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November 16, International Day for Tolerance

November 16, International Day for Tolerance
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Declarations of Principles on Tolerance, Nov. 16, 1995 preceded IDT.

The UN General Assembly, in 1996, adopted Resolution 51/95, with a proclamation of November 16 as International Day for Tolerance. Prior to this proclamation, on November 16, 1995, there was an adoption of a Declaration of Principles on Tolerance by UNESCO’s Member States. The Declaration asserts that tolerance is to respect and appreciate the rich variety of cultures around the world, ways of being human, and humans’ forms of expression, and not indulgence and indifference. According to the Declaration, tolerance is the recognition of the universal human rights and fundamental human rights of others. Tolerance is described as a means of ensuring the survival of a naturally diverse globe.

A highlight of the marking of the United Nations Year for Tolerance was in 1995. It was marked alongside the 125th anniversary of the birth of Mahatma Gandhi. To celebrate, UNESCO, with the sole aim of promoting tolerance and non-violence, created a prize known as “the UNESCO-Madanjeet Singh Prize. Through this prize, significant scientific, artistic, cultural and communications activities which are also interested in promoting tolerance and non-violence, are rewarded. The inspiration behind the creation of the prize are the ideals of UNESCO’s Constitution that states that “peace, if it is not to fail, must be founded on the intellectual and moral solidarity of mankind.”

Education is a necessary tool to ensure tolerance.

To ensure tolerance, UNESCO emphasizes a culture of peace, sustainable development and non-violence; democracy and global citizenship focusing on governance, democratic institutions, citizenship, freedom of expression, representation of young men and women and others; fostering rights, inclusion and non-discrimination; the ability of education to transform lives as a medium of building peace, eradicating poverty and driving sustainable development; and freedom of expression and rule of law, cooperating with the judiciary and security forces to support them in the reinforcement of the “three Ps” (Prevention, Protection and Prosecution).

The government is highly responsible for enforcement of human rights laws, ban and punishment of hate crimes and discrimination against minorities, regardless of the criminal, and is therefore an important factor to efficiently tackle intolerance. Education is also necessary as it eliminates ignorance and fear, teaching children tolerance, human rights, and other ways of life. Other necessities to effectively tackle intolerance include access to information, individual awareness – putting an end to stigmatization, bigotry, racial jokes, stereotyping and insults.

Boko Haram, a threat to freedom of conscience and religion in Nigeria.

In Nigeria, there is a form of religious intolerance – denial of a group to tolerate a belief or person on the grounds of religion – birthed through activities of Boko Haram Islamic fundamentalists and is a threat to the cooperated existence of the Nigerian state. The activities of this sect have unleashed terror upon both Muslim and non-Muslims, disregarding the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that asserts that “Everyone has the right to freedom of conscience and religion, and freedom of opinion and expression.”

Religious intolerance has led to the death of many Nigerians in many parts of the country, particularly in Northern states. Boko Haram has pioneered many terrorist attacks on religious and political groups, and civilians in schools, villages and markets. Some of these attacks include the kidnapping of over two hundred school girls in April 2014, with the release of only one hundred and three of them till date; and the kidnapping of over one hundred students in February 2018.

UNESCO encourages all States to unitedly speak up against intolerance.

In a bid to fight intolerance against persons on the basis of religion or belief, UNESCO urges all States to encourage the creation of collaborative networks to enable mutual understanding; voicing out against intolerance; adoption of measures to criminalize incitement to imminent violence on the basis of belief or religion; encouragement of the representation of individuals, regardless of their religion or belief, in all societal sectors; adoption of policies for the promotion of full respect and protection of worship places and religious sites.


Related Link

UNESCO: Website

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Adeolastan
Adeolastan
10 months ago

The bedrock of why the world is not settle is intolerance of one and other, especially in Nigeria where there is diverse culture and different religions and example of this is issue of book haram terrorist.

jdpumping
jdpumping
10 months ago

International tolerance day do we really tolerate each other that’s a fallacy because if we truly do we won’t be having several wars and rumours of war because tolerating one another is all about love.

