Current Affairs May 2020 - Important Days
1 - World Press Freedom Day 2020
The World Press Freedom Day is observed annually on 3rd May across the world. The day celebrates the fundamental principles of press freedom. It also reminds that many journalists brave death or face jail to bring daily news to the public.
The theme of this year's day is "Journalism without Fear or Favour". The host for 2020 is the Netherlands. The sub-themes for this year are:
- Safety of Women and Men Journalists and Media Workers
- Independent and Professional Journalism free from Political and Commercial Influence
- Gender Equality in All Aspect of the Media
2 - International Labour Day 2020
The International Labour Day, also known as May Day, is celebrated annually on 1st May. The day is also known as International Workers' Day. The day is a celebration of labourers and the working classes that is promoted by the international labour movement.
In India, the day is celebrated as Antarrashtriya Shramik Diwas. In India, the first May Day was celebrated in Madras (now known as Chennai) by the Labour Kisan Party of Hindustan on May 1, 1923.
3 - Ayushman Bharat Diwas
The Ayushman Bharat Diwas is celebrated across the country every year on 30th April. The day marks the start of Ayushman Bharat (AB) Yojana, which is also referred as AB-National Health Protection Scheme (AB-NHPM) or ModiCare or AB-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY).
The Ayushman Bharat Yojana was launched by PM Narendra Modi in 2018. The day aims to promote affordable medical facilities in remote areas of the country based on the Socio-Economic Caste Census database.
4 - International Firefighters' Day 2020
International Firefighters' Day or IFFD is observed annually on May 4 to remember those firefighter's who have died while serving our community or dedicated their lives to protecting the safety of us all. The day was instituted after the deaths of five firefighters in tragic circumstances in a bushfire in Australia.
The symbol for International Firefighters' Day is a red and blue ribbon. The red colour symbolises fire and blue water. The colors are also recognized world-wide to signify emergency services.
5 - World Tuna Day 2020
The World Tuna Day is observed every year on 2nd May to raise awareness about the importance of tuna and to promote more sustainable fishing practices. It was observed for the first time in 2017. Many countries depend heavily on tuna resources for food security and nutrition, economic development and employment.
Tuna is a large fish. They include approximately 40 species occurring in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans and in the Mediterranean Sea. They have been known to team up with dolphins for protection from sharks. The fish are threatened by an overwhelming demand.
6 - International Day of the Midwife
The International Day of the Midwife is celebrated on May 5 each year to focus on the role of midwives and midwifery. Midwives are women who possess practical knowledge about helping pregnant women during childbirth. The theme for 2020 is ‘Midwives with women: celebrate, demonstrate, mobilize, unite - our time is NOW!
The day recognises the brave Midwives and raise awareness about their status and the vital role they play in the lives of new mothers and infants. The day has been celebrated by the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) since 1992.
7 - World Hand Hygiene Day 2020
The World Hand Hygiene Day is observed annually on May 5. The main aim of the day is to make people across the globe more aware of the importance of hand hygiene in health care facilities. The theme of the day this year is "SAVE LIVES: Clean your hands”.
According to WHO, hand hygiene is a 'single most important measure' to prevent the transmission of bacteria in hospitals and other places. The aim of WHO and partners through the campaign of 2020 is to make hand hygiene as a global priority.
8 - World Asthma Day 2020
The World Asthma Day is observed every year on the first Tuesday of May to improve asthma awareness and care around the world. The event is annually organised by the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA). The theme of World Asthma Day 2020 is "Enough Asthma Deaths".
Asthma is a chronic lung disease which causes breathing difficulties and affects sufferers to varying degrees, asthma is caused by swelling and inflammation of the bronchial tubes. The first World Asthma Day was observed in 1998.
9 - World Athletics Day 2020
The World Athletics Day 2020 was observed on 7th May. The day is organized by the IAAF (International Amateur Athletic Federation). It is celebrated every year in May. The date is decided by IAAF every year.
The day aims to popularize sports among the youth and encourage athletics as the foundational sport in schools and educational institutions. International Association of Athletics Federations is a track-and-field organization of national associations of more than 160 countries. It was founded in 1912 at Stockholm.
10 - World Red Cross Day 2020
World Red Cross Day is observed on May 8. The day is observed every year to celebrate the good work that the Red Cross Movement does around the world. The objective is also to pay tribute to the volunteers for their unprecedented contribution to the people in need. This day also marks the birth anniversary of Henri Dunant, the founder of International Committee of the Red Cross.
