International May Day is celebrated today!

International Worker’s Day or May Day falls on May 1st most commonly to commemorate the achievements of the labour movement. It is marked as a public holiday in over 80 countries around the world. The first May Day celebration took place on May 1, 1890, after its proclamation by the first international congress of socialist parties in Europe on July 14th, 1889 in Paris, France.

 

Although May 1st is celebrated worldwide, not all countries celebrate it on May 1st. For example, in the United Kingdom and Ireland May Day is not fixed on May 1st. The holiday is celebrated on the first Monday in May.

 

May Day celebrations in communist countries during the Cold War era often consisted of large military parades. They incorporated the latest weaponry shows and the shows with common people in support of the government. However, the United States celebrates Labor Day on the first Monday of September. May 1st is not a widely recognized day in the United States. Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the Netherlands also celebrate Labour Day, but not on May 1st. They celebrate the day on different days.