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Journée mondiale du végétarisme – 1er octobre

Journée mondiale du végétarisme

Commençons par une définition. Le mouvement végétarien regroupe les personnes dont la pratique alimentaire exclut la consommation de chair animale, et ce pour des motivations plutôt diverses. Pour certains végétariens il s’agira simplement de santé, pour d’autres de religion ou de culture, pour une troisième catégorie enfin (les plus militants semble-t-il), passer au végétarisme signifiera l’adoption d’une critique générale de l’alimentation moderne, de sa traçabilité, des conditions d’élevage et d’abattage des animaux ou encore de l’accès aux denrées alimentaires ou de l’impact environnemental des modes de production.Il faut de tout pour faire un monde, sauf des produits animaux !

Joie et compassion

Cette journée mondiale nous vient tout droit des Etats-Unis. Elle a été décidée à l’origine en 1977 par la société végétarienne nord-américaine (NAVS) pour développer la joie, la compassion et promouvoir la vie (sic).

Dés 1978, la Journée Mondiale Végétarienne a été adoptée par l’Union Végétarienne Internationale, une organisation fondée en 1908 !

Végétarisme et santé

Cette journée est bien entendu une occasion révée pour rappeler une évidence trop souvent tue: nous mangeons trop de viandes, trop de charcuteries, trop riches et trop grasses, et c’est néfaste pour notre santé !

D’après le site www.cancer.be, les viandes rouges et les charcuteries sont notamment à l’origine d’un risque accru de cancer du côlon, de l’oesophage, de l’estomac, du poumon, du pancréas et de l’endomètre. Un menu qui laisse réveur !

Un site à visiter : www.vegetarisme.fr      Source: Texte & Image: Journée mondiale

Journée mondiale du tourisme – 27 septembre

Journée mondiale du tourisme

La Journée Mondiale du Tourisme a été célébrée à partir de 1980, à l’initiative de l’OMT (organisation mondiale du tourisme). C’est la date du 27 septembre qui a été retenue pour marquer l’anniversaire de l’adoption des statuts de l’OMT en 1970.

Pourquoi une Journée Mondiale du tourisme ?

L’objectif principal fixé par l’OMT est la prise de conscience de l’importance du tourisme du point de vue social, culturel, économique et même politique.

Dans de nombreuses régions du globe, le tourisme arrive en tête des activités économiques, avec ses répercussions sur l’emploi, le brassage des populations, l’ouverture au monde et la circulation de l’information…

Le tourisme et ses travers (urbanisation anarchique, tourisme sexuel, …) font malheureusement souvent la une de l’actualité et ce n’est pas sans raisons que la journée du 2 juin est consacrée au tourisme responsable et respectueux !

Un site à visiter : www.un.org    Source: Texte & Image: Journée mondiale

International Day of Indigenous Peoples – 9 August 2023

Indigenous youth as agents of change for self-determination

Violations of the rights of the world’s Indigenous Peoples have become a persistent problem, sometimes because of a historical burden from their colonization backgrounds and others because of the contrast with a constantly changing society.

In response to this problem, let’s remember every August 9 that Indigenous Peoples have the right to make their own decisions and carry them out meaningfully and culturally appropriate to them.

In this context of demand for self-determination, Indigenous youth are working as agents of change at the forefront of some of the most pressing crises facing humanity today.

For instance, Indigenous youth are harnessing cutting-edge technologies and developing new skills to offer solutions and contribute to a more sustainable, peaceful future for our people and planet.

But their future depends as well on the decisions that are made today. Their representation and participation in global efforts towards climate change mitigation, peacebuilding, and digital cooperation are crucial for the effective implementation of their rights as indigenous.

This International Day of Indigenous Peoples 2023, under the title of « Indigenous youth as agents of change for self-determination« , revindicates the role that indigenous youth must occupy in decision-making while recognizing their dedicated efforts in climate action, the search for justice for their people, and the creation of an intergenerational connection that keeps their culture, traditions, and contributions alive.

Did you know?

  • Globally, 47% of all indigenous peoples in employment have no education, compared to 17% of their non-indigenous counterparts. This gap is even wider for women.
  • More than 86% of indigenous peoples globally work in the informal economy, compared to 66% for their non-indigenous counterparts
  • Indigenous Peoples are nearly three times as likely to be living in extreme poverty compared to their non-indigenous counterparts.

 

Source: Text: https://www.un.org/en/observances/indigenous-day   Image: UN Composition with photographs by PAHO (left), Martine Perret (center) and UNICEF Ecuador-Arcos (right)

National Indigenous Peoples Day – 21 June

About National Indigenous Peoples Day

For generations, many Indigenous groups and communities have celebrated their culture and heritage on June 21 or around that time of year because of the significance of the summer solstice as the longest day of the year.

