World Sight Day 2015, October 8

World Sight Day, October 8.
Всемирный день зрения, 8 октября.
Journée mondiale de la vue, 8 Octobre
Día Mundial de la Visión, 08 de octubre.
世界視覺日，10月8日.
يوم البصر العالمي، 8 أكتوبر

Theme 2015 : Eye care for all.
 Тема 2015: уход глаз для всех.
 Thème 2015: Soins des yeux pour tous.
 Tema de 2015: Cuidado de la vista para todos.
 2015年主題：眼部護理所有.
 موضوع عام 2015: العناية بالعين للجميع

World Sight Day 2015 key messages 

World Sight Day (WSD) is an international day of awareness, held annually on the second Thursday of October to focus attention on the global issue of avoidable blindness and visual impairment. The theme of World Sight Day 2015 (WSD13) is: Universal Eye Health. The theme is in keeping with the WHO’s Action Plan 2014-2019 and will be used for the next couple of years as a rolling theme. Each year, however, we will focus on a ‘Call to Action’, and for 2015 it is: Eye care for all.


Key messages
 •    4 out of 5 blind people are needlessly impaired; let’s work together for the elimination of avoidable blindness.
•    About 285 million people are visually impaired worldwide. Preventable causes are as high as 80% of the total global visual impairment burden.
•    90% of the world's visually impaired people live in developing countries.
 •    Invest in eye health – increase budget allocations to address need.
•    Address the human resources crisis in eye health – invest in training, innovation and research
 •    Integrate eye health at every level of the health system.
•    Withdraw user fees to the poorest

 World Sight Day (WSD) is an international day of awareness, held annually on the second Thursday of October to focus attention on the global issue of avoidable blindness and visual impairment. This year World Sight Day falls on 8 October 2015. WSD is co-ordinated by the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB).  WSD became an official IAPB event in the year 2000, and has been marked in many different ways in countries around the world each year since then.

World Sight Day is the focal Advocacy and PR event for IAPB and its members and partners each year, highlighting the fact that 80% of blindness is avoidable (i.e. preventable and/or treatable) – 4 out of 5 people have avoidable visual impairment. WSD provides a platform for organisations to encourage governments, corporations, institutions and individuals to actively support global blindness prevention efforts.

World Sight Day is supported by over 140 IAPB member organisations, which include every major eye care NGO in the world, apex professional bodies for ophthalmology and optometry, teaching hospitals and corporations, united in working together to eliminate avoidable blindness and visual impairment. This year, IAPB challenges amateur and professional photographers around the world to join us in highlighting the impact of eye health in people’s lives, by taking part in an International Photography Competition with theme, ‘Eye care for all’.

 Every year hundreds of activities are planned and executed on World Sight Day.  While many are featured on the IAPB website’s Activity Report, this does not indicate the full scale, as organisers of events are requested but not obliged to report to IAPB. While the global WSD theme, and certain core materials are generated by IAPB, events are organised independently by IAPB member and supporter organisations.

SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES :

World Sight Day this year is on 8 October 2015. In keeping with this year’s call to action, we include a number of suggestions below to help you plan your WSD Activity/Event. We are sure you have more ideas – do share them with us on communications@iapb.org and we will include them on our website and social media pages.

PHOTO COMPETITION  IAPB challenges amateur and professional photographers around the world to join us in highlighting the impact of eye health in people’s lives, by taking part in an International Photography Competition with theme, ‘Eye care for all’.  Send us your pictures – professional shoots, amateur compositions, instagrams or flickr – with the hashtag, #Eyecareforall by 8 October 2015 – World Sight Day.

PLEDGE  This World Sight Day, ask your health official or key stakeholder to join you in pledging support for blindness prevention efforts. Identify a list of activities that you can do locally so that avoidable blindness can be reduced in your area of work. Then, invite the community to pledge support so that there is “no more avoidable blindness” in the community.

BLINDFOLD IMPORTANT STATUES 
Blindfolding important statues in your area can be a great media opportunity! By blindfolding an important statue, you can draw attention to the issue of avoidable blindness and visual impairment, including the many solutions that you help implement.  You could also invite celebrities or government functionaries to blindfold themselves and (temporarily) experience blindness – always a great media moment!   

WALKS AND RALLIES
World Sight Day is also a great time organise walks and public rallies. The WSD promotional material this year also includes designs for balloons – a very colourful way to make your presence felt. The promotional pack sent out this year also includes a few sample balloons for you to use.

EYE EXAMINATIONS

 WSD is a great day for awareness raising and informing potential customers and donors of the causes of avoidable blindness and means of eradicating them. If the focus is cataract, glaucoma, refractive errors or diabetic retinopathy, it all begins  with an eye exam. This year, for the week leading up to World Sight Day organise a chain – ask every customer who walks in for an eye exam to bring in two more customers. Inform them of the need to get one’s eyes tested.

WORLD SIGHT DAY CHALLENGE  

Optometry Giving Sight is urging all members of the optical community and anyone who values good vision to take part in the World Sight Day Challenge for the month of October. The World Sight Day Challenge is the largest annual global fundraising campaign to address avoidable blindness caused by uncorrected refractive error. Participating is easy – simply make a monthly or annual donation during October!

