Why a World Bee Day?
By observing World Bee Day each year, we can raise awareness on the essential role bees and other pollinators play in keeping people and the planet healthy, and on the many challenges they face today. We have been celebrating this day since 2018, thanks to the efforts of the Government of Slovenia with the support of Apimondia, that led the UN General Assembly to declare 20 May as World Bee Day.
The date for this observance was chosen as it was the day Anton Janša, a pioneer of modern apiculture, was born. Janša came from a family of beekeepers in Slovenia, where beekeeping is an important agricultural activity with a long-standing tradition.
Today bees, pollinators, and many other insects are declining in abundance. This day provides an opportunity for all of us – whether we work for governments, organizations or civil society or are concerned citizens – to promote actions that will protect and enhance pollinators and their habitats, improve their abundance and diversity, and support the sustainable development of beekeeping.
Bee Engaged!
Online Meeting – Wednesday, 20 May 2020 (12:00 – 1:30 pm CET)
On the occasion of the third observance of World Bee Day, FAO, in partnership with the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), the Apicultural Science Association of China (ASAC), the Permanent Representation of Slovenia and Apimondia, will hold a virtual celebration. The event will highlight the importance of bees and their products, and the role of beekeepers. It will also shed light on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the beekeeping sector and how it affects production, markets and as a consequence, the livelihoods of beekeepers.
READ THE PROGRAMME (pdf)
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