Seafarer's Day: A Celebration of People Who Bear the Ocean on Their Shoulders June 25. For most of us, it's just another summer day when it's warm outside and the middle of the workweek is on the calendar. But for fifteen million people around the world, this date means much more. It's their day — Seafarer's Day, a professional holiday for those who sail the oceans, those who see land for months, those who continue to do what our civilization would collapse without: transporting goods. The goods we buy in stores, the products we eat, the fuel we put in our cars — 80-90 percent of it is delivered by sea. And behind this colossal flow stand ordinary people with calloused hands and a maritime character. This is about them — and the celebration dedicated to them. Why June 25th The history of Seafarer's Day (or as it is also called, Mariners' Day) began relatively recently — in 2010. That year, member states of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), which is a specialized agency of the United Nations, gathered at the Diplomatic Conference in Manila, the capital of the Philippines. It was there that Resolution No. 19 was adopted, establishing this holiday. Why was June 25th chosen? This date was not chosen by chance. The Manila Conference took place at the end of June, and the organizers decided to fix a day that would forever link the recognition of the merits of seafarers with this historic event. Moreover, within the same conference, the crucial Manila Amendments to the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) were adopted. This document sets standards for the professional training of seafarers worldwide. So June 25th became not just a day of greetings, but a symbol of a new stage in the development of the entire maritime industry. The first Seafarer's Day was marked in 2011. Since then, it has firmly entered the calendar of international holidays, and the IMO selects a new theme for it every y ... Read more