Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults: Advocating for Their Protection

                             This post is a summary of the article with the title above published in September 2023 at https://caringforcare.co.uk/safeguarding-vulnerable-adults/#What-challenges-do-vulnerable-people-face?

                           One in every five adults experience abuse, neglect and harm in their lifetime. Ensuring the safety and well-being of vulnerable persons is a cornerstone of a compassionate and ethical society. However, abuse, exploitation and neglect of at-risk groups still persists. Effective safeguarding is essential to protect the human rights of those unable to advocate for themselves. Safeguarding vulnerable people must be a shared priority. In this article, we'll explore the critical importance of safeguarding vulnerable people with care and support. We'll examine why robust procedures and practices are needed, highlight key legislation, and outline how to properly report any concerns. The goal is raising awareness so that all of us can contribute to a culture of vigilance of violations and ensure every person can live with dignity. Safeguarding vulnerable adults refers to a set of measures and actions that aims to protect adults at risk from harm, abuse, neglect or exploitation. These measures and actions taken protect them due to their age, physical or mental disabilities or other factors that make them vulnerable. Vulnerable adults encompass a diverse group of individuals who, due to various factors, are at increased risk of harm or exploitation. In identifying vulnerable adults, it involves recognizing signs of vulnerability such as physical or cognitive impairments, limited social support networks, dependence on caregivers, or experiences of abuses and neglect. It is crucial to adopt a compassionate and inclusive approach, acknowledging that vulnerability. Safeguarding requires a shared vigilance so that the most vulnerable members of society are not left isolated and exposed to preventable harm.  9 key reasons why safeguarding vulnerable adults is critically important: 1) Protect their human rights - Every person deserves to live free from abuse, harm or neglect regardless of disability or capacity. 2) Prevents suffering - Safeguarding stops vulnerable people enduring physical, emotional or financial distress from maltreatment. 3) Saves lives - in some cases, ending abuse can be life-saving. 4) Promotes well-being - Feeling safe and supported enables greater well-being. 5) Allows informed choices - With the right support, vulnerable persons can maintain independence and manage risks themselves. 6) Provides recourse - Safeguarding procedures ensure concerns are properly investigated and victims given support. 7) Deters perpetrators - Stringent safeguarding discourage would-be abusers fearful of consequences. 8) reassures families - Safeguarding comforts relatives who can not be constant protectors. 9) Fulfills duty of care - Service providers, caregivers and society have an obligation to ensure safety. Vulnerable people face a multitude of challenges that can impact their well-being and safety. These challenges may include limited access to resources and support, social isolation, discrimination, abuse, and neglect. In addition, addressing these challenges is crucial to ensure the protection and empowerment of vulnerable individuals in our society. The vulnerability they experience in these situations has a profound impact on their well-being and overall quality of life. The stress and trauma resulting from their vulnerability can contribute to the deterioration of their mental and physical health, exacerbating existing conditions and hindering recovery. Moreover, the societal exclusion faced by vulnerable people perpetuate cycles of disadvantage and prevent them from accessing resources and opportunities they need to thrive. What is the role of advocacy in protecting vulnerable people? Advocacy refers to the active support and representation of the rights, needs, and well-being of vulnerable people. It involves speaking up on their behalf, raising awareness about their challenges, and working towards changes that promote their safety, autonomy and inclusion. Advocacy plays a critical role in safeguarding their rights. It amplifies the voices of those who are often marginalised and unheard. Protecting vulnerable people isn't always simple, in part because of the diverse challenges and risks they face in every aspect of their lives. Let's explore some of the difficulties that society must overcome to safeguard our most vulnerable people. 1) Exploitation and abuse - Vulnerable people may be targeted by fraudsters, scammers, or even close acquaintances who take advantage of their vulnerability. 2) Neglect and inadequate care - Due to various factors such as resource constraints, caregiver burnout, or lack of training, some individuals may experienced neglect or receive substandard care. This lead to emotional distress worsening health conditions. 3) Social isolation and loneliness - Vulnerable people often face social isolation, which can have detrimental effects on their mental and physical health. Limited mobility and societal stigma contribute to their isolation. Addressing the challenges in protecting vulnerable people requires a multi-faceted approach that combine various strategies. Additionally, strengthening legislation is crucial to specifically address the exploitation and neglect of vulnerable people in order to ensure their protection. Empowering vulnerable people to assert their rights and make informed decisions is essential. Providing accessible information, training in self-advocacy, and establishing support networks empower individuals. We all must adopt a vigilant and compassionate mindset. Look out for warnings signs of abuse, exploitation and neglect. Promoting dignity and respect in how we treat the most vulnerable individuals uplifts us all. 

