International Human Solidarity Day 2025

Every December 20th is International Human Solidarity Day.

Started in 2005 by the UN, today is a day to observe, remind, and support the world's population in the fundamental and universal values that should underlie relations between peoples in the twenty-first century. Of the observance, Ban Ki-Moon, eighth Secretary General of the United Nations succinctly said, "We all have a role in overcoming today’s economic, political, environmental and social challenges, and we must all share the costs and benefits of sustainable development according to needs and ability. This is the essence of justice, fairness and equity. It is the meaning of solidarity."

International Human Solidarity Day is:

• a day to celebrate our unity in diversity;
• a day to remind governments to respect their commitments to international agreements;
• a day to raise public awareness of the importance of solidarity;
• a day to encourage debate on the ways to promote solidarity for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals including poverty eradication;
• a day of action to encourage new initiatives for poverty eradication.

Background
Solidarity is identified in the Millennium Declaration as one of the fundamental values of international relations in the 21st Century, wherein those, who either suffer or benefit least deserve help from those who benefit most. Consequently, in the context of globalization and the challenge of growing inequality, strengthening of international solidarity is indispensable.

Therefore, the UN General Assembly, convinced that the promotion of the culture of solidarity and the spirit of sharing is important for combating poverty, proclaimed 20 of December as International Human Solidarity Day.

Through initiatives such as the establishment of the World Solidarity Fund to eradicate poverty and the proclamation of International Human Solidarity Day, the concept of solidarity was promoted as crucial in the fight against poverty and in the involvement of all relevant stakeholders.

The U.N. has set forth a new set of Sustainable Development Goals. "The Sustainable Development Goals are the blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all. They address the global challenges we face, including those related to poverty, inequality, climate, environmental degradation, prosperity, and peace and justice. The Goals interconnect and in order to leave no one behind, it is important that we achieve each Goal and target by 2030."

For those of us in the United States, it feels like our semblance of sanity as well as  our literal safety is in peril because we, as a nation, as in many other parts of the world, still struggle with hatred and divisiveness. We can be better than those leaders who wish to lead us away from humanism and core values of decency and solidarity, and we can be better than the small percentage of citizens who believe those leaders and are misguided enough to work against the interests of our species.

To learn more, visit:
https://www.un.org/en/events/humansolidarityday/

International Human Solidarity Day 2024

Every December 20th is International Human Solidarity Day.

Started in 2005 by the UN, today is a day to observe, remind, and support the world's population in the fundamental and universal values that should underlie relations between peoples in the twenty-first century. Of the observance, Ban Ki-Moon, eighth Secretary General of the United Nations succinctly said, "We all have a role in overcoming today’s economic, political, environmental and social challenges, and we must all share the costs and benefits of sustainable development according to needs and ability. This is the essence of justice, fairness and equity. It is the meaning of solidarity."

International Human Solidarity Day is:

• a day to celebrate our unity in diversity;
• a day to remind governments to respect their commitments to international agreements;
• a day to raise public awareness of the importance of solidarity;
• a day to encourage debate on the ways to promote solidarity for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals including poverty eradication;
• a day of action to encourage new initiatives for poverty eradication.

Background
Solidarity is identified in the Millennium Declaration as one of the fundamental values of international relations in the 21st Century, wherein those, who either suffer or benefit least deserve help from those who benefit most. Consequently, in the context of globalization and the challenge of growing inequality, strengthening of international solidarity is indispensable.

Therefore, the UN General Assembly, convinced that the promotion of the culture of solidarity and the spirit of sharing is important for combating poverty, proclaimed 20 of December as International Human Solidarity Day.

Through initiatives such as the establishment of the World Solidarity Fund to eradicate poverty and the proclamation of International Human Solidarity Day, the concept of solidarity was promoted as crucial in the fight against poverty and in the involvement of all relevant stakeholders.

The U.N. has set forth a new set of Sustainable Development Goals. "The Sustainable Development Goals are the blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all. They address the global challenges we face, including those related to poverty, inequality, climate, environmental degradation, prosperity, and peace and justice. The Goals interconnect and in order to leave no one behind, it is important that we achieve each Goal and target by 2030."

