Office For Justice, Ecology and Peace

International Day for Abolition of Slavery
2020-12-02 00:00 - 23:59 (Australia/Sydney)
Slavery is not something from the past. According to the International Labour Organisation (ILO) more than 40 million people worldwide are victims of modern slavery. ‘Modern slavery’ is an umbrella term referring to practices such as forced labour, debt bondage, forced marriage, and human trafficking. These practices place people in situations of exploitation that they cannot refuse or leave because of threats, violence, coercion, deception, and/or abuse of power.

The Australian Government has enacted laws aimed at stamping out modern slavery, including by eliminating it from the supply chains of Australian businesses and organisations.

Action

Is your organisation required to submit a Modern Slavery Statement? Check out the guidance for entities that are required to submit such statements here.

Did you know that the Archdiocese of Sydney has an Anti-Slavery Taskforce? It provides education, guidance and advice to help Church entities to ensure that they are not unwittingly involved in modern slavery and to meet their legal reporting obligations.

Find out more about the United Nations’ celebration of the International Day for the Abolition of Slavery.

2000: 350,000 people walk for reconciliation in Melbourne and Perth
2020-12-02 00:00 - 23:59
The Melbourne walk, starting at Flinders Street Station and finishing at King’s Domain gardens, drew as many as 300,000 people.

The bridge walk and similar events across Australia were enormously important in showing that public sentiment was moving towards support for more concrete steps in the reconciliation process. Though the event was organised by Aboriginal people those taking part were from all sections of the Australian community.

Importantly, the walks were not a protest but a peaceful demonstration that reflected a shift in the public mood and a growing awareness of the importance of reconciliation and a need for a national apology.

Walk for reconciliation, National Museum Australia

For reflection

Did you, or someone you know, participate in a walk for reconciliation? How did you / they feel that day? And how do you / they feel about action for reconciliation now?

Tewnty years later, how might we take up and support the Uluru Statement from the Heart?

International Day of Persons with Disabilities
2020-12-03 00:00 - 23:59
“… most of us who experience disability and who are able to reflect on it have a ‘social’ view of disability. In other words, it is the barriers placed by society, rather than we ourselves or some feature of our bodies (including our minds), which are the ‘problem’. Accordingly, many of us would see our ‘impairment’ as the mental or physical lack of function of form, for example optic nerve damage, which we experience. Our ‘disability’, on the other hand, would be the interrelation between the impairment and the social and physical environment that prevents us enjoying life to the full.” Justin Glyn SJ, ‘Us’ not ‘Them’: Disability and Catholic Theology and Social Teaching, Catholic Social Justice Series No. 83

International Day of Persons with Disabilities aims to increase public awareness, understanding and inclusion of people with disability and to celebrate their achievements and contributions. The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference Disability Projects Office has prepared a wide range of helpful resources for the celebration of the International Day of Persons with Disability available here. Make sure you check out the links in the right side navigation for resources such as inclusion posters and a guide for making your events inclusive.

Action

Find out more about the work of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference Disability Projects Office.

Read the resource for welcoming people with disability at conferences and events. What can you do better next time?

Read and reflect on Justin Glynn’s paper Us Not Them: Disability, Catholic Theology and Social Teaching It is also available as an e-book on all major digital platforms.

2000: Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation Final Report presented
2020-12-04 00:00 - 23:59
At the end of the year 2000, the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation handed its final report to the national Parliament at a ceremonial event at Parliament House in Canberra. This letter contained in the full report provides an overview of the decade-long work of the Council and a way forward for the nation to achieve reconciliation.

Read the full report at the Australian Legal Information Institute.

World Soil Day (WSD)
2020-12-05 00:00 - 23:59
Did you know?*It can take up to 1,000 years to produce just 2-3cm of soil.*Over 33% of the Earth’s soils are already degraded and 90% could become degraded by 2050.*Soil erosion can lead up to a 50% loss in crop yields.

World Soil Day (WSD) is held annually on 5 December as a means to focus attention on the importance of healthy soil and to advocate for the sustainable management of soil resources.

The date of 5 December was chosen because it corresponds with the official birthday of the late H.M. King Bhumibol Adulyadej, King of Thailand, who was one of the main proponents of this initiative.

