Global Apology Day

Every country in the world has at least one thing to be sorry for. Starting a war? Polluting the ocean? A genocide? Bullying a neighboring country? Supporting terrorism? Creating an unfair trade imbalance?

Whatever it is, Global Apology Day can help wipe that slate clean.

Leading up to Global Apology Day, citizens of every country will vote on globaldemocracy.com what their country should apologize to the world for. And then, on Global Apolology Day, world leaders will stand in front of the UN General Assembly and ask the world (or another country in particular) for their forgiveness.

Before we solve the world's problems, we need to forgive each other and ask for forgiveness...

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42 Comments

  • I object because past is past, they did what they did and the only reason you say sorry is cause you got cought, never for never getting cought and openly admiting the dead and appologizing

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  • I object because to say sorry does not replace the people lost, it does nothing only hollow words.

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  • Love this idea. From the hatred displayed above it is clearly overdue.

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  • I think America should recognize the negative effects on both Arab people and Americans as a result of their governments involvement in the middle east beginning after WWII that continues today.

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  • Australia has already done this for their 'Lost Generation'. It's a very good idea. Here's former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's Apology speech http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3TZOGpG6cM

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  • This idea is beyond stupid. Countries shouldn't have to apologize for being strong.

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  • IlDuce - they're apologizing for what they've done wrong. Not for being strong. While strong and wrong rhyme, they mean different things.

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  • @rhandey - A real apology isn't hollow. It can quite meaningful and moving. An apology is a great way to begin a dialogue. Imagine North Korea apologizing to South Korea about SOMETHING, ANYTHING....

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  • 000001110, agreed. IlDuce, measures like genocide and repression don't indicate a country's strength. Almost every country has something to apologise for, and apologising shouldn't be as hard as politicians make it out to be.

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  • I strongly agree with this idea, as an Australian whose own country has a 'Sorry Day' towards Indigenous people. I know from experience that a 'Sorry Day' does indeed ease the pain and pave the way for reconciliation. As the old saying goes 'saying sorry is the first step', rather than letting the hatred and resentment spill out into violence. Iran-Iraq N Korea- S Korea. These are some examples of countries where hatred and war has been due to lack of commutation and understanding.

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  • ELQ

    United States United States | 8 years ago
    Maybe it's just me, but I'm really not interested in rhetoric. I don't want to see a politician apologize for the billion things done wrong, I want to see him kicked out and replaced by someone who wants to actually make something of the mess.

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  • I like this Idea jsut not the name. How about Global Amends day. A day for nations to amend thier relationships.

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  • I think this a great idea! And a much needed one. A simple apology can go a long way and could fix many tensions nations have between each other. To add on to the idea, not only does the country have to make an apology, it has to make a promise as well. The world could really come together with this Apology Day idea! I love it!

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  • You rely on politicians to jsut say "gee, i'm sorry", with any semblance of true honesty, for things their country did, possibly before they were in office, or even born? This would just be a tawdry formality. That spectacle would be a waste of time. Think more practically.

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  • While the sentiment behind the idea is nice, it sounds like an Internet AAA meeting. Everybody standing up and saying "I'm sorry" doesn't fix anything.

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  • Genius idea. The best idea I saw on this site. Simple done. Maximum expressiveness.!!!!!!

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  • To everyone who keeps bashing this idea because it doesn't accomplish anything and apologies are empty words, what are you used to hearing then from your senators and presidents? In your nation, when your president speaks about need for change, is all you hear empty words? If so you need a new leader, and a new attitude; I will grant you that most politicians' rhetoric is "politic" and little more, but even so, if you watch the speech by JFK suggesting we go to the moon ("... not because they are easy, but because they are hard,"), can't you tell the man actually feels what he's saying? Now you can say he was an actor, but all politicians are, and it was mostly his own passion that drove us there. I can understand your bitterness; I can understand your doubt; but if you opt for nihilism instead, where did that get us, and if you turned from it, then was there more harm in it than wasted effort? And I do not call it wasted effort; rather I think that simply by getting to express our apologies to the world we will move forward, because personally, I don't know about you, if the mental healthcare system would apologize to mental patients for a day, and specify what it had done wrong, if it did a good job, my very life, as one who has seen oppression, would improve, by way of a sunnier disposition; and all this idea is suggesting is that everyone be given the same gift I would so enjoy personally were it given to me.

    To Muslims in the world today, and I originally had this on my profile but had to take it down because of space requirements, as an American I am sorry for the Koran-burnings in recent news, for the slaughtering of innocents in Arabic countries, and for the lack of respect toward your ways that my country has shown since American female soldiers stood in Mecca unveiled, and bin Laden broke from the US all those years ago... I understand that the US created its greatest enemy, and thereby that 9/11 was the product of its own militaristic ambitions and mistakes, not condoning terrorism, I'll note duly at the same time, and I acknowledge the importance of religion and that it can take precedence over even human life. I hope that years from now our gift of democracy dampens some of our wrongs, and I do not support National Defense Authorization Act, Guantanamo Bay, or any other measure that involves/involved the torture and/or detainment without charge of suspects of terrorism. Please forgive us and do your part to stop the fighting; I know plenty of Americans, especially in my family, who feel the same way I do.

