What is International Men's Day and where is it celebrated?

Men Welfare Trust demand a national commission for men on IMD in India
Men Welfare Trust demand a national commission for men on IMD in India
By Angela Barnes
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More than 70 countries worldwide are marking International Men's Day today. But what is it?

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You might have heard of International Women's Day, well there is also a male equivalent — International Men's Day (IMD).

Euronews takes a look at what it is, who founded it and where it is celebrated. 

What is it?

IMD falls on November 19 every year and, according to its official website, it is held "to celebrate worldwide the positive value men bring to the world, their families and communities".

The website says that the month of November was chosen "because is important for the masculine soul" because it gathers several important events to men, including Movember.

The day is also used to highlight and raise awareness around important health matters.

Prostate Cancer UK urges people to share an important message on IMD

Who founded it?

IMD was founded in 1999 by Dr Jerome Teelucksingh — a history lecturer at the University of the West Indies in Trinidad Tabago.

However, there had been campaigns for the day dating back to the 1960s.

Early pioneers of IMD wanted to remind people that it was not intended to compete against International Woman’s Day but to highlight men’s experiences, the website says. 

Charity Time to Change tweeted in support of IMD

Where is it celebrated?

It is celebrated in more than 70 countries worldwide, including Singapore, Australia, India, the UK, the US, Malta, Croatia, Canada and Hungary.

Founder, Dr Jerome Teelucksingh, said: "The observances of International Men’s Day are part of a global love revolution."

The day "is observed on an annual basis by persons from all walks of life, who support the ongoing effort to improve lives, heal scarred hearts, seek solutions to social problems, mend troubled minds, reform the social outcasts and uplift the dysfunctional," he added.

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