SarahDiv
SarahDiv
10 months ago

16th of November has been chosen as the international Day for tolerance. We all need to accept and tolerate one another otherwise we will keep experience conflict amongst ourselves just like the case of Fulani herdsmen and Farmers, Boko Haram in the northern part of Nigeria. Tolerance need to be encouraged amongst us to forestall peace and tranquility.

DimOla
DimOla
10 months ago

There is no tolerance in Nigeria. 16th November has been declared has the world tolerance day but here in Nigeria this not in existence that is why we are experiencing all kinds of conflicts amongst ourselves.

Tonerol10
Tonerol10
10 months ago

November 16, International Day for Tolerance – Declarations of Principles on Tolerance, Nov. 16
We have tolerated bad leadership for so long. we need to make a good and better change in the forth coming general Election 2023

Tolaniiii
Tolaniiii
10 months ago

Activities that are significant in the fields of science, the arts, culture, and communications and that are also interested in promoting tolerance and nonviolence are rewarded through the awarding of this prize.

Haykaylyon26
Haykaylyon26
10 months ago

November 16 at a day for tolerance but in our own country their is no tolerance that why are facing many problem

Ultra0711
Ultra0711
10 months ago

We need to accept and tolerate one another or else we would continue to face violence between ourselves. Tolerance need to be encouraged amongst us to forestall peace and quiet.

theApr
theApr
10 months ago

UNESCO supports democracy, global citizenship, and a culture of peace, sustainable development, and nonviolence in order to promote tolerance. These topics include governance, democratic institutions, citizenship, freedom of expression, and the representation of young men and women, among others.

Remi1
Remi1
10 months ago

In order to promote tolerance, UNESCO places a strong emphasis on a culture of peace, sustainable development, and nonviolence.

Godsewill Ifeanyi
Godsewill Ifeanyi
9 months ago

Tolerance is good for us in the society because it is the acknowledgment of the inherent dignity and equal protection under the law of all human beings.

Iyanu12345ogg
Iyanu12345ogg
9 months ago

Education is necessary and in this case it will play a big role in promoting tolerance… it is the ability to transform lives, eliminates poverty, ignorance and fear, teaches children tolerance, human rights, and other ways of life.

Hassan Isa
Hassan Isa
9 months ago

Remarkable endeavors in the fields of science, the arts, culture, and communication, which also seek to foster an environment of nonviolence and tolerance, will be recognized and awarded with this honor.

Chibuzor
Chibuzor
9 months ago

The Constitution of UNESCO, which declares that peace, if it is not to fail, must be established on the intellectual and moral unity of mankind, served as motivation for the foundation of the prize.

Kazeem1
Kazeem1
9 months ago

It is imperative that an end be put to the practice of religious intolerance, which has been responsible for the deaths of a great number of Nigerians across the country, particularly in the northern states.

Taiwoo
Taiwoo
9 months ago

The issue of book haram terrorists in Nigeria is emblematic of the fact that intolerance of one another is at the heart of the world’s ongoing unrest.

Nwachukwu Kingsley
Nwachukwu Kingsley
9 months ago

UNESCO encourages all States to promote the formation of cooperative networks to facilitate mutual understanding in an effort to combat intolerance towards persons based on religion or belief.

Adesanyaj72
Adesanyaj72
9 months ago

The implementation of measures to punish incitement to imminent violence on the grounds of belief or religion; the encouragement of the representation of persons in public forums.

Bola12
Bola12
9 months ago

In Nigeria, tolerance is completely nonexistent. On November 16th, the world celebrates tolerance; however, in Nigeria, there is little tolerance, which helps explain the country’s ongoing internal conflicts.

Christiana
Christiana
9 months ago

incorporation of policies for the promotion of complete respect and protection of worship places and religious sites, across all sectors of society, regardless of a person’s religious or philosophical affiliation.

Abusi
Abusi
9 months ago

The international day for tolerance is to commemorate a day at which countries will show solidarity for one another and tolerated each other. If countries and people tolerate each other there won’t be war or crises.