Every year, World Cotton Day is celebrated on October 7. This year, the special day will be celebrated on Saturday. Cotton is an important item for daily use. The natural fibre and its benefits serve the people of the world in numerous ways.
World Cotton Day was observed for the first time eleven years back when 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, the 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.
t is jointly hosted by Secretariats of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and is organized in cooperation with Secretariats of the World Trade Organization (WTO), the International Trade Center (ITC), the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC). The theme of World Cotton Day is “Making cotton fair and sustainable for all, from farm to fashion”.
Through WCD 2023, organizers bring stakeholders together, raise visibility of the cotton sector, and awareness of its critical role in economic transformation, agricultural and value chain development, international trade, and poverty alleviation. The observance also aims to highlight the importance of sustained economic growth, inclusive and sustainable industrial development, full and productive employment, and decent work for all.
The United Nations wants to raise the visibility of the cotton sector and awareness of its critical role in economic development, international trade, and poverty alleviation. According to messages posted on United Nation’s official website, the observance also aims to highlight the importance of sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all. On this day, organizations come together to raise awareness about the importance of cotton, the development of the cotton sector, and how it plays a significant role in economic development.
Cotton serves as one of the main reasons for the livelihood of the rural labourers, inclusive of both men and women. In some 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.
Making cotton fair and sustainable for all, from farm to fashion theme of WCD
