Father’s Day Around the World

By Valentina Attanasio, BT Managing Editor

Father’s Day is a very special occasion for children to honor the love and care that their fathers provide. Celebrated worldwide, it’s also a day that reminds us of the invaluable contribution that fathers and father figures make to their families and to society.

Father’s Day is celebrated on different dates, according to each country’s tradition. In Catholic Europe, Father’s Day is celebrated on March 19 every year, on St. Joseph’s Day — in honor of Joseph of Nazareth, father of Jesus. This tradition was brought to Latin America by the Spanish and Portuguese who still celebrate this holiday on March 19. Many countries in Europe and America have since moved toward using the U.S. date of the third Sunday in June, although in a large portion of the world the holiday is still celebrated in March or May.

In Canada, the United Kingdom, the United States and Australia, people dedicate this day to going out with family and spending time together. Traditionally, people in the U.S. also pay tribute to grandfathers, stepfathers, foster fathers, uncles or other father figures.

In India, Father’s Day is a fairly new celebration. The idea of celebrating Father’s Day there was imported from western countries, mainly the US. People in India celebrate on the third Sunday in June, with many cultural activities designed to inspire children to take care of their fathers.

In Russia, Father’s Day overlaps with their Defender of the Fatherland Day. So, while fathers are honored by their families, many fathers also march in military parades in their hometown on the same day.

Check out the list below to find out when Father’s Day 2020 is celebrated in other countries! And if you can’t find your country’s listing here, please let us know! Send an email to us at editorbt@llli.org. We’ll be happy to add it!

References

Aisling Moloney, When is Father’s Day around the world? Metro 15 June 2017; https://metro.co.uk/2017/06/15/when-is-fathers-day-around-the-world-6711731/ (accessed 16 July 2020).

OfficeHolidays, Father’s Day around the world in 2020, 2020, https://www.officeholidays.com/holidays/fathers-day (accessed 16 July 2020).

Timeanddate.com, When Is Father’s Day 2020?, https://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/common/father-day (accessed 16 July 2020).

Surfinetkids, How Father’s Day is Celebrated Around the World, https://www.surfnetkids.com/fathersday/176/how-fathers-day-is-celebrated-around-the-world/ (accessed 16 July 2020).

Wayne Parker, When Is Father’s Day in My Country? The Spruce 31 October 2019; https://www.thespruce.com/fathers-day-by-country-1270375 (accessed 16 July 2020).