Commemorative Days (May-Aug)

Commemorative Days

Commemorative Days are used by various governments, groups and organizations to raise awareness of an issue, commemorate a group

or event, or celebrate something.

Some of the international days are observed by the United Nations.

World Laughter Day First Sunday of May every year

Commemorative Days

World Laughter Day takes place on the first Sunday of May of every year . World Laughter Day was created in 1998 by Dr. Madan Kataria, founder of the worldwide Laughter Yoga movement. Dr. Kataria,

a family doctor in India, was inspired to start the Laughter Yoga movement in part by the facial feedback hypothesis, which postulates that a person's facial expressions can have an effect on their emotions. The celebration of World Laughter Day is a positive manifestation for world peace and is

intended to build up a global consciousness of brotherhood and friendship through laughter. It is most often celebrated by gatherings of people in public places with the sole purpose of laughing.

International Workers' Day May 1

Commemorative Days

International Workers' Day, also known as Labour Day in some places, is a celebration of labourers and the working classes that is promoted by the international labour movement, anarchists, socialists, and

communists and occurs every year on May Day, 1 May, an ancient European spring holiday. This day has its origins in the labour union movement, specifically the eight-hour day movement, which

advocated eight hours for work, eight hours for recreation, and eight hours for rest.

World Press Freedom Day May 3

Commemorative Days

The United Nations General Assembly declared May 3 to be World Press Freedom Dayor just World Press Day to raise awareness of the importance of freedom of the press

and remind governments of their duty to respect and uphold the right to freedom of expression.

International Nurses Day May 12

Commemorative Days

International Nurses Day (IND) is celebrated around the world on 12 May of each year, to mark the contributions nurses make to society.

International Day of Families May 15

Commemorative Days

May 15 is the International Day of Families, proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in 1993. The day reflects the importance the international community attaches

to families.

International Day for

Biological Diversity May 22

Commemorative Days

The International Day for Biological Diversity (or World Biodiversity Day) is a United Nations–sanctioned international day for the promotion of biodiversity issues. It is currently held on May 22. In this larger initiative of international cooperation, the topic of biodiversity concerns stakeholders in sustainable

agriculture; desertification, land degradation and drought; water and sanitation; health and sustainable development; energy; science, technology and innovation, knowledge-sharing and capacity-building; urban

resilience and adaptation; sustainable transport; climate change and disaster risk reduction; oceans and seas; forests; vulnerable groups including indigenous peoples; and food security.

World Turtle Day May 23

Commemorative Days

The purpose of World Turtle Day, May 23, sponsored yearly since 2000 by American Tortoise Rescue, is to bring attention to, and increase knowledge of and respect for, turtles and tortoises, and encourage human action to help them survive and thrive.

Commonwealth Day Second Monday in March

Commemorative Days

Commonwealth Day is the annual celebration of the Commonwealth of Nations held on the second Monday in March, and marked by a multi-faith service in Westminster Abbey, normally attended by Queen Elizabeth II as Head of the Commonwealth, with the Commonwealth Secretary-General and

Commonwealth High Commissioners in London. The Queen delivers an address to the Commonwealth, broadcast throughout the world.

World Multiple Sclerosis Day Last Wednesday of May

Commemorative Days

World Multiple Sclerosis Day is officially marked on the last Wednesday of May every year, though events and campaigns take place throughout the month of May. It brings the global

MS community together to share stories, raise awareness and campaign with and for everyone affected by multiple sclerosis.

International Missing

Children's Day

May 25

Commemorative Days

International Missing Children's Day is celebrated on May 25. International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children (ICMEC) coordinates the Help Bring Them Home Campaign in 22 countries, in

conjunction with International Missing Children’s Day, to spotlight the issue of child abduction around the world, and to suggest to parents some steps they can take to protect their children.

World No Tobacco Day May 31

Commemorative Days

World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) is observed around the world every year on May 31. It is intended to encourage a 24-hour period of abstinence from all forms of tobacco consumption around the globe. The day is further intended to draw attention to the widespread prevalence of tobacco use and to

negative health effects, which currently lead to nearly 6 million deaths each year worldwide, including 600,000 of which are the result of non-smokers being exposed to second-hand smoke.

World Environment Day June 5

Commemorative Days

World Environment Day (WED) is celebrated every year on 5 June to raise global awareness to take positive environmental action to protect nature and the planet

Earth. It is run by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

World Oceans Day June 8

Commemorative Days

World Oceans Day is an annual observation to honour the world's oceans, celebrate the products the ocean provides such as seafood as well as marine life itself for aquariums, pets, and a time to

appreciate its own intrinsic value. The ocean also provides sea-lanes for international trade. Global pollution and over-consumption of fish have resulted in drastically dwindling population of the majority of species. World Oceans Day also provides a unique opportunity to take personal and

community action to conserve the ocean and its resources.

