World Philosophy Day : November 17, 2016
World Philosophy Day was introduced in November 21, 2002 by UNESCO to
honour philosophical reflection in the entire world by opening up free and
accessible spaces. The
General Conference of UNESCO established World Philosophy Day in 2005.
World Philosophy Day celebrated every third Thursday of the November.
Objectives:
- UNESCO’s
objective is to promote an international culture of philosophical debate
that respects human dignity and diversity. The Day encourages academic
exchange and highlights the contribution of philosophical knowledge in
addressing global issues.
- Its
objective is to encourage the peoples of the world to share their
philosophical heritage and to open their minds to new ideas, as well as to
inspire a public debate between intellectuals and civil society on the
challenges confronting our society.
Why a Philosophy Day?
Many thinkers state that “astonishment” is the root of philosophy. Indeed,
philosophy stems from humans’ natural tendency to be astonished by themselves
and the world in which they live.
- This field, which
sees itself as a form of “wisdom”, teaches us to reflect on reflection
itself, to continually question well-established truths, to verify
hypotheses and to find conclusions.
- For centuries, in
every culture, philosophy has given birth to concepts, ideas and analyses,
and, through this, has set down the basis for critical, independent and
creative thought.
- UNESCO’s
Philosophy Day allowed this institution to celebrate, in particular, the
importance of philosophical reflection, and to encourage people all over
the world to share their philosophical heritage with each other.
- For UNESCO,
philosophy provides the conceptual bases of principles and values on which
world peace depends: democracy, human rights, justice, and equality.
Philosophy helps consolidate these authentic foundations of peaceful
coexistence.
