A year measured in kindness - 30th December 2020

Although Covid-19 made 2020 a summer we’re keen to forget, people’s generosity of spirit shone through the gloom. A ballet dancer who had taught himself this talent trained underprivileged children using his own funds.

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

Lockdown in Japan gave a beatboxing Buddhist monk time to remix sutras, laying down tracks which made a wave online.

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

And Doha’s shuttered gyms drove some exercise into the streets, with parkour novices getting a taste for its urban adrenalin kick.

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

Managing mental health was a high priority, resulting in soaring levels of puppy adoption in India, as canine affection became an antidote to the social isolation the pandemic imposed.

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

Londoners’ spirits were lifted by giant public murals thanks to street artists creating an art festival to enhance community spaces.

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

Sound barriers for open windows made it possible to quieten the city’s din while letting air in.

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

Whereas, Barcelona’s magnificent opera experienced the rustle of applause from an appreciative audience of plants, welcomed in for a unique concert performance.

First responders took to the skies as UK paramedics earned their wings, jetting off to isolated casualties.

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

And biblical metaphors abounded when a Salvadorian priest farmed fish to sustain his congregation during lockdown.

The US grieved over the passing of trailblazing justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg, whose judgements had empowered others.

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

Kamala Harris achieved a milestone for equality by becoming vice president, and she honoured the women who had worked towards this goal for over a century.

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

And, retaining her position in a landslide election victory, New Zealand’s Prime Minister spoke to bolster those who had grown weary of the pandemic.

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

Turning the final pages of an unprecedented year, 2020 appeared to be coming around. Aberdeen deployed hydrogen propelled double deckers as part of a scheme to reach net zero emissions. And international lovers took off, tying the knot despite Covid-19 restrictions in the style of celebrities.

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

Environmental arguments gained greater weight as their impact on cities grew clearer.

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

And rolling along made the headlines as the socially distanced exercise craze boosted skate sales and welcomed people into a close-knit community.

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