Anniversaries and commemorations

International Children’s Book Day

Since 1967, on or around Hans Christian Andersen’s birthday, 2 April, International Children’s Book Day (ICBD) is celebrated to inspire a love of reading and to call attention to children’s books. Each year a different National Section of IBBY has the opportunity to be the international sponsor of ICBD. It decides upon a theme and…

Apr 2, 2023Iulian Dumitraşcu

March 8: International Women’s Day

International Women’s Day is celebrated all over the world on March 8. The history of celebrating this day began in the early 20th century in North America and Europe. The first national women’s day was celebrated in the United States on February 28, 1909 in memory of the 1908 textile workers’ strike, when women protested…

Mar 8, 2023Ștefana Totorcea

Romanian Patriarchate’s 98th establishment anniversary observed

On Saturday, February 4, 2023, the Romanian Orthodox Church marks the 98th anniversary of its elevation to the rank of patriarchate. On February 4, 1925, the Holy Synod gathered in Bucharest and resolved the establishment of the Romanian Orthodox Patriarchate, following Romania’s Great Union achieved in 1918. The first person who advocated for the elevation…

Feb 4, 2023Aurelian Iftimiu

International Orthodox Youth Day: The Church is more dynamic through its young people

On International Orthodox Youth Day, marked annually on February, 2, we recall a recent message from Patriarch Daniel, who said the presence of young people in the Church must be active and dynamic. We also recall some examples of actions in the service of the neighbour carried out by youth organisations in the Romanian Orthodox…

Feb 2, 2023Ștefana Totorcea

“Women move mountains”: International Mountain Day 2022

“Women move mountains” is this year’s International Mountain Day theme. The theme was chosen because men from the mountains often migrate elsewhere in search of alternative livelihoods, while women have taken on many tasks formerly done by men. “Yet, mountain women are often invisible due to a lack of decision-making power and unequal access to…

Dec 11, 2022Ștefana Totorcea

Plea for the rights of the unborn children on World Children’s Day

This year, 20 November, marks three decades since UNICEF established World Children’s Day to celebrate the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. There is much talk about children’s rights and about involving children in decision-making processes, but less about the right to life for the unborn children. Children have fundamental rights,…

Nov 20, 2022Ștefana Totorcea

First Thursday of November, the International Day against violence and bullying at school including cyberbullying

UNESCO member states declared the first Thursday of November, the International Day against violence and bullying at school including cyberbullying, recognizing that school-related violence in all its forms is an infringement of children and adolescents’ rights to education and to health and well-being. It calls upon member states, UN partners, other relevant international and regional…

Nov 3, 2022Sorin Ioniţe

Global Media and Information Literacy Week: October 24-31

Global Media and Information Literacy (MIL) Week 2022 is observed from October 24 to October 31. The Global Media and Information Literacy Week was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in 2021. The theme for this year’s MIL week as “Nurturing trust: A Media and Information Literacy Imperative.” The Global MIL Week 2022 focuses on…

Oct 25, 2022Sorin Ioniţe

World Mental Health Day

World Mental Health Day is observed on 10 October every year, with the overall objective of raising awareness of mental health issues around the world and mobilizing efforts in support of mental health. The Day provides an opportunity for all stakeholders working on mental health issues to talk about their work, and what more needs…

Oct 10, 2022Iulian Dumitraşcu

World Teachers Day 2022: „Transformation of education begins with teachers”

The International Labour Organization (ILO), UNESCO, UNICEF and Education International adopted on Wednesday a joint statement for World Teachers Day. They quote philosopher John Dewey: “You cannot teach today the same way you did yesterday to prepare students for tomorrow”. This year’s theme of World Teachers Day is „The transformation of education begins with teachers”.…

Oct 5, 2022Ștefana Totorcea

Patriarch Daniel’s 15th enthronement anniversary: key milestones

His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel marks Friday the 15th anniversary of his enthronement as Primate of the Romanian Orthodox Church. September 30 is the official celebration of the Patriarch of Romania. These years will be remembered for the Romanian Orthodox Church because of the efforts made to adapt to a rapidly changing environment while upholding its…

Sep 30, 2022Aurelian Iftimiu