Unesco Club Taita Taveta University

21st September 2023
International day of peace
Theme: Action for peace; our ambition for the global goals

The international day of peace celebrates the power of global solidarity for building of a peaceful and sustainable world.This has never been so important at a time of unprecented challenges. New forces of division have emerged, spreading hatred and intolerance. Terrorism is fueling violence, while violent extremism seek to poison the minds of vulnerable and young. In the poorest and least developed parts of the world,climate related natural disasters and compounding existing fragility, increasing forced migration and heightening the risk of violence.Being responsible for peace means acting to overcome the flaws and injustices which continue to prevent us from achieving an egalitarian world. A planet eroded by division is a planet which knows no peace.

Peace is needed today more than ever.
Peace begins with me.

23rd August 2023: INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR THE REMEMBERANCE OF THE SLAVE TRADE AND IT'S ABOLITION.

This international day is intended to inscribe the tragedy of the slave trade in the memories pf many people. In accordance with the goals of the intercultural project."The routes of enslaved people".It should offer an opportunity for collective consideration of the historic causes, the methods and the consequences of this tragedy and for an analysis of the interaction to which it has given rise between Africa, Europe and America's and the Carribean.

It's time to abolish human exploitation once and for all, and recognize the equal and unconditional dignity of each and every individual.On this particular day, Let us remember the victims and freedom fighters of the past so that they may inspire future generations to build just societies.

INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY, May 22nd 2023

THEME: "From agreement to action: Build back biodiversity."

Biodiversity is the living fabric of our planet.It underpins human well being in the present and in the future.Its rapid decline threatens nature and people alike.
The main global drivers of biodiversity loss are; climate change,invansive species,overeploitation of natural resources,pollution and urbanization.
Our relationship with nature and with other living beings needs a radical rethink in order to address this issue.We need to design and create a truly shared world.

This is the fundamental message of this day, a message that strongly reflect UNESCO's mandate and day to day work.

World day for cultural diversity for dialogue and development

Protecting the diversity of cultural expressions is a more important than ever. UNESCO leads the celebration of this day, highlighting not only the richness of the worlds' cultures but also the essential role of intercultural dialogue for achieving peace and sustainable development. With 89% of all current conficts in the world occur in countries with low intelectual dialogue, to forge effective cooperation and sustain peace, strengthening intercultural dialogue must be a priority.
Cultural and creative sector is one of the most powerful engines of development world wide.The 17sustainable development goals (SDGs) can be best achieved by drawing upon the creative potential of the world's diverse cultures and engaging in continous dialogue to ensure that all members of society benefit from sustainable development.
Cultural diversity is a driving force of development, not only with respect to economic growth, but also as a means of leading a more fulfilling intellectual, emotional, moral and spiritual life.

Lets join hands and bridge the gap between cultures for peace, stability and development.

Education for peace

The promotion of peace through education is at the heart of UNESCO's mission. Our approach to educating for peace through symposiums and mentorship is multidimensional, in that it links education with a range of activities that addresses the root causes of violence from human security to sustainable development. Education for peace and non-violence in learning institutions promotes knowledge, Skills, attitudes and behaviour of learners which inturn reflects and inspire good values.

INTERNATIONAL ANTI-CORRUPTION DAY; 9TH DECEMBER

The world today faces some of its greatest challenges in many generations – challenges which threaten prosperity and stability for people across the globe. The plague of corruption is intertwined in most of them.

Corruption has negative impacts on every aspect of society and is profoundly intertwined with conflict and instability jeopardizing social and economic development and undermining democratic institutions and the rule of law.

Corruption not only follows conflict but is also frequently one of its root causes. It fuels conflict and inhibits peace processes by undermining the rule of law, worsening poverty, facilitating the illicit use of resources, and providing financing for armed conflict.

Preventing corruption, promoting transparency and strengthening institutions is crucial if the targets foreseen in the Sustainable Development Goals are to be met.

The 2022 International Anti-Corruption Day (IACD) seeks to highlight the crucial link between anti-corruption and peace, security, and development. At its core is the notion that tackling this crime is the right and responsibility of everyone, and that only through cooperation and the involvement of each and every person and institution can we overcome the negative impact of this crime. States, government officials, civil servants, law enforcement officers, media representatives, the private sector, civil society, academia, the public and youth alike all have a role to play in uniting the world against corruption.

Dignity for all in practice is the umbrella theme of the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty for 2022-2023. The dignity of the human being is not only a fundamental right in itself but constitutes the basis of all other fundamental rights. Therefore, “Dignity” is not an abstract concept: it belongs to each and every one. Today, many people living in persistent poverty experience their dignity being denied and disrespected.

With the commitment to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure all people everywhere enjoy peace and prosperity, the 2030 Agenda again gestured toward the same promise established under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Yet, the current reality shows that 1.3 billion people still live in multidimensional poverty with almost half of them children and youth.

Inequalities of opportunities and income are sharply on the rise and, each year, the gap between the rich and poor gets even wider. In the past year, as millions struggle through the erosion of workers’ rights and job quality to make it to another day, corporate power and the wealth of the billionaire class have recorded an unprecedented rise.

Poverty and inequality are not inevitable. They are the result of deliberate decisions or inaction that disempower the poorest and marginalized in our societies and violate their fundamental rights. The silent and sustained violence of poverty – social exclusion, structural discrimination and disempowerment – makes it harder for people trapped in extreme poverty to escape and denies their humanity.

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted this dynamic, exposing social protection system gaps and failures as well as structural inequalities and diverse forms of discrimination that deepen and perpetuate poverty. In addition to this, the climate emergency constitutes new violence against people living in poverty, as these communities are unduly burdened by more frequent occurrences of natural disasters and environmental degradation.

CALL FOR PEACEFUL ELECTIONS

We urge our political leaders to desist from inflammatory utterances that could incite fellow citizens to violence during the campaigns.While individual responsibility is emphasized, we stress that political parties and party leaders MUST control the conduct of their supporters.

We call on Kenyans to be vigilant in their democratic rights.Vote consciously to secure the future of our country.Opinion polls should not be taken as conclusive indicators of the election results.It is only your vote that counts.Vote!

The youth hold the future of this country.This is the time to make the difference by choosing the right leaders.You must desist from being as political tools of violence against each other or as agents of hate through social media.We urge you to use this platform to preach peace and influence positive change for our country Kenya.

Elections are important for our democratic society and the nation is bigger than each one of us.

There will be Kenya after 9th August 2022.Let peace reign in every heart, in every homestead and every corner of our country.

Preaching peace in the minds of men and women