National Aboriginal Day, now National Indigenous Peoples Day, was announced in 1996 by then Governor General of Canada, Roméo LeBlanc, through the Proclamation Declaring June 21 of Each Year as National Aboriginal Day. This was the result of consultations and statements of support for such a day made by various Indigenous groups:

  • in 1982, the National Indian Brotherhood, now the Assembly of First Nations, called for the creation of National Aboriginal Solidarity Day
  • in 1995, the Sacred Assembly, a national conference of Indigenous and non-Indigenous people chaired by Elijah Harper, called for a national holiday to celebrate the contributions of Indigenous Peoples
  • also in 1995, the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples recommended the designation of a National First Peoples Day

On June 21, 2017, the Prime Minister issued a statement announcing the intention to rename this day National Indigenous Peoples Day.

National Indigenous Peoples Day is part of the Celebrate Canada program, which also includes Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day on June 24, Canadian Multiculturalism Day on June 27 and Canada Day on July 1.

The Government of Canada provides funding opportunities for community celebratory events, as well as for commemorations on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

 

Source: Text: https://www.rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca/eng/   Image: The Canadian Donation and Transplantation Research Program

International Day of Light – 16 May

The International Day of Light is a global initiative that provides a platform for the continued appreciation of light and the role it plays in science, culture and art, education and sustainable development, and in fields as diverse as medicine, communications and energy. The broad theme of light will allow many different sectors of society worldwide to participate in activities that demonstrates how science, technology, art and culture can help achieve the goals of UNESCO – education, equality and peace.

Following a highly successful International Year of Light, which highlighted the importance of light-based sciences and technologies and saw more than 13,168 activities implemented in 147 countries, the Executive Board of UNESCO, at its 200th session, has established the International Day of Light on 16 May of every year (200 EX/Decision 27). The 39th General Conference has approved this decision in document 39 C/40.

The International Day of Light will be an annual celebration providing a platform for continued appreciation of the central role that light science and technologies play in the lives of citizens from all over the world. It will provide also an enduring follow-up of the achievements of the International Year of Light by raising the profile of science and technology globally and highlighting its applications for stimulating education, improving quality of life worldwide, and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals set in the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
An International Day of Light will contribute to build new bridges between scientific disciplines, education and the art, responding to the critical need for interdisciplinary science, and improved dialogue between citizens, scientists, decision makers, industry leaders and non-governmental organisations.

 

Source: Text: https://en.unesco.org/events/international-day-light    Image: www.demotext.com

World Creativity and Innovation Day – 21 April

Creativity and innovation in problem-solving

There may be no universal understanding of creativity. The concept is open to interpretation from artistic expression to problem-solving in the context of economic, social and sustainable development. Therefore, the United Nations designated 21 April as World Creativity and Innovation Day to raise the awareness of the role of creativity and innovation in all aspects of human development.

Creativity and culture

The creative economy too has no single definition. It is an evolving concept which builds on the interplay between human creativity and ideas and intellectual property, knowledge and technology. Essentially it is the knowledge-based economic activities upon which the ‘creative industries’ are based.

Creative industries –which include audiovisual products, design, new media, performing arts, publishing and visual arts– are a highly transformative sector of the world economy in terms of income generation, job creation and export earnings. Culture is an essential component of sustainable development and represents a source of identity, innovation and creativity for the individual and community. At the same time, creativity and culture have a significant non-monetary value that contributes to inclusive social development, to dialogue and understanding between peoples. Today, the creative industries are among the most dynamic areas in the world economy providing new opportunities for developing countries to leapfrog into emerging high-growth areas of the world economy.

 

Source: Text & Image: https://www.un.org/en/observances/creativity-and-innovation-day 

Journée Mondiale du cirque – 15 avril 2023

Journée Mondiale du cirque

Elle est célébrée chaque 3ème samedi d’avril depuis 2009 et est déjà relayée dans au moins 36 pays. En 2023, nous célébrons la 14ème journée mondiale du cirque ou, selon son nom américain, « World Circus day ». C’est la très sérieuse et très officielle « fédération mondiale du cirque » qui en est à l’origine.

Soutenons les métiers des cirques traditionnels

En France, le monde du cirque traditionnel a souhaité se saisir de l’occasion de cette journée pour promouvoir son métier. Il est clair que la récente loi visant à l’interdiction progressive des animaux sauvages dans les cirques va bouleverser profondément la profession : les 120 cirques de France ne pourront plus présenter ou détenir des animaux sauvages d’ici 2028… 

Le chapiteau, un outil d’avenir ?

On trouve, dans le site du ministère de la culture, une intéressante tribune vantant les mérites du chapiteau, le « lieu » du cirque, qui lui permet d’aller au plus près de son public, et se déplacer pour aller le rencontrer la où il se trouve. Une intéressante réflexion et peut-être une alternative pour un métier qui a besoin de se renouveler.

