On the third Wednesday of October, the fifteenth day of the month, the universal concept of human dignity is acknowledged, reflected upon and honoured all over the world. Dubbed Global Dignity Day, we are invited to lower the walls of race, religion, and politics, and consider all of humankind to be standing on the same flat plain. Dignity is the idea of every person having their own inherent worth, and thus, being deserving of respect not earned because of any special skill or attribute, but simply by virtue of their humanity.
Dignity is a value that forms the backbone of ethical principles; it exists quietly in every human rights declaration and code of conduct, and beyond official documents, hides in common interactions with others in our everyday lives. But for something observed so discreetly, the statement it makes is deafeningly loud: every single human, regardless of class, colour or creed, deserves to be honoured and respected. Dignity is a driving factor in social justice movements, allowing the mental and emotional welfare of individuals just like you to be looked after. Even small changes we can make in our day-to-day lives, such as offering sincere apologies or respecting others’ decisions, promote the concept of dignity and add a little more goodness into the world. The prejudiced jokes, the casual disrespect we show for others without a second thought must be laid aside in the name and spirit of dignity.. So do you think you’re ready to embrace dignity?