Every year, November 19 is dedicated by many countries around the world to honor men, those who have contributed to building communities, families and society.
International Men's Day (IMD) is currently celebrated in more than 170 countries, from European countries such as Austria, Denmark to Asian countries such as India, Singapore or Caribbean regions such as Jamaica, Trinh and Tobago. Although the organization method may be different, the common point of this day is to encourage the community to look deeper into the health, spiritual life and role of men in modern society.
The origin of IMD began in 1999, when Dr. Jerome Teelucksingh - a history lecturer at the University of the West (Trinidad and Tobago) proposed choosing November 19 to mark the positive contributions of the respected ancestors.
He also hopes to create an opportunity for the whole society to pay more attention to the challenges that men and boys face. This initiative quickly spread and was considered by many countries as an activity in balance with International Women's Day.
In fact, the idea of a mens day has been in disarray since the 1960s, but it was not until Dr. Teelucksingh officially launched it that it was widely recognized.
One factor that makes IMD special is the time in November, which is associated with the Movember movement. This is a global campaign to encourage men to raise pork belly in November to call for attention to prostate cancer, testicular cancer, mental health and suicide prevention.
Thanks to this combination, International Men's Day is not only symbolic but also becomes a time to promote practical actions to improve men's health.
In addition to raising awareness of health care, IMD also aims to comprehensively promote gender equality, thereby improving understanding between men and women. This is also an opportunity to honor positive male examples, those who contribute to preserving families, raising children, contributing to the community, or simply trying to overcome prejudice and social pressure to live decently and responsibly.
In Vietnam, International Men's Day is still quite new. Many people were even surprised to learn that men also have a day to celebrate for themselves.
However, in recent years, November 19 has been mentioned more; some agencies, businesses and individuals have begun to organize congratulatory activities or send gifts instead of gratitude to the men around them.
Just like women were honored on March 8, men also deserve to receive sincere wishes and attention on their own special day.
