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.
Sustainable Development Goals & Climate Change
These International Days and events reflect important themes in the mobilization of energies to:
- End poverty and inequality and respond to climate change by 2030 through practical actions to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals
- engaging people of goodwill all over the world in a common movement.
2024 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 (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.
Please link in from wherever you are. More information at: www.spiritualcaucusun.org
In May an online virtual gathering, including 30 minutes of silence, will be held on Thursday, May 16, from 2.00- 3.15 pm EDT with a particular focus on supporting the UN. Write for details to spiritualcaucusun@gmail.com.
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May Please Hold These Events in the Light
May 1
May Day / International Worker's Day / Labour Day / Beltane
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/
First observed in 2017, the Day aims to raise awareness of the need for conservation management to ensure the survival of Tuna fish in the wild. Many countries depend heavily on tuna resources for food security and nutrition, economic development, employment, government revenue, livelihoods, culture and recreation.
Between 2014 and 2019 sites where tuna were overfished significantly declined as a result of action by the Common Oceans ABNJ Program.
www.un.org/
fao.org/
May 3
World Press Freedom Day
2024 Theme: A Press for the Planet: Journalism in the face of the environmental crisis
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
Journalists encounter significant challenges in seeking and disseminating information on contemporary [environmental] issues, such as supply-chains problems, climate migration, extractive industries, illegal mining, pollution, poaching, animal trafficking, deforestation, or climate change. Ensuring the visibility of these issues is crucial for promoting peace and democratic values worldwide.
UNESCO's major conference on Press Freedom will be held in Santiago, Chile from May 2 - 4.
en.unesco.org
www.un.org/
May 5
International Permaculture Day
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, now in its fourteenth year, is observed in over 35 countries on the first Sunday in May. It is a day of celebration and action for permaculture around the world.
www.permacultureday.org
May 5 - 11
International Compost Awareness Week
May 6 - 10
UN Forum on Forests, 19th Session, UN HQ, New York
The Forum on Forests was established by the UN Economic and Social Council in 2000 with a main objective to promote "the management, conservation and sustainable development of all types of forests and to strengthen long-term political commitment to this end…".All member states are part of the Forum. In 2017 a Strategic Plan for the sustainable management of forests was established with Six Global Goals.
The High-Level Segment of this years Forum will focus on the theme: Forest-based solutions to the triple planetary crises:
A focus on people, science, technology, and finance”.
www.un.org
May 9 - 10
2024 United Nations Civil Society Conference, UN Office, Nairobi, Kenya
2024 Theme: Shaping a Future of Global and Sustainable Progress.
The UN Civil Society Conference is the premier event on the civil society calendar at the United Nations. The Conference offers civil society organizations an opportunity to put a global perspective on a specific issue and brings together senior UN System officials, prominent international civil society organizations, youth changemakers, academia, public opinion makers, and international media to discuss issues of global concern. This international forum, expected to host some 1500 participants, will provide preliminary discussions and data ahead of the Summit of the Future in September 2024 at the UN Headquarters in New York.
www.un.org
May 9 - 10
Multi-Stakeholder Forum on Science, Technology and Innovation for the SDGs, UN HQ, New York
2024 Theme: Science, technology and innovation for reinforcing the 2030 Agenda and eradicating poverty in times of multiple crises: the effective delivery of sustainable, resilient and innovative solutions
This Ninth annual STI Forum will be closely aligned, as in previous years, with the
High Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development to take place in July.
sdgs.un.org
May 10
International Day of Argania
The argan tree (Argania spinosa) is a native species of the sub-Saharan region of Morocco, in the southwest of the country, which grows in arid and semiarid areas. It’s the defining species of a woodland ecosystem, also known as Arganeraie, which is rich in endemic flora. It is resilient to a harsh environment under water scarcity, risk of erosion and poor soils.
