International Day of Solidarity with Detained and Missing Staff Members 2021; March 25

 

Statement by the U.N.Secretary-General on the International Day of Solidarity with Detained and Missing Staff Members 2021.

On the International Day of Solidarity with Detained and Missing Staff Members, we recognize the extreme dangers encountered by so many colleagues as they carry out the vital work of the United Nations.

The threats vary -- from deliberate and deadly ambushes to kidnappings, intimidation and unlawful detention.  But the thread is the same: these are unacceptable obstacles to fulfilling our mandates and advancing peace, sustainable development, human rights and humanitarian assistance around the globe.  National staff are often at particular risk.

As of 15 March of this year, 20 United Nations personnel are in detention, including six arrested this year, five in 2020 and the rest before that.

Meanwhile, peacekeeping operations continue to be targeted; at least 10 of our personnel have lost their lives this year to malicious attacks.

I urge all countries to support the 1994 Convention on the Safety of United Nations and Associated Personnel as well as its 2005 Optional Protocol.  To date, only 95 countries are party to the Convention, and only 33 to the Protocol.

The United Nations will continue its efforts to protect our personnel, and to pursue justice for the perpetrators of attacks.  I thank the Standing Committee on the Security and Independence of the International Civil Service of the United Nations Staff Union for its advocacy and vigilance.

Together, we must do everything we can to ensure that those who undertake lifesaving work around the world have the protection and conditions they need to fulfil their vital mission.

*****
À l’occasion de la Journée internationale de solidarité avec les membres du personnel détenus ou portés disparus, nous mesurons les dangers extrêmes auxquels tant de nos collègues sont exposés dans le travail essentiel qu’ils accomplissent au nom de l’Organisation.

Les menaces sont diverses – embuscades mortelles, enlèvements, actes d’intimidation et détention illégale – mais toutes font obstacle de manière inacceptable à l’accomplissement de nos mandats et à la promotion de la paix, du développement durable, des droits humains et de l’aide humanitaire dans le monde entier. Le personnel recruté sur le plan national est souvent le plus exposé.

Au 15 mars de cette année, 20 membres du personnel des Nations Unies sont en détention, dont 6 arrêtés cette année, 5 en 2020 et le reste avant cela.

Parallèlement, les opérations de maintien de la paix continuent d’être prises pour cibles ; au moins 10 membres du personnel ont perdu la vie cette année dans des attaques malveillantes.

J’engage tous les pays à soutenir la Convention sur la sécurité du personnel des Nations Unies et du personnel associé de 1994 et son Protocole facultatif de 2005. À ce jour, seuls 95 pays sont parties à la Convention et 33 pays au Protocole.

L’ONU poursuivra ses efforts pour protéger les membres de son personnel et faire en sorte que les auteurs d’attaques soient traduits en justice. Je remercie le Comité permanent sur la sécurité et l’indépendance de la fonction publique internationale du Syndicat du personnel de l’Organisation des Nations Unies de ses activités de sensibilisation et de sa vigilance.

Ensemble, nous devons tout faire pour garantir que les personnes qui accomplissent des activités vitales dans le monde entier bénéficient de la protection dont elles ont besoin pour remplir leur mission essentielle dans des conditions appropriées.

International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade 2021, March 25

 Statement by the Secretary-General's at General Assembly on International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade 2021; March 25

Today we honour the memory of the millions of people of African descent who suffered immeasurably under the evil of slavery and the transatlantic slave trade.

We remember with humility the resilience of those who endured.

And we acknowledge the immense contributions slaves and their descendants have made to the economies and culture of the countries to which they were forcibly transported.

We must never forget the daily terror experienced by the enslaved peoples, the unthinkable acts of cruelty they endured, the daily reminder that they could lay claim to nothing, not even their own children.

But the slave traders and owners failed to rob the enslaved peoples of dignity and agency.

We remember the acts of resistance and the demands for justice of enslaved peoples.

We recall the courage of leaders like Queen Ana Nzinga of the Kingdom of Ndongo, now Angola, and Toussaint Louverture, of Saint-Domingue, now Haiti, and the peoples they led.

As we honour those whose names we know, we acknowledge the daily courage of the millions whom we will never know except as names on inventory lists drawn up by slave owners, traders and insurance agencies.

We support initiatives to reclaim, recover and reconstitute the history of those who were enslaved.

We also acknowledge that racism is both a cause and a legacy of slavery.

