World Day of Social Justice Activities

Since 2009 the United Nations has designated February 20 as World Day of Social Justice. The theme for 2024’s commemoration is “Bridging Gaps, Building Alliances.”

The UN established this annual recognition as a way to promote the importance of centering social justice in international, national, and regional policy agendas. World Day of Social Justice serves as a reminder of the ongoing struggle for equality and fairness in societies worldwide. You can learn more about the UN’s mission to advance social justice here. 

True social justice encompasses possession of secure economic, political, and cultural rights, as well as the end of systemic inequalities and discrimination. Understanding and learning about these social justice issues is crucial for young people as they participate in their communities, including voting for or becoming future leaders and changemakers themselves. Your class can start to consider the tools they can use to advance the changes they want to see in the Facing History Unit 10 Questions for Young Changemakers.

You, your students, and your students’ caregivers can also use the following Facing History resources to learn about the choices people can make to strengthen their communities and promote positive change:

• Mini-Lesson: The Common Good in Times of Crisis
   
• Guide: Advancing The Common Good in Times of Crisis: A Guide for Parents & Families
   

A useful and inclusive entry point for exploration of social justice is through journaling, since journaling is one of the most natural ways for students to learn more about themselves as thinkers and writers. Learning about social justice can help all of us reflect on our own privileges and biases, fostering empathy and a sense of responsibility and offering us tools to dismantle oppression and build an equitable society. And, by investigating issues that are important to them, students can develop a deeper understanding of how their choices and actions can create change and what they can do to advocate for their rights and the rights of others 

The following prompts offer additional ways for young people to think critically about social justice and start a dialogue around their views and hopes for the future. Allow students to keep their journal entries private when they reflect on personal prompts, such as those below.

Journal Prompts

• What are some forms of inequity or discrimination you’ve seen or experienced in your own life?
• Who inspires you and why do they inspire you?
• Write about a time when your individual values have conflicted with the values of a group or community that you are a part of. How did you address this challenge and what impacted the decision you made? Did you speak up or remain silent? For example, you could think of a time when you have disagreed with the decision of your school, parents, or peer group.
• Reflect on a time when you witnessed an injustice happening to someone else—how did it make you feel? What are some actions people could take to prevent situations like this from happening?
• Imagine a world without social inequality: what would it look like?
• What is one change that you would like to see happen in the world? What are some actions that people could take to help bring about this change?"
• Has anyone ever made an assumption or judged you without knowing you? What happened and how did it make you feel? What can be the consequences of judging someone without knowing them?