OTHER SUGGESTIONS FOR WORLD SIGHT DAY ACTIVITIES:  

•    Why not hold a Gala Event?  Either organised by your organisation or follow the IAPB theme and join forces with other like-minded organisations and organise an extravaganza!
•    Encourage your Minister of Health & local celebrities to sign a Declaration of Support
•    Distributing Vitamin A to children in your area makes for great photo opportunities for media
•    Set up an eye screening centre and encourage people to get their eyes tested for World Sight Day
•    Take up the challenge to perform the most eye surgeries around the world in celebration of WSD
•    Raise awareness of the issues of avoidable blindness and WSD through public education in schools, during sponsored activities, including readathons and competitions etc
•    Gain pro-bono advertising to raise awareness
•    Produce a poster to be used alongside the official IAPB WSD Poster which can be used at events, in retail outlets and other locations
•    Hold a musical concert in the dark or other black out events – e.g. dinner/theatre/light projection of WSD logo on buildings etc
•    Live internet link-ups to events/operations/screenings etc and share your WSD celebration with others around the world
•    Hold AMAs on Reddit. Use Instagram or Pinterest and spread the word.

 If all stakeholders commit to making the effort in planning and working together on the suggested activities for World Sight Day, events will take place in even more countries than last year.  It does not matter how small an event you organise, the important thing is to take part and raise awareness of avoidable blindness.

Below are some simple ‘event production’ guidelines to aid all member organisations in running events:

1.    Start planning events and activities NOW.  Brainstorm ideas and communicate with all your regional and country offices to get as many things happening as possible.
2.    Ensure that any ‘Minister of Health Events’ are run in conjunction with the government supporting a solid eye health programme plan.
 3.    Presentation material is available for speakers on Microsoft Powerpoint slide programmes; Video footage is available on IAPB’s Youtube channel.  
4.    If you are planning to have media attend the event – ensure you have press packs available for them (see the basic WSD Press Pack Material list).
5.    Make sure you capture your event on camera!  Do send us feedback and a report of your event to communications@iapb.org

Three dimension to cosider when moving towards universal coverage

Advocacy

• WHO Action Plan
• SDGs Post-2015
• World Sight Day
• European Coalition

World Habitat Day 2015, October 5.

World Habitat Day, October 5.
 Día Mundial del Hábitat, 5 de Octubre.
世界人居日，10月5日.
 Всемирный день Хабитат, 5 октября.
 Journée mondiale de l'habitat, le 5 Octobre.
 اليوم العالمي للموئل، 5 أكتوبر

 Theme 2015 : Public Spaces for all .
 موضوع عام 2015: الأماكن العامة لجميع
 主題2015：公共空間為所有.
 Тема 2015: Общественные места для всех.
 Thème 2015 : Espaces publics pour tous.
 Tema 2015: los espacios públicos para todos.

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s message on World Habitat Day 2015.

Safe, Easy Access to Public Spaces for Poor Citizens Vital to Achieving Equality, Ending Discrimination, Secretary-General Says in Message on World Habitat Day

Each year on World Habitat Day, we reflect on the state of human settlements and on what we want the cities of the future to look like.
This year’s observance follows the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development — an inspiring new framework that will guide our efforts to end poverty and ensure prosperity for all on a healthy planet.
The new Sustainable Development Goals — which include SDG 11 to “make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable” — represent a broad international consensus that recognizes sustainable urban development as a transformational approach.  As part of an integrated agenda, cities and human settlements have an important role to play across the entire spectrum of the 2030 Agenda.
The theme of World Habitat Day 2015 is “Public Spaces for All”.  Frequently overlooked and undervalued, public spaces are increasingly being recognized as the vibrant, beating hearts of the world’s towns and cities, which are today home to half of humanity.
Public spaces are crucial for poor and vulnerable citizens.  Improving access to them and making them safe for women and girls increases equity, promotes inclusion and combats discrimination.  High-quality public spaces encourage people to communicate and collaborate with each other, and to participate in public life.  Public spaces can also provide basic services, enhance connectivity, spawn economic activity and raise property values while generating municipal revenue.  But successful public spaces do not just happen; they require careful collaboration among local authorities, local inhabitants and other actors.
The Habitat III Conference, to be held in Quito in October 2016, offers an opportunity to point the way towards solutions to the challenges of rapid urbanization.
I look forward to working with all partners to make Habitat III a success — and to enable people everywhere to enjoy public spaces where we are equal, where our cultures and histories are reflected, and where we can shape a future that is safe and sustainable for all.

Ban Ki-moon, United Nations.

The Urban Law Database

  Message of the UN-Habitat Executive Director Dr. Joan Clos on World Habitat Day 2015.

Public Spaces for all

This year we start the Urban October celebrating the World Habitat Day and reflecting on Public Spaces for All. We do it in a  partnership between UN-Habitat and the HeforShe initiative promoted by UN-Women. It aims to engage men and boys, one half  of humanity, in removing the social and cultural barriers that prevent the other half of humanity from achieving their potential. This  partnership examines and promotes the role for men and women alike in the creation of gender-equal public spaces for all. 

Good  public spaces enhance community cohesion and promote health, happiness, and well-being for all citizens as well as fostering  investment, economic development and environmental sustainability. The character of a city is defined by its streets and public spaces. From squares and boulevards to neighbourhood gardens and  children playgrounds, public space frames city image. The connective matrix of streets and public spaces forms the skeleton of the  city upon which all else rests. Public space is a vital component of a prosperous city. Well designed and managed public space is a  key asset for a city’s functioning and has a positive impact on its economy, environment, safety, health, integration and connectivity. 

The quality of life for people in cities is directly related to the state of its public spaces. Public space provides room for social and cultural interaction and can foster a sense of belonging and pride in an area. A public  space that is open to all, regardless of ethnic origin, age or gender, provides a democratic forum for citizens and society. Public space  can bring communities together, provide meeting places and foster social ties. These spaces shape the cultural identity of an area,  are part of its unique character and provide a sense of place for local communities. Sharing common spaces is the soul of the city. Where public space is inadequate, poorly designed, or privatized, the city becomes increas¬ingly segregated. The result can be a  polarized city where social tensions are likely to flare up and where crime and violence rises.

