People around the world will be gathering to commemorate International Moon Day on July 20, 2023. It is a special day to celebrate the incredible achievements of our species in space exploration. It is also a day to remember and honour Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, the two heroic astronauts who first stepped foot on the moon in 1969.
For many, International Moon Day serves as a reminder of how far technology has come in the past fifty years and how much further we still have to go. This day is more than just a celebration of human ingenuity and ambition; it is also a time for people to look back fondly on the momentous event that marked the first human voyage to the moon.
History of International Moon Day
On July 20th, 1969, history was made when Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first human beings to make footprints on the moon. After four days of intense travel, they arrived at their destination and climbed down a ladder from their lunar module. With Armstrong’s famous words, “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind,” the pair made their way onto the lunar surface.
Though Armstrong was the first to step foot on the moon, Buzz Aldrin was not far behind him. Aldrin was an extraordinary pilot and navigator who served as Apollo 11’s Lunar Module Pilot. He was an integral part of the mission and without him, it would not have been successful. During their time on the moon, Armstrong and Aldrin collected samples and took photographs which remain some of the most iconic images in history.
On December 9, 2021, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) through A/RES/76/76 resolution declared July 20 as the International Moon Day.
Significance of International Moon Day
On International Moon Day, we honour these two brave heroes and recall their amazing journey into space. Without their vision and courage, space exploration may have taken much longer to become a reality. They paved the way for future astronauts and helped us realise our dreams of exploring new worlds. That is why International Moon Day is such an important day to recognize and celebrate their contributions to our species and our world.
International Moon Day is not only significant because of its historical importance; it serves as a reminder that space exploration is still ongoing today. The last 50 years have seen incredible advancements in technology which have enabled us to go even further into space than ever before. We are now able to explore planets beyond our solar system, which is something that Armstrong and Aldrin could only have dreamed of during their lifetime.