of America (U.S.A.), North America

Naga man wearing tiger jaw necklace and headdress made of cane decorated with wild boar teeth and bear fur, dancing at grand finale, Naga New Year Festival, Lahe village, Sagaing Division, Myanmar (Burma), Asia

One thousand year old plane tree, trunk has circumference of 14 metres, Isagarada, Pelion, Greece, Europe

New Year celebration, Xining, Qinghai, China, Asia

Amnistia banner at Zubialde promoting Amnesty, after 29 years of protests, in Biskaia Basque region, Spain

A four year old boy running across a field in Wiltshire, England

2555 monks gather in Soi 55, Sukhumvit Road to mark the end of Buddhist year 2555, Bangkok, Thailand, Southeast Asia, Asia

A Chinese small family business selling fruit in colorful gift boxes during the Chinese New Year holiday, Chengdu, Sichuan, China, Asia

Fete des Lumieres (Festival of Lights) held every year on december 8, a night procession from St. John's cathedral to Fourviere Basilica, Lyon, Rhone, France, Europe

Drainpipes, 2000 years old, archaeological site, Ephesus, Anatolia, Turkey, Asia Minor

Naga New Year Festival, Naga ladies dancing, Naga New Year Festival, Lahe village, Sagaing Division, Myanmar (Burma), Asia

People sitting at the trendy Nektar restaurant, restaurant of the year in 2005, Munich, Bavaria, Germany, Europe

People sitting at the trendy Nektar restaurant, restaurant of the year in 2005, Munich, Bavaria, Germany, Europe

Indonesian men taking part in a carnival celebrating Malang's 101st year anniversary, Malang, East Java, Indonesia, Southeast Asia, Asia

New Year celebrations in northern China, Asia

New fountain in front of the Friday Mosque or Masjet-eJam, built in the year 1200 by the Ghorid Sultan Ghiyasyddin on the site of an earlier 10th century mosque, Herat, Herat Province, Afghanistan, Asia

Minaret of the Friday Mosque or Masjet-eJam, built in the year 1200 by the Ghorid Sultan Ghiyasyddin on the site of an earlier 10th century mosque, Herat, Herat Province, Afghanistan, Asia

Five thousand year-old cave paintings in Lass Geel caves, Somaliland, northern Somalia, Africa

Chinese New Year, Paris, France, Europe

Chinese new year. Kek Lok Si Temple, Penang, Malaysia, Southeast Asia, Asia

Traditional plant decorations for sale at flower market for Chinese New Year, Mongkok, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China, Asia

An eight year old girl running out of the sea during a holiday in France

Chinese New Year float for the year of the buffalo, Macao, China, Asia

Close-up of the limestone terraces formed by volcanic water depositing six inches of calcium carbonate a year, Mammoth Hot Springs and Terraces, Yellowstone National Park, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Wyoming, United States of America, North America

A woman praying during Lhosar (Tibetan and Sherpa New Year festival), Bodhnath Stupa, Bagmati, Kathmandu, Nepal, Asia

Lhosar (Tibetan and Sherpa New Year festival), Bodhnath Stupa, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Bagmati, Kathmandu, Nepal, Asia

The 500 year old Sheikh Hanafi Mosque on Massawa Island, Eritrea, Africa

The ancient Pingyao city wall first built about 2700 years ago and expanded in the Ming Dynasty, Pingyao, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Shanxi, China, Asia

Chinese New Year parade, Paris, France, Europe

Chinese new year, Thean Hou Chinese temple, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Southeast Asia, Asia

Cave temples, 1500 years old, carved in basalt cliff above Waghore River, Ajanta, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Maharashtra, India, Asia

Five thousand year old dolmen in Tanum Kommune, Langdosen, Bohuslan, Sweden, Scandinavia, Europe

Complex of temple buildings built over 1000 years ago to commemorate a prince of the Zhou Dynasty, Jinci Temple, Taiyuan, Shanxi, China, Asia

Chinese New Year, Paris, France, Europe

Golden Dragon Parade, Chinese New Year Festival, Chinatown, Los Angeles, California, United States of America, North America

Chinese New Year lights, Macao, China, Asia

A four year old boy and five year old girl playing in a stream in Devon

Opening ceremony of Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral on 850 years anniversary, Paris, France, Europe

Friday Mosque or Masjet-eJam, built in the year 1200 by the Ghorid Sultan Ghiyasyddin on the site of an earlier 10th century mosque, Herat, Herat Province, Afghanistan, Asia

