The General Assembly declared International Moon Day, a United Nations-designated international day to be observed annually on 20 July, in its resolution 76/76 on “International cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space” in 2021.

International Moon Day marks the anniversary of the first landing by humans on the Moon as part of the Apollo 11 lunar mission. The celebrations will also consider the achievements of all States in the exploration of the Moon and raise public awareness of sustainable Moon exploration and utilization. For thousands of years, human civilizations have looked up to the sky pondering the origin and mysteries of the Moon – our only natural satellite. Ground-based observations enabled by the invention of the first telescopes opened a new chapter in our understanding of our celestial companion. With the birth of space activities, the Moon became the ultimate destination of countless missions, including crewed flights that brought the first human footprints to another place in the universe. As Moon exploration efforts continue taking shape with ambitious plans, this global celebration will serve not only as a reminder of success in the past, but as an annual testimony to future endeavours.

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