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25 September: what is celebrated today
The calendar marks days that invite us to reflect on different aspects of our lives. 25 September brings together diverse but equally essential causes: the quiet work of pharmacists, the importance of maritime transport throughout human history, and raising awareness of a rare disease like ataxia. Three different commemorations that remind us that health, knowledge, and solidarity are pillars for progress as a society.
World Pharmacists Day: guardians of everyday health
Every 25 September, since 2009, World Pharmacists Day has been celebrated, established by the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP). The date commemorates the founding of this organisation and seeks to make visible the essential role pharmacists play in healthcare.
The 2024 motto, “Pharmacists: meeting global health needs”, underlines that, in many places, they are the population’s first contact with the health system. From prevention and guidance to monitoring treatments, their work is key to ensuring close and accessible care.
World Maritime Day: a tribute to those who connect continents
On the fourth Thursday of September, which in 2024 will be the 26th, World Maritime Day is celebrated. This date, established in 1980, pays tribute to the men and women who keep maritime trade alive, an activity that has been a driver of globalisation since ancient times.
Thanks to maritime transport, paper travelled from China, along with silk, new agricultural species and even the ideas that transformed entire civilisations. Today it remains the means by which most world trade circulates, keeping the planet connected.
International Ataxia Day: giving a voice to a rare disease
Since 2001, every 25 September has marked International Ataxia Day, a day promoted by patients, families and associations to raise awareness of this little-known neurological disorder.
Ataxia affects the coordination of movement and balance, causing tremors and motor difficulties, although mental faculties remain intact. Most cases are hereditary and, as they are neurodegenerative diseases, they progressively limit mobility and speech.
Although there is no cure in most cases, research and supportive treatments can improve the quality of life of those affected. Making this disease visible also means supporting thousands of families who struggle against lack of awareness and indifference.