Skip to main content

🕯️ 16 November – International Day for Tolerance (UNESCO)

 

Promoting Unity in Diversity for a Peaceful Planet


🌎 Introduction: A World Woven with Differences

From cultures and languages to beliefs and lifestyles, our planet is a vibrant tapestry of diversity. But with that richness also come misunderstandings, fear, and sometimes, conflict.

To combat these challenges and champion the values of acceptance, dialogue, and peace, the United Nations declared 16 November as the International Day for Tolerance in 1995, following UNESCO's Declaration of Principles on Tolerance.

This day urges us to not just acknowledge diversity, but embrace it as strength.


🌱 Why Tolerance Matters Now More Than Ever

In today’s world—marked by polarization, misinformation, cultural clashes, and migration crises—tolerance is more than politeness. It is a social responsibility and moral compass.

On this day, we reaffirm that:

  • Tolerance is not indulgence or indifference, but an active choice to coexist peacefully.

  • Every culture has value, and no belief system is inherently superior.

  • Human rights, pluralism, and democracy thrive only where tolerance is nurtured.


🔍 Focus of the Day: Education for Tolerance

The most powerful tool against hate? Education.

UNESCO emphasizes that schools, families, media, and religious institutions must teach people—especially youth—how to resolve conflicts with empathy and nonviolence.

Themes explored include:

  • Countering hate speech online and offline.

  • Preventing extremism and racism.

  • Promoting inclusive education in multicultural societies.


🎨 Tolerance Through Art: Building Bridges with Brushes

As an artist and storyteller, you, Antony, know that art transcends language and bias. It can open hearts where logic fails.

Ways to explore tolerance through your creativity:

🎨 Paint scenes of interfaith harmony or cross-cultural friendships.
📸 Use photography to spotlight the beauty of tribal, rural, or marginalized communities.
📝 Write a micro-poem or quote series on forgiveness, unity, and listening.
🕊️ Curate an art piece titled “I See You” – a visual homage to being seen, heard, and respected.

👉 Visit CRA ARTS Blog to explore how art can reshape society through empathy and awareness.


👫 What You Can Do to Observe This Day

  • Host a tolerance-themed art contest in your local school or community.

  • Share a post, blog, or video talking about an experience that challenged your biases.

  • Read or teach from books like “To Kill a Mockingbird” or “I Am Malala.”

  • Attend intercultural festivals, forums, or webinars promoting dialogue.

  • Learn a greeting or cultural tradition from a different community.


🕊️ Tolerance Is Action

Celebrating tolerance is not about agreeing with everything or everyone—it’s about choosing respect over prejudice, curiosity over fear, and coexistence over division.

It’s about saying:

“I may not live like you, believe like you, or think like you.
But I see your humanity. And that is enough.”


Let this 16 November be a chance for us all to pause, reflect, and promise to create spaces where differences aren’t erased, but embraced.


🔗 Let’s keep building bridges through art, stories, and awareness. Read more at: CRA ARTS Blog

Comments

Most visited

🩺 Career Card: How to Get a Nurse Job in New Zealand

  📜 Overview New Zealand offers excellent opportunities for qualified nurses with competitive pay, modern healthcare facilities, and a high standard of living. Internationally qualified nurses can work in public hospitals , private hospitals , aged care , or community health services after meeting registration and visa requirements. 🧾 1. Basic Eligibility Requirements To work as a nurse in New Zealand, you must: Hold a recognized nursing qualification (Diploma / BSc Nursing / MSc Nursing). Have a minimum of 2 years of nursing experience (preferred). Prove English language proficiency (through IELTS or OET). IELTS: Overall 7.0 (with minimum 7.0 in each band) OET: Minimum B grade in all sections. 🏥 2. Registration with Nursing Council of New Zealand (NCNZ) Steps: Create an account on NCNZ portal. Get your nursing qualifications verified through Educational Credential Evaluators (ECA). Submit English test results . Provide evidence of work exper...

🥑 10 Healthy Foods That Boost Brain Power and Keep Your Mind Sharp

Your brain is the most energy-hungry organ in your body — it consumes nearly 20% of your total energy. The food you eat directly influences how well it functions. From memory to creativity, focus to emotional balance — nutrition shapes your mind . Feeding your brain the right nutrients can sharpen your thinking, improve your mood, and even protect against age-related decline. Here are 10 powerful foods that nourish your brain and keep it performing at its best. 1. 🐟 Fatty Fish – The Ultimate Brain Fuel Fish like salmon, sardines, mackerel, and trout are packed with omega-3 fatty acids , essential for building brain and nerve cells. They enhance memory, mood, and cognitive sharpness. Tip: Include two servings of fatty fish per week for a natural boost in mental clarity. 2. 🫐 Blueberries – The Memory Protectors Tiny but mighty, blueberries are loaded with antioxidants that protect the brain from oxidative stress and aging. They also improve communication between brain cells....

🧠 The Power Within: How Important Our Brain Truly Is

  We often admire the beauty of the eyes, the rhythm of the heart, or the strength of the hands — yet the quiet conductor behind it all is the brain . Hidden within the skull, this three-pound organ is the most powerful and mysterious creation in the known universe. It holds our memories, dreams, decisions, and even the spark that makes us who we are. Without the brain, there is no “us.” Let’s explore how truly important our brain is — not just as a biological organ, but as the very essence of human existence. 🧩 1. The Brain Controls Everything Every breath, every heartbeat, every blink — the brain is behind it. It sends millions of electrical signals every second, coordinating movements, regulating organs, and keeping us alive without our conscious effort. Even the simplest action, like raising a finger or forming a smile, begins as a thought inside the brain. It is the central command center of the body — where life begins and consciousness resides. 💡 2. The Brain Is...