For many traditions in Hinduism, Holi is a celebration of the killing of Holika to save Prahlada, a devotee of God Vishnu. In the days leading up to the festival, bonfires are prepared with an effigy of Holika, who tricked Prahlada into the fire, placed on the top of the pyre. Coloured pigments, food, drinks […]
Celebrated for centuries by different cultures, the origin of April Fool's Day is unknown though it is speculated to date back to 1582 when France changed from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar. In the Julian calendar, as in the Hindu calendar, the new year begins with the spring equinox around 1st April. Those who […]
International Children's Book Day (ICBD) marks the birthday of Hans Christian Andersen and has been celebrated annually since 1967 to inspire a love of reading and to call attention to children's books. The Day is organised by The International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY), a not-for-profit organisation that promotes international understanding through children's […]
As explained by the World Health Organization, autism or autism spectrum disorder (ASD) affects one in 160 children. It refers to a range of conditions that manifest as challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviours, speech and nonverbal communication. ASDs begin in childhood and tend to persist into adolescence and adulthood, and while some can live […]
Landmines are called the perfect soldiers because they can lie hidden for years after a conflict until triggered by a victim to explode. Laid in strategic areas by parties at war to protect military position and important infrastructure, or to deny access to enemy forces, they are also used to terrorise civilian populations. Innocent civilians […]
The preamble to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that disregard and contempt for human rights have resulted in barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of humankind, and the advent of a world in which human beings shall enjoy freedom of speech and belief and freedom from fear and want has been proclaimed […]
The World Health Organization recommends 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity per week, or a combination of both. In addition to health benefits, sport is a fundamental right, and a powerful tool to strengthen social ties and to promote sustainable development, peace, solidarity and respect. International Day of Sport for […]
The Rwandan genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda was over three months in 1994 during the Rwandan Civil War and resulted in 500,000 to 600,000 Tutsi deaths. Genocidal killings began the day after the assassination of President Juvénal Habyarimana with organised soldiers, police and militia executing key Tutsi and moderate Hutu military and political leaders. […]
Since 1950, World Health Day has been celebrated annually to create awareness of a specific health priority area of global concern for the World Health Organization, such as mental health, maternal and child care and climate change. The aims and priorities of this Day are to: improve understanding of universal health coverage and the importance […]
On 12th April 1961, Soviet citizen Yuri Gagarin, carried out the first human space flight, an historic event paving the way for much subsequent space exploration. Established in 2011 to mark the 50th anniversary of this spaceflight, the International Day of Human Space Flight is to celebrate the beginning of the space era for mankind, […]
A heritage site is a place of cultural significance. It preserves the legacy of intangible attributes and physical artifacts of a society or group that is inherited from previous generations. The International Day on Monuments and Sites, also known as World Heritage Day and endorsed by UNESCO in 1983, is to raise awareness of the […]
An official language of the United Nations since 1946, the Chinese language was used more commonly in the work of the United Nations after restoration of the lawful rights of the People's Republic of China in the United Nations in 1971. Chinese Language Day is also Guyu day to pay tribute to Cangjie, an ancient […]
The Creative Economy Report Widening local development pathways, co-published by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the UN Development Programme (UNDP) through the UN Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) notes creativity and innovation as the reflection of the true wealth of nations in the 21st century, World Creativity and Innovation Day (#WCID) is to embrace […]
Girls in ICT Day is to promote technology career opportunities for girls and women in the information, communications and technology (ICT) sectors and for governments, the private sector and civil society to establish systems that will equip girls and young women with the skills needed to become ICT professionals. The United Nations International Telecommunication Union […]
Human, animal and environmental health are intertwined. Climate change, man-made changes to nature, disruptions to biodiversity through deforestation, land-use change, intensified agriculture, livestock production and illegal wildlife trade,are increasing the incidence of zoonotic diseases, and contributing to such major disasters as the Australian bush fires and the Kenyan locust invasion. Established in 2009, by the […]
Since the World's first Earth Day in 1970, over a billion people have contributed to the future of the planet and over 75,000 partner organisations have joined to build the world's largest environmental movement to drive transformative change for people and this globe. The following gives some practical things to do on Earth Day (and […]
Spanish Language Day (#SpanishLanguageDay) celebrates the second most spoken language in the world and honors writer Miguel De Cervantes Saavedra who is best known for his two-part novel Don Quixote published in 1605 and 1615. Originating in Spain, the Spanish language has more than 450 million native Spanish speakers in the world (surpassed only by […]
English Language Day is celebrated on the birthday (in 1564) and death day (in 1616) of William Shakespeare, and on Saint George's Day, the National Day of England. Helbling Readers Blog gives some great activity ideas for this day, as well as such great examples from English literature as: All the world is made of […]
23rd April is the date in 1616 that Cervantes, Shakespeare and Inca Garcilaso de la Vega all died, as well as the date of birth or death of other prominent authors (Maurice Druon, Haldor K. Laxness, Vladimir Nabokov, Josep Pla, Manuel Mejía Vallejo). World Book and Copyright Day is to pay a world-wide tribute to […]
The United Nations began in 1945, following the Second World War (WWII) with the central mission to maintain international peace and security. First observed in 2019, International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace is to reaffirm the three pillars of the United Nations - peace and security, development and human rights. This Day is […]
On 25th April 1945, delegates from 50 countries came together for the first time in San Francisco after the devastation of the Second World War to establish an organisation that would restore world peace and impose rules on the post-war world order. International Delegate’s Day marks the anniversary of the first day of a two-month […]
Coinciding with the annual northern migration of Adelie penguins, World Penguin Day is to raise awareness for the endangerment of these ice-born creatures, particularly through climate change affecting the distances of their migration to find food. Alarmingly, of 17 penguin species, 11 are classified as endangered or vulnerable, according to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). […]
World Malaria Day is to highlight the need for continued investment and sustained political commitment for malaria prevention and control. Malaria is a serious and sometimes fatal disease caused by a parasite that commonly infects a certain type of mosquito which feeds on humans. Symptoms include high fevers, shaking chills and a flu-like illness. Although […]
The 1986 accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine (then part of the former Soviet Union) was attributed to severe design flaws in the Soviet-era reactor and human error. 31 people died within a few weeks from the steam explosion, exposure to radiation and thermal burns, and one due to cardiac arrest and […]
World Intellectual Property Day is to learn about the role that intellectual property rights play in encouraging innovation and creativity. Intellectual property (IP) refers to creations such as inventions; literary and artistic works; designs; and symbols, names and images used in commerce. IP is protected in law by such instruments as patents, copyright and trademarks, […]
In 2003, the International Labour Organization (ILO), began to observe the World Day for Safety and Health at Work to stress the prevention of accidents and diseases at work and as an integral part of the ILO's Global Strategy on Occupational Safety and Health. 28th April is also the International Commemoration Day for Dead and Injured […]
Founded in 1982 by the International Theatre Institute (ITI) World Organization for the Performing Arts, International Dance Day marks the birthday of Jean-Georges Noverre (1727-1810) who is acknowledged as the creator of modern ballet. In 1760, Noverre published a famous treatise entitled Les Lettres sur la Danse et sur les Ballets (Letters on Dance and […]
In 2011, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) designated 30th April as International Jazz Day to highlight jazz and its diplomatic role in uniting people worldwide. The Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz is the lead not-for-profit organisation charged with planning, promoting and producing this annual celebration. The Day brings together communities, schools, artists, […]