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17 October: what is celebrated today
17 October stands as a day of empathy and awareness. In different corners of the world, this day brings together three deeply human causes: relief from physical suffering, the fight against poverty and care for those facing language difficulties. They all share a common thread: the desire for dignity. Dignity for those in pain, for those without resources and for those seeking to be heard.
World Day Against Pain
Every 17 October marks World Day Against Pain, a date promoted by the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP), the European Pain Federation (EFIC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) since 2004. Its purpose is as essential as it is universal: to improve the quality of life of all people who suffer pain, whether physical or emotional.
Pain is an experience common to all humanity, but when it becomes chronic, it becomes a persistent shadow that limits existence. The WHO has called for this type of pain to be recognised as a disease and for its treatment to be considered a basic human right.
Beyond the figures —one in five people suffers chronic pain— this day seeks to raise awareness of the urgency of caring for and accompanying those who live with it. Because relieving pain is not only a medical matter, but also an act of compassion and justice.
International Day for the Eradication of Poverty
Also on 17 October, the world remembers a wound that has still not healed: poverty. Millions of people live on less than 1.90 dollars a day, without access to food, drinking water or basic services. That is why the UN established this date as the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, in order to reaffirm a global commitment: to end poverty in all its forms and everywhere in the world.
Poverty is not only a lack of resources, but the denial of opportunities. It means living without options, without a voice and without hope. This day seeks to strengthen international solidarity, promote sustainable policies and remind us that no progress is real while part of humanity is left behind.
Eradicating poverty is not charity; it is justice. It is recognising that equal opportunities are the basis of a truly humane society.
International Developmental Language Disorder Awareness Day (DLD)
Every third Friday in October, more than 39 countries join together to mark International Developmental Language Disorder Awareness Day (DLD), a condition that affects between 2% and 5% of children worldwide.
DLD interferes with the comprehension and expression of language, making communication difficult from the earliest years of life. However, with early support —from families, teachers and therapists— it is possible to improve the quality of life and development of those affected.
This day seeks to break the silence surrounding many boys and girls who cannot express themselves easily. It gives them a space, a voice and, above all, understanding. Because communicating is not only speaking: it is being heard, understood and valued.
A day to recognise the value of empathy
17 October is a reminder of what makes us human: the ability to feel another person’s pain, to lend a hand to someone in need and to listen even to what is not said in words. Each of these observances invites us to look at others with more compassion, to relieve suffering where it exists and to give voice where silence reigns. Because a fairer world begins with something as simple —and as powerful— as putting oneself in another’s place.