Plants nurture soil-living organisms -- only 1% of these soil microorganisms having been identified to date (compared to 80% of plant species). This vast world constitutes soil biodiversity -- 25% of the planet's biodiversity -- and determines the main bio-geochemical processes that make life possible on Earth, with this diverse community feeding and protecting plants, […]
The International Civil Aviation network carries over four billion passengers annually (120,000 flights and 12 million passengers a day), supports 65.5 million jobs and contributes US$2.7 trillion to the global economy. International Civil Aviation Day is to recognise the contribution of international civil aviation to global social and economic development and to acknowledge the work […]
International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime is to observe and respect the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, the first human rights treaty adopted by the United Nations General Assembly, to honour the lives of […]
Corruption is dishonest behavior by those in positions of power and can include giving or accepting bribes or inappropriate gifts, double-dealing, under-the-table transactions, manipulating elections, diverting funds, laundering money, and defrauding investors. Corruption is a complex social, political and economic phenomenon that undermines democratic institutions, slows economic development and contributes to governmental instability. International Anti-Corruption […]
Human Rights Day marks the adoption in 1948 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights for the inalienable rights which everyone is entitled to as a human being - regardless of race, colour, religion, sex, language, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. Available in more than 500 languages, […]
Home to 15% of the world´s population, mountains host about half of the world's biodiversity hotspots and provide freshwater to half of humanity. Of the 20 plant species that supply 80% of the world's food, six originated and have been diversified in mountains: maize, potatoes, barley, sorghum, tomatoes, and apples. Climate change and overexploitation (unsustainable […]
Used daily by more than 400 million people, Arabic (the word meaning nomadic) was first spoken by nomadic tribes who occupied the area between Mesopotamia, the Lebanon mountains, the Sinai and northwestern Arabia. Much of what is known of written, classical (or old) Arabic comes from 7th century events recorded in the Qur’an, the holy […]
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) notes that there is no universally accepted definition for migrant, and that this word is an umbrella term, not defined under international law, reflecting the common lay understanding of a person who moves away from his or her place of usual residence, whether within a country or across an […]
Solidarity, as identified in the Millennium Declaration, is one of the fundamental values of international relations -- those, who suffer or benefit least deserve help from those who benefit most. In the context of globalization and the challenge of growing inequality, strengthening of international solidarity is indispensable.The Sustainable Development Agenda is centred on people and […]
Happy Lunar New Year!