By Dan Bolton
The United Nations General Assembly has designated May 21, 2020, International Tea Day, redirecting attention from marketing to a celebration of those who labor in the world’s tea gardens.
International Tea Day is currently celebrated on Dec. 15, a date that is out-of-sync with traditional spring celebrations. Joydeep Phukan, principal officer and secretary of the Tea Research Association at Tocklai in Jorhat, India, explains that recent efforts to establish an international tea day began in 2005 when the Centre for Education and Communication (CEC) hosted a conference in New Delhi. The conference culminated in the designation of Dec. 15 as International Tea Day.
"The key objective of the conference was to frame a universal declaration on the rights of the tea workers and small growers to strengthen advocacy and campaign activities at various levels," according to CEC Executive Director J. John. The conference was jointly hosted by the Central Trade Unions of India with the Institute of Social Development (ISD) in Kandy, Sri Lanka, and supported by many non-governmental organizations.
Several countries followed the precedent, including Bangladesh, Indonesia, India, Kenya, Malaysia, Malawi, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Uganda, and Vietnam.
The UK took a different approach, celebrating the drinking of tea on Apr. 21 in tea rooms, hotels, pubs, and cafés through special events, and charitable fundraising events held across the country. Over time the Dec. 15 celebrations evolved to promote holiday blends, seasonal drink recipes, and retail gifting opportunities. In short, the event became more about profits and packaging than those who made the tea within.
Phukan writes that celebrating tea in May is more suitable because “in most tea producing countries, it is the month of quality tea production.”
"Events could be organized around International Tea Day to spread awareness of the goodness of tea with fresh quality tea produced in the month. In India, the second flush, which is the best quality tea production period, starts from around May 15," according to Phukan.
Phukan, coordinator of the Food and Agricultural Organization’s Intergovernmental Group on Tea (IGG) for India, recalled the FAO’s Milan intersession in October 2015. “I suggested the Tea Board of India move a formal proposal observing one day in a year as international tea day," said Phukan. Most tea producing countries, including Sri Lanka and Indonesia, wrote to the FAO supporting the proposal, which advanced to a formal motion in 2016.
Phukan explains, "thereafter China followed up the proposal strongly with the FAO and in the 23rd session of the IGG held at Hangzhou in May 2018, unanimously decided to recommend May 21.”
The UN’s 74th Generally Assembly symbolically redirected the global celebration of tea to the tea lands. Now it is time for all tea producing and consuming countries to take full advantage of the day, according to the UN. "Tea can play a significant role in rural development, poverty reduction, and ensuring food security in developing countries because of it being one of the most important cash crops," according to the UN.
Tea production and processing contribute to the fight against hunger, reduction of extreme poverty, empowerment of women, and sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems. Tea consumption can bring health benefits and wellness, among others, according to the UN, which urged member countries to celebrate the day in an "appropriate manner" in accordance with each nation's priorities, through education and activities aimed at raising public awareness of the importance of tea.
Implementation of the resolution is with voluntary contributions from the private sector, according to the general assembly. Planning is now underway in several countries with announcements of individual programs to follow, said Phukan.
“I am happy that my suggestion to observe one day of a year as International Tea Day has seen the light of the day and sincerely hope that more people of the world can discover the goodness of tea,” said Phukan.