News
3 July: what is celebrated today
3 July invites us to pause over gestures that seem small but define the way we inhabit the world. It is a date that speaks of everyday responsibility and empathy: of what we discard almost without thinking and of fragile realities that often remain out of the spotlight. Between caring for the planet and raising the visibility of a rare disease, the day calls for a more conscious and humane outlook.
International Plastic Bag Free Day
Every 3 July, International Plastic Bag Free Day is observed, a direct call to reconsider one of the most normalised habits of daily life. Plastic bags, so light and apparently harmless, have become a symbol of throwaway culture: they take centuries to break down and travel unchecked to rivers, seas and oceans, where they disrupt entire ecosystems.
This observance does not propose a heroic solution, but an accumulation of simple decisions. Taking a reusable bag, refusing an unnecessary bag for a small purchase or reusing those that already exist are small gestures which, repeated by millions of people, have a real impact. The message is clear: reducing plastic is not merely an environmental matter, but a form of respect for generations to come.
International Rubinstein-Taybi Syndrome Day
The same day is also devoted to International Rubinstein-Taybi Syndrome Day, a rare genetic disorder that affects approximately one in every 150,000 people. The date seeks to raise awareness of a little-known condition, marked by characteristic physical features and challenges in cognitive and motor development, which accompany those living with it from birth.
Speaking about this syndrome means speaking about early diagnosis, specialist medical care and, above all, inclusion. Behind the clinical data are families, carers and patients calling for understanding and social support. This day reminds us that awareness does not cure, but it opens doors: to research, appropriate resources and a fairer view of human diversity.