Read this online at www.intuition-in-service.org/newsletter/May15.html


Please Hold in the Light
May 2015

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
Check out 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 and events 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.
 
2015 United Nations International Years
  • International Year of Light and Light-Based Technologies
  • International Year of Soils
  •  
    Silence at the United Nations



    The Spiritual Caucus at the United Nations gathers in the vicinity of UN Headquarters in New York (September - 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 newly renovated Meditation Room at UN Headquarters in New York.
    Please link in from wherever you are. More information at: http://www.spiritualcaucusun.org/

    In May the Spiritual Caucus will meet on May 7 for silence in the Meditation Room at UN Headquarters and on May 21 for silence and discussion in the NGO Resource Room at UN Headquarters, NY.
     
     
     

May Please Hold These Events in the Light


April 20 - May 1
UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues

The Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII), established at the promptings of indigenous peoples, is a high-level UN body charged to advise the Economic and Social Council on all matters dealing with indigenous issues related to economic and social development, culture, environment, education, health and human rights. Annual meetings of the Forum provide a focal point for discussion of indigenous peoples issues at the UN - they are attended by representatives of large numbers of indigenous peoples groups from around the world who also meet together in a Global Caucus, a Womens Caucus and a Youth Caucus. During the Forum there is a strong presence of Indigenous Peoples at UN Headquarters.
social.un.org/index/IndigenousPeoples.aspx

April 27 - May 22
Non Proliferation Nuclear Weapons Treaty Review Conference, UN HQ, New York

The Non Proliferation Treaty (NPT) is a landmark international treaty whose objective is to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and weapons technology, to promote cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy and to further the goal of achieving nuclear disarmament and general and complete disarmament. The NPT represents the only binding commitment in a multilateral treaty to the goal of disarmament by the nuclear-weapon States.
Conferences to review the operation of the Treaty have been held at five-year intervals since the Treaty went into effect in 1970. Each conference has sought to find agreement on a final declaration that would assess the implementation of the Treaty’s provisions and make recommendations on measures to further strengthen it.

Throughout the conference there will be a wide range of side-events hosted by governments as well as academic and civil society organisations.
www.un.org/en/conf/npt/

May 1
May Day / International Worker's Day / Labour Day / Beltane

May 1st, traditionally a holiday in many parts of the world, celebrates the achievements of the labour movement in improving the conditions and rights of all working people. The day is also widely observed in the Northern Hemisphere in celebration of the coming of Spring and as the Beltane Festival of the Celtic tradition.
wikipedia.org/wiki/May_Day
wikipedia.org/wiki/InternationalWorkersDay

May 1
Global Love Day

The vision behind this Day, which has been organized every year since 2004 by the Love Foundation, is to unite one and all in a celebration of love and compassion. We honor each May 1st as a symbolic day of unconditional love and call upon all people and all nations to gather together in the wisdom of peace and love.
www.thelovefoundation.com/globalloveday


May 3
World Press Freedom Day

2015 Themes: Let Journalism Thrive! Towards Better Reporting, Gender Equality, & Media Safety in the Digital Age.
It is easy for those of us who live in liberal democracies to take a relatively free press for granted. Freedom of the press expressing a wide diversity of opinions and voices is essential to the health of a community. Reporters Without Borders document the many areas of the world in which journalists are far from free.
Celebrations of the Day around the world include presentation of an annual UNESCO World Press Freedom Prize

www.unesco.org/new/en/unesco/events/
www.un.org/en/events/pressfreedomday/

May 3
International Permaculture Day

2015 Theme: In Support of Soil!
Permaculture is a design system for creating sustainable human environments. It is about designing households and communities that are productive, sustaining and largely self reliant and have minimal impact on the environment.
International Permaculture Day is a day of celebration and action for permaculture around the world. Activities are held around the world on the first Sunday in May. This years event draws attention to the International Year of Soils
www.permacultureday.org

