Awareness Days/Months

So, what’s the big deal with celebrating all these awareness days? Isn’t it excessive, if there’s a day for everyone? Pride Month, Black History Month, Military Appreciation Month, Mental Health Awareness Month, and so many others? I mean, what about World Tuna Day?! Shouldn’t we be aware of these things all the time?

Well, yes, of course we should! The fact of the matter is that there are so many issues and causes, and nearly all of them have days or months to raise awareness and educate on the topic. But with so many causes to know about, how do you keep track of all of them and remember to care?

That sounds like a harsh question to ask. Of course we care. Of course these causes are important. But it can be hard to remember them all, all the time. And without these days coming across your news or social media feeds, how would we even know they exist?

International Days and Awareness months are meant to do many things. They raise awareness of global issues, like climate change and human rights. They act as a memorial of world events, like the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the Chernobyl disaster. They celebrate our humanity, including the contributions different groups have made to the world and scientific contributions that have changed the way we live. They bring us together as one people, no matter our backgrounds.

Okay, but what does one day or one month really accomplish? Well, most holidays that have “International” in front of it are formalized by the UN, who works on these issues every day of the year. Even if they aren’t backed by the UN, there are non profits and supporters who work on these causes year round, too. The day or month highlighting them acts as a boost of support and awareness.

And sometimes, they’re just fun. Did you know the third Sunday in July (the 21st this year) is National Ice Cream Day?

If you would like to learn more, this website is a great resource of different awareness days and months, and they even categorize by type.