Important Dates and Events in December

International and National events are marked to raise awareness and educate the citizens. They revolve around different categories like education, health, social issues, and more. It is important to focus on them and know the basic details.

Exams like UPSC, RRB, Banking, etc. all mainly focus on the general knowledge section. The past papers have seen questions revolving around these events. This article covers all the important dates and events in the month of December.

Important Events in December

Let us see Important events in December month both globally and Nationally.

Global Events in December

Firstly let’s see global events in December month:

1. World AIDS Day – 1 December

The first celebration took place in 1988. Two public information officers at the World Health Organization came up with the idea to start this day. The idea is to raise awareness about HIV and AIDS. The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS came into being in 1996 and took over this day.

They discourage prejudice against the disease in society and promote education around this topic. The theme for 2019 was “Communities make the difference”.

2. International Day for the Abolition of Slavery – 2 December

The Convention for the Suppression of the Traffic in Persons and of the Exploitation of the Prostitution of Others became official on 2 December 1949. This was done by the United Nations General Assembly. The first celebration took place in 1986.

This day marks the date of this convention. The idea is to discourage and abolish modern slavery across the globe.

3. World Computer Literacy Day – 2 December

National Institute of Information Technology took the initiative to start this day in 2001. It came into being on 2 December 1981. This day marks the anniversary of their establishment. The idea is to promote IT education amongst the communities for the growth and development of society.

4. World Day of the Handicapped / United Nations’ International Day of Persons with Disabilities – 3 December

1981 was the International Year of Disabled Persons. The international decade of disabled persons was 1983-1992. The UN made this day official in 1992. The idea is to empathize with a person with disabilities and support them to do better.

The theme for 2019 was “Promoting the participation of persons with disabilities and their leadership”.

5. International Volunteer Day – 5 December

The UN made this day official in 1985. The idea is to promote volunteerism through different campaigns and events. It highlights the role of volunteers in achieving sustainable goals at different levels. The theme for 2019 was “Volunteer for an inclusive future”.

6. World Soil Day – 5 December

The International Union of Soil Sciences put forward the idea to celebrate this day in 2002. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations made it a global awareness event. This was under the leadership of the Kindom of Thailand. H.M. King Bhumibol Adulyadej was born on 5 December.

He was the king of Thailand during this time. The idea is to promote soil management and highlight the problems revolving around it. The theme for 2020 is “Keep soil alive, Protect soil biodiversity”.

7. International Civil Aviation Day – 7 December

The signing of the Convention on International Civil Aviation took place on 7 December 1944. This led to the establishment of the International Civil Aviation Organization. The UN made this day official in 1996. But the first celebration took place in 1994 by the organization itself.

The idea is to highlight the importance of civil aviation in the development of society. The theme for 2020 is “Working Together to Ensure No Country is Left behind”.

8. International Anti-corruption Day – 9 December

The signing of The United Nations Convention against Corruption took place on 9 December 2005. The idea is to discourage corruption and highlight the negative consequences of it. The theme for 2019 was “United Against Corruption”.

9. International Animal Rights Day – 10 December

The idea is to discourage animal slaughter across the globe. The focus is on the Universal Declaration of Animal Rights. Uncaged is an organization that took the initiative to start this day in 1998.

10. Human Rights Day – 10 December

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights came into being on 10 December 1948. The UN made this day official in 1950. In 1952, the United Nations Postal Administration issues a human rights stamp on this date.

The idea is to educate people about basic human rights and promote them. The theme for 2019 was “Youth Standing Up for Human Rights”.

11. International Mountain Day – 11 December

The Conference on Environment and Development adopted “Managing Fragile Ecosystems: Sustainable Mountain Development” in 1992. The UN made this day official in 2002 due to increasing attention to the mountains.

The idea is to discourage overexploitation of this natural resource. They promote measures to protect it from climate change. The theme for 2019 was “Mountains Matter for Youth”.

12. Day of Neutrality – 12 December

It is one of the most important events of Turkmenistan. The UN resolution which said that
“Status of permanent neutrality of Turkmenistan will contribute to peace and security in the region.” came into being on 12 December 1995.

13. Universal Health Coverage Day – 12 December

The first United Nations resolution about affordable and quality health care came into being on 12 December. The WHO organizes events and campaigns every year to promote the idea of right to health.

14. World Energy Conservation Day / National Energy Conservation Day – 14 December

It is an initiative by The Bureau of Energy Efficiency. The first celebration took place in 1991. The idea is to promote energy conservations by using it efficiently. The Ministry of Power organizes this day every year in India. National Energy Conservation Week is from 9 to 14 December.

