News
19 April: what is celebrated today
There are dates that seem to celebrate the pleasure of living from very different angles, but with the same vital pulse. 19 April brings together the humour that explains us as a society, the movement that returns us to the human scale, the affective bonds that sustain childhood and creativity as the invisible engine of the world. A day to look at popular culture, relationships and ideas as everyday forms of resistance and joy.
World Simpsons Day
Since 2017, every 19 April has paid tribute to The Simpsons, a series that ceased to be just television and became a shared language. More than three decades after its premiere, the yellow family continues to function as a distorting — and surprisingly accurate — mirror of contemporary society, with its contradictions, obsessions and absurdities.
The Simpsons have not only marked generations: they have shaped humour, political satire and the way reality is read through irony. Lines, scenes and characters form part of the global collective imagination, showing that popular culture can also be critical, lucid and profoundly influential.
World Bicycle Day (unofficial)
Although the UN set World Bicycle Day on 3 June, 19 April retains a parallel, lesser-known and more curious history. The date recalls the so-called Bicycle Day, linked to Albert Hofmann’s first bicycle trip in 1943, an episode that would end up entering the history of science… and contemporary culture.
Beyond its anecdotal origin, the bicycle today represents a powerful idea: sustainable mobility, health, autonomy and a human-scale city. Celebrating it means defending a way of getting around that carries not only bodies, but also values: simplicity, balance and freedom.
Godparents’ Day
The third Sunday of April — which in 2026 falls on the 19th — focuses on a discreet but fundamental figure: godfathers and godmothers. Beyond the religious framework that gave rise to the term, today they symbolise companionship, guidance and care throughout life.
Being a godfather or godmother entails an emotional commitment that transcends rituals: being present, offering support, passing on values and becoming a second emotional refuge. At a time of diverse families and changing bonds, this celebration asserts the importance of chosen ties.
World Creativity and Innovation Week
Between 15 and 21 April, this week invites us to look at the world with curiosity. Promoted by Canadian creative Marci Segal, World Creativity and Innovation Week does not celebrate a specific discipline, but an attitude: the human capacity to imagine solutions, try new paths and learn from mistakes.
Creativity belongs not only to art or technology; it runs through everyday life, work, education and relationships. In that sense, this week serves as a timely reminder: many of the transformations we need begin with a simple idea and the courage to carry it out.