Sustainability Calendar, 2024 milestones for the sustainable development

The annual calendar is full of events, patron saint days and anniversaries of all kinds. But one of type of celebration that is gaining more and more ground in the agendas of institutions or in public channels such as social networks is that of international days.

That is precisely why, and because of the impact that giving visibility to certain issues for at least one day a year has, we have created this Sustainability Calendar, which acts as an essential agenda for 2024, where we list the most significant international or world days for the sustainable development of the planet.

Click on the image to see the Sustainability Calendar:

The importance of International and World Days

Why are International Days so important? At first glance, it may seem quite irrelevant to celebrate World Bee Day or World Migratory Bird Day, for example. Why do bees need the world to talk about them for a full day? That is exactly the point, to talk about them and the difficult future they face if nothing is done to mitigate the problems that are affecting their survival, such as the sustainable initiative of bus stops to combat the decline in bee population. Perhaps through having their own day on the calendar, many more people will become aware of what would happen if bees disappeared, not only in relation to their species, but with virtually all the ecosystems on the planet.

That is why the goal of international days or world days is to increase public awareness of specific problems and for governments to develop initiatives to address it. Some examples of these are International Day of Forests or the World Energy Efficiency Day.

Who chooses International Days?

Most international days are proposed by the States of the United Nations General Assembly and approved, or rejected, by consensus of the Organisation. Usually the topics are related to the main areas of action of the United Nations, such as peacekeeping, the fight for human rights, the fight against climate change or the conservation of the planet. In fact, in its resolutions, the Assembly normally explains the reasons why it has chosen a certain day and date.

At other times, one of the United Nations agencies, such as UNESCO, UNICEF or the World Health Organization, submits a proposal to the UN General Assembly for their approval. If these matters are within their competence, the agencies themselves can sometimes proclaim an international day without going through the Assembly.

The UN uses these events not only to raise awareness and understanding about global issues such as climate change, but to advise States on the initiatives that they can take to mitigate some of the issues highlighted by these dates. On International Day for Biological Diversity, for example, the Organisation invites its members to sign and ratify the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety.

In addition to these, there are other days that are celebrated thanks to the momentum of social groups and that become so popular that they are finally institutionalised, as in the case of LGBT Pride Day.

Sustainability Calendar

Each day of the calendar has its celebration, but the United Nations also usually highlights a specific issue and makes it the protagonist of the world agenda for an entire year. On this occasion, the UN has declared 2024 as the International Year of the Camelids.

In the vast kingdom of mammals, camelids, which include camels, dromedaries, llamas, alpacas, vicuñas and guanacos, stand out for their amazing ability to adapt to extreme environments. From arid deserts to grassy meadows and mountain peaks, these animals have become indispensable pillars for rural communities, providing not only meat and milk, but also wool and transportation.

However, despite their invaluable contribution to the local economy and cultural identity, they are often neglected in terms of funding for rural development. With the arrival of the International Year of the Camelids, it is expected that by 2025, there will be greater recognition and appreciation for their cultural and economic importance.

Source: United Nations, UN News