20 international days you didn't know existed

International Women's Day is on March 8, International Democracy Day on September 15, World AIDS Day on December 1... certain special days on the global calendar are very well known and emblematic. However, there are many others, and sometimes their subjects are surprising.  Let's discover some of them together… in chronological order!

February 10 is World Pulses Day. A day dedicated to beans?! What? Why? Well, it is a very good cause as pulses are vital for the fight against world hunger and provide quality nutrition. On top of it all, they are an environmentally sound source of protein.

Since 2013, the International Day of Happiness has been celebrated on March 20 by the UN. It is part of the more general framework of the Sustainable Development Goals and the agreements against climate change. The United Nations invites its member states and global civil society to celebrate this day through educational and awareness-raising actions.

The French language, which has hundreds of millions of speakers worldwide, is also in the spotlight on March 20. This day is dedicated to the French language is part of the six language days which aim to celebrate multilingualism and cultural diversity. The other five are Arabic, English, Chinese, Spanish, and Russian.

The next day, the International Day of Novruz takes place. Novruz, which can also be written Nowruz, Navruz, Nooruz, Nevruz, or Nauryz. It means “the new day” and celebrates the return of spring. This festival has existed for several millennia in the Balkans, the Caucasus, Central Asia, and the Middle East. It is celebrated by over 300 million people around the world.

On April 22, International Mother Earth Day celebrates our relationship with the earth and reminds us of the interdependence between humans and the environment. An important day, given that across the planet, biodiversity is threatened and natural disasters are numerous.

This day was celebrated on April 23 because it is when Shakespeare and Cervantes died. It aims to encourage reading and remind people of the power of books worldwide. In 2021, the city of Tbilisi, Georgia, was named World Book Capital.

April 30 is when jazz is celebrated as a tool for promoting peace, dialogue, diversity, and respect for human dignity. On this day, jazz is celebrated through concerts, shows, and educational activities around the world.

International Tuna Day, which takes place on May 2, aims to raise awareness of the need to ensure the long-term conservation of tuna. Seven of the main species are fished in an unsustainable way because of the popularity of tuna among consumers. Tuna represents a fifth of the world's fishing in value.

'Vesak,' the day of the full moon, is a sacred day for millions of Buddhists around the world. Buddha was born on the Day of Vesak, in 623 BC. This day, celebrated on May 26, seeks to recognize the contribution of Buddhism to human spirituality.

June 21 is International Yoga Day. It is an opportunity to pay homage to the increasingly popular role of this practice in improving our physical and mental well-being.

International Asteroid Day takes place on June 30. This day aims to inform the general public about the opportunities and risks asteroids present our planet. The UN-sanctioned day hopes to promote coordinated solutions on a global scale.

The International Day of Cooperatives takes place on July 3. The aim is to increase the general population's awareness of cooperatives. According to the day's official website, it also promotes "international solidarity, economic efficiency, equality, and world peace."

July 20 has been celebrated as International Chess Day since 1966 by the International Chess Federation, the anniversary of the creation of the federation in Paris in 1924. The UN General Assembly took up this date in 2019 to pay tribute to this ancient game played on all continents.

International Clean Air Day for Blue Skies takes place on September 7. The goal of this day? To remind us of the crucial issue of air quality, both for health and for the climate.

The date of September 30 was chosen for the International Day of Translation because it is the date of the death of Saint-Jerome, a translator of the Bible, the patron saint of translators. This day celebrates the importance of multilingualism and the work of translators.

World Cotton Day on October 7 is organized to raise awareness of the role of cotton in economic development and poverty reduction. This fabric sustains more than 100 million families worldwide, many of them smallholders and rural workers.

Since 1969, World Post Day has been celebrated on October 9, the anniversary of the founding of the Universal Postal Union (UPU) in 1874. More than 150 countries celebrate this day, and it is a public holiday for employees in some states. It is also an opportunity for the Post Offices to organize exhibitions and visits or issue new stamps.

Since 2010, World Statistics Day has been organized every five years on October 20 to recognize the role of statistics in cooperation and development.

The International Volunteer Day on December 5 pays tribute to the positive impact of volunteering. Volunteers aid in developing and resolving social, environmental, and health problems. In 2020, the focus was on the action of those who volunteered to fight the Covid-19 epidemic.

Neutrality, defined as the act of a state refraining from taking part directly or indirectly in wars, is celebrated on December 12. It is recognized as a tool for peace and security in the world.