On Monday, the world is observing International Civil Aviation Day. The day was first celebrated on 7 December 1994 by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the signing of the International Civil Aviation Convention.
Here’s everything that you need to know about International Civil Aviation Day:
- In 1996, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) officially recognised December 7 as the International Day of Civil Aviation on the UN calendar, with the assistance of the Canadian Government.
- “According to both the UN and ICAO, the purpose of this day is to help generate and strengthen worldwide awareness of the importance of international civil aviation for the social and economic development of States, and of the unique role of ICAO in helping States to cooperate and to establish a truly global rapid transit network at the service of all mankind.
- The ICAO Council selects a special anniversary theme every five years, coinciding with ICAO anniversaries. For four full years, between two ICAO anniversaries, a single theme is selected.
- In 2019, ICAO chose the theme “75 years of connecting the globe” for its 75th anniversary. “Advancing innovation for global aviation development” will be the theme from 2020 to 2023.
- ICAO, headquartered in Montreal, Canada, is a United Nations Specialized Agency. Its goal is to change international air navigation principles and techniques and to plan and develop international air transport.
- On December 7, 1944, the Convention on International Civil Aviation was signed. Also known as the “Chicago Convention,” it was signed in Chicago by 52 states. It came into effect on April 4, 1947, and ICAO, too, came into being on the same date. It became a UN Specialized Agency in October.
- All UN member states, except Liechtenstein, are signatories to the Chicago Convention as of March 2019.
