Universal Children's Day (20 November)

14 December 1954, the General Assembly recommended that all countries institute a Universal Children's Day, to be observed as a day of worldwide fraternity and understanding between children. It recommended that the Day was to be observed also as a day of activity devoted to promoting the ideals and objectives of the Charter and the welfare of the children of the world. The Assembly suggested to governments that the Day be observed on the date and in the way which each considers appropriate. The date 20 November, marks the day on which the Assembly adopted the Declaration of the Rights of the Child, in 1959, and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, in 1989.

In 2000 world leaders outlined Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) – which range from halving extreme poverty to halting the spread of HIV/AIDS and providing universal primary education, all by the target date of 2015. Though the Goals are for all humankind, they are primarily about children. UNICEF notes that six of the eight goals relate directly to children and meeting the last two will also make critical improvements in their lives. (MDGs, UNICEF.)

Many schools and other educational institutions make a special effort to inform children of their rights according to the Declaration of the Rights of the Child and the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Teachers stimulate their pupils to think about the differences between themselves and others and explain the idea of “rights”. In countries where the rights of children are generally well-respected, teachers may draw attention to situations in countries where this is not the case.

In some areas UNICEF holds events to draw particular attention to children's rights. These may be to stimulate interest in the media around the world or to start nationwide campaigns, for instance on the importance of immunizations or breastfeeding.

Many countries, including Canada, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, hold Universal Children's Day events on November 20 to mark the anniversaries of the Declaration of the Rights of the Child and the Convention on the Rights of the Child. However, other countries hold events on different dates, such as the fourth Wednesday in October (Australia) and November 14 (India). Universal Children's Day is not observed in the United States, although a similar observance, National Child's Day, is held on the first Sunday in June.

World Television Day

The United Nations’ (UN) World Television Day is annually observed in many places around the world on November 21. The day recognizes that television plays a major role in presenting different issue that affect people.

World Television Day is a day to renew governments’, organizations’ and individuals’ commitments to support the development of television media in providing unbiased information about important issues and events that affect society. News about World Television Day may be shared via print, online and broadcast media. Television and radio bloggers may write comments, editors may write in the editors’ columns, and writers, academics and journalists may write feature articles about the meaning behind this event.

Educational institutions may mark World Television Day on their calendars and educators may use this day as an opportunity to invite guest speakers to discuss media and communication issues relating to television. Discussion topics may include: how television promotes cultural diversity and a common understanding; the links between democracy and television; and the role of television in social, political and economic developments.

The UN acknowledges that television can be used to educate many people about the world, its issues and real stories that happen on the planet. Television is one of the most influential forms of media for communication and information dissemination. It is used to broadcast freedom of expressions and to increase cultural diversity. The UN realized that television played a major role in presenting global issues affecting people and this needed to be addressed.

On December 17, 1996, UN General Assembly proclaimed November 21 as World Television Day to commemorate the date on which the first World Television Forum was held earlier that year. The UN invited all member states to observe the day by encouraging global exchanges of television programs focusing, among other things, on issues such as peace, security, economic and social development and cultural change enhancements.

International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women

The United Nations' (UN) International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women is an occasion for governments, international organizations and non-governmental organizations to raise public awareness of violence against women. It has been observed on November 25 each year since 2000.

Various activities are arranged around the world to draw attention to the need for continuing action to eliminate violence against women, projects to enable women and their children to escape violence and campaigns to educate people about the consequences of violence against women. Locally, women's groups may organize rallies, communal meals, fundraising activities and present research on violence against women in their own communities.

An ongoing campaign that people are encouraged to participate in, especially around this time of the year when awareness levels for the day are high, is the “Say NO to Violence Against Women campaign”. Through the campaign, anyone can add their name to a growing movement of people who speak out to put a halt to human rights violations against women.

On November 25, 1960, three sisters, Patria Mercedes Mirabal, María Argentina Minerva Mirabal and Antonia María Teresa Mirabal, were assassinated in the Dominican Republic on the orders of the Dominican ruler Rafael Trujillo. The Mirabel sisters fought hard to end Trujillo's dictatorship. Activists on women's rights have observed a day against violence on the anniversary of the deaths of these three women since 1981.

On December 17, 1999, November 25 was designated as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women by the UN General Assembly. Each year observances around the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women concentrate on a particular theme. These have been: “Not a minute more” (2005); “Where violence against women is not tolerated” (2006); “Say NO to Violence against Women!” (2007); and “Demanding Implementation, Challenging Obstacles” (2008).

