Read this online at www.intuition-in-service.org/newsletter/February17.html


Please Hold in the Light
February 2017

Welcome
During International Days and major international conferences there is a special opportunity to serve in the creation of a more unified and compassionate world.
As meditators we can symbolically stand together with all actively working in the spirit of the Charter of Compassion, and invoke the aid of the Forces of Light in support of these events.

Daily Reminder
Check out a daily reminder of these events to hold in the light. Share this daily reminder with others by including the app on your website.

Sustainable Development Goals & Climate Change 
These International Days and events reflect important themes in the mobilization of energies to:
  • End poverty, inequality and climate change by 2030 through practical actions to achieve the new Sustainable Development Goals
  • engaging people of goodwill all over the world in a common movement.
 
2017 United Nations International Year
 
Silence at the United Nations



The Spiritual Caucus at the United Nations gathers in the vicinity of UN Headquarters in New York (September - June) on the third Thursday every month for 30 minutes of silence followed by 30 minutes of dialogue, sharing insights and exploring ways to use an inner focus in service of the work of the UN. On the 1st Thursday of the month the Caucus invites friends to sit in silence for 30 minutes in the newly renovated Meditation Room at UN Headquarters in New York.
Please link in from wherever you are. More information at: http://www.spiritualcaucusun.org/

In February the Spiritual Caucus will gather for silence in the UN Meditation Room at UN Headquarters, New York on February 2 from 12.45 - 1.15 PM and for silence and discussion at the Bahai UN Office, 866 UN Plaza, New York on February 16 from 1.30 - 2.45 PM.
 
 
 

February Please Hold These Events in the Light


January 15 - February 23
Winter Feast for the Soul

The Winter Feast for the Soul event takes place every January 15-February 23, and unites people in their commitment to a 40-day practice of stillness. The commitment to 40 minutes of practice each day of the Feast allows people to have a life changing experience of the importance and impact of stillness. We embrace all forms of practice that bring an individual to a period of stillness in their daily life. Whether it is winter or summer where you are in January, we hope you will join the more than 20,000 people worldwide who participate each year.
What nine months does for the embryo
Forty early mornings
Will do for your growing awareness
Jelaluddin Rumi
winterfeastforthesoul.com

February 1 - 7
World Interfaith Harmony Week

In November 2010, following a proposal by HM King Abdullah II and HRH Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad of Jordan, the United Nations General Assembly decided to observe the first week of February every year as World Interfaith Harmony Week. The resolution recognized that the moral imperatives of all religions, convictions and beliefs call for peace, tolerance and mutual understanding, and it reaffirmed that mutual understanding and inter religious dialogue constitute important dimensions of a culture of peace.
Countless events are held around the world during the week, including an annual gathering in the General Assembly Hall of the United Nations.
worldinterfaithharmonyweek.com
www.un.org/en/events/
www.charterforcompassion.org

February 1 - 3
Youth Assembly at the United Nations

2017 Theme: Realizing the 2030 Agenda: Youth in Action
Youth leaders from around the world (ages 16-25) gather every year in the General Assembly Hall at UN Headquarters in New York.
www.youthassembly.nyc

February 1 - 10
UN Commission for Social Development

2017 theme: Strategies for eradicating poverty to achieve sustainable development for all
Following the 1995 World Summit for Social Development in Copenhagen the Commission for Social Development is the major UN body responsible for implementation and follow-up on the Programme of Action agreed to at the Summit. This means that the annual meetings of the Commission in New York provide an important arena for governments and civil society to review progress and develop dialogue around key themes, including poverty eradication, disability, youth, ageing, families.
During the 10 days of the Commission conference rooms at UN Headquarters in New York will be full of events organized by civil society as well as governments.
undesadspd.org
www.ngosocdev.net

February 2
World Wetlands Day

2017 Theme: Wetlands for Disaster Risk Reduction
The Future of Humanity depends on Wetlands. They purify and replenish our water, and provide the fish and rice that feed billions. Wetlands act as a natural sponge against flooding and drought, and protect our coastlines. They burst with biodiversity, and are a vital means of storing carbon.
Over a billion people make a living from wetlands including work in fishing, rice farming, travel, tourism and the provision of water.
On February 2,1971 an intergovernmental treaty, The Ramsar Convention, was adopted in the Iranian city of Ramsar. It commits member countries to maintain the ecological character of their Wetlands of International Importance and to plan for the "wise use", or sustainable use, of all of the wetlands in their territories. It is the only environmental treaty governing a particular ecosystem.
www.worldwetlandsday.org