A mixed and diverse public space (use,  users, design, state, time, etc.) provides a place that is vibrant and busy automatically reducing insecurity. Many cities are developing policies that promote compact, liveable areas, with adequate public space that facilitate public transport,  encourages walking and cycling, thereby reducing carbon emissions. Public space is critical for environmental sustainability. Green  and open public space brings many important environmental benefits such as, the cooling of air and the absorption of atmospheric  pollutants. The significant increase in hard surfacing and the reduction in green spaces lead to higher temperatures in towns and  cities. Vegetation in the public space can help to redress this imbalance.

Although a good city performance is not only about the amount of public space; we see successful urban grids when public space  is in balance with buildable plots. Like in a perfect yin and yang, a city should allocate to open spaces, parks, squares and plazas at  least the same proportion as to private space.  Given the importance of public spaces, it is worrying that provision of public space is limited in many cities, that access to public  space is becoming more and more controlled and that often cities lack comprehensive knowledge of the public space they have and  management mechanisms to enhance its quality, access and benefits.

In addition, tools for creating and protecting public spaces  are not widely applied and accessible to cities across the world, and in particular in developing countries. An enormous local asset  is undervalued and underutilized. We should all ensure that in the framework of the ‘Transforming our World – the 2030 development agenda’, especially SDG 11,  which formulates the ambition to make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable – we reflect on the  need to plan and manage public spaces.

The New Urban Agenda to be defined in Habitat III in Quito in 2016 will provide a unique  opportunity to implement the 2030 development framework and deal with the challenges of urbanization in the next two decades.

FORUM : World Habitat Day - October 5

The United Nations has designated the first Monday of October of every year as World Habitat Day. The purpose of World Habitat Day is to reflect on thestate of our towns and cities, and on the basic right of all to adequate shelter. It is also intended to remind the world that we all have the power and the responsibility to shape the future of our cities and towns.

World Urban Campaign

EVENTS :

HABITAT III   : The United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development - Quito, Ecuador. 17-20 October 2016

DESIGN COMPETITION : Highlighting and recognizing designs and designers that will best depict the state of our towns and cities today.

URBAN NIGHTS :An initiative for an outdoor, picnic style screening to: bring people together, promote local talent and utilize open spaces.

RESOURCES :

•  Human Settlements
• Urban October 2015 
• World urban Campaign

World Habitat Day

Streets and public spaces have often been overlooked and undervalued, but are increasingly being considered the backbone of cities.
Publlic spaces are places which are accessible and enjoyable by all without a profit motive and take on various spatial forms, including parks, streets, sidewalks, markets and playgrounds.
In 2011, UN-Habitat adopted resolution on sustainable urban development through access to quality urban public spaces.

Good public spacesenhance community cohesion and promote health, happiness, and well-being for all citizens as well as fostering investment, economic development and environmental sustainability.
Well designed and managed public spaces and streets are a key asset for a city’s livability and economy:
 

• Increases property values
• Multiplies retail activity
• Enhances safety
• Fosters social cohesion and equality
• Improves health and well-being
• Improves the environment
• Makes the city more attractive
• Promotes more effective and efficient transportation and mobility

The proposed Sustainable Development Goals highlight Public Spaces as a key and important topic. “Sustainable Development Goals, (Proposed Goal 11 Target 7 – By 2030, provide universal access to safe, inclusive and accessible green and public spaces, in particular for women and children, older persons and persons with disabilities).” It is in this regard that UN-Habitat together with the main partner for World Habitat Day 2015, UN Women, are honoured to celebrate and launch this theme during Urban October 2015.

World Cities Day

How to raise awareness in your city

• Draw attention to World Habitat Day, and its theme, the challenges and issues around Public Spaces, especially with regard to women, the youth, children, older persons and persons with disabilities.
•  Raise awareness through mass and social media: press articles, radio and television, newspapers, exhibitions, organize press conferences and broadcast video and audio spots, facebook, twitter, Instagram
• and YouTube engaging policy makers, government officials, academics, other professional and community representatives.
• Organize high-level meetings and discussions with national, regional and local governments on the theme towards realization of the proposed Sustainable Development Goal on Cities and Human Settlements (SDG Goal 11, Target 7) and Habitat III.
• Local authorities and governments may launch a new public space, or establish by-laws or policy to ensure safety in public spaces.
• Plan an event or activity in existing public spaces in your city. Promote and raise awareness for the need for access to public spaces to all.
• Organize fund raising, recreation or entertainment activities like sports activities or concerts and use the proceeds to upgrade a common space, a street, a park or a market.
• Sponsor projects that make public spaces safe and inclusive. These may include; installing security lighting and cameras, donating a sanitation facility, build seating areas, or planting trees and grass in a public space.
• Participate in the Urban October Design Competition.
• Organize a themed Urban Nights event.
• Promote #HabitatDay and HabitatIII on Social Media.
• Download and share the World Habitat Day campaign kit with your network.
• Register your planned activity below or submit your photo at www.urbanoctober.org/whd

World Teachers' Day 2015, October 5.

World Teachers' Day, October 5.

Journée Mondiale des enseignants, 5 Octobre.

 Всемирный денв учителя, 5 октября.

世界教師日, 10月5日.
Día Mundial de los Docentes, 5 de Octobre.
ليوم العالمي للمعلمين، 5 أكتوبر

Theme 2015 : Empowering teachers, building sustainable societies.

