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Welcome
International Days and major international conferences reflect a growing sense that we are part of One Humanity and One Life. On these occasions there is a special opportunity to serve in the creation of a world that reflects this spirit of Oneness in all its diversity.
As meditators we can symbolically stand together with all those actively working to create right human relations, and invoke the aid of Forces of Light in support of these events.
Sustainable Development Goals & Climate Change
These International Days and events reflect important themes in the mobilization of energies to:
- Build right relations in the world by addressing the causes of serious problems of poverty, inequality and environmental degradation through practical actions to help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030
- engaging people of goodwill all over the world in a common movement.
2026 United Nations International Years
Silence at the United Nations
The Spiritual Caucus at the United Nations gathers subjectively and online(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 first Thursday of the month (October 2), from October to June, Caucus members and others gather in the Meditation Room at the UN HQ in New York, from 12:00 – 12:45 pm for 10-30 minutes in silence together, followed by optional conversation in the nearby cafe afterwards.
Please link in from wherever you are. More information at: http://www.spiritualcaucusun.org/
In January there will be no gathering in the UN Meditation Room for 10 - 30 minutes from 12.00 - 12.45 on January 1 (New Years Day), and you are invited to join an online virtual gathering, including 30 minutes of silence, on Thursday, January 15, from 2.00- 3.15 pm EDT with a particular focus on supporting the UN. Write for details to info@spiritualcaucusun.org.
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January Please Hold These Events in the Light
January 1
World Day of Peace
Established in 1967, under the inspiration of the papal encyclical, Pacem in Terris, World Day of Peace is observed every year by the Catholic Church on January 1st.
In his message for Peace Day 2026, Pope Leo XIV. notes: The Good Shepherd, who gives his life for the flock and has other sheep not of this fold (cf. Jn 10:11,16), is Christ, our peace, who has conquered death and broken down the walls of division that separate humanity (cf. Eph 2:14). His presence, his gift and his victory continue to shine through the perseverance of many witnesses through whom God’s work carries on in the world, becoming even more visible and radiant in the darkness of our times.
The contrast between darkness and light is not only a biblical image describing the labor pains of a new world being born; it is also an experience that unsettles us and affects us amid the trials we face in our historical circumstances. In order to overcome the darkness, it is necessary to see the light and believe in it. Read the full message here.
www.usccb.org
January 1 - 7
7 Days of Rest
7 Days of Rest, January 1-7, is an annual, open co-creative event dedicated to the healing and replenishment of the planet and all its inhabitants. All are invited to enjoy the rich array of offerings, including wisdom teachings, meditations, music, inspirations and more, that are generously offered by the global community.
From January 1–7, all are invited to join in seeding the New Year with a global field of care, coherence and healing, as we gentle ourselves into the loving embrace of Rest.
Slowing down and attuning together to the frequency of Rest, we cultivate a collective re-calibration with Nature's primordial rhythms and regenerative intelligence. In doing so, we nourish an ever-deepening re-connection with ourselves, each other, and all of Life.
www.7days-of-rest.org
January 3
Full Moon — Capricorn
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 are in process of being achieved.
www.lucistrust.org
January 4
World Braille Day
World Braille Day is celebrated by the UN every year on January 4 to commemorate the birth anniversary of Louis Braille, who was born on January 4, 1809, in Coupvray, France.He founded the Braille Code in 1824. The World Health Organization estimates that globally, at least 1 billion people have a near or distance vision impairment that could have been prevented or has yet to be addressed. ... The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, adopted in 2006, has advanced the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities. The Convention considers Braille essential for education, freedom of expression and opinion, access to information and social inclusion.
un.org
January 14 - 17
Global Forum for Food & Agriculture, Berlin, Germany
2025 Theme: Water. Harvests. Our Future.
The GFFA is the global conference that deals with the future of food and agriculture. It brings together experts, politicians, scientists, businesses and civil society to develop solutions for future food security. The political highlight is the world’s largest informal conference of agriculture ministers. The 2026 edition will focus on the following four topics: sustainable water use, strengthening the blue bio economy, finding constructive solutions to competing uses and improving international water governance.
www.gffa-berlin.de
January 15 - February 23
Feast for the Soul: A 40-Day Worldwide Spiritual Practice Intensive
Many people look forward to the annual Feast for the Soul - an annual 40-day spiritual practice journey for self-discovery via mindfulness, meditation, and creating community. You can think of it as a personal retreat whereby you commit and immerse yourself in 40 days of spiritual practice from January 15 through February 23. Whether you meditate, dance, paint, practice yoga, or observe another spiritual practice, the Feast is a beautiful way to begin the new year with a more mindful and compassionate way of living. You are invited to join us in whatever way you can.
What nine months does for the embryo
Forty early mornings
Will do for your growing awareness
Jelaluddin Rumi
feastforthesoul.org
January 20 - 24
World Economic Forum Summit, Davos, Switzerland
2026 theme: A Spirit of Dialogue
The 2026 meeting will be oriented around five interconnected themtic priorities: cooperation in a contested world, unlocking new sources of growth, investing in people, deploying innovation responsibly, and building prosperity within planetary boundaries.
www.weforum.org
January 24
International Day of Education
2026 Theme: The power of youth in co-creating education.
This UN Day celebrates the role of education in peace and development and in the building of sustainable and resilient societies. The 2026 theme reminds us that meaningfully engaging students and youth in co-creating the education they want is essential to meet their aspirations and ambitions. This is particularly true at a time of radical transformation induced by the technological revolution, which calls for rethinking the purpose and modalities of teaching and learning.
UNESCO leads the focus on this Day; particularly through its Futures of Education Initiative which is pioneering efforts to reimagine education in a world of increasing complexity, uncertainty, and precarity.
un.org
en.unesco.org
Futures of Education Initiative
January 26
International Day of Clean Energy
January 27
Holocaust Remembrance Day
2026 Theme: Holocaust Remembrance for Dignity and Human Rights
On this day every year the United Nations commemorates the memory of the victims of the holocaust. Recalling the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the United Nations General Assembly, in designating this International Day, affirmed that the Holocaust, which resulted in the murder of one third of the Jewish people along with countless members of other minorities, will forever be a warning to all people of the dangers of hatred, bigotry, racism and prejudice.
A series of events, including the annual UN Holocaust Memorial ceremony, will be held at UN Headquarters in New York and live-streamed during the period January 17 - January 29.
www.un.org/en/
January 28
International Day of Peaceful Coexistence
Established in 2025, following initiatives from Bahrain's King Hamad Global Centre for Peaceful Coexistence, this UN Day highlights the central role that the building of a culture of peace plays in the UN's mission and in its 2030 Agenda.
Peace is more than the absence of war; it is the ability to live together amid our differences—of sex, race, language, religion, or culture—while upholding the justice and human rights that make such coexistence possible. It is an ongoing process and a long-term goal that demands constant care, vigilance, and active participation from everyone.
www.un.org/en/
khgc.org.bh
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