International Day for the Eradication of Poverty

In recognition of the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the theme for this year's observance of the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty is "Human Rights and Dignity of People Living in Poverty".

The observance of the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty can be traced back to 17 October 1987. On that day, over a hundred thousand people gathered at the Trocadéro in Paris, where the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was signed in 1948, to honour the victims of extreme poverty, violence and hunger. They proclaimed that poverty is a violation of human rights and affirmed the need to come together to ensure that these rights are respected. These convictions are inscribed in a commemorative stone unveiled on this day. Since then, people of all backgrounds, beliefs and social origins have gathered every year on October 17 th to renew their commitment and show their solidarity with the poor. Replicas of the commemorative stone have been unveiled around the world and serve as a gathering place to celebrate the Day. One such replica is located in the garden of United Nations Headquarters and is the site of the annual commemoration organized by the United Nations Secretariat in New York.

World Water Day

The United Nations' (UN) World Water Day is held on March 22 each year. Events are organized on or around this day to increase people's awareness of water's importance in environment, agriculture, health and trade.

By resolution 47/193 of 22 December 1992, the General Assembly declared 22 March of each year World Day for Water starting in 1993. It is a unique occasion to remind everybody that concrete efforts to provide clean drinking water and increase awareness world-wide of the problems and of the solutions, can help make the difference.

In resolution 58/217 of 23 December 2003, the General Assembly proclaimed the period from 2005 to 2015 the International Decade for Action, "Water for Life".

Recent World Water Day themes include:

* Shared Waters, Shared Opportunities (2009).

* Sanitation (2008).

* Coping with Water Scarcity (2007).

* Water and Culture (2006).

* Water for Life (2005).

* Water and Disasters (2004).

* Water for the Future (2003).

* Water for Development (2002).

* Water for Health (2001).

* Water for the 21st Century (2000).

* Everyone Lives Downstream (1999).

* Groundwater: the Invisible Resource (1998).

* The World's Water: Is There Enough? (1997).

* Water for Thirsty Cities (1996).

* Women and Water (1995).

World Meteorological Day 2009

The United Nations' (UN) World Meteorological Day is annually held on or around March 23 to remember the World Meteorological Organization's establishment on that date in 1950. Many different activities and events are organized for this occasion.

Each year, on 23 March, the World Meteorological Organization, its 188 Members and the worldwide meteorological community celebrate World Meteorological Day around a chosen theme. This Day commemorates the entry into force, on that date in 1950, of the WMO Convention creating the Organization. Subsequently, in 1951, WMO was designated a specialized agency of the United Nations System.

This year, the theme is “Weather, climate and the air we breathe”.

World Book and Copyright Day

April 23 marks the anniversary of the birth or death of a range of well-known writers, including Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, Maurice Druon, Inca Garcilaso de la Vega, Haldor Kiljan Laxness, Manuel Mejía Vallejo, Vladimir Nabokov, Josep Pla and William Shakespeare. For this reason, UNESCO's General Conference chose this date to pay tribute to books, the authors who wrote them, and the copyright laws that protect them.

The year 1995 was named the United Nations Year for Tolerance and UNESCO's General Conference, held in Paris, concentrated on this theme. The delegates voted to establish an annual occasion to carry the message of tolerance into the future, in the form of a day to celebrate books, authors and the laws that protect them. The date was chosen because April 23 marks the anniversary of the birth or death of a range of internationally renowned writers and because of the Catalan traditions surrounding this day. In Catalonia, a region of Spain, April 23 is known as La Diada de Sant Jordi (St George's Day) and it is traditional for sweethearts to exchange books and roses. World Book and Copyright Day has been held annually since 1995.

World Book and Copyright Day is an occasion to pay a worldwide tribute to books and authors and to encourage people to discover the pleasure of reading. It is hoped that this will lead to the renewed respect for those who have made irreplaceable contributions to social and cultural progress. In some years, the UNESCO Prize for Children's and Young People's Literature in the Service of Tolerance is awarded. It is also hoped that World Book and Copyright Day will increase people's understanding of and adherence to copyright laws and other measures to protect intellectual copyright.

World Press Freedom Day

World Press Freedom Day is annually observed on May 3 to inform the international community that freedom of the press and freedom of expression are fundamental human rights. This day reminds people that many journalists brave death or face jail to bring daily news to the public. 

