7 December 2016: International Civil Aviation Day

International Civil Aviation Day is celebrated annually on 7 December. The United Nations established it as a special day in 1994, which was officially recognized in 1996.

The aim of International Civil Aviation Day is to help generate and reinforce global awareness of international civil aviation to the social and economic development of countries, and the interconnectedness of people. The UN has included the importance of civil aviation in its Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) to 2030.

The theme of the 2016 Civil Aviation Day is ‘Working Together to Ensure No Country is Left Behind.’ The theme is the same for the period 2015-2018. The campaign highlights the efforts of countries to implement International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Standards and Practices for safety, security, and emissions-related goals. ICAO was established on 7 December 1944.

International uniformity and cooperation are important for global aviation safety and a network of individuals and groups who promote peaceful skies.

MARTINA NICOLLS is an international aid and development consultant, and the author of:- The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Sudan Curse (2009).

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