Yearly Review 2009

July 2, 2009—You know how every year is called the "year of" something or other? Like 2008 was the Year of the Potato. That's right, the potato—for those of you who might be snickering, it happens to rank as the world's fourth most important food crop, after maize, wheat and rice. Take that, sugarcane!

Declaring a theme for every year is a way to focus on a particular topic that's important for our world. It spreads awareness and motivates people to get involved and help make a difference. So, here's a look at what 2009 is about:

The International Year of Astronomy: The next time a teacher or parent scolds you for staring uselessly into space, you can say you're "re-discovering your place in the universe." And if they're not convinced, tell them about The International Year of Astronomy, which was established to stimulate worldwide interest, especially among young people, in astronomy and science, and encourage a personal sense of wonder and discovery. The theme is "The Universe, Yours to Discover." Okay, um, moving on …

The Year of the Gorilla: Why the gorilla? Well, all the great ape species of Africa—including gorillas—are in danger because of hunting, habitat loss, diseases and armed conflicts in the areas where they live. These species are humankind's closest relatives and they also help maintain their forest homes, which in turn regulate the global climate. In other words, not only are gorillas fascinating and extremely intelligent, they are helping our planet too. Learn more about gorillas and how to help protect them.

The Year of Natural Fibers: This might surprise you. A whole year dedicated to natural fibers? The thing is, natural fibers are more important than you might realize. Produced from a wide range of plants (leaves, stems and hair) and animals (wool, hair, and secretions such as silk), they've been used by people since the earliest civilizations for clothing and ropes. However they're increasingly being replaced by man-made fibers like acrylic, nylon, polyester, mainly for cost-saving reasons. This is unfortunate, because natural fibers are healthier and more hygienic for humans, their production is vital to the livelihoods of millions of small-scale farmers, and they are a renewable resource.

The International Year of Reconciliation: Yup. Go apologize to your kid brother for calling him stupid, or maybe write a poem about world peace. While the UN has proclaimed 2009 the International Year of Reconciliation as a step toward bringing peace to conflicted areas, the year is also meant for individuals and societies everywhere to promote peace and understanding. Here's more info (pdf) from the UN. (Warning: This might make you a tad sleepy!)

The International Year of Human Rights Learning: 2009 is also a year for increasing awareness of human rights, meaning the basic rights and freedoms that all humans should have. According to the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, "all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood." The aim of the International Year of Human Rights Learning is to promote and protect all human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the right to development.

The 20th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC): This one gets a special emphasis on Youthink! of course. Now, you might ask, why is there a whole separate treaty on child rights? Why can't it be part of the Human Rights Declaration; aren't children human? Of course they are, but children are particularly vulnerable, so they also have particular rights that recognize their special need for protection. Learn more about the CRC in Child Rights.

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