INTERNATIONAL DAY OF FAMILIES: MAY 15, 2016

International Day of Families

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.

International Day of Families
International Day of Families promotes the importance of a healthy and well-balanced family.
©iStockphoto.com/Ekaterina Monakhova

What Do People Do?

A wide range of events are organized at local, national and international levels. These include: workshops, seminars and policy meeting for public officials; exhibitions and organized discussions to raise awareness of the annual theme; educational sessions for children and young people; and the launch of campaigns for public policies to strengthen and support family units. In some countries, tool kits are created to help people organize celebrations aimed at a particular section of the population, such as school children or young adults.

Public Life

The International Day of Families is a global observance and not a public holiday.

Background

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.

Symbols

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.

2016 Theme: Families, healthy lives and sustainable future

International Day of Families Observances

Weekday Date Year Name Holiday Type Where It is Observed
Sat May 15 2010 International Day of Families United Nations observance
Sun May 15 2011 International Day of Families United Nations observance
Tue May 15 2012 International Day of Families United Nations observance
Wed May 15 2013 International Day of Families United Nations observance
Thu May 15 2014 International Day of Families United Nations observance
Fri May 15 2015 International Day of Families United Nations observance
Sun May 15 2016 International Day of Families United Nations observance
Mon May 15 2017 International Day of Families United Nations observance
Tue May 15 2018 International Day of Families United Nations observance
Wed May 15 2019 International Day of Families United Nations observance
Fri May 15 2020 International Day of Families United Nations observance

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