And we recognize that the impact of the slave trade remains visible in racial injustices and inequalities today.

Ending slavery’s legacy of racism is a global imperative for justice.

The transatlantic slave trade is a global history that continues to resonate.

It created and sustained a system of exploitation that existed for over 400 years.

It devastated the economies of those it enslaved.

And it strengthened the colonial project, enriching its multitude of beneficiaries at the expense of the lives of the enslaved.

The racism at the core of the system built on slavery condemned Africans to enduring second-class status.

To provide justification for the slave trade, Africans were consistently portrayed as less than human.

Racist tropes circulated widely, incorporated into sermons, pamphlets and cultural expressions, and given legitimacy by pseudo-science and legislation.

So, while the transatlantic slave trade ended over two centuries ago, the ideas that propelled it remain alive today.

In Europe, the United States and elsewhere, white supremacists are organizing and recruiting across borders.

According to the Anti-Defamation League, white supremacist propaganda reached an all-time high in 2020.

We must counter all lies of racial supremacy.

The irrefutable fact is that we are all equally part of one race – humankind.

When we forget this basic fact, we imperil ourselves.

Repeated acts of racism, by people and institutions, expose the impact of slavery’s legacy.

Last year, they helped to galvanize a worldwide movement for justice and an end to racism.

We must build on this momentum.

Our Organization is built on the demand for global justice and an end to racism and inequality.

This must include action to redress the wrongs of history.

We need to acknowledge and correct the long-lasting effects of slavery and the transatlantic slave trade.

By tackling inequities and inequalities, by building inclusive communities and economies, and by educating about history, we truly honour the memory of the victims of slavery.

 

United Nations Secretary-General

EVENTS:

International Day for the Right to the Truth Concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and for the Dignity of Victims 2021; March 24

 

Each year, on 24 March, the International Day for the Right to the Truth Concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and for the Dignity of Victims is observed.

FORUM: 2021 as International Year of Peace and Trust.

The purpose of the Day is to:

- Honor the memory of victims of gross and systematic human rights violations and promote the importance of the right to truth and justice;
- Pay tribute to those who have devoted their lives to, and lost their lives in, the struggle to promote and protect human rights for all;
- Recognize, in particular, the important work and values of Archbishop Oscar Arnulfo Romero, of El Salvador, who was assasinated on 24 March 1980, after denouncing violations of the human rights of the most vulnerable populations and defending the principles of protecting lives, promoting human dignity and opposition to all forms of violence. 

EVENTS: "Reimagining Restorative Justice" International Day for the Right to the Truth Concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and for the Dignity of Victims 2021; March 24.

World Tuberculosis Day 2021, March 21

                                       

FORUM: "The clock is ticking"; World Tuberculosis Day 2021

The theme "The clock is ticking" conveys the sense that the world is running out of time to act on the commitments to end TB made by global leaders.

World Health Organization (WHO).

A World TB Day campaign for action! On World TB Day, WHO calls on everyone to keep the promise to:

° Accelerate the End TB Response to reach the targets set in Sustainable Development Goals, WHO End TB Strategy, the Moscow Declaration to End TB and the political declaration of the UN High-Level Meeting on TB.
° Diagnose and treat 40 million people with TB by 2022 including 3.5 million children and 1.5 million people with drug-resistant TB. This is in line with WHO’s overall drive towards Universal Health Coverage and the WHO Director General’s flagship initiative “Find. Treat. All. End TB” jointly with the Global Fund and Stop TB Partnership.
° Reach 30 million people with TB preventive treatment by 2022 so that those people most at risk receive TB preventive treatment, including 24 million household contacts of TB patients - 4 million of whom are children under 5 - and 6 million people living with HIV.
° Mobilize sufficient and sustainable financing to reach USD 13 billion a year to support efforts to end TB; for every USD 1 invested to end TB, USD 43 is returned as the benefits of a healthy functioning society (Economist/ Copenhagen Consensus).
° Invest in TB research to reach at least USD 2 billion a year for better science, better tools and better delivery.

THE CLOCK IS TICKING. IT’S TIME TO KEEP OUR PROMISES. IT’S TIME TO END TB. Join us for an exciting special virtual talk show to commemorate World TB Day on 24 March at 13:00H CET.

