World Cotton Day 2023: Date, history, significance

World Cotton Day 2023: From significance to theme to date, here is all that you need to know about the special day.

World Cotton Day 2023: Cotton is an important item for daily use. The natural fibre and its benefits serve the people of the world in ways that we are still in the process of exploring. Not just that, cotton serves as one of the main reasons of livelihood of the rural labourers, inclusive of both men and women. In some of the poor areas of the world, cotton is one of the main sources of income, employment and economic sources. Hence, it is important to create awareness about the benefits of cotton and explore ways to improve sustainable ways to grow cotton. World Cotton Day is celebrated every year to raise awareness about the same. As we gear up to celebrate the special day, here are a few facts to know.

World Cotton Day 2023: Date, history, significance (Unsplash)

Date:

Every year, World Cotton Day is celebrated on October 7. This year, the special day will be celebrated on Saturday.

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History:

Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad and Mali – four main cotton producers in sub-Saharan Africa proposed World Cotton Day to be celebrated in 2012. The proposal was made to the World Trade Organisation. In 2019, World Trade Organisation hosted the first World Cotton Day celebrations as an initiative after the proposal of Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad and Mali. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC) and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) were also part of the celebrations.

Significance:

"On third official UN World Cotton Day, under the theme - Making cotton fair and sustainable for all: from farm to fashion, the United Nations wants to raise visibility of the cotton sector and awareness of the critical role that it plays in economic development, international trade and poverty alleviation. The observance also aims to highlight the importance of sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all," wrote United Nations on their official website. On this day, organisations come together to raise awareness about the importance of cotton, development of the cotton sector and how it plays a significant role in economic development.