International Celebrations this Month of May
Here are the international celebrations observed all over the world by UNESCO and in the Philippines this month of May 2021!
Check out the links below for more information.
May 3. World Press Freedom Day acts as a reminder to governments of the need to respect their commitment to press freedom and is also a day of reflection among media professionals about issues of press freedom and professional ethics. Just as importantly, World Press Freedom Day is a day of support for media which are targets for the restraint, or abolition, of press freedom. It is also a day of remembrance for those journalists who lost their lives in the pursuit of a story. (UNESCO)
May 9. Mother’s Day in the Philippines used to be celebrated on the first Monday of December. However, President Joseph Ejercito Estrada amended it through Proclamation No. 58, s. 1998 changing the Mother’s Day and Father’s Day celebration from the second Sunday of May and third Sunday of June.
May 16. 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. The celebration will allow many different sectors of society worldwide to participate in activities that demonstrate how science, technology, art and culture can help achieve the goals of UNESCO – building the foundation for peaceful societies. (UNESCO)
May 16. The International Day of Living Together in Peace. 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 Day invites countries to further promote reconciliation to help to ensure peace and sustainable development, including by working with communities, faith leaders, and other relevant actors, through reconciliatory measures and acts of service and by encouraging forgiveness and compassion among individuals. (UNESCO)
May 21. 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 in achieving peace and sustainable development. The United Nations General Assembly first declared this World Day in 2002, following UNESCO’s adoption of the 2001 Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity, recognizing the need to “enhance the potential of culture as a means of achieving prosperity, sustainable development and global peaceful coexistence.” (UNESCO)