World Press Freedom Day 2024 - Part II

                    A little more than two weeks ago, precisely on 3rd May the world celebrated one of the most important human rights, the freedom of the press and expression. We all must help to defend this important human right to democracy, justice, development, etc. This important right must include too the right to earn money with the monetization of the work of many activists or also called citizen journalists around the world nowadays, who are divulging their works on YouTube channels, blogs, Facebook, X, Tik Tok, Instagram or any other social media. They all deserve the right to become professionals and to improve their works, of course, they all mustn't spread fake news, hate speech, discrimination etc. For some unknown reason the counter of this blog never worked, but I know that there are millions of readers, Now the same have been  happening with my YouTube Channel since I created it in 2020, here is the link,  https://www.youtube.co/@lucianofietto4773   I really don't know why I've been being so harmed in so many ways and for decades, but now all the world is demanding that these violations I've been being victim stop.     This post is a summary of two articles. The first was published at https://cpj.org/reports/2023/10/haiti-joins-list-of-countries-where-killers-of-journalists-most-likely-to-go-unpunished/. The second was published at https://edition.cnn.com/2024/05/03/americas/world-press-freedom-day-latin-america-latam-intl/index.html

                      The persistent lack of justice for murdered reporters is a major threat to press freedom. Ten years after the U.N. declared an international day to end impunity for crimes against journalists and more than 30 years after Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) began documenting these killings, almost 80% of their killings remain unsolved. Crisis-hit Haiti has emerged as one of the countries where murderers of journalists are most likely to go free, CPJ'23 Global Impunity Index has found. A devastating combination of gang violence, chronic poverty, political instability and a dysfunctional judiciary are behind the Caribbean country's first inclusion on CPJ's annual list of nations where killers get away with murder. Haiti now ranks as the world's third-worst impunity offender, behind Syria and Somalia respectively. Somalia, Iraq, Mexico, Philippines, Pakistan, India, South Sudan, Afghanistan and Brazil have been there for years, a sobering reminder of the persistent and pernicious nature of impunity. The reasons for these countries' failure to prosecute journalists' killers range from conflict to corruption, insurgency to inadequate law enforcement, and lack of political interest in punishing those willing to kill independent journalists. A 78% impunity rate is a slight improvement on the 90% rate CPJ recorded a decade ago. The pernicious effects of impunity extend beyond the countries that have become fixtures on CPj's annual index. Unpunished murders have an intimidating effect on local journalists everywhere, corroding press freedom and shrinking public-interest reporting. In the Israeli-occupied West Bank, Palestinian journalists interviewed by CPJ said their coverage had been undermined by escalating fears for their safety after the Israel Defense Forces fatally shot Al-Jazeera correspondent Shireen Abu Aklen in May 2022. In several countries in the European Union, typically considered the safest places for journalists, press freedom has come under increasing pressure, with journalist murders remaining unsolved in Malta, Slovakia, Greece and the Netherlands. Brazil did not record any new journalist muders in 2023, but the killers, mostly believed to be criminal groups, of 11 journalists murdered in  Brazil during the Index period remain  at large. The 2022 murders of British journalist Dom Philips and indigenous issues expert Bruno Pereira in the Amazon underscore the dangers faced by reporters in the region.                                                                                                                                                                                    In a report published in March, Amnesty International and CPJ defined Mexico as "the most dangerous country for the press in the Western hemisphere". According to the CPJ report, Mexico has "the highest number of missing journalists in the world" with at least 15 professionals in 2023. According to the Rights group Article 19, in 2023 a total of 561 aggressions against the press have been registered in the country and the murders of 5 journalists. An emblematic case was that of journalist Lourdes Maldonado Lopez, killed in the border city of Tijuana. In 2019, Maldonado, who worked for several media outlets, including Televisa, told that she feared for her life and asked  for protection. Three people were arrested in connection with that homicide. "In Cuba, they have killed journalism," journalist Abraham Jimenez told CNN. Jimenez left the island in 2021 after a period of threats, arbitrary interrogations and house arrests. The harassment was fueled by his reporting on Cuba's street protests of 2021. As he recounted, Jimenez was portrayed in state media as a CIA agent, causing his friends to stay away out of fear and causing his famiy to lose their jobs. "They didn't need to shoot me, they had killed me civically," he said. "Doing journalism in Venezuela implies a daily effort to overcome the cemsorship mechanisms that have consolidated in the country," Edgar Lopez told CNN. "In Venezuela, secrecy is a state policy. The state expect the media and journalists to limit themselves to disseminating official narratives without any questioning," he said. "The govenment perceives the independent press as an internal enemy. This has resulted in the consolidation of aggression patterns that range from stigmatizing discouse to physical aggressions," he said. The National College of Journalists estimated that close to 4,000 journalists emigrated from the country due to threats in the last 20 years. In January 2024, 33 Venezuelans faced arrest warrants or have been detained by authorities for political reasons, among them several journalists. With political polarization across Latin America, countries across the region can shift from left to right or right to left depending on the president in power. But across the spectrum, many of the region's current leaders seem to show a hostility toward journalism, particularly on social media. Both the far-right Milei in Argentina and Leftist Colombian president Gustavo Petro have used their social networks to attack journalists and independent media, for example. All part of a dangerous erosion of one of the fundamental pillars of democracy, the same democracy that brought these leaders, at least temporarily, to the most powerful seats in their countries.

