International Human Solidarity Day

• On December 20 International Human Solidarity Day is observed to raise public awareness of the importance of solidarity, especially in the global arena.
• As per the United Nations, the day is marked to celebrate unity and diversity that is present across the globe.
• It also serves as a reminder for governments to respect their commitments to international agreements.

International Human Solidarity Day: History

• The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), recognised solidarity as ""one of the fundamental and universal values"" that determine relationships between peoples and countries around the globe in the current century, through its resolution 60/209 on 22 December 2005.
• To highlight these values, 20 December was proclaimed as International Human Solidarity Day by the UNGA.
• The UN General Assembly established World Solidarity Fund on 20 December 2002 with an aim to get rid of poverty and to promote human and social development in developing countries.
• In 2003, the Assembly set up World Solidarity Fund as a trust fund of the UN Development Programme.
• International Human Solidarity Day also reiterates the importance of international cooperation in achieving Sustainable Development Goals, such as eradication of poverty.
• The UN also uses the occasion to focus on promotion of human and social development in developing countries.

Significance of day

• The United Nations believes solidarity to be one of the fundamental concepts that underlie relations between people in the 21st century.
• The idea of solidarity that the global body relies on for ""cooperation in solving international problems of an economic, social, cultural or humanitarian character,” has led it to believe that international solidarity and cooperation is essential in combating global ills like poverty.
• The UN itself was founded on the ideas of harmony and unity among its member states.
• The concept of collective security propounded by the global body relies on the solidarity between its member states for maintaining ""international peace and security.""
• In the midst of rising global inequalities and the coronavirus pandemic, international solidarity has become even more crucial.