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International Father’s Day, the celebration of the paternal bond, is observed on the third Sunday of June. This year the day falls on June 20.
The aim of the day to express appreciation and acknowledge the role of the father figure in children’s lives and society as a whole. UNICEF had emphasized the critical role fathers play in early childhood learning.
The celebration of this warm paternal bond is quite popular all over the world, though the dates of observance might differ in some countries.
Father’s Day originated in the United States. The first Father’s Day celebration took place on 19 June, 1910. Sonora Dodd, the daughter of American Civil War veteran William Jackson Smart had requested the Spokane Ministerial Alliance observe 5 June which was her father’s birthday, to honour fatherhood. Her father had raised six children, as a single parent. Her deep sense of gratitude, love propelled her to make this request.
She was also inspired by Anna Jarvis’ endeavour to bring Mother’s Day, and proposed the idea of Father’s Day. Finally, the Church agreed on the third Sunday of June to commemorate the occassion.
Much later in 1966, US President Lyndon B Johnson announced the third Sunday of June as Father’s Day as he signed a presidential proclamation. Father’s Day was declared as a national holiday by Richard Nixon.
There is also information that states Father’s Day was observed on 5 July, 1908, in West Virginia after a mining accident in Monongah, USA, to honour fathers who lost their lives in the disaster.
It is also interesting to note the dates followed by other countries. Catholic European countries like Portugal, Spain, Croatia, Italy celebrate Father’s Day on 19 March which is St Joseph’s Day.
Norway, Sweden and Finland observe the second Sunday in November. For Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, it’s the first Sunday of September. Russia celebrates the day on 23 February.