    My apology to Iran, Iraq, and Arabia in general; as well to Muslims as a group of Faith. I am an American independent religiously, but I largely mirror the path of Wicca and Cabalism in my day to day practices.

    Thank you for hearing me out, and as a quick contribution to the idea, I pose a critical question: what is the process for this apology day? If you had a process, you could probably give it some traction. Make another post, I want to see where this can go...

    -PeaceandRigthsHawk (inversion of the American historical-political term "War Hawk")
    mentalhealthcivilrights@yahoo.com
    mentalhealthcivilrights.com
    http://www.mentalhealthcivilrights.com/mhcr_against_national_defense_authorization_act.html (specific part of site dedicated to a related subject, namely, National Defense Authorization Act, which precludes the right to a charge and/or trial before confinement by US officials, indefinitely)

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  • The emotional response I get from this idea is *yuck*. However, after reading the pros and cons it seems that although I don't like it, comments like "the past is in the past" and such are plain dumb. The past leads up to the now and we should not glorify it, wallow in it or speak about it in a diminutive fashion. Therefor I support this proposal.

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  • I object because Although as citizens of a country we do hold a degree of responsibility for our past injustices, but if we were not to ones to enforce such a thing, then why should we apologise for something we may have objected to from the beginning. An example is in Australia, there was heavy discrimination against the native aboriginal peoples. For these injustices, we as a nation in 2008 publically apologised. Now, I would never agree to the discrimination of the aboriginals, but the fact that most of the Australian population on that day were not even born at the time of discrimination, we should not have had to apologise for the previous government policies. Just because we are a nation, does not mean that we all agree on the actions of our international representatives. That would be like saying that most Germans these days still believe that what Hitler did was right, when most would heavily disagree.

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  • I object because this global government is the apology, look forward not back

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  • Anonymous

    8 years ago
    I have lived in America all of my life .I am 31 years old .I have not turned a blind eye to the art of deception that is governing my country and being labeled propaganda .I demand "war" and death not be capitalized upon by deception year after year . The effects of the tools of this deception are very grim on the Republic . It seems to me the hearts and minds of the beneficiaries of this fast fortune have reflection which can plainly be seen on the face of the Republic . Deception is gross misrepresentation .

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  • I object because this idea does not offer an action step beyond words. While I believe there are many nations that have done horrible things to human beings in other nations it is actually up to the nations that have been harmed to forgive the nations that have perpetrated the abuse.

    The perpetrating nations have committed the offense out of fear. It is the very same fear that will prevent them from acknowledging their mistake. If the offended party points out the offense and forgives the offending party then the fear of retaliation for the offense will be eliminated and both parties can move forward into creating a better future together. Of course the offending party must recognize their action was wrong but that is why the people of the world must be vigilant to raise awareness of these offenses so everyone can acknowledge they were a mistake and move on toward a solution.

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  • Anonymous

    8 years ago
    Then when is it

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  • Anonymous

    8 years ago
    First up is germany for killing nearly 60 million people in just ONE screwed up century and then the US for nuking japan

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  • Anonymous

    8 years ago
    war is terrible

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  • I object because not all people are apologetic for the actions of their nations. Instead, all borders on all levels of government should be abolished and there should be a "Global Unity Day" celebrating the end of civil and global war and global peace and harmony.

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  • 314

    Australia Australia | 8 years ago
    I agree totally everyone needs to be healed with an apology, it's interesting that all the people who objected come from either canada, UK, Australia or the US these countries have a lot to apologise for particularly the Iraq war.

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  • I object because it's stupid to apologies for your history. It's stupid to live in the past and hate yourself because of the achievements and mistakes of generations gone by.

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  • I object because one day isn't enough for most countries, including the US.

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  • I object because an apology does not equal recompense. I feel if people feel strongly that their leaders have done wrong to another (or all) that they should vote them from power and their new leaders closer to their desires would likely apologise out of ethical duty.

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  • I object because governments don't need to apologize to other governments, they need to apologize to their own people.

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  • Anonymous

    7 years ago
    People nomarlly pay me for this and you are giving it away!

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    7 years ago
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  • I disagree as it puts too much emphasis & focus on the negative. Yes, countries should be held responsible for actions that are detrimental to the rest of the world, however for all of us to vote on this is to put too much time into it & us all in a negative mind-frame & thinking of our/our country's faults. We should all participate in the various Forgiveness Days (/establish ONE Forgiveness Day) instead & then we are acknowledging the faults & the hurts we perceive we have done & others have done, then letting them go & finding a positive, healing way forward.

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  • I object because government apologys are fairly empty

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  • I like the idea, it may be a little, or really very optimistic, but this is not about the politicians. I think it is about the people apologizing for what they allowed their government to do. The politicians will just be medium through which people communicate. If I understand the suggestion correctly, this isn't supposed to be about the politicians. It is about the citizens.

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  • I object because just saying "We're sorry" doesn't fix any problems.

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  • ogd

    Australia Australia | one year ago
    This is good, it will promote peace and get issues out on the table.
    Think of all the beautiful people animals and nature that has been destroyed by wars.
    Criminal acts such as carpet bombing Asian forests or spraying with agent Orange should be an issue however I could imagine people feeling upset because they did not make this decision or want it.
    People who were in Government should be put to trials such as Henry Kissinger ect.

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