On the occasion of World Red Cross Day, Union Health Minister flagged off the distribution of relief materials across the country by Red Cross volunteers from IRCS Head Quarters in New Delhi.
11 - Time of Remembrance for Those Who Lost Their Lives during the World War II observed
Every year during May 8-9, the United Nations marks the Time of Remembrance and reconciliation for those who lost their lives during the Second World War. Second World War was “one of the most epic struggles for freedom and liberation in history.
The day pays tribute to all the victims of the Second World War. 2020 is the 75th Anniversary of World War II. The victory over fascism and tyranny in May 1945 marked the beginning of a new era.
12 - World Thalassaemia Day 2020
World Thalassemia Day is celebrated annually on May 8. This day is observed to raise awareness about thalassaemia disease, its preventive measures and to avoid transmission and the importance of vaccination for children’s health, society and among the people throughout the world.
The theme of 2020 was “The dawning of a new era for thalassaemia: Time for a global effort to make novel therapies accessible and affordable to patients”. Thalassemia is an inherited blood disorder that causes your body to have less hemoglobin than normal. Hemoglobin enables red blood cells to carry oxygen.
13 - World Migratory Bird Day 2020
The World Migratory Bird Day 2020 was celebrated across the world on 9th May. The theme of World Migratory Bird Day 2020 is “Birds Connect Our World”. This year's theme was chosen in order to highlight the importance of conservation and restoration of ecological connectivity and integrity of ecosystems that support the movement of these birds.
It is a 2-day event annually held on the second weekend of May to highlight the need to protect migratory birds and their habitats. The day is celebrated to raise awareness about conservation and ecological importance of such birds in the global ecosystem.
14 - National Technology Day
The National Technology Day is observed every year on 11th May. On this day in 1998, India successfully tested Shakti-I nuclear missile in the Indian Army's Test range in Pokhran, Rajasthan. The aim to celebrate National Technology Day is to highlight the achievements of our scientists and engineers in the field of science and technology.
The focus of the day this year is ‘Rebooting the economy through Science and Technology.’ The day was named by the former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
15 - International Nurses Day 2020
International Nurses day is observed on 12th May every year to mark the birth anniversary of Florence Nightingale, who is widely called as the founder of modern nursing. The theme this year was “Nurses A Voice to Lead – Nursing the World to Health”.
International Nurse's Day was first celebrated by the International Council of Nurses (ICN) in the year 1965. ICN represents the voice of nurses around the world. This year the day marked the 200th birth anniversary of Florence Nightingale.
16 - World Telecommunication and Information Society Day 2020
The World Telecommunication and Information Society Day is observed annually on 17th May. The day marks the anniversary of the signing of the first International Telegraph Convention and the creation of the International Telecommunication Union. The theme for 2020 is "Connect 2030: ICTs for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)".
The purpose of World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (WTISD) is to help raise awareness of the possibilities of the Internet that can bring to societies and economies, as well as of ways to bridge the digital divide.
17 - National Dengue Day
National Dengue Day is observed in India on May 16 to create awareness about dengue; and to intensify preventive measures and preparedness for the control of disease in the country before transmission season starts.
Dengue is a viral disease, transmitted by the infective bite of a particular mosquito known as Aedes Aegypti. It is very common after rainy season. It is highly contagious and spreads from one person to another through mosquito bites. It is widespread in tropical and sub-tropical regions.
18 - International Day of Living Together in Peace
The International Day of Living Together in Peace is celebrated every year on May 16th. The day aims to uphold the desire to live and act together, united in differences and diversity, in order to build a sustainable world of peace, solidarity and harmony.
The UN General-Assembly, in its resolution 72/130, declared 16 May the International Day of Living Together in Peace, as a means of regularly mobilizing the efforts of the international community to promote peace, tolerance, inclusion, understanding and solidarity.
19 - International Family Day 2020
The International Day of Families is observed annually on 15th May to highlight the role of families and family-oriented policies, all caregivers in families, be it parents, grandparents or siblings and the importance of parental upbringing for the welfare of children.
The theme of 2020 is ‘Families in Development: Copenhagen & Beijing+2’. Every year, the day is used as a platform to highlight the various issues plaguing families around the world and measures that can be taken to resolve these and build euphony.
20 - International Day of Light 2020
The International Day of Light is observed globally on May 16th. 2020 is the global celebration of the third edition of the event. The day marks the anniversary of the first successful operation of the laser in 1960 by physicist and engineer, Theodore Maiman.
The International Day of Light celebrates the role light plays in science, culture and art, education, and sustainable development, and in fields as diverse as medicine, communications, and energy. This day is a call to strengthen scientific cooperation and harness its potential to foster peace and sustainable development.