World Press Freedom Day - 2024

                   Nine days ago, precisely on 3rd May the world celebrated one of the most important human rights, the freedom of the press and expression. We all must help to defend this important human right to democracy, justice, development, etc. This important right must include too the right to earn money with the monetization of the work of many activists or also called citizen journalists around the world nowadays, who are divulging their works on YouTube channels, blogs, Facebook, X, Tik Tok, Instagram or any other social media. They all deserve the right to become professionals and to improve their works, of course, they all mustn't spread fake news, hate speech, discrimination etc. For some unknown reason the counter of this blog never worked, but I know that there are millions of readers, Now the same have been  happening with my YouTube Channel since I created it in 2020   https://www.youtube.com/@lucianofietto4773/videos. I really don't know why I've been being so harmed in so many ways and for decades, but now all the world is demanding that these violations I've been being victim stop. This post is a summary of three articles. The first was published at https://www.un.org/en/observances/press-freedom-day. The second was published at https://youth.europa.eu/news/world-press-freedom-day-3-may-2024-celebrating-journalists_en. The third was published at https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/05/03/statement-by-president-joe-biden-on-the-occasion-of-world-press-freedom-day-2024/

                      In 2024, World Press Freedom Day is dedicated to the importance of journalism and freedom of expression in the context of the current global environmental crisis. Awareness of all aspects of the global environmental crisis and its consequences is essential to build democratic societies. Journalistic work is indispensable for this purpose. Journalists encounter significant challenges in seeking and disseminating information on contemporary issues, such as supply-chains problems, climate migration, extractive industries, illegal mining, pollution, poaching, animal trafficking, deforestation, or climate change. Ensuring the visibility of these issues is crucial for promoting peace and democratic values worldwide. Attacks on the validity of science pose a serious threat to pluralistic and informed public debate. Indeed, misleading and false information about climate change can, in some cases, undermine international efforts to address them. To achieve sustainable development, it is necessary for journalists to report accurately, timely, and comprehensively on environmental issues and their consequences, as well as on possible solutions. This require strategies that includes:  1) preventing and protecting against crimes committed against journalists.  2) Ensuring the rights to freedom of expression, freedom of scientific research, and access to key sources of information, in addition to combating disinformation.  3) Promoting the plurality, diversity, and viability of media, especially regional, local, indigenous, and/or community-based media.  4) Ensuring that the governance of digital platforms foster the transparency of tech companies, their accountability, due diligence, user empowerment, and curation based on international human rights. 5) Promoting media and information literacy to empower users with skills to engage and think critically in the digital environment.                                                                                                                                                       