Complex of temple buildings built over 1000 years ago to commemorate a prince of the Zhou Dynasty, Jinci Temple, Taiyuan, Shanxi, China, Asia

Chinese New Year, Paris, France, Europe

An 8-year old girl reading, France, Europe

Chinese New Year float on Leal Senado Square, Macao, China, Asia

Yom Kippur also known as Day of Atonement, the holiest day of the year for the Jewish people, Paris, France, Europe

Choir in Notre Dame de Fourviere Basilica during the Fete des Lumieres (Festival of Lights) held every year on december 8, Lyon, France, Europe

Rock carvings between 2000 and 6000 years old on ice striations, Hjemmeluft UNESCO World Heritage Site, Alta, Finnmark, Norway, Scandinavia, Europe

Site of Tushpa, an Urartian city which flourished 3000 years ago, Van, Anatolia, Turkey, Asia Minor, Eurasia

Six hundred year old tower, Jiayuguan Fort, Jiayuguan, Gansu, China, Asia

Chinese New Year, Paris, France, Europe

Stonehenge, 5000 years old stone circle, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Salisbury Plain, Wiltshire, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Golden Dragon Parade, Chinese New Year Festival, Chinatown, Los Angeles, California, United States of America, North America

St. Albans Cathedral, a Christian site for over 900 years, the foundations of the current building date from 1077, St. Albans, Hertfordshire, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Reduced water level in Moraine Lake following a dry year, and Wenkchemna Mountains, Banff National Park, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Rocky Mountains, Alberta, Canada, North America

A four year old boy and five year old girl playing in a stream in Devon

Chinese New Year float for the year of the buffalo, Macao, China, Asia

Petroglyphs carved 1000 years ago by Fremont Native American people in the iron oxide 'desert varnish' on the sandstone of Cub Creek Valley in this fossil park, Dinosaur National Monument, Utah, United States of America (USA), North America

Petroglyphs carved 1000 years ago by Fremont Native American people in the iron oxide 'desert varnish' on the sandstone of Cub Creek Valley in this fossil park, Dinosaur National Monument, Utah, United States of America (USA), North America

Naga man wearing headdress made of woven cane decorated with wild boar teeth and bear fur and wearing a tiger teeth necklace, Naga New Year Festival, Lahe village, Sagaing Division, Myanmar (Burma), Asia

Naga man dancing and playing musical instrument, wearing headdress made of woven cane decorated with wild boar's teeth, bear fur and topped with hornbill feather, Naga New Year Festival, Lahe village, Sagaing Division, Myanmar (Burma), Asia

Naga lady dancing and playing, Naga New Year Festival, drum, Lahe village, Sagaing Division, Myanmar (Burma), Asia

Naga lady dancing and playing, Naga New Year Festival, drum, Lahe village, Sagaing Division, Myanmar (Burma), Asia

Naga man wearing headdress made of woven cane decorated with wild boar teeth and bear fur with Tiger claw straps and wearing tiger teeth necklace, Naga New Year Festival, Lahe village, Sagaing Division, Myanmar (Burma), Asia

Naga man with horn used as drinking vessel, Naga New Year Festival, Lahe village, Sagaing Division, Myanmar (Burma), Asia

Naga men at Grand Finale (tribal dancing) in headdresses of woven cane decorated with wild boar teeth and bear fur topped with a hornbill feather, with tiger claw straps, wearing tiger teeth necklaces, heirloom ivory armbands and aprons decoratated with cowrie shells, Lahe village, Naga New Year Festival, Sagaing Division, Myanmar (Burma), Asia

Naga New Year Festival, Naga people walking to festival ground, the men wearing headdress made of woven cane decorated with wildboar teeth, bear fur and topped with hornbill feather also with conch shell ear ornaments, Lahe village, Sagaing Division, Myanmar (Burma), Asia

Naga tribal groups lined up waiting for the arrival of the General, (the shorts are not part of their traditional clothes but supplied by the govenment, for them to wear in place of their traditional loin cloth), wearing headdresses made of woven cane decorated with wildboar teeth, bear fur and topped with hornbill feather, with tiger jaw necklaces, Naga New Year Festival, Lahe village, Sagaing Division, Myanmar (Burma), Asia

Naga man, Taungkul tribe wearing traditional headdress made with red seeds, from Sombra village near the Indian border, who walked for five days to get to the Naga New Year Festival, Lahe village, Sagaing Division, Myanmar (Burma), Asia

