International Men's Day (19/11)

Every year on November 19, the world celebrates International Men's Day (IMD), with the aim of emphasizing the positive role of men in the family and society.

It was first celebrated in 1999 by the people of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago — of an island nation in the southern Caribbean Sea consisting of two large islands. The holiday subsequently found support in other Caribbean countries, Australia, North America, Asia, Europe and the United Nations. Today this holiday is celebrated in more than 60 countries around the world.

The idea of holding such a holiday was voiced back in the 1960s, when proposals appeared to celebrate International Men's Day on February 23 —, similar to International Women's Day, celebrated on March 8. However, for 30 long years the matter did not go beyond proposals. Only in the early 1990s, on the initiative of Professor Thomas Oaster, who headed the Center for Men's Studies at the University of Missouri-Kansas, minor events were held in the United States in February.

The initiator of the date of today's International Men's Day was Dr. Jerome Tiluksingh from the University of the West Indies. He offered November 19th — as his own father's birthday, which he said was a great role model.

The purpose of Day — is to draw attention to gender discrimination against men when determining the importance of their role in the family and raising children. The organizers of the holiday also focus on preserving the health of boys and men, on their social, emotional, physical and spiritual well-being, and on improving gender relations between men and women.

«We ourselves must become the changes we want to see in the world» (Photo: Pressmaster, licensed by Shutterstock.com)

According to the founders of the Day, this date encourages men to accustom boys to the values, character and responsibilities of being a man. Mahatma Gandhi said: «We ourselves must become the changes we want to see in the world». Only when the entire society — both men and women — sets an example, only then can a fair and safe society be created that will give everyone the opportunity to develop and prosper.

On this day, various seminars, events in schools, radio and television programs, peaceful demonstrations and processions, round tables, as well as art screenings dedicated to the role of men in society are held around the world. The procedure for celebrating this day is not mandatory, nor is its theme. Despite the fact that every year all countries are offered any one main theme of celebration (for example, «Male health», «Cure and forgiveness», «Joint work of men and boys», «Positive role of men», «Stop male suicide», «Improving relationships between men and women» and others), every state and every city has the right to choose a more relevant topic for itself.

By the way, this holiday should not be confused with World Men’s Day, which appeared on the initiative of the first and last president of the USSR, Mikhail Gorbachev, and is celebrated on the first Saturday of November.



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