The World Health Organization (WHO) is organizing a special virtual talk show to commemorate World TB Day on 24 March. This will put the spotlight on TB in the midst of the ongoing COVID crisis. The theme for the Show and for World TB Day: ‘The Clock is Ticking’ – conveys the sense that the world is running out of time to act on the commitments to end TB made by global leaders. This is especially critical in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic that has put End TB progress at risk, and to ensure equitable access to prevention and care in line with WHO’s drive towards achieving Universal Health Coverage.

The event will take place in a talk-show format with speakers connected by video on WHO’s interactive web-platform- End TB Forum. The main speakers will include Ministers, leaders and other high-level government representatives, Heads of Agencies, TB survivors, civil society and partners. The Show will be broadcast live, with interactive Q&A from the audience online.

World Meteorological Day 2021, March 23

WMO Secretary-General StatementforWorld Meteorological Day, 2021“The Ocean: Our Climate and Weather”

 World Meteorological Day in 2021 is devoted to the theme “the ocean, our climate and weather.” It celebrates WMO’s focus in connecting the ocean, climate and weather within the Earth System. Our changing climate is warming the ocean, having a profound effect on our weather. The WMO’s annual State of the Global Climate report, shows that 2020 was one of the three warmest years on record, despite La Nina cooling in the Pacific Ocean. The past decade from 2011-2020 was the warmest on record. Ocean heat is at record levels, ocean acidification is continuing. Sea ice is melting. The rate of sea level rise has accelerated. During the past year, we have seen prolonged droughts that extended fire seasons throughout the world. Devastating wildfires in Australia, for example, were linked to ocean temperatures influencing drier seasonal climate patterns. Warm ocean temperatures helped fuel a record Atlantic hurricane season, and unusually intense tropical cyclones in the Indian and South Pacific Oceans. The storm surge damage in these areas demonstrated the power of the ocean and its devastating impact on coastal communities. Non-tropical ocean storms continued to wreak havoc aboard ships, with additional losses of life and cargo at sea. In 2020, the annual Arctic sea ice minimum was among the lowest on record. Polar communities suffered abnormal coastal flooding, and sea ice hazards as a result of melting ice. In view of this, the WMO community has a major stake in supporting research, observations, predictions, and services for the ocean as much for as the atmosphere, land, and cryosphere. Major gaps in data over the ocean hinder our ability to accurately forecast weather at extended time scales and, more so, sub-seasonal to seasonal. The WMO Data Conference in November 2020 recognized major gaps in data, particularly over the ocean. It highlighted the need for free and open access to Earth system data, to maximize the overall economic impact of these data. WMO has a large number of partnerships, including with the UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, to better understand, observe, and predict the ocean as part of our Earth System. With more than 40% of the global population living within 100km of the coast, there is an urgent need to keep communities safe from the impacts of coastal hazards. WMO and its Members work to support coastal management and resilience and strengthen Multi Hazard Early Warning Systems. Nearly 90% of world trade is carried across the sea and is exposed to the dangers of extreme maritime weather. WMO partners with the International Maritime Organization and the International Hydrographic Organization to provide standardized information, forecasts and warnings to ensure the safety of life and property at sea. The coming Decade will be a critical one for addressing ways to adapt and mitigate to climate change impacts. WMO is helping in this effort, as a designated Nominator for the Earth Shot Prize (2021 to 2030), seeking solutions for urgent environmental challenges, including the ocean and climate. This year is also important for the WMO to mark the start of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030). WMO is committed to contributing with much of its work integral for the “safe ocean”, “predicted ocean” and “transparent ocean” goals of the Decade. Together with partners, WMO is striving to strengthen the Earth System Science to services. To understand our weather and climate, we must understand our ocean. We will continue working towards this, to protect vulnerable communities and in support of the Sendai Framework for disaster risk reduction, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Paris Climate Change Agreement, and SAMOA Pathway. WMO is leading several important global initiatives during the coming year to address priorities of our members: 1. The importance of enhancing the global basic observing network and putting in place an innovative financing facility SOFF to ensure systematic weather and climate observations especially for LDCs and SIDs 2. Secondly, we are creating a water and climate coalition for accelerating action on SDG 6, which is related to water. 3. And thirdly, we would like to ensure enhance the multi hazard early warning system and services of all our Member Countries. I wish you all a happy World Meteorological Day.

.

FORUM: "The ocean, our climate and weather."World Meteorological Day 2021.

