Solidarity is identified in the Millennium Declaration as one of the fundamental values of international relations in the 21st Century, wherein those who either suffer or benefit least deserve help from those who benefit most. Consequently, in the context of globalisation and the challenge of growing inequality, strengthening of international solidarity is indispensable.
Therefore, the United Nations General Assembly, convinced that the promotion of the culture of solidarity and the spirit of sharing are important for combating poverty, proclaimed December 20 as International Human Solidarity Day.
The General Assembly, on December 22, 2005, by resolution 60/209 identified solidarity as one of the fundamental and universal values that should underlie relations between peoples in the 21st Century, and in that regard, decided to proclaim December 20 of each year International Human Solidarity Day.
The day has been set aside to celebrate our unity in diversity; to remind governments to respect their commitments to international agreements; to raise public awareness of the importance of solidarity; to encourage debate on the ways to promote solidarity for the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals, including poverty eradication – a day of action to encourage new initiatives for poverty eradication.
In his message on the occasion, the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon emphasised that despite advances made, prosperity has not been shared by all. Inequalities, extreme poverty, unemployment, social exclusion and environmental degradation continue to be prominent features of societies around the world. Discrimination and prejudice remain major barriers to building inclusive societies. Many vulnerable social groups find their situation worsening. The impacts of climate change will fall most heavily on those who did least to cause the problem.
He stressed too that leaving no one behind, promoting prosperity and ensuring inclusiveness and equality are core principles of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by world leaders in September 2015, and of the Paris Agreement on climate change adopted in December of that same year.
As nations strive to uphold their promises and to meet the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Secretary General pointed out that mutual support will be crucial. Global problems require collective solutions. At a time of divisiveness on many key global issues, from armed conflict to forced migration, he urged that people need to turn toward each other in common cause, not away from each other in fear.
Human solidarity is needed now more than ever, particularly for those defenceless victims of war, particularly children who are affected by the Syrian conflict.
Even while civilians were being moved to safety on December 19, the UN Security Council adopted a resolution which requested “UN and other relevant institutions to carry out adequate, neutral monitoring” of the mass evacuations from Aleppo.
More than 4500 civilians, including dozens of orphans, have left Aleppo in one of the besieged Syrian city’s biggest evacuations yet. A statement by children’s charity Unicef said that 47 children trapped in an orphanage were taken to safety on Monday morning. Some are in critical condition because of injuries or dehydration, the organisation said.
Initial efforts to evacuate the small pockets of eastern Aleppo still held by rebels had collapsed on Friday, leaving civilians stranded without access to food and shelter and with almost no medical facilities. However, the operation restarted late on Sunday, December 18. But after years of war, and months of a government siege pushing people to the brink of starvation, tens of thousands are now trying to escape what the UN calls a “slow-motion descent into hell”.
As Guyana joins the rest of the world in counting down to Christmas, only a few days away, it is crucial that we remember to keep those affected in our thoughts and prayers and that we band together in solidarity for our fellow human beings .
