The World Day of Social Justice was established on February 20th in 2009 to promote gender equality, fair employment, social well-being, and justice around the world.

In his message last year the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, said:

“Social justice is more than an ethical imperative, it is a foundation for national stability and global prosperity. Equal opportunity, solidarity and respect for human rights — these are essential to unlocking the full productive potential of nations and peoples..”

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Congratulations to Zambia  who yesterday won the World
Championship of Nations – The Africa Cup.   And, just as I thought today couldn’t get greyer and gloomier with the our great British weather, along came Patricia, a student of mine at the London Academy of Diplomacy, looking stunningly beautiful in such a bright colourful outfit. Celebrating her county’s success, she brought a touch of sunshine into our lives and her infectious happiness made us smile. Thank you  Zambia – and Patricia, too!

National Foundation Day is a day of celebration throughout
Japan. Each year, on 11th February, the country remembers its historic roots. National Foundation Day, or Kenkoku Kinen no Hi, has its roots in Kigensetsu, or ‘Empire Day’, founded by the Meiji Emperor in 1873 to honour the Imperial family line and the founding of Japan. However, it is now thought that the Meiji government wanted to raise the profile of the Imperial Emperor and unite the modernising Japan as a nation-state following the abolition of the traditional Shogunate.  Although done away with after World War II, Kigensetsu was subsequently revived in 1966 as National Foundation Day.

History tells us that Japan’s first ruler was Emperor Jimmu, a descendant of the Sun Goddess, who was crowned on 11 February, 660BC. This day is regarded as the founding of the nation. Although this is now considered to be a myth,  it was a strongly unifying idea and lead to the belief that Japan as a nation was invincible.

Waitangi Day is New Zealand’s national day with celebrations
taking place all over the country.  Every year on 6 February, New Zealand marks the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840. In that year, representatives of the British Crown and over 500 Maori chiefs signed what is New Zealand’s founding document. The day was first officially commemorated in 1934, and it has been a public holiday since 1974.  Click the links to see photos of Maori dancers: for more information on Waitangi Day: and information on Maori Culture.

One of the world’s largest Māori ceremonial waka (war canoe), the Ngatokimatawhaorua, can be found at Waitangi. The enormous wooden vessel, with room for 80 paddlers and 55 passengers, is an impressive sight on the water. The 70-year-old waka has been refurbished and relaunched for the 2010 celebrations. See photos of the canoe in action

“Hello” has got to be one of the most important words we use and
learning a few “hello“s in a different language will helps us build trust in our relationships with those from other cultural backgrounds. Nowadays, more than ever, our everyday encounters find us engaging with people who are different from ourselves; whether speaking from your desk to someone on the other side of the world,  whether in the local supermarket or whether  travelling abroad – do take a moment to learn that precious word in a new way. Our picture shows The Prince of Orange of the Netherlands receiving a hong (Maori greeting) from a Maori warrior in Wellington, New Zealand. Listen and see how many languages you can recognise out of these twenty languages:  final composite hello.

Here’s help: listen & learn in 30 different ways to say hello…

Piracy is a global menace and a huge issue for our maritime community.
This year’s theme for World Maritime Day is ‘Piracy: Orchestrating the Response’, raising awareness of the issue of piracy and encouraging co-operation between the member states to eradicate it. World Maritime Day is celebrated yearly by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), during the last week of September. It is a day to focus attention on the importance of shipping safety, maritime security and the marine environment. This year the aim is to increase pressure at the political level to secure the immediate release of all hostages being held by pirates. The following objectives will also be pursued during the year…

Confucius is the person accredited most with shaping the deep
elements of Chinese culture that we can still see today. When looking at cross-cultural differences between East and West, Confucianism (long-term orientation and knowing your place in society) stands out as being the major difference from the short-term, individualistic orientations of the West. Thus, Confucius has influenced Chinese thought for over 2,500 years. Confucius’s Birthday, otherwise known as ‘National Teachers Day’ takes place in China and Taiwan each year on 28^th September. Chinese philosopher & reformer (551 BC – 479 BC).

The UN World Tourism Association (UNWTO) established 27^th September each year as World Tourism Day. Its aim is to raise awareness of the importance of tourism to the international community and its positive effect, socially and economically, on our society worldwide. The 2011 theme is ‘Tourism linking cultures’, with Yemen hosting celebrations. As we travel, let us engage with other cultures and celebrate human diversity.

In 2000, World First Aid day was introduced by The International
Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). It was brought into being to raise awareness of how first aid can save lives in everyday and emergency situations. Events and ceremonies are organised each year on the second Saturday of September.

Harmony is the goal of the universe …
If it is true that the harmonic relationships in music reflect the harmonic and mathematical relationships in the planetary systems as well as the cosmos, then this must be valid also outside of music. Science has taught us that this phenomenon is universal. Two oscillators pulsating in the same field in almost identical rhythm will lock in, with the result that eventually their vibrations will become precisely synchronous. This phenomenon is referred to as mutual phase locking, or entrainment. Entrainment is universal in nature. In fact it is so ubiquitous that we hardly notice it as the air we breathe. It is a physical phenomenon, but it is also more than that, because it informs us about the tendencies of the universe to share rhythm, that is to vibrate in harmony.

From’The World is Sound’ by Joachim-Ernst Brendt