When it comes to the

Weather conditions

and

Climate variation

, most of us think only about what is happening in the

Atmospheric air pressure

. If we ignore the

Ocean basin

, however, we miss a big piece of the picture.

Thr

World Meteorological Day 2021

CEREMONY will start at 1200 GMT with

World Meteorological Organization (WMO)

Secretary-General, Petteri Taalas UN Special UN-Oceans Envoy,

Law of the sea convention

Peter Thomson (who narrated this video)

UN Climate Change

Action envoy Selwyn Hart Director of Germany's

Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research

, Antje Boetius Climate Resilience/Youth Empowerment Advocate, Salvador Gómez-Colón Alexia Barrier, Yachtswoman , 2020–2021 Vendée Globe Rachel Moriarty, Head, Prize Design and Impact,

Earthshot Prize

Ceremony

The ocean is the Earth’s thermostat and conveyor belt; It is hit hard by Climate change. Ocean heat, acidification, sea level rise threaten ecosystems and human and food security. World Meteorological Day highlights how observations, research and services are more critical than ever before for more than 70 percent of the Earth’s surface which is simultaneously increasingly vulnerable and perilous.

1. How the ocean shapes weather and climate?
2. Ensuring safety at sea and on land
3. Observing the ocean
4. Forecasting climate variability
5. The ocean and climate change
6. SDGs and other initiatives

World Water Day 2021; March 22

 Statement by the United Nations General Assembly president on World Water Day 2021, March 22nd,

A year ago, as the world began to shut its doors to the global pandemic, one of the messages we heard most was that we must wash our hands.

We were told that this could help stop the spread of COVID-19.
But what of the 3 billion people who still lack access to basic handwashing facilities? What of the healthcare facilities without running water? Sadly, for many around the world, they have had to face the pandemic without access to even these basic, human needs.
We cannot change what has happened, but we can learn from it.
I am proud to say that today, on World Water Day, the UN General Assembly will wrap up a high-level meeting, on water and the Sustainable Development Goals.
We will hear about those who continue to lack access to water; who do not have proper sanitation; who spend countless hours trekking to water sources.
And we will hear of the encouraging and innovative initiatives underway by the UN System and by civil society groups to help address these problems.
This gives me hope.
My friends, we have so much more to do; this problem will not be solved by a meeting – but it also will not be solved by silence.

By talking, by raising the issue and learning from each other, we can continue to work together to truly achieve clean water and sanitation for all.

Volkan Bozkir, U.N.General Assembly President.

FORUM: "Valuing water"is the theme of World Water Day 2021.

UN-Water sets the annual theme. In 2021, the theme is valuing water. In 2022, it will be groundwater. World Water Day celebrates water and raises awareness of the 2.2 billion people living without access to safe water. It is about taking action to tackle the global water crisis. A core focus of World Water Day is to support the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6: water and sanitation for all by 2030.

Join the Conversation #worldwaterday

Water is a unique and non-substitutable resource. As the foundation of life, societies and economies, it carries multiple values and benefits. But unlike most other valuable resources, it has proven extremely difficult to determine its true ‘value’. The 2021 World Water Development Report on “Valuing Water” assesses the current status of and challenges to the valuation of water across differing sectors and perspectives and identifies ways in which valuation can be promoted as a tool help achieve sustainability. The World Water Development Report 2021 will be launched on the occasion of World Water Day, on 22 March 2021.

International Day of Nowruz 2021, March 21

Statement by António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, on the International Day of Nowruz 2021, March 21.

"Dear friends, Each year, Nowruz marks a new beginning. Last year, the Nowruz celebration coincided with the early days of an unprecedented and devastating global pandemic. This year, the Nowruz spirit is more vital than ever. Solidarity between communities and generations is more crucial than ever. Our promise in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development to leave no one behind is more essential than ever. Today, we can start to see light at the end of the tunnel. As the world comes together to defeat COVID-19, Nowruz serves as an inspiration to recover and rebuild in a more just and durable way, in harmony with nature. I offer my best wishes to everyone marking Nowruz. May this day advance happiness, health and harmony to all."

FORUM: International Day of Nowruz 2021

 Promoting values of peace and solidarity between generations and within families as well as reconciliation and neighborliness.

International Day of Forests 2021, March 21

"Forest restoration: a path to recovery and well-being."


Too precious to lose. International Day of Forests 2021.

