Last week, on July 1st, my eldest son informed me that it was International Joke Day on that day. I wasn’t terribly moved to hear this news and we certainly didn’t spend the day telling more jokes than normal. It being International Joke Day that day made no difference to the day at all.
But this as expected got me thinking (later, on the toilet): when did this odd phenomenon of naming every day (or almost every day – see below) after something-or-other start? I don’t remember so many designated ‘days’ as a child. Now we have days to think about peace, middle children, books, libraries, dogs, cats, penguins, women, men, old people, wood lice, cancer, social justice and jokes (or perhaps not all of these things, but many of them – see below). So many days are now given over in honour of someone or a concept. Who makes these decisions? Do you have to apply to have a day? Could I ask fro World Cheese Eaters Day? Is there a body I’d need to apply to? Would I have to appear before a board to justify the need for a World Cheese Eaters Day?
This lady wants a World Cheese Eaters Day
What’s more, do we genuinely stop to consider these concepts and issues on the days designated to them? I suspect not. I suspect that the saturation of our year with days has ironically diluted our ability to contemplate the big issues of life. We don’t need to be forced into empathy. It comes more naturally if we let it happen naturally.
My children love World Book Day for the chance to dress up
Perhaps we need an International Day of International and World Days Day. I suggest my birthday: December25th.
The day we should think about days on
Here is a list of some of (not all) the most important ‘days’ excluding public holidays and other celebrations. My favourite is World Thinking Day.
January
January 1 – Global Family Day, Army Medical Corps Establishment Day
January 4 – World Braille Day
January 6 – World War Orphans Day
January 10 – World Laughter Day
January 12 – National Youth Day
January 15 – National Army Day
January 17 – World Religion Day
January 24 – National Girl Child Day of India
January 25 – National Tourism Day, National Voters Day
January 26 – International Customs Duty Day
January 27 – International Holocaust Remembrance Day
January 28 – Data Protection Day
January 30 – National Martyr’s Day. World Leprosy Day
February
February 2 – World Wetlands Day
February 4 – World Cancer Day, Facebook Day
February 5 – World Nutella Day
2nd Sunday of February – World Marriage Day
February 6 – International Day against Female Genital Mutilation
February 11 – World Day of the Sick
February 12 – Darwin Day
February 13 – World Radio Day, National Womens Day
February 20 – World Day of Social Justice
February 21 – International Mother Language Day
February 22 – World Scout Day, World Thinking day
February 23 – World Peace and Understanding Day
February 24 – Central Excise Day
February 28 – National Science Day
March
March 3 – National Defence Day
March 4 – National Safety Day, World Day of the Fight Against Sexual Exploitation, National Security Day
March 5 – World Book Day, World Thinking Day
March 8 – International Womens’ Day
March 13 – World Rotaract Day
March 14 – World Pie Day
2nd Monday of March – Commonwealth Day
2nd Thursday of March – World Kidney Day
March 15 – World Consumer Rights Day, World Disabled Day, World Contact Day
March 16 – National Vaccination Day
March 18 – National Ordinance Factories Day
March 20 – International Day of Happiness, World Sparrow Day, World Storytelling Day
March 21 – World Forestry Day, International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, World Poetry Day, World Down Syndrome Day, World Puppetry day
3rd Friday of March – World Sleep Day
March 22 – World Water Day
March 23 – World Meteorological Day
March 24 – World TB Day, International Day for Achievers
March 25 – International Waffle Day
March 26 – World Purple Day (Epilepsy Awareness Day)
March 27 – World Drama Day or World Theater Day
April
April 2 – World Autism Awareness Day
April 4 – International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action
April 5 – National Maritime Day
April 7 – World Health Day
April 8 – World Romani Day
April 12 – World Aviation & Cosmonauts Day
April 15 – World day of Silence, Day of Dialogue
April 17 – World Haemophilia Day
April 18 – World Heritage Day
April 21 – World Creativity and Innovation Day, National Secrataries day, National Civil Services Day
April 22 – World Earth Day
April 23 – World Book and Copyright Day, World English Language Day
April 24 – World Lab Animals Day
April 25 – World Malaria Day, Italy Liberation Day, International Macaroni Day
April 26 – World Intellectual Property Day
April 28 – Safety and Health at Work Day
April 29 – World Dance Day
April 30 – International Jazz Day
May
May 01 – Workers Day
May 03 – Press Freedom Day, International Sun Day, World Asthma Day, International Energy Day, International Dawn Chorus Day, World Laughter Day, World Run Day (a very busy day indeed)
May 04 – Coal Miners Day, International Firefighters’ Day
1st Sunday of May – World Laughter Day
May 05 – World Athletics Day, World Midwives Day
May 06 – World No Diet Day
May 08 – World Red Cross Day or Red Crescent Day
May 10 – International Migratory Bird Day
May 11 – National Technology Day
May 12 – International Nurses Day
May 13 – International Criminal Court Day
May 15 – International Day of Families
May 17 – World Tele-communication and Information Society Day, Wold AIDS Vaccination day, World Hypertension Day, Against Homophobia and Transphobia Day, World Banking Day
May 18 – World Museum Day
May 20 – World Meteorology Day
May 21 – National Anti Terrorism Day, National Day for Cultural Development
May 22 – International Day for Biological Diversity, World Goth Day
May 23 – World Turtle Day
May 24 – Commonwealth Day
May 25 – World Missing Childrens Day
May 29 – International Day of Peacekeepers
May 31 – World Anti Tobacco Day
June
June 1 – Global Day of Parents
June 4 – World Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression, World Naturist Day
June 5 – World Environment Day
June 8 – World Brain Tumor Day, World Oceans Day
June 12 – World Day Against Child Labor
June 13 – World Doll Day
June 14 – World Blood Donor Day
June 15 – World Elder Abuse Awareness Day
June 16 – International Integration Day
June 18 – International Picnic Day
June 20 – World Refugee Day, World Juggling Day
June 21 – World Music Day
June 23 – International Olympic Day, United Nations Public Service Day, International Widows Day
June 26 – International Day against Drug abuse and Illicit Trafficking, International Day in support of Victims of torture
July
July 1 – International Joke Day, World Doctor’s Day
July 2 – World Sports Journalists Day, World UFO Day
1st Saturday of July – International Day of Cooperatives
July 6 – World Zoonoses Day
July 7 – World Chocolate Day
July 11 – World Population Day
July 12 – International Malala Day
July 28 – World Nature Conservation Day, World Hepatitis Day
July 29 – International Tiger Day
August
First Sunday in August – International Friendship Day
August 1 – International Childfree Day
August 6 – Hiroshima Day, Anti Nuclear Day
August 8 – World Senior Citizen Day
August 9 – Nagasaki Day, International Day of the World’s Indigenous People, Quit India Day
August 10 – World Lion Day
August 12 – International Youth Day, National Middle Child Day
August 13 – International Left Handers Day (yeah!)
