A Spike Milligan performance in Sydney is an enduring highlight for writer Wyn Drabble.
Wyn Drabble is a teacher of English, writer, public speaker and musician. He is based in Hawke’s Bay
I don’t mean to alarm you, but you might not realise that you could have inadvertently missed celebrating Global Handwashing Day.
Yes, it was on October 15. But it should not be confused with the likes of Saturday’s sandcastle record attempt at Ruakākā Beach, in which 485 people made sandcastles at the same time, eclipsing the 2019 record set by 396 sand-sculpting Belgians.
Global Handwashing Day is not about breaking records for the number of people washing their hands at once, though, at any given moment on planet Earth, the numbers above would easily be eclipsed. No, it’s about raising awareness of the importance of hygiene and disease prevention.
It’s possible that you also missed International Day of Older Persons (Oct 1) which again doesn’t try to break any records; rather, it sets out to celebrate older people and promote active ageing. Exactly what older people are could lead to some robust debate but don’t let it get too heated because October 2 is International Day of Non-Violence.
Active Ageing also sounds risibly euphemistic. Perhaps there should be a day set aside for finding age synonyms which are not cringe-worthy. Please, not elderly, senior citizen, or of a certain age.
But, enough niggles. We may have missed some key days but there are plenty more coming up in November and December. Let’s check out the offerings.
November 19, for example is World Toilet Day. No, it has nothing to do with how handsome your porcelain is; it’s about sanitation access worldwide. Granted, that’s extremely important but there is still a lot to be said for the former idea and seeing whose porcelain would podium on the day.
November 26 is Sustainable Transport Day, which promotes eco-friendly and safe travel. Perhaps the best example I have seen of safe, eco-friendly travel was many decades ago at a Spike Milligan performance in Sydney.
“And now for a very cheap but unpleasantly noisy means of transport,” he told the audience. He then proceeded to march briskly across the stage screaming.
Locally, I see plenty of e-scooters but the way many are used certainly fails to satisfy the “safe” criterion.
In December, if you’re not too busy with pre-Christmas panic, you might like to celebrate International Day of Banks, which acknowledges the role of banking in development. On second thoughts, you could skip that one and move briskly on to World Soil Day, which is all about promoting healthy soil for food and ecosystems.
I have spent the last month or so getting my soil healthy for planned plantings and the weeds are positively bursting through and nodding their approval.
One you should certainly observe is Universal Health Coverage Day (December 12) which advocates for healthcare access for all. I think it started out as Universal Free Health Cover Without Having to Wait Months for an Appointment and then Years for Actual Treatment Day but that nomenclature was considered clunky and unwieldy.
And just before the festive frenzy reaches top gear, it might be timely to observe World Meditation Day on December 21; it promotes mindfulness and inner peace.
You may be wondering what process these all need to go through before they become official. The international observance days are sanctioned by the United Nations General Assembly, its agencies such as WHO or Unesco or through international treaties and agreements, so it’s a pretty rigorous process.
If I may, however, I’d like to close with one that hasn’t been officially sanctioned but it’s still as real as this keyboard I’m tapping on. I’m naming it International Day of Retail Therapy. The date – prepare to max out your plastic – is December 26.