World Bee Day is celebrated on May 20. We have been celebrating this day since 2018, thanks to the efforts of the Government of Slovenia that led the UN General Assembly to declare 20 May as World Bee Day. The date was chosen since it is the birthday of Anton Janša, a pioneer of modern apiculture(bee-keeping). Janša came from a family of beekeepers in Slovenia, where beekeeping is an important agricultural activity with a long-standing tradition. The purpose of this day is to raise awareness on the essential role bees and other pollinators play in maintaining the ecosystem.

There are over 20,000 species of bees on our planet. They are essential for pollination, which is vital to all life on Earth. They are crucial in pollinating wild and managed plants. Bees perform about 80% of all pollination worldwide. They keep our planet's precious ecosystems growing and thriving. But today, the number of bees