Read this online at www.intuition-in-service.org/newsletter/May16.html


Please Hold in the Light
May 2016

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 invoke the aid of the Forces of Light in support of these events.

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.

Sustainable Development Goals & Climate Change 
These International Days and events reflect important themes in the mobilization of energies to:
  • End poverty, inequality and climate change by 2030 through practical actions to achieve the new Sustainable Development Goals
  • engaging people of goodwill all over the world in a common movement.
 
2016 United Nations International Year
 
2017 United Nations International Year
 
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 gather for silence in the UN Meditation Room at UN Headquarters, New York on April 7 from 12.45 - 1.15 PM and for silence and discussion at the Baha'i International Community, UN Office, 866 United Nations Plaza, New York, on May 19 from 1.30 - 2.45pm.
 
 
 

May Please Hold These Events in the Light


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 1
International Permaculture Day

2016 Theme: FEED SOILS and PEOPLE WITH PULSES — celebrating INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF PULSES
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 Pulses
www.permacultureday.org

May 1 - 7
International Compost Awareness Week

Activities are held in a number of countries to raise awareness about the importance of composting in building healthy soils.
www.homecomposting.org.uk/
compostingcouncil.org/icaw/
www.compostweek.com.au


May 2 - 6
World Summit on the Information Society Forum 2016, Geneva, Switzerland

The World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Forum is the world's largest annual gathering of the Information Communication Technologies (ICT) for Development community. The Forum is jointly organized by UN agencies: ITU, UNESCO, UNDP and UNCTAD.
A major focus of the Forum will be on the use of ICT to support the implementation the SDGs.
www.itu.int

May 3
World Press Freedom Day

2016 Theme: Access to Information and Fundamental Freedoms - This Is Your Right!.
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

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

May 4 - 15
Break Free from Fossil Fuels : Global Action Campaign

A global wave of mass actions will target the world’s most dangerous fossil fuel projects, in order to keep coal, oil and gas in the ground and accelerate the just transition to 100% renewable energy.
Actions will take place in at least 12 countries, including Canada, US, UK, Brazil, Nigeria, Germany, Turkey, Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand. breakfree2016.org/

May 9 - 20
UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues

2016 theme: Indigenous peoples: conflict, peace and resolution
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.
www.un.org/development/

May 10
World Migratory Bird Day

2016 theme: … and when the skies fall silent? Stop the illegal killing, taking and trade!
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 2016 theme encourages civil society and governments to work together to stop illegal killing and taking of migratory birds. The protection of migratory birds has been coordinated at the international level since the beginning of the twentieth century. Migratory birds were once synonymous with abundance, and seen as a gift coming from the sky. Historically, people have hunted wildlife for a variety of reasons – food and sport - and in the past, such activities were conducted at a scale that was sustainable. In many cases, however, this is no longer true.
www.worldmigratorybirdday.org/

May 10 - 11
In a World of Risks: A New Commitment for Peace. High Level Debate at UN General Assembly

This event will be a platform to identify key threats and engage in a strategic reflection about today's challenges to international peace and security. Furthermore, it will allow for a consideration about the means, tools and instruments available within a UN-context to tackle these challenges as well as the responsibilities and institutions required for an effective collective security architecture.
www.un.org/pga/70/events/

May 13 - 14
Global Elementary Model United Nations, Dallas, TX, USA

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.
www.unol.org/gemun/

May 14
World Fair Trade Day

2016 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 15
International Day of Families

2016 theme: Families, healthy lives and sustainable future
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 the importance of family-oriented policies in meeting the Sustainable Development Goals and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. .
www.un.org/development/

May 17
World Telecommunication & Information Society Day

2016 theme: ICT entrepreneurship for social impact
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 19 - 22
Global Pulse Convention, Çesme, Izmir, Turkey

During this International Year of Pulses this Convention is of special significance as attention focuses on increasing the role played by pulses in ending hunger and promoting sustainable agriculture.
globalpulseconvention2016.com/

May 21
World Invocation Day & Festival of Humanity

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 Sustainable Development Goals will be achieved.
This is the third of three major spiritual festivals in the annual cycle of full moon festivals described by Alice Bailey (Easter - Wesak and the Festival of Humanity). As well as being the Festival of Humanity and the Christ's own Festival, the day is celebrated as World Invocation Day when people of goodwill are encouraged to use the world prayer, the Great Invocation, to invoke universal qualities of Light Love and Spiritual Purpose. God's purpose for humanity, the divine Plan, works out as human beings respond, organically and often unconsciously, to these higher energies.
In a special World Invocation Day radio broadcast in 1952, Eleanor Roosevelt, wife of US President Franklin D Roosevelt, and one of the pioneering visionaries behind the universal Declaration of Human Rights, recorded the Great Invocation. Listen to this broadcast here.
Register for the annual global Vigil when people around the world sign up for specific times to ensure that the Great Invocation is sounded every 15 minutes of the 24 hours of World Invocation Day - details at www.meditationvigil.org
www.worldinvocationday.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

May 23 - 24
World Humanitarian Summit, Istanbul, Turkey

Through a series of crises, the world is witnessing the highest level of human suffering since the Second World War. As a result the UN is, for the first time in its history, convening this World Humanitarian Summit. In a special report UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called on world leaders to resolve at the Summit to place people's saftey, dignity, and right to thrive at the heart of global decision making.
www.worldhumanitariansummit.org
sgreport.whsummit.org/

May 27 - 29
Integral Ecology, Earth Spirituality & Economics: Annual European Spirituality in Economics and Society Institute Conference, Bodo, Norway

The European SPES Institute is an international network of individuals and organizations promoting spirituality in economic and social life.
www.eurospes.org

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/

May 31
World No-Tobacco Day

Theme for 2016: Get ready for plain packaging
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/