What is in a DAY? Given the propensity of celebrating each and every day as world/ universal/ national/ international ‘D’ days, this is no exaggerated remark. Usher in every new day with open arms, for each day is unique or special. Each day of the year is dedicated for a cause/ purpose, for us to stop and think on certain grave issues. For example, March 22 is ‘World Water Day’, April 22 is ‘World Earth Day’, June 5 is ‘World Environment Day’, February 4 is ‘World Cancer Day’, June 8 is ‘World Brain Tumor Day’, September 21 is ‘World Alzheimer’s Day', September 27 is ‘World Heart Day’, August 31 is ‘World Road Safety Day’, October 16 is ‘World Food Day’, April 23 is ‘World Book Day’ etc. A day is devoted for a particular cause/ concern when it deserves urgent attention of people for drawing creative solutions. Each and every day seems rather a celebration/ festival.
A single day sometimes signifies for more than one cause. November 14 is ‘Children’s Day’ (in India) as well as ‘World Diabetes Day’. New Year day is both ‘Global Family Day’ and ‘World Day of Peace’. But global peace alone seems to be elusive and sacrificed every year. The alarming statistics of mass murders, terrorist attacks, communal riots, wars and bomb blasts, summarized by the culmination of a year depicts the extent by which global peace is thwarted. The month of May begins with the ‘Labour Day’ and ends with ‘World No Tobacco Day’. Indeed, these are some good reasons to celebrate !!
Certain "days for a cause” fall on a particular day of week of a particular month. For example, last Saturday of April is celebrated as ‘World Veterinary Day’, first Sunday of May is ‘World Laughter Day’. Same day (for a single cause) is celebrated in different times of a year in different parts of the world. First Sunday of May is celebrated as ‘National Grand Parent’s Day’ in US while the same is celebrated during first Sunday of October in UK. With only twenty-four hours a day and with ever expanding issues/ causes, we have a limited 365 days in a year, to dedicate for each. Dedicating each hour or specific period of a day will be not a bad idea either due to the dearth of days in a year.
Why only dedicate days for a cause? Each year (all 365 days) can be dedicated for a cause. The year 2004 was the ‘International year of Rice’, 2007 was the ‘International Year of Dolphin’ and 2009 was dedicated for Astronomy. The year 2010 is for Culture, Communications and also is the ‘International Year of Biodiversity’.What special achievement was made by such dedications is still not clear.
Is a cause to be dedicated to a day, because the cause is unique or because it is more frequent? If it is because of the latter, then we should first and foremost have a ‘World Treaty Day’ when all the treaties could be signed and all the lengthy never-ending discussions, talks and negotiations between disputing nations could be finished off in one single day with (or without ?) a possible positive outcome.
‘Valentine’s Day’ is a celebration, though many a times turning to be controversial celebration. Seminars, symposiums, demonstrations, high profile meetings, etc are conducted or organized at the international as well as national echelon, without fail, on the particular day dedicated for environment. Activism is more fashionable now-a-days and there is no paucity of self-serving activists. But no euphoria is associated with other petty causes.
The significance of celebrating special days mitigate, as each and every day becomes special, in one or the other way. A person of average memory should never risk loading all the dates and their significance into his/ her memory hard disk for the sake of general awareness, to avoid turning insane. It is better to look for which day is yet not dedicated/ celebrated. Hardly, there will be a few.
What can be the possible difference between ‘International Children’s Day’ (June 1) and ‘Universal Children’s Day’ (November 20)? What is the significance of ‘World Dance Day’ or ‘World Sleep Day’ (March 17)? Hope no one is expected to keep on dancing or sleeping throughout the particular days. Heard anything like an ‘International Kiss day’ (July 6) or ‘International Picnic Day’ (June 18) or ‘International Talk Like a Pirate Day’ (September 17)? Sounds funny sometimes? Not some times, but most often!
Given all these very special days, let there only be a “World No-More-Nonsense Days Day”, to stop celebrating each day for simply silly causes. So watch out, ‘What is today for’?
