International Mountain Day

International Mountain Day

Did you know that mountains cover 27 percent of the total land surface? 

I bet most of you didn’t have any idea about the fact I’ve mentioned above. Yes, it's true mountains cover a major part of our earth’s surface but in a good way. Mountains are major source of sustainable economic growth; They are major source of elements like food,freshwater and energy that will be scarce in next few decades.  So, to highlight the importance of mountain the United Nation General Assembly assigned 11th December as International Mountain Day. The day commemorates mountain life and tries to highlight its importance. For a greater sustainable future mountain development is a must. But, if we turn our head around and look we can obviously notice that majority of mountain regions are grasped by poverty.

This year UN focuses on mountain farming which is considered as a major occupation in upper regions. For most of them it is a family tradition, and it’s been going on from generations. In context of today’s world there is a greater scope in mountain farming apart from food cultivation. Mountain farming attracts tourism and their vivid handicraft goods can portray the traditional of the people residing on those region. For Instance, you can check out the array of Lokta Paper products available in Pen Boutique. In foothills of Himalayas, Nepalese people have been making lokta for papers from lokta shrubs. 

Lokta grows in the shade of higher plants – in high elevation above 6500 feet. These shrubs go largely in suburb areas of the country where jobs are scarce and paper making is the only option for the villagers. Lokta paper is naturally resistant to insects and bacteria, and is renowned for its texture, durability and ability to last for hundreds of years. 

I have piled an array of products that are prepared by using 100% genuine lokta papers. 

• Monk Paper Lokta Hemp Fiber Lokta Stationery Writing Set

• Monk Paper Pink Hearts Lokta Trekker Journal

• Monk Paper Tangerine A4 Lokta Sketch Pad

• Monk Paper Butter Chocolate Lokta Trekker Journal

• Monk Paper Butter Cranberry Lokta Trekker Journal

• Monk Paper Charcoal Lokta Quotation Journal

International Anti-Corruption Day

International Anti-Corruption Day

“The fight for justice against corruption is never easy. It never has been and never will be. It exacts a toll on our self, our families, our friends, and especially our children. In the end, I believe, as in my case, the price we pay is well worth holding on to our dignity.” - Frank Serpico

No matter where you reside, corruption is a strong phenomenon that sucks life out of social, political and economic factors. Corruption sabotages democratic firms, hinders economic and social development and moreover promotes government instability.  Over the world, corruption is a major issue that’s hard to deal with and it’s distorting everything. When it comes to corruption, neither society nor country is immune. If we look upon the situation of underdeveloped and developing countries we can clearly assume that corruption is one of the main factors that is hindering their path of progress. So, it’s essential for each and every one of us to unite and fight against this global disease and raise a voice to eradicate it. 

Corruption mainly affects the poor and middle class people. In many countries corruption acts as a core that ignites the flames of poor governance, political instability and poor economic growth. If you dig in deeper you will find evidences that indicate that corruption is a major cause that affects long-term economic growth. 

To fight against corruption UN initiated their first step in the year 2004 by introducing the first International Anti-Corruption Day. Since then every year this day is conducted every year to develop combat plans against corruption. Today, Anti-Corruption provides platform to all government bodies, civil society, general public and medias to raise their voices to eliminate this global problem. 

International Volunteer Day

International Volunteer Day

Firstly, I would like to express my gratitude to every volunteer who are actively pushing themselves for betterment of others and wish them a very happy International Volunteer Day. 

International Volunteer Day was designed to inspire everyone to actively participate and contribute to development at local and international levels. The day was first introduced by United Nation General Assembly on 17 December 1987, since then every year on 5th December UN and other social organizations celebrates this day to value the deeds of every volunteer throughout the world. Besides that, the day also provides a platform for volunteering organizations to work with government agencies, private organizations and non-government organizations. 

This year the day will not only celebrate voluntarism but will also commemorate all the volunteering activities that are being carried out on a global scale. Volunteering is one of the primary activities that teaches us the lesson of humanity, and reminds us that helping others is not the last thing to do. Organizations like Red Cross, Scout have millions of people who are working selflessly for betterment of other people. 

So, what are you going to do on this International Volunteer Day? The day lies on Saturday, instead of sitting on your couch and enjoying your favorite channel do something meaningful to commemorate this day. 

World Day for Persons with Disabilities

World Day for Persons with Disabilities

• There are more than 1 billion people in the world who have certain kind of physical disability.

• Majority of disabled people fall into the criteria of social discrimination. 

• In some countries disable people are still being deprived of their basic rights including education and political participation.

Every year on 3rd of December World Day for Persons with Disabilities is celebrated to address the rights of people with disabilities. The day is devoted towards disabled people and primarily looks after their humanitarian needs. 

We have indeed stepped into a new and modern world, we have innovative technologies and our lifestyle has seen a drastic change. It’s obvious that we live in proud country where human rights have an important role, but there are places in the world where discrimination is still practiced. Living a life grasped by a disability can be challenging, but in order to boost their self-esteem we have to constantly promote their human rights and notify them that they are no different than us. 

World AIDS Day: Spread the Word of Prevention

World Aids Day

Every year on 1st of December World Aids Day is celebrated throughout the world to highlight the importance of eradicating a deadly disease commonly known to us as HIV/AIDS. If we turn our head around then we can obviously notice that the world has taken a huge leap in medical field compared to past decade, but in the context of HIV/AIDS there is still a lot to be done. 

Till date there are thousands of people in U.S. who are in grasp of this deadly disease. Amongst them less than 25 percent of the total affected population reach their treatment and the rest have to live with it due to number of barriers. Conclusively, this has brought out negative vibes and has left many with a bias state of mind. The main solution for this problem is to work together and built a strong community that constantly focuses on eliminating this global phenomenon. Here are few things that you can do to commemorate this day.

• Look for the organizations that are planning World AIDS Day programs and actively participate on those events. 
• Conduct community awareness programs and convey the importance of eradicating this deadly disease. 
• Target schools and colleges, and conduct programs to raise awareness. Also highlight the importance of safe sex. 

I have just listed few suggestions, there are many more things that you can do to highlight the importance of this day. Remember, this is an important issue and avoiding it, just might not be the right thing to do. So, gather your friends and families, and unite to fight against HIV/AIDS.