World Press Freedom Day, celebrated annually on 3 May, serves as a global acknowledgement of the indispensable role journalists play in safeguarding democracy and championing freedom of expression. Established by the U.N. in 1993, this day commemorates the "Windhoek Declaration of 1991," which advocates for a free and independent press. At its core, the day champions the freedom of the press and expression, recognising them as fundamental pillars of democracy and peacebuilding. Despite progress, many countries continue to censor, penalise, and endanger journalists, underscoring the ongoing need to defend press freedom globally. Journalists serve as society's watchdogs, disseminating important information, uncovering truths, and holding power to account. Yet, their pursuit of truth often makes them targets of violence and repression, with some paying the ultimate price in defence of free speech and transparency. Populists in Western nations generally some individuals with views that undervalue press freedom. Nordic countries lead in press freedom rankings, underscoring the importance of media independence. Journalists are facing escalating persecution and arbitrary arrests worldwide, particularly in countries like Turkey, China and Egypt. The 31st edition of World Press Freedom Day in 2024 was hosted in Santiago, Chile, in collaboration with UNESCO and Chilean government. Participating engaged with leading investigate journalists, press freedom advocates, and legal experts. These events shed light on the growing threats faced by reporters uncovering environmental crimes and emphasise the importance of environmental journalists in driving positive change. This year's theme underscores the vital role of journalism, access to information, and freedom of expression in tackling the global environmental crisis. By amplifying diverse voices, the conference aimed to pave the way for a sustainable future that respect individual rights and fosters inclusive dialogue.                                                                                                                                       The free press is an essential pillar of democracy, and the persons worldwide who uphold it do vital work. Journalists go to great lengths to expose corruption, document wars and other world events, bring to light threats to public safety, and bring citizens the information they need to participate fully in their societies. Some journalists have given their lives to this work. Others have suffered injuries or lost their freedom. Journalism should not be a crime anywhere on Earth. On World Press Freedom Day, we honor the bravery and sacrifice of journalists and media workers around the world risking everything in pursuit of truth. On this day, the U.S. government calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all journalists who have been put behind bars for simply doing their jobs. And we call for the protection of journalists everywhere, including during military operations. My administration will continue to support free and independent media worldwide. We have brought together a coalition of countries to counter the proliferation and misuse of spyware which is used to monitor journalists. In the coming weeks, I'll be taking executive action in response to the global crackdown on press freedom, as exemplified by the wrongful detention of journalists around the world. I'll declare this crackdown on press freedom a grave threat to national security and will authorize measures, including cautions and visa bans, against those who take abusive actions to silence the press. Media workers are an essential part of any democracy, because well-informed dissent is critical to building stronger and more successful societies. Every day, we recognize their courage, support their right to do their job, and stand with them for press freedom.

Economic Outlook - Steady but Slow: Resilience amid Divergence

                        Good morning, good afternoon and good evening to all readers of this blog. I know that there are millions of you, but for some unknown reason the counter of this blog never worked. Now the same is happening with my channel on YouTube, here is the link, ✊✊✊✊✊          https://www.youtube.com/@lucianofietto4773/videos. I've been harmed in so many ways and for so long. But now all the world is demanding justice together.  This post is a summary of the book with the incomplete title above published in April of 2024 at https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/WEO/Issues/2024/04/16/world-economic-outlook-april-2024

