There are two reasons I chose this particular date of June 21st, one beautiful and the other one…..not so beautiful.
June 21st heralds the beginning of the Summer Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere. The word Solstice is derived from the Latin for 'Sun Stands Still' because for several days before and after each solstice, the sun appears to stand still in the sky. We have celebrated this moment throughout history with various festivities, like midsummer dances- and bonfires.
But each year, on the 21st of june, the residents of the small city Yulin in Guangxi province (China) celebrate the arrival of the Summer Solstice with a horrendous tradition: The Dog-Meat Festival. 15.000 Dogs are slaughtered at this festival every year. The dogs are skinned- and boiled alive or hung upside down and beaten, left to bleed out slowly.
Let us atone for their deaths by redeeming all our Butterflies in their honour. It will be a symbol- or a remembrance of not just these dogs, but for all animals who suffer. The sun might appear to stand still on the 21st of June but let 'US NOT STAND STILL' and remember why we are Care2 members: To raise awareness and to redeem our Butterflies to causes we care about. Yes, we will 'lose' all Butterflies on our profiles but, unlike some people, we are not 'trophy hunters' and we shall proceed to collect many more.
Make a note in your diary for June 21st and please, click here To Sign Avaaz' Global Petition to help bring an end to The Yulin Dog-Meat Festival.
