The United Nations (UN) celebrates the International Day of Human Space Flight on April 12 each year.
The International Day of Human Space Flight celebrates the start of the space era for humankind, reaffirming the important contribution of space science and technology in today’s world.
The day also aims to promote aspirations to explore and maintain outer space for peaceful purposes.
The General Assembly, in its resolution A/RES/65/271 of 7 April 2011, declared 12 April as the International Day of Human Space Flight “to celebrate each year at the international level the beginning of the space era for mankind.”
12 April 1961 was the date of the first human space flight, carried out by Yuri Gagarin, a Soviet citizen.
This historic event opened the way for space exploration for the benefit of all humanity.
