International Moon Day is celebrated every July 20, a day marked by the Apollo 11 mission, as a giant leap for humankind, and recognized by the United Nations General Assembly in its declaration in July 2021.
On this day, July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin stepped onto the Moon, and Armstrong/ Aldrin famously declared, “The Eagle has landed.” This was an iconic moment in history and represented the success of humanity in pursuit of peaceful scientific ambition. This action and event now enabled future space exploration.
Today, we have International Moon Day as a global platform for all people to foster public awareness and collaborative efforts for the future to companions.
It also recognizes and acknowledges the contributions made by all States to the exploration of the Moon, and serves as a great opportunity to foster discussions relating to the peaceful use of the outer space, in agreement with the international goals of the United Nations.
The aims of International Moon Day are straightforward: – To recognize the first human Moon landing – To raise awareness about the scientific and cultural values of the Moon – To advocate international cooperation in sustainable lunar exploration
The United Nations has been an important facilitator of peaceful outer space exploration, stimulated by projects such as the Outer Space Treaty of 1967. Today, the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs continues to coordinate efforts globally and advocates using celestial bodies for peaceful and cooperative purposes.
In advance of celebrating International Moon Day, let us be inspired by the words of Mark Twain “Everyone is a Moon and has a dark side which he never shows to anybody” and by Galileo Galilei’s words, “We consider it a beautiful and delightful sight to behold the body of the Moon.”