For those of us in the United States, it feels like our semblance of sanity is in peril because we, as a nation, as in many other parts of the world, still struggle with hatred and divisiveness. We can be better than those leaders who wish to lead us away from humanism and core values of decency and solidarity, and we can be better than the small percentage of citizens who believe those leaders and are misguided enough to work against the interests of our species.

To learn more, visit:
https://www.un.org/en/events/humansolidarityday/

International Human Solidarity Day 2023

Every December 20th is International Human Solidarity Day.

Started in 2005 by the UN, today is a day to observe, remind, and support the world's population in the fundamental and universal values that should underlie relations between peoples in the twenty-first century. Of the observance, Ban Ki-Moon, eighth Secretary General of the United Nations succinctly said, "We all have a role in overcoming today’s economic, political, environmental and social challenges, and we must all share the costs and benefits of sustainable development according to needs and ability. This is the essence of justice, fairness and equity. It is the meaning of solidarity."

International Human Solidarity Day is:

• a day to celebrate our unity in diversity;
• a day to remind governments to respect their commitments to international agreements;
• a day to raise public awareness of the importance of solidarity;
• a day to encourage debate on the ways to promote solidarity for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals including poverty eradication;
• a day of action to encourage new initiatives for poverty eradication.

Background
Solidarity is identified in the Millennium Declaration as one of the fundamental values of international relations in the 21st Century, wherein those, who either suffer or benefit least deserve help from those who benefit most. Consequently, in the context of globalization and the challenge of growing inequality, strengthening of international solidarity is indispensable.

Therefore, the UN General Assembly, convinced that the promotion of the culture of solidarity and the spirit of sharing is important for combating poverty, proclaimed 20 of December as International Human Solidarity Day.

Through initiatives such as the establishment of the World Solidarity Fund to eradicate poverty and the proclamation of International Human Solidarity Day, the concept of solidarity was promoted as crucial in the fight against poverty and in the involvement of all relevant stakeholders.

The U.N. has set forth a new set of Sustainable Development Goals. "The Sustainable Development Goals are the blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all. They address the global challenges we face, including those related to poverty, inequality, climate, environmental degradation, prosperity, and peace and justice. The Goals interconnect and in order to leave no one behind, it is important that we achieve each Goal and target by 2030."

For those of us in the United States, it feels like our semblance of sanity is in peril because we, as a nation, as in many other parts of the world, still struggle with hatred and divisiveness. We can be better than those leaders who wish to lead us away from humanism and core values of decency and solidarity, and we can be better than the small percentage of citizens who believe those leaders and are misguided enough to work against the interests of our species.

To learn more, visit:
https://www.un.org/en/events/humansolidarityday/

International Human Solidarity Day 2022

Every December 20th is International Human Solidarity Day.

Started in 2005 by the UN, today is a day to observe, remind, and support the world's population in the fundamental and universal values that should underlie relations between peoples in the twenty-first century. Of the observance, Ban Ki-Moon, eighth Secretary General of the United Nations succinctly said, "We all have a role in overcoming today’s economic, political, environmental and social challenges, and we must all share the costs and benefits of sustainable development according to needs and ability. This is the essence of justice, fairness and equity. It is the meaning of solidarity."

International Human Solidarity Day is:
a day to celebrate our unity in diversity;
a day to remind governments to respect their commitments to international agreements;
a day to raise public awareness of the importance of solidarity;
a day to encourage debate on the ways to promote solidarity for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals including poverty eradication;
a day of action to encourage new initiatives for poverty eradication.

Background
Solidarity is identified in the Millennium Declaration as one of the fundamental values of international relations in the 21st Century, wherein those, who either suffer or benefit least deserve help from those who benefit most. Consequently, in the context of globalization and the challenge of growing inequality, strengthening of international solidarity is indispensable.

Therefore, the UN General Assembly, convinced that the promotion of the culture of solidarity and the spirit of sharing is important for combating poverty, proclaimed 20 of December as International Human Solidarity Day.

Through initiatives such as the establishment of the World Solidarity Fund to eradicate poverty and the proclamation of International Human Solidarity Day, the concept of solidarity was promoted as crucial in the fight against poverty and in the involvement of all relevant stakeholders.

