Fitness & Wellness
International Tea Day 2020: History and importance of this day
International Tea Day has been observed in India and many other countries since 2005. It has been observed every year on December 15 in countries like India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Tanzania and more. However, International Tea day is globally observed on May 21st and this day even received approval from the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
Importance
The International Tea Day is observed to raise awareness of the importance of tea around the world. Tea has been a valuable economic commodity throughout history. The goal of this day focuses on promoting better trade practices and working conditions, as well as ethical and sustainable production of tea. This day also aims to raise awareness on fighting hunger and poverty. Tea growth requires intensive care and effort, and many plantations in India and other countries do not provide tea plantation workers with the right incentives.
History
International Tea Day was first celebrated in 2005 at New Delhi. The FAO Intergovernmental Group (IGG) on Tea is a forum that observes the varying trends and acts as an intergovernmental consultancy. They have been known to support world tea economy through their efforts and proposed the idea of an International Tea Day which was later adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 2019.
Tea today is consumed at a large scale around the world. It offers physical and emotional health benefits and is one of the largest exported commodities, with China exporting $2.02 billion worth of tea in 2019. Among many health benefits, tea is known to improve mood, aid in weight loss, boost immune system and according to Penn Medicine, it has an everlasting impact on one’s wellness. However, much like anything else, drinking too much tea could also lead to negative side effects such as anxiety or changes in sleep patterns.
