Religion and human values - Hassan Al-Saffar

One of the good orientations undertaken by the United Nations General Assembly is the allocation of annual days to focus on some shared humanitarian aspects and issues. There is a day for women, a day for social justice, a day for tolerance, a day for health, a day for the environment, a day to combat drugs, a day to prevent suicide, a day to eradicate poverty, a day for human rights, and dozens of days with similar titles exceeding one hundred days. The purpose of defining the international day for any issue is to direct attention to it and emphasize concern for it. It is expected that all official and civil entities of different countries and communities participate in expressing interest in that issue, complete legal legislations related to it, incorporate it into education programs and media outlets, organize various events and activities for awareness and education about it, and mobilize the largest possible mass support towards it. Since most of the issues for which the United Nations has designated international days are important and general humanitarian issues that concern all societies and peoples regardless of their races and religions, and since religion gives them priority in its values, concepts, and legislations, it was necessary for religious institutions and religious discourse in our Islamic communities to show appropriate interest in these international days.