The U.N. has set forth a new set of Sustainable Development Goals. "The Sustainable Development Goals are the blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all. They address the global challenges we face, including those related to poverty, inequality, climate, environmental degradation, prosperity, and peace and justice. The Goals interconnect and in order to leave no one behind, it is important that we achieve each Goal and target by 2030."

For those of us in the United States, it feels like things are returning to some semblance of sanity, and we hope light and reason are once again going to be guiding forces. But we as a nation, as many in other parts of the world, still struggle with hatred and divisiveness. We can be better than those leaders who wish to lead us away from humanism and core values of decency, and we can be better than the small percentage of citizens who believe those leaders and are misguided enough to work against the interests of our species.

To learn more, visit:
https://www.un.org/en/events/humansolidarityday/

International Human Solidarity Day 2021

Every December 20th is International Human Solidarity Day.

Started in 2005 by the UN, today is a day to observe, remind, and support the world's population in the fundamental and universal values that should underlie relations between peoples in the twenty-first century. Of the observance, Ban Ki-Moon, eighth Secretary General of the United Nations succinctly said, "We all have a role in overcoming today’s economic, political, environmental and social challenges, and we must all share the costs and benefits of sustainable development according to needs and ability. This is the essence of justice, fairness and equity. It is the meaning of solidarity."

International Human Solidarity Day is:
a day to celebrate our unity in diversity;
a day to remind governments to respect their commitments to international agreements;
a day to raise public awareness of the importance of solidarity;
a day to encourage debate on the ways to promote solidarity for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals including poverty eradication;
a day of action to encourage new initiatives for poverty eradication.

Background
Solidarity is identified in the Millennium Declaration as one of the fundamental values of international relations in the 21st Century, wherein those, who either suffer or benefit least deserve help from those who benefit most. Consequently, in the context of globalization and the challenge of growing inequality, strengthening of international solidarity is indispensable.

Therefore, the UN General Assembly, convinced that the promotion of the culture of solidarity and the spirit of sharing is important for combating poverty, proclaimed 20 of December as International Human Solidarity Day.

Through initiatives such as the establishment of the World Solidarity Fund to eradicate poverty and the proclamation of International Human Solidarity Day, the concept of solidarity was promoted as crucial in the fight against poverty and in the involvement of all relevant stakeholders.

The U.N. has set forth a new set of Sustainable Development Goals. "The Sustainable Development Goals are the blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all. They address the global challenges we face, including those related to poverty, inequality, climate, environmental degradation, prosperity, and peace and justice. The Goals interconnect and in order to leave no one behind, it is important that we achieve each Goal and target by 2030."

For those of us in the United States, it feels like things are returning to some semblance of sanity and light and reason are once again going to be guiding forces. But we as a nation, as many in other parts of the world, still struggle with pockets of hatred and divisiveness. We can be better than those leaders who wish to lead us away from humanism and core values of decency, and we can be better than the small percentage of citizens who are misguided enough to work against the interests of our species.

To learn more, visit:
https://www.un.org/en/events/humansolidarityday/

International Human Solidarity Day 2020

Every December 20th is International Human Solidarity Day.

Started in 2005 by the UN, today is a day to observe, remind, and support the world's population in the fundamental and universal values that should underlie relations between peoples in the twenty-first century. Of the observance, Ban Ki-Moon, eighth Secretary General of the United Nations succinctly said, "We all have a role in overcoming today’s economic, political, environmental and social challenges, and we must all share the costs and benefits of sustainable development according to needs and ability. This is the essence of justice, fairness and equity. It is the meaning of solidarity."

The U.N. has set forth a new set of Sustainable Development Goals. "The Sustainable Development Goals are the blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all. They address the global challenges we face, including those related to poverty, inequality, climate, environmental degradation, prosperity, and peace and justice. The Goals interconnect and in order to leave no one behind, it is important that we achieve each Goal and target by 2030."

