May 21 is the World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development and International Tea Day. This day left visible traces in world history — from geopolitical turns to cultural discoveries.
World Day of Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development
This is an international holiday that was declared by the UN General Assembly in 2002. The appearance of this day is directly related to the events of the previous year, when in November 2001 UNESCO member states adopted the Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity. The document was a reaction to the global challenges of the beginning of the 21st century — terrorism, conflicts, growing intolerance, and trends toward the unification of the cultural space. The Universal Declaration of UNESCO became one of the first international documents that recognized cultural diversity as important for humanity as biological diversity for nature.
At the heart of this holiday is the conviction that respect for cultural diversity is a necessary condition for peace, sustainable development, human understanding and deeper dialogue between communities. Cultural diversity encompasses not only ethnic traditions or languages, but also forms of expression, worldviews, artistic practices, and value systems. It is a living resource that expands the horizons of human thought and creativity. It is through the dialogue of cultures that societies can not only prevent conflicts, but also generate new ideas, go beyond limited ideas about “norm” and “otherness”.
The official purpose of this day is to promote the protection of cultural forms of self-expression, to support the efforts of minorities and indigenous peoples to preserve their own identity, and to provide opportunities for the full participation of different cultures in public life. This is also a reason to remind about the threats facing cultural diversity – globalization, unification of media space, marginalization of languages and local traditions.
In many countries, this day is accompanied by cultural festivals, discussions, educational events, exhibitions designed to emphasize the polyphony of human civilization. Ukraine, as a multicultural state with traditions of coexistence of different nationalities, confessions and cultures, has every reason to perceive this day not as a formality, but as a real opportunity for social dialogue and cultural integration.
Interesting facts
UNESCO’s Universal Declaration of Cultural Diversity in 2001 was a response to the September 11 terrorist attacks in the United States. It was created as an alternative to the “clash of civilizations” policy and emphasized the role of cultural understanding in preventing global conflicts.
In 2011, the UN launched the global campaign Do One Thing for Diversity and Inclusion, which called on people around the world to take at least one action for intercultural dialogue — from participating in a cultural event to supporting local languages.
Cultural diversity is recognized by UNESCO as a source of “economic wealth”, as creative industries based on cultural forms generate billions of dollars worldwide.
Today, about 40% of the world’s languages are threatened with extinction. That is why the UN includes linguistic diversity among the key areas of cultural heritage preservation.
In 2025, the day will focus on protecting cultural expressions in conflict zones and supporting communities affected by war and forced displacement.
International Tea Day
This celebration aims to draw attention to the enduring importance of tea in world culture, economy, agriculture and ecology. It was established by the UN General Assembly in December 2019 based on a resolution initiated by a number of countries, including India, which is one of the largest producers and consumers of tea in the world. The first official commemoration under the auspices of the UN took place on May 21, 2020.
World tea production has a centuries-old history. Its consumption began in China more than 5 thousand years ago and gradually spread to all continents. In the modern world, tea is the second most popular drink after water. It not only quenches thirst, but also has deep socio-cultural significance, being a symbol of hospitality, tranquility or ritual in various cultures, from the Japanese tea ceremony to the British five o’clock tea.
However, behind the facade of cultural aesthetics is also the complex reality of production: in many countries, especially in South Asia and Africa, tea cultivation is associated with hard physical labor, low wages, female exploitation and the threats of climate change. International Tea Day aims not only to promote the consumption of tea, but also to call for fair working conditions for farmers, responsible consumption, soil protection and sustainable agricultural practices.
The UN sees the development of the tea industry as a tool for achieving the goals of sustainable development — in particular, reducing poverty, ensuring food security, supporting small farmers, preserving biodiversity and ensuring equal access for women to work.
In Ukraine, the culture of tea drinking has developed under the influence of Eastern European and Asian traditions, and although the state is not a producer of tea, it imports it from various countries and gradually forms its own consumption culture – with the development of teahouses, specialized coffee shops, interest in premium tea varieties and traditional forms of brewing.
Interesting facts
Tea caused one of the most famous revolutions. The Boston Tea Party of 1773 was a key episode before the American Revolution. The British put a tax on tea, which outraged the colonists. They threw whole crates of tea into the ocean — not because of taste, but because of politics.
