On International Mother Language Day the UN's Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and UN agencies participate in events that promote linguistic and cultural diversity. They also encourage people to maintain their knowledge of their mother language while learning and using more than one language. Governments and non-governmental organizations may use the day to announce policies to encourage language learning and support.
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Muslims around the world celebrate the birth of the Prophet Mohammad (Peace Be Upon Him), who was born in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. His birthday is marked in many ways in different Muslim nations. By holding processions, Naat congregations and other activities, Eid Milad-un-Nabi 2014 was celebrated with religious zeal and fervour. What a year was 570 AD A person was born, a prophet to be Mohammed (Peace Be Upon Him) that was his name People were misguided and thats when he came He would go on to leave all the idols behind He is an example to all of mankind Rabbi-al-Awwal the 12th, that was the day He came to this world to show us the way He was born in Mecca, the holiest place A life full of challenges he was to face Abdullah his father, had by then passed away Leaving Amina his mother, in her arms he lay Haalima Sadia, took over his care Until he was six, our prophet was there His mother then died, he was left all alone Abdul Muttalib his grand-dad then made him his own When our prophet was nine, his grandfather died Abu Talib, his uncle, became his new guide In his 20's, a merchant Mohammed (Peace Be Upon Him) became by trade Al-Amin, (The trustworthy) became his grade Hazrat Khadija aged 40, became his bride He was 25, with her by his side To the poor, she gave away all her wealth A dedicated wife in sickness and health 360 idols in the Kaaba, they were at that time Our prophet realised that this was a crime He would go to mount Hira, leaving behind his wife Reflecting and wondering about the meaning of life While thinking there in the midst of the night He heard a loud voice which filled him with fright It was the angel Gibrail who asked him to read Our prophet couldn't and didnt take heed The angel embraced him and then asked him later Read, Read in the name of the Creator Who created man from a drop of blood Our prophet couldn't read but at that time he could Our prophet rushed to the path straight ahead He heard a voice from the heavens which said Mohammed (Peace Be Upon Him) truly you are the messenger of God Mohammed (Peace Be Upon Him) was scared and thought this quite odd Praise be to God his wife said instead ''I know you've been chosen as God's messenger' she said And thus Khadija became the first woman of islam And over the next 23 years came the revelation, the Quran He preached to all people, every creed every race Yet so many hardships he had to face There were fears for his life, then the Hijrat took place He then entered Medina, all by ALLAH's grace He was greeted by the Ansaris who gave their salaam To him and his companians, Then came the battles, which were fought face to face Then the conquest of Mecca, Mohammed (Peace Be Upon Him)'s birthplace An Nasr was revealed, it's message was clear Mohammed (Peace Be Upon Him) knew that his time was near Everyone gathered to hear his last speech Little did they know how far ALLAH's message would reach Mohammed (Peace Be Upon Him) gave us the miracle the Quran And now a 1/4 of the world follow Islam He is our role-model, the best of mankind And has left the Quran and his Sunnah behind Happy and Blessed Eid Milad-un-Nabi to all MuslimsFrom Editor-in-chief InfopediaPk
Fireworks around the world on New Year 2014.
This is my wish for you: Comfort on difficult days, smiles when sadness intrudes, rainbows to follow the clouds, laughter to kiss your lips, sunsets to warm your heart, hugs when spirits sag, beauty for your eyes to see, friendships to brighten your being, faith so that you can believe, confidence for when you doubt, courage to know yourself, patience to accept the truth, Love to complete your life. I wish a very Happy New Year to you and your family From Editor-in-chief InfopediaPk
This year’s theme for International Women’s Day, “A promise is a promise: Time for action to end violence against women” seeks to strengthen international community’s commitment to put an end to violence against women. As part of the effort the UN leads to fight violence against women, Secretary-Generals Ban Ki-moon's UNiTE campaign calls on all governments, civil society, women’s organizations, men, young people, the private sector, the media and the entire UN system to join forces in addressing this global pandemic. Message from Director-General of UNESCOA promise is a promise: Time for action to end violence against women. On International Women’s Day, we celebrate the strides that have been made to advance women’s rights and the individual heroes, girls and women, who are making history in societies across the world. This is also a day to cast an objective eye on where we stand and reflect on the obstacles that remain. Violence against women is one of the most deadly and widespread violations of women’s rights across the world. Violence takes many shapes -- physical, sexual, psychological and economic -- but the result remains the same devastating violation of fundamental rights and human dignity. There are concerted efforts at all levels to stop this violence, but progress is haltingly slow. The brutal attack on 9 October 2012 against Malala Yousafzai, a fourteen year old girl, shot for claiming the right of girls to an education, reminds us of the challenges we must overcome. This is why UNESCO is working with Governments across the world to support the right of girls and women to quality education under conditions of safety. This is essential not only for social justice but also for sustainable development. On 20 December 2012, the United Nations General Assembly passed a landmark resolution to intensify global efforts to eliminate female genital mutilation/cutting. An estimated 100-140 million girls and women across the world have suffered from this practice, with three million girls at risk each year in Africa alone. These practices affect girls and women for life, holding back their development, undermining their confidence, with wide repercussions across societies. The UN resolution is a historic step, which we must all help to move forward. UNESCO is working across the board to end violence against women. Laws alone are not enough. We must educate to shape new norms and behaviors. We must support women in becoming leaders in all fields of human endeavor, starting from UNESCO’s priorities of education, the sciences, culture, communication and information, including the media. To empower women and ensure equality, we must challenge every form of violence every time it occurs. This is UNESCO’s promise on International Women’s Day. Message from Ms Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO on the occasion of International Women’s Day
International Mother Language Day is an ideal opportunity to highlight the importance of languages to group and individual identity, as the foundation for all social, economic and cultural life. Multilingualism is a source of strength and opportunity for humanity. It embodies our cultural diversity and encourages the exchange of views, the renewal of ideas and the broadening of our capacity to imagine. Genuine dialogue implies respect for languages, and this is why UNESCO works to harness their power to foster mutual understanding. We encourage teaching in the mother tongue, which facilitates the fight against illiteracy and contributes to the quality of education. The protection of languages ensures also that rare and indigenous knowledge is safeguarded and handed down. By giving each of us the means to make ourselves heard and be respected, this is also a force for social inclusion. This year, UNESCO has decided to explore the links between languages and books. Books are a force for peace and development that must be placed in the hands of all. They are also crucial tools for expression that help to enrich languages, while recording their changes over time. In this age of new technologies, books remain precious instruments, easy to handle, sturdy and practical for sharing knowledge, mutual understanding and opening the world to all. Books are the pillars of knowledge societies and essential for promoting freedom of expression and education for all. The vitality of languages depends as much on oral exchange as on the large-scale production of teaching material and printed texts. In some countries, the dearth of books and textbooks in local languages hampers development and social inclusion and represents a violation of the right to freedom of expression. Digital tools can help to fill this gap, but they are not enough. We must do more to distribute materials and books as widely and fairly as possible, so that all people – children above all – can read in the language of their choice, including in their mother tongue. This can also boost progress towards the Education for All goals by 2015. Translation is an important part of this great project, by creating bridges to new readers. On this 14th International Mother Language Day, I call on all UNESCO’s partners, authors and teachers all over the world, in universities, the UNESCO Chairs and Associated Schools to work together to promote the importance of linguistic and cultural diversity and of education in the mother tongue. Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO
Message for International Mother Language Day 2013 |
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