The Inspiring Story Behind International Women’s Day

The month of May is all about showing appreciation for mothers. We all know about the day, but how did it come about? Let’s go back into time.

Many theories abound as to how International Mother’s Day came to be. One theory traces back to the ancient Greeks who held festivals to Rhea, the mother of the gods. In the UK, the tradition of Mother’s Day is now very similar to its American counterpart, but its origins are different, as the day commemorates returning to your mother church on the fourth Sunday in the Lent season.

In the USA, the first Mother’s Day was celebrated in 1907, following the death of Anna Jarvis’ mother. She wanted to commemorate a holiday in the United States, a campaign she began in 1905, the year her mother died.

Anna and another peace activist Julia Ward Howe had been campaigning for the creation of a Mother’s Day dedicated to peace.

Anna Jarvis wanted to set aside a day to honour all mothers because she believed a mother is “the person who has done more for you than anyone in the world.”

In 1908, the U.S Congress rejected a proposal to make Mother’s Day an official holiday. However, by 1911 all US states had observed the holiday with some of them observing and officially recognizing Mother’s Day as a local holiday, the first being West Virginia, Jarvis home state in 1910.

In 1914, Woodrow Wilson signed a proclamation designating Mother’s Day, held on the second Sunday in May, as a national holiday to honour mothers.

Today, International Mother’s Day has been adopted but with different names and dates. In the UK, it is referred to as ‘Mothering Sunday’.

Some countries selected a date with historical significance. In Bolivia, for example, Mother’s Day is a fixed date in which they commemorate the battle women participated in to defend their children.

This International Mother’s Day makes it a point to tell mum how the day came about. And of course, celebrate a meal and a laugh. Mum is always cooking, so why not cook for her this time round. Make pilau, chapatis, beef stew prepared with Rina or Rinsun. Your choice.

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