My Science School

          Industrial growth, urbanization and ultimately man’s greed have slowly but steadily destroyed nature. Increasing number of factories, automobiles and other carbon emitting appliances have only escalated the crisis. The ozone layer that protects our earth from harmful rays from the space has developed holes, which can have disastrous effects on life on the planet.

        The ozone layer is nothing but a fragile screen of gases. Harmful and hazardous elements emitted from factories and other carbon-discharging units can destroy this delicate shield. If the uses of ozone depleting substances are not controlled, the ozone layer may not exist for future generations. The UN has advocated a gradual phase out of these substances and this can contribute significantly to global efforts to address climate change.

           The Montreal Protocol, proposed in 1987, was aimed at a global agreement that can protect the ozone layer by systematically ending the production and consumption of ozone-depleting substances.

          The International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer is observed on September 16.

 

          The ability to read and write is one of the chief achievements of Man that led to the development and enhancement of civilization. It is an important skill for an individual’s participation in socio-political and cultural discourse. It helps develop one’s awareness of one’s rights, civil responsibilities and knowledge of the world. The UN has dedicated a day to celebrating literacy known as the International Literacy Day, which falls on September 8.

          Universal access to quality education and learning opportunities for people is part of the agenda of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. Despite the progress people across the world have made, there still persist literacy challenges in certain parts of the world.

          Literacy has become an important requirement for livelihood, especially in the context of advanced employment schemes; The UN provides opportunities to achieve literacy for all the young people and the adults who lack these skills.

          International Literacy Day focuses on the competencies required for employment, careers, and livelihoods along with skills.

          We all are aware of the dreadful destruction that Hiroshima and Nagasaki underwent towards the end of World War II. The casualties and losses were not limited to the immediate effects of the bomb; the radiation still haunts the                                                  cities as deformed babies are born even now.

          However, nations have not stopped testing nuclear weapons. It is said that the nuclear weapons possessed by various nations have the firepower to destroy our planet five times over.

          The International Day against Nuclear Tests serves as a warning against the danger of deadly nuclear arm race and further testing of nuclear weapons.

         Nearly 2,000 tests have been conducted the world over since the first nuclear weapon test on 1945 July 16. Various international bodies have spared no effort to put an end to all forms of nuclear testing. The United Nations proposed a Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, which did not materialize.

         The international Day against Nuclear Tests calls for increasing awareness about the effects of nuclear tests, to achieve the goal of a nuclear-weapon-free world.

          Man being a social creature is neighbour to another man. What makes him different from the other animals is not only his superior intelligence, but also his quality of being humane and altruistic.

         Every day, millions of men and women help others in need without expecting anything in return. The World Humanitarian Day is celebrated every year to pay tribute to aid workers who risk their lives in humanitarian service, and to rally support for people affected by crises around the world. The day is observed on August 19.

         Sadly, the world is not a peaceful place any more. Incessant conflicts and wars have torn our world apart. Millions of civilians are affected by armed conflicts every day. Children have turned to militancy to fight with guns and other deadly weapons for causes they do not know.

          Humanitarian workers attempt to treat their wounds and illnesses and bring them relief. The World Humanitarian Day is a reminder to the world that humans need to be more humane and brings an assurance that humanity and compassion have not left the human heart yet.

           The wealth of a nation is its youth, people say. A nation with a considerable number of young people needs only to direct them in the right path; they will subsequently lead the nation to glory. Young minds are full of fresh thoughts and novel ideas. Therefore, the International Youth Day, falling on August 12, is an occasion to celebrate the young, who are humanity’s future.

          Statistics suggest that the world has the largest number of young people currently, around 1.8 billion, between the age of 10 and 24. Although it is a matter of great promise, the fact is that one in 10 young children live in conflict zones and 24 million of them do not get any education. The youth in our societies are increasingly isolated due to political instability, labour market challenges and limited space for political and civic participation.

          The International Youth Day aims to provide them safe spaces where they can come together and engage in activities related to their diverse needs and interests. The youth should be encouraged to participate in decision-making processes and freely express themselves.

          Governments should provide spaces for accommodating the needs of diverse youth.