February 4
World Cancer Day

2017 Theme: We can. I can.
Every year the equivalent of the entire population of Switzerland dies from cancer - two thirds of these deaths occur in low and middle-income countries. Cancer kills more people every year than AIDS, malaria and TB combined. It is estimated by the UN's World Health Organisation that between 2005 and 2015, 84 million people will die of cancer without intervention. Research suggests that one-third of all cancer deaths can be avoided by prevention and another third by early detection and treatment.

For many cancer patients and their families the disease provides an opportunity to access deep spiritual resources and there are now a wide range of programs in meditation, spiritual development and alternative therapies offered as part of cancer treatment. See, for example, the US government's National Cancer Institute: www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/. Similar sites are available from major cancer centers in many countries.
www.worldcancerday.org
www.un.org/en/events/cancerday/

February 6
International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation

Female genital mutilation (FGM) is recognized internationally as a violation of the human rights of girls and women. Over 140 million girls and women alive today have undergone some form of FGM.The United nations Population Fund and UNICEF jointly lead the largest global program to accelerate the abandonment of FGM.
www.un.org/en/events/ www.unfpa.org/

February 11
Full Moon — Aquarius

Since ancient times human beings have honored the full moon as a time when the sacred is most accesible. It is a time of light - the moon reflects the light of the sun onto the face of the earth. In astrology this is a time when the qualities and potentials of the zodiacal sign of the sun are especially available to humanity for use in service.
During the full moon religious and esoteric groups around the world vizualize light and love and spiritual power flowing into humanity and strengthening all that is being done to help prepare the way for a world of unity, justice and peace; a world which is increasingly concentrated on the work of implementing the Sustainable Development Goals.
www.lucistrust.org
www.worldservicegroup.com

February 14
One Billion Rising

2017 Theme: Solidarity Against the Exploitation of Women 1 in 3 women across the planet will be beaten or raped during her lifetime. That’s ONE BILLION WOMEN AND GIRLS. Every February, we rise – in hundreds of countries across the world – to show our local communities and the world what one billion looks like and shine a light on the rampant impunity and injustice that survivors most often face. We rise through dance to express joy and community and celebrate the fact that we have not been defeated by this violence. We rise to show we are determined to create a new kind of consciousness – one where violence will be resisted until it is unthinkable. ... Let’s continue to radically shift consciousness and be braver, bolder, more creative and determined with our actions.
www.onebillionrising.org

February 20
World Day of Social Justice

2017 Theme: Challenging Social inequalities: Pathways to a Just World
The United Nations World Day of Social Justice celebrates the international agreements reached at the World Summit on Social Development in Copenhagen, 1995.
On this Day governments are called upon to undertake concrete activities towards the goals of poverty eradication, full employment and social integration.
The World Summit in 1995 recognised that social development aims at social justice, solidarity, harmony and equality within and among countries and social justice, equality and equity constitute the fundamental values of all societies.
http://www.un.org/en/events/
www.facebook.com

February 21
International Mother Language Day

We live in One World, and are all part of One Life. Yet within this unified whole each individual unit is precious and significant. It is essential that cultural diversity be fostered to maintain richness and variety in the human community. At the heart of culture is language.
Each individual's mother language plays a vital role in their health and development: "It is the language of childhood, of intimate family experience and of our social relations". Yet in a world of increasing globalization small language groups find it increasingly difficult to survive.
UNESCO estimates that about half of the approximately 6,000 languages spoken in the world are under threat.
International Mother Language Day promotes linguistic and cultural diversity and multi-lingualism. The date represents the day in 1952 when students demonstrating for recognition of their language, Bangla, as one of the two national languages of the then Pakistan, were shot and killed by police in Dhaka, the capital of what is now Bangladesh.
http://www.un.org/en/events/
www.unesco.org/
www.facebook.com/motherlanguageday