 Global Integration UpdatesCommon Ground for the Common Good Be the people we need--Build the world we need
We the peoples of the United Nations determined to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, which twice in our lifetime has brought untold sorrow to mankind, and to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small, and to establish conditions under which justice and respect for the obligations arising from treaties and other sources of international law can be maintained, and to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom...Preamble, UN Charter
In this Update we share five examples of the UN's many designated International Days (see the full list HERE). We encourage you to identify some of these special days which are most important for you and to consider ways for engaging in them.
--International Day of Education, 24 January--World Environment Day, 5 June--World Refugee Day, 20 June--International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, 26 June--International Anti-Corruption Day, 9 DecemberWe are also joining with others today around the world to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the signing of the United Nations Charter (26 June 1945). You can watch a short "vintage" USA news reel about it HERE and a short "vintage" British news reel HERE. Keep in mind that we are supportive of the UN in general, although not uncritically.Finally, we continue in solidarity in navigating the many challenges during the protracted COVID-19 pandemic. As a reminder, we note that the many major, overlapping issues in our world continue unabated even as the pandemic takes center stage globally: multi-dimensional poverty, protracted violence, human rights violations, gross inequalities, mental ill health, environmental degradation, etc.
Resources to help cope with the corona virus:
--Managing Stress and COVID-Distress: Faith-Inclusive Resources
Global Integration Update (June 2020)
--Staying Sane During COVID-19: Mental Health Resources for Ourselves, Others, World Global Integration Update (May 2020)
--Confronting COVID-19: “Be smart. Be safe. Be kind.”
Global Integration Update (April 2020)
Warm greetings,
Kelly and Michèle
 
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Featured ResourcesThe United Nations at 75Engaging in International Days United Nations Geneva
And for these ends to practice tolerance and live together in peace with one another as good neighbours, and to unite our strength to maintain international peace and security, and to ensure, by the acceptance of principles and the institution of methods, that armed force shall not be used, save in the common interest, and to employ international machinery for the promotion of the economic and social advancement of all peoples...Preamble, UN Charter
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--International Day of Education, 24 January“Education is a human right, a public good and a public responsibility. The United Nations General Assembly [on 3 December 2019] proclaimed 24 January as International Day of Education in celebration of the role of education for peace and development. Without inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong opportunities for all, countries will not succeed in achieving gender equality and breaking the cycle of poverty that is leaving millions of children, youth and adults behind. Today, 258 million children and youth still do not attend school; 617 million children and adolescents cannot read and do basic math; less than 40% of girls in sub-Saharan Africa complete lower secondary school and some four million children and youth refugees are out of school. Their right to education is being violated and it is unacceptable. The 2020 celebration [positioned] education and the learning it enables as humanity’s greatest renewable resource and reaffirm the role of education as a fundamental right and a public good. It [celebrated] the many ways learning can empower people, preserve the planet, build shared prosperity and foster peace.” (from website)
See also: UNESCO’s 2020 Global Education Monitoring Report: Inclusion and education – All means all.
--World Environment Day, 5 June“ World Environment Day, hosted by Colombia this 2020, is the most renowned day for environmental action. Since 1974, it has been celebrated every year on 5 June: engaging governments, businesses, celebrities and citizens to focus their efforts on a pressing environmental issue. This year, the theme is biodiversity – a concern that is both urgent and existential. Recent events, from bushfires in Brazil, the United States, and Australia to locust infestations across East Africa – and now, a global disease pandemic – demonstrate the interdependence of humans and the webs of life, in which they exist.” (from the website)
See also: UNEP's Reports and Stories (on main page of website)
--World Refugee Day, 20 June
“World Refugee Day…celebrates the strength and courage of people who have been forced to flee their home country to escape conflict or persecution [80+ million currently]. {It] is an occasion to build empathy and understanding for their plight and to recognize their resilience in rebuilding their lives…[and] shines a light on the rights, needs and dreams of refugees, helping to mobilize political will and resources so refugees can not only survive but also thrive...World Refugee Day was held globally for the first time on June 20, 2001, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees. Each year, [it] is marked by a variety of events in many countries around the globe in support of refugees. These activities are led by or involve refugees themselves, government officials, host communities, companies, celebrities, school children and the general public, among others.” (from the website)
See also: UNHCR, News and Stories section
--International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, 26 June
"Torture seeks to annihilate the victim’s personality and denies the inherent dignity of the human being. Despite the absolute prohibition of torture under international law, torture persist in all regions of the world. Concerns about protecting national security and borders are increasingly used to allow torture and other forms of cruel, degrading and inhuman treatment. Its pervasive consequences often go beyond the isolated act on an individual; and can be transmitted through generations and lead to cycles of violence. The United Nations has condemned torture from the outset as one of the vilest acts perpetrated by human beings on their fellow human beings. Torture is a crime under international law...
On 12 December 1997, by resolution 52/149, the UN General Assembly proclaimed 26
June the United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, with a view to the total eradication of torture and the effective functioning of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. 26 June is an opportunity to call on all stakeholders including UN Member States, civil society and individuals everywhere to unite in support of the hundreds of thousands of people around the world who have been victims of torture and those who are still tortured today." (from the website; watch the short video on the website focusing on torture rehabilitation-treatment centers)
See also: HealTorture.org
--International Anti-Corruption Day, 9 December“Every year $1 trillion is paid in bribes while an estimated $2.6 trillion are stolen annually through corruption – a sum equivalent to more than 5 per cent of the global GDP. In developing countries, according to the United Nations Development Programme, funds lost to corruption are estimated at 10 times the amount of official development assistance. Corruption is [thus] a serious crime that can undermine social and economic development in all societies. No country, region or community is immune. To mark International Anti-Corruption Day, we will leverage the recognition of the multi-year "United Against Corruption" theme and will continue to support the 2030 Agenda, which forms the backbone of the campaign. In addition, the campaign will also have a youth component.
On 31 October 2003, the General Assembly adopted the United Nations Convention against Corruption and requested that the Secretary-General designate the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) as secretariat for the Convention’s Conference of States Parties (resolution 58/4). The Assembly also designated 9 December as International Anti-Corruption Day, to raise awareness of corruption and of the role of the Convention in combating and preventing it. The Convention entered into force in December 2005. Governments, the private sector, non-governmental organizations, the media and citizens around the world are joining forces to fight this crime. The United Nations Development Programme(UNDP) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) are at the forefront of these efforts.” (from the website Home page and Background page)
See also: Global Integrity Day--Moral Lives Matter, 9 June
Member Care Associates Inc. (MCA) is a non-profit, Christian organization working internationally from Geneva and the USA. MCA's involvement in Global Integration focuses on the wellbeing and effectiveness of personnel and their organizations in the mission, humanitarian, and development sectors as well as global mental health, all with a view towards supporting sustainable development for all people and the planet. Our services include consultation, training, research, developing resources, and publications.
Global Integration (GI) is a framework for actively and responsibly engaging in our world--locally to globally. It emphasizes connecting relationally and contributing relevantly on behalf of human wellbeing and the issues facing humanity, in light of our integrity, commitments, and core values (e.g., ethical, humanitarian, human rights, faith-based). GI encourages a variety of people to be at the “global tables” and in the "global trenches"--and everything in-between--in order to help research, shape, and monitor agendas, policies, and action for all people and the planet. It intentionally links building the world we need with being the people we need.
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