The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), a specialist UN agency, has named December 7 as the day to celebrate the contribution that civil aviation has made to the world. Flying has created new opportunities for cross-cultural contacts and irrevocably changed both business and tourism. The inaugural International Civil Aviation Day was observed in 1994 as part of ICAO’s 50th anniversary; however, it wasn’t until 1996 that the United Nations General Assembly designated December 7 as International Civil Aviation Day. They decided to make an effort to use the day to highlight the importance of civil aviation for social and economic development as well as to recognize the unique role the International Civil Aviation Organization plays in supporting global cooperation and the development of nations.
