International Human Solidarity Day (IHSD) is observed on December 20 and was established by the United Nations at the 2005 World Summit. IHSD is identified as one of the fundamental collective values of international relations in the 21st Century in the Millennium Declaration, which was adopted at the Millennium Summit of the United Nations by attending world leaders. Global solidarity for humanity aims to lift people out of poverty, hunger, disease through the belief that those who benefit least deserve help from those who benefit most.
International Human Solidarity Day serves as a day to celebrate unity in diversity, remind governments to respect their commitments, raise public awareness of the importance of solidarity, encourage new initiatives for poverty eradication, and encourage debate on ways to promote solidarity for the achievement of the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals.
What is solidarity and why is it important? Solidarity is a collective feeling or action within a group, especially among individuals with common responsibilities or interests. Solidarity is important as a tool for reducing inequality and social injustice in the world, and is a determination to commit oneself to a common good. By standing together, solidarity for a particular cause and can lead to the sustainable development of society as a whole.
The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, adopted in 2015, are 17 goals that address global challenges and serve as a universal call to end poverty, improve the overall health and well-being of society, and to protect the planet. Several of the goals include items such as zero hunger, offering quality education to all, gender equality, and the development of sustainable cities and communities.
Together we rise : behind the scenes of the protest heard around the world (First edition.). (2018). Dey Street, an imprint of William Morrow. Print. Bestsellers.
Together we rise celebrates the one-year anniversary of the Womens March that occurred on January 21, 2017, the day after the inauguration of Donald Trump. More than three million protestors of all ages and backgrounds came together across the world to stand in unison and solidarity, and the Womens March has become the largest global protest in modern history. Together we rise examines both collective and personal stories, and provides insight into how the event originated, how it was organized, and how it became a global movement. Featuring a collection of photos from the event and essays by renown writers, Together we rise is a reminder of the great difference we can make by standing together.
Weiler. (2021). Untamed Equality. Todd A. Weiler. Print.
Told from the perspective of a national security background, Untamed Equality seeks to address and provide solutions for the inequalities that we see every day but may look past. It elevates people that are often drowned-out by the noise of the most organized, and it finds common ground between unlikely partners. Weiler brings a new approach to solving some of the most important equality and inclusion issues facing our country and the safety and security of our people. -- Provided by publisher
Crow, & Lodha, S. K. (2011). The atlas of global inequalities. University of California Press. Print. Reference.
The atlas of global inequalities looks at research from around the world to understand inequalities that exist and inspire social and political action. Looking at issues such as distribution of income and wealth, inadequate health services, barriers to education and technology, and food and water insecurity, Crow examines how these issues hinder people ability to live life and reveals differences between countries and inequalities that exist within them.
Laitinen, & Pessi, A. B. (2015). Solidarity: theory and practice. Lexington Books. eBook.
Solidarity: theory and practice is a collection of journal articles that focus on examining the nature of social reality from viewpoints of solidarity. Taken from multidisciplinary perspectives of philosophy, psychology, and social science subject matter experts, Solidarity provides insight into the importance of collective thinking and unity, especially in response to crisis and providing assistance to others.
Heymann, Sprague, A., & Raub, A. (2020). Advancing Equality. University of California Press. https://doi.org/10.1525/luminos.81. eBook.
Heymann's book examines the critical role of constitutions to protect basic human rights. Advancing Equality analyzes the constitutions of all 193 countries in regards to equal rights, and explores how stronger protections against discrimination have transformed and bettered lives. These examples are supplemented with stories of activism and court cases. Heymann looks at how equal rights across gender, race and ethnicity, religion, disability and social class can be achieved, and states that advancing equality requires fulfilling everyone's fundamental right to health, education, and social and economic rights.
Loomis, Ilima. (2015). In Hawaii, protests force pause in construction of world’s largest telescope. Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science). https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aab2457. Journal article.
Loomis' article, published in Science Journal, discusses the ongoing controversial issue between Native Hawaiian activists and the construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) on Mauna Kea. Both astronomers and Native Hawaiians see Mauna Kea as a special place. Due to its height of 4200 meters, Mauna Kea is a well known site for astronomy and the plans for the construction of the TMT would make it the largest telescope in the world. However Native Hawaiians consider Mauna Kea to be a sacred place reserved for special ceremonies, and see the construction of the TMT as a desecration of the summit and the hundreds of archaeological shrines and burial sites that are located there. The TMT protests have many supporters standing in solidarity, and has also highlighted the issue of Hawaiian sovereignty and the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy in 1893.
Steinhilper. (2021). Migrant Protest. Amsterdam University Press. eBook.
Migrant Protest examines many of the issues migrants or other displaced people face in regards to identity, rights, and equality in a globalized world. This book looks at other protests and social movements and theorizes how this can be applied to migrants, focusing on both asylum seekers and illegal migrants. With the emergence of migrant protest, questions are asked about social movement studies in regards to the marginalization of outsiders claiming citizenship rights.
Conybeare. (2013). Solidarity day : Hawaii style. [Wong Audiovisual Center, University of Hawaii at Manoa].
This video documents what Solidarity Day was like in Hawai'i on November 14, 1981. Budget cuts from President Reagen to increase expenditures in military weapons brought workers from schools, hotels, social services, and unions to protest and express concern
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Think like a global citizen. Why should human rights be universal? . (2018). Makematic.
This short video explains the importance of why human rights should be universal and how the declaration of human rights have evolved throughout history.
Atlas, & Charles Atlas. (2007). Protest . Public Broadcasting Service PBS.
Protest examines how four different artists use their work to generate discussion and empathize with the suffering of others. Works are examined that focus and depict issues such as war, feminist rights, poverty and famine, and consumerism and the environment. The video examines how other mediums such as art can be used as a means of solidarity and representation.
