On March 21, the world celebrates the International Day of Forests, the World Wood Day, the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, the World Housekeeping Day, the World Poetry Day and the Day of Classical Music. The day has also gone down in history with many landmark events spanning religion, law, music, technological progress, politics and the digital age.
International Day of Forests
This is an important environmental date that is celebrated annually on March 21 all over the world. The event was launched by the United Nations on November 28, 2012 to draw the attention of humanity to the global problem of deforestation and the need to preserve them. The decision was made at the 67th session of the UN General Assembly. The main reason for the introduction of this day was the shocking figures: every year about 13 million hectares of forests disappear on the planet – this is an area larger than the area of Greece or Nepal.
This day aims not only to remind about the value of forests for life on Earth, but also to contribute to the formation of a global culture of responsible attitude towards nature. Forests are the lungs of the planet, they absorb carbon dioxide and produce oxygen, regulate the water balance, protect soils from erosion, and are home to millions of plant and animal species. Forest ecosystems provide food, medicine, materials for billions of people and play a key role in the fight against climate change.
The UN calls on states, organizations, businesses and the public to conduct information campaigns, plant trees, organize educational events and actions to protect forests. After all, the health of the planet and the future of future generations depend on how responsibly humanity treats forests today.
Interesting facts
It is known that forests cover about 31% of the entire land area of the Earth, which is almost 4 billion hectares.
More than 80% of terrestrial species of animals, plants and fungi live in the world’s forests.
The largest tropical forest on the planet – Amazonia – produces 20% of all the Earth’s oxygen, which is why it is called the “lungs of the planet”.
According to scientists’ estimates, there are about 3 trillion trees growing in the world – that’s almost 422 trees for every inhabitant of the planet.
Despite this, the number of trees on Earth has decreased by almost 50% over the past 12,000 years, mostly due to deforestation for agriculture and urbanization.
The oldest tree on the planet, the Methuselah pine in California, is over 4,800 years old.
Trees are able to “communicate” with each other through root systems and mycelium, forming the so-called “Wood Wide Web”.
Forests not only produce oxygen, they also store carbon: it is estimated that they absorb about 2 billion tons of CO₂ every year.
Restoration and preservation of forests can provide a third of all necessary measures to reduce the rate of global warming.
World Wood Day
World Wood Day is an annual international event that is celebrated on March 21 and is designed to highlight the unique value of wood as a natural, renewable resource. Symbolically, this date coincides with the International Day of Forests, creating a double emphasis on the importance of forests and all that they provide to humanity.
This holiday was started in order to remind: wood is not just a material used by man in construction or production, but the result of many years of work of nature. It preserves the history of the growth of trees, their participation in the formation of ecosystems, climate and landscapes. Wood is an example of a sustainable resource that, if properly used and restored, can serve humanity forever without depleting nature.
World Wood Day draws attention to the role of this material in sustainable development, economy and biodiversity conservation. Wood is used in construction, everyday life, art, medicine, energy and even in high technology. At the same time, wood production can and should be environmentally responsible, taking into account forest restoration and minimizing damage to the environment.
Interesting facts
Wood is one of the oldest materials used by man. Archaeologists find wooden products over 10,000 years old.
At each stage of its life, a tree accumulates carbon from the atmosphere. In wood products, this carbon remains bound for tens or even hundreds of years.
Wood is considered one of the most environmentally friendly building materials. Wooden buildings have natural thermal insulation and reduce CO₂ emissions compared to concrete structures.
Innovative wooden buildings are gaining more and more popularity in the world. For example, a wooden skyscraper with a height of more than 85 meters has been erected in Norway.
Wood is used in medicine: prostheses, medical instruments, and even medicines based on tree bark are made from it.
According to FAO, the forest industry employs more than 33 million people worldwide.
Wood is the basis of many traditional crafts and cultural heritage: wood carving, musical instruments, shipbuilding, furniture art.
The production of paper, furniture, construction and energy are the largest sectors of the modern economy based on the use of wood.
