UNICEF and religious leaders gather in India
October 31 is National UNICEF Day, and October is the charity’s biggest fund raising month. Read on to find out how you can get involved and help UNICEF raise the money it needs to help improve the lives of children everywhere. For example, UNICEF was a participant in a gathering of hundreds of religious leaders in India on October 11, who met at the Art of Living Foundation near Bangalore to discuss ways they could help people living with HIV / AIDS.
Although India has a relatively low HIV prevalence (at just 0.34 per cent), it is home to the third-largest number of individuals infected in the world because of its large population. The epidemic is most pronounced in urban areas and decreases as education levels increase. HIV in India also disproportionately affects women, who account for some 40 per cent of the country’s total infections.
In a joint declaration, the religious leaders affirmed that faith communities have a crucial role to play in eradicating stigma and discrimination. They pledged to “work tirelessly to remove all forms of stigma, discrimination, isolation and margalization of people living with and affected by HIV.”
The religious gathering in India is just one example of the uncountable number of ways UNICEF is working towards making life a better place for people all over the globe.
From UNICEF India website
October 31 is National UNICEF Day
October is the month when people are fundraising for UNICEF, leading up to National UNICEF Day on October 31.
More than 22,000 children under the age of five die every day, mainly from preventable causes. For that reason, this year’s National UNICEF Day campaign is aimed at saving the lives of children around the world with simple, affordable solutions. The funds raised will help UNICEF save the lives of children around the world through innovative and simple solutions. Access to adequate food, clean water and disease prevention measures allows at-risk children to survive and thrive, while quality education helps break cycles of poverty and disease.
In Canada, please visit the Make October Count for Kids page to find out how you can help. There are so many ways you can get involved this year: At school, in your community, or at work.
International links
To access UNICEF’s social media presence, including Facebook pages, Twitter feeds, Flickr photo stream and YouTube channel, click here.
Mariellen Ward is a freelance travel writer whose personal style is informed by a background in journalism, a dedication to yoga and a passion for sharing the beauty of India’s culture and wisdom with the world. She has traveled for about a year altogether in India and publishes an India travel blog, Breathedreamgo.com. Mariellen also writes for magazines and newspapers.