                            The global economy remains remarkably resilient with growth holding steady as inflation returns to target. Yet, despite many gloomy predictions, the world avoided a recession, the banking system proved largely resilient, and major emerging market economies did not suffer sudden stops. Moreover, the inflation surge did not trigger uncontrolled wage-price spirals. Instead, almost as quickly as global inflation went up, it has been coming down. Resilient growth and faster disinflation point towards favorable supply developments, including the fading of earlier energy prices shocks, the striking rebound in labour supply supported by strong immigration flows in many advanced economies. Decisive monetary policy actions, as well as improved monetary frameworks, especially in emerging markets, have helped anchor inflation expectations. Despite these welcome developments, numerous challenges remain, and decisive actions are needed. First, while inflation trends are encouraging, we are not there yet. Most of the progress on inflation came from the decline in energy prices and goods inflation below its historical average. The latter has been helped by easing supply-chain frictions, as well as by the decline in Chinese export prices. Bringing inflation down to target remains priority. Second, the global view can mark stark divergence across countries. The exceptional recent performance of the U.S. is certainly impressive and a major driver of global growth, but it reflects strong demand factors as well, including a fiscal stance that is out of line with long-term fiscal sustainability. This raise short-term risks to the disinflation process, as well as long-term fiscal and financial stability risks for the global economy. In the Euro area, growth will pick up this year, but from very low levels, as the trailing effects of high monetary policy and past energy costs, as well as planned fiscal consolidation, weigh on activity. China's economy is affected by the downturn in its property sector. Credit booms and busts never resolve themselves quickly, and this one is no exception. Domestic demand will remain lackluster for some time unless strong measures and reforms address the root cause. Huge global investments are needed for a green and climate-resilient future. Cutting emissions is compatible with growth, as is seen in recent decades during which growth has become much less emission intensive. Neverthless, emissions are still rising. A lot more needs to be done. Cutting fossil fuel subsidies can help create the necessary fiscal room for further green investments.  Below the GDP growth in 2023, from the highest growth to the smallest growth.  The first column is for countries in the American continent, and the other is for some countries in the rest of the world. As previously forecasted, Guyana had the highest GDP growth of the world last year. The same had happened in 2021 and 2022. Congratulations to our neighboring country.

GDP 2023 in PanAmerican countries                                 Rest of the World

Guyana        33.0%                                                                       India     7.8%          

Panama        7.3%                                                                     Phillippines      5.6%

Costa Rica         5.1%                                                                 China        5.2%

Nicaragua         4.7%                                                                Vietnam      5.0%                                  

Paraguay         4.5%                                                                     Indonesia       5.0%

Venezuela          4.0%                                                                    Tanzania        5.0%

Guatemala         3.5%                                                                 Turkiye      4.5%                                      

El Salvador      3.5%                                                                     Spain        2.5%

Honduras          3.5%                                                                 Portugal        2.3%

Mexico           3.2%                                                                       Australia     2.1%

Brazil           2.9%                                                                         Japan       1.9%

U.S.A.           2.5%                                                                       South Korea     1.4%

Bolivia            2.5%                                                                     Italy         0.9%

Ecuador           2.3%                                                                     France       0.9% 

Canada           1.1%                                                                    New Zealand      0.6%

Colombia           0.6%                                                              South Africa      0.6%

Uruguay           0.4%                                                                Norway       0.5%

Chile            0.2%                                                                       U.K.    0.1%

Peru            -0.6%                                                                     Germany      -0.3%

Argentina          -1.6%                                                             Ireland       -3.2%

60th Anniversary of the Military Coup in Brazil

                   Three weeks ago, precisely on 1st of April, the military coup that happened in Brazil in 1964 completed 60 year-old. So it is very important to remember mainly the dictatorship that followed the coup. Because after of the coup a new election was promised in the next year and this only would happen in 1989. There is no good dictator, if a dictator had great support from voters, he wouldn't fear elections. We all have to fight for more democracy always. This post is a summary of three articles. The first was published at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1964_Brazilian_coup_d%27%C3%A9tat. The second was published at https://www.brasildefato.com.br/2024/04/05/60-years-since-the-coup-journalism-against-historical-erasure. The third was published at https://global.ilmanifesto.it/brazils-military-coup-was-60-years-ago-but-lula-is-moving-on/

