Important days - April

Important days - April

- - - - - - - - - -

April 1

Fool’s Day

• New Year's Day used to be celebrated around April.
• In 1582, the Gregorian Calendar was introduced by Pope Gregory XIII which made celebrated January 1 as the New Year's Day.
• However, many refused to accept it and continued to celebrate New Year's Day in April.
• Others started mocking those refusing to accept January 1 as New Year's Day and would send them on "fool's errands", which is how, the practice of April Fools' day caught on.

Odisha Day

• It is celebrated on 1 April in Odisha in the memory of the formation of the state as a separate province on 1 April 1936.

• The administrative identity of Odisha was fully lost in 1568 after the death and conquest of Mukunda Dev, the last king.

 

April 2

International Children's Book Day (ICBD)

• It is a yearly event sponsored by the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY).
• IBBY is an international non-profit organization.
• Founded in 1967, the day is observed on or around Hans Christian Andersen's birthday, April 2.

World Autism Awareness Day

• The day encourages member states of the United Nations to take measures to raise awareness about people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) throughout the world.
• World Autism Awareness Day", passed in council on 1 November 2007, and adopted on 18 December 2007.

• It was proposed by the United Nations representative from Qatar.

 

 April 3

World Party Day

• Designated as a universal day of coordinated events dedicated to human, joyful celebration, World Party Day occurs on April 3.
• World Party Day was first observed in 1996 after the publication of ‘Flight: A Quantum Fiction’ Novel by Vanna Bonta.

 

April 4

United Nations' International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action

• The United Nations' International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action is observed on April 4 each year.
• This day aims to raise awareness about landmines and progress toward their eradication.
• On 8 December 2005, the United Nations (UN) General Assembly declared that April 4 of each year would be officially proclaimed and observed as International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action.
• It was first observed on April 4, 2006.

International Carrot Day

• The International Carrot Day or the Carrot Day is celebrated every year on April 4th.

• It is the pinnacle for carrot lovers all around the world.

 

April 5

National Maritime Day in India every year

• The first ship of the Scindia Steam Navigation Company Ltd started for the United Kingdom from Mumbai (then British Bombay) on this day in 1919.
• It marked a red-letter day in the maritime history of India, a country known for its seafaring abilities since ancient days.
• The National Maritime Day was first celebrated on 5th April, 1964.

 

April 6

International Day of Sport for Development and Peace (IDSDP)

• Each year, on 6 April, the world commemorates the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace (IDSDP).
• The International Day of Sport for Development and Peace (IDSDP) is an annual celebration of the power of sport to drive social change, community development and to foster peace and understanding.
• Creating a historical link to the first modern Olympic Games in 1896, 6 April was declared the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly in 2013.

 

April 7

World Health Day

• The World Health Day is a global health awareness day under the sponsorship of the World Health Organization (WHO)
• In 1948, the WHO held the First World Health Assembly.

• The Assembly decided to celebrate 7 April of each year, with effect from 1950, as the World Health Day.

International Pillow Fight Day

• International Pillow Fight Day 2018 takes place on 7th April.
• The first World Pillow Fight day took place in March 2008.
• since then the movement has grown with pillow fighting flash mobs fighting it out in more and more cities every year, all just in the name of fun.

International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Rwanda Genocide

• April 7, 2004 was recognized as an international observance the International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Rwandan genocide by the United Nations.

 

April 8

International Romani Day

• The International Romani Day (April 8) is a day to celebrate Romani culture and raise awareness of the issues facing Romani people.
• It was celebrated in honour of the first major international meeting of Romani representatives, 7–12 April 1971 in Chelsfield near London.

 

April 10

World Homeopathy Day

• In Honor of the Father of Homeopathy System of Medicine Dr. Samuel Hahnemann.
• Every year 10th April is celebrated all over the world as ‘World Homeopathy Day as a tribute to Hahnemann.
• The week following the birth date of Hahnemann i.e. 10th April is celebrated as World Homeopathy Awareness Week.

 

April 11

National Safe Motherhood Day, India

• In 2013, the Government of India declared April 11, the anniversary of Political activist Kasturba Gandhi, as the National Safe Motherhood Day.
• India is the first country in all across the world to have officially declared a National Safe Motherhood Day.
• The day is an initiative of the White Ribbon Alliance India (WRAI) in an effort that women must have the availability and enough access to care during pregnancy, childbirth, and postnatal services.

World Parkinson Day

• World Parkinson’s Disease Day marks the birthday of Dr. J Parkinson.

• April 11 is World Parkinson’s Day and throughout the month events are taking place all over the world to raise more awareness and vital funds for research in to better treatments & ultimately a cure.

 

April 12

International Day of Human Space Flight

• The General Assembly, in its resolution on 7 April 2011, declared 12 April as the International Day of Human Space Flight.
• It is also Cosmonautics Day in Russia
• 12 April 1961 was the date of the first human space flight, carried out by Yuri Gagarin, a Soviet citizen.

