Day for Tolerance
In 1996 the UN General Assembly invited member states to observe the International Day for Tolerance on November 16, with activities directed towards both educational establishments and the wider public (resolution 51/95 of 12 December). This action came in the wake of the United Nations Year for Tolerance, 1995, proclaimed by the assembly in 1993 (resolution 48/126). The year was declared on the General Conference of UNESCO’s initiative. On November 16, 1995, the UNESCO member states adopted the Declaration of Principles on Tolerance and Follow-up Plan of Action for the year.
The 2005 World Summit Outcome document outlines the commitment of Heads of State and Government to advance human welfare, freedom and progress everywhere, as well as to encourage tolerance, respect, dialogue and cooperation among different cultures, civilizations and peoples.
What do people do?
The International Day for Tolerance is a time for people to learn about respecting and recognizing the rights and beliefs of others. It is also a time of reflection and debate on the negative effects of intolerance. Live discussions and debates take place across the world on this day, focusing on how various forms of injustice, oppression, racism and unfair discrimination have a negative impact on society.
Many educators use the theme of this day to help students in classrooms or in lecture theatres understand issues centered on tolerance, human rights and non-violence. These issues are also found in text books, lesson material and other educational resources used for this event. The UN Chronicle Online Education also features articles about tolerance. Information on the day is disseminated through flyers, posters, news articles and broadcasts, and other promotional material to raise people’s awareness about the importance of tolerance. Other activities include essays, dialogues and story-telling of people’s personal accounts of intolerance and how it affects their lives.
Human rights activists also use this day as an opportunity to speak out on human rights laws, especially with regard to banning and punishing hate crimes and discrimination against minorities. In the workplace, special training programs, talks, or messages from workplace leaders about the importance of tolerance are utilized on this day.
The UN’s International Day for Tolerance is a global observance and not a public holiday.
UNESCO’s logo, which features a temple including the UNESCO acronym (for United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) within itself and the words “United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization” underneath the temple, is used for online or print promotional material associated with the International Day for Tolerance. The use of the complete name in English, in association with one or several other languages provides an explanation of the acronym of the organization. The six official languages of UNESCO are Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish.
Images of people of all backgrounds, cultures and ages, which are assembled into a collage, are also used for the International Day for Tolerance to get the message across to people about understanding tolerance regardless of differences.
Tolerance
Hold my hand
then judge me
Or better
Feel my sameness,
Look me in the eye
then tell me I don't matter
Or better
See I am you,
Sit at my dinner table
Sharing food and conversation
then tell me I'm not worthy
Or better
Understand my hunger is like yours,
Take a walk with me
then hate where I live
Or better
Understand my plight,
Watch my children play
and tell me they are expendable
Or better
Love them as your own,
As I hold your hand
Look in your eyes
Eat at your table
Walk with you
Understand your plight
And watch your children play
I know I want to be better too
Tolerance
I can't judge you
I'm too busy judging myself
I can't hate you
I'm too busy learning about myself
I can't envy you
I'm too busy competing with myself
I can't expect anything from you
I'm too busy expecting the best from myself
I can love you
By loving myself
FOR ALL GOOD
What I do for
family good,
community good,
country good,
and world good,
I do for my own good
Respect
When you show Respect to others
In all you say and do
The Respect that you have offered
Will be given back to you
How do you show respect you ask?
Here’s something I have learned
Try to always give to people
The Respect that they have earned
Speak with courtesy and kindness
And honor rules with pride
Listen, learn, treat others well
Self Respect will be your guide
Tolerance Through The Year
A little bit of tolerance lives
Within your heart each day,
When you do a worthwhile deed,
Give a word of encouragement away.
Do not save your kindness
For just a special or selective time?
We all want to be loved and accepted
And live in a world that is fine.
Give a helping hand to someone,
Instill hope and spirit today.
The things that mean the most
Aren't always those for which we pay.
Racism and discrimination has not faded,
Many people live in hatred and fear.
So, keep tolerance living in your heart
And it will grow immensely every year.
Joseph T. Renaldi
Bridges
If I were a builder,
I’d make big bridges,
Bridges to far-away lands:
To Asia, to Africa, South America,
Bridges to Europe, Iceland, Iraq.
I’d walk round the world
To visit the people,
And when we shook hands
We’d make little bridges.
School Poem
You mustn’t be rude,
You mustn’t scream or shout,
You mustn’t speak in class,
Or run and play about.
You must be good,
You must be calm and quiet,
You must work hard all day,
And never say you’re tired.
Why must I be good?
Why can’t I scream or shout?
It’s good to make a noise –
But only when you’re out!
If I Were a Bird
If I were a bird,
I wouldn’t like to be
In a little cage
Where I couldn’t be free.
I’d want to spread
My wings and fly
Over the tree tops
And into the sky.
I’d visit my friends
Who live very far,
Then I’d fly up high
And sit on a star.
A Child’s Wish
I want to live
And not to die!
I want to laugh
And not to cry.
I want to feel
The summer sun.
I want to sing
When life is fun.
I want to fly
Into the blue.
I want to swim
As fishes do.
I want to stretch out
Friendly hands
To all the young
Of other lands.
I want to laugh
And not to cry!
I want to live
And not to die!
One Will
East and West have many races,
East and West have many lands,
White and black and yellow faces,
White and black and yellow hands.
But by one great thought inspired
Heroes of the fields and mill
Fighting hard and never tired
Have one will – For Peace! – one will.
Here Is My Hand
Here is my hand, friend, here is my hand,
Over to you from my bonny homeland;
Building the future, comrades, are we,
Here is my hand, friend, over the sea.
Over to you, friend, over to you!
Here is my hand, friend, we will be true, -
True to youth’s promise never to break,
True to the new world we’re going to make.
Here is my hand, friend, over to you!
Building the future, we will be true, -
True to the new world, let it ring clear,
Peace is our future, peace must live here!