                  The 1964 Brazilian Coup d'etat was the overthrow of president João Goulart by a military coup in April 1th, 1964, ending the Fourth Brazilian Republic (1946-1964) and initiating the Brazilian Military Dictatorship (1964-1985). The coup took the form of a military rebellion, the declaration of vacancy in the presidency by the National Congress on April 2nd, the formation of a military junta and exile of the president on April 4th. In his place, Ranieri Mazzilli, the president of the Chamber of Deputies, took over until the election by Congress of general Humberto Castelo Branco, one of the main leaders of the coup. Democratically elected vice president in 1960, Jango, as Goulart was known, assumed power after the resignation of president Jânio Quadros in 1961, and the Legality Campaign, which defeated an attempted military coup to prevent his inauguration. The next presidential election was scheduled for 1965. The strongest pre-candidates were Juscelino Kubitschek from MG and Carlos Lacerda from RJ. But this election didn't never happen.                                                                                                                                                                                                                             If there was no popular resistance against the authoritarian regime, there were no crimes during the dictatorship. This is the logic of erasure, which silenced the constant cries of struggle during 21 years of Brazil's dictatorship. The same government that promoted state terrorism worked systematically to erase their stories. "Invisibility is a historical mark of dominance," summed up José Genoíno, a former political prisoner. They had no documents, history books, opportunity to speak to radio, TV or newspaper. On the 60th anniversary of the coup, we all have to fight historical erasure and silencing, besides shedding light on the struggle for memory and justice. For part of the Public Prosecutor's Office, the policy of "deliberate pardon, secrets and obliteration of history is precisely what encourages the repetition of coup attempts. Professor Paulo Ribeiro da Cunha, who studied the amnesties in Brazil explains that officers who were amnestied for previous coup attempts were the ones who took power in 1964. According to him, historically, the Armed Forces have tended to pardon high-ranking military personnel involved in political movements. The same doesn't happen with lower rank personnel. In recent days, we've seen the struggle for memory, reparation and justice. We won't forget the legacy of the dictatorship when dealing with the present so that it doesn't happen again. Never again.                                                                                                            Even 60 years after the coup, the military is still arounsing fear in Brazil. The deposed president would later die in Argentina in 1976, officially of a heart attack. And 434 opponents of the coup regime were killed or disappeared together with him, according to the report on the crimes of the military, according to the report on the crimes of the military dictatorship presented by the National Truth Commission (CNV) in 2014. Even if that figure might seem modest compared to Argentina's 30,000 disappeared, the atrocities documented in the report are no less shocking. Lula's decision to cancel all official events commemorating the 60th anniversary of the coup has caused disappointment and dismay. In the midst of the investigations into the attempted coup of 2023, Lula had no desire to start a new clash with the military, and thought that the best course was to let everything pass in silence. However, his words certainly didn't satisfy the 150 organizations that make up the Coalização Brasil por Memória, Verdade, Justiça, Reparação (Brazil Coalition for Memory, Truth, Justice, Reparation). The same bewilderment was apparent in the words of Iara Xavier of Family Members of the Killed and Disappeared for political reasons, who called Lula's statement "very offensive". Lula also has not followed through on his promise to reconstitute the Special Commission for the killed and disappeared for political reasons, dissolved by Bolsonaro on the penultimate day of his term, despite the recommendation to do so that came from the Federal Public Ministry.

International Day of Conscience - 2024 - Part II

                  It was very good that the U.N. launched this day dedicated to remember to the world the importance to cultivate a good conscience. In 2016 I wrote about the danger of the subculture of the evil called gangsterism or banditism spreading to general public. So to fight this evil, besides fight for justice, we have to cultivate clearly what is right and what is wrong. Fighting for human rights, democracy, and quality education not only for mind but also to heart is important. This post is a summary of three articles. The first was published at       https://www.britannica.com/topic/conscience    The second was published https://www.usccb.org/prolife/understanding-conscience. The third was published at http://www.fowpal.org/peak-view/celebrating-un%E2%80%99s-declaration-april-5th-international-day-conscience-evening-love-peace-and

