January in Review & International day of Sport for Development and Peace

credits: shuterstock.com

"Importantly, sport transcends boundaries and promotes tolerance, perseverance, and respect within and between cultures … to promote just, peaceful, and inclusive societies."

President of the 78th session of the General Assembly, Mr. Dennis Francis, Remarks at the commemoration of World Football Day, 22 May 2024

The International Day of Sport for Development and Peace (IDSDP) is annually celebrated on 6 April, to recognize the power of sport in fostering positive change, bridging barriers, and transcending boundaries.

credits: UN

The adoption of this Day signifies the increasing recognition by the UN of the positive influence that sport can have on the advancement of human rights, and social and economic development.

Due to its vast reach, unparalleled popularity and foundation of positive values, sport is ideally positioned to contribute towards the United Nations’ objectives for development and peace.

credits. UNESCO Body & Mind Wellness

https://unescobmw.org/2025/

• Theme 2025

"Leveling the Playing Field: Sport for Social Inclusion."

This year’s theme aims to challenge stereotypes, promote equal opportunities, and enable inclusive sport for all, regardless of age, gender, or race. It highlights the role of sport as a unifying force that fosters inclusion and more equitable societies, while being a powerful platform for dialogue to tackle prejudices and inspire positive change across the world.

Through inspiring conversations, IDSDP strives to raise awareness, celebrate success stories, strengthen partnerships, and advocate for solutions to critical challenges. IDSDP 2025 will serve as a platform to explore solutions on how sport can serve as a tool towards greater social inclusion and progress. 

credits: UNESCO

Education:

"On this International Day, UNESCO celebrates the virtues and universal values of sport. It hopes to remind us how much the practice of sport, which allows us to care for both our physical and mental health, also carries with it the ethical principle of peaceful coexistence, something which we particularly need in these troubled times."

Audrey Azoulay, UNESCO Director-General

via Google Images Archive

UNESCO BMW envisions a world where sports play a key role in promoting peace, health, and social well-being. The organization strongly advocates for physical activity, recognizing its vital role in maintaining mental and physical health. 

Today, depression and stress have become widespread issues, and the lack of physical activity has further aggravated these problems. To address this, UNESCO BMW is actively promoting yoga and meditation as effective methods for stress management and overall well-being.

via Google Images Archive

After this important introduction, time to my review of the most read posts of January 2025.

Here are the most popular posts of January 2025:

Schools : Science - Rise of the Half Moon January ! Let's continue to study the lunar phases with another game ?

History in School : The 80th Anniversary of the Liberation of the Auschwitz Birkenau !

Science : Here they are ! The Quadrantids !

To a New Generation : International Year for Peace & Trust 2025 : Resources & Activities !

 

My usual readers know that blogging is my free contribution to inspire new  and young teachers, with some activities no matter the subject, when I have the time between work.

Hope you enjoyed my pedagogical proposals published in January and included some in your lessons.

Easter is near ! That's a nice time to think about family and some traditional games.  

I hope that you will have a great weekend! 

G-Souto 

06.04.2025

Copyright © 2025G-Souto'sBlog, gsouto-digitalteacher.blogspot.com®

March in Review &  Intl Day of Sport for Development and Peace by G-Souto is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Schools & families : World Autism Awareness Day ! "Advancing Neurodiversity and the UN Sustainable Development Goals"

 

https://www.un.org/

April 2 is the World Autism Awareness Day. The United Nations General Assembly unanimously declared 2 April as World Autism Awareness Day to highlight the need to help improve the quality of life of those with autism so they can lead full and meaningful lives as an integral part of society.

"Throughout its history, the United Nations family has celebrated diversity and promoted the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities, including learning differences and developmental disabilities."

United Nations

• The World Autism Awareness Day April 2, 2025 theme:

The theme for World Autism Awareness Day 2025 is "Advancing Neurodiversity and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)."

The 2025 observance, under the theme "Advancing Neurodiversity and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)", highlights the intersection between neurodiversity and global sustainability efforts, showcasing how inclusive policies and practices can drive positive change for autistic individuals worldwide and contribute to the achievement of the SDGs.

