Ramadan is the ninth month in the Muslim calendar
and is considered especially holy for several reasons. Koran, the holy book, was first revealed to prophet Muhammed during the last ten days of this month.

According to the Koran, the gates of heaven are open, the gates of hell are closed, and the devils are chained up in hell during Ramadan. Since the devils are locked away, it’s easier to do good in this month, thus, dedicated Muslims are expected to donate to a charity or offer their time to help the poor, for example. Every year, the UK holds campaigns to promote safe ways of donating to charities in order to avoid scams and fake charities during Ramadan.

Most people know Ramadan best for the tradition of fasting. Fasting during Ramadan is one of the Five Pillars, or fundamental duties, of Islam. It is common to fast during the daylight hours, although there is sometimes confusion around the beginning and the end of each daily fast. For this year’s Ramadan, you can find an accurate time table for each UK city, here.

Invite a friend for coffee today and tell her how much you appreciate the time you spend together.

It’s the International Day of Friendship, a UN
observance day that promotes the role friendship plays in promoting peace.

Friendship Day has been celebrated in many South American countries since the 50s, but it was proclaimed an international observance day in 2011 by the UN, with the idea that friendships help bridge communities and cross cultures. The UN resolution particularly emphasizes friendships between young people, our future leaders, and community activities that include different cultures.

A popular way to celebrate friendship is wearing friendship bracelets with your friend. In 1998, Nane Annan, the wife of former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, named Winnie the Pooh the world’s Ambassador of Friendship. 

Over the next few weeks you will find that some of your colleagues
aren’t taking part in the usual water-cooler gossip sessions or have taken to declining offers of coffee. That’s because it’s Ramadan. Muslims are called by their religion to celebrate the month of Ramadan by coming together in worship, fasting each day for thirty days from dawn until sunset. While this may seem like a tremendous feat, consider this: Fasting while working is an even greater endeavour! So, how can we help our colleagues? Is there an etiquette to follow?

In an increasingly multi-cultural world, when it seems as though we are

undergoing a clash of cultures, it is important that we try to understand the belief systems and values of others, for understanding engenders tolerance and peace. Whether you live or work with Muslims and want to relate to them better, or you simply want to have a better insight into the world’s second largest religion, this comprehensive article will help you understand what Ramadan is all about.

Ramadan is the holy Islamic month of fasting. During the month,
Muslims will fast during the daylight, in all conditions and break their fast at nightfall with family and friends. Many of us wonder though, what can it be like to fast for an entire month?

Ramadan, the holy month when Muslims across the world fast,
begins today – 1^st August 2011. Besides fasting, it is a time for spiritual fulfilment, emotional rebalancing, mental reflection and physical purification. Traditionally, Muslims consider Ramadan the ultimate month of charity, prayer, Qur’an, family and community.  It lasts for 29 to 30 days depending on the sighting of the new moon (hilal), so is due to end in Eid ul Fitr on 30^th August.

July seems to be THE month for Independence Days.
There are 24 in all!

Happy Independence Day to you all.

July 1st
Burundi
Rwanda
Somalia

This date marks the assassination of former UN journalist Alec Collet in 1985 who was working for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East.

Journalist Alec Collett

His body was found in 2009 in the Lebanon Bekaa Valley. According to the United Nations website the International Day of Solidarity with Detained and Missing Staff Members is taking increasing importance every year because “attacks against the United Nations intensify.” Over the years, many UN personnel have been kidnapped and detained in work-related tasks. According to UN’s Department of Safety and Security 28 UN staff members were arrested in 2010.

Today is World Tuberculosis Day.

Untill the year 1882 one in seven of the world’s people were dying of tuberculosis. Then, a German physician, Robert Koch, discovered the cause of tuberculosis, the TB bacillus. Today’s date commemorates that day.

Currently, one-third of the world’s population is infected with TB. However, thanks to Robert Koch, there now are effective ways of treating the infection. Unfortunately, this cure  isn’t available to everyone, and approximately 1.7 million people still die of tuberculosis every year.

This year’s theme for World TB Day is the question: how can African, Caribbean, and Pacific Group of States (ACP Countries) strengthen each other and fight together against tuberculosis. World’s Healthy Organization (WHO) and Stop TB Partnership both support this day.

This year is the second year the world celebrates Right to Truth Day, or in other words ‘International Day for the Right to the Truth Concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and for the Dignity of Victims.’

Monsignor Óscar Arnulfo Romero

This day was declared an official UN observance day in December 2010. March 24th was chosen to mark a date in 1980 when archbishop Monsignor Óscar Arnulfo Romero, an active promoter of human rights, was murdered while conducting a service at church in El Salvador.

The purpose of this day is to honor the memory of those who have experienced severe human rights violations, those who have spent their lives protecting these rights, and to highlight everybody’s right to truth and justice…