                            Conscience, is a personal sense of the moral content of one's own conduct, intentions, or character with regard to a feeling of obligation to do right or be good. Conscience is usually formed by acculturation and instruction, is thus generally understood to give intuitively authoritative judments regarding the moral quality of single actions. Historically, almost every culture has recognized the existence of such a faculty. Ancient Egyptians, for exmple, were urged not to trangress against the dictates of the heart, for one must stand in fear of departing from its guidance. Philosophers, social scientists, and psychologists have sought to understand conscience in both its individual and universal aspects. The view that holds conscience to be an inmate, intuitive faculty determining the perception of right or wrong is called intuitionism. The view that holds conscience to be a cumulative inference from past experience giving direction to future conduct is called empiricism. The behavioral scientist, on the other hand, may view conscience as a set of learned responses to particular social stimuli.                                                                                                                                                                  Sister Agnes Walsh, is remember for her heroism in France during World War II. In 1943, when France was occupied by German Nazis, the search for Jews began. In the face of grave peril, Sister Agnes convinced her superior to open their convent and offer refuge to a Jewish family. The sisters did the right, but very challenging thing, when many would have told them to take the easy way out. Most of us won't face the extreme circumstances these women faced, but we all have our own challenges. What do you do if your boss gives you a task you believe is wrong? How do you make ethical decisions? Conscience helps us recognize the truth about how we ought to live. Conscience is "a judgment of reason" by which we determine whether an action is right or wrong. Have you ever made a decision that turned out badly, but if you had more information beforehand, you'd have made a better decision? For example, think of learning a new language. We can only speak with the language we have, and if we have not received good education in vocabulary and grammar, we'll communicate poorly, and others will not understand us. If our conscience is not well-formed, we are not well-equipped to determine right from wrong. All of us have the personal responsibility to align our consciences with the truth so that, when we faced with the challenges of daily life, our conscience can help guide us well. We can grow deeper the continuing work of forming our conscience well. Although is not a complete list, these suggestions can help us as we seek to inform and strengthen our conscience.  1) Learn - without a foundational, practical formation, it is difficult for our consciences to guide us well in concrete situations. For example, learning about moral principles or researching about a challenging issue will help us grow in knowledge of the truth, this help us understand a little more how to live in a way that leads to our true conscience.  2) Reflect - we are formed by the stories we hear and tell. We may be uncertain how we ought to respond to various challenges we face, but there are many who have faced similar situations throughout the ages. Immersing ourselves in the stories of them can encourage us and help us develop habits of mind that allow us to grow. Stories help us hone our instincts.  3) Nurture friendship - friendships with people who are also trying to do good is a way that we can gain partners who can lighten the load. Conversation with other about how to respond to challenges in the life we possibly can face are vital.   A couple of challenges we may face in following our consciences are worth noting: 1) Indifference - When we are bombarded with news, images and stories, it's easy to become numb to other people and the world around us. Conscience requires us to be attentive. Having a well-formed conscience doesn't mean we have all the answers to the complex problems in the world, but it does mean that we are sensitive to the needs and struggles of other people.  2) Coercion - Increasingly, we are seeing that certain groups use their power to coerce people to violate their consciences. We can see how unjust these types of actions are. Our conscience should be our primary and only guide for action.                                                                                                                                                             On April 5th, the International Day of Conscience was launched at the U.N. in Viena. This achievement was made possible through the relentless efforts of numerous heroes of conscience. This day is meant to activate sincere hearts, inspire good deeds and extend collaboration to achieve peace and common prosperity. This represents that the idea of love, peace, and conscience are supported by the entire international community, and it is all nations' responsibility to implement these ideas. When we connect each person's conscience, we'll form a "protective net" for the earth and for ourselves. When every global citizen participates, this net will become even more tightly-knit and stronger.  Just like a sailor searches for a lighthouse, the compass of conscience embedded in each of us remind us to self-reflect and become aware of our conscience in our fast-paced lives. The compass lead us to overcome adversity, to return to our true selves, and to do the right things. When we have the right frame of reference, our path becomes clear.   The International Day of Conscience paves the way to world peace and love. As we go forward, we must continue motivating one another to multiply and expand the impact of kindness so that all world citizens will exercise their own influence and the culture of conscience will become rooted in each corner of the world.  We live for only few decades. We must make the most of our time and thoughtfully cultivates our hearts. Conscience guides our way to brightness and good opportunities and connections will be created.                                                                            