Theme 2015 : Un personnel enseignant fort pour des sociétés durables.

Tema 2015 : Empoderar al profesorado para construir sociedades sostenibles.

2015 года :   Расширение прав и возможностей учителей, создание устойчивых обществ.

主題2015：賦權教師，建立可持續發展的社會。

  " تمكين المعلمين، بناء المجتمعات المستدامة" هذا هو شعار اليوم العالمي للمعلمين 2015

 Joint Message on the occasion of the  World Teachers’ Day 2015.

Empowering teachers, building sustainable societies gaps in access and learning.

 Every year on World Teachers’ Day,  we celebrate educators and the central role they play in  providing children everywhere with a quality education . Today, as the global community comes together around the new 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals, the role teachers play has never have been more important. 

The new global education goal, SDG 4 which is at the heart of the Education 2030 Agenda , calls for “ inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all ”. Realising t his goal is critical to achieving all our  global development targets  – for strong societies depend on well-educated cit izens and a well-trained workforce. But we can only realize this agenda if we invest in  recruiting, supporting, and empowering teachers. 

Quality teachers are increasingly recognized as the most important factor in  children’s learning  – and thus, in impro ving educational attainment levels,  increasing the ability of young people to participate in  society and  today’s  knowledge economies, boosting productivity and prosperity.  Especially in poor  communities and countries affected by conflict, quality teaching can literally  change a child’s life  – helping children overcome enormous challenges and  preparing them for better lives and brighter futures. But around the world today, far too many teachers are undervalued and  dis empowered.  There is a mounting shortage of quality teachers, unequal distribution of trained teachers, and inadequate or non-existent national standards  for the teaching profession.  These are all key contributing factors to wide equity.

  The poorest regions and sch ools and the earliest  grades  – those most in need  – are often the most affected. This is a deeply  troubling gap, as study after study shows that reaching children in the earliest years is critical to their development. The UNESCO Institute for Statistic s estimates that to achieve universal primary education by 2020 countries will need to recruit a total of 10.9 million primary  teachers. This is a global education crisis in the making  – unless we act.   

Recognizing the  looming crisis  at the 2015 World Education Forum , held in Incheon, South Korea, leaders  committed to “ensure that teachers and educators are empowered,  adequately recruited, well - trained, professionally qualified, motivated and  supported within well - resourced, efficient and effectively gov erned systems”. The 2015 Oslo “Education for Development”, Summit in Norway,  further  highlighted  the imperative of addressing the shortage of qualified teachers and of investing in  teacher education.  Now, by committing to the  Education 2030 agenda,  the UN Member States agree to substantially increase the supply of qualified teachers, including through  international cooperation for teacher training in developing countries, especially  Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States. This is an important step  – and now we must live up to these commitments.  

To meet the new education goal and all its targets by 2030, we must intensify efforts to provide sufficiently qualified, well deployed, motivated and supported teachers to every school, every community, and every child.  

Governments should redouble efforts to engage in dialogue with teachers and their  organizations and devise concrete policy measures and  strategies to provide appropriate incentives, including competitive remuneration and cle ar career paths to teach in schools located in challenging environments and retain them in the  profession.  

Teachers should be empower ed through the provision of decent working conditions, well- resourced, safe and healthy working environments, trust,  professional autonomy and academic freedom.  

The ILO/UNESCO Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers (1966) , the  UNESCO Recommendation  concerning  the Status of Higher Education Teaching  Personnel  (1997)  and the ILO Policy Guidelines on the Promotion of Decent Work for Early Childhood Education Personnel (2014) are  essential international standards and benchmarks for  the teaching profession. On the first World Teachers' Day  o f a new education agenda of global  development , we appeal to the international community to value, support, and  empower teachers of the world.  For it is they who will educate a new generation of children who, in turn, will carry forward all our goals to build a better world for  all. 

Irina Bokova, Director - General, UNESCO 

Guy Ryder, Director - General, ILO 

Anthony Lake, Executive Director, UNICEF 

Helen Clark, Administrator, UNDP 

Fred van LEEUWEN, General Secretary, Education International

FORUM : 5 October, World Teachers' Day. 

#WorldTeachersDay

 Every year on the 5 October, the World Teachers' Day celebrates and highlights the contribution of teachers towards the education and development of children around the world. The celebration of this year’s WTD comes just after the adoption of the new Sustainable Development Goals (SGDs) in September in New York. This is a unique opportunity to recall the key role that teachers should play in the new education agenda.In May2015 at the Education World Forum (WEF) in Incheon, Korea, participants committed to “ensure that teachers and educators are empowered, adequately recruited, well-trained, professionally qualified, motivated and supported within well-resourced, efficent and effectively governed systems”. Participants at the parallel session “Teachers for the Future we want” recognized furthermore that teacher quality is the most significant condition for learning and that the empowerment of teachers must be considered as a top priority in all education and development strategies. 

How many teachers are needeed to provide every child with a primary education?

Teacher crisis in Sub Saharan Africa

 

Education 2030, Cannot happen without trained teachers in classrooms.

 

Wanted trained teachers in classrooms

EVENTS :   World Teacher’s Day 2015  - Mobilizing for a Roadmap 2030 for teachers.
                    Monday 5 october 2015.
                    UNESCO, Paris

 Part 1:  Official  ceremony
 Part 2:  Panel discussion: " moving ahead towards 2030 "
 Part  3:  Roundtable  " Strong foundation for learning begins with good ECE teachers"

World Teachers Day 2015 - DRAFT AGENDA (Monday 5 october 2015) 10.00 AM - 02.00 PM.

World Teachers Day 2015 - DRAFT AGENDA (Monday 5 october 2015)  02.00 - 5.00 PM

This year’s WTD will address the challenge of mobilizing a roadmap for teachers towards 2030.
A considerable intensification of efforts is needed to provide sufficiently qualified, motivated and supported teachers by the end of 2030. It is still a challenge for education systems around  the world to pay adequate attention to factors affecting teacher effectiveness, such as policies  on training, recruitment, deployment, management, assessment and professional development. Listening to teachers is essential to enlighten current debate on the role of teachers in Education 2030. In this spirit, a panel discussion will be organized with the participation of  teachers from  different countries. Teachers will have the opportunity to share their experiences and discuss their role as teachers in the perspective of 2030.

The post 2015 UN development agenda seeks to achieve inclusive and sustainable global development. Early Childhood Education (ECE) is the foundation for building inclusive and  sustainable societies. The benefits of early support are throughout life and the y extend  throughout society. 

Despite the  increased recognition on the importance of ECE, the teaching personnel have not received the same level of appreciation. Among the entire teaching profession, ECE teachers in  many parts of the world, typically receive minimum or no training, the lowest pay and benefits with no career prospects,  and have low socio - economic status overall. 

For ECE to become a powerful force for tackling discrimination and for bridging gaps of inequity, its teaching force  must be  tho roughly trained and  supported to be able to deliver quality teaching and care. They  must have adequate training and work conditions so that they can integrate the content and  practice of  a holistic  early childhood care and education and  ensure that our youngest children are able to transition smoothly into  primary education. To address the persistent concerns on ECE teachers, a roundtable discussion is organized during the WTD 2015 to discuss ECE as a profession (status, working conditions) and innovations for teaching young children for sustainable future .


Key documents  :

•  UIS fact sheet on teachers 2015 
•  UNESCO eAtlas of Teachers

• The ILO/UNESCO Recommendations EN | FR | SP | AR | RU | CH | PO 
• ILO Guidelines ECE personnel EN | FR  | SP
• GMR policy paper on early grade teaching EN | FR | SP
• Rethinking Education EN | FR | SP | AR
• Empowering teachers: teaching in the post-2015 education agenda EN
• A guide for gender equality in teacher education EN
• Global citizenship education   EN
• The ESD Sourcebook on teacher education EN | FR | SP | AR | KOR
• Integrating sustainability issues in teacher education EN | FR | SP | AR | RU
• Advocacy Toolkit for Teachers EN | FR | SP

International Day of Non-Violence 2015, October 2nd

International Day of Non-Violence‬,‪‎ 2 October‬.

Día Internacional de la No violencia‬, ‪2 de octubre‬.

Международный день ненасилия‬,‪ ‎2 октября‬.

国际非暴力日‬, ‪‎10月2日.

Journée internationale de la non-violence‬ , ‎2 octobre‬.

 باليوم الدولي للاعنف, 2 الأول/أكتوبر

 

Seven Dangers to Human Virtue

United Nations Secretary-General's Message for the International Day of Non-Violence 2015.

This year, as we commemorate the 70th anniversary of the United Nations, the International Day of Non-Violence has special importance.
At a time of escalating conflicts, violent extremism, displacement and humanitarian need, the courage and determination of Mahatma Gandhi, whose birthday we celebrate today, is an inspiration for us all.
Gandhi showed the power of peacefully opposing oppression and hatred. He showed how cooperation and tolerance can prevails over injustice.  He demonstrated the great value of the rule of law in breaking vicious cycles of vengeance.
The United Nations stands for the peaceful resolution of disputes and for mutual respect across culture, faith and other lines that might divide.
The International Decade for the Rapprochement of Cultures, first proposed by UNESCO for the period 2013 - 2022, has generated a wide range of creative projects that demonstrate the power of diversity and dialogue as forces for peace.
The newly 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development can also point the way towards reducing violence.  A more sustainable world will be a safer world.
On this year’s International Day of Non-violence, let us recall the achievements of Mahatma Gandhi -- and renew our commitment to non-violence and lives of dignity for all.

Ban Ki-moon

FORUM : 2 October - International Day of Non-Violence

The International Day of Non-Violence is observed on 2 October, the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi. This day is referred to in India as Gandhi Jayanti.  In January 2004, Iranian Nobel laureate Shirin Ebadi had taken a proposal for an International Day of Non-Violence from a Hindi teacher in Paris teaching international students to the World Social Forum in Bombay. The idea gradually attracted the interest of some leaders of India's Congress Party ("Ahimsa Finds Teen Voice", The Telegraph, Calcutta) until a Satyagraha Conference resolution in New Delhi in January 2007, initiated by Sonia Gandhi and Archbishop Desmond Tutu, called upon the United Nations to adopt the idea.

Non-Violence-Skulptur from Carl Fredrik Reuterswärd in Malmö, Sweden  On 15 June 2007 the United Nations General Assembly voted to establish 2 October as the International Day of Non-Violence. The resolution by the General Assembly asks all members of the UN system to commemorate 2 October in "an appropriate manner and disseminate the message of non-violence, including through education and public awareness." The United Nations Postal Administration (UNPA) in New York City prepared a special cachet to commemorate this event, following a request from the Indian Ambassador at the Permanent Mission of India to the UN. The boxed pictorial cachet design was prepared by the UNPA and was limited to cancellation at UNPA's NY location (not Geneva and Vienna). The UNPA has indicated that all outgoing UNPA mail between October 2 and 31 carried the cache.

