1. World Post Day
Tags: Important Days
Every year 9 October is observed as World Post Day in the world. The purpose of World Post Day is to create awareness of the role of the postal sector in people’s and businesses’ everyday lives and its contribution to the social and economic development of countries.
Background of the day
World post day is observed on 9 October to mark the anniversary of the establishment of the Universal Postal Union (UPU) in 1874 in the Switzerland’s capital, Berne.
It was declared World Post Day by the UPU Congress held in Tokyo, Japan in 1969. Since then this day is observed all over the world.
Theme of the World Post 2022: Post for Planet
Universal Postal Union (UPU)
It was set up in 1874 and its headquarters is in the Switzerland capital city of Berne.
It is the second oldest international organization worldwide (after the International Telecommunication Union, (ITU).
It became a specialised agency of the United Nations on 1 July 1948.
UPU coordinates postal policies among member nations, in addition to the worldwide postal system.
India joined the Universal Postal Union in 1876.
2. World Smile Day
Tags: Important Days
World Smile Day is celebrated every year on the first Friday of October. World Smile Day for the year 2022 was celebrated on 7 October.
Important facts
The purpose behind celebrating Smile Day was to dedicate one day in a year to smiles and kind acts.
The theme of World Smile Day remains the same every year -- 'Do an act of kindness, Help one person smile'.
Background of the day
World Smile Day was first celebrated in 1999 by artist Harvey Ball.
Harvey Ball, a commercial artist from Worcester, Massachusetts (US), created the smiley face in 1963.
This picture became a symbol of goodwill and enthusiasm on the planet.
Harvey Ball declared the first Friday of October each year as World Smile Day.
He intended that one day every year should be dedicated to smiling and kind acts around the world.
After Harvey's death in 2001, the Harvey Ball World Smile Foundation was created to honour his name and memory.
This foundation is the official sponsor of World Smile Day every year.
3. Indian Air Force Day
Tags: Important Days
8 October is Indian Air Force day. Indian Air Force was raised on October 8, 1932, and it is completing 90 years 8 October, 2022.
Important facts
This time Air Force Day flypast was done over Sukhna Lake in Chandigarh.
Historically for the first time, the Air Force Day parades and fly-pasts have been taken out of the National Capital Region by the Indian Air Force.
President Draupadi Murmu and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh were present on this occasion.
This time 75 aircraft participated in the flypast, while 9 aircraft were put on standby mode.
The Light Combat Helicopter LCH which was recently inducted into the Indian Air Force displayed its air capabilities in the sky at Sukhna Lake.
Tejas, Sukhoi, MiG-29, Jaguar, Rafale and Hawk were also part of the flypast.
About Indian Air Force
It was officially established on 8 October 1932.
It is the air wing of the Indian Armed Forces whose primary mission is to secure Indian airspace and conduct aerial activities during armed conflicts.
Over 170,000 personnel are serving in the Indian Air Force.
It ranks as the fourth largest operational air force in the world.
The motto of the Indian Air Force is 'Touch the Sky with Glory' and was taken from the eleventh chapter of the Bhagavad Gita.
After independence, it participated in four wars with Pakistan and one war with the People's Republic of China.
It works with the United Nations’ peacekeeping missions.
It participated in relief operations during natural calamities like the Gujarat cyclone in 1998, the tsunami in 2004 and the floods in North India.
4. World Space Week
Tags: Important Days
World Space Week is observed annually from the 4th to 10th of October every year.
Important facts
In India, World Space Week 2022 is being celebrated in collaboration with the Indian Space Research Institute (ISRO) and Atal Innovation Mission (AIM).
During this, a National Space Quiz Competition is being organized to increase the interest of the school children towards astronomical knowledge and science.
It is dedicated to celebrate the contribution of space science and technology to the betterment of the human condition.
In the year 1999, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) declared the World Space Week to be celebrated.
It commemorates Sputnik-1, the first man-made Earth satellite, launched on 4 October 1957.
The theme of Space Week 2022 is "Space and Sustainability" with a focus on achieving sustainability in space.
It is coordinated by the United Nations in collaboration with the World Space Week Association (WSWA), a non-profit organization.
5. National Wildlife Week
Tags: Important Days
The national Wildlife Week is being celebrated across the country from October 2 to October 8.
Important facts
This year, India is celebrating the 68th edition of Wildlife Week.
Its objective is to spread the message of protecting and preserving India's flora and fauna.
During Wildlife Week in India, environmentalists and conservationists organize workshops to help people understand the importance of protecting wildlife.
Several awareness raising activities are also organized during this week.
In 1952, the Wildlife Board of India conceived the concept of Wildlife Week to create awareness about the long-term goals of protecting India's wildlife.
- On 20 December 2013, the United Nations General Assembly declared 3 March as World Wildlife Day.
6. World Cotton Day
Tags: Important Days
Every year 7 October is celebrated as 'World Cotton Day' across the world.