For those of us in the United States, it feels like a new day has dawned and light and reason are once again going to be guiding forces. But we as a nation, as many in other parts of the world, still struggle with pockets of hatred and divisiveness. We can be better than those leaders who wish to lead us away from humanism and core values of decency, and we can be better than the small percentage of citizens who are misguided enough to work against the interests of our species.

https://www.un.org/en/events/humansolidarityday/

BEAUTY: Clothing--Xander Zhou

A staple of London Fashion Week Men's, designer Xander Zhou is at once a futurist, a visionary, and a scientist at heart. His thoughts and hopes and fears for and about the future are on display in his clothing (see his "Supernatural Extraterrestrial" collection based on Zen aliens here, and his collection based on the impending explosion of cloning and genetic modification here). He has always been a designer of pared down, sleek, futuristic garments but we are seeing the future unfold before our eyes with the advance of extreme climate change and the transformation of societal and racial ideas. And of course the thing that has had a direct impact on fashion designers is COVID-19. As you know, London Fashion Week Men's is being presented on a digital platform this year, and many designers do not have fully formed collections to present, either via Lookbook or film, since the world has been quarantining for many months now. Designers have not been able to visit their studios and ateliers, nor have they been able to work with their team to manifest a collection.

So for Spring Summer '21 at London Fashion Week Men's, Xander Zhou presented a film that was a redux of his last Fall Winter '20-'21 collection called titled "Homo Multiversalis" (seen here), where Zhou played with the idea of not one future but many futures. There is a concept in quantum physics which posits many universes parallel to our own. Each of these universes represents a slight shift from what we know in this universe. There is one where I am a famous author, one where I am homeless, one where I was killed in a war, one where I have a wife and a family, one where I am a murderer, one where I died when I was three years old of a flu...you get the idea. All of these versions of ourselves exist yet never meet. But in Zhou's imagination, we get to see a split-screen view of men from these mulitverses, hence the title "Homo Multiversalis."

This split was represented by pieces of clothing halved down the center. One side dressy, the other side casual. One side light, the other dark. The models faces displayed different skin tones and eye colors and merged two different beings from different universes into one...an idea that embodies the ultimate manifestation of inclusivity. We also get to see pieces of clothing that look like they come from a very different universe, a place where beings of sufficient scientific knowledge know how to traverse the rift between universes. Body suits that look like components of digital machines, padded trusses, numerical equations, and Tron-like light lines highlight the alien/futuristic feeling. Pixelated images of faces support the idea of a myriad of human beings (even underwear gets pixelated). And the idea of two halves torn asunder and joined in the middle is manifested in the zig zag edges of puffer jackets, coats, and shirts. The final look seems to be an image of a rift in time and space itself.

This current SS '21 collection titled "AW20 CRITICAL UPDATE / SS21 PUBLIC BETA VERSION" also utilizes silhouettes from the Fall Winter '19 collection and the superhero padded shorts from the Spring Summer '19 show. The film features a computerized synthetic voice narrating the garments...I love how the speech becomes glitched and incomprehensible for SHOWCASE 4, the section of pixelated images on clothing. The film ends with a non-sequitir of a string of random numbers. The whole thing feels slightly ominous...it feels like a future that is going to calmly and indifferently eat us alive...

https://www.xanderzhou.com/

VOTE FOR JOE!

http://www.calltoactivism.com/

BEAUTY: Photography--Hayden Williams

American photographer Hayden Williams addresses our Climate Catastrophe--and the immense frustration with the lack of acknowledgement of environmental problems, something very apparent in the US under a president who is a notorious climate change sceptic--in his series World Underwater.

In an interview with It's Nice That, Hayden said, "The spark that ignited this series was a trip to Venice. While travelling there I learned how the city is frequently flooded. It surprised me learning how Venice prepares, defends, and inevitably repairs itself from unforgiving tides. I began to imagine, 'what if the rest of the world lived like this?'

I usually have a very clear image in mind when I imagine a photograph I want to take or a scene I want to render. I imagined the two 'Pipe Dream' images of flooded subway trains when I was daydreaming about my move to New York for an internship. The subway is something many people are familiar with, so I thought it would be the perfect subject to flood.

Climate change is an obvious problem, and I find it absolutely ridiculous how many continue to deny its existence. We should be talking about how to solve it, but instead we somehow have to convince half of the world that there is something that needs to be solved in the first place."