Naga man in headdress of woven cane decorated with wild boar teeth, Mithan horns (wild cow) and bear fur, wearing conch shell ear ornament with a tiger claw chin strap, Naga New Year Festival, Lahe village, Sagaing Division, Myanmar (Burma), Asia

Naga man wearing headdress made of woven cane decorated with wild boar teeth, Mithan horns (wild cow) and bear fur and wearing conch shell ear ornament with a tiger claw, Naga New Year Festival, Lahe village, Sagaing Division, Myanmar (Burma), Asia

Naga man wearing headdress made of woven cane decorated with wild boar teeth, Mithan horns (wild cow) and bear fur and wearing conch shell ear ornament with a tiger claw, Naga New Year Festival, Lahe village, Sagaing Division, Myanmar (Burma), Asia

Monks offer butter lamps. Bodgaya, india. Monks offer butter lamps in front of mahabodhi temple marks site of buddha’s enlightment twenty-five hundred years. centuries have made pilgrimages across himalayas to sites connected with life of historical buddha. From a tantric perspective, pilgrimage is more than paying homage at sacred sites. Rather, it is that activities performed at these places become a memory of place itself. By attuning oneself through ritual meditation to this timeless presence, similar experiences be evoked

The 400 year-old stone and mud brick house of the Lunpo Alchi (minister of Alchi village) towers above farmhouses topped with fodder, and sits below a latho (god place) marking the presence of a local god. Ladakh, India

Syria, Palmyra Oasis, The Temple Consecrated In Year 32 To God Bel Seen In Silhouette At Sunrise

Algeria, Sahara, Hoggar, Tamanrasset, River Flooding After Heavy Rains First Time After 8 Years Drought

Nepal. Sonam & boom praying at charnel grounds. Humla. Vajrayana is tantric mahasiddha, lives fearlessly in terrifying places like remote jungles charnel grounds. nyingma lamas perform ritual at cremation grounds. lama rattles damaru, a small ritual drum to have origins in - shamanism. damaru, used as a tantric device to summon gods ward evil spirits, once made from human skull bones dried human skin as a reminder of impermanence of body. other lama, boom blows a kangling, a human thigh-bone horn. kangling is used in exorcism is capable of gods demons. Traditionally, best bones a kangling come from brahmans, particularly sixteen-year- brahman girls-or from tigers

Anuradha Koirala, proclaimed winner of CNN Hero of the Year 2010, warmly greeted upon her return. Tribhuwan International Airport, Kathmandu, Nepal. A woman whose group has rescued more than 12,000 women and girls from sex slavery has been named the 2010 CNN Hero of the Year. Anuradha Koirala was chosen by the public in an online poll that ran for eight weeks on CNN.com. ?Human trafficking is a crime, a heinous crime, a shame to humanity,? Koirala said after being introduced as one of the top 10 CNN Heroes of 2010. ?I ask everyone to join me to create a society free of trafficking. We need to do this for all our daughters

Anuradha Koirala holds up her CNN Hero of the Year 2010 award as she is warmly greeted upon her return. Tribhuwan International Airport, Kathmandu, Nepal. A woman whose group has rescued more than 12,000 women and girls from sex slavery has been named the 2010 CNN Hero of the Year. Anuradha Koirala was chosen by the public in an online poll that ran for eight weeks on CNN.com. ?Human trafficking is a crime, a heinous crime, a shame to humanity,? Koirala said after being introduced as one of the top 10 CNN Heroes of 2010. ?I ask everyone to join me to create a society free of trafficking. We need to do this for all our daughters

A painting of Bakula Rinpoche hangs behind his reincarnation, a six year old boy from Nurla, at Samkar Tashi Gatsal House. Ladakh, India

Foulshaw nature reserve, a lowland raised bog in South Cumbria, UK, planted by the forestry commission, years ago, it is now being restored to its former condition.

