A few years ago whilst on a vacation in Greece, I stayed with a good friend and her family in Thessaloniki. Being the sleepy-head that I am, I woke up late one morning and all the members of the family had gone out on errands save my friend's father. He did not speak a word of English, only Greek and German. (The German he had learned when he was in the Greek army during World War II.) And I did not speak a word of Greek, only English and Afrikaans, a language indigenous to South Africa, a distant version of Flemish, Dutch and German.
Still, he made some Greek coffee and invited me to sit out on the balcony with him. We started talking. There was some gesturing, lots of smiling but mostly just plain old talking. I don't know when I noticed that he was speaking German and I was speaking Afrikaans but there we were, chatting in the morning sun for a good two hours. We found a way of listening to each other, of sharing something of each other's lives and getting to know each other. In this way we found an understanding and an appreciation of the other, a way that was uniquely ours.
When my friend got home she was surprised to hear about my morning with her father, especially as he was not much of a conversationalist, not even with his own children. But she was even more surprised to learn that I knew about how her parents met and fell in-love. I knew about the time her dad spent in Germany when he was a soldier. I knew about the nosy neighbour responsible for the local gossip and about the roses that her father planted every year. I even knew about his thoughts on her latest boyfriend and on her latest career move.
All this from speaking two different languages.
So if it can happen to me then why can it not happen at the annual United Nations High Level Meeting?
The United Nations is an institution where there are only six official languages (English, French, Russian, Arabic, Spanish and Chinese) and if diplomats happen to fumble or fuss over a word or a phrase, they have clear, concise, instantaneous interpretation, directly in their ears.
So, understanding one another should be as easy as ABC, right?
Yes, most of the time but definitely not for one week out of fifty-two weeks.
This past week, the eyes of the world were focused on the High Level Meeting of the 64th Session of the General Assembly, attended by Heads of State and Government from almost all nations, where statements centered on important issues such as climate change, nuclear disarmament, peace in the Middle East, economic development and poverty eradication.
And what happened?
Well, there they were, talking at each other, rather than to each other or with each other. Some of them lectured from lofty positions, others handed out a tongue-lashing and still others played the game of ping-pong with words. I wonder how many of them really listened with the intention of appreciating what the other had to say. Did some attend with the aim of merely throwing their national interest at others? Did innovative and creative ideas fall on deaf ears? Were others brushed aside and labeled without being given a fair hearing?
The annual High Level Meeting of the General Assembly is a platform, which provides an opportunity for world leaders to come together in the hope of creating a more just and peaceful world, with an equitable international order. And all too often the opportunity is squandered and the platform is violated because they don't really hear one another long enough to understand each other.
As a matter of fact, during the High Level Meeting, the United Nations turns into a modern day Tower of Babel. You know, the biblical story about an enormous tower built in the city of Babylon. It was supposed to be a tower that signified the unity of the people. Instead it was used by some to expound their own greatness, a place of pride, of pomp and ceremony. Enraged, God made it so that the people spoke 72 different languages, which made communication impossible and then, God scattered the people around the world.
Perhaps the United Nations needs to get rid of the interpretation during the High Level Meeting of the General Assembly and put all the Heads of State out on a balcony in Greece for one week. Then they would have no choice but to really listen to what the other is saying.
The Americans don't only spell Labour Day (Labor Day) differently, they also celebrate it differently.
In most of the world, Labour Day is the public holiday synonymous with celebrating the economic and social achievements of workers, but this past weekend saw the streets of New York filled with tourists, rather than massive street rallies by workers, labour movements and trade unions. There were no festive street parades for the workers and their families, nor were there any political speeches espousing solidarity between workers of all nationalities.
Instead, celebrated on the first Monday in September, Labour Day marks the end of summer with picnics and barbecues. It is often viewed as the last weekend for parties and the last chance for summer travel. In the sports world, it marks the beginning of the college football season and in the fashion world, it is the last chance to wear the colour white, especially white shoes and pants. It is a day of rest, spent with family and friends.
In other countries, Labour Day is usually celebrated on May 1st and is known as May Day or International Workers' Day. It is significant as an international celebration of working class culture and politics.
This is especially true in Communist countries like China where Workers' Day is a week-long celebration, which includes mile-long military parades. In Cuba, it looks like carnival season in the streets of Havana with the outpour of people commemorating the rights of workers. Cuban flags are flying, drums are beating and music permeates the air as thousands gather at the Plaza of the Revolution to listen to the President give his annual May Day speech.
The history of Workers' Day is steeped in the writings of Karl Marx and Frederick Engels and in the establishment of the Eight-Hour Day Movement, which calls for eight hours of work, eight hours of recreation and eight hours of rest.
But even in non-Communist countries, Workers' Day is a remembrance of the history and traditions of the working class.
This is evident in France where the "fete du travail" is a sacrosanct part of the working culture. It often sets the stage for major union activities and propagation of socialist policies. On this day, the working class displays its strength and unity with demonstrations and strikes. Others use the day to campaign for human rights in general or highlight current social issues such as racism.
Similarly, in Italy, the working class and labour unions display their camaraderie with the annual organisation of a free music concert in Rome called the Concerto Del Primo Maggio (1st May's concert.) What began in the early 90's as a celebration of the workers' achievements for improved socio-economic conditions, has seen the Piazza's of Rome swell with hundreds of thousands of people, calling for the rights of workers, whilst grooving along to popular musicians and famous performers like Bono of the rock group U2.
 In a country like South Africa, where the struggle of the "worker" was tied to the struggle for freedom against Apartheid and oppression, Workers' Day is a big day on our political calendar. We take to the streets to mark the achievements of the workers, clearly espoused in the words of Nelson Mandela who said, "no bread without freedom; no freedom without bread." We also hold peaceful protests against any unfair labour practices or standards. As South Africans, it is an important part of our psyche to acknowledge and appreciate the struggle of our workers and the sacrifices they have made so that we can live in freedom today.
So why does the American version of Labour Day disassociate itself from labour activism?
Well, an obvious reason is because historically Labour Day is associated with socialism, and we all know America's stance on that. (Just think of Obama and the opposition he is currently facing, even from his own party, over creating national health coverage.)
The American version becomes harder to explain in light of the fact that it all began right here in the USA. International Worker's Day is often seen as a commemoration of the Haymarket Massacre, which took place in Chicago in 1886, when police killed demonstrators on a general strike calling for an eight hour working day. In addition, the international celebration of Labour Day, which often traces its origin to the Eight-Hour Day Movement, saw some of the earliest and most significant demonstrations of the Movement in almost every State and city, from Detroit to Baltimore, from New Jersey to Texas and beyond.
Still, this Labour Day, living in America, I couldn't help but wonder if the American version doesn't have some advantages. I found myself luxuriating in the end of summer on my terrace--dressed in white, with friends, meat sizzling on the grill, talking football.
Not a bad way to spend a day off.
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