The International Day of Families is observed on the 15th of May every year. The International Day of Families provides an opportunity to promote awareness of issues relating to families and to increase knowledge of the social, economic and demographic processes affecting them. It has inspired a series of awareness-raising events, including national family days. In many countries, this day is an opportunity to highlight different areas of interest and importance to families.
“A happy family is but an earlier heaven.” —George Bernard Shaw
“Family is a life jacket in the stormy sea of life.” – J.K. Rowling
HOW TO OBSERVE
Invite your family to work together on a project. Decide together what should be that project, the timeline, and details.
Celebrate your family with your family trivia
1. How many generations are in our family, alive and well today?
2. Who is the longest living family member with us today? (If female, give her a rose, if male, give him a family reunion hat or koozie.)
3. Who is the newest family member here today? (Could be a baby or a new marriage.)
4. Who are the newest newlyweds?
5. How many states does our family live in?
6. Who recently retired?
7. How many military members are in the family? (Give them each a little flag to recognize.)
8. In what year did our family make it over to the United States?
9. What is our family’s native language?
10. How many people are in our family total?
11. Who plays what musical instruments?
12. Who has traveled to the most countries? The most states?
History
Beginning in the 1980s, the United Nations started to focus attention on the issues related to the family.
1983 – Secretary-General moved to enhance awareness among decision-makers and the public of the problems and needs of the family.
1989 – The General Assembly proclaimed The International Year of the Family.
1993 – The U.N. General Assembly declared May 15 of every year should be observed as the International Day of Families
