Each year on May 21, tea lovers around the world come together to celebrate International Tea Day. It is the day to honour a beverage steeped deep in global history and culture. This day isn’t always simply about sipping on your favourite brew; it is an important reminder of the social and financial aspects of tea production and on emphasising the need for sustainable practices.
The inaugural International Tea Day celebration took place in 2005 in the fundamental tea-producing nations like India Sri Lanka Nepal and Kenya to focus on the plight of tea people and the changing tea marketplace.
“The tea industry is a main source of income and export revenues for some of the poorest countries and, as a labour-intensive sector, provides jobs, especially in remote and economically disadvantaged areas,” reports the United Nations.
Recognising this issue, in 2019, the UN formally declared May 21 as the International Tea Day. This underscores the beverage’s significance beyond its regular consumption linking it to global financial balance and cultural history.
The significance of tea in global cultures
Tea is more than a beverage; it is an integral part of cultures throughout the globe. In Britain, the afternoon tea lifestyle is nearly sacrosanct. At the same time, in Japan, the tea ceremony is an art form and a meditative exercise.
In China tea has been an image of concord and enlightenment for centuries. Economically the tea industry sustains hundreds of thousands of livelihoods specifically in rural areas.
In India too, tea is not only one of the most consumed beverages but
also an important part of relaxation time amidst work and busy days.
