Freedom

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This week is all about freedom.

On Tuesday we had International Jazz Day, a celebration of music breaking racial boundaries through music. Angelique Kidjo describes music as having ‘no nationality, no boundary no colour; jazz belongs as much to you as it belongs to me’.

On Wednesday, we have International Worker’s day, which represents the right to fair employment.

Finally, on Friday, it is Press Freedom Day. A day to celebrate, promote and encourage freedom of the media.

It’s always nice to have a word for Wednesday choose itself and I couldn’t think of a more fitting one for this week!

Freedom is a word that has strong emotional connotations for most of us. For some people life is a constant struggle for freedom: be that freedom of expression, freedom to relocate or freedom of will.

The word itself spans from the Old English ‘freo’ literally meaning ‘not in bondage’ although as usual there are suggestions of Old Norse, German and Gothic relatives which describe love peace and affection.

It’s interesting that implicit in the very word freedom are connotations of peace, love and affection.

If that’s not enough food for thought I don’t know what is!

What does freedom mean to you?

Hugh MacDermott

 


01 May 2013
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