On November 19, International Men’s Day (IMD) is annually held to strengthen gender relations and foster unity. “All The Six Pillars of International Men’s Day” defines the purposes of celebrating an International Men’s Day. It is an opportunity to celebrate the achievements and accomplishments of boys and men, particularly for their contributions to the country, union, society, community, family, marriage, and child care. For several individuals, International Men’s Day is a time to focus on the achievements, sacrifices, and progress made in society by men. Such change includes that of men working together with women to advance society in terms of education, economic, social, and technological advancement. Promoting universal humanitarian principles is the wider and ultimate goal of the case. It’s also an opportunity to consider men who, including gay and bisexual men, transgender, or male non-binary people, do not fall into conventional manifestations of masculinity. Topics that can be discussed or illustrated on the day across different media, activities, and events can include:
- Men’s and boys’ health.
- The importance of gender equality.
- Improvements towards gender relations in all societies.
- Positive male role models for younger generations.
- Men’s roles in community, family, relationships, and childcare.
- Healing and forgiveness.
By encouraging men to open up and engage with others, International Men’s Day aims to raise awareness of mental health concerns in men, as well as other health and social problems. Traditional conceptions about what masculinity means in culture are evolving, and if marginalized men are to be shielded from these destructive circumstances, they need to adjust.
IMD gained overwhelming support in the Caribbean in the early years, and International Men’s Day has taken root on the international scene due to constant networking and invitations sent to citizens in other nations. In countries as diverse as Singapore, Australia, India, the United Kingdom, the United States, South Africa, Haiti, Jamaica, Hungary, Malta, Ghana, Moldova, and Canada, the Caribbean initiative is now being celebrated separately, and participation in the event is growing rapidly. Inaugurated in 1992 by Thomas Oaster on February 7, the International Men’s Day project was conceived on February 8, 1991, one year earlier. The project in Trinidad and Tobago was re-initialized in 1999. Malta, where activities have taken place since 7th February 1994, is the longest-running celebration of International Men’s Day. On this day, seminars, workshops, or group meetings can also take place to concentrate on addressing issues such as domestic violence and substance addiction. Different organizations worldwide, including the United Nations (UN) and the Men’s Network, endorse International Men’s Day. Now that Malta was the only country to commemorate the Men’s February date and their contribution to society, the Maltese AMR Committee voted in 2009 to shift the IMD date to 19th November. International Men’s Day is not a public holiday, however, if there are larger events that take place, such as street marches or demonstrations, traffic, and parking conditions can shift. Jerome Teelucksingh of the University of the West Indies resurrected the day in 1999 in Trinidad and Tobago. He noticed that there was no day to celebrate men who had no children, or who were young boys and teenagers, even if there was a day for fathers. As his father had been an excellent example for him, Teelucksingh recognized the significance of positive male role models and decided to celebrate International Men’s Day on November 19, the day of his father’s birthday, as well as the day a local soccer team united his country with their attempts to qualify for the world cup. The way this annual day is celebrated is optional; all organizations are welcome to host their activities, and it is possible to use any suitable forums. International Men’s Day was supported by Teelucksingh as not only a gendered day but a day where it is possible to discuss all issues concerning men and boys. Representatives of organizations like the United Nations have expressed their support for the event, although it is not an official observance of the United Nations. In the interests of equality, a petition has called for the UN to make International Men’s Day an official UN observance. Every year, International Women’s Day is also celebrated on March 8. In different advertisements, such as posters, postcards, and information booklets, on International Men’s Day, the faces of positive male role models of all cultures, ages, and nations are seen.