Argan oil is extracted from the seeds of the tree. It has multiple applications, especially in traditional and complementary medicine as well as in cooking and cosmetics. The unique region, where argan trees have been cultivated for centuries combines agricultural biodiversity, resilient ecosystems and valuable cultural heritage. This International Day has been declared to promote the protection and recognition of the tree and eco-system.
www.un.org/
May 10 - 11
Global Elementary Model United Nations, Dallas, TX, USA
Every year since 1990 Elementary and Middle School children from several countries have participated 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.org
May 11
World Fair Trade Day
2024 theme: #BusinessRevolution!
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 sustainable development, especially the economic empowerment of small producers, gender equality in workplaces and responsible production practices.
#BusinessRevolution is the global campaign launched by WFTO to advocate for a new economy populated by businesses that have a positive impact on people and planet.
wfto.com/
May 11
World Migratory Bird Day
2024 theme: Insects
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 Saturday each May and October, 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 2024 campaign will focus on the importance of insects for migratory birds, and highlight concerns related to decreasing populations of insects. Insects are essential sources of energy for many migratory bird species, not only during the breeding seasons but also during their extensive journeys and greatly affect the timing, duration, and overall success of bird migrations.
www.worldmigratorybirdday.org/
May 12
International Day of Plant Health
2024 Theme: Plant health, safe trade and digital technology.
The United Nations designated 12 May the International Day of Plant Health (IDPH) to raise global awareness on how protecting plant health can help end hunger, reduce poverty, protect biodiversity and the environment, and boost economic development.
www.fao.org/
May 15
International Day of Families
2024 theme: Families & Climate Change: International Year Of The Family + 30
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. Marking the 30th anniversary of the International Year of the Family, this year's Day aims to raise awareness of how climate change impacts families and the role families can play in climate action.
www.un.org
social.desa.un.org/
May 16
International Day of Light
The International Day of Light is a global initiative that provides an annual focal point for the continued appreciation of light and the role it plays in science, culture and art, education, and sustainable development, and in fields as diverse as medicine, communications, and energy. The broad theme of light will allow many different sectors of society worldwide to participate in activities that demonstrates how science, technology, art and culture can help achieve the goals of UNESCO – education, equality, and peace.
en.unesco.org/
www.lightday.org
May 16
International Day of Living Together in Peace
In 2018 the UN first observed this annual Day. Particularly through programs on the Culture of Peace, the UN is constantly seeking to mobilize efforts of the international community to promote peace, tolerance, inclusion, understanding and solidarity. The Day aims to uphold the desire to live and act together, united in differences and diversity, in order to build a sustainable world of peace, solidarity and harmony.
www.un.org
May 17
World Telecommunication & Information Society Day
2024 theme: Digital Innovation for Sustainable Development.
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. This years theme will focus on how digital innovation can help connect everyone and unlock sustainable prosperity for all.
www.itu.int
May 18 - 25
World Water Forum, Bali, Indonesia
The World Water Forum is the largest international gathering in the water sector involving various stakeholders, which has been co-hosted by the World Water Council and a host city. The Forum is held every three years and has been taking place since 1997. The World Water Forum is not just a conference: it includes a three-year preparation phase (preparatory phase), a one-week event (event phase), and a presentation of the results (synthesis phase) with ongoing support for collective action
worldwaterforum.org
May 19
World Biodynamic Day
Biodynamics is a holistic, ecological, and ethical approach to farming, gardening, food, and nutrition derived from teachings given by Rudolf Steiner in 1924. Every year at Whitsun the international Biodynamic Federation celebrates World Biodynamic Day.
demeter.net
www.facebook.com
May 19 - 22
The Education World Forum, London, UK
2024 theme: Encouraging AI understanding, Building human relationships and resilience, and accelerating Climate action. How should we prioritise policy and implementation for Stronger, Bolder, Better, Education?
