World Sparrow Day is a day designated to raise awareness of the house sparrow and then other common birds to urban environments, and of threats to their populations, observed on 20 March. It is an international initiative by the Nature Forever Society of India in collaboration with the Eco-Sys Action Foundation (France) and numerous other national and international organizations across the world.

The Nature Forever Society was started by Mohammed Dilawar, an Indian conservationist who started his work helping the house sparrow in Nashik, and who was named one of the "Heroes of the Environment" for 2008 by Time for his efforts. The idea of marking World Sparrow Day came up during an informal discussion at the Nature Forever Society's office. The idea was to earmark a day for the house sparrow to convey the message of conservation of the house sparrow and other common birds and also mark a day of celebration to appreciate the beauty of the common biodiversity which is taken so much for granted. The first World Sparrow Day was celebrated in 2010 in different parts of the world. The day was celebrated by carrying out different various kinds of activities and events like art competitions, awareness campaigns, and sparrow processions as well as interactions with media.

World Sparrow Day Background:

The idea of celebrating World Sparrow Day came up during an informal discussion over tea at the Nature Forever Society's office. The idea was to earmark a day for the House Sparrow to convey the message of conservation of the House Sparrow and other common birds and also mark a day of celebration to appreciate the beauty of the common biodiversity which we take so much for granted. Nature, we must understand, does not come with a lifetime guarantee.

World Sparrow Day also has a broader vision to provide a platform where people who are working on the conservation of the House Sparrow and other common birds can network, collaborate and exchange conservation ideas which will lead to better science and improved results. It aims to provide a meeting ground for people from different parts of the world to come together and form a force that can play an important role in advocacy and in spreading the awareness on the need of conserving common biodiversity or species of lower conservation status.

Why Celebrate World Sparrow Day?

The sparrow, especially the common house sparrow, is one of the most ubiquitous birds on earth and is also one of the oldest companions of human beings. It has, over a period of time, evolved with us. Fortunately, they are still found in abundance in many parts of the world.

The house sparrow was once the most common bird in the world, but in the past few years, this bird has been on the decline over much of its natural range, both in the urban and rural habitats. The decline of the house sparrow is an indicator of the continuous degradation the environment around us is facing. It is also a warning bell that s us about the possible detrimental effects on our health and wellbeing. We need to know the health risks of the increasing amount of microwave pollution and what is decimating the population of the house sparrow, which co-existed with us, so that we can estimate the effect on all forms of life, including ours.

The house sparrow also represents many of the common bird species and is, in a sense, their ambassador. Therefore, the conservation of the house sparrow and its habitat will also help save much of the common biodiversity, which shares the habitat of the house sparrows. This website will offer an overview of the World Sparrow Day events being held all across the globe. Individuals and organizations can register with us so that we can showcase their events. The goal is to collectively inspire others to join the celebrations and to get as many people as possible involved in the conservation of house sparrows and their habitat across the planet.

Sparrow Awards:

To encourage efforts made towards this cause and to selflessly conserve the environment, NFS has instituted the first Sparrow Awards in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, on 20 March 2011. In 2013, one of the key facilitators who has joined forces with NFS and supports Sparrow Awards is Sustainuance magazine. The Editor-In-Chief of the magazine, Shashwat D.C. who convened the event and handed out the award to the winners stated, "These awardees are unsung heroes who come from all walks of life. And what is remarkable is that they usually work without any government funding and do not seek any recognition."

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