I agree. Leaders and governments and businesses wasted nearly 30 years denying that our house is really on fire. It started in the basement, it is almost done consuming the ground floor (the images of the devastation in Australia and NSW have broken my heart), and it is about to start burning on the top floor. That is 30 years where solutions could have been proposed and implemented. How much farther along would we be right now if we had had that time? But no, financial greed and conservative/religious ignorance allowed the fire to grow. There's not much to mitigate anymore. The damage has been done and we are looking at a very grim future.

https://www.haydenclay.com/

International Human Solidarity Day 2019

Every December 20th is International Human Solidarity Day.

Started in 2005 by the UN, today is a day to observe, remind, and support the world's population in the fundamental and universal values that should underlie relations between peoples in the twenty-first century. Of the observance, Ban Ki-Moon, eighth Secretary General of the United Nations succinctly said, "We all have a role in overcoming today’s economic, political, environmental and social challenges, and we must all share the costs and benefits of sustainable development according to needs and ability. This is the essence of justice, fairness and equity. It is the meaning of solidarity."

The U.N. has set forth a new set of Sustainable Development Goals. "The Sustainable Development Goals are the blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all. They address the global challenges we face, including those related to poverty, inequality, climate, environmental degradation, prosperity, and peace and justice. The Goals interconnect and in order to leave no one behind, it is important that we achieve each Goal and target by 2030."

For those of us in the United States, but also for many in other parts of the world, these dark days should motivate us to rise above the ugliness, hatred, and divisiveness and affirm the value of the human being. We can be better than the leaders who are leading us away from humanism and core values of decency, and we can be better than the small percentage of people who are misguided enough to work against the interests of our species.

https://www.un.org/en/events/humansolidarityday/

BEAUTY: Painting--Ian Francis

The terrifying narrative in painter Ian Francis' new series Call of the Void is both a warning and a prediction of things to come. He explains:

"The phrase 'call of the void' refers to the strange sensation when you’re at a great height and gravity seems to begin pulling you at an oblique angle towards the edge, despite having no suicidal intentions. In this show, I was interested in exploring the strained relationship between the modern world we’ve created and its animal inhabitants, at a time where we seem to be at the edge of an ecological tipping point. I wanted to make paintings of dystopian dreamscapes, with people interacting with strange, reconstructed forms of nature."

"I’ve always loved technology, futurism and the world we’ve created for ourselves, but it’s hard not to be horrified by the impact our way of life is having on the planet," Francis adds. "Even nominally wild animals now exist within the boundaries of a human-constructed world they didn’t evolve for. Turning back the clock seems impossible, so the only real hope appears to be relying on technological solutions to our problems, but even if that’s in some way successful it feels like the result will be a strange and different world. I was drawn to the idea of creating images of constructed animals by layering together different elements, including skeletons, polygonal structures, empty outlines and garish colours. I wanted to create a sense of facsimile, an idea of a beautiful natural thing that has been lost and replaced with something with a similar form, but distinctly different."

I am reminded of the opening credits of the newest version of "Westworld"on HBO in which we see bison and horses being bio-created in a lab. And I also can't help but flash on a scene from the classic sci-fi film "Blade Runner" where Harrison Ford sees an owl fly in the penthouse apartment of Tyrell. Sean Young comes in and asks him if he likes the owl to which he asks, "Is it artificial?" Her curt answer: "Of course it is."

Exactly how much are we going to lose from climate catastrophe? How many animal species, how many plants species, how many eco systems, how much land, how many humans? These are the questions I ask myself daily, but I still have to make breakfast, I still have to feed my cats, I still have to live here and now. It is creating a cognitive schism for many of us to live with this specter while trying to maintain the momentum necessary for daily life.

