Today is the International Day for UN Peacekeepers.

In areas of conflict around the world civilian lives are at risk. In countries and regions that are in the grips of war people are forced to abandon their homes and live on the streets. In some places prisoners escape, adding to the on-going conflict. Instead of being ruled by law, “societies are plunged into lawlessness.”

The help of United Nations peacekeeping forces can transform chaos into calm. But for real peace and security to take place peacekeepers must do much more than disarm local combat troops. They must “strengthen the institutions responsible for security and justice – the police, the courts and the correctional institutions – with full respect 
for the rule of law and human rights.” 

Today is Africa Day, a day to celebrate African Unity!

Celebrating Africa Day in Dublin

Today’s day commemorates the date in 1963 when the Organization of African Unity (OAU) was founded. This day celebrates African diversity and success and aims to highlight the cultural and economic potential that exists on the African continent. Sometimes this day is also called African Liberation Day, which highlights the celebration of African freedom from European colonial powers.

Africa Day is often a colourful celebration that includes street marches, speeches, music, poetry, and other forms of cultural entertainment…

A little known day of celebration to most ‘Westerners’, May 24,
the Day of Saints Cyril and Methodius, is a huge festival for those in Eastern Europe: a day to celebrate cultural heritage. The peoples of Russia, Slovakia, Macedonia, Serbia, Czech Republic, Hungary, etc. venerate Saints Cyril and Methodius who created a Slavonic alphabet, translating the Bible and other writings from Greek and Latin into the language of the Slavic peoples. The invention of this ‘Cyrillic Alphabet’ is seen as the keystone that gave the Slavs access to written culture, vast sources of knowledge, and ultimately allowed them cultural independence from Muslim (as part of the Turkish Empire) and other religious or social invasions.

Yesterday we celebrated cultural diversity, today biodiversity!

Today’s date marks the anniversary for the day in 1992 spring when the text of the Convention on Biological Diversity was adopted by the United Nations at a conference in Nairobi, Kenya.

The purpose of the day is to raise awareness and understanding of biodiversity issues.

Last year the Guardian wrote an article about the importance of this day and reported shocking facts. Janet Potocnik, a European commissionaire for environment, wrote, that, “during the 20th century, the human population grew by four times and economic output by 40 times. We increased our fossil fuel use by 16 times, our fishing catches by 35 and our water use by 9.”

Happy World Cultural Diversity Day – pass the message along!

Apart from World Hello Day I can’t think of a better time for reaching out across the world to say a special ‘hello’ and to touch the lives of others. What a shame that not many organisations/nations have yet adopted this day to celebrate the wonderful diversity of the people’s of this planet.  For those of us who work in the field of cross-cultural communication and intercultural relationships, today is very special – it’s part of who we are and I was reminded about that when I heard of the death of Robin Gibb this morning…

Today is the International Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development! Although the name of the day sounds complex, the purpose of this day is fairly simple: to celebrate cultural diversity and help us learn to live together better. In November 2001 UNESCO adopted a Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity.

Do One Thing for Diversity

The following year, 2002, was the United Nations year for Cultural Heritage and at the end of that year the UN declared may 21^st to be the International Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development.

Ever since then, May 21^st has been celebrated and commemorated through seminars, various educational programs and campaigns, exhibitions, and concerts. A grass-root campaign sponsored by UNESCO, ‘Do One Thing for Diversity and Inclusion,’  is trying to engage the international community through social media. According to the UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon the campaign is calling for “from youth to policy-makers, from religious leaders to journalists, entrepreneurs and others who shape opinions and trends.”

In 2005, in Tunis, the United Nations hosted a conference, which aimed to bridge the ‘digital divide’ that separates rich and poor countries. This conference was called the World Summit on the Information Society. Following from this conference May 17^thwas proclaimed as the World Telecommunications and Information Society Day.

Women and Girls in IT

The main aim of this day is to raise awareness of changes brought about by technology, specifically the Internet.

This year’s theme for Information Society Day is Women and Girls in Information and Communication Technology…

So, how much cultural competence do you think there is in
cheek kissing? Well, we recently started a conversation on SIETAR Europa’s Linked In group and the plethora of responses confirmed that there are various ways to greet with a kiss. But what may have come as a surprise to some of us was that the ways of kissing don’t only vary from one country to another, but from region to region, from day to night, from male to female, and from one person to the next. What I can conclude from the conversation is that my initially abstract title-phrase, the ‘art’ of cheek kissing, became to perfectly describe this social gesture: a gesture that has no rule-of-thumb, a gesture that is cultural as well as personal.

So, it seems that although cheek kissing is a common greeting across the globe, one has to be truly culturally competent to smoothly master the art of cheek kissing! Read about the differnces and learn that London is a one-kiss city.

The United Nations announced the year 1994 as the International Year of Families. The announcement was a response to changing social and economic structures, which affected, and still affect, the structure and stability of families in many regions around the world. Ever since 1994, May 15^th has been celebrated as the International Day of Families, in order to remind all individuals, businesses, and governments alike that families are the center of society and provide a supporting, stable home for people of all ages.

Here are some primary points regarding family that the United Nations Social Policy and Development Division list in their mission statement:

–       The integration of a family perspective into policy-making at the national, regional and international levels must be promoted

–       Family research and diagnostic studies need to be supported

–       There must be continuous dialogue with Governments, civil society and the private sector on family issues

–       Coordination on family policies and programmes within national governments and within the United Nations system will be encouraged and supported

Policy meetings for public officials, exhibitions and organized discussions to raise awareness of the annual theme, educational sessions for children and young people, and the launch of campaigns that support families are common activities on the International Day of Families.

Although the definition and meaning of family varies greatly from one culture to another, and from one person to the next, family is a universal unit that all of us can relate to, in one way or another. Happy International Day of Families to you all!

Also in May:

World No-Tobacco Day – May 31st

International Day for UN Peacekeepers – May 29th

Africa Day – May 25th

The Day of Cyrillic Alphabet – May 24th

International Day for Biological Diversity – May 22nd

Cultural Diversity Day – May 21st

Cultural Diversity Day: A Special ‘Hello!’

World Day Against Homophobia – May 17th

World Telecommunications and Information Society Day – May 17th

Mastering the Art of Cheek Kissing

World Fair Trade Day – May 12th

Red Cross Crescent Day – May 8th

Europe Day – May 9th

Wesak – May 5th

World Press Freedom Day – May 3rd

May Day – May 1st

Today is World Fair Trade Day!

The day is an initiative of the World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO) and is being supported by thousands of citizens, fair trade organizations, social and environmental movements, and producers and consumers all around the planet. In the world economy, in important decision-making, and in business, the interests of small farmers are often forgotten. World Fair Trade Organization aims “to enable producers to improve their livelihoods and communities through Fair Trade,” by keeping their voices heard.