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…

Today’s date marks a day in 1960 when the police in South-Africa shot and killed 69 people in a peaceful demonstration against the apartheid pass laws. Although much of the legislation has changed since, millions of individuals and communities are still impaired by the injustice that racism inflicts.

Today, on the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, people around the world are reminded of the negative consequences of racial discrimination. The first article of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights famously says that “all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights”.

Today is United Nations Day, a day that marks the anniversary of the UN Charter entry into force in 1945.

United Nations Day has been celebrated since 1948.

The charter came into force when France, Republic of China, Soviet Union, United Kingdom, and United States, the five permanent members of he security council, all approved the charter that had been drawn out earlier in the year. The United Nations Day has been celebrated since 1948.

United Nations works together with many specialized agencies, including: the World Health Organization (WHO); the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO); the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO); the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF); International Labour Organization (ILO); United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR); and United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC). So, today is not only to celebrate the United Nations alone, but to highlight all the important international work done in fields of human rights, support in areas of famine, eradication of disease, promotion of health and settlement of refugees.

International Day of Cooperatives was proclaimed by the UN in 1992, but only in the recent years has the day grown in significance.

2012 is the International Year of Cooperatives

Globalisation and changing economy have highlighted the importance of the international cooperative movement and the idea of international community, and, to quote the UN secretary Ban Ki Moon, “The global financial and economic crisis has demonstrated the resilience of alternative financial institutions such as cooperative banks and credit unions.” 2012 was, thus, named the International Year of Cooperatives by the United Nations.

There are over 1.4 million cooperative businesses across the world, and over 3 billion people rely to cooperative businesses for their livelihood. In the UK, there are 5450 cooperative businesses. This year, we can expect to see a range of fairs, exhibits, contests, and campaigns world wide, all looking to raise awareness of cooperative businesses, and strengthen relationships between cooperatives and other actors such as governments.

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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