When we drink a glass of water, write in a notebook, take medicine for a fever or build a house, we do not always make the connection with forests. And yet, these and many other aspects of our lives are linked to forests in one way or another.

Forest sustainable management and their use of resources are key to combating climate change, and to contributing to the prosperity and well-being of current and future generations. Forests also play a crucial role in poverty alleviation and in the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Yet despite all of these priceless ecological, economic, social and health benefits, global deforestation continues at an alarming rate.
Forest restoration

FORUM: International Day of Forests 2021

The theme of the International Day of Forests for 2021 is "Forest restoration: a path to recovery and well-being." The restoration and sustainable management of forests help address the climate-change and biodiversity crises. It also produces goods and services for sustainable development, fostering an economic activity that creates jobs and improves lives. This year’s theme fits into the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021-2030), a call for the protection and revival of ecosystems around the world.

CAMPAIGN: Preventing, halting and reversing the degradation of ecosystems worldwide.

Statement by the United Nations Secretary-General on the International 2021, 21 March.

Humanity’s well-being is inextricably linked to the health of our planet. Forests play a crucial role.

Forests filter the air we breathe and the water we drink. They regulate our climate, absorbing one-third of the global greenhouse gases emitted each year.

Forests provide habitat to 80 per cent of all known terrestrial species, many of which are under threat. Today, more than 1 million of the planet’s estimated 8 million plant and animal species are at risk of extinction.

Some 1.6 billion people depend directly on forests for food, shelter, energy, medicines and income.

Despite all that they provide, forest loss continues at an alarming rate. We continue to lose 10 million hectares of forests, an area roughly the size of Iceland, every year.

Deforestation also increases the risks of infectious disease outbreaks and pandemics.

This year marks the beginning of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, which calls for action to prevent, halt and reverse the degradation of forests and other ecosystems.

If we fail to act now, we risk a point of no return. But it is not too late to undo some of the damage we have caused.

The crises our planet faces require urgent action by all — governments, international and civil society organizations, the private sector, local authorities and individuals.

Indigenous peoples are leading the way. They care for the Earth’s biodiversity and achieve conservation results with very few financial resources and little support.

On this International Day of Forests let us plant the seeds for a sustainable future by committing to restore and conserve our forests for the benefit of people and the planet.

World Down Syndrome Day 2021, March 21

"CONNECT" is the theme chosen to observe World Down Syndrome Day on March 21st.

In 2020 around the world, we all had to adapt the ways we connect with each other. It was a big challenge and many people have been left behind. But it was an opportunity to find new ways to connect. This can be a positive outcome from the COVID-19 pandemic. For WDSD 2021 we want to focus on improving connections to ensure that all people with Down syndrome can CONNECT and participate on an equal basis with others.

We CONNECT so that we can:
Share ideas, experiences and knowledge,
Empower each other to advocate for equal rights for people with Down syndrome, and
Reach out to key stakeholders to bring about positive change.

FORUM: "CONNECT"  World Down Syndrome Day 2021. 

Join Down Syndrome International online for  10th annual World Down Syndrome Day Conference as a series of virtual events. Speakers will include people with Down syndrome, supporters and advocates, government and UN officials and NGO representatives. They will share their experiences, knowledge and expertise, bringing perspectives from around the world. Connections are key for people with Down syndrome to lead full, meaningful lives and to enable them to fully participate in all aspects of life. Connections enable others to hear their voice.

Session 1 - 10th World Down Syndrome Day Conference - Opening and launch - #CONNECT.

In session 1, we will look at the importance of #CONNECT (connecting) for people with Down syndrome and intellectual disabilities, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting exacerbation of inequalities. We will identify barriers and solutions to connecting to inform COVID-19 recovery plans and to build a future where connecting is possible on an equal basis with others.

Broadcast live on Wednesday 17 March 2021 10:00 AM EDT / 2:00 PM UTC.

SESSION 1 PROGRAMME

This event is captioned in English

---

Session 2 - 10th World Down Syndrome Day Conference - The importance of inclusion and connection in education - barriers, solutions and COVID-19.


Session 2 will explore the vision of inclusive education, the challenges faced in its realisation and the effect of COVID-19 on education around the world. We will see experiences, information and examples of good practice in inclusive education during COVID-19 and innovative strategies for inclusive education during the COVID-19 recovery and beyond.

