International Day of Family Remittances recognizes and honors the 200 million migrant workers who send money home to over 800 million family members around the world. Every day, migrant workers face great odds against financial insecurity, global pandemics, and climate disasters to travel to a country to work so they can send that money home to their families.

The money they send back may mean the difference between life and death for their families—which is why it’s important that they’re able to continue to provide for their families. This day is observed annually on June 16th and is a good opportunity for people to think about the challenges faced by migrant workers as they attempt to support themselves and their families.

The History of International Day of Family Remittances

The first celebration was part of the Global Forum on Remittances and Development that took place at the World Expo in Milan, Italy, on June 16, 2015. This holiday was officially established on an international level on June 12, 2018, by the United Nations General Assembly when they adopted a resolution authorizing the holiday. It has since been observed every year on June 16th.

Facts About Migrants and Migration

Let’s take a quick look at some facts about migrants and migration before moving on to how the International Day of Family Remittances is observed.

• From 1820 to 1890, more than 5 million immigrants arrived in the U.S. from Ireland and Germany.
• Migrant workers often boost regional economies because they spend their wages there.
• Migrant workers come from around the world, including Asia, South America, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe.

Observing International Day of Family Remittances

This holiday is observed in many different ways. A primary way it is observed is by raising awareness about the challenges that migrants face every day and how we as a society can help to ease those burdens.

Another way that this holiday is observed is by encouraging private sector entities to send migrant remittances for the day for free. People can also spread the word about this holiday using the hashtag #DayOfFamilyRemittances on their social media accounts.