World Blood Donors Day June 14

Commemorative Days

Every year on 14 June, countries around the world celebrate World Blood Donor Day (WBDD). The event, established in 2004, serves to raise awareness of the need for safe

blood and blood products, and to thank blood donors for their voluntary, life-saving gifts of blood. World Blood Donor Day is one of eight official global public health campaigns

marked by the World Health Organization (WHO).

World Refugee Day June 20

Commemorative Days

World Refugee Day, international observance observed June 20th each year, is dedicated to raising awareness of the situation of refugees throughout the world.

Father’s Day June 21

Commemorative Days

Father's Day is a celebration honoring fathers and celebrating fatherhood, paternal bonds, and the influence of fathers in society.

International Yoga DayJune 21

Commemorative Days

International Yoga Day, or simply Yoga Day, is celebrated annually on June 21 and was declared to be internationally recognized by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on December 11, 2014. Yoga is a physical, mental, and spiritual practice or discipline that

originated in India.

International Day against Drug

Abuse and Illicit Trafficking

June 26

Commemorative Days

The International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking is a United Nations International Day against drug abuse and the illegal drug trade. It is observed annually on 26 June, since 1988, a date chosen to commemorate Lin Zexu's dismantling of the opium

trade in Humen, Guangdong, just before the First Opium War in China. The observance was instituted by General Assembly Resolution.

World UFO Day July 2

Commemorative Days

World UFO Day is an awareness day for people to gather together and watch the skies for unidentified flying objects. The day is celebrated by some on June 24. June 24 is the date

that aviator Kenneth Arnold reported what is generally considered to be the first unidentified flying object sighting in the United States.

World Population Day July 11

Commemorative Days

World Population day is an annual event, observed on July 11 every year, which seeks to raise awareness of global population issues. The event was established by the

Governing Council of the United Nations Development Programme in 1989. It was inspired by the public interest in Five Billion Day on July 11, 1987-approximately the

date on which the world's population reached five billion people.

International Tiger Day July 29

Commemorative Days

Global Tiger Day, often called International Tiger Day, is an annual celebration to raise awareness for tiger conservation, held annually on 29 July. It was created in 2010 at the

Saint Petersburg Tiger Summit. The goal of the day is to promote a global system for protecting the natural habitats of tigers and to raise public awareness and support for tiger

conservation issues.

Friendship Day First Sunday of August

Commemorative Days

Friendship Day is a day for celebrating friendship. Initially created by the greeting card industry, evidence from social networking sites shows a revival of interest in the holiday

that may have grown with the spread of the Internet. Digital communication modes such as the Internet and mobile phones may be helping to popularize the custom, since greeting

friends en masse is now easier than before. The exchange of Friendship Day gifts like flowers, cards and wrist bands is a popular tradition of this occasion.

International Youth DayAugust 12

Commemorative Days

International Youth Day (IYD) is an awareness day designated by the United Nations. The purpose of the day is to draw attention to a given set of cultural and legal issues

surrounding youth. It is meant as an opportunity for governments and others to draw attention to youth issues worldwide.

International Lefthanders Day

August 13

Commemorative Days

August 13 is designated International lefthanders Day by lefthanders International. It was first observed on the 13th of August, in the year 1976. It is meant to promote awareness of

the inconveniences faced by left-handers in a predominantly right-handed world. It celebrates their uniqueness and differences, who are from seven to ten percent of the

world's population. There’s also a more serious side to the day, which spreads awareness about the special needs of left-handed kids.

World Mosquito Day August 20

Commemorative Days

World Mosquito Day, observed annually on 20 August, is a commemoration of Indian doctor Sir Ronald Ross's discovery in 1897 that female mosquitoes transmit malaria

between humans. Ross is responsible for the annual observance, having declared shortly after his discovery that the day should be known as World Mosquito Day in the future.

Women's Equality Day August 26

Commemorative Days

Women's Equality Day is a day proclaimed each year by the United States President to commemorate the granting of the vote to women throughout the country. Women in the

United States were granted the right to vote without the compulsory requirement to submit to conscription on August 26, 1920, when the 19th Amendment to the United

States Constitution was certified as law.

This presentation is a result of my experiences while I was helping out my son with his school assignments and project work. I am happy to share this with other students and their

parents. Hope you find this informative and useful. Thank you.

- Prashant Mahajan -

All pictures belong to their original authors, photographers.