International Tea Day (21/05)

In December 2019, the UN General Assembly, by its resolution (A/RES/74/241), proclaimed May 21 as International Tea Day.

Among the drinks known around the world, tea is perhaps the most popular and famous. In popularity and prevalence, it is second only to water, but unlike it, it is used not only to quench thirst, but also as a tonic and warming agent, and different types of tea allow drink lovers to form preferences according to their own taste.

Tea — is a drink made from the Camellia sinesis plant. In addition to the tonic effect, it also has a number of other beneficial properties that are used in traditional medicine in some countries.

Tea is believed to be native to northeast and southwest China and northern Myanmar, with the earliest recorded drinking time being 5,000 years ago.

For the countries of Southeast Asia, tea has long become an integral part of culture, where each country has formed its own traditions of drinking tea and preparing this magical drink, the variety of varieties of which is associated, among other things, with observing different methods of oxidation and fermentation.

It is also important to take into account that tea production is very sensitive to climate change (Photo: old apple, licensed by Shutterstock.com)

For many countries, the tea industry is a critical part of the economy, involving a significant number of citizens. Collecting tea for these people is the main means of earning money, and for states – is part of the income item from exports.

Given the popularity of the drink, its role in the traditional culture of many peoples of the world, as well as the fact that tea production can maintain economic well-being in a number of regions of the world and is the main source of income for millions of people, many international organizations proposed establishing International Day of Tea. Following the World Public Forums held in Mumbai in 2004 and Porto Alegre in 2005, Tea Day began to be celebrated with December 15 as the date of celebration, recalling that there are still enough problems in the tea industry that require attention and solutions. This date was also associated with the eve of the events of December 16, 1773, which went down in history under the name «Boston Tea Party».

For the countries of Southeast Asia, tea has long become an integral part of culture (Photo: eAlisa, licensed by Shutterstock.com)

The original date was most widely observed in India and Sri Lanka, as well as countries where tea production is an important component of the economy: Burma, China, Tanzania, Kenya and a number of other countries.

Taking into account all the above facts, and also taking into account the reports of FAO, the UN General Assembly on December 19, 2019 proclaimed May 21 as International Tea Day, calling on FAO to take the lead in its annual activities. Since 2020, this holiday has been held annually at the official level.

First of all, events dedicated to its celebration are held in the regions where tea grows and is produced. In an effort to highlight the importance of tea and the tea industry in achieving the goals of the Sustainable Development Programme, and to support family agriculture and traditional agricultural systems that exist in harmony with the environment and support biological diversity, FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) has identified several regions in China, Korea and tea-growing Japan as world-class agricultural heritage systems. At the same time, three countries remain the world's main tea producers: China, India, Kenya and Sri Lanka.

Each country has formed its own traditions of drinking tea and preparing this magical drink (Photo: Ingmari, licensed from Shutterstock.com)

It is also important to consider that tea production is very sensitive to climate change. Tea can only be produced under certain agri-environmental conditions and therefore in the limited number of countries above, many of which are largely exposed to climate change. Changes in temperature and rainfall, leading to a large number of floods and droughts, are already having an impact on the yield, quality and price of tea products, leading to lower incomes and threatening rural livelihoods. Tea-producing countries must therefore take climate change issues into account, both in terms of adaptation and mitigation, in their national strategies to develop the tea industry.



• Infographics – poster «International Tea Day» • Article «Drink medicine with samovars»

1957