What are the Special Days in April?
April month is the fourth month of the English or Gregorian calendar. It is also the fifth month of the early Julian calendar. The name of the month is kept after the name of the Greek goddess Aphrodite. It is derived from the word “aperit”, which is a Latin word and it means to open. According to the Roman calendar, April was the second month of the year with 30 days. Around 450 BC, April became the fourth month with 29 days, and January was declared as the first month. In the mid-40s BC, Julius Caesar reformed the calendar, and April became the fourth month with 30 days.
There are a few symbols of the month of April. Diamond is the birthstone of the month. The birth flower for the month is Daisy or Sweet Pea. The zodiac signs are Aries till 20th of April and Taurus from 20th April onwards. Let us know about the month and the days in April, international days in April, and national days in April.
Special Days in April 2021: Month-Long Celebrations
There are many celebrations that take place month long. Let’s discuss the important days in April and important dates in April here.
The various Christian traditions, i.e., Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox, celebrate April month as the month of the Resurrection of the Lord.
In the United Kingdom, April month is celebrated as National Pet Month to promote pet adoption and the benefits of pet ownership.
In the United States, April month is celebrated as the month of:
Cancer control month
Confederate History Month - to honour and recognise the history of the Confederate States of America.
National Donate Life Month - to promote the donation of body organs to save others’ lives.
Jazz Appreciation Month - in honour of jazz as an early American art form.
Mathematics and Statistics Awareness Month - The Joint Policy Board for Mathematics, which consists of the American Mathematical Society, the Mathematical Association of America, the American Statistical Association, and the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics. To increase public understanding of and appreciation for mathematics and statistics, the Joint Policy Board for Mathematics celebrates the Mathematics and Statistics Awareness Month.
National Poetry Month - Introduced in 1996, April month is celebrated as the month of poetry by the Academy of American Poets to increase the awareness and appreciation of poetry in the United States.
Occupational Therapy Month
National Prevent Child Abuse Month
National Volunteer Month - to encourage volunteerism throughout the month and to honour all of the volunteers in their communities, April is also celebrated as National Volunteer Month.
Parkinson's Disease Awareness Month
Sexual Assault Awareness Month - the state, tribal, territory, and community-based organizations, government agencies, businesses, campuses, rape crisis centres, and individuals celebrate Sexual Assault Awareness Month in April to raise public awareness about sexual assault and educate communities and individuals on how to prevent sexual violence.
4. In the United States, April month is also celebrated as the month of food as
National Food Month
Fresh Florida Tomato Month
National Grilled Cheese Month
National Soyfoods Month
National Soft Pretzel Month
National Pecan Month
April Month Special Days and Important Dates in April
1st April - April Fool’s Day
1st April is celebrated as All Fool Day or April Fool’s Day worldwide. Some historians believe that it was first celebrated in the year 1582. It was the time when France switched from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar as called for by the Council of Trent in 1563. It was becoming difficult for the people of France to adapt to the new calendar. They were slowly adapting to the fact that the start of the new year was shifted to January 1, and they continued to celebrate the new year during the last week of March. Gradually, April 1 became the day of pranks and jokes.
In the 18th century, April Fool's Day was celebrated throughout Britain. In Scotland, people made it a tradition to celebrate this event two days long, which starts with “hunting the gowk”, where gowk means cuckoo bird, symbolising fool. During this, people are sent on phoney errands, which are followed by Taille Day. Taille Day involved pranks played on people’s derrieres.
1st April - Odisha Foundation Day
1st April is celebrated as Odisha Day or Odisha Foundation Day or locally known as Utkala Dibasa. This day is celebrated in memory of the formation of the state. Odisha was founded on 1st April 1936.
2nd April - Good Friday
Though the day for Good Friday is not fixed, it is celebrated on any Friday of April month. This year, i.e. in 2021, Good Friday was celebrated on 2nd April. Next year, i.e. in 2022, Good Friday will be celebrated on 15th April.
4th April - Easter Festival
Easter is celebrated the next Sunday after Good Friday. As Good Friday was celebrated on 2nd April, Easter was celebrated on 4th April. Next year, Easter will be celebrated on 17th April 2022 as Good Friday falls on 15th April.
4th April - International Day of Mine Awareness
Every year, 4th April is celebrated as International Day of Mine Awareness as declared by the General Assembly on 8th December 2005.
5th April - National Maritime Day
The 5th of April is celebrated as National Maritime Day in India in memory of the first voyage of SS Loyalty of the Scindia Steam Navigation Company Ltd. in 1919. The day was a red-letter day in the account of Indian Navigation.
7th April - World Health Day
Every year, 7th April is celebrated as World Health Day under the sponsorship of the World Health Organization (WHO) and other related organisations. The World Health Organization held the First World Health Assembly in the year 1948, and they decided to celebrate 7th April as World Health Day with effect from the year 1950.
10th April - Siblings Day
Siblings are a very important part of any individual’s life. To celebrate siblings, every year, 10th April is celebrated as World Siblings Day.