This year’s discussion explores the role of neurodiversity in shaping policies that promote accessibility, equality, and innovation across multiple sectors. Discussions focus on inclusive healthcare, quality education, workplace accessibility, reducing inequalities, and designing autism-friendly cities and communities.

https://www.un.org/

Goals of World Autism Awareness Day :

• To educate people about autism and its impact on individuals and families
• To promote understanding and acceptance of people with autism
• To support individuals with autism in the community
• To encourage scientific research to develop effective treatments

The term Autism Spectrum refers to a range of characteristics. Appropriate support, accommodation and acceptance of this neurological variation allow those on the Spectrum to enjoy equal opportunity, and full and effective participation in society.

Google Images Archive

Autism is mainly characterized by its unique social interactions, non-standard ways of learning, keen interests in specific subjects, inclination to routines, challenges in typical communications and particular ways of processing sensory information.

The rate of autism in all regions of the world is high and the lack of understanding has a tremendous impact on the individuals, their families and communities.

The stigmatization and discrimination associated with neurological differences remain substantial obstacles to diagnosis and therapies, an issue that must be addressed by both public policy-makers in developing nations, as well as donor countries.

Autism-friendly events and educational activities take place all month, aiming to increase understanding and acceptance of people with autism, foster worldwide support and inspire a kinder, more inclusive world. 

Google Images Archive

• Strategies For Parents To Help Children With Autism Thrive :

Autistic children may present with skills, talents and abilities that seem well developed in some areas but may have challenges in other areas of life. This may make it difficult for parents So, here some strategies for parents:

• Be patient and positive

• Seek support

• Establish a routine

• Encourage social skills

• Take your time

Note: These strategies provide generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. 

Google Images Archive

• Teachers and parents:

Autism is mainly characterized by its unique social interactions, non-standard ways of learning, keen interests in specific subjects, inclination to routines, challenges in typical communications and particular ways of processing sensory information. Autism-friendly events and educational activities take place all month, aiming to increase understanding and acceptance of people with autism, foster worldwide support and inspire a kinder, more inclusive world.  Memoirs if an imaginary friend Matthew Green https://www.amazon.co.uk/ My name is BUDO. I have been alive for 5 years. 5 years is a very long time for someone like me to be alive. MAX gave me my name. Max is 8 years old. He is the only human person who can see me. I know what Max knows, and some things he doesn't. I know that Max is in danger. And I know that I am the only one who can save him. Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend was the 2014 Dolly Gray Award winner and a finalist for the 2017 Nutmeg Award. And Goodreads finalist 2012 as voted by over 1 million readers. Memoirs of an imaginary friend Matthew Green https://www.amazon.co.uk/ "Memoirs of an imaginary friend" by Matthew Dicks is told from the point of view of an imaginary friend who has been created in the mind of an eight year old autistic boy named Max.   The reader learns that imaginary friends can see one another and that who they will see is what their friend has imagined them to be. They are also limited by what their friend imagines that they can do.   Budo, Max's friend can walk through doors and is smart and imaginative himself.  Those qualities are important to the story, as they will allow Budo to save Max in the end.   "The readers learn about real love (a man lays down his life for another) and real evil (manipulate others until you get what you want) while reading this engaging and truly imaginative story." Matthew Green is a teacher so the school setting of most of this book feels natural and real (at least for this former teacher.  In the midst of chaos, reading to a child autist or not can create a small oasis of calm, for both kids and parents. If the one thing this awful crisis has given us, it’s time. Books and children respond well to that. "When we read, our minds grow wings. When we write, our fingers sing. (...) Words invite us to dance - rhythms, rhymes, heartbeats, hoofbeats, and wingbeats, old tales and new ones, fantasies and true ones." Margarita Engle, in The music of words G-Souto 02.04.2025 Copyright © 2025G-Souto'sBlog, gsouto-digitalteacher.blogspot.com® Schools & families : World Autism Awareness Day  !  "Advancing Neurodiversity and the UN Sustainable Development Goals" by G-Souto is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.