          Many would turn to a dear friend in times of a dilemma or a crisis. A friend might be able to understand certain problems better than a parent or an older sibling. Friendship is said to have the ability to increase happiness and diminish misery by doubling our joy and cutting down our grief. Hence, a day dedicated to friendship on July 30, the International Day of Friendship, has so much relevance today.

          The world offers us both happiness and sorrow. There are many challenges, crises and forces of division in the world such as poverty, violence and human right abuses in the world. There are many others that undermine peace, security, development and social harmony among the world’s peoples. The anxiety and depression that they have on young minds is beyond imagination. To confront these crises and as an answer to them, a shared spirit of human solidarity, which is otherwise known as friendship, must be promoted among men and women.

          Man learns to trust and love through friendship. These qualities will eventually transform the world to a better place to live.

          Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of the Indian nation, advocated the need of educating children in a skill-based system, so that they would be skilled and employable after their education. Education should not only aim at moulding a good human being, but also ensure a decent means of living and the ability to lead an honourable life in the world. On July 15, the World Youth Skills Day, the UN envisages a world where the young people are self-reliant and responsible for themselves.

         According to a recent study, the youth are almost three times more likely to be unemployed than adults. They are continuously exposed to lower quality of jobs, greater labour market inequalities and longer and more insecure school-to-work transitions. In the case of women, there is a higher probability of their being unemployed than men. In addition, women, in general, are underpaid and forced to undertake part-time jobs or work under temporary contracts. In this regard, the UN considers that education and training are key determinants of success in the labour market.

          The World Youth Skill Day is an opportunity to raise awareness on the importance of empowering the youth and investing in youth skills development.

          Do you know the number of human beings in the world now? It comes to around 7.7 billion in total!

          In 1989, the governing council of the United Nations Development Programme established the World Population Day as July 11 in order to focus attention on the urgency and importance of population issues.

          July 11 was formerly observed as the Day of ‘Five Billion’ and it had generated considerable interest among people across the world then. Population explosion is a reality. According to statistics, the world population increases by 100 million every 14 months. The explosion in population can result in a range of evils such as poverty, unemployment and corruption.

          The World Population Day attempts to raise awareness about the implications of rising world population. The theme of the celebrations last year was ‘Family Planning is a Human Right’.

          The 50th anniversary of affirming family planning as a human right in the 1968 International Conference on Human Rights was celebrated. The celebration included awareness campaigns regarding the right of women and girls.

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          We are all concerned about the well-being of our body and mind. Medical science testifies that many of our diseases are due to the disharmony between body and mind. There are many socio-cultural and religious practices across the globes that target the holistic health of an individual. Yoga is one such popular practice. We celebrate the International Day of Yoga on June 21.

            Yoga is an ancient art. With a strong spiritual and meditative core, yoga offers a variety of physical exercises that lead to both physical and psychological well-being. The word ‘Yoga’ derives from the Sanskrit root ‘yuj’, which means ‘to join’ or ‘to unite’, thus signifying the union of body and consciousness. This physical, mental and spiritual practice originated in India thousands of years ago. However, Yoga became popular all over the world only in the 20th century. Today, people practice yoga in various forms around the world irrespective of cultural and religious boundaries.

             The UN has recognized Yoga’s universal appeal and has initiated measures to raise awareness worldwide of the many benefits of practising Yoga. The theme for the 2018 celebration is ‘Yoga for Peace’.

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            Donating blood is considered a noble act. Every year on 14 June, countries around the world celebrate World Blood Donor Day. The observance of the day started in 2004 and is aimed at raising awareness regarding the need for safe blood and blood products. Thousands of blood donors give their blood voluntarily every day! The day is an opportunity to thank them for their kind act and their life-saving blood.

            Blood is the vital sap of our body. It needs to be replaced when an injury or an illness causes loss of blood in our body. Millions of lives are saved every year through blood transfusion. Blood transfusion and blood products support complex medical and surgical procedures too. During maternal and perinatal care, blood products are vital in their life-saving role.

            Blood donation becomes effective only when there are regular donations by voluntary unpaid blood donors. One of the goals of World Blood Donor Day is to encourage people across the globe to volunteer for blood donation. World Health Organization aims to obtain the required blood for all countries by the year 2020.

