The Stories Behind the Tweets, hosted by William Parra, seeks to open a window to the world, to get to the bottom of stories larger than 140 characters. First we travel to the city of Varanasi in India on the banks of the Ganges River, where thousands of people come to bathe every day, as they’ve done for centuries. Varanasi is considered a sacred city more than 4,000 years old. According to tradition, Hindis should come here at least once in their lifetime and if they die here, they will be free of reincarnation. Mired in poverty, Varanasi is also known for its religious diversity and tolerance, between Hindis, Buddhists, Christians, Muslims, and Sikhs. Our next stop is Buenos Aires, where at least 10,000 people a day have turned to bicycles as the most efficient and least polluting means of transportation. Bikes are inexpensive, a great way to get exercise, and for many a symbol of freedom. We then go to Greece, where the concept of political asylum originated. Our host tells us that 3,000 years later the Mediterranean Sea has become an open graveyard for thousands of refugees trying to reach the coasts. And for the first time in history, a man who was granted asylum in Greece has had to apply for asylum in another country to protect himself, he said, from both the neo-Nazis and the Greek police. Some actors are using theatre to call attention to the problem. teleSUR
