Welcome
During International Days and major international conferences there is a special opportunity to serve in
the creation of a more unified and compassionate world.
As meditators we can symbolically stand together with all actively working in the spirit of the Charter of Compassion, and hold these events in the light of a Higher Wisdom.
Daily Reminder
Now you can get a daily reminder of these events to hold in the light. Share this daily reminder with others by including the app on your website.
Millennium Goals & Climate Change
These International Days reflect important themes in the mobilization of energies to:
- fulfill the historic promise made by world leaders in 1999 to achieve the Millennium Development Goals by 2015, halving extreme poverty
- to respond appropriately to the urgent needs of climate change
- and to engage people of goodwill all over the world in the process of defining new Sustainable Development Goals to replace the Millennium Development Goals that expire in 2015.
2013 United Nations International Years
Silence at the United Nations
The Spiritual Caucus at the United Nations gathers in the vicinity of UN Headquarters in New York (October - June) on the third Thursday every month for 30 minutes of silence followed by 30 minutes of dialogue, sharing insights and exploring ways to use an inner focus in service of the work of the UN. On the 1st Thursday of the month the Caucus invites friends to sit in silence for 30 minutes in the Meditation Room in the public lobby of UN Headquarters in New York.
Please link in from wherever you are. More information at: http://www.spiritualcaucusun.org/
In June the Spiritual Caucus invites you to link in with 30 minutes of silence in the UN Meditation Room on May 2, at 12:45 EST and with the full one hour meeting on Thursday, June 20 at 1:30 PM EST.
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June Please Hold These Events in the Light
June 4
International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression
This international day acknowledges the pain suffered by children throughout the world who are the victims of physical, mental and emotional abuse - and affirms a commitment to protect the rights of children. The statistics of child abuse in its many, many forms are horrendous. They include over 2 million children killed in conflict in the last two decades; around 10 million child refugees cared for by UNHCR; in the Latin America & Caribbean region 80 thousand children die every year from violence that breaks out within the family ...
Humanity is organising as never before to put children first in the process of building a better world, and this Day also celebrates the millions of individuals and organizations working to protect and preserve the rights of children. UNICEF devotes considerable resources to the protection of children and conducts annual surveys tracking progress in the rights of the child: We strive towards the day when nations will be judged not by their military or economic strength, nor by the splendour of their capital cities and public building, but by the well being of their children.
www.un.org/en/events/childvictimday/index.shtml
June 5
World Environment Day
2014 theme: Raise Your Voice, Not the Sea Level
Observed since 1972, World Environment Day is "considered by many to be the most important event on the environmental calendar". UNEP reports that the Day "inspires action by governments, individuals, non-governmental organisations, community and youth groups, business, industry and the media to improve their environment, including clean-up campaigns, tree planting, street rallies, exhibitions, green concerts, essays, painting and photographic competitions, recycling efforts and much more".
This year is International Year of Small Island Developing States and the theme for Environment Day draws attention to the need to act in the response to threatened sea level rise.
2014 is the year when nations need to lift their eyes beyond business as usual to one of greater ambition in order to deliver on a new and meaningful climate agreement in Paris in 2015. Small islands along with the Arctic and many coastal zones are on the frontline of extreme climate and sea level rise that risks lives, livelihoods and even entire countries.
www.unep.org/wed/
Described as the world's largest celebration of the oceans, World Oceans Day recognizes the importance and significance of international cooperation in caring for the well-being and sustainable management of the oceans.
The oceans of the world: Generate most of the oxygen we breathe; Help feed us; Regulate our climate; Clean the water we drink; Offer us a pharmacopoeia of potential medicines; Provide limitless inspiration!
worldoceansday.org/
www.un.org/en/events/oceansday/index.shtml
June 12
World Day Against Child Labor
2013 theme: No to child labour in domestic work
The International Labour Organisation (ILO) estimates that 115 million children are engaged in hazardous work likely to harm their health, saftey or morals. This is amongst the worst forms of child labour. Its elimination is a crucial part of a wider goal, pioneered by the ILO in cooperation with governments and trade unions around the world, to eliminate child labour by 2016.
www.ilo.org/ipec/Campaignandadvocacy/wdacl/lang--en/index.htm
www.un.org/en/events/childlabourday/
June 13-14
Civil 20 Summit, St Petersburg, Russia
Civil 20 Summit is a summit for civil society in G20 countries. It is the first time that such a summit has been held as a G20 event, and is an initiative of Russia during their presidency of G20.
Representatives of Civil Society, international organizations, business community, will meet with High Level Officials from G20 countries. The goal of G20 Civil Summit is to ensure a productive dialogue and interaction of civil society organizations with state officials and business communities of G20.
www.civil20.org/summit2013/
June 17
World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought
Theme for 2013: Don't Let Our Future Dry Up
i>The world's most significant non-renewable resource is fertile soil, which is the peel of productive land. Nevertheless, each year 12 million ha of land, the area three times the size of Switzerland, are lost due to desertification. Land degradation directly affects 1.5 billion people globally.
www.unccd.int/en/programmes/Event-and-campaigns/WDCD/>
June 17-18
G8 Summit, Enniskillen, Northern Ireland, UK
This gathering of the leaders of the G8 countries plus the European Union provides an opportunity for informal negotiation on major themes in the gloabl agenda. This years summit will see a focus on enhancing international cooperation on tax laws to help prevent major corporations from evading tax responsibilities.
The Summit will be preceded by a range of associated events, including a Social Impact Investment Conference; a high level international meeting on 'Nutrition for Growth - Beating Hunger Through Business and Science'; Science Ministers from G8 countries will meet to consider the role of science in tackling global challenges. See www.gov.uk/government/news/g8-events
www.huffingtonpost.com/news/g8-summit-2013
June 20
World Refugee Day
A day to reflect on the scope of the refugee problem (there are some 19 million refugees under the care of the UN High Commission for Refugees); the immense personal, family and community suffering experienced by refugees; and the opportunities which the refugee crisis presents all peoples to act on their sense of interdependence and compassion.
This thematic debate will examine and discuss the challenges and opportunities in managing the water-energy nexus to enhance sustainable development and meet the challenge of climate change.
www.un.org/en/events/refugeeday/
June 23
International Widows Day
This United Nations Day seeks to raise awareness of the high levels of violence and deprivation faced by widow's in many parts of the world.
Widows are everywhere in the world, yet in many countries, they are nowhere to be seen or heard. They are hidden in the shadows, denied their basic rights and dignity. This [International Day] aims to shine a light on these women and their children, and put moral pressure on the guardians of the retrograde traditions that oppress them. Sylvia Bongo Ondimba, First Lady of Gabon.
www.un.org/en/events/widowsday/
June 26
International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking
June 26
International Day in Support of Victims of Torture
2013 theme: Right to Rehabilitation
This Day is widely observed as a focal point for a global campaign to eradicate torture. The campaign is co-ordinated by the International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims. On this day events will be held all over the world in support of victims of torture.
International law rules that every victim of torture has a right to rehabilitation, yet in many cases this right is not available in practice.Rehabilitation empowers torture victims to resume as full a life as possible. However, rebuilding the life of someone whose dignity has been destroyed takes time and is the result of long-term material, medical, psychological and social support.
www.irct.org/Default.aspx?ID=6182
www.un.org/en/events/torturevictimsday/
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