May 3 - 4
Wesak Festival

Since ancient times human beings have honored the full moon as a time when the sacred is most accesible. It is a time of light - the moon reflects the light of the sun onto the face of the earth. In astrology this is a time when the qualities and potentials of the zodiacal sign of the sun are especially available to humanity for use in service.
During the full moon religious and esoteric groups around the world use the opportunities of this time to vizualize light and love and spiritual power flowing into humanity and strengthening all that is being done to help prepare the way for a world of unity, justice and peace; a world in which the Millenium Development Goals and the Sustainable Development Goals will be achieved.
Wesak is a special full moon - celebrated widely around the world by Buddhists and the second of three major spiritual festivals in the annual cycle of full moon festivals described by Alice Bailey (Easter - Wesak and the Festival of Humanity). From the Bailey perspective, Wesak marks the high point of the spiritual year. At the United Nations Vesak Day is honored in the UN Calendar with special events held at some UN offices in the Buddhist region. In 2014 Ban Ki moon's Vesak message included the thought: The Buddha’s message of peace, compassion and love for all living beings tells us to open our hearts and embrace all members of our human family, especially those in need. These timeless teachings can help guide governments and the international community..
www.un.org/en/events/vesakday/
www.wesakfestival.org

May 3 - 10
International Compost Awareness Week

Activities are held in a number of countries to raise awareness about the importance of composting in building healthy soils. As this Year is the International Year of Soils the Week has special significance.
www.homecomposting.org.uk/
compostingcouncil.org/icaw/
www.compostweek.com.au

May 4 - 15
UN Forum on Forests

UN member states and specialized agencies will gather at UN HQ in New York for the 11th session of the Forum on Forests. The Forum is the major international body developing coordinated policies for the management, conservation and sustainable development of all types of forests and fostering a political commitment from governments towards these policies.
www.un.org/esa/forests/

May 9
World Fair Trade Day

2015 theme: Be an Agent for Change
The World Fair Trade Day is an initiative of the World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO) that takes place on the second Saturday of May of each year. It is an inclusive worldwide festival of events celebrating Fair Trade as a tangible contribution to the fight against poverty and exploitation, climate change and the economic crisis that has the greatest impact on the world’s most vulnerable populations.
wfto.com/events/

May 9 - 10
World Migratory Bird Day

Theme for 2015: Energy – make it bird-friendly!
World Migratory Bird Day is an annual awareness-raising campaign by the UN Environment Program highlighting the need for the protection of migratory birds and their habitats. On the second weekend each May, people around the world take action and organise public events such as bird festivals, education programmes and birdwatching excursions to celebrate World Migratory Bird Day.
The 2015 theme aims to highlight the importance of deploying energy technologies in a way that prevents, minimizes and mitigates impacts on migratory birds and their habitats.
www.worldmigratorybirdday.org/

May 11 - 17
Global Land Forum, Dakar, Senegal

Conference theme: Land Governance for Inclusive Development, Justice & Sustainability: Time for Action
The Global Land Forum is a unique event that brings together over 500 grassroots organisations, activists, local and international NGOs, researchers, multilateral organisations and government agencies from around the world. It is organised every two years by the International Land Coalition which works to promote secure access to land for rural people. The Forum seeks to advance understanding of the complex and dynamic political, economic, environmental and social linkages between land governance, food security, poverty and democracy.
globallandforum.org

May 15
International Day of Families

2015 theme: Men in charge? Gender equality and children's rights in contemporary families
International Day of Families highlights the importance of families as basic units of society and provides an opportunity for governments, organizations and individuals to promote understanding of the problems, strengths and needs of families.
This years theme draws attention to gender equality and children's rights in family law frameworks around the world.
undesadspd.org/Family/

May 15 - 16
Global Elementary Model United Nations, Dallas, TX, USA

2015 theme: Post-2015 Development Agenda
Every year since 1990 Elementary and Middle School children from several countries participate in this unique Model United Nations, role playing different governments in response to various issues before the UN General Assembly and the governing bodies of different UN Agencies. Over the years more than 6,000 children have taken part. Model United Nations are common around the world at high school level - elementary and middle or intermediate school programs are not so common.
GEMUN is an excellent hands-on approach to learning in a global context. By role-playing delegates to the United Nations, young people from varied backgrounds learn about other countries, cultures and international relationships, while developing a global perspective on real issues confronting the world community today, and acquiring many transferable skills.
www.unol.org/gemun/

