Founded by the United Nations (UN) in 1994, International Family Day is celebrated on 15th May to raise consciousness about the importance of families, and to signify the healthy and stable atmosphere that a family should provide for people of all ages. The annual event promotes better living conditions and the social development of families around the world.
What does family mean?
Nowadays the concept of ‘family’ has changed over the years. Not everyone is born into a family, as some people are adopted or often create a chosen family later in their lives.
The traditional ideal family was a married mother and father with two offspring but now a family can be two parents of any gender, and parents are not necessarily married. Some people even have a family with more than three parents. The children may have been born to one of the parents, both parents, or adopted. The definition of family has evolved, but the importance has remained the same.
Why family is important?
• Families provide a model for future relationships – people often choose partners and friends based on how similar they are to their family
• During challenging times, people need support – families can be an essential source of affection and encouragement. A strong family can enable a person to find the love and support they need to encourage success
• Families foster a sense of belonging – family traditions throughout the years create meaningful connections
• Close families develop healthier relationships – this helps manage emotions and develop closer relationships
• Family relationships promote positive wellbeing – spending quality time together help foster good mental health
• Families teach important life lessons and values – people learn a value system within their family structure, defining what is right or wrong
On International Family Day, families come together to celebrate all kinds of traditions unique to their circle. It’s very easy to take our family for granted, so you can take this day as an opportunity to share with them how you feel about them and how grateful you are to your parents, siblings, and even extended family for providing you with the necessities of life.
You can come together and celebrate by eating your favourite foods. If the weather is nice, you could have a family picnic eating delicious snacks whilst soaking in some nice outdoor activities.
As everybody is so busy with their lives, you can also enjoy having a nice evening together, chat with your family and catching up on each other’s lives.
Why not build your family tree? Every member can get involved in building your family tree and it’s something you can keep for generations to come. Grandparents and older generations can provide valuable information on relatives who have passed away, and enjoy telling stories of each family member.
There are many online tools to capture your family tree data, and companies such as can help find long-lost relatives.