            Have you read Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens? Dickens wrote the novel that tells the story of an orphaned child labourer as a reaction to the unjust English law that sanctioned child labour in the 19th century. During the Victorian Era, the economy of Britain depended on children as their strength and inability to stand against injustice made them easy prey for the capitalist factory owners. Even today, the rights of children are violated and many still work in poor conditions. The World Day against Child Labour is observed on June 12 reminding us of the need to take good care of our children.

            Children are the wealth of a nation as they represent the future. The World leaders adopted the Sustainable Development Goals in 2015 in order to include a renewed global commitment to ending child labour. It calls for taking immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labour, end modern slavery and human trafficking and by 2025 end child labour in all its forms.

            The observance of the World Day against Child Labour began in 2002; and ever since, has brought together governments, employers and workers organizations, civil society, as well as millions of people from around the world to highlight the plight of child labourers.

 

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               Have you ever been to a beach? The roaring of the waves, the breeze that brushes past our hair, the white foam that encircles our feet and the bewitching sky, along with all the stories that we have read and heard about seafarers and adventurers, will give us a delightful experience at a beach. The deep and vast ocean is a counterpart of the land and a world in itself. There are thousands of species of living beings within it. Like the land, the ocean is increasingly polluted. Therefore, the World Ocean Day, observed on June 8 has great relevance.

               Oceans compose much of our planet’s hydrosphere. The Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Southern and Arctic Oceans not only contain a large variety of life, but also provide the requisite amount of oxygen that we breathe. Therefore, oceans are sometimes referred to as the lungs of our planet.

               Have you heard of reports regarding sea animals dying due to oil-spills or plastic bags? Human activity is affecting the oceans adversely. The goal of observing the World Ocean Day is to inform the public about sustainable management of the world’s oceans.

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          The environment is all living organisms, climate, weather and natural resources interacting together in totality. Every being is comfortably placed in its environment so that it can flourish according to the laws of nature. Our environment is so crucial to our existence that inordinate human interventions can lead to devastating results. The World Environment Day, celebrated on June 5, tells us about the importance of the environment.

          Man has the distinct ability to create and mould his environment. The long evolutionary process that Man has undergone has endowed him with the power to transform his environment in countless ways and on an unprecedented scale. It provides him with physical sustenance, and offers him the opportunity for intellectual, moral, social and cultural growth.

          The focus of the World Environment Day observance is on the protection and improvement of the human environment, which affects the well-being of peoples and economic development throughout the world. It calls for an enlightened opinion and responsible conduct by individuals, enterprises and communities in preserving and enhancing the environment.

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            Do you know to ride a bicycle? Most people learn to ride one at a young age. The main reasons for the popularity of the bicycle are that it is a simple, affordable, reliable and clean means of transportation. Its environment- friendliness is an added attraction. World Bicycle Day, observed on June 3, was officially celebrated for the first time in 2018.

            The bicycle is a sustainable transportation vehicle. It creates a positive impact on climate. World Bicycle Day promotes the use of this simple vehicle in international, regional, national and sub-national development policies and programmes. The day encourages improving road safety and integrating bicycles into sustainable mobility and transport infrastructure planning and design.

            In many countries, people prefer bicycles to cars, as they need no fuel and do not harm nature. Therefore, the day will encourage states to promote bicycles among all members of society. In this regard, there must be initiatives to organize bicycle rides at the national and local levels as a means of strengthening physical and mental health and well-being and developing a culture of cycling in society.

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            In Indian tradition, father and mother are considered equal to God. While some other cultures share similar views, most societies in the world hold parenthood in high esteem.

            Parents are an important factor in the development of a child in the process of becoming an adult. Therefore, parents are honoured on June 1 as the world celebrates the Global Day of Parents.

            The international community has been paying special attention to the important role of the family since the 1980s.

            Growing up in a family environment that provides an atmosphere of happiness, love and understanding is vital for the development of children’s personalities. Families have the supreme responsibility of ensuring the well-being of their members, educating and socializing children and youth, and caring for young and old.

            The Global Day of Parents is an opportunity to acknowledge and appreciate the selfless commitment of all parents in all parts of the world to children, and their sacrifices in nurturing life-long parent-child relationship.

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