International Day of Mathematics Date in the current year: March 14, 2024

Mathematics is a broad area of knowledge that includes the topics of numbers, formulas and related structures, shapes and spaces containing them, and quantities and their changes. Modern mathematics has a number of major subdisciplines such as algebra, calculus and analysis, geometry, number theory, mathematical logic and set theory, statistics and probability theory, and computational mathematics.

Mathematical sciences are essential for modern technologies; they were instrumental in the development of search engines, cryptography, medical imaging devices, artificial intelligence and machine learning, decoding of the human genome – and these are just a few examples. They are also everywhere in the organization of our societies: mathematics helps optimize transport and communication networks, understand and calculate the risk of natural disasters to prepare for them in advance, manage healthcare and social welfare systems, etc.

Do you want more specific examples that link mathematics to everyday life? We have them! Mathematical sciences are behind the software and technologies you use every day like your smartphone or GPS navigator. Modern blockbusters with CGI effects wouldn’t be possible without mathematics. Finally, mathematics and arts such as music, dance, painting, sculpture and architecture are related in a variety of ways (proportions and perspective in visual arts, scales in music, etc.).

To put it short, mathematics is essential to our lives, and its definitely deserves to be celebrated. March 14 was designated as the International Day of Mathematics during the 40th session of UNESCO’s General Conference in November 2019. Such a date was chosen because March 14 (3/14) was already celebrated as Pi Day in many countries around the globe.

The main goal of the International Day of Mathematics is to raise global awareness of the essential role of mathematical sciences in addressing challenges in multiple areas including climate change, sustainable development, energy and artificial intelligence, as well as their importance for advancements in computer science and engineering. It also aims to promote STEM education and highlight the importance of mathematics for empowering women and girls.

The International Day of Mathematics is coordinated by the International Mathematical Union, an international NGO that fosters international cooperation in the field of mathematics, with the support of multiple international, regional and national organizations. IDM events and activities are held by schools, universities, museums, and public libraries all over the world.

Every year, IDM events focus on a specific theme. Past themes have included Mathematics Is Everywhere (the connection of mathematics to nature, science and technology, arts, and everyday life), Mathematics for a Better World (the multiple ways in which mathematical sciences help to make the world a better place), Mathematics Unites (the role of mathematics as a common language shared by people from all over the world), and Mathematics for Action (the role of mathematics in achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals).