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World Day of Biodiversity – 22 April

22 mai 2017
Nicole Gregoire
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Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: awareness, business, community engagement, contribution, devlopment, ecosystems, habitat restoration, integration, mobilization, resource, sustainability, sustainable tourism, targets, threats, values, wildlife

Biodiversity and Sustainable Tourism
This theme has been chosen to coincide with the observance of 2017 as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development as proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in its Resolution 70/193 and for which the United Nations World Tourism Organization is providing leadership.

Biodiversity, at the level of species and ecosystems, provides an important foundation for many aspects of tourism. Recognition of the great importance to tourism economies of attractive landscapes and a rich biodiversity underpins the political and economic case for biodiversity conservation. Many issues addressed under the Convention on Biological Diversity directly affect the tourism sector. A well-managed tourist sector can contribute significantly to reducing threats to, and maintain or increase, key wildlife populations and biodiversity values through tourism revenue.

Tourism relates to many of the 20 Aichi Biodiversity Targets. For some Targets (for example 5, 8, 9, 10 and 12) this is primarily about ensuring greater control and management to reduce damage to biodiversity from tourism. For others (1, 11, 15, 18, and 20) this is about pursuing the positive contribution of tourism to biodiversity awareness, protected areas, habitat restoration, community engagement, and resource mobilization. A further dimension is the better integration of biodiversity and sustainability into development policies and business models that include tourism, thereby supporting Aichi Biodiversity Targets 2 and 4.

Source: Text & Image: Convention on Biodiversity 2017, Ottawa

4th Sunday of the Year, A

26 janvier 2017
Nicole Gregoire
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Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: advertising, direction, gentle, happiness, Jesus, merciful, mourning, Mt.5:1-12, peacemakers, persecuted, poor in spirit, pure in heart, standard, today, values, way of life

Advertising has taken on a very important place in business and it has an impact on our daily life, there is no doubt about it.
Newspapers are filled with ads of all kinds, and our TV programmes are interrupted by much publicity that we could do without!
As for the web, it offers a constant flow of things to buy, programmes to join in, clubs to be part of, etc.

What all these have in common is that they describe in a very positive way what they offer. They present a glossy picture of what they want us to choose, to obtain, to adopt.

Those who design the ads, entice us to see things from their point of view and they aim at convincing us that, if we want to be happy, yes, really happy, there is no other way but to take on what is on display!

On this Sunday (4th of the Year, A) we see Jesus, early on in his life of teaching the crowds. In today’s gospel (Mt.5:1-12), we hear him address the people about that very topic: HAPPINESS. But his words do not describe an appealing picture of what will provide happiness. His speech does not resemble in any way what we are used to when someone wants to have us take on his ways!

Who are the happy people according to Jesus?

  • « The poor in spirit,
  • the gentle,
  • those who mourn,
  • those who hunger and thirst for justice,
  • the merciful,
  • the pure in heart,
  • the peacemakers,
  • those persecuted in the cause of right. »

The standard definition of happiness is definitely NOT this one!
Fame, riches, power, are most often part of a description of the happy life, not deprivation and persecution.

But then, perhaps our standard needs to be corrected…
Perhaps our values need to be readjusted…
Perhaps our search for happiness needs to be given a new direction…
Perhaps our way of life needs to be more attuned to Jesus’ message… perhaps…

Today may be a good day to start doing that!
And, ‘by the way’ happiness may just find us… in HIS way!

Source: Images: www.dreamstime.com;  Pinterest

World Day of Peace – January 1st

1 janvier 2017
Nicole Gregoire
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Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: dignity, governments, international life, likeness of God, Message Pope Francis, nonviolence, peace, peacemaking, respect, values

Pope Francis has chosen “Nonviolence: A style of Politics for Peace” as the theme for the 50th World Day of Peace, commemorated each year on January 1st . This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Catholic Church’s World Day of Peace. Inspired by both St. Pope John XXIII’s encyclical Pacem in terris and his own encyclical Populorum progressio, Pope Paul VI introduced the commemoration of the World Day of Peace in 1967; it is now celebrated every year on the first day of January.

Source: Text & Image: Collaborative Center for Justice, USA

«Non-Violence: A Style of Politics for Peace». This is the title of the Message for the 50th World Day of Peace, the fourth of Pope Francis.

« I wish peace to every man, woman and child, and I pray that the image and likeness of God in each person will enable us to acknowledge one another as sacred gifts endowed with immense dignity. Especially in situations of conflict, let us respect this, our “deepest dignity”, and make active nonviolence our way of life.

This is the fiftieth Message for the World Day of Peace. (…) On this occasion, I would like to reflect on nonviolence as a style of politics for peace. I ask God to help all of us to cultivate nonviolence in our most personal thoughts and values. May charity and nonviolence govern how we treat each other as individuals, within society and in international life. When victims of violence are able to resist the temptation to retaliate, they become the most credible promoters of nonviolent peacemaking. In the most local and ordinary situations and in the international order, may nonviolence become the hallmark of our decisions, our relationships and our actions, and indeed of political life in all its forms. »

Source: Text: Vatican, Libreria Editrice Vaticana

World Day of Social Justice – 20 February

19 février 2016
Nicole Gregoire
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Catégories: Anglophones et anglophiles
Mots-clés: equality, fundamental freedoms, migrants, poverty, prosperity, respect for human rights, Social justice, unemployment, values, world peace

social justice, fr.dreamstime.comWorld Day of Social Justice is a day recognizing the need to promote efforts to tackle issues such as poverty, exclusion and unemployment.Many organizations, including the UN and the International Labour Office, make statements on the importance of social justice for people. Many organizations also present plans for greater social justice by tackling poverty, social and economic exclusion and unemployment. The United Nations General Assembly has decided to observe 20 February annually, approved on 26 November 2007 and starting in 2009, as the World Day of Social Justice.

As recognized by the World Summit, social development aims at social justice, solidarity, harmony and equality within and among countries and social justice, equality and equity constitute the fundamental values of all societies. To achieve “a society for all” governments made a commitment to the creation of a framework for action to promote social justice at national, regional and international levels. They also pledged to promote the equitable distribution of income and greater access to resources through equity and equality and opportunity for all. The governments recognized as well that economic growth should promote equity and social justice and that “a society for all” must be based on social justice and respect for all human rights and fundamental freedoms.

Social justice is an underlying principle for peaceful and prosperous coexistence within and among nations. We uphold the principles of social justice when we promote gender equality or the rights of indigenous peoples and migrants. We advance social justice when we remove barriers that people face because of gender, age, race, ethnicity, religion, culture or disability.

Source: Text: Wikipedia   Image: fr.dreamstime.com