Countdown the days: An explanation of the 218 international days of the United Nations
Currently, the United Nations observes 218 international day (va is cum)!
This tradition began long before the founding of the United Nations in 1945, but it did not take long for the Organization and its growing membership to embrace designated days as a tool. vigorous movement.
Check out this classic video from 2017 for the occasion International Day of Happinessheld on March 20:
Who chooses the date?
One of the first names comes from the 1947 United Nations General Assembly declaration that October 24 should be commemorated as National Unification Dayanniversary passed uncharted established the Organization.
Since then, UN member states have proposed more than 200 designations, presenting draft resolutions to the General Assembly for the entire membership, representing 193 countries, to vote on.
United Nations member states celebrate the first World Football Day at United Nations Headquarters in New York.
Other specialized agencies of the United Nations have also issued designations, such as World AIDS Daydeclared by the World Health Organization (WHO) and is marked annually on December 1 to unite people around the world in a show of international solidarity in the face of the pandemic.
The Council created the majority of global observances, declaring them with a two-thirds majority in favor of resolutions outlining the rationale behind each date.
What are the latest dates?
The world body declared the latest global day last month. It unanimously passed a resolution declaring May 25 World Football Daybecause 2024 marks the 100th anniversary of the first international football tournament in history with the participation of all regions within the framework of the 1924 Summer Olympic Games, held in Paris.
Celebrations began at the United Nations Headquarters, where United Nations member states held a special meeting for the occasion.
That comes a day after another new designation marked the first compliance on May 24, 2024. International Markhor Day celebrates the iconic and ecologically significant species found across mountain ranges from Afghanistan to Turkmenistan.
On May 24, 2024, the world celebrated International Markhor Day for the first time.
Make rare exceptions
Sometimes there are exceptions.
In 1971, United Nations Secretary General U Thant declared April 22 as the day The world’s first Earth Day.
However, it took the General Assembly 38 years to catch up with declaring a global environment day.
Watch the United Nations video Stories from the United Nations Archives in the Earth Day declaration of the head of the United Nations in 1971 below:
In 2009, United Nations Member States designated June 5 as the day World Environment Day.
That global designation has become the largest ecosystem-focused day on the planet, celebrated annually around the world.
Check out this year’s call for #GenerationRestoration to commemorate the day below:
Double the number of days
Over the decades, the calendar has gotten a little more crowded.
That’s why some days share. On June 5, while the world celebrates ecology, it will also celebrate International Day to fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.
One of the busiest days is March 21, the day that United Nations member states designate as the start of Week of solidarity with all nations to fight against racism and racial discrimination as International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, International Day of Nowruz And World Down Syndrome Day.
There is also room on the calendar for March 21 for World Poetry Daydeclared so by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) member.
Watch this epic video episode from the United Nations from Stories from the United Nations Archives collectionas US poet and civil rights activist Maya Angelou read Human Family at the United Nations in 1996:
Highlight global issues
International Day can mobilize political will and resources to solve global problems while honoring and strengthening human achievements.
By creating special compliance measures, the United Nations promotes global awareness and action on these issues.
What is most important is that governments, civil society, public and private sectors, schools, universities and citizens can turn the international day into a springboard to raise awareness.
‘Let’s make every day Mandela Day’
The United Nations sees international days as an opportunity to educate the public about issues of concern or to mark an important date or person in history.
Such is the case with Nelson Mandela International Day. Celebrated annually on 18 July, the birthday of South Africa’s first democratically elected President, who fought against apartheid and won after being imprisoned for 27 years. years for fighting for civil rights.
Watch the United Nations’ message on the first Mandela Day 2010:
What year is this?
The UN also observes designated weeks, years and decades, each with a theme or theme.
We are now half way there Five camelsthe trustworthy dromedary camels that the United Nations has relied on for decades to bring life-saving assistance to remote communities and peacekeepers in carrying out their missions .
The United Nations General Assembly declared 2024 the year of these desert and highland heroes.
Why? From alpacas to Bactrian camels, dromedaries, guanacos, llamas and vicuñas, camels contribute to food security, nutrition and economic growth as well as having cultural and social significance. powerful for communities around the world.
Camels also play an important role in the culture, economy, food security and livelihoods of communities in the Andean highlands as well as in arid and semi-arid lands in Africa and Asia, including indigenous people.
Plus, they are simply adorable.