21 - International Museum Day celebrated on 18 May
International Museum Day is observed on May 18 every year to raise awareness among people about the museums. Museums are an important means of cultural exchange, enrichment of cultures and development of mutual understanding, cooperation and peace among peoples. Museum’s day 2020 theme was ‘Museums for Equality: Diversity and Inclusion’.
ICOM proposed a three-day celebration, coinciding with the Long Night of Museums, and ICOM’s 74th anniversary on November 16, 2020.
22 - World Bee Day 2020
The World Bee Day is observed annually on May 20. The day aims to raise awareness of the importance of pollinators, the threats they face and their contribution to sustainable development. The theme of the day for the year 2020 is "Bee Engaged".
The theme highlighted the importance of traditional knowledge related to beekeeping, the use of bee-derived products and services, and their importance in achieving the SDGs. Nearly 90% of the world’s wild flowering plant species depend on animal pollination along with more than 75% of the world’s food crops and 35% of global agricultural land.
23 - International Tea Day observed globally on 21st May
International Tea Day is observed globally May 21 on the recommendation of India. Tea is a beverage made from the Camellia sinesis plant. Tea is the world’s most consumed drink, after water. The first International Tea Day was celebrated virtually and was opened by FAO Director-General, QU Dongyu.
The day brought together the world’s countries where tea cultivation is an important source of jobs and incomes. The purpose of International Tea Day is to encourage the status of tea workers, workers’ rights, daily wages, social security, employment security, and health.
24 - World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development observed on 21 May
Held every year on 21 May, the World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development celebrates not only the richness of the world's cultures, but also the essential role of intercultural dialogue for achieving peace and sustainable development. It represents an opportunity to celebrate culture’s manifold forms, from the tangible and intangible to creative industries.
The impact of COVID-19 on the cultural sector is being felt around the world. This impact has affected the fundamental right of access to culture, the social rights of artists and creative professionals, and the protection of a diversity of cultural expressions.
25 - World Metrology Day observed globally on 20th May
World Metrology Day is observed globally on 20th May every year. World Metrology Day is an annual celebration of the signature of the Metre Convention on 20 May 1875 by representatives of seventeen nations. The Convention set the framework for global collaboration in the science of measurement and in its industrial, commercial and societal applications.
2020 theme for World Metrology Day was ‘Measurements for global trade’. This theme was chosen to create awareness of the important role measurement plays in facilitating fair global trade, ensuring products meet standards and regulations, and satisfying customer quality expectations.
26 - Anti-Terrorism Day 2020 observed on 21st May
The Anti-terrorism Day is observed in India on May 21, which is also the death anniversary of India’s seventh Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. He was killed in Tamil Nadu in a campaign by the Tamil Tigers Eelam (LTTE) a terrorist group. After this assassination, V.P. Singh government has decided to observe 21st May as Anti-Terrorism Day.
This day pays tribute to those who sacrificed their lives to safeguard the motherland from the evil of terrorism. The day recalls all countries to come together to isolate nations that support and abet terrorism in any form.
27 - World Turtle Day 2020
The World Turtle Day is celebrated every year on May 23 since 2000. The purpose of World Turtle Day is to educate people about the things that they can do to protect the habitats of turtle and tortoises. The day was founded by American Tortoise Rescue.
Turtles origin dates back to the time of dinosaurs, which is nearly 200 million years back, which makes them significantly older than snakes, crocodiles and alligators. There are a total of 300 species of turtles in the entire world, out of which 129 species are endangered.
28 - International Day of Biodiversity 2020
The International Day for Biological Diversity is observed annually on 22nd May to increase understanding and awareness of biodiversity issues. The theme for 2020 is “Our Solutions are in Nature”. The theme emphasizes hope, solidarity and the importance of working together at all levels to build a future of life in harmony with nature.
The year 2020 which is also the “SUPER YEAR FOR BIODIVERSITY”, as the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity with 20 global Aichi targets adopted in 2010 ends in 2020. This is called Strategic Plan for Biodiversity.
29 - International Day of UN Peacekeepers
The International Day of UN Peacekeepers is celebrated every year on 29th May. The day is observed to pay tribute to all the men and women who have served and continue to serve in United Nations peacekeeping operations for their high level of professionalism, dedication, and courage and to honour the memory of those who have lost their lives in the cause of peace.
UNAMID commemorated the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers under the theme “Women in Peacekeeping – A Key to Peace”. The first UN peacekeeping mission was established on 29 May 1948.
