Proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in 1993 with resolution A/RES/47/237, the International Day of Families or IDF is observed on May 15 every year and reflects the importance attached to families and filial bonds by the international community.
According to the United Nations, 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."
This holiday is represented by a symbol of a heart that extends upwards and becomes the roof of a house. It is usually drawn in red and can either be used alone or be placed in a green circle. This symbol represents the heart and home – the basics of family life.
Each year, since 1996, a theme has been chosen by the UN secretary-general to celebrate International Day of Families. In 1996, when it was first observed, the theme was ‘Families – The First Victims of Poverty and Homelessness’. Subsequently, in 2007, the theme was ‘Families and Persons with Disabilities’ and in 2016, the theme was ‘Families, Healthy Lives, and a Sustainable Future’.
This year’s theme for the International Day of Families or IDF 2019 is ‘Families and Climate Action: Focus on SDG 13’.
The SDG 13 targets include -
SDG 13 target 13.3: Improve education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction, and early warning
SDG 13 target 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies, and planning
The main event of the International Day of Families will take place at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. On this day, people across the world celebrate spending time with their families and reuniting with family members.