The International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies is a commemorative day established to raise awareness of the importance of the atmospheric environment and to deepen understanding of and engagement with climate change. Observed annually on September 7, it is the first UN commemorative day to have been adopted at South Korea's initiative, and was created to draw global attention to the serious problem of air pollution and to reaffirm the world's commitment to working together for clean, clear air.
The day was first proposed as a UN commemorative day at the UN Climate Action Summit held in New York in September 2019. That same December, the 74th UN General Assembly adopted a resolution designating September 7 each year as the International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies. Subsequently, at the 41st Cabinet Meeting in 2020, South Korea decided to recognize the day as a national legal commemorative holiday — making it a special occasion that is simultaneously a UN commemorative day and a national holiday.
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The International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies has also served as an opportunity to communicate to the international community that air pollution is a global issue that crosses borders, and that it is an urgent challenge requiring the cooperation of all nations. Each year, the UN Environment Programme sets a thematic slogan for the day. The slogan for this year's sixth observance is "Racing for Air," carrying a message that goes beyond identifying the problem to emphasize particularly the urgency of action. Small everyday practices — making cycling and public transport a habit, reducing single-use items, and cutting standby power consumption by maintaining appropriate indoor temperatures — sustained not just on September 7 but throughout all 365 days of the year, will collectively expand the sustainability of blue skies.
The International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies goes beyond being a simple commemorative day — it is a global day of action for protecting the atmospheric environment, a challenge shared by all of humanity. Through this special day, proposed by South Korea and embraced by the world, the time has come for all of us to join in the effort to restore clean, blue skies.
by Editor O