15. International Tea Day – 15 December

The first celebration took place in 2015 in India. The UN made this an official global day in 2019. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations will organize this event. The idea is to promote fair trade and highlight challenges faced by tea workers and growers.

16. UN Arabic Language Day – 18 December

The Arabic language became an official UN language on 18 December 1973. UNESCO made this day official in 2010. The idea is to promote diversity and equal use of all 6 official languages. The theme for 2019 was “Arabic Language and Artificial Intelligence”.

17. International Migrants Day – 18 December

The UN’s International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families came into being on 18 December 1990. The UN made this day official in 2000.

The idea is to promote human flights, freedom of speech, and protection of migrants. The theme for 2019 was “#WeTogether”.

18. International Human Solidarity Day – 20 December

It is the unity day of the United Nations. The first celebration took place in 2005 after the World Summit ( 2005 ). The idea is to reduce poverty across the globe and organize campaigns to educate people about it.

19. Winter solstice – 21 December 2020

On this day Earth tilts away from the maximum from the sun. From this day the nights become shorter and the day longer. It also marks the rebirth of the sun according to some cultures.

20. Christmas Day – 25 December

Jesus was born on 25 December. This day marks his birth anniversary. It is a religious festival for the Christian community and cultural festival for others. It is an international holiday.

21. New Year’s Eve – 31 December

It is the last day of the Gregorian calendar. It is a global holiday. The celebration takes place in the form of parties and gatherings.

National Events in December

Let us now see National events in December month.

1. National Pollution Control – 2 December

Bhopal Gas tragedy took place on 2 December 1984. This day is to remember those who lost their lives in this tragedy. The idea is to control pollution through different measures.

Many people died in this tragedy because of the industrial disaster. The Indian Government wants to control industrial pollution and reduce the level of pollutants in general.

2. Indian Navy Day – 4 December

Operation Trident was an operation by the Indian Navy on the port of Karachi. This was during the Indo-Pakistani War. This took place on 4 and 5 December 1971. This day is to remember the martyrs of this event.

The ides is to appreciate the Indian Navy for its achievements and its service to the country. The theme for 2019 was “Indian Navy – Silent, Strong and Swift”.

3. Indian Armed Forces Flag Day – 7 December

The defense ministry took the initiative to start this day in 1949. The idea is to appreciate and respect the army for their contribution to the country. They aim to collect funds by selling flags for the welfare of the army personnel.

4. Vijay Diwas – 16 December

India won the Indo-Pak war on 16 December 1971. It started on the 3 December and ended on 16 December. The aftermath led to the formation of Bangladesh from East Pakistan.

Bijoy Dibos is the Bangladeshi name for this day. The idea is to honor the soldiers who lost their lives fighting for the country.

5. Minorities Rights Day (India) – 18 December

National Commission for Minorities celebrates this day every year in India. The UN’s statement on the individual’s Rights belonging to religious or Linguistic National or Ethnic Minorities came out on 18 December 1992.

The idea is to promote minority upliftment and raise awareness about the challenges they face.

6. Goa’s Liberation Day – 19 December

The Indian armed force freed Goa from Portuguese rule on 19 December 1961. The Portuguese ruled over Goa for 450 years. The Goa liberation movement grew powerful from the 1940s.

After the Indian Government failed to free goa with diplomacy, the armed forces were sent there. This day commemorates this event.

7. National Mathematics Day – 22 December

Srinivasa Ramanujan was born on 22 December 1887. He was a mathematician during the British rule in India. Number theory, fractions, elliptic integrals, seta theories, etc. were some of his works.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh made this day official in 2012 on Ramanujan’s birthday. This day is to honor him and his achievements.

8. Kisan Divas / Farmer’s Day – 23 December

Chaudhary Charan Singh was the 5th Prime minister of India. He was born on 23 December 1902. He is famous for boosting the farming industry of India by introducing many policies to support the farmers.

The idea is to highlight the importance of farmers and appreciate them for their contribution. The first celebration took place in 2001.

9. National Consumers Day – 24 December

Consumer Protection Act, 1986 received the assent of the president on 24 December. The idea is to promote fair ethics for consumer protection. It also highlights consumers’ rights and responsibilities. The theme for 2020 is “The Sustainable Consumer”.

10. Good Governance Day – 25 December

Atal Bihari Vajpayee was born on 25 December 1924. He was the 10th prime minister of India. This day is to honor him and his achievements. The government promotes the message of their accountability to the country on this day.

Conclusion

And this is the end. All the events mentioned above are important from exam point of view. The question can be asked directly or in the form of a case study. It is important to remember the details and especially the dates.

If you are a student preparing for a competitive exam then this article is a must-read for you. All the international and national events in December are mentioned above. Sit back and read thoroughly.