Special Day Blog
Every year, December 15 is celebrated as International Tea Day in many countries including India, Tanzania, Nepal, Bangladesh, Malawi, Kenya, and Vietnam. However, the UN celebrates International Tea Day on May 21 every year. The day is celebrated to promote and foster collective actions to implement activities in favour of the sustainable production and consumption of tea and raise awareness of its importance in fighting hunger and poverty.
Tea is the second most used drink in the world after water. For some people, tea is an integral part of life which adds rhythm. China is currently the largest exporter of tea. According to a study conducted by the Tea Board of India in 2007, around 80 percent of the total tea produced in India is consumed by the domestic population.
Starting from tapri to malls everywhere around the corner of India there is the essence of chai. And this day marks the day for the tea lovers who want to thank chai. Most Indians start their day with a cup of chai, whether it’s on the bed or breakfast table. Tea is a culture that adds primary belongings to people's lives. It has medicinal benefits that make the beverage an important ingredient of its sustainable development and also includes anti-inflammatory to antioxidant and weight-loss effects.
History- Tea is a beverage made from the Camellia Sinensis plant. It is the world’s oldest beverage and is believed to have originated in northeast India, northern Myanmar, and southwest China, but the exact place where the plant first grew is not known. There is a shred of tiny historical evidence that tea was consumed in China 5000 years ago.
The first ITD was held in New Delhi in 2005. Later, in 2015, the Indian government proposed to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation to expand International Tea Day across the world.
The celebration of International Tea Day promotes the sustainable production, consumption, and trade of tea. It also offers an opportunity for actors at global, regional, and national levels to ensure that the tea sector continues to play a role in reducing extreme poverty, fighting hunger, and safeguarding natural resources.
This day promotes and fosters collective actions to implement activities in favor of the sustainable production and consumption of tea and raise awareness of its importance in fighting hunger and poverty.
Tea production and processing have certain goals to fulfill-
the reduction of extreme poverty by fighting against hunger
empowerment of women
and the sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems
Moreover, there is an urgent need to raise public awareness of the importance of tea for rural development and sustainable livelihoods and to improve the tea value chain to contribute to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.