World Press Freedom Day was established by the General Assembly of the United Nations in December 1993 as an outgrowth of the Seminar on Promoting an Independent and Pluralistic African Press. This seminar took place in Namibia in 1991 and led to the adoption of the Windhoek Declaration on Promoting Independent and Pluralistic Media.

The Windhoek Declaration called to establish, maintain and foster an independent, pluralistic and free press. It emphasized the importance of a free press for developing and maintaining democracy in a nation, and for economic development. World Press Freedom Day is celebrated annually on May 3, the date on which the Windhoek Declaration was adopted.

Although World Press Freedom Day has only been celebrated since 1993, it has much deeper roots in the United Nations. Article 19 of the 1948 Universal Declaration on Human Rights states that everyone “has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers".

Each year since 1997, the UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize is awarded to honor the work of an individual or an organization defending or promoting freedom of expression, especially if it puts the individual’s life at risk. The award is named after a journalist murdered in 1986 after denouncing drug barons. Last year it was awarded posthumously to a Russian investigative reporter who was murdered in a contract-style killing in 2006.

World Autism Awareness Day

World Autism Awareness Day aims to increase people's awareness about people, especially children, with autism. The day often features educational events for teachers, health care workers and parents, as well as exhibitions showcasing work created by children with autism. 

Background

Autism is a developmental disability that remains with a person for his or her whole life. This condition affects the brain's functions. The first signs usually appear before a child is three years old. People with autism often:

* Find social interaction difficult.
* Have problems with verbal and non-verbal communication.
* Demonstrate restrictive and repetitive behavior.
* Have a limited set of interests and activities.

Autism affects girls and boys of all races and in all geographic regions and has a large impact on children, their families, communities and societies. The prevalence is currently rising in many countries around the world. Caring for and educating children and young people with this condition places challenges on health care, education and training programs. 

On November 1, 2007, the United Nations (UN) called for one day each year to be designated as World Autism Day. On December 18, 2007, the UN General Assembly designated April 2 as World Autism Awareness Day. It was first observed in 2008.

International Day of Families

The International Day of Families, annually held on May 15, celebrates the importance of families and the work started during the International Year of Families. 

The year 1994 was proclaimed as the International Year of Families by the United Nations. This was a response to changing social and economic structures, which have affected and still affect the structure and stability of family units in many regions of the globe. The International Day of Families, on May 15, is an occasion to reflect on the work started during 1994 and to celebrate the importance of families, people, societies and cultures around the world. It has been held every year since 1995.

A wide range of events are organized at local, national and international levels. These include: workshops, seminars and policy meeting for public officials; exhibitions and organized discussions to raise awareness of the annual theme; educational sessions for children and young people; and the launch of campaigns for public policies to strengthen and support family units. In some countries, tool kits are created to help people organize celebrations aimed at a particular section of the population, such as school children or young adults.

World Telecommunication and Information Society Day

World Information Society Day is celebrated each year on 17 May to remind the world of the vision of the World Summit on the Information Society to build “a people-centered, inclusive and development-oriented information society” based on fundamental human rights. 

Background

The annual observance of World Telecommunication Day, which marks the founding of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) on May 17, 1865, drew attention to the work of ITU and the challenges of global communication. In March 2006, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed May 17 as World Information Society Day to recognize the efforts made to advance communication and ITU’s role in helping people connect around the world. The UN’s first World Information Society Day took place on Wednesday, 17 May 2006.

Prior to World Information Society Day, World Telecommunication Day, which was first held in 1969, was celebrated on May 17 by people and organizations such as ITU. Many now refer to this day as World Telecommunication and Information Society Day, taking into account the UN’s observance of World Information Society Day. The purpose of this observance is to help raise awareness of the possibilities that the internet and other information and communication technologies could bring to societies and economies, as well as of ways to bridge the digital divide

Theme WTISD 2009: Protecting Children in Cyberspace.

International Mother Language Day

Amar bahiyer Rokte Rangano Ekushey February, Ami ki vulite pari?
International Mother Language or Amar Ekushey February was recognized by the UNESCO on November 1999.This day is celebrated on 21st February. This great day reminds us of those heroic sons of the soil who sacrificed their lives to glorify our Mother language. This day is an achievement for us. This achievement comes from the struggle, sacrifice and the love, respect for our country.Barkat, Salam, rafiq, Jabber, Shafiur are among those Martyrs who sacrificed their lives to this great cause and their name is written by the golden digit in my blog.21st February is a red letter day. This day is celebrated not only in our country but also worldwide. We are proud of our Mother Language and we also feel proud of being Bangladeshis.

