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31 October: what is celebrated today
The last day of October is an appointment with the senses: lights flickering in the dark, costumed laughter, cities pulsing, kitchens boiling, minds reflecting. 31 October brings together celebration and awareness, pumpkin and rice, mask and word. It is a day that celebrates human creativity in all its forms: from scary stories to urban solutions for a sustainable future.
Halloween
The eve of All Saints’ Day is tinged with orange and black. Amid illuminated pumpkins, children asking for sweets and adults rediscovering the magic of fear, Halloween has become one of the planet’s most universal celebrations.
Its origins date back to the ancient Celtic Samhain, the festival that marked the end of the harvest and the beginning of winter. From Ireland to America, from stone temples to modern neighbourhoods, the tradition survived by transforming into a night of humour and mystery.
Today, dressing up, decorating the house or watching horror films are not merely acts of entertainment: they are a way of playing with our fears, reconciling ourselves with darkness and, perhaps, laughing a little at death.
World Cities Day
Halloween lights are reflected in the windows of millions of cities that never sleep. Every 31 October, the UN invites us to celebrate World Cities Day, reminding us that more than half of humanity now lives in urban environments.
The 2024 theme, “Young people as agents of climate change”, highlights the role of new generations in building sustainable, inclusive and resilient cities.
Thinking about the urban future means rethinking how we inhabit the world: green streets, clean transport, neighbourhoods where diversity is a source of wealth rather than a border. Tomorrow’s cities are born from the decisions we make today.
World Savings Day
Today also celebrates a small but decisive gesture: saving in order to build. Since 1924, World Savings Day has reminded us of the importance of planning and of thinking about the future without forgetting the present.
Saving is not about depriving oneself, but about choosing. It is learning that financial stability — like peace or health — is cultivated with patience. In times of accelerated consumption, this observance proposes a balance: enjoy, yes, but consciously. Because every coin saved can be transformed into freedom.
International Rice Day
At the world’s table, rice brings together cultures, climates and flavours. Present in homes across Asia, Africa, America and Europe, it is far more than food: it is a symbol of shared life.
31 October pays tribute to those who grow it and those who cook it, reminding us that behind every grain there is history, science and effort. It nourishes bodies and traditions, and its aroma forms part of humanity’s memory.
Global Media and Information Literacy Week
The month ends with the closing of this week promoted by UNESCO. Under the theme “The new digital frontiers of information”, the 2024 programme reflects on the challenges posed by artificial intelligence in the dissemination of knowledge.
Being responsible digital citizens means more than browsing: it involves analysing, checking and understanding. In a world saturated with data, media literacy becomes the lantern that illuminates the truth.
31 October is, at the same time, celebration and reflection. Between ghosts and skyscrapers, between rice and savings, between screens and words, it reminds us that humanity celebrates so as not to forget: that light defeats fear, that knowledge defeats confusion and that, even on the darkest night, there is always a candle burning.