International Volunteer Day
2020-12-05 00:00 - 23:59
“The diverse and dynamic role of volunteerism in promoting the Sustainable Development Goals merits strong support from Governments and other stakeholders. On this International Day, I thank volunteers for their efforts to leave no one behind.” – UN Secretary-General António Guterres

International Volunteer Day is a unique chance for volunteers and organizations to celebrate their efforts, to share their values, and to promote their work among their communities, non-governmental organizations, United Nations agencies, government authorities and the private sector.

Saint Nicholas (Santa Claus)
2020-12-06 00:00 - 23:59
Children all over the world know him and love him. In Germany, he’s Kriss Kringle. In France, he’s Pere Noel. British children call him Father Christmas. Of course, you know him as Santa Claus.

He’s got another name – it’s an ancient one that goes back hundreds of years. It’s one of the very first names people called him: St. Nicholas. St. Nicholas was the bishop of Myra which is in the country we now call Turkey. Nicholas was loved for one reason. He loved. He loved God and God’s people so much that he would do anything for them.

St. Nicholas showed his gratitude for God’s gifts by giving to others. What gifts can your family share with those in need?

Source: Loyola Press.

1965: Vatican II Pastoral Constitution Gaudium et Spes ('Joys and Hopes')
2020-12-07 00:00 - 23:59
“The joys and the hopes, the griefs and the anxieties of the people of this age, especially those who are poor or in any way afflicted, these are the joys and hopes, the griefs and anxieties of the followers of Christ.” (#1) – Second Vatican Council, 1965

The Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World Gaudium et Spes was promulgated by Pope Paul VI on 7 December 1965. Read an introduction to Gaudium et Spes here.

International Civil Aviation Day
2020-12-07 00:00 - 23:59
The purpose of International Civil Aviation Day is to help generate and reinforce worldwide awareness of the importance of international civil aviation to the social and economic development of States, and of the unique role of the International Civil Aviation Organization in helping States to cooperate and realize a truly global rapid transit network at the service of all humanity.

The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
2020-12-08 00:00 - 23:59

1991: Dissolution of the USSR and the founding of the Commonwealth of Independent States including Russia
2020-12-08 00:00 - 23:59

International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide
2020-12-09 00:00 - 23:59
“Where we see people facing systematic discrimination or becoming targets of violence simply because of who they are, because of their identity, we must act – both to defend those at immediate risk and those who could be in jeopardy in the future. By promoting a culture of peace and non-violence that includes respect for diversity and non-discrimination, we can build societies that are resilient to the risk of genocide.” — Secretary-General António Guterres

The purpose of the International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide is to raise awareness of the Genocide Convention and its role in combating and preventing the crime of genocide, as defined in the Convention, and to commemorate and honour its victims. In adopting the resolution, without a vote, the 193-member Assembly reiterated the responsibility of each individual State to protect its populations from genocide, which entails the prevention of such a crime, including incitement to it.

International Anti-Corruption Day
2020-12-09 00:00 - 23:59
“On this International Day, I urge people everywhere to continue to work on innovative solutions to win the battle against corruption and to ensure that precious resources serve the peoples of the world.” UN Secretary-General, António Guterres

Corruption is a serious crime that can undermine social and economic development in all societies. No country, region or community is immune. To mark International Anti-Corruption Day, we will leverage the recognition of the multi-year United Against Corruption theme and will continue to support the 2030 Agenda, which forms the backbone of the campaign. In addition, the campaign will also have a youth component.

Human Rights Day
2020-12-10 00:00 - 23:59
“It is clear that social divisions are being replicated online. More worryingly, as essential services continue to shift online, digital inclusion becomes mandatory for basic participation in society. It should therefore be considered a human right. This is especially important in the context of e-government, where the welfare of the most vulnerable is at stake.” Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, Social Justice Sunday Statement 2020, p 8.

Human Rights Day is observed every year on the day the United Nations General Assembly adopted, in 1948, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The Declaration affirms that all human beings have inalienable rights as human beings regardless of race, colour, religion, sex, language, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. It is available in more than 500 languages, and is one of the most translated documents in the world.

Catholic Social Teaching sees human rights as demands made by our human dignity. Our human rights do not come from the Declaration, but rather from the fact that we are made in the image and likeness of God and each one of us is of inestimable value. The Declaration, together with related human rights conventions, upholds rights that arise from our human dignity.

