17 October presents an opportunity to acknowledge the effort and struggle of people living in poverty, a chance for them to make their concerns heard, and a moment to recognize that poor people are the first ones to fight against poverty. Participation of the poor themselves has been at the […]
International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction – 13 October
International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction is observed on October 13 every year. The day is a chance to recognize the progress made in addressing vulnerability to disasters and the loss of lives, economies, and health. Every year, the day honors people and communities all over the world who are […]
World Post Day – 9 October 2023
Innovation, Integration and Inclusion World Post Day is celebrated each year on 9 October, the anniversary of the establishment of the Universal Postal Union in 1874 in the Swiss Capital, Bern. It was declared World Post Day by the UPU Congress held in Tokyo, Japan in 1969. Since then, countries across […]
International Tea Day – 21 May
Why drink tea? Tea is a beverage made from the Camellia sinesis plant. Tea is the world’s most consumed drink, after water. It is believed that tea originated in northeast India, north Myanmar and southwest China, but the exact place where the plant first grew is not known. Tea has been with […]
4th Sunday of Lent, Year C – 2022
In many ways, feelings and emotions mold our personalities. They mark our actions and reactions. They influence much of what we live, for better or for worse. Today’s gospel is filled with emotions (Luke 15:1-3,11-32): The eagerness of sinners to hear Jesus. The frustration of the Pharisees seeing them at […]
6th Sunday of Year C – 2022
Poverty, hunger, sadness, hatred from others – who would dare say that these will bring happiness? Someone has dared to say so – Jesus did when speaking to the crowds eager to listen to him (Luke 6:17,20-26). I wonder how they reacted, all those listening to him on that day… […]
3rd Sunday of Lent, Year A – 2020
The 1st reading on this 3rd Sunday of Lent (Year A – Exodus 17:3-7) presents us with a scene known to many of us. The people of Israel complain that they have no water and accuse Moses of bringing them to a desert place. He, in turn, complains to the […]
International Day of Peace – 21 September
Each year the International Day of Peace is observed around the world on 21 September. The General Assembly has declared this as a day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace, both within and among all nations and peoples. The United Nations Member States adopted the 17 Sustainable Development Goals […]
World Day for War Orphans – 6 January
Civilians bear the brunt of the suffering in war. Of the big number of war victims, the most often neglected are children. Orphans throughout the world face many challenges: Malnutrition, starvation, disease, and decreased social attention. As the most vulnerable population on planet Earth, they have no one to protect […]
World Day to Overcome Extreme Poverty – 17 October
On October 17, 1987,World Day to Overcome Extreme Poverty , at the call of Father Joseph Wresinski , 100,000 human rights defenders gathered at the Parvis du Trocadéro in Paris to honor the victims of hunger, violence, ignorance and violence. To say their refusal of misery and call on humanity […]