GLOBAL DIGNITY DAY

GLOBAL DIGNITY DAY

The third Wednesday of October recognizes Global Dignity Day. The initiative educates & inspires youth to help them better understand their self-worth. The day also taps into the values of kindness, understanding, tolerance, and compassion.

We define dignity as the state or quality of being worthy of honor and respect. The primary principles of Global Dignity Day include:

• The right of every human being to live a dignified life
• Access to health care, education, income, and security to help reach one’s full potential
• The freedom to make decisions about one’s life
• Dignity as the guiding factor for every action
• Our dignity is interdependent with the dignity of others.

All of these factors point to one mission. The mission of Global Dignity Day is “to unite everyone with the belief that we all deserve to live a life of dignity.”

“Human rights rest on human dignity. The dignity of man is an ideal worth fighting for and worth dying for.” Robert Maynard

HOW TO OBSERVE #globaldignityday

Events occur mainly in classrooms, as the day is geared toward school-aged children. Programs include lectures, special speakers, and open discussions revolving around dignity. Students are encouraged to define the word dignity for themselves. They are also encouraged to write a letter to themselves about their aspirations and goals. These letters are collected and returned to them on the next Global Dignity Day. It’s a way for them to measure how far they have come in one year and what goals they have met.

“We must build a new world, a far better world, one in which the eternal dignity of man is respected.” Harry S. Truman

Global Dignity Day is a great day to reflect on your own definition of the word dignity. It’s also a great day to teach others what dignity means. It’s a day to learn to be more compassionate toward others. Is there someone you know who could use an extra dose of kindness? Take a moment to reach out to them. Write yourself a letter listing your aspirations and goals in life. Tuck it away in a safe place and read it next year to see how far you’ve come. Share this day on social media with #GlobalDignityDay

“Dignity of human nature requires that we must face the storms of life.” Mahatma Gandhi

GLOBAL DIGNITY DAY HISTORY

In 2005 an?American entrepreneur, a Finnish professor, and a Norwegian Prince?came together to create Global Dignity Day. These three friends believed that human dignity was at the center of positive social change. They aspired to create a special day for school-aged children to have candid conversations about the meaning of dignity.

The first official observance took place on October 20, 2008. During the event, school classes were invited to discuss what dignity meant to them and their relationships with other people. Since then, Global Dignity Day has been celebrated each year on the third Wednesday of October. More than 250,000 people in over 70 countries join the most recent celebration in 2018.

HAPPY GLOBAL DIGNITY DAY