Un site à visiter : www.circusfederation.org

International Day of Conscience – 5 ِApril


Promoting a Culture of Peace with Love and Conscience

The preamble to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that « disregard and contempt for human rights have resulted in barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of humankind, and the advent of a world in which human beings shall enjoy freedom of speech and belief and freedom from fear and want has been proclaimed as the highest aspiration of the common people. » Moreover, article 1 of the Declaration states that « all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights and are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood. »

The task of the United Nations to save future generations from the scourge of war requires transformation towards a culture of peace, which consists of values, attitudes and behaviours that reflect and inspire social interaction and sharing based on the principles of freedom, justice and democracy, all human rights, tolerance and solidarity, that reject violence and endeavour to prevent conflicts by tackling their root causes to solve problems through dialogue and negotiation and that guarantee the full exercise of all rights and the means to participate fully in the development process of their society.

Origins of a Culture of Peace

The concept of a culture of peace emerged from the International Congress on Peace in the Minds of Men, organized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in Côte d’Ivoire in July 1989. Since then the promotion of a culture of peace has increasingly been seen as a worthwhile objective of the international community. The evolving concept has inspired activities at so many levels and in so many regions with the full participation of civil society that the culture of peace is gradually taking on the characteristics of a global movement.

 

Source: Text (abridged) & Image: https://www.un.org/en/observances/conscience    Photo: UN Photo/Mohamad Almahady People taking part in activities related to the Peace and Peaceful Coexistence Festival organized by the Communication and Public Information Section of the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur (UNAMID).

 

Journée mondiale du pangolin – 18 février 2023

Journée mondiale du pangolin

Un animal méconnu et pourtant célèbre. Et il aura fallu la menace d’extinction de ce petit mammifère pour que l’actualité braque ses feux sur lui en lui consacrant pas moins qu’une journée mondiale…

Le mammifère le plus trafiqué au monde

Cette petite « boule d’écailles » est aussi le mammifère le plus trafiqué au monde, ce qui en fait une espèce en danger d’extinction. Chaque année, ce sont plus de 40 tonnes d’écailles de pangolin qui sont saisies en Afrique, ce qui revient à dire que plus de 30 000 animaux sont massacrés chaque année.

Il est encore temps d’agir

Peuplant de vastes régions d’Asie et d’Afrique, cet animal est recherché et abattu pour de bien mauvaises raisons : on attribue à son armure de kératine des vertus curatives. On le chasse également parce que sa viande est considérée comme un mets très raffinés dans certaines cultures.

Le pangolin n’est pas encore une espèce disparue… le but de cette journée mondiale « exotique » est la sensibilisation des populations et des gouvernants à cette grave question. Espérons !

La journée mondiale du pangolin est théoriquement célébrée le 3ème samedi du mois. Ce sera la 18 février en 2023.

Un site à visiter : www.ifaw.org     Source: Texte & Image: Journée mondiale

International Artist Day – October 25

We celebrate International Artist Day on October 25. Art as a creative human expression encapsulates myriad things. It portrays the beauty of life or a bitter reality. It records history, revolutions, rebellions, and sometimes is a means to escape them. In short, there is no history or culture without art. This day celebrates all forms of art — paintings, sculpture, photography, architecture, music, and more. Through this celebration we show our respect for the passion and creativity in all artists. As art provide you with a medium of speech let us also see the work of those artists who study, research and criticize artists to showcase their art of words, here is a list of top art journalist.

HISTORY OF INTERNATIONAL ARTIST DAY

In the summer of 1961 President Kennedy made an effort to settle a salary dispute between the Metropolitan Opera and the American Federation of Musicians. He succeeded. Kennedy’s actions signaled his passion for the arts. Congress, in the mid 60s, designated the National Cultural Center, launched in 1958, as a “living memorial” to President Kennedy and authorized $23 million to begin construction. It’s now simply known as the Kennedy Center.

The following year President Johnson signed the National Foundation on the Arts & the Humanities Act, which created the National Endowment for the Arts. 

By 1970 focus on the arts increasingly spread to television and cinema. Mobil Oil committed more than $1 million to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting for presentation of Masterpiece Theatre on PBS — and for 5 million copies of new Sesame Street magazine to be given free to preschool children in low-income neighborhoods. This was the largest gift to CPB from the business community to date.

A decade later President Reagan, himself a former actor appointed a Presidential Task Force on the Arts & Humanities to review the purposes of the National Endowments; broaden private support; engage more non-government professionals, private groups & individuals; & recommend ways to strengthen the overall structure of both agencies.

Still another president would show his support as well. Bill Clinton, in his 1997 State of the Union Address, asked Congress to maintain support for the arts — and urged citizens to make the year 2000 a national celebration “so that we can remain the world’s beacon not only of liberty but of creativity, long after the fireworks have faded.”

Recently the Museum of Modern Art in New York City reopened after a $400 million renovation — adding over 40,000 square feet for galleries (including two at the street-level)— inside the new West 53rd St. tower. They are free to the public.

 

Source: Text & Image: https://nationaltoday.com/international-artist-day/