INTERNATIONAL DAYS MARCH IN TERNATI O NAL DAYS
1st March – Zero Discrimination Day Zero Discrimination Day is to promote equality before the law and in practice. First celebrated in 2014, the ask is to speak up and prevent discrimination from standing in the way of achieving ambitions, goals and dreams. Though a focus for this Day continues towards countering discrimination of those with HIV/AIDS and the LGBTQI community, this Day also symbolises the need to fight against any form of discrimination. In Australia, the Australian Human Rights Commission has statutory responsibilities under the Age Discrimination Act 2004, Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986, Disability Discrimination Act 1992, Racial Discrimination Act 1975 and the Sex Discrimination Act 1984. With Members across the world, and graduate students and academics residing here at Graduate House, we give best endeavour against any form of ‘ism.
3rd March – World Wildlife Day World Wildlife Day is to support animals and plants and to raise awareness of our globe’s diversity of wildlife and marine life. With 4
increasing numbers of endangered and extinct species, we must act to conserve our planet. The 2021 theme is Forests and livelihoods: sustaining people and planet. Jackson Wild, The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) are organising an international film showcase of our planet’s valuable forests, their extensive ecosystems services, and the livelihoods that the forests help to sustain. The winners and final round films from this international competition, will be shown throughout 2021. As noted by Lisa Samford, Executive Director of Jackson Wild: “Covering over a third of the Earth’s surface, forests are a home to 80% of all terrestrial animals, plants and insects and sustain the livelihoods of millions of people, providing ecosystems services and resources that are essential to the global economy. Rich biodiversity is essential to the health of our planet. With the impact of climate change escalating every day as growing numbers of species edge toward extinction we must act quickly and decisively for our own survival.”