 

April 13

The Jallianwala Bagh massacre

• It is also known as the Amritsar massacre, took place on 13 April 1919 when troops of the British Indian Army under the command of Colonel Reginald Dyer fired rifles into a crowd of Indians, who had gathered in Jallianwala Bagh, Amritsar, Punjab.

 

April 14

Ambedkar Jayanti

• Ambedkar Jayanti or Bhim Jayanti is an annual festival observed on 14 April to commemorate the memory of B. R. Ambedkar.
• It marks Babasaheb Dr. B.R. Ambedkar's birthday who was born on April 14, 1891.
• Since 2015 it has been observed as an official public holiday throughout India.

 

April 15

World Creativity and Innovation Day

• On April 21, 2018, the first official World Creativity and Innovation Day (#WCID), as announced by the United Nations, was celebrated.
• The week (April 15-21) has been identified as World Creativity and Innovation Week by the United Nations.
• The celebration starts on 15 April, the birthday of Leonardo Da Vinci, and culminating in World Creativity and Innovation Day on 21 April.

World Art Day

• World Art Day (Rittik Day) is an international celebration of the fine arts which was declared by the International Association of Art (IAA).

• A proposal was put forward at the 17th General Assembly of the International Association of Art in Guadalajara to declare April 15 as World Art Day, with the first celebration held in 2012.
• The date was decided in honor of the birthday of Leonardo da Vinci.

 

April 16

World Voice Day

• World Voice Day (WVD) is a worldwide annual event that takes place on April 16 devoted to the celebration of the phenomenon of voice
• This celebration started in Brazil in 1999 as the Brazilian National Voice Day.

 

April 17

International Haiku Poetry Day

• April 17 is the day the whole world honors haiku.
• It was registered by Sari Grandstaff in 2007 and initiated as a project of The Haiku Foundation in 2012.

World Hemophilia Day

• World Hemophilia Day is an international observance held annually on April 17 by the World Federation of Hemophilia (WFH).

• April 17 was chosen in honor of WFH founder Frank Schnabel's birthday.

 

April 18

World Heritage Day

• The International Day for Monuments and Sites also known as World Heritage Day is an international observance held on 18 April each year.
• It was proposed by the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) on 18 April 1982 and approved by the General Assembly of UNESCO in 1983.

World Amateur Radio Day

• Every April 18, Radio Amateurs worldwide take to the airwaves in celebration of World Amateur Radio Day.
• It was on that day in 1925 that the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) was formed in Paris.

 

April 21

Civil Service Day

• The Civil Service Day is celebrated on 21 April every year.
• This date is chosen to commemorate the day when first Home Minister of Independent India, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel addressed the probationers of Administrative Services Officers in 1947 at Metcalf House, Delhi.
• He referred to civil servants as the ‘steel frame of India’.
• The first such function was held in Vigyan Bhawan, New delhi  21 April 2006.

World Fish Migration Day

• The World Fish Migration Day (WFMD) is a one-day global celebration to create awareness on the importance of open rivers and migratory fish.

• It is coordinated by the World Fish Migration Foundation.

 

April 22

Earth Day

• Earth Day is an annual event celebrated on April 22.
• It was first celebrated in 1970 by marking the anniversary of the birth of the modern environmental movement in 1970.
• In 1969 at a UNESCO Conference in San Francisco, peace activist John McConnell proposed a day to honor the Earth and the concept of peace
• Initially it was first to be celebrated on March 21, 1970, the first day of spring in the northern hemisphere.
• It now is observed in 192 countries, and coordinated by the nonprofit Earth Day Network, chaired by the first Earth Day 1970 organizer Denis Hayes

 

April 23

World Book and Copyright Day or World Book Day

• It is a celebration to promote the enjoyment of books and reading.
• It is on this date in 1616 that Cervantes, Shakespeare and Inca Garcilaso de la Vega all died.
• It is also the date of birth or death of other prominent authors, such as Maurice Druon, Haldor K.Laxness, Vladimir Nabokov, Josep Pla and Manuel Mejía Vallejo.

 

World English Language Day

• English Language Day is a United Nations (UN) observance that people celebrate on April 23 each year.
• It coincides with William Shakespeare’s birthday and World Book and Copyright Day.
• The UN first celebrated English Language Day on April 23, 2010.
• English is one of the two working languages of the UN Secretariat and one of the organization’s six official languages

 

April 24

National Panchayati Raj Day

• National Panchayati Raj Day (National Local Self-Government day) is the national day of India celebrated by Ministry of Panchayati Raj on 24 April annually
• Then Prime Minister of India Manmohan Singh inaugurated the first National Panchayati Raj Day in 2010
• This day marks the passing of Constitution (73rd Amendment) Act, 1992 that came into force with effect from 24 April 1993.

