Mother Teresa was right. Even though it’s easy to forget at times, family is the most important thing in the world. This could mean your mother, your father, your siblings, your spouse, your grandparents, your aunts, your uncles, your cousins, your in-laws – but for some, it’s simply those with whom we share unconditional love.
The International Day of Families, annually held on May 15, celebrates the importance of families and the work started during the International Year of Families.
The year 1994 was proclaimed as the International Year of Families by the United Nations. This was a response to changing social and economic structures, which have affected and still affect the structure and stability of family units in many regions of the globe.
The International Day of Families, on May 15, is an occasion to reflect on the work started during 1994 and to celebrate the importance of families, people, societies and cultures around the world. It has been held every year since 1995.
The symbol of the International Day of Families consists of a solid green circle with an image in red. The image consists of elements of simple drawings of a heart and a house.
This indicates that families are the center of society and provide a stable and supporting home for people of all ages.
The International Day of Families is a global observance and not a public holiday.
Significance
Former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon sums up the importance of family perfectly in his powerful quote: “Equitable social and economic development depends on fair legal frameworks and social norms that support the rights of women and children. Discriminatory laws and practices that do not give equal rights to all, and that suppress women’s and children’s rights, have no place in contemporary families, communities, societies and nations.”
So why not plan your own personal family gathering and reflect on how important each member is to you? Celebrate what you have achieved and talk about what you can do better – open communication, ideas and action make for better family life, whatever your ethnicity.