Not a joke. United Nations
secretary-general Ban Ki-Moon, along with a coalition from
Singapore, introduced a resolution to declare November 19th the
first 'World Toilet Day'. The resolution was co-sponsored and
adopted by 122 countries at the 67th session of the UN General
Assembly in New York. On July 24, 2013, World Toilet Day became an
official UN day.
Since its inception in 2001, World Toilet Day is celebrated globally
by NGOs, UN agencies, the private sector, civil society
organizations and the international community.
19 November is a special day for the World Toilet Organization. It
was founded on 19 November 2001. World Toilet Day was established
with the aim to draw global attention to the sanitation crisis. The
organization’s approach of mixing humor with serious facts resonated
with people around the world.
A clean and safe toilet ensures health, dignity and well-being, yet
40% of the world’s population does not have access to toilets. Over
two billion people do not have access to proper sanitation,
including toilets or latrines, with dramatic consequences on human
health, dignity and security, the environment, and social and
economic development.