Important Days and Events Current Affairs MCQs

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The United Nations General Assembly has officially declared May 19 as World Fair Play Day starting from 2025. The day aims to recognize the role of sports in promoting peace, inclusion, and justice across the globe. It highlights how sports go beyond just competition and help build values like fairness, discipline, respect, and unity. World Fair Play Day encourages people to see sports as a way to break barriers of race, religion, and nationality. It promotes shared human values such as mutual respect and perseverance through sportsmanship and ethical behavior in all games.

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India recently hosted the Second Blue Talks in New Delhi to promote global marine conservation efforts. The event was organized by the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) in collaboration with the Embassies of France and Costa Rica. It aimed to build momentum ahead of the 3rd United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3) to be held in Nice, France. Blue Talks is a multilateral consultation platform that connects governments, scientists, and civil society. It focuses on sustainable ocean use and supports Sustainable Development Goal 14 (SDG 14 – Life Below Water). The event promoted marine research, education, and the launch of strategic knowledge tools.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired the tenth Governing Council Meeting of NITI Aayog in New Delhi. He urged every state to develop one world-class tourist destination under the idea of “One State: One Global Destination”. This step will also help in the development of nearby cities and boost local tourism. The theme of this year is “Viksit Rajya for Viksit Bharat@2047” which means “Developed States for a Developed India by 2047”. The goal is to align state-level visions with national goals through bold and inclusive planning. The meeting also focused on entrepreneurship, skill development, and job creation across the country. Chief Ministers, Union Ministers, and officials of National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog participated in the meeting.

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Every year on May 29, the United Nations (UN) observes the International Day of UN Peacekeepers to honour those who work for peace in difficult areas. India is the fourth largest contributor of uniformed personnel to UN Peacekeeping missions. India currently sends over 5,300 military and police personnel to United Nations peace operations in Abyei and the Central African Republic. Two Indian peacekeepers, Brigadier General Amitabh Jha and Havildar Sanjay Singh will be honoured posthumously with the Dag Hammarskjöld Medal. This ceremony takes place at the UN headquarters on May 29, 2025, to mark Peacekeepers Day.

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Recently, the Prime Minister of India addressed the 81st Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the World Air Transport Summit (WATS) at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. IATA was founded on 19 April 1945 in Havana, Cuba, to support safe, secure, reliable, and economical air services worldwide. The last Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) in India was held in 1983, 42 years ago. Its main goals are to develop international air transport, ensure cooperation among airlines, improve safety, and create global air traffic rules.

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World Bicycle Day is celebrated annually on June 3rd. The United Nations General Assembly declared June 3 as World Bicycle Day in April 2018. Recently, the 25th edition of Fit India Sundays on Cycle was celebrated with a special Tiranga Rally in India. The rally paid tribute to Operation Sindoor and also marked the occasion of World Bicycle Day. It highlighted cycling as a symbol of unity, health, and sustainability.

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International Olympic Day is celebrated on June 23, 2025, to mark the birth of the modern Olympic Games and promote the Olympic spirit. It was first celebrated in 1948 to honour the founding of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on June 23, 1894, in Paris by Baron Pierre de Coubertin. The theme for 2025 is “Let’s Move”, jointly launched by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the World Health Organisation (WHO), urging everyone to fight inactivity.

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Recently, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) reported that global drug users reached 292 million by 2022, showing a 20% rise over the past decade. On June 26, 2025, the world observed International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, also known as World Drug Day. This day, first declared by the United Nations General Assembly on December 7, 1987, promotes global action for a drug-free world. The 2025 theme, “Break the Cycle. #StopOrganizedCrime,” highlights the need to stop organized crime linked to drug trafficking.

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Recently, India celebrated GST Day on July 1 to mark eight years since the Goods and Services Tax was implemented in 2017. Goods and Services Tax transformed the indirect tax system by making compliance easier, reducing business costs, and enabling free movement of goods across states. It boosted transparency and efficiency, supporting a stronger and more unified economy. In 2024–2025, gross Goods and Services Tax collections reached a record ₹22.08 lakh crore. This shows a 9.4 percent yearly growth, reflecting better tax compliance and higher formalisation of the economy.

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The United Nations has declared 2025 as the International Year of Cooperatives. The world celebrated International Day of Cooperatives on 5th July 2025. The theme for International Cooperatives Day 2025 is “Cooperatives Build a Better World.” This theme shows how cooperatives solve global problems through inclusive decisions and grassroots action. Cooperatives help achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.