Happy Family Day! Today, 15th May is the International Day of Families.

Every year 15th of May is celebrated as International Day of Families (IDF). This day highlights the importance of families as a basic unit of society. May 15th was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in 1993 to reflect the importance of the international community towards families. International Day of Families provides an opportunity to raise awareness of the issues related to families and increase the knowledge of the "social, economic and demographic processes affecting families." International Day of Families also celebrates the role of families in development.

International Day of Families has been around since 1994, with different family-focused themes every year. The theme for International Day of Families 2019 is “Families and Climate Action: Focus on SDG 13.

In 2018, the theme was "Families and inclusive societies", while in 2017 and 2016 the themes were "Families, education and well-being" and "Families, healthy lives and sustainable future".

In short, the United Nations seeks to create “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” – embracing not only all people but also Mother Earth.  “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” is a Sanskrit phrase from the Maha Upanishad, which means "The world is one family”.