International Day for Tolerance 2020: Know the Significance of This Day in Our Lives

International Day for Tolerance is marked on November 16. As the name suggests, the day is observed to build tolerance among the cultures and people. The day was started by the United Nations General Assembly. The main aim behind starting this day was to make educational institutions and people at large believe that tolerance is an integral part of society.

The day is being celebrated ever since the United Nations marked the year of Tolerance in 1995. The date of November 16 was chosen as it is the anniversary of UNESCO’s Declaration of Principles on Tolerance.

The 1995 declaration of Principles on Tolerance mentioned, “Tolerance is respect, acceptance and appreciation of the rich diversity of our world’s cultures, our forms of expression and ways of being human.”

In 1995, to mark Mahatma Gandhi’s 125th birth anniversary, UNESCO came up with a prize for those individuals and organisations that have in particular put in efforts to promote tolerance and non-violence. The UNESCO-Madanjeet Singh Prize for the Promotion of Tolerance and Non-Violence rewards significant activities in the scientific, artistic, cultural or communication fields for promotion of the spirit of tolerance and non-violence.

Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO, on the occasion of the International Day for Tolerance, said, “At a time when extremism and fanaticism are unleashed too often, at a time when the venom of hatred continues to poison a part of humanity, tolerance has never been more vital a virtue.”

Taking to Twitter, UNESCO on the occasion of International Day for Tolerance 2020, said “There are more than 7 billion ways of ‘being human’ but only one path to peace. And it is through tolerance and understanding. Ahead of #ToleranceDay, celebrate the diversity that makes us strong & the values that bring us together!”

The United Nations too took to its social media handle to extend the wishes of the day. The organisation said, “Practice tolerance & respect for diversity – values which bring people together and make us all stronger – on Monday’s #ToleranceDay & every day.”

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