August 15 – International Mourning Day, International Homeless Animals Day
August 19 – World Humanitarian Day, World Photography Day
August 20 – World Mosquito Day
August 21 – National Senior Citizen Day
August 23 – International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and Its Abolition
August 29 – National Sports Day
August 30 – International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances
September
September 2 – World Coconut Day
September 5 – National Teacher’s Day, Sanskrit Day, World Beard Day
September 7 – World Forgiveness Day
September 8 – World Literacy Day
September 10 – World Anti-Suicide Day
September 14 – World First Aid Day
September 15 – International Day of Democracy, International Engineer’s Day
September 16 – World Ozone Day
September 20 – RPF Foundation day
September 21 – World Peace Day or International day for Peace and Non-violence (UN), World Alzheimer’s Day, World Gratitude Day
September 22 – World Cancer Free Day or Rose Day
September 23 – International Day of the Deaf
September 25 – World Pharmacists Day
September 26 – World Contraception Day, European Day of Languages
September 27 – World Tourism Day
September 28 – World Rabies Day
September 29 – World Heart Day
September 30 – International Blasphemy Day
October
1st Monday of October – World Habitat Day
October 1 – World Vegetarian Day, International Day of the Older/Elderly
October 2 – International Day of Non-Violence, World Farm Animal Day, World Smile Day
October 3 – World Nature Day
October 4 – World Animal Day, World Card Making Day
October 5 – World Teacher’s Day, International Day of No Prostitution
October 6 – World Wildlife Day
October 8 – Indian Air Force Day
October 9 – World Postal or Post Office Day, World Egg Day
October 10 – World Mental Health Day, World Palliative Care Day
October 11 – International Day of the Girl Child
2nd Thursday of October – World Sight Day
October 12 – World Arthritis Day
October 13 – International Day for Natural Disaster Reduction
October 14 – World Standards Day, World Maths Day
October 15 – Global Hand Washing Day, International Day of Rural Women, World White Cane Safety Day
October 16 – World Food Day
October 17 – International Poverty Day for it’s Eradication
October 20 – World Osteoporosis Day, World Statistics Day, National Solidarity Day
October 24 – UN Day, World Development Information Day, World Polio Day
October 25 – World Pasta Day
October 27 – World Day for Audio Visual Heritage
October 28 – International Animation Day
October 31 – World Savings Day or World Thrift Day
November
November 1 – World Vegan Day
November 6 – International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict
November 7 – Infant Protection Day, World Cancer Awareness Day
November 8 – World Radiology Day
November 9 – World Legal Service Day, International Tongue Twister Day
November 10 – World Science Day for Peace and Development, Public Transport Day
November 11 – National Education Day
November 12 – World Pneumonia Day, Public Service Broadcasting Day
November 13 – World Kindness Day
November 14 – World Diabetes Day
November 16 – International Day for Endurance or Tolerance
November 17 – International Students Day, National Epilepsy Day
November 19 – World Toilet Day, International Men’s Day, National Integration Day
November 20 – Universal Children’s Day
3rd Sunday of November – World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims
3rd Thursday of November – World Philosophy Day
November 21 – World Fisheries Day, World Hello Day, World Television Day
November 25 – International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, World Non-Veg Day
November 26 – National Law Day or National Constitution Day
November 30 – National Flag Day
December
December 1 – World AIDS Day
December 2 – World Computer Literacy Day, International Day for the Abolition of Slavery
December 3 – International Day of People with Disability or World Disability Day
December 4 – Indian Navy Day
December 5 – International Volunteer Day for Economic and Social Development
December 7 – International Civil Aviation Day, Indian Armed Force Flag Day
December 9 – The International Anti-Corruption Day
December 10 – World Human Rights Day, International Children’s Day of Broadcasting
December 11 – International Mountain Day, UNICEF Day
December 18 – International Migrants Day, National Minority Rights Day
December 20 – International Human Solidarity Day
December 23 – National Farmer’s Day
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