Kathmandu, October 4:

Among the 365 days in a year, we celebrate 91 days as one or the other international day. That means we celebrate a day as an international day in every four days.

Besides the national days, Nepal celebrates 69 international days in a year; that is because not all international days are marked across the world. World communities do not observe all international days with same enthusiasm; for example, the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People (November 29) is celebrated only in the Mideast.

International days are marked to raise awareness on particular issues. For example, the World Water Day on March 22, World Environment Day on June 5, World AIDS Day on December 1 and International Human Rights Day on December 10 are marked to raise awareness of the respective issues.

International Women’s Day on March 8 is also marked worldwide, while November 25 is marked as International Day for Elimination of Violence against Women. May 3 is celebrated as the World Press Freedom Day and May 17 as the World Information Society Day and November 21 as World Television Day.

A few of the UN international days are limited to the periphery of the UN, such as UN Peacekeepers Day (May 29) and UN Public Service Day (June 23). The UN Day, which falls on October 24, is celebrated across the world in its member countries.

Ethnic and Indigenous people celebrate International Mother Language Day on February 21 and International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination on March 21. The same group observes the Week of Solidarity with the People Struggling against Racism and Racial Discrimination from March 21 to 28. UN has declared five for international celebrations.

They are: Week for Solidarity with the People of Non-Self Governing Territories (May 25-June 1), World Maritime Week (last week of September), World Space Week (October 4-10), Disarmament Week (October 24-30) and the Week for Solidarity with People Struggling against Racism and Racial Discrimination (March 21-28).