Nepal. Ritual, sonam/boom. Lobsangs cremation. Humla. traveler reached of journey! In freedom of infinite he is free from sorrow, fetters that bound thrown away, burning fever of life is no more,oesays dharmapada. Lobsang having spent whole life preparing moment of death, finds liberation on february 14, 1986. Extensive ritual follows cremation-traditionally a forty nine period, sonam lama rattles damaru. A small ritual drum to have origin in - shamanism. damaru, used as a tantric device to summon gods ward evil spirits, once made from human skull bone dreid human skin as a reminder of impermanence of body. Boom lama blows a kangling, a human thigh-bone horn. kangling is used in exorcism is capable of gods demons. Traditionally, best bones a kangling come from brahmans, particularly sixteen-year- brahman girls-or from tigers. On makeshift altar rest chhome, votive lamps filled with butter, cups of water, grains, tormas, holy food made of barley meal decorated with medallions of butter offered to gods. Alone, boom lama continues prayers of deceased

A traditional tent camp springs up around a site where ordinary mongolians exploring gold. Ninjas have been mining gold past 10 years, exhausting 10-hour days norm here. Sarangol valley, northwest of capital city ulan bator, mongolia

Trulshig rinpoche, blesses. Tulshig rinpoche blesses. Tulshig rimpoche s followers believe that he, like many other lamas, reassumes a human body after death in order to return to disciples. previous incarnation of tulshig rimpoche spent several years at dzarongpu monastery (highest monastery in world located at 16,500’ within sight of northern side of mt everest) served as of ngawong tenzin teachers. He promised to return in next life, so at tulshig s death ngawong tenzin norbu sought found reincarnation. current tulshig rimpoche then came to monastery studied with ngawong tenzin norbu. relationship between teacher student, in which a teacher returns to study from former student, maintains lineage over generations. Bhutan

Vietnam yen mo tu commune primary school, ninh binh province. this is one of several schools in this region of northern vietnam where crs in cooperation with the local education authorities has implemented inclusive education practices, whereby children with mental or physical disabilities are integrated into the normal primary schools. crs provides special training for the teachers to help them. the image shows 13-year-old pham thi bich ngoc (in pink jacket) who suffers from cerebral palsy and is intergrated into a class of 11-year-olds. her teacher nguyen thi mund is seen here helping her with an alphabet exercise

Indonesia laboratory testing drinking water. Photograph taken in meulaboh, aceh province -december 2006, 2 years after tsunami of december 26th 2004 devastated much of coastal region. Taken to illustrate reconstruction work projects of (catholic relief services) of sponsored photo tour. terchnician : every house well gets tested. Unicef originally helped up to support other ngos in area, helps staff salaries provides us with equipment. coordinates activities with local government. water in local wells is quite contaminated, especially with arsenic, as well as nitrates, nitrites, iron, manganese fluoride. water became salinated after tsunami. We test here both water from shallow deep wells

Indonesia mother child built in banda aceh by. Baby receiving immunization shot. Photograph taken in banda aceh, -december 2006, 2 years after tsunami of december 26th 2004 devasted much of coastal region. Taken to illustrate reconstruction work projects of (catholic relief services) of sponsored photo tour

Dragon dance, Chinese New Year, Beijing, China, Asia

Chinese New Year Dragon Dance, Sao Paulo Church, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Macau China, Asia

El salvador family of teresa de jesus perez, 36, hiv+, left with three sons, one of whom, 8-year-old raphael, is also hiv+. they are supported by contra sida, san salvador. teresa supports herself and family by sewing blouses and dresses at home, shown here with sons raphael, who is hiv+ (on left) and jose, who is not infected

Indonesia a kindergarten in banda aceh which lost many of children to tsunami, been rebuilt. schools director halimah anwar bustam (seen here in foreground) describes horrors suffered: area kids came from completely flattened by waves. On that fateful sunday children were in their homes, or many were already on beach having. So many died that morning. It devastating. Only we getting things back together, very grateful to helping with reconstruction of damaged building. staff give up a portion of their (already) salaries to sponsor poor children from outlying villages to come to school. structure includes offices staff, a library, prayer room wheelchair accessible classroom.__ Photograph taken in banda aceh, -december 2006, 2 years after tsunami of december 26th 2004 devasted much of coastal region. Taken to illustrate reconstruction work projects of (catholic relief services) of sponsored photo tour

Indonesia boy taking a bath at a crs provided tap in paloh village, pulo aceh, aceh. 2 years after the tsunami

BOLIVIA Visiting the farm of Wilfredo Castro, his wife Vicencia Choque and uncle Manuel Villalobes in Colonia 7 Estrellas, near Caranavi. They are exemplary benefeciaries of the FUNDAWI project, gropwing many kinds of aromatic and medicinal herbs, as well as the usual food crops such as maize, beans, fruit and vegetables, ertc. Their cash crop is coffee. Originally from La Paz and the Alti Plano, they have lived in the yngas for over 20 years as successful farmers. Daniel Tarqui (red and blue shirt), FUNDAWI technician, and Delia Cruz Condori (left) giving advice