International Day of Conscience - 2024

                       Last Friday, precisely on 5th of April, the world celebrated the importance to live according to our conscience, this is, ethically, with empathy, peacefully, demanding respect for human rights, justice and freedom of speech and against any kind of violence, bullying, injustice, and tyranny. This post is a summary of three articles. The first was published at https://www.un.org/en/observances/conscience-day#:~:text=Promoting%20a%20Culture%20of%20Peace%20with%20Love%20and%20Conscience. The second was published at https://www.iofc.ch/day-of-conscience-2024. The third was published at    https://providencemag.com/2024/04/is-april-5-still-the-uns-international-day-of-conscience/

                         The preamble to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) states that "disregard and contempt for human rights have resulted in barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of humankind, and the advent of a world in which human beings shall enjoy freedom of speech and belief and freedom from fear and want has been proclaimed as the highest aspiration of the common people." Moreover, article 1 of the UDHR states that "all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights and are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood." The task of the U.N. to save future generations from the scourge of war requires transformation towards a culture of peace, which consists of values, attitudes and behaviours that reflect and inspire principles of freedom, justice and democracy, tolerance and solidarity, that reject violence and endeavour to prevent conflicts by tackling their root causes to solve problems through dialogue and negotiation and that guarantee the full exercise of all rights and the means to participate fully in the development process of their society. Conditions of the need for the creation of conditions of stability and well-being peaceful relations based on respect for human rights. The U.N. General Assembly declared 5th April the International Day of Conscience. The General Assembly invite all Member States to build the culture of peace with conscience, including with quality education and public awareness-raising activities. The task of constructing a culture of peace requires comprehensive educational, cultural, social and civic action, in which each person has something to learn and something to give and share. Peace is not only the absence of conflicts. It is a dynamic, participatory process linked to democracy, justice and development for all by which differences are respected and dialogue is encouraged.                                                                                                                                         History proves that leaders of conscience and love, such as Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela or Malala can shape a future of peace, solidarity and human rights. Love is not just a feeling, experienced individually. It is also a collective force for social justice, world peace and human evolution. According to the resolution adopted by the U.N. General Assembly in July, 2019, the International Day of Conscience is dedicated to the "promotion of a culture of peace with conscience and love". It calls us to rethink the way we can build a lasting peace based on conscience and love. As we witness the escalation of wars and settle into the normality of deadly conflicts between peoples, we want to remember that we are part of the indivisible community of the living. Non-killing societies and non-violent economies are possible, as demonstrated by the WHO's World Violence and Health report. It depends on us to make peace a reality. On 5 April, 2024, we'll be calling for a global shift of paradigm, and address our lack of awareness of our interactive and interconnected reality, as the present world crisis is a relationship crisis. There will be no positive way out, as long as the violence born from separateness prevails over mutual understanding living together. At this point in the long evolution of life on earth, if humanity wants to survive in dignity, the new cognitive step is to move from individualism and competition to altruism and solidarity.                                                                                                                                                                                                                    In 2019, the U.N. declared April 5, the International Day of Conscience to promote a culture of peace. This day is a solemn time to reflect on what can still be done to combat the forces of tyranny and oppression that still hold so many captives across the globe. April 5 is also a good time to ask if the U.N. still cares about its original mandate of promoting international peace and cooperation on humanitarian problems. Unfortunately, not all members of the U.N. believe in the sanctity of life and the value of freedom. The conscience of over 1 billion people are violated daily by communist regimes around the globe that are members of the U.N. Perhaps the worst example is North Korea, an open-air prison that enslaves and starves its citizens while continually threatening its neighbors with nuclear war. The surveillance state of China, enforces conformity with brutal consequences for those who dare claim allegiance to anything higher than the Communist Party. In Cuba, over 1,000 political prisoners are held captive simply for dreaming of a brighter future. In Venezuela, failed socialist policies have plunged the oil-rich country into poverty while the Maduro regime operates the largest torture center in the Western Hemisphere, "El Helicoide". It is easy to feel cynical when States carrying out mass crimes against human conscience are members of the organization promoting a day of conscience. It is also true that a simple day on the calendar seems to do little to raise awareness of the issues at hand. Nevertheless, it is our responsibility on this day to bear witness to the crimes against those still held captive and to take a stand against all forms of totalitarianism. April 5 provides an educational opportunity to point out the difference between injustice and freedom.