The most expensive tea in the world grows in China and is fed by a panda. This is Panda Dung Tea. It is fertilized with panda dung because it is believed to be naturally rich in antioxidants. The price reaches $3,500 for 50 grams.
In 2016, archaeologists found a container with pressed tea leaves in the tomb of a Chinese emperor of the Han dynasty (II century BC). This is the earliest evidence of human consumption of tea.
In Japan, there is a tea ceremony that lasts four hours. This is not just a tea ceremony, but a whole philosophy: ritual, contemplation, silence, attention to every movement. It is held in a special room with its own rules of etiquette.
More than 100 million cups of tea are drunk in the UK every day. And although tea came to Britain only in the 17th century, it has taken root so much that many Britons consider it the “traditional” drink of their culture.
In Tibet, tea is drunk with yak butter and salt. This drink is called pho cha. It is thick, salty and high in calories – ideal for survival in a mountain climate. It is not a tea for pleasure, but a source of energy and warmth.
Green, black, white, oolong and puerh are the same bush. All classic teas are made from the same species — Camellia sinensis. The difference between them is in the way the leaves are processed: degree of fermentation, drying, twisting and aging.
In Ukraine, until the 20th century, tea was rare – it was replaced by “herbal tea”
Only the rich could drink real tea. Peasants prepared drinks from mint, linden, raspberries, strawberries, St. John’s wort – all this is not tea in the literal sense, but has become part of our culture.
In China, tea was once considered a cure for alcohol intoxication. It was given to drunken officials to “sober and refresh the mind.” That is why tea was served for a long time in hospitals and monasteries, and not at meals.
They also drank tea in space – Chinese astronauts took oolong with them. During the Shenzhou 7 mission, Chinese oolong leaves were on board to maintain the rhythm and well-being of the crew in weightlessness. They did not brew it with boiling water, but used special bags with essence.
According to FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations), global tea production will exceed 6 million tons in 2023, with China, India, Kenya and Sri Lanka remaining the market leaders.
Historical events on this day
1502 year Portuguese explorer Juan da Nova, while on duty in Spain, discovered the island of St. Helena in the South Atlantic.
1503 year Christopher Columbus discovered the Cayman Islands during his last voyage to America.
1809 near Aspern, Napoleon Bonaparte suffered his first defeat in a land battle – from the Austrian Archduke Charles.
in 1831 the first literary almanac in Ukraine appeared in Kharkiv – “Ukrainian Almanac”.
1840 year New Zealand was officially declared a British colony.
1859 the legendary clock Big Ben started working for the first time in London.
1864 after the end of the Russo-Caucasian War, the mass deportation and physical extermination of the Circassians began, an event now recognized as genocide.
1892 In Kyiv, the first electric tram was launched within the entire former Russian Empire.
1900 Russia annexed 64 border villages of Manchuria, located east of the Amur River.
1904 The International Federation of Football Associations (FIFA) was founded in Paris, which later became the largest football association on the planet.
1916 year in Great Britain for the first time in human history “summer” time was officially introduced.
1919 in Ukraine, the Bolshevik government nationalized all river and sea shipping enterprises.
1921 The All-Ukrainian Commission for the Elimination of Illiteracy was created, which was headed by Hryhoriy Petrovskyi.
1928 Walt Disney received a patent for the exclusive use of the image of Mickey Mouse.
1937 year scientists began work on the world’s first drifting polar station called the “North Pole”.
1944 year In a plebiscite, Icelanders supported the parliament’s decision to break with Denmark, and already on June 17, Iceland was declared an independent republic.
1968 In the Atlantic Ocean, the American nuclear submarine “Scorpion” disappeared in the Atlantic Ocean, with 99 crew members on board.
1992 the Crimean parliament canceled the previously planned referendum on the autonomy’s independence, which was supposed to be held in August.
1992 The People’s Republic of China conducted the most powerful nuclear explosion in its test history.
2000 year In a referendum, the Swiss supported the deepening of their country’s cooperation with the European Union.
2006 a referendum was held in Montenegro, according to the results of which the majority of the population supported the idea of independence from Serbia.
