strength.png

Unity makes Strength

We’re All In This Together

Everyone should understand we are all living on the same planet and know that the 6th mass extinction or the changing climate doesn’t give a fuck about our borders, and only Mexicans can be held back by a great wall. Still, that same great wall will not stop the climate from changing in your own country, just as, for example, a virus will not stay put in China but will cross your border one day… This means if there is danger somewhere, it means we are all in danger, and since the danger of total extinction could be defined as the greatest danger humanity is facing in the whole of the history of mankind, we need an enormous amount of strength to overcome that. One thing we have learned through our history is that we can only be victorious through unity…

- so get the picture??

Songs about the victory were sang

We are a family, one team needing to score the same goals as one. The only way to do this is together.

The Alfa & Omega

God goes by many different names, but one of the most known is ‘The Alfa and the Omega,’ which means ‘The beginning and the ending’. In this time of great danger and in a world that doesn’t seem to want to wake up to the bitter reality we live in, we not only need strength through unity, but we will also need to learn who we are. That is why this is the perfect moment to look back at where we came from and where we took wrong turns. This will make us able, this time, to do what is right and good, just as God intended creation.

Summary

"Unity makes strength" is a historical motto that has been adopted by various nations and organizations throughout history. Originally derived from ancient Greek concepts, it was later expressed in Latin by the Roman writer Sallust. This phrase emphasizes that collective unity generates power and resilience. The Dutch Republic was the first to officially adopt it as a national motto in the 16th century, although its usage predates the republic's independence. Following that, countries such as Belgium, Bulgaria, Haiti, Malaysia, and Georgia incorporated the motto into their national symbols. The concept is expressed in numerous languages and variations, appearing on coats of arms, coins, flags, and in various cultural contexts. All of these reinforce the fundamental idea that cooperation and unity lead to greater strength than individual efforts.

Key Points

Origins and Etymology

  1. The motto derives from an ancient Greek phrase (ἰσχύς ἐν τῇ ἕνώσει, "power lies in unity") attributed to Homer around 850 BC.

  2. The concept appears in Latin as "concordia res parvae crescunt" ("small things flourish by concord") in Roman writer Sallust's "Bellum Jugurthinum."

  3. The moral is reflected in Aesop's fable "The Old Man and his Sons," which demonstrates how sticks that break easily alone become unbreakable when bundled together.

  4. First documented use in Dutch appears in "Gemeene Duytsche Spreekwoorden" ("Common Dutch Proverbs") in 1550, during Habsburg rule under Charles V.

  5. Homer's Iliad contains the related concept: "even weak men have strength in unity" (συμφερτὴ δ᾽ ἀρετὴ πέλει ἀνδρῶν καὶ μάλα λυγρῶν).

National Adoptions

  1. The Dutch Republic (1581-1795) was the first state to officially adopt it as a national motto.

  2. Belgium adopted the motto after its Revolution of 1830, initially only in French ("L'union fait la force") before adding the Dutch version.

  3. Bulgaria incorporated the motto (Съединението прави силата) after its unification and the ascension of Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha to the throne.

  4. Haiti has featured "L'union fait la force" on its national coat of arms since 1807 (though its official national motto is "Liberty, Equality, Fraternity").

  5. Malaysia uses "Unity is Strength" in English and "Bersekutu Bertambah Mutu" in Malay on its coat of arms.

  6. Georgia employs "Dzala ertobashia" (ძალა ერთობაშია, "strength is in unity") as its official motto.

  7. South Africa used variations of the motto from 1852 until 2000, when it was replaced with "!ke e: /xarra //ke" ("Unity in diversity").

Linguistic Variations

  1. Dutch: "Eendracht maakt macht" (sometimes "Eenheid baart macht")

  2. French: "L'union fait la force"

  3. Latin: "Concordia res parvae crescunt" or "Vis unita fortior" ("force united is stronger")

  4. Bulgarian: "Съединението прави силата" (Sŭedinenieto pravi silata)

  5. Georgian: "ძალა ერთობაშია" (Dzala ertobashia)

  6. Afrikaans: "Eendrag maak mag"

  7. English variations include: "Unity is Strength," "Union is Strength," "In unity is strength"

  8. In Belgium, the motto appears in three official languages: Dutch, French, and German ("Einigkeit macht stark")

Cultural and Organizational Uses

  1. Brooklyn, New York (founded by Dutch settlers) features "Eendraght maeckt maght" on its seal and flag.

  2. The Collegiate School, the oldest primary and secondary school in the United States, uses it as its motto.

  3. The police force of Holland, Michigan displays "Eendragt maakt magt" on its badge.

  4. A noble society (Heeren-Sociëteit) in Rotterdam was named "Eendragt maakt Magt" in 1830.

  5. The Dutch football club PSV Eindhoven continues to use "Eendracht maakt macht" as its motto.

  6. Helena Blavatsky employed the motto in her editorials for the Theosophical Society to address internal conflicts.

  7. In popular culture, variations appear in the Doctor Who serial "Inferno" and the 2005 film "V for Vendetta" (as "Strength through Unity").

  8. The Union Saint-Jean-Baptiste d'Amérique, once the largest French Catholic fraternal organization in the United States, used "L'Union Fait La Force" as its motto.

Connections…