World Planting Day
This environmental initiative is designed to unite people around the world around the simple but extremely important goal of greening the planet. This day is celebrated every year on March 21 — the day of the vernal equinox and at the same time the International Day of Forests. The date was chosen symbolically, because spring is traditionally considered a time of rebirth of nature, new beginnings and care for the environment.
World Planting Day encourages people to actively participate in planting trees, bushes, flowers and other plants to make the planet greener and cleaner. After all, plants play a fundamental role in sustaining life on Earth. They produce oxygen, clean the air, protect soils from erosion, regulate the climate and provide homes for billions of living organisms.
Planting plants is a simple and affordable way for everyone to contribute to the preservation of the planet and leave a good mark for future generations.
Interesting facts
In one hour, one tree can absorb up to 2.35 kg of carbon dioxide and produce about 1.7 kg of oxygen – this is enough for two people to breathe for a day.
Scientists have estimated that to mitigate the effects of global warming, humanity needs to plant at least another trillion trees.
Some countries are conducting large-scale national planting campaigns. For example, in India, in the state of Uttar Pradesh in 2016, more than 50 million trees were planted in a day, setting a world record.
The root system of trees not only strengthens the soil, but is also able to raise the level of groundwater, preventing droughts.
Planting trees in cities lowers the air temperature in summer by several degrees, protecting people from the heat and reducing the load on energy systems.
Green spaces near roads reduce the noise level by 20-30% and absorb dust and harmful emissions.
Growing plants improves the psycho-emotional state of a person, reduces the level of stress and anxiety – this is a scientifically proven fact.
The oldest living plant on the planet — the Pando poplar colony in the USA — has existed for more than 80,000 years and weighs more than 6,000 tons.
International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
This date was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in 1966 to commemorate the tragic events in South Africa, which became a symbol of humanity’s struggle for equality and justice. It was on March 21, 1960, in the South African city of Sharpeville, that the police opened fire on a peaceful demonstration against the so-called “passports” – internal documents that restricted the movement of the black population. As a result of the shooting, 69 people died, more than 180 were injured.
This date became a powerful reminder to the world about the danger of racism and the need to eradicate it. Since then, the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination has become a global call for unity, equality of rights and freedoms for all people, regardless of skin color, ethnic or national origin.
The UN emphasizes that racism and discrimination remain acute problems that generate inequality, violence and social tension in many countries of the world. Each year before this date, a specific theme is chosen to draw attention to the most painful manifestations of racial injustice in the world, from structural racism to xenophobia, hate crimes and discrimination against indigenous peoples.
Interesting facts
Apartheid, which the people of Sharpeville protested in 1960, officially operated in South Africa from 1948 to 1994. The system involved complete segregation of the races in all aspects of life, from education to marriage.
In 1973, apartheid was recognized as a crime against humanity at the UN level.
According to UNESCO, racial discrimination remains a serious problem in more than 70 countries of the world today.
One of the most famous symbols of the fight against racism was Nelson Mandela, the first black president of South Africa, who spent 27 years in prison for his struggle against apartheid.
In 1965, the UN adopted the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination — one of the first global documents on the protection of human rights.
According to estimates of international human rights organizations, today racism is most often manifested in the form of discrimination in education, the labor market, the justice system, and access to medical services.
The Black Lives Matter movement, born in the USA in 2013, has become one of the most massive examples of the fight against racial discrimination and violence against black people in recent history.
The symbol of this day is a white dove as a sign of peace and equality of all races and peoples.
World Housekeeping Day
This day is designed to remind society about the importance and value of daily work, which remains invisible, but is the basis of the well-being of each family and society in general. This holiday was initiated by the International Federation for Home Economics (IFHE) and is part of a global campaign to recognize the role of domestic work in socio-economic development.
The concept of “housekeeping” refers not only to cleaning or cooking, but to a wide range of activities – organizing the household, caring for children, the elderly and people with disabilities, managing the family budget, saving resources, environmental management of the home and educating responsible consumers. All this forms the quality of everyday life and directly affects the health, comfort and well-being of the family and society.
