We are disappointed. In past years we could chuckle over the UN calendar of international days in which 'World Toilet Day' coincided with 'World Philosophy Day. It was something to which we looked forward - like astronomic events such as an alignment of Mars and Venus.
No more! Someone deep in the Secretariat caught on and decided at last to align the calendar with UNESCO's celebration two days earlier of World Philosophy Day (in fact UNESCO established the the third Thursday of each November back in 2002 as that celebration).
Yet all is not lost! Now we have a new alignment of the days - last Saturday, 15 October, was World Handwashing Day, Thursday, 17 November was World Philosophy Day, and Saturday 19 November is World Toilet Day.
So while we can no longer joke about the conjunction of Philosophy Day and Toilet Day, at least we can still note that the UN in its wisdom still celebrates handwashing day before toilet day. Shouldn't it be the other way around? Or at least - wash before, and wash afterwards! And in between, think big thoughts !
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| 40 ft tall inflatable toilet in front of the Secretariat |
On the occasion of World Toilet Day 2022, this was taken in 1980 in the Hotel Hoa Binh in Hanoi which was the UNICEF office and residence for some staff, including the Representative. Our room 112 was the only one on the floor with an ensuite bathroom with a club foot bath tub and a tiny basin. The toilet, inexplicably , was on a raised pedestal. We decorated it as best we could to give it a « homey » air.! The pose was inspired by Rodin’s. The Thinker. https://photos.app.goo.gl/mEkhBueo2tRmW5Ja6
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