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International Day of Education – 24 January

24 janvier 2024
Nicole Gregoire
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Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: discrimination, hate speech, human rights, lasting peace, learning, UNESCO, violent conflicts, xenophobia

The sixth International Day of Education will be celebrated on 24 January 2024 under the theme “learning for lasting peace”. 

UNESCO is dedicating the International Day of Education celebrated on 24 January 2024 to the crucial role education and teachers play in countering hate speech, a phenomenon which has snowballed in recent years with the use of social media, damaging the fabric of our societies.  

The world is seeing a surge of violent conflicts paralleled by an alarming rise of discrimination, racism, xenophobia, and hate speech. The impact of this violence transcends any boundary based on geography, gender, race, religion, politics, offline and online. An active commitment to peace is more urgent today than ever: Education is central to this endeavor, as underlined by the UNESCO Recommendation on Education for Peace, Human Rights and Sustainable Development. Learning for peace must be transformative, and help empower learners with the necessary knowledge, values, attitudes and skills and behaviours to become agents of peace in their communities.

Source: Text & Image: UNESCO

4th Sunday of Year C – 2022

28 janvier 2022
Nicole Gregoire
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Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: difficulties, God's ways, Jeremiah 1:17-19, Jeremiah 1:4-5, learning, obstacles, problems, prophet Jeremiah, students

God’s ways are not our ways – we have been told long ago and we know it, perhaps… from experience!
The prophet Jeremiah had certainly learned this from experience!
The 1st reading of today is a good example of this (Jeremiah 1:4-5,17-19).

« Get yourself ready. Stand up!”

With these words, God sends Jeremiah on a mission:
“Pronounce my judgments on my people”.

The prophet may try to object that he is too young, that he does not know how to speak.
God does not listen to any of this and he adds some surprising words:
“Do not be terrified by them, or I will terrify you before them.”

Is this not strange?
We would think that God will encourage his prophet but these words sound rather like a threat…

However, God goes on with words of reassurance.
Referring to his rebellious people, God tells Jeremiah:

“They will fight against you but will not overcome you,
for I am with you and will rescue you”.

This is an obvious display of God’s ways:
God does not remove obstacles but helps his people to overcome them.

This was his method in the time of Jeremiah and…
it is rather clear that he has not changed his method in our own time!
We would prefer that he makes things easier for us, and then… we could manage on our own!
But precisely, God does not expect us to manage on our own! 

Problems, difficulties, failures, losses – all these are part of our daily life.
God who is all-powerful could take them away from our path.
He surely could, but he does not… and we have to believe that he knows what is best for us.

This kind of learning finds us… students all through our lives…
We need to learn that God does not expect us to manage on our own, he wants us to manage with him!

To us also God’s words are addressed:
“I am with you and will rescue you”.
 
Note: Another reflection on a different theme is available in French at: https://image-i-nations.com/4e-dimanche-de-lannee-c-2022/

 

Source: Image: chretiensaujourdhui.com

International Literacy Day – 8 September

8 septembre 2017
Nicole Gregoire
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Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: activities, aduts, Children, international community, learning, plan of action, UNESCO, Women

According to UNESCO, about 774 million adults lack the minimum literacy skills. One in five adults is still not literate and two-thirds of them are women. About 75 million children are out-of-school and many more attend irregularly or drop out. However, literacy is also a cause for celebration on the day because there are nearly four billion literate people in the world.

The UN General Assembly proclaimed a 10-year period beginning on January 1, 2003, as the United Nations Literacy Decade. The assembly also welcomed the International Plan of Action for the Decade and decided for UNESCO to take a coordinating role in activities at an international level within the decade’s framework. On International Literacy Day each year, UNESCO reminds the international community of the status of literacy and adult learning globally. This day was first celebrated on September 8, 1966.

Source: Text: timeanddate.com   Image: unesco.org

Feast of the Transfiguration, Year A *

3 août 2017
Nicole Gregoire
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Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: apostles, Bible, comfort, Elijah, fear, God's people, God's presence, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Joshua, learning, lesson, light, Mary Mothre of Jesus, Moses, Mt.17:1-9, names, reaction, security, voice

* (This feast takes the place of the 18th Sunday of Year)

The gospel of this Sunday (Feast of the Transfiguration, Year A – Mt.17:1-9) presents us with a scene that is rather unusual in the life of Jesus.
It is no wonder that the apostles are startled and even Peter is lost for words.

The sight of Moses and Elijah present with Jesus – a Jesus so resplendent with light – is already an amazing apparition.
But suddenly there is more: the apostles are covered with a bright cloud and from within comes a voice.
Their reaction is immediate: “They fell on their faces overcome with fear.”

Throughout the Bible, this seems to be the spontaneous reaction of human beings when God comes close to them.
Strange but true: the proximity of God which should be a source of comfort and security is experienced as overwhelming and frightening…

Today’s gospel text goes on saying:
“Jesus came and touched them and said, ‘Do not be afraid’.”

It is said that these very words (or their equivalent: “Fear not”) is repeated 365 times in the Bible.
Yes, as many times as there are days in the year!
It appears that it is a lesson we have never finished learning – not to fear anything, and especially NOT God’s close presence!

God’s people throughout their history, God’s friends and God’s messengers – all needed to learn it:
Moses, Joshua, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Mary: Jesus’ mother herself, Jesus’ disciples, the apostle Paul, to mention but a few.

Perhaps… our own names could be listed as well for we share the same need, do we not?…

Source: Images: Pinterest, tapistryministry,org