As we say goodbye to the month of March, let’s recall some of the events observed worldwide in the third month of the year.
MARCH 3: WORLD WILDLIFE DAY. On 20 December 2013, at its 68th session, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) decided to proclaim 3 March, the day of the adoption of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), as World Wildlife Day, which was proposed by Thailand, to celebrate and raise awareness of the world’s wild fauna and flora. In its resolution, the General Assembly reaffirmed the intrinsic value of wildlife and its various contributions, including ecological, genetic, social, economic, scientific, educational, cultural, recreational and aesthetic, to sustainable development and human well-being (Wikipedia).MARCH 8: INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY. International Women’s Day (IWD) is celebrated on March 8 every year. It is a focal point in the movement for women’s rights. Commemoration of International Women’s Day today ranges from being a public holiday in some countries to being largely ignored elsewhere.MARCH 14: PI DAY. Pi Day is an annual celebration of the mathematical constant π (pi). Pi Day is observed on March 14 (3/14 in the month/day format) since 3, 1, and 4 are the first three significant digits of π. In 2009, the United States House of Representatives supported the designation of Pi Day.MARCH 14: WHITE DAY. White Day is a day that is marked in Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, Singapore, Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, and China on March 14, one month after Valentine’s Day. Valentine’s Day in countries which observe White Day is typically observed by girls and women presenting chocolate gifts (either store-bought or handmade), usually to boys or men, as an expression of love, courtesy, or social obligation. On White Day, the reverse happens: men who received a honmei-choco (chocolate of love) or giri-choco (courtesy chocolate) on Valentine’s Day are expected to return the favor by giving gifts. Traditionally, popular White Day gifts are cookies, jewelry, white chocolate, white lingerie, and marshmallows (Wikipedia).MARCH 15: WORLD CONTACT DAY. World Contact Day was first declared in March 1953 by an organization called the International Flying Saucer Bureau (IFSB), as a day on which all IFSB members would attempt to send a telepathic message into space. The 1953 celebration is referenced in the song “Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft”, recorded in 1976 by Klaatu and later covered by The Carpenters.MARCH 15: WORLD SLEEP DAY. World Sleep Day is an annual event organized by the World Sleep Day Committee of the World Sleep Society since 2008. The goal is to celebrate the benefits of good and healthy sleep and to draw society’s attention to the burden of sleep problems and their medical, educational, and social aspects, and to promote the prevention and management of sleep disorder.MARCH 20: INTERNATIONAL DAY OF HAPPINESS. The International Day of Happiness is celebrated worldwide every March 20, and was conceptualized and founded by philanthropist, activist, statesman, and prominent United Nations special advisor Jayme Illien to inspire, mobilize, and advance the global happiness movement.MARCH 20: WORLD ORAL HEALTH DAY. World Oral Health Day is observed annually on 20 March, and launches a year-long campaign dedicated to raising global awareness of the issues around oral health and the importance of oral hygiene so that governments, health associations and the general public can work together to achieve healthier mouths and happier lives.MARCH 21: INTERNATIONAL DAY OF FORESTS. The International Day of Forests was established on the 21st day of March, by resolution of the United Nations General Assembly on November 28, 2012. Each year, various events celebrate and raise awareness of the importance of all types of forests, and trees outside forests, for the benefit of current and future generations. Countries are encouraged to undertake efforts to organize local, national, and international activities involving forests and trees, such as tree planting campaigns, on International Day of Forests.MARCH 21: WORLD POETRY DAY. World Poetry Day is celebrated on 21 March, and was declared by UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) in 1999. Its purpose is to promote the reading, writing, publishing and teaching of poetry throughout the world and, as the original UNESCO declaration says, to “give fresh recognition and impetus to national, regional and international poetry movements”.MARCH 22: WORLD WATER DAY. World Water Day is an annual UN observance day that highlights the importance of freshwater. The day is used to advocate for the sustainable management of freshwater resources. World Water Day is celebrated around the world with a variety of events. These can be educational, theatrical, musical or lobbying in nature. The day can also include campaigns to raise money for water projects.MARCH 24: WORLD TUBERCULOSIS DAY. World Tuberculosis Dayis designed to build public awareness about the global epidemic of tuberculosis (TB) and efforts to eliminate the disease. In 2012, 8.6 million people fell ill with TB, and 1.3 million died from the disease, mostly in low and middle-income countries.MARCH 26: PURPLE DAY. Purple Day is a global event formed with the intention to increase worldwide awareness of epilepsy, and to dispel common myths and fears of this neurological disorder. Further intentions of this movement are to reduce the social stigmas commonly endured by many individuals afflicted with the condition; to provide assurance and advocacy to those living with epilepsy that they are not alone in their ongoing endurance; and to initiate individuals living with the condition to take action in their communities to achieve these aims.
