World Tsunami Awareness Day
Tsunamis are rare events, but can be extremely deadly. In the past 100 years, 58 of them have claimed more than 260,000 lives, or an average of 4,600 per disaster, surpassing any other natural hazard. The highest number of deaths in that period was in the Indian Ocean tsunami of December 2004. It caused an estimated 227,000 fatalities in 14 countries, with Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India and Thailand hardest-hit.
Culture Day & Holiday (Japan)
Culture Day, otherwise known as Bunka no hi, is a day to honour traditional Japanese culture and promote the love of freedom and peace that was enshrined in the Japanese constitution.
International Day to End Impunity for Crimes
In the past twelve years (2006-2017) close to 1010 journalists have been killed for reporting the news and bringing information to the public. In nine out of ten cases the killers go unpunished. Impunity leads to more killings and is often a symptom of worsening conflict and the breakdown of law and judicial systems. UNESCO is concerned that impunity damages whole societies by covering up serious human rights abuses, corruption, and crime. Read and share the stories of killed journalists #TruthNeverDies.
World Vegan Day
Vegan Day first occurred on November 1st, 1994 as a way of commemorating the 50th anniversary of the UK Vegan Society and indeed the term “Vegan”. The Vegan Society was established in November of 1944; although the exact date was unknown. The President of the Vegan Society decided to elect the date of the 1st of November. This is now recognised as the date on which the Vegan Society was founded and on which Vegan Day would be observed. Along with celebrating the start of the Vegan Society, Vegan Day is an opportunity to promote the benefits of a vegan diet and veganism in general. The term Vegan was coined by Donald Watson and derived from the word Vegetarian. At that time, the differentiation was that Vegans did not consume dairy products. Later this extended to eggs, and by 1951, veganism had become a movement of people who did not partake in the exploitation of animals.
Self-Defence Force Commemoration Day (Japan)
The Self-Defence Force Commemoration Day is celebrated every year on 1 November to honor the service man and women in the SDF.
All Saints Day (Philippines)
All Saints’ Day, also known as All Hallows (hence Halloween - All Hallow's Eve) is celebrated on November 1 as a commemoration day for all saints.The first All Saints’ Day occurred on 13 May 609 C.E. when Pope Boniface IV accepted the Pantheon in Rome as a gift from the Emperor Phocas.The Pope dedicated the day as a holiday to honour the Blessed Virgin and all the martyrs.
Halloween
Halloween is one of the oldest occasions celebrated by many. In most western countries like US and Canada, people do festive Halloween activities such as trick-or-treating, costumes, pumpkins-carving, decorating, visiting haunted houses and watching horror films. However, some Asian countries may celebrate Halloween in a slightly different way:
World Savings Day
The World Savings Day was established on October 31, 1924, during the 1st International Savings Bank Congress (World Society of Savings Banks) in Milan, Italy. The Italian Professor Filippo Ravizza declared this day the "International Saving Day" on the last day of the congress. In the resolutions of the Thrift Congress it was decided that 'World Thrift Day' should be a day devoted to the promotion of savings all over the World. In their efforts to promote thrift the savings banks also worked with the support of the schools, the clergy, as well as cultural, sports, professional, and women's associations.
World Cities Day
The United Nations General Assembly has designated the 31st of October as World Cities Day, by its resolution 68/239. The Day is expected to greatly promote the international community’s interest in global urbanization, push forward cooperation among countries in meeting opportunities and addressing challenges of urbanization, and contributing to sustainable urban development around the world.
Day of Seven Billion
The Day of Seven Billion, October 31, 2011, is the day that has been officially designated by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) as the approximate day on which the world's population reached seven billion people. United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon is to speak at the United Nations building in New York City on this new milestone in the size of world population and the issues that it will raise, along with promoting the UNFPA's new program named 7 Billion Actions, which will seek to "build global awareness around the opportunities and challenges associated with a world of seven billion people" and inspire individuals and organizations to take action.
National Youth Pledge Day
It commemorates the anniversary of "Sumpah Pemuda", the historic pledge by young Indonesian nationalists in 1928
Deepavali (Malaysia & Singapore)
Deepavali, or Diwali, is a festival celebrated by all Hindus to commemorate Lord Rama and his wife, Sita’s return to Ayodhya after his 14-year exile. It was a dark night when they first returned hence his people lit their houses with little lamps (diyas) so that Rama and Sita could find their way. For some Hindus, Deepavali is also celebrated in honour of the goddess of wealth, Lakshmi. The lighting of these diyas would then make it easy for Lakshmi to find her way to houses. Thus, this festival is known as the Festival of Lights. The Festival of Lights is to signify the victory of good over evil; however, it does not just mean the physical lighting of these diyas but refers to an Inner Light, which, according to Hindu philosophy, is called the Atman. In Singapore, thousands of Hindu families turn their homes into enclaves of warm golden light even as they offer prayers, exchange gifts and share sweetmeats with each other. In Malaysia, Hindus would invite friends of different races and religions for an ‘open house’. This is a unique practice; it definitely builds stronger ties among Malaysians and promotes unity in this multi-racial country. On this occasion, children would be the happiest as they collect purple or sometimes yellow packets containing money.
Taiwan's Retrocession Day
Taiwan Retrocession Day commemorates the end of Japanese rule over the island of Taiwan in 1945.
United Nation Day
UN Day marks the anniversary of the entry into force in 1945 of the UN Charter. With the ratification of this founding document by the majority of its signatories, including the five permanent members of the Security Council, the United Nations officially came into being. 24 October has been celebrated as United Nations Day since 1948. In 1971, the United Nations General Assembly recommended that the day be observed by Member States as a public holiday.
Chulalongkorn Memorial Day (Thailand)
This holiday marks the day commemorates King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) who passed away on 23 October 1910
World Traditional Medicine Day
October 22nd marks the 26th annual World Traditional Medicine Day. In 1991, representatives from 42 countries and regions met in Beijing to take part in the International Conference on Traditional Medicine. They unanimously decided to name the conference's opening date as World Traditional Medicine Day.
World Statistics Day
The first World Statistics Day was celebrated in 2010, as decided in resolution 64/267, and was deemed an overwhelming success, with activities organized in more than 130 Member States and by at least 40 international and regional organizations and entities.
International Men Day
The November IMD is a significant date as it interfaces the popular 'Movember' charity event and also with Universal Children's Day on Nov 20 with which IMD forms a 48 hour celebration of men and children respectively, and of the special relationships they share.
International Day for the Eradication of Poverty
In a world characterized by an unprecedented level of economic development, technological means and financial resources, that millions of persons are living in extreme poverty is a moral outrage. Poverty is not solely an economic issue, but rather a multidimensional phenomenon that encompasses a lack of both income and the basic capabilities to live in dignity. Persons living in poverty experience many interrelated and mutually reinforcing deprivations that prevent them from realizing their rights and perpetuate their poverty, including: dangerous work conditions, unsafe housing, lack of nutritious food, unequal access to justice, lack of political power and limited access to health care. 2018 marks the 25th anniversary of the declaration by the General Assembly, in its resolution 47/196 of 22 December 1992, of 17 October as the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. This year also marks the 30th anniversary of the Call to Action by Father Joseph Wresinski — which inspired the observance of October 17 as the World Day for Overcoming Extreme Poverty — and the recognition by the United Nations of the day as the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.
World Food Day
On 16 October 1945, 42 countries assembled in Quebec, Canada, to create the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Their goal was to free humanity from hunger and malnutrition, and to effectively manage the global food system – more information on FAO’s origin is available here. FAO celebrates World Food Day each year on 16 October to commemorate the founding of the Organization in 1945. Events are organized in over 150 countries across the world, making it one of the most celebrated days of the UN calendar. These events promote worldwide awareness and action for those who suffer from hunger and for the need to ensure food security and nutritious diets for all.