Top to bottom: A Crowd Tries To Determine If A Shark Is Real And/Or A Threat; A Girl Waits For A Field Of Tigers To Wake Up; A Group Of People Try To Communicate With A New Artificial Whale; At The Beach, People Try To Get Closer To The Birds; Baobab Tree Collapse; Bird Toys/Predator; Cavalry Advance; Far Into The Desert Two People Encounter The Construction Of A Mammoth; Highway Emergency Telephone Couple; Mechanical Buffalo Journey; Synchronised Ritual Bear Construction

https://www.ifrancis.co.uk/

Pale Blue Dot

As we enter this new year, I feel a great need for us--as a species--to reflect on the classic words of the great Carl Sagan in his sobering "Pale Blue Dot" passage from his book of the same name...these important words are more relevant now than ever.

http://carlsagan.com/

International Human Solidarity Day 2018

Every December 20th is International Human Solidarity Day.

Started in 2005 by the UN, today is a day to observe, remind, and support the world's population in the fundamental and universal values that should underlie relations between peoples in the twenty-first century. Of the observance, Ban Ki-Moon, eighth Secretary General of the United Nations succinctly said, "We all have a role in overcoming today’s economic, political, environmental and social challenges, and we must all share the costs and benefits of sustainable development according to needs and ability. This is the essence of justice, fairness and equity. It is the meaning of solidarity."

The U.N. has set forth a new set of Sustainable Development Goals. "The Sustainable Development Goals are the blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all. They address the global challenges we face, including those related to poverty, inequality, climate, environmental degradation, prosperity, and peace and justice. The Goals interconnect and in order to leave no one behind, it is important that we achieve each Goal and target by 2030."

For those of us in the United States, but also for many in other parts of the world, these dark days should motivate us to rise above the ugliness and affirm the value of the human being. We can be better than the leaders who are leading us away from humanism and core values of decency, and we can be better than the small percentage of people who are misguided enough to work against the interests of our species.

http://www.un.org/en/events/humansolidarityday/index.shtml

Products Of Tomorrow

The Nature Conservancy has designed what they are calling "Products Of Tomorrow."

Based on our current trajectory and climate change, land and drinkable water will be scarce, producing droughts and famines. Couple this with political and social calamities stemming from what is happening now. This is the likely outcome.

It doesn't have to be like this. Visit The Nature Conservancy website for more info.

https://www.nature.org/

In The Past, This Is What We Thought The Future Would Look Like

International Human Solidarity Day 2016

Every December 20th is International Human Solidarity Day.

Started in 2005 by the UN, today is a day to observe, remind, and support the world's population in the fundamental and universal values that should underlie relations between peoples in the twenty-first century. Of the observance, Ban Ki-Moon, Secretary General of the United Nations succinctly said, "We all have a role in overcoming today’s economic, political, environmental and social challenges, and we must all share the costs and benefits of sustainable development according to needs and ability. This is the essence of justice, fairness and equity. It is the meaning of solidarity."

For those of us in the United States, but also for many in other parts of the world, these dark days should motivate us to rise above the ugliness and affirm the value of the human being. We can be better than the leaders who are leading us away from core values of decency, and we can be better than the small percentage of people who are misguided enough to work against the interests of our species.

http://www.un.org/en/events/humansolidarityday/index.shtml

International Human Solidarity Day 2015

Every December 20th is International Human Solidarity Day.

Started in 2005 by the UN, today is a day to observe, remind, and support the world's population in the fundamental and universal values that should underlie relations between peoples in the twenty-first century. Of the observance, Ban Ki-Moon, Secretary General of the United Nations succinctly said, "We all have a role in overcoming today’s economic, political, environmental and social challenges, and we must all share the costs and benefits of sustainable development according to needs and ability. This is the essence of justice, fairness and equity. It is the meaning of solidarity."

http://www.un.org/en/events/humansolidarityday/index.shtml

But does it come in a large?

International Human Solidairty Day, 2014

Every December 20th is International Human Solidarity Day.

Started in 2005 by the UN, today is a day to observe, remind, and support the world's population in the fundamental and universal values that should underlie relations between peoples in the twenty-first century. Of last year's observance, Ban Ki-Moon, Secretary General of the United Nations succinctly said, "We all have a role in overcoming today’s economic, political, environmental and social challenges, and we must all share the costs and benefits of sustainable development according to needs and ability. This is the essence of justice, fairness and equity. It is the meaning of solidarity."

http://www.un.org/en/events/humansolidarityday/index.shtml