May Day

May Day means 1^st May of every year, which is recognized as International Workers Day in worldwide. This day is observed in memory of the workers, who laid down their lives for the interest of the workers in Chicago in May, 1886. In past, Workers were compelled to work very long shifts, lasting up to fourteen or even more hours in a day. On this day the workers raise their voice against oppression and human rights. Police fired upon a crowd of strikers at the McComick Harvest Machone Company, Chicago killing and unknown number. Then the May Day is achieved for the sacrifice of the martyrs. All the privilege workers enjoy this day as a minimum wage, safety laws and eight-hour workday were the outcome of the sacrifices of the workers on May 3, 1889.This May Day is remembered every year all over the world. All the workers all over the world should celebrate this day.

Independence Day

Independence Day is a day in which a country gets his independency. In this blog I’ll discuss about the Independence Day of Bangladesh, India and Pakistan. Bangladesh got her independency from Pakistan on 26^th March; 1971.Independence Day in India is celebrated on 15 August 1947.The day is a national holiday in India. Pakistan's independence day (also known as Yom-e-Istiqlal (Urdu: یوم استقلال )) is observed on 14 August, the day on which Pakistan was made an independent country based on border lines created by the British during the end of their rule of India. Pakistan became an independent country in 1947. The day is a national holiday in Pakistan.

Canada Day

Canada Day (French: Fête du Canada), formerly Dominion Day (French: Le Jour de la Confédération), is Canada's national day, a federal statutory holiday celebrating the anniversary of the 1 July 1867 enactment of the British North America Act, which united Canada as a single country, which was in turn composed of four provinces. Canada Day observances take place throughout Canada as well as internationally. Canada day is observed by Canadianas.It is celebrated on July 1^st.It is also called Fête du Canada.

Victory day in Bangladesh

Victory day (Bengali: বিজয় দিবস Bijôe Dibôsh) is a national holiday in Bangladesh celebrated on December 16. On this day in 1971, the Pakistani Army surrendered to the Indo-Bangladeshi High Command in Dhaka, ending the 9 month-long Bangladesh liberation war and 1971 Bangladesh atrocities. This holiday is known as Vijay Diwas. The people of Bangladesh celebrates the victory day every year.The day will celebrate across the country and at its missions abroad with a fresh vow to build a prosperous Bangladesh free from the curses of hunger, disparity and exploitation as dreamt by the martyrs. On the occasion of the Victory Day, special prayers will be offered at mosques, temples, churches and other places of worship seeking divine blessings for peace and progress of the country. Improved diets will be served at hospitals, jails, orphanages, child homes and vagrant centers.

International Film Festival Day

International Film Festival Day is celebrated all over the world but in different time. There is no specific date of this day. It varies from the country to country. In this day different films are shown. The International Cinema Festival of India is celebrated in 2009 around the world. There are 6 categories and it is scheduled to be held annually. Clearwater Film Festival will be held on September 29 - October 3, 2010.

Food Day

World Food Day is celebrated every year around the world on 16 October in honor of the date of the founding of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in 1945. It is also the Food Engineer day. World Food Day (WFD) was established by FAO's Member Countries at the Organization's 20th General Conference in November 1979.

Since 1981, World Food Day has adopted a different theme each year, in order to highlight areas needed for action and provide a common focus.The World Food Day theme for 2009 is "Achieving food security in times of crisis".

This year's theme

Year	Theme
2009	Achieving food security in times of crisis

Previous themes

Year	Theme
2008	World Food Security: the Challenges of Climate Change and Bioenergy
2007	The Right to Food
2006	Investing in agriculture for food security
2005	Agriculture and Intercultural Dialogue
2004	Biodiversity for Food Security
2003	Working Together for an International Alliance Against Hunger
2002	Water: Source of Food Security
2001	Fight Hunger to Reduce Poverty
2000	A Millennium Free from Hunger
1999	Youth Against Hunger
1998	Women Feed The World
1997	Investing in Food Security
1996	Fighting Hunger and Malnutrition

We should celebrate the Food Day.