Broadcast live on Thursday 18 March 2021 10:00 AM EDT / 2:00 PM UTC

SESSION 2 PROGRAMME

This event is captioned in English

---

Session 3 - 10th World Down Syndrome Day Conference - How to #CONNECT - barriers and solutions for people with Down syndrome?


Connections are key for people with Down syndrome to lead full, meaningful lives and to enable them to fully participate in all aspects of life. Connections enable others to hear their voice. Session 3 will showcase good examples of connecting and what it can achieve. Solutions to connecting and innovative projects for removing barriers in the future with be showcased.

Broadcast live on Friday 19 March 2021 11:00 AM EDT / 3:00 PM UTC

International Day for The Elimination of Racial Discrimination 2021, March 21

 António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, on the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (21 March).

Last year, people around the globe took to the streets to protest the vicious global pandemic of racism. They recognized racism for what it is. Dangerous. Abhorrent. Ugly. And everywhere. Racism is a deeply rooted global evil. It transcends generations and contaminates societies. It perpetuates inequality, oppression and marginalization. We see racism in the pervasive discrimination suffered by people of African descent. We see it in the injustices and oppression endured by indigenous peoples and other ethnic minorities. We see it in the repugnant views of white supremacists and other extremist groups. Wherever we see racism, we must condemn it without reservation, without hesitation, without qualification. This year, the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination highlights the important role of youth, who have been in the forefront of the fight against racism. Young people’s attitudes and behaviour will dictate the future shape and look of our societies. So, I appeal to young people everywhere, as well as educators and leaders, to teach the world that all people are born equal. Supremacy is an evil lie. Racism kills. On this day, and every day, let us work together to rid the world of the pernicious evil of racism so all may live in a world of peace, dignity and opportunity.

FORUM: Youth standing up against racism. International Day for The Elimination of Racial Discrimination 2021, March 21

“Youth standing up against racism” is the 2021 theme. It engages the public through #FightRacism, which aims to foster a global culture of tolerance, equality and anti-discrimination and calls on each and every one of us to stand up against racial prejudice and intolerant attitudes.

Young people massively showed their support at the 2020 Black Lives Matter marches, which drew millions of demonstrators worldwide. On the streets, groundswells of youth - mostly teens and twenty-somethings - came together to protest against racial injustice. On social media, they mobilized participation, calling on their peers to speak out, and to stand up for the equal rights of all.

Their activism was all the more remarkable in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw restrictions on public gatherings in many countries. As the virus began to spread in early 2020, a parallel pandemic was unleashed - of hatred, violence and fear against certain ethnicities and nationalities. It quickly became clear that stark inequities, sometimes rooted in racism, had subjected minorities to a significantly higher risk of infection and death.

COVID-19 has heavily impacted young people, including those from minority backgrounds. Many are now grappling with an increase in racial discrimination, in addition to severe disruptions to their education; diminished employment prospects; and limited ability to participate in public life, which stymies their individual and social empowerment.

World Poetry Day 2021, March 21

 

As a part of the global celebration, the UNESCO Creative Cities of Literature, coordinated by the city of Granada (Spain), will undertake a joint celebration themed “Reconnecting People". World Poetry Day is the occasion to honour poets, revive oral traditions of poetry recitals, promote the reading, writing and teaching of poetry, foster the convergence between poetry and other arts such as theatre, dance, music and painting, and raise the visibility of poetry in the media.


As poetry continues to bring people together across continents, all are invited to join in.

FORUM: "Reconnecting People'' WORLD POETRY DAY 2021,

Where would you like to be reading this #WorldPoetryDay?



UNITED KINGDOM: To celebrate National Poetry Day, The British Museum are taking a look at the diverse world of poetry. In fact, this post alludes to the form of a haiku: 5 poems inspired by objects, 7 poems on objects, and 5 miscellaneous poetry-based nuggets from the Museum.

5 poems inspired by objects: You might have heard of John Keats being inspired by various Greek antiquities in the Museum to write his Ode on a Grecian Urn. Or that the statue of Ramesses II in Room 4 has an intimate connection with Shelley’s Ozymandias. It’s also a bit of an epic – so enjoy!

EXHIBIT: This Chinese painted scroll – ‘Reading in the Autumn Forest’ – transports us to the forest near Mount Baiyue (noe Mount Qiyun) in the east of China.

PALESTINE: By paying tribute to the men and women whose only instrument is free speech, who imagine and act, UNESCO recognizes in poetry its value as a symbol of the human spirit’s creativity.