Some days dress up for greater meaning

Among its other tasks, the United Nations is bent on naming different days of the year aiming to attract her member nations’ attention on its significance. Of the 365 days of the year, nearly 60 are now named to focus on or commemorate some issue or other, that impact on human well-being

Days have a way of coming and going. Some remain in our memory, for they are special for each of us. Yet others are given meaning and are stored away in our memory for reasons beyond the self. Some have greater impact on us individually and collectively than others. Some days become crowded, busy, tiring and loose impact. Others, we retain, cling on to and commit on for action, much beyond the self.

Set agenda

With all our attention placed on the United Nations General Assembly this week, with our Head of State addressing the assembly of nations, I chose to attract attention to a less talked about aspect of the world body’s set-agenda during a given year. We are all aware of the different DAYS on which newspaper supplements are published, ministers and ministries get on top gear, talks, educational seminars, workshops, street marches and pocket meetings are held, for the UN had declared them, as particular days of significance.

Among its other tasks, the United Nations is bent on naming different days of the year aiming to attract her member nations’ attention on its significance. Of the 365 days of the year, nearly 60 are now named to focus on or commemorate some issue or other, that impact on human well-being.

For and against

These are many dedicated for children, for women, for labour, for youth, for volunteers, for AIDS, for tourism, for telecommunications, for television, for the environment and for human rights. There are also days for attracting attention on water and food resources, on mountains, our oceans, on the need for social justice, on families, on indigenous people, on international peace, elimination of racial discrimination, in support of victims of torture, on the value of cooperatives, on public service, on press freedom, for celebrating the emergence of an information society, on cultural and bio-diversity, for refugees, for migrants, for action against corruption, drug abuse and for focusing on diabetes.

Poverty to autism

According to UN records, on October 17 of each year, ‘The International Day for Eradication of Poverty’ is on focus all over the world. “United Nations in 1992, (just like for all other days on its activity calendar), officially recognized it with the adoption of UN resolution 47/196 with the motive of promoting awareness among people about the need to eradicate poverty from all the countries, mainly within the developing world”. Similarly, reaffirming the universal principle of non-violence, the General Assembly has fittingly declared October 2, which is Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday as ‘The International Day of Non-Violence’. It has declared September 15 as the International Day of Democracy, the very next day for the preservation of the Ozone Layer and designated March 25 as an annual International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade. October 15 is proclaimed as the International Day of Rural Women.

“Deeply concerned by the prevalence and high rate of autism, a developmental disability that affects children worldwide, the Assembly has designated April 2 as World Autism Awareness Day” said the UN Information Centre on its web page.

It has also decided to rename the International Day of Disabled Persons, observed annually on December 3, as the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. Since 2009, February 20th has been declared the World Day of Social Justice.

Days on vacation

I have not spoken here of all the days on the listing but enough to note that the annual calendar is filled with more days than any people or nation can meaningfully handle. On some days, there is more than one issue being named for attention.

Interestingly, there is only one day in the UN’s calendar dedicated to anything, in January.

That happens to be the 27th of the month when the victims of the holocaust during the second world-war are commemorated. The only fathomable reason I can think for not having any other days of focus during this month, is that it is the month immediately following the Christmas and year-end vacation period, when people manning the offices of this nation of nations also are away from their posts.

What is noteworthy is that there is in addition, the ‘UN Decades, Years and Weeks’.

These focus more on mid and long-term perspectives and action needs. Examples are the decade dedicated to Roll Back Malaria in Developing Countries (2001-2010); Second International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism (2001-2010); International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-violence for the Children of the World (2001-2010); United Nations Literacy Decade: Education for All (2002-2012); Second International Decade of the World’s Indigenous People (2005-2014); United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005-2015); International Decade for Action, ‘Water for Life’ (2005-2015); Second United Nations Decade for the Eradication of Poverty (2008-2017) and the United Nations Decade for Deserts and the Fight against Desertification (2010-2020).

Most recent UN Years focus on Human Rights Learning (2008/2009), on Reconciliation, on Natural Fibres (2009), on Astronomy (2009), Bio-diversity, Rapprochement of Cultures and on Youth (2010), of Chemistry and of Forests (2011), while there are weeks dedicated to Solidarity with the Peoples Struggling against Racism and Racial Discrimination beginning March 21st, Global Road safety (April 23 -29), Solidarity with the Peoples of Non-Self-Governing Territories (beginning May 25), World Space Week (October 4-10) and the Disarmament Week (October 24 -30), all a masala of agenda.

Days to remember

Friday this week it’s yet another day to remember. UN’s International Day for the Elderly on October 1 is dedicated to honour, respect and care for the world’s elderly.

Even if you were not yet there, someday you would hope to be included among this group. It is thus, a day that deserves some special reflection.

Life after retirement, being productive in old age, planning to deal with sickness and the need for greater care, getting in place the support systems, thinking of those less fortunate than you and spending the days that meander away wrapping them in happy memories, are all in the equation.

According to the United Nations, “one of every 10 persons is now 60 years or older. By the year 2050, one of five will be 60 years or older; by 2150, it will be one of three persons”.

In 1990, the United Nations General Assembly designated this day as the International Day for the Elderly, also known as the ‘International Day for Older Persons’.

This is the result of a resolution made at the UN World Assembly on Ageing which in 1982, met to explore and tend to the needs of the elderly in the world.

Lest you forget, it’s the first day of the busiest month of UN’s DAY calendar with 10 other days being celebrated, together with UN’s own Birthday on October 24.