INTERNATIONAL DAY OF HUMAN SPACE FLIGHT
INTERNATIONAL DAYS IN THE COLLECTIONS OF THE NUMIC MUSEUM
The United Nations (UN) has established specific days of the year to commemorate and highlight specific events and themes with the aim of raising awareness and mobilizing the global community. These days are proposed by one or more members and by specialized organizations (UNESCO, UNICEF, FAO, etc.) and are ratified by the UN General Assembly.
In this section of posts, the Numismatic Museum presents coins, medals and other objects from its Collections that are thematically linked to International or World Days.
April 12 – INTERNATIONAL DAY OF HUMAN SPACE FLIGHT
The International Day of Human Space Flight was established by the UN General Assembly on April 7, 2011 to commemorate the significant achievements of humanity in space. It is celebrated each year on April 12, the date on which in 1961 Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human to orbit the Earth. This was preceded by the launch of the first artificial satellite, Sputnik I, on October 4, 1957, and on July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong became the first man to walk on the surface of the Moon. Since then, many international missions have followed, and today the International Space Station is the center of humanity’s multinational presence in space.
Space exploration began in a Cold War climate of competition. It is our hope, however, that it will gradually contribute to the awareness of the common destiny of humanity and the need to protect and perpetuate our common home.
Useful links: https://www.un.org/en/observances/human-spaceflight-day
One small step for man…
As part of the celebration, we present a bronze commemorative medal issued in the United States of America by the Medallic Art Company on the occasion of the Apollo 11 moon landing and the first steps taken by man on the surface of the Moon. The phrase of Neil Armstrong “one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind” has remained forever in history.
