Men’s Day is celebrated in Colombia every year on March 19. This is significantly different from the celebration of International Men’s Day, which occurs annually on November 19. In contrast, March 8 is a date the United Nations recognizes as International Women’s Day, while the international organization does not recognize Men’s Day.
The United Nations recognizes international days, which fall into six main categories: Society, Environment, Health, Education, Science, and Art. International Women’s Day falls into the first category, which focuses on societal issues and human rights.
Despite the United Nations not recognizing it, people have celebrated International Men’s Day annually on November 19 since 1999. This celebration takes place with the purpose of promoting gender equality and celebrating positive male role models, according to Mexico’s National Autonomous University (UNAM). In Colombia, the goals behind this day are the same, but the date could not be more different.
The difference in date for Men’s Day in Colombia explained
The National Digital Agency of Colombia has pointed out that Men’s Day has a religious origin. It takes place to commemorate Saint Joseph, Jesus’ father. Every March 19, the Catholic Church celebrates Saint Joseph’s Day to recognize Joseph’s role as a father figure. They also revere him as one of the more prominent male figures in Catholic history.
The Medellin Mayor’s office emphasized the religious link between Men’s Day in Colombia and Catholicism, aiming to highlight the contributions of children, young men, and adults in building tolerance, equity, dignity, and reflection. They went on to explain that this is pursued with the hopes of encouraging a permanent transformation of men’s roles.
Other countries celebrate Saint Joseph’s Day without attributing the title of Men’s Day to the celebration. This happens in countries with a strong Catholic tradition, such as Spain, Italy, and Portugal, and some countries in Central America.
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