Global Family Day – January 1
Global Family Day also known as One Day of Peace and Sharing, is a day celebrated on 1st January to spread peace and unity and promote the idea of “Earth as one Global Family“, let’s make the world a better place to live for everyone. This is the day to promote peace and love both within the family and in the world and consider earth as one Global family. We should love and care for everyone as our own family members.
“A day of peace and sharing can lead to greater understanding and cooperation among political parties, faith groups, and people of different races and economic classes. ” – John Conyers
History
In November 1997 UN General Assembly declared that 1st day of the millennium will see the launch of the International Decade for the Culture of Peace and non-violence for the Children of the World, it was in November 1999 the invitation was sent to all UN members which led to the establishment of a special day for peace and sharing. People observe this day by pledging non-violence, sharing meals with the needy, and donating things to poor people.
The day was first brought up by Linda Grover which she conceived when her own children, growing up in the 1970s, talked about how all the people in the world would surely come together on the first day of 2000 to live in peace and harmony. She wrote a utopian novel, “Tree Island’’ (1995), on the topic, and another book by Steve Diamond and Robert Silverstein, “One Day in Peace, January 1, 2000,” brought up the idea. Global Family Day finally, grew out of the United Nations millennium celebrations, “One Day of Peace,” January 1, 2000.
Many efforts around the world had independently sprung up to target this milestone as a day for peace and worked separately to prevail on local governments and the U.N. to establish such a day. The first Global family day celebration was held on January 1, 2000, between Palestinian and Israeli families at a West Bank refugee camp, with subsequently led ceremonies at the South Pole in 2001, and in several cities in 2002.
In today’s busy life we hardly get time to spend with family, so the first day of the year is a day of a new beginning and is marked as a day for the family. On New Year Day people makes resolutions like Getting fit, Quit smoking, Quit drinking, Stopping telling lies, Waking up early….etc. In the same way, Global Family Day came into existence to spread love and peace in the world.
10 ways to make the world a better place.
1. Do something for a culture of peace each day.
2. Do a random act of kindness.
3. Support organizations working for a culture of peace.
4. If you buy something from a charity shop, pay double.
5. Join a union
6. Volunteer
7. Give your old clothes to those who need them
8. Check your community
9. Get involved and offer something to the world
10. Donate a percentage of your monthly income for a worthy cause
As the saying goes, “United we stand, divided we fall,” the family congregates as one. This is what Global Family Day wishes to attain: To see the world united as one family.
Suggested Read: Important Days In January
