Neighbour Day heads to the United Nations
Creator of the hugely successful initiative, Neighbour Day, Andrew Heslop will travel to New York next week to address the United Nations at a conference on the care and protection of the vulnerable and elderly.
It’s remarkable how this idea has taken off and grown with such momentum, Heslop told Sydney Star Observer.
I think it works because it is such a simple idea. It’s something everyone can relate to. No matter where you’re from or where you live, you have a neighbour.
Neighbour Day started six years ago after Heslop was shocked to hear of the death of a pensioner that went undiscovered for two years, and the general level of apathy people showed towards trying to combat problems of isolation.
Held in Australia for the past six years on the last Sunday in March, Neighbour Day has taken off as an international event with a number of European countries adopting the idea.
This year for the first time Neighbour Day will come with an endorsement from all the country’s premiers as well as international figures Bill Clinton and Kofi Annan. If all goes well after Heslop’s speech to the UN, Neighbour Day will even be considered as a potential option for an official UN Observance day, an amazing accomplishment for an Australian-born idea.
For information on Neighbour Day’s history and events worldwide head to www.neighbourday.org.