The Education World Forum is the world's largest gathering of education and skills ministers. It comprises three days of insight and inspiration from pioneers, policymakers, and experts, with many sessions given by education ministers themselves as part of an honest assessment of education's common issues and challenges.
www.theewf.org
Every year on this day, the attention of the global public will be drawn to the importance of preserving bees and other pollinators. People will be reminded of the importance of bees for the entire humanity and invited to take concrete action to preserve and protect them. Proposed by Slovenia, the resolution was co-sponsored by 115 UN Member States, including the USA, Canada, China, the Russian Federation, India, Brazil, Argentina, Australia and all the European Union Member States.
www.worldbeeday.org
time.com
www.fao.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
www.unesco.org
May 21
International Tea Day
Tea is the world’s most consumed drink, after water…. Tea production and processing constitutes a main source of livelihoods for millions of families in developing countries and is the main means of subsistence for millions of poor families, who live in a number of least developed countries.
This UN day aims to foster collective actions to implement activities in favour of the sustainable production and consumption of tea and raise awareness of its importance in fighting hunger and poverty.
www.un.org
rimpochatea.com
May 22
International Day for Biological Diversity
2024 Theme: Be part of the Plan
The International Day for Biological Diversity has gained global prominence through the efforts of the United Nations, governments, indigenous peoples and local communities, non-governmental organizations and concerned individuals. Each has highlighted their innovative solutions to the biodiversity crisis to the forefront of global conversations on sustainable development.
“Be part of the Plan”, the theme of IDB 2024, is a call to action for all stakeholders to halt and reverse the loss of biodiversity by supporting the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, also referred to as the The Biodiversity Plan.
www.un.org/en/events/
www.cbd.int
May 23
International Day to End Obstetric Fistula
Obstetric fistula, one of the most serious and tragic injuries that can occur during childbirth, is preventable. A hole forms between the birth canal and bladder or rectum, caused by prolonged, obstructed labour without access to timely, high-quality medical treatment. It can largely be avoided by delaying the age of first pregnancy; the cessation of harmful traditional practices; and timely access to obstetric care.
www.un.org
www.endfistula.org
May 5
United Nations Vesak Day
Vesak is the most sacred day to millions of Buddhists around the world. It was on the Day of Vesak two and a half millennia ago, in the year 623 B.C., that the Buddha was born. It was also on the Day of Vesak that the Buddha attained enlightenment, and it was on the Day of Vesak that the Buddha in his eightieth year passed away.
Since 1999, following a decision by the General Assembly, the United Nations has observed Vesak on the May Full Moon as an acknowledgement of the contribution which Buddhism continues to play to the spirituality of humanity. A special event is held at UN Headquarters in New York, and at selected UN offices.
The Buddha's message of compassion is timeless. In our interconnected world, there can be no peace as long as others are in peril; no security as long as others suffer deprivation; no sustainable future until all members of our human family enjoy their human rights. On this Day of Vesak, let us celebrate the wisdom of Lord Buddha by taking action for others with a strong spirit of solidarity. António Guterres, Secretary-General.
www.un.org/en/events/
May 23
World Invocation Day; Gemini Full Moon
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 met.
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. Watch a video of the Great Invocation in multiple languages; and World Invocation Day videos from Lucis Trust.
worldinvocationday.org
www.lucistrust.org
May 24 - 25
17th International Forum on Ecological Civilization, Claremont, CA, USA
Jointly organised by a number of China-oriented groups (including the Institute for Post-Modern Development of China (USA), the The China Ecological Civilization Research and Promotion Association (PRC), the Center for Process Studies (USA), the China Green Development Associaton (PRC) and the Cobb Institute (USA).
Ecological Civilization moves away from modern industrial civilization. The signs of the times have demonstrated that it will be the next stage of human development. [The Forum] seeks to further promote ecological civilization through research and practice and effectively address current ecological crises facing global community.
postmodernchina.org
May 27 - 30
4th Interational Conference on Small Island Developing States, Antigua and Barbuda
2024 Theme: Charting the Course Toward Resilient Prosperity.
Small Island Developing States face great peril during this time of multiple crises. At this major UN conference, the international community will gather to review SIDS sustainable development progress and propose a new decade of partnerships and solutions to supercharge their path to resilient prosperity.
sdgs.un.org/
May 29
International Day of UN Peacekeepers
A Day to honour those 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.
peacekeeping.un.org
www.un.org/en/events/
May 31
World No-Tobacco Day
2024 Theme: Protecting children from tobacco industry interference
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
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