May 17
World Telecommunication & Information Society Day

2015 theme: Telecommunications and ICTs: Drivers of innovation
This is a day to reflect on information and communications technology (ICT) which is linking people the world over, as Peter Russell says, in much the same way as are the billions of cells in our own brain. The Day aims to raise awareness of the possibilities that the use of the Internet and other ICTs can bring to societies and economies, as well as of ways to bridge the digital divide between rich and poor.
/www.itu.int/en/wtisd/


May 18 - 19
World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue, Baku, Azerbaijan

2015 Theme: Culture and sustainable development in the post 2015 development agenda.
This third World Forum on Intercultural Dialogue will focus on projects and programmes dedicated to the 21st of May World Day for Cultural Diversity, as well as the role of faith, religions, migration, sport, education, art and business in building trust and cooperation among cultures and civilizations. The Forum is organized by the government of Azerbaijan with the cooperation of UNESCO, the UN Alliance of Civilizations, the Council of Europe and the UN World Tourism Organization.
www.bakuforum-icd.az

May 18 - 22
UN Post-2015 Intergovernmental Negotiations: Follow-up & Review

In September the major re-focus of the United Nations Development Agenda will take its final form with a Declaration of a set of transformative Sustainable Development Goals to guide and inspire action for the next 15 years. During this negotiation session governments will focus on how the Goals and Targets will be inmplemented and on Global Partnership for Sustainable Development.
These negotiations are all of enormous significance as a new vision of the future takes its final shape
sustainabledevelopment.un.org
sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdgsproposal

May 19 - 22
UNESCO World Education Forum, Incheon, Republic of Korea

The World Education Forum 2015 will provide a unique platform for global leaders in education, ministers, policy-makers and representatives of civil society, teachers, experts and the private sector to take stock of achievements and shortfalls in the implementation of the Education For All goals and education-related MDGs, and to agree on a joint position for the education goal and targets in the post-2015 development agenda, which will be adopted by UN Member States at a Summit in September 2015. It will also be an opportunity for the international education community to chart the way for the implementation of the post-2015 education agenda through a Framework for Action.
en.unesco.org/world-education-forum-2015

May 20 - 21
Business & Climate Summit 2015, UNESCO HQ, Paris, France

Conference theme: Working together to build a better economy
200 days before the UN Climate Change Conference in Paris, the May 20-21 Business & Climate Summit provides a unique forum for business and government leaders to demonstrate bold action, adopt forward-looking strategies and call for ambitious policies that will allow us to scale up solutions. On May 20 the focus will be Business Solutions Toward a Low-Carbon Economy; May 21 will focus on Realising the Vision : Accelerating the Solutions Roll-out.
The Summit is the key event in a wide series of conferences and programes as part of Climate Week Paris, May 18-24. The Week is organised by an international association of government and business leaders, The Climate Group. www.businessclimatesummit.com
www.climateweekparis.org

May 21
World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development

This UN day marks the important role that dialogue between different cultures plays in the overall development of society. A new global consciousness is in process of emerging. While human unity and the oneness of life are greatly valued; the immense diversity of human cultures is also held in high esteem.
Following the events of 11 September 2001, the 185 member states of UNESCO unanimously adopted the UNESCO Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity. The Declaration reflects the conviction that respect for cultural diversity and intercultural dialogue is one of the surest guarantees of development and peace.
www.un.org/en/events/culturaldiversityday/
Facebook Do One Thing for Diversity and Inclusion
www.facebook.com/events/

May 29
International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers

A Day to honour the men and women serving in UN peacekeeping duties. A new role is emerging for the military in all nations: peacekeeping in times of heightened tension. Check out the UN website for the Day to deepen your understanding of the UN's peacekeeping activities.
www.un.org/en/peacekeeping/
www.un.org/en/events/peacekeepersday

May 31
World No-Tobacco Day

Theme for 2015: Stop illicit trade of tobacco products
Since May 1999, the World Health Organisation has been co-ordinating an international political process inspired by the idea that every tobacco related death is preventable. Tobacco use is one of the leading preventable causes of death. The global tobacco epidemic kills nearly 6 million people each year, of which more than 600,000 are people exposed to second-hand smoke.
The WHO (World Health Organization) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control which came into force in 2005 has become one of the most widely embraced treaties in UN history with over 180 parties.
www.who.int/tobacco/wntd/en/