Despite its importance, domestic work is often undervalued and invisible. In many countries, it is not taken into account in the gross domestic product (GDP), although according to experts, if this work were valued monetarily, its contribution to the economy would be enormous. World Housekeeping Day is designed to raise the status of this work, to call for an equal distribution of household responsibilities between men and women, and to draw attention to the importance of education in the field of household management and rational use of resources.
Interesting facts
According to the UN, more than 75% of unpaid domestic work in the world is performed by women. On average, a woman spends three times more time on housework than a man.
In some countries, such as Sweden and Canada, housekeeping is part of the public education curriculum and is taught in school.
According to research, if unpaid domestic work were valued in monetary terms, its contribution to the global economy could exceed $10 trillion per year.
Smart household organization allows you to significantly reduce energy, water and food costs, reducing the burden on the environment.
In the 21st century, a separate science appeared – Home Economics, which covers not only household skills, but also financial literacy, budget planning, sociology of the family and environmental responsibility.
Housework includes more than 150 types of activities, from the simplest such as washing dishes or cooking, to complex managerial decisions about the budget, shopping and planning the future of the family.
In many countries, there are professional associations that unite specialists in the field of home economics and promote the idea of its recognition as an important component of the economy and social welfare.
World Poetry Day
This is one of the important cultural holidays initiated by UNESCO. It was officially announced at the 30th session of the UNESCO General Conference in 1999 in Paris. Its purpose is to support the poetic traditions of all mankind, preserve linguistic and cultural diversity, and draw attention to the role of poetry in the modern world.
Poetry has accompanied humanity since ancient times — from the first epic tales and folk songs to the poems of modern authors, which resonate in the hearts of millions. She is able to convey what is difficult to express in ordinary words, helps a person to understand his own feelings, to understand the world and his place in it.
World Poetry Day is designed to support little-known poets and give a new sound to classic works. On this day, poetry readings, literary festivals, exhibitions, meetings with authors, competitions and master classes are held in many countries of the world. Poetry is returning to the stage, to school classrooms, to the media space and even to the streets of cities, where everyone can read their poem or share their favorite work.
Interesting facts
Poetry is one of the oldest forms of art. The oldest known poem is the Sumerian epic about Gilgamesh, created over 4,000 years ago.
The word “poetry” comes from the Greek language and means “creation”, “creation”.
In many cultures of the world, it was poetry that became the first literary form – long before the appearance of writing, it was transmitted orally from generation to generation.
Poetry influences not only culture, but also politics and social movements. Many revolutions and liberation movements were born from the words of poets, whose lines became slogans.
The shortest poem in the world belongs to the American poet Archit McLeish and consists of only one word and one letter: “Fleas / Adam / Had ’em”.
Poetry plays an important role in psychotherapy: the poetic word is used as a tool in the treatment of depression, anxiety and for emotional relief.
Since 2018, UNESCO has included the Ukrainian kobzar tradition — the singing of poetry accompanied by a kobza or bandura — in the list of intangible cultural heritage of humanity.
Day of old music
This holiday is celebrated on the birthday of one of the greatest composers of the Baroque era, Johann Sebastian Bach. This holiday was started by the European Early Music Network (European Early Music Network) in 2013. Its purpose is to draw attention to the rich musical heritage created from ancient times to the end of the 18th century, in particular to the music of the Middle Ages, Renaissance and Baroque.
Early music is not just a part of history, but a living art that is still performed on stages around the world today. It reveals to modern people the beauty of ancient melodies, the depth of thoughts and feelings of past eras, introduces unique instruments and forgotten traditions.
This holiday is also important for the promotion of historically informed performance, an approach where musicians strive to reproduce the sound of works as accurately as possible as they sounded in the time of their authors. This allows for a deeper understanding of the context of a certain era and a new experience of well-known classical works. Early Music Day reminds us that even through the centuries, this music continues to live, inspire and enrich modern culture.
