Important Days and Events Current Affairs MCQs

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National Girl Child Day is celebrated every year in India on January 24 to focus on the rights, education, health, nutrition, and overall welfare of girls. It was initiated in 2008 by the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD) to raise awareness about gender discrimination and promote equal opportunities. The day highlights the critical role of girls in building a brighter, equitable future and aligns with India’s vision of women-led development and Viksit Bharat by 2047. It addresses issues such as gender bias, female foeticide, poor child sex ratio, child marriage, and barriers to education and health.

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The 12th edition of Smile International Film Festival for Children and Youth (SIFFCY) has begun in New Delhi. The seven-day festival is organised by Smile Foundation in collaboration with the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities. Smile International Film Festival for Children and Youth (SIFFCY) 2026 focuses on diversity, equity, and inclusion, encouraging children and youth to engage with personal, social, moral, and global issues. The festival showcases films highlighting disability inclusion, equity, and diversity, including productions made by disabled children for the first time.

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World Leprosy Day (WLD) is a global health awareness event observed on the last Sunday of January for over 72 years. In 2026, World Leprosy Day is observed on 25 January. The 2026 theme is “Leprosy is curable, the real challenge is stigma.” In India, it is observed as Anti-Leprosy Day on 30 January, coinciding with Martyr’s Day (Shaheed Diwas). This date honours Mahatma Gandhi’s lifelong commitment to the cause of people affected by leprosy. Global and local organisations conduct awareness campaigns on prevention, early diagnosis, and complete treatment. The aim is to reduce stigma, educate society, and support persons affected by leprosy.

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World Wetlands Day is celebrated every year on 2 February. It marks the adoption of the Convention on Wetlands on 2 February 1971 in Ramsar, Iran, on the Caspian Sea. The 2026 theme is “Wetlands and traditional knowledge: Celebrating cultural heritage.” The theme emphasizes the role of indigenous and local knowledge in protecting wetlands. It highlights the importance of wetlands in preserving cultural identity and guiding conservation and management practices.

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The 39th India International Leather Fair was held on 1 February in Chennai as a three-day event. It showcased leather products, accessories, machinery, equipment, and latest innovations. The fair highlighted advanced technologies like Artificial Intelligence, additive manufacturing, data analytics, software, and augmented reality. It gained importance after the India–Europe Free Trade Agreement boosting leather trade and investment. India’s leather exports were about 4.83 billion US dollars last year. Tamil Nadu and Kerala contribute 38 percent of output and over 45 percent of exports.

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Safer Internet Day is observed globally on the second Tuesday of February to promote safe and responsible internet use, especially for children and youth. In 2026, Safer Internet Day falls on 10 February and highlights growing digital risks in daily online life. Safer Internet Day 2026 in India focuses on awareness and informed digital behaviour. The theme for 2026 is “Smart Tech, Safe Choices: Exploring the Safe and Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI).”

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World Radio Day is observed every year on 13 February to mark the establishment of United Nations Radio in 1946. The theme for 2026 is “Radio and Artificial Intelligence: Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a tool, not a voice.” India’s first Community Radio Station was inaugurated on 1 February 2004 by Bharat Ratna Shri Lal Krishna Advani. Ram Singh Bouddh from Amroha, Uttar Pradesh, known as the “Radio Man of India,” was recognised by Guinness World Records in 2025 for owning 1,257 radios, the world’s largest collection.

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Indian Army is hosting first United Nations Fellowship Training Programme on Small Arms and Light Weapons Control in Asia for Asia Pacific region. The programme is held from 16 February to 6 March 2026 at Military College of Materials Management, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh. It is organised under Ministry of External Affairs and Ministry of Defence with United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs. Delegates from 13 Asia Pacific countries are participating. The fellowship builds capacity to implement United Nations Programme of Action and International Tracing Instrument. It aims to prevent illicit trade and misuse of Small Arms and Light Weapons.

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International Mother Language Day is observed every year on 21 February to promote linguistic diversity and multilingual education. It highlights the need to protect and preserve mother tongues across the world. In 2026, it is marked under the theme “Youth voices on multilingual education.” The day is observed by UNESCO. It aligns with the International Decade of Indigenous Languages to safeguard indigenous and endangered languages. The day encourages inclusion, cultural identity and equal learning opportunities through native languages.

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Ministry of Ayush with All India Ayurvedic Congress is organising National Arogya Fair 2026 at Shegaon, Buldhana, Maharashtra from 25–28 February 2026. The objective is to promote Ayush systems and provide free health check-ups, consultations and medicines. It covers Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa Rigpa and Homoeopathy. The focus on farmers through medicinal plant cultivation and agroforestry.