Important facts
World Cotton Day is celebrated by the United Nations to raise awareness about the important role of the cotton sector in international trade, economic development and poverty alleviation.
Cotton is considered a major source of livelihood and income for many rural laborers and stockholders, including women.
It provides employment and income to some of the poorest rural areas around the world.
The day promotes sustainable trade policies and enables developing countries to benefit from every stage of the cotton value chain.
India is the second largest producer and largest consumer of cotton in the world.
Background of the day
The initiative of World Cotton Day was started in 2019.
The day originated when four cotton producers in sub-Saharan Africa—Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad and Mali—known as the 'Cotton Four'—proposed to observe the day on 7 October every year in the World Trade Organization (WTO).
The World Trade Organization hosted the launch of World Cotton Day on 7 October 2019 as an initiative of Cotton-4 countries.
7. World Teachers’ Day
Tags: Important Days
World Teachers' Day is celebrated across the world on 5 October every year to recognize the work of teachers, researchers and professors.
Important facts
On this day, people come together and organize meetings, conferences to identify and find solutions to the problems being faced by teachers in the country as well as globally.
The day is celebrated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) along with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), International Labor Organization (ILO) and Education International.
The theme of World Teachers’ Day 2022 - “The Transformation of Education Begins With Teachers”.
Background of the World Teachers’ Day
In 1994, October 5 was declared by UNESCO as World Teachers' Day.
It was a part of the Intergovernmental Conference organised by UNESCO in Paris that recognized the status of teachers in collaboration with the International Labour Organisation (ILO).
On the other hand, India has been celebrating 5 September as Teacher's Day since 1962.
In India, Teachers' Day is celebrated on 5 September to honor the country's second President, Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, whose birth anniversary falls on the same day.
8. World Animal Day
Tags: Important Days
Every year 4 October is observed as World Animal Day.
Important facts
This day is celebrated to respect the rights of animals and to make people aware about their well being.
The day highlights the fact that animals have the same value as humans and at the same time their rights need to be respected.
The purpose of this day is to improve animal welfare standards, to show love towards animals so that their lives can be better and better and to spread awareness in the context of animal welfare.
The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 has been implemented in India to promote animal protection and to end cruelty to animals.
The theme of the year 2022 - "Shared Planet".
Background of the day
The day was first observed on 24 March 1925 by animal protection activist Heinrich Zimmermann in Berlin, Germany.
At a conference of the world's animal protection organizations in Florence, Italy in May 1931, his proposal to universalize World Animal Day on 4 October was unanimously accepted.
The day is currently being organized by the Naturewatch Foundation, a UK based animal welfare charity.
9. World Habitat Day
Tags: Important Days
World Habitat Day is celebrated annually on the first Monday of every October. In the year 2022, this day is being celebrated on 3rd October.
Important facts
The day aims to highlight people's basic right to shelter and remind them that they are also responsible for the habitat of future generations.
It aims to consider the situation in towns and cities and focus on promoting the basic right to adequate shelter and housing for all.
The theme of 2022 - “Mind the Gap. Leave No One and Place Behind”.
This day for the year 2022 will focus on the problem of inequality, the challenges facing cities and other human settlements.
World Habitat Day 2022 aims to focus on the growing inequalities and vulnerabilities that have been a result of the triple ‘C’ crises- COVID-19, climate change and conflict.
Background of the day
In 1985, the United Nations declared the first Monday of October every year to be observed as World Habitat Day.
World Habitat Day was first observed in 1986 with the theme "Shelter is my right".
Nairobi hosted the first World Habitat day year.
In 1989, the UN Human Settlements Programme launched “The Habitat Scroll of Honour award”.
It is the world's most prestigious human settlement award.
10. International Day of Non-violence
Tags: Important Days
International Day of Non-Violence is observed across the world on 2 October which is the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, the leader of India's independence movement and the pioneer of the philosophy of non-violence.
Important facts
The day aims to spread awareness about the idea of non-violence through education.
According to the resolution of the United Nations General Assembly, the day is an occasion to "disseminate the message of non-violence through education and public awareness".
What does non-violence mean?
The doctrine of nonviolence, also known as nonviolent resistance, rejects the use of physical violence to achieve social or political change.
According to Mahatma Gandhi "It is more powerful than the most powerful weapon of destruction devised by man."
The famous Sanskrit phrase ahimsa paramo dharma was also popularized by Gandhi during the independence movement.
Background of the day
In January 2004, Iranian Noble Laureate Shirin Ebadi proposed the idea for this special day.
Her idea was appropriate to many Indian National Congress leaders, who later called on the United Nations to adopt it in 2007.
Congress leader and then Minister of State for External Affairs Anand Sharma presented the resolution in the United Nations General Assembly on behalf of 140 co-sponsors.
On 15 June 2007, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) passed a resolution to observe International Day of Nonviolence.
This day was first celebrated in 2007.
