When is International Day for Tolerance?
November 16th is International Day for Tolerance.
What is International Day for Tolerance?
There are over seven million people on this planet, but we’re all humans. Place a Nebraska farmer and a Cairo investment banker in the same room, and they can have a civil conversation—assuming they have the patience for the task. International Day for Tolerance promotes the practice of accepting people on the basis of their human rights, not just shared ideology and backgrounds.
Different perspectives can help us see the flaws in our own, but outright rejection of other cultures and beliefs blinds us to their value. This is especially true when that rejection is fueled by ignorance and hatred. International Day for Tolerance raises awareness about the dangers of intolerance in today’s global society.
By promoting open and respectful dialogue across religious, political, and cultural divides, each one of us can be an ambassador for human dignity.
Fun facts about International Day for Tolerance!
- The UN established International Day for Tolerance in 1995 and asserted that tolerance is neither indulgence nor indifference.
- In 2016, the FBI was aware of over 3,300 people in the U.S. who had committed hate crimes on account of race, ethnicity, and/or ancestry.
- The most common location that race-based hate crimes happen in the U.S. is the victim’s home.
- How to celebrate International Day for Tolerance:
- Listen to stories about other cultures and perspectives than your own. You can find debates or educational resources online to practice appreciating alternative viewpoints.
- Look at the political party opposite your own or at another religion, and find something genuinely good in it.
What’s the hashtag for International Day for Tolerance?
Use #ToleranceDay on social media to promote human dignity as the grounds for tolerance.