• In 1994, women were given a 33% reservation on the seats of Panchayats, as a result of the 73rd Amendment to the Constitution. 
• Ever since, the 24th of April has been celebrated as the Women's Political Empowerment Day.

 

April 25

World Stationery Day

• World Stationery Day is celebrated as a part of National Stationery Week which usually runs in April.
• Last Wednesday of every April is observed as World Stationery Day.
• This year (2018) it is held on April 25.
• It is started to be observed from 2012
• It was to honor the 800th anniversary since the creation of the Magna Carta which is one of the most important written documents in British history.
• Magna Carta was created in 1215.

World Malaria Day

• World Malaria Day (WMD) is an international observance commemorated every year on 25 April and recognizes global efforts to control malaria.
• It is marked by the World Health Organization (WHO)
• World Malaria Day was established in May 2007 by the 60th session of the World Health Assembly.

 

April 26

World Intellectual Property Day

• World IP Day is celebrated annually on April 26, the date on which the Convention establishing WIPO entered into force in 1970.
• WIPO’s member states-initiated World IP Day in 2000 to raise public awareness about the role of IP in daily life.

• The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) is the global forum for intellectual property policy, services, information and cooperation.

 

International Chernobyl Disaster Remembrance Day

• The United Nations (UN) has proclaimed April 26 International Chernobyl Disaster Remembrance Day.
• The day was first observed in 2016, on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the 1986 nuclear disaster.
• On April 26, 1986, a reactor in the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in today's Ukraine experienced a catastrophic explosion and fire, releasing unprecedented levels of radioactive materials into the atmosphere.

 

April 28

World Day for Safety and Health at Work

• The International Labour Organization celebrates the World Day for Safety and Health at Work on the 28 April to promote the prevention of occupational accidents and diseases globally.
• The 28 April is also the International Commemoration Day for Dead and Injured Workers or International Workers' Memorial Day organized worldwide by the trade union movement since 1996.
• Since 2003, this day is being observed.

 

April 29

Day of Remembrance for all Victims of Chemical Warfare

• The Day of Remembrance for all Victims of Chemical Warfare is an annual event held on April 29 as a tribute to the victims of chemical warfare.
• It is officially recognized by the United Nations (UN) and has been celebrated since 2005.
• April 29 was chosen as the date for the event's celebration because the Chemical Weapons Convention entered into force on that day in 1997.

International Dance Day

• International Dance Day is a global celebration of dance, created by the Dance Committee of the International Theatre Institute (ITI), the main partner for the performing arts of UNESCO.
• The event takes place every year on 29th April, the anniversary of the birth of Jean-Georges Noverre (1727-1810), the creator of modern ballet.

 

April 30

International Jazz Day

• International Jazz Day is the culmination of Jazz Appreciation Month, which draws public attention to jazz and its extraordinary heritage throughout April.
• In November 2011, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) officially designated April 30 as International Jazz Day.

Prevention of Blindness Week

• The Prevention of Blindness Week campaign is planned by the Government of India which is held from 1st to 7th April for increasing the awareness towards the blind people.
• Prevention of Blindness Week was first started by the Jawaharlal Nehru and Raj Kumari Amrit Kaur in the year 1960 under the Societies Registration Act of 1860.

World Immunization Week

• It is a global public health campaign to raise awareness and increase rates of immunization against vaccine-preventable diseases around the world.
• It takes place each year during last week of April.

• The World Health Assembly endorsed World Immunization Week during its May 2012 meeting.

Fire Service Week

• The Fire Service Week (FSW) is observed nation-wide under the guidance of the Fire Adviser, Ministry of Home Affairs, Govt. of India during April 14 - 20.
• This is in remembrance of the lives lost in the devastating fire that erupted and the explosions that followed on 14th April, 1944 at the Victoria Dock in the Bombay Port and also to prevent fire in all industries.
• The National Safety Council (NSC) has been promoting the FSW Campaign since 1999 with a view to propagate Fire Safety awareness amongst employees, their families and the public.

International Sculpture Day

• It is a worldwide annual celebration of sculpture on the last Saturday of April every year. In 2018, it was April 28th.
• It was established by the International Sculpture Center and is meant to raise awareness, appreciation and enjoyment of sculpture in communities across the globe.
• It was started in 2015.

World Veterinary Day

• Last Saturday of April is being celebrated as World Veterinary Day. In 2018, it was April 28th.
• World Veterinarian Day was created in 2000 by the World Veterinary Association to highlight and promote the lifesaving work performed by veterinarians around the globe.

• It was created by the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) and the World Veterinary Association (WVA).

Save the Frogs Day

• Last Saturday of April is being celebrated as Save the Frogs Day. In 2018, it was April 28th.
• Conceived and coordinated by SAVE THE FROGS organization, it is the world's largest day of amphibian education and conservation action.
• It was started in 2009.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -