The tradition began long before the creation of the UN in 1945, but it did not take long for the Organization and its growing membership to adopt the practice of world days and turn it into a powerful tool. promotion.
Currently, the United Nations celebrates 218 international days (and counting!)
Who chooses international days?
One of the first days celebrates the United Nations itself. Indeed, in 1947, the UN General Assembly declared October 24 as United Nations Day. October 24 is the day of adoption of the United Nations Charter, the founding document of the UN.
Since then, UN member states have proposed more than 200 world days for adoption by the General Assembly.
Other specialized agencies of the United Nations also have specific days, such as the World Health Organization (WHO) with World AIDS Day (December 1) or World Food Day (October 16) proclaimed by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
The UN General Assembly is responsible for the majority of international celebrations. It decides on them after a two-thirds majority vote on a resolution detailing the reasons for this day.
View of the celebration of the first World Football Day at the United Nations headquarters in New York.
What’s new for 2024
Eleven new Days have been proclaimed in 2024, including the Clean Energy Day on January 26, the Potato Day on May 30 and the International Day of Reflection and Remembrance of the Genocide Committed in Srebrenica in 1995 on July 11.
The last day to be adopted, on May 7, is World Football Day, now celebrated on May 25. The year 2024 marks the 100th anniversary of the first international football tournament in history, where all regions were represented during the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris.
The day before, May 24, a Day was also celebrated for the first time. It is International Markhor Day. This large herbivore is a species found in mountain ranges from Afghanistan to Turkmenistan.
In draft, a resolution establishing a World Siamese Twins Day which will soon be examined by the General Assembly.
May 24 is World Markhor Day under a resolution adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in May 2024.
Celebrate the planet
In 1971, U Thant, then Secretary-General of the United Nations, established Earth Day, celebrated on April 21.
It was not until 38 years later, in 2009, that the General Assembly established World Environment Day.
This World Day has since become the largest eco-focused day on the planet, celebrated annually around the world.
Very busy days
Over the decades, the calendar fills up.
This is why certain days correspond to several international days. So on June 5, the world celebrated ecology, but also the International Day for the Fight against Illegal, Undeclared and Unregulated Fishing.
One of the busiest days is March 21. We celebrate the Week of Solidarity with Peoples Struggling Against Racism and Racial Discrimination, the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, the International Nowruz Day, the World Down Syndrome Day, and the World Day of poetry.
Highlighting global issues
International Days can mobilize political will and resources to solve global problems while celebrating and strengthening human achievements.
By creating these special observances, the UN is promoting global awareness and action on these issues.
Most importantly, governments, civil society, public and private sectors, schools, universities and citizens can use these international days as a springboard for awareness raising.
“Make every day Mandela Day”
The UN views International Days as opportunities to educate the general public on important issues, mark a special day, or pay tribute to an iconic figure in history.
This is the case, for example, of Nelson Mandela International Day, celebrated on July 18, the birthday of the first democratically elected president of South Africa, who was imprisoned for 27 years for fighting against apartheid.
Message on the occasion of Nelson Mandela International Day 2013:
Nelson Mandela International Day (2013)
Days but also weeks and years
The United Nations also designates weeks, years and decades with the same objective: to raise awareness about a subject, a situation, to pay tribute to a personality or to commemorate a moment in history.
It is June 2024, halfway through the International Year of the Camelids, the dromedaries that the United Nations has relied on for decades to provide vital aid to isolated communities and to enable peacekeepers to carry out their missions. .
The United Nations General Assembly has declared 2024 to be the year of these heroes of the deserts and highlands.
International Year of Camelids – 2024
Why them? Alpacas, Bactrian camels, dromedaries, guanacos, llamas and vicuñas contribute to food security and economic growth, while having great cultural and social importance for communities around the world.
Camels also play a key role in the culture, economy, food security and livelihoods of communities in the Andean highlands and arid and semi-arid lands of Africa and Asia, including indigenous populations.
Plus, they’re really cute.
We are also, among other things, in the decade of ocean science, that of road safety and healthy aging.
What did the world commemorate this week?
June 21: International Widows’ Day (A/RES/65/189)
Find out here about all the days and weeks observed by the United Nations throughout the year.