1992: Redfern Speech by Prime Minister Paul Keating
2020-12-10 00:00 - 23:59
“It begins, I think with that act of recognition. Recognition that it was we who did the dispossessing. We took the traditional lands and smashed the traditional way of life. We brought the diseases. The alcohol. We committed the murders. We took the children from their mothers. We practised discrimination and exclusion. It was our ignorance and our prejudice.” – Former Prime Minister Paul Keating, Redfern Speech, 1992

On 10 December 1992, Prime Minister Paul Keating delivered a speech to the large crowd gathered in Redfern Park for the launch of the International Year of the World’s Indigenous Peoples. It was a historic moment for Australia. In his speech, Keating explicitly acknowledged the experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Australia. It was the first time a prime minister spoke about the dispossession, violence and prejudice perpetrated against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Read Paul Keating’s Speech Transcript via ANTAR’s website.

1948: Adoption of United Nations Declaration of Human Rights
2020-12-10 00:00 - 23:59
Celebrate the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by reading a simplified version [PDF ] or the illustrated booklet of the Declaration, or watching the Declaration in sign languages.

International Mountain Day
2020-12-11 00:00 - 23:59
International Mountain Day has its roots in the document “Managing Fragile Ecosystems: Sustainable Mountain Development” (called Chapter 13), adopted in 1992 as part of the action plan Agenda 21 of the Conference on Environment and Development.

Mountains are home to 15% of the world´s population and a quarter of the world’s land animals and plants. They provide freshwater for everyday life to half of humanity. Unfortunately, mountains are under threat from climate change and overexploitation. As the global climate continues to warm, mountain people — some of the world’s poorest — face even greater struggles to survive. The rising temperatures also mean that mountain glaciers are melting at unprecedented rates, affecting freshwater supplies downstream for millions of people.

Our Lady of Guadalupe
2020-12-12 00:00 - 23:59
“The feast in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe goes back to the 16th century. Mary appeared to Juan Diego dressed as an Aztec woman to show her love and compassion to an oppressed group of people. Mary had heard the prayers and pain of these people, and she came to give them hope. Mary’s visit to Guadalupe is a reminder that God will remember his mercy for all people. In Mary’s song of joy, the Magnificat, she praised God because he has put down the mighty, exalted the lowly, filled the hungry, and sent the rich away empty. People honor Our Lady of Guadalupe because they recognize her motherly concern for them.” Loyola Press

1831: Founding of Sisters of Mercy by Catherine McAuley
2020-12-12 00:00 - 23:59
Catherine McAuley was born in Dublin, Ireland, in 1778. In 1824 she used her inheritance from an Irish couple she had served for twenty years to build a large House of Mercy where she and other lay women would shelter homeless women, reach out to the sick and dying and educate poor girls. The House on Baggot Street opened in 1827. To give these efforts greater stability, Catherine and her co-workers founded a new religious congregation. On 12 December 1831, she and two others professed their vows as the first Sisters of Mercy. Before her death on 11 November 1841, Catherine founded convents and works of mercy throughout Ireland and England.

Source: Mercy International Association

Saint John the Cross
2020-12-14 00:00 - 23:59

International Migrants Day
2020-12-18 00:00 - 23:59
“All migrants are entitled to equal protection of all their human rights. On this International Day, I urge leaders and people everywhere to bring the Global Compact to life, so that migration works for all.” – UN Secretary-General António Guterres

The observance of International Migrants Day this year focuses on the stories of social cohesion, which are as varied and unique as each of the 272 million migrants living new lives and building new communities in every corner of the globe. In December 2000, the General Assembly proclaimed 18th December International Migrants Day. On that day in 1990, the Assembly adopted the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families.

Today, more people than ever live in a country other than the one in which they were born. While many individuals migrate out of choice, many others migrate out of necessity. In 2019, the number of migrants globally reached an estimated 272 million, 51 million more than in 2010.

1894: South Australian Parliament, the first in Australia to give women the right to vote
2020-12-18 00:00 - 23:59
On 18 December 1894 the South Australian Parliament passed the Constitutional Amendment (Adult Suffrage) Act.

The legislation was the result of a decade-long struggle to include women in the electoral process. It not only granted women in the colony the right to vote but allowed them to stand for parliament.

This meant that South Australia was the first electorate in the world to give equal political rights to both men and women.

Read more about Women’s Suffrage here.

International Human Solidarity Day
2020-12-20 00:00 - 23:59
International Human Solidarity Day is a day to celebrate our unity in diversity, a day to remind governments to respect their commitments to international agreements, a day to raise public awareness of the importance of solidarity, a day to encourage debate on the ways to promote solidarity for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals including poverty eradication, and a day of action to encourage new initiatives for poverty eradication.

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 globalization and the challenge of growing inequality, strengthening of international solidarity is indispensable.

1993: Passage of Native Title Bill by the Australian Senate
2020-12-21 00:00 - 23:59
The Native Title Act 1993 (Cth) (NTA) is a law passed by the Australian Parliament that recognises the rights and interests of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in land and waters according to their traditional laws and customs. It established a process for claiming and recognising native title lands and waters in Australia. The NTA aims to balance Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples’ rights to land, and sets out how native title rights and interests fit within Australian law.

1901: Enactment of Immigration Restriction Act (White Australian Policy)
2020-12-23 00:00 - 23:59
At the end of the 19th century, Australian colonies had concerns about who was migrating to Australia. With a rise in the number of migrants from China and the Pacific, many colonies passed tough immigration legislation. The Immigration Restriction Act was one of the first Commonwealth laws passed after Federation. It was based on the existing laws of the colonies. The aim of the law was to limit non-white (particularly Asian) immigration to Australia, to help keep Australia ‘British’. The ‘White Australia Policy’ was not fully removed until 1972.

1996: Wik High Court decision
2020-12-23 00:00 - 23:59
In The Wik Peoples v The State of Queensland & Ors; The Thayorre People v The State of Queensland & Ors [1996] HCA 40 (‘Wik’), the High Court held that native title rights could coexist on land held by pastoral leaseholders. The High Court decided that:

– a pastoral lease does not necessarily confer rights of exclusive possession on the pastoralist– the rights and obligations of the pastoralist depend on the terms of the lease and the law under which it was granted; – the mere grant of a pastoral lease does not necessarily extinguish any remaining native title rights– if there is any inconsistency between the rights of the native title holders and the rights of the pastoralist, the rights of the native title holders must yield.

Christmas Eve
2020-12-24 00:00 - 23:59

Christmas Day
2020-12-25 00:00 - 23:59
“The face of God has been revealed in a human face. It did not appear in an angel, but in one man, born in a specific time and place. By his incarnation, the Son of God tells us that salvation comes through love, acceptance, respect for this poor humanity of ours, which we all share in a great variety of races, languages, and cultures. Yet all of us are brothers and sisters in humanity! Our differences, then, are not a detriment or a danger; they are a source of richness. As when an artist is about to make a mosaic: it is better to have tiles of many colours available, rather than just a few! The experience of families teaches us this: as brothers and sister, we are all different from each other. We do not always agree, but there is an unbreakable bond uniting us, and the love of our parents helps us to love one another. The same is true for the larger human family, but here, God is our ‘parent’, the foundation and strength of our fraternity.” Pope Francis, Urbi et Orbi, Christmas Day, 2018.

2005: Pope Benedict's XVI's encyclical Deus Cartias Est ('God is Love')
2020-12-25 00:00 - 23:59
Prayer of Pope Benedict from Deus Caritas Est

Holy Mary, Mother of God,
you have given the world its true light,
Jesus, your Son - the Son of God.
You abandoned yourself completely,
to God's call
and thus became a wellspring
of the goodness which flows forth from him.
Show us Jesus. Lead us to him.
Teach us to know and love him,
so that we too can become
capable of true love
and be fountains of living water
in the midst of a thirsty world.

Benedict XVI, Caritas Deus Est, n 42

Read full text of Deus Caritas Est (‘God is Love’) by Pope Benedict XVI.

2004: Devastating tsunami in South Asia, killing 200,000 to 300,000 people
2020-12-26 00:00 - 23:59
The Indian Ocean tsunami traveled as much as 3,000 miles (nearly 5,000 km) to Africa, arriving with sufficient force to kill people and destroy property. The epicenter of the 9.0 magnitude quake was under the Indian Ocean near the west coast of the Indonesian island of Sumatra, according to the USGS, which monitors earthquakes worldwide.

The Indian Ocean tsunami caused waves as high as 50 feet (15 meters) in some places, according to news reports. But in many other places witnesses described a rapid surging of the ocean, more like an extremely powerful river or a flood than the advance and retreat of giant waves.

Source: National Geographic: The Deadliest Tsunami in History?