Interesting facts
Johann Sebastian Bach, in whose honor the date of the holiday was chosen, during his lifetime was known more as an organist and master of improvisation than as a composer. Only a century later, his music gained worldwide fame.
The term “early music” covers a huge period – from antiquity to the end of the 18th century, including the Middle Ages, Renaissance and Baroque eras.
Ancient music uses unique instruments, many of which have almost disappeared or are preserved only in museums – crotals, shalmeiks, harps, lutes, cornets, violas and gambas.
Often, for the performance of ancient music, copies of historical instruments are created based on ancient drawings and from authentic materials.
The world’s oldest known musical composition, a hymn to the Sumerian god Nikal, was composed more than 3,400 years ago and is preserved on a clay tablet.
Ancient music is distinguished by a special attention to the harmony of nature, the rhythms of time and even astronomical phenomena – it was not just a sound, but a whole philosophy of the world.
On baroque violins, the strings were made of sheep intestines, not metal, which gave the sound softness and warmth.
In Ukraine, the traditions of early music are represented not only by classical European genres, but also by kobzar art, ancient spiritual chants, and nativity scene music.
Historical events on this day
630 – The Byzantine Emperor Heraclius solemnly returned to Jerusalem one of the greatest Christian relics – the Life-Giving Cross of Jesus Christ, previously captured by Sassanid troops during the war between Byzantium and Persia. This event had not only religious, but also political significance, strengthening the authority of the emperor and the influence of Christianity in the Middle East.
1804 – In France, the Napoleonic Code entered into force – the civil code, which laid the foundations of the modern legal system of many countries of the world. This document for the first time established the principles of equality of citizens before the law, inviolability of private property and freedom of religion, becoming a benchmark of the legal system for Europe and beyond.
1846 – Belgian music master Adolphe Sax received a patent for his invention – the saxophone. The new wind instrument, combining the strength of copper and the flexibility of wooden instruments, opened a new page in music, later becoming one of the symbols of jazz, military orchestras and academic compositions.
1921 – In Soviet Russia, the government decided to replace the product tax with a product tax, thus officially starting the NEP policy (new economic policy). This was an attempt to save the economy that had collapsed after the Civil War by allowing a partial revival of private trade and entrepreneurship.
1961 – The Beatles performed for the first time at The Cavern Club in Liverpool. This event, seemingly mundane at first glance, became the starting point for one of the most famous musical phenomena of the 20th century, which changed the face of world culture.
1963 – In the USA, Alcatraz prison, located on the island of the same name in the San Francisco Bay, has officially ceased operation. The prison was considered one of the harshest and most notorious in the world, earning it the nickname “The Rock” and becoming part of American folklore.
1984 – A dangerous collision occurred in the Sea of Japan: the Soviet nuclear submarine K-314 collided with the American aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk during surveillance. The incident almost led to a major international crisis and became one of the examples of the “cold war” in maritime spaces.
1990 – After decades under the rule of South Africa, Namibia received its long-awaited independence. This event ended the people’s long-standing struggle for the right to self-determination and became an important milestone for the continent as a whole.
2006 – In digital history, this day was remembered by the launch of the social network Twitter (now X). A seemingly simple microblogging service with a limit of 140 characters has turned into a powerful tool for communication, information campaigns and political change around the world.
2014 – Ukraine took an important step towards Europe by signing the political part of the Association Agreement with the European Union. This event was the result of the Revolution of Dignity and testified to the country’s desire for European values and integration.
2022 A tragedy occurred in southern China: a Boeing 737 passenger plane crashed, killing all 132 people on board. It became one of the largest aviation incidents in modern Chinese history.
2022 – In Russia, the court officially recognized Meta (Facebook) as an extremist organization and banned its activities on the territory of the country. This decision was a consequence of the political conflict and continued restrictions on freedom of speech and access to independent sources of information in the context of the war against Ukraine.