10th April - World Homeopathy Day
To mark the importance of homoeopathy in our lives and the contribution of homoeopathy in the world of medicine, 10th April is celebrated as World Homeopathy Day. Another significance of the day is that 10th April is the birthday of the founder of homoeopathy, Dr. Christian Friedrich Samuel Hahnemann.
11th April - National Safe Motherhood Day
At the request of the White Ribbon Alliance India, a group of individuals and organisations, the Indian Government declared 11th April as the National Safe Motherhood Day. India is the first country in the world to declare and celebrate this day socially.
13th April - Siachen Day
On 13th April 1984, to secure Bilafond La and other passes on the Saltoro Ridgeline from Pakistani aggression, the Indian Army launched “Operation Meghdoot”. The brave soldiers of the Indian Army continued to serve the motherland and protect our country in spite of the negative temperature, which went up to -60°. The Indian Army said, “ The ''Siachen Day'' every year honours all the Siachen Warriors who served their motherland while successfully thwarting evil designs of the enemy over the years.”
14th April - B.R. Ambedkar Remembrance Day
Every year, 14th April is celebrated as Bhim Jayanti or Ambedkar Jayanti to commemorate the memory of B.R Ambedkar, father of the Indian Constitution.
17th April - World Haemophilia Day
Every year, the 17th of April is celebrated as World Haemophilia Day to increase the awareness of haemophilia and other inherited bleeding disorders. It was started by the World Federation of Haemophilia in the year 1989, in honour of the World Federation of Haemophilia’s founder Frank Schnavel's birthday.
18th April - World Heritage Day
To celebrate all the cultures of the world, to create awareness of important cultural monuments and sites, and to make people understand the importance of preserving the world's cultures, 18th April is celebrated as World Heritage Day every year. The International Council on Monuments and Sites declared celebrating this day in the year 1982 and was approved by the General Assembly of UNESCO in 1983.
21st April - National Civil Service Day
The government of India celebrates National Civil Service Day every year on 21st April, a day for civil servants. It is celebrated to renew the commitments of the civil servants to public service, rededicate themselves to the causes of citizens and excel in their work.
The other significance of the date is that on this day in the year 1947, the first Home Minister of Independent India, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, addressed the probationers of Administrative Services Officers, calling them the “Steel Frame of India”.
22nd April - World Earth Day
Starting in the year 1970, April 22nd is celebrated as World Earth Day every year to demonstrate support for environmental protection. This day is the anniversary of the birth of the modern environmental movement.
23rd April - World Book and Copyright Day
World Book Day is an international event organised by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to promote reading, publishing, and copyright. On 23 April 1995, the first World Book Day was celebrated.
23rd April - English Language Day
Started by the UN's Department of Public Information in 2010 "to celebrate multilingualism and cultural diversity as well as to promote equal use of all six official languages throughout the Organization", 23rd April is celebrated as English Language Day every year.
24th April - National Panchayati Raj Day
Declared by the then Prime Minister of India and started in 2010, 24th April is celebrated as National Panchayati Raj Day every year. On this day, the leaders of the Panchayati Raj who have done a commendable job are recognised and appreciated.
24th April - Birthday of Sachin Tendulkar
24th April is the birthday of the god of cricket - Sachin Tendulkar. Every year, the fans of Sachin Tendulkar celebrate his birthday with great enthusiasm not only in India but all over the world. Many people idolise him.
25th April - World Malaria Day
The world celebrated 25th April as Malaria Day. It was established by the 60th session of the World Health Assembly in May 2007.
26th April - World Intellectual Property Day
Started in 2000 by the World Intellectual Property Organization to "raise awareness of how patents, copyright, trademarks and designs impact on daily life and to celebrate creativity, and the contribution made by creators and innovators to the development of societies across the globe".
28th April - World Day for Safety and Health at Work
On 28th April of every year, World Day For Safety And Health At Work is celebrated to promote the prevention of accidents, diseases, and other hazards that may take place in one’s occupation life. The International Labour Organization (ILO) started celebrating this day in the year 2003.
29th April - International Dance Day
The main partner for the performing arts of UNESCO, the Dance Committee of the International Theatre Institute, created International Dance Day to celebrate dance globally. On the birth anniversary of Jean-Georges Noverre, the creator of modern ballet, international dance day is celebrated.
30th April - International Jazz Day
"To highlight jazz and its diplomatic role of uniting people in all corners of the globe", the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) declared the celebration of International Jazz Day starting from the year 2011.
FAQs on Important Days in April
1. 2 April - What day is celebrated on this day?
Every year, 2nd April is celebrated as World Autism Awareness Day to increase awareness about autism in adults and especially in children.
2. Which weeks are celebrated in the month of April?
The following weeks are celebrated in the month of April
7th - 14th April - National Handloom Week
14th - 20th April - Prevention of Blindness Week
23rd - 29th April - Road Safety Week
24th - 30th April - World Immunization Week
3. When is World Health Day celebrated?
World Health Day is celebrated on 7th April every year.