International Day of Older Persons 2015, October 1st

 国际老年人日, 10月1日.
Международный день пожилых людей, 1 октября.
 International Day of Older Persons, 1 October.
 Día Internacional de las Personas de Edad, 1 de octubre.
 Journée internationale des personnes âgées, 1er octobre.
 .اليوم الدولي للمسنين، 1 أكتوبر

2015年主题：可持续性与城市对不同年龄人的包容.
Тема Дня 2015: Устойчивость и открытость городов для пожилых людей.
Theme 2015 : Sustainability and Age Inclusiveness in the Urban Environment.
 Tema de 2015: La sostenibilidad y la inclusión de las personas mayores en el entorno urbano.
 Thème 2015 : Durabilité et ouverture aux personnes de tous les âges dans l’environnement urbain.
 .موضوع عام 2015 — الاستدامة وشمول جميع الأعمار في البيئة الحضرية

 

United Nations Secretary-General's Message forthe International Day of Older Persons 2015.

On the 25th anniversary of the International Day of Older Persons, we recognize that older persons are an enormous asset to society and make a significant contribution to global development.
On September 25 at United Nations Headquarters in New York, Heads of State and governments committed themselves to building a sustainable world where no one, regardless of their age or gender, is left behind. In implementing the newly adopted 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, we must account for the demographic changes of the next 15 years. These will have a direct bearing on the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Rapid population ageing and urbanization will increasingly shape our societies. The number of people aged 60 years and above living in cities is projected to grow to more than 900 million by 2050. This will comprise a quarter of the total urban population in developing countries.
The theme of this year’s International Day of Older Persons -- “Sustainability and age inclusiveness in the urban environment” -- highlights the need to make cities inclusive for people of all ages. The United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development (Habitat III) to be held in Quito in October 2016 offers an opportunity to advance this effort.
Making cities inclusive of older persons means generating opportunities for their economic and social participation in accessible and safe environments. It also means providing affordable housing as well as the health and social services needed to support ageing in place.
On this International Day of Older Persons, I call on Governments to make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable so that no one - of any age - is left behind.

Ban Ki-moon

 Statement by Kornfeld-Matte, Independent Expert on the enjoyment of all human rights by older persons.

 Re-think our cities – UN expert calls for older persons’ accessibility to all urban settings 
 25th UN International Day of Older Persons - 

Thursday 1 October 2015  GENEVA (29 September 2015) – Speaking ahead of the celebration of the 25th anniversary of the International Day of Older Persons*, the United Nations Independent Expert on the enjoyment of all human rights by older persons, Rosa Kornfeld-Matte, urges States to improve older persons’ accessibility to urban infrastructure, facilities and services. 

 “We need to re-think our cities. Over 900 million older persons will be living in cities across the world by 2050, but our cities are not fit for this global demographic revolution. 

 The existing barriers in public spaces and buildings, as well as the lack of safe, affordable, accessible and barrier-free housing and transportation obstruct older persons from fully enjoying their rights and from living in dignity and safety in their communities. 

 Urban spaces and design often exacerbate segregation and the exclusion of older persons. This becomes increasingly visible during recovery after disasters and emergency situations in the face of climate change. But in this regard, I am encouraged by the recent adoption of the new 2030 Sustainable Development Goals and hope that States will actually do what they agreed to. 

 Innovative housing, innovative transportation and innovative buildings programmes that make our cities accessible to all are urgently needed. Urban spaces have to be resilient and accessible to older persons, if we want to build inclusive, dynamic, resilient and sustainable cities and communities. 

For cities and environments to be age-friendly, the effective implementation of comprehensive and inter-sectorial policies and planning is required. Regulatory procedures, building codes and mortgage regulations need to take into account the concerns of older persons and reflect their diversity. 

 The Third UN Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development (Habitat III), which will take place in 2016, will be an important occasion for States and other parties to renew their commitments to protect and promote the rights of older persons in urban related context. And I strongly urge all States to include an age perspective and a human rights-based approach into the New Urban Agenda as a matter of priority.  

Urban spaces have to be resilient and accessible to older persons, if we want to build inclusive, dynamic, resilient and sustainable cities and communities. For that, we need to re-think our cities now.”  

(*) On 14 December 1990, the UN General Assembly designated 1 October the International Day of Older Persons. Every year, a theme is selected and many events are organized at the UN headquarters in Geneva and New York to give visibility to the situation of older persons. This year’s theme is: “Sustainability and Age Inclusiveness in the Urban Environment”. 

 Ms. Rosa Kornfeld-Matte (Chile) was appointed by the Human Rights Council as the first Independent Expert on the enjoyment of all human rights by older persons in May 2014. Ms. Kornfeld-Matte served as the National Director of the Chilean National Service of Ageing where she designed and implemented the National Policy of Ageing. She has a long career as an academic and is the founder of the programme for older persons at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile. Learn more, visit: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/OlderPersons/IE/Pages/IEOlderPersons.aspx 

 The Special Rapporteurs are part of what is known as the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures, the largest body of independent experts in the UN Human Rights system, is the general name of the Council’s independent fact-finding and monitoring mechanisms that address either specific country situations or thematic issues in all parts of the world. Special Procedures’ experts work on a voluntary basis; they are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work. They are independent from any government or organization and serve in their individual capacity.

 FORUM : International Day of Older Persons, 1 October

2015 marks the 25th anniversary of International Day of Older Persons (IDOP) and this year the day will focus on the impact older people have on the new urban environment as well as the effect it in turn has on them.
This year’s celebration aims to show that ‘an age inclusive agenda is crucial for sustainable urban environments to promote equity, welfare and shared prosperity for all.’

For many, living in a city as an older person can mean that they are more likely to generate income, have education opportunities and receive access to accessible housing, public facilities and safe transportation.
With the phenomenon that is urbanization, there is now a significant number of people over 60 living in cities. That number is expected to reach 900 million by 2050.

EVENTS : 25th Anniversary of the International Day of Older Persons.
 The 2015 celebration of the 25th anniversary of International Day of Older Persons (IDOP) - UNDESA

  The 2015 IDOP celebration seeks to demonstrate that an age inclusive agenda is crucial for sustainable urban environments to promote equity, welfare and shared prosperity for all.

• Mission Statement
• Flyer of the event

RESOURCES :

• United Nations Programme on Ageing - UNDESA DSPD.
• Ageing and Life Course - World Health Organization.
• Human Rights for Older Persons - OHCHR
•  International Year of Older Persons (1999)
• Global Issues (Ageing)
• NGO Committee on Ageing

UN System

• Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
• International Institute on Ageing
• United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)
• World Health Organization (WHO)
• World Bank

Human rights of older persons

World Tourism Day 2015, September 27

世界旅游日, 9月27日.

Всемирный день туризма, 27 сентября.

World Tourism Day, 27 September.

 Día Mundial del Turismo, 27 de septiembre.

 Journée mondiale du tourisme, 27 septembre.

 يوم السياحة العالمي  - 27 أيلول/ سبتمبر

1 billion Tourist, 1 billion Opportunities - WTD2015.

2015年主题：“十亿名游客，十亿个机会”.

Тема Дня 2015 года «Один миллиард туристов — один миллиард возможностей»

Theme for 2015: "One Billion Tourists, One Billion Opportunities"

 Tema de 2015: «Mil millones de turistas, mil millones de oportunidades».

 Thème 2015 : « Un milliard de touristes, un milliard de possibilités »

 موضوع عام 2015: مليار سائح، مليار فرصة

Message by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on World Tourism Day 2015.

This year´s World Tourism Day highlights the global potential of tourism for socio-economic development.  With more than one billion international tourists now traveling the world each year, tourism has become a powerful and transformative force that is making a genuine difference in the lives of millions of people.

The potential of tourism for sustainable development is considerable.  As one of the world’s leading employment sectors, tourism provides important livelihood opportunities, helping to alleviate poverty and drive inclusive development.

As tourism revolves around encounters between different peoples, the sector can foster multicultural understanding and raise awareness on the need to preserve cultural and natural heritage.

As the world prepares to adopt a new sustainable development agenda, tourism should be recognized for its ability to create jobs, promote local culture and products and champion the conservation and sustainable use of marine and terrestrial habitats.

Let us work together to maximize the immense potential of tourism to drive inclusive economic growth, protect the environment and promote sustainable development and a life of dignity for all.

Ban Ki-moon , UN Secreatary-General

Download Message in PDF

Message by UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai on World Tourism Day 2015.

This year´s World Tourism Day is an opportunity to celebrate the transformative potential of one billion tourists.

Today, more than one billion tourists travel to an international destination every year. These billion tourists have made tourism a leading economic sector, contributing 10% of global GDP and 6% of the world´s total exports.

Yet these big numbers represent more than just economic strength – they reflect tourism´s vast potential and increasing capacity to address some of the world´s most pressing challenges, including socio-economic growth, inclusive development and environmental preservation.

As a sector behind as many as one in eleven jobs worldwide, tourism is a valuable source of livelihood for millions of people. Built around the millions of cross-cultural encounters happening every day in different corners of the world, tourism is also a gateway to greater understanding of the world beyond our borders, the first step in building peace and between communities and nations.

Tourism is more than just about reaching a destination – tourism has a global reach. Every time we travel, we become part of a global movement that has the power to drive positive change for our planet and all people.

This 27th of September, let us celebrate the value of the “One Billion Tourists” and work together in making tourism a true instrument of opportunity and inclusion. Let us all turn the power of one billion into a genuine force for good.
 

Download message in PDF 

Taleb Rifai, UNWTO Secretary-General

Message by Mr. Jean-Claude Dioma, Minister of Culture and Tourism of Burkina Faso  on World Tourism Day 2015.

In 2012, international tourist arrivals crossed the symbolic threshold of one billion for the first time, and forecasts estimate that the two billion mark will be reached by 2030.
These constantly increasing figures make tourism one of the global economy’s most dynamic sectors.

Tourism has demonstrated its capacity to increase competitiveness, create job opportunities, stem the rural exodus, generate revenues and reinforce the sense of pride and self-esteem within communities. 

With its cross-cutting nature, tourism affects virtually all areas of economic activity and has a strong influence on other sectors such as agriculture, construction, handicrafts, trade and especially transport services.

The theme of for this edition of World Tourism Day reminds us of the opportunities offered by the tourism sector for the promotion of new socioeconomic prospects and better livelihoods for communities.

The tourism sector, more than just an opportunity, is certainly a flourishing sector that harbours a billion opportunities for the economic and sociocultural development of our destinations. One billion tourists can become a major source of well-being and sustainable development for the entire planet—one billion opportunities for progress and poverty eradication, especially for developing countries.

Jean-Claude Dioma, Minister of Culture and Tourism of Burkina Faso

Statement by UNODC - United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime on World Tourism Day, 27 September 2015.

This year's theme for World Tourism Day is "One Billion Tourists, One Billion Opportunities," which affirms tourism as a truly global movement that galvanizes development, enhances jobs and helps build better societies.

But, the journeys of one billion tourists across our planet, also provide one billion opportunities for us all to confront the crimes that devastate environments, and rob communities of their livelihoods: crimes such as human trafficking, migrant smuggling, drug trafficking, the theft and trafficking in cultural artefacts, corruption, terrorism, counterfeit goods, and wildlife crime.
These crimes steal from the vulnerable and the fragile and can hinder international efforts to deliver on the promise of the new development agenda.

That is why the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) works with its UN partners, Member States and civil society to encourage awareness among tourists of the illicit services and goods they might encounter on their journeys.

On World Tourism Day, I invite tourists, and everyone associated with the tourism industry, to recognize the situations where individuals may be exploited, or goods trafficked, and to act.
We have one billion opportunities to make the world a safer and fairer place; let us make each opportunity count.

 UNODC Executive Director

FORUM : World Tourism Day - 27 September

Join the conversation : #1billionTourists, #WTD2015

21 million more international tourists in the first half of 2015.

 The number of international tourist arrivals grew by 4% in the first half of 2015 according to the latest UNWTO World Tourism Barometer. Destinations worldwide received some 538 million international tourists between January and June 2015, an increase of 21 million compared to the same period of 2014.

Europe, Asia and the Pacific and the Middle East all recorded 5% growth in international arrivals and the Americas 4%. Limited data available for Africa points to an estimated 6% decrease in the number of international tourists in the region. At the subregional level, the Caribbean and Oceania (both +7%) were the best performers, together with Central and Eastern Europe and Central America (both +6%).

In spite of this overall growth, results by destination are rather mixed. Safety and security remain a global concern while the economic scenario is comparatively more volatile with the recovery of advanced economies contrasting with the slowdown of emerging economies. Tourism demand has also been impacted by lower oil prices and currency fluctuations.

International tourism in 2014 - key trends and outlook

Tourism Highlights 2015 edition - UNWTO

• International tourist arrivals (overnight visitors) increased by 4.3% in 2014, reaching a total 1133 million after topping the 1 billion mark in 2012.

• The Americas recorded the strongest growth with an 8% increase in
international arrivals, followed by Asia and the Pacific and the Middle East (both +5%). In Europe arrivals grew by 3%, while in Africa they were up by 2%.

• International tourism receipts reached US$ 1245 billion worldwide in 2014, up from US$ 1197 billion in 2013, corresponding to an increase of 3.7% in real terms (taking into account exchange rate fluctuations and inflation).

• France, the United States, Spain and China continue to top the rankings by both international arrivals and receipts. Mexico re-entered the Top 10 by arrivals at position 10. By receipts, China and the United Kingdom both moved up two places, to 3 and 7 respectively.

• China, the world’s top tourism source market, has continued its exceptional pace of growth, increasing expenditure abroad by 27% in 2014 to reach a total of US$ 165 billion.

• Forecasts prepared by UNWTO in January 2015 point to a 3% to 4% growth in international tourist arrivals in 2015 – in line with the Tourism Towards 2030 long-term forecast of 3.3% a year.

• By UNWTO region, prospects for 2015 are strongest for Asia and the Pacific and the Americas (both +4% to +5%), followed by Europe (+3% to +4%), the Middle East (+2% to +5%) and Africa (+3% to +5%)

EVENTS :  Burkina Faso will host the Official Celebration 2015. Find out more.

Your event on our map! Share with the global tourism community what you have planned for World Tourism Day 2015.

Created by UNWTO to remind us of the heartbeats behind the tourism statistics, the books capture voices of tourism from countries across the globe – the people who, each and every day, wake to work in the sector, playing their part, making their impact, and sharing their story. We invite you to join us on this journey and live each story with each storyteller, celebrated, one by one.

Tourism Stories Part I: How Tourism Enriched My Life?

Tourism Stories Part II  My Story, My Community, Our Future

LINKS

• Tourism Stories
• The Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report 2015
• Tourism and Poverty Reduction
• Tourism - Driving Trade, Fostering Development and Connecting People
• Tourism & the MDGs
• ILO: Toolkit on Poverty Reduction through Tourism
• Tourism, poverty reduction and gender equality

 The Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report 2015 features the latest iteration of the Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Index (TTCI). The TTCI measures “the set of factors and policies that enable the sustainable development of the Travel & Tourism (T&T) sector, which in turn, contributes to the development and competitiveness of a country.” Published biennially, the TTCI benchmarks the T&T competitiveness of 141 economies. It comprises four subindexes, 14 pillars, and 90 individual indicators, distributed among the different pillars:  

TRAVEL & TOURISM COMPETITIVENESS INDEX 

Enabling Environment 

1. Business Environment (12 indicators) 

2. Safety and Security (5 indicators) 

3. Health and Hygiene (6 indicators) 

4. Human Resources and Labour Market (9 indicators) 

5. ICT Readiness (8 indicators) T&T Policy and Enabling Conditions 

6. Prioritization of Travel and Tourism (6 indicators) 

7.International Openness (3 indicators) 

8. Price Competitiveness (4 indicators) 

9. Environmental Sustainability (10 indicators) Infrastructure 

10. Air Transport Infrastructure (6 indicators) 

11. Ground and Port Infrastructure (7 indicators) 

12. Tourist Service Infrastructure (4 indicators) Natural and Cultural Resources 

13. Natural Resources (5 indicators) 

14. Cultural Resources and Business Travel (5 indicators)  

    The Report provides a platform and a strategic benchmarking tool for business and governments to develop the T&T sector. By allowing cross-country comparison and benchmarking countries’ progress on the drivers of T&T competitiveness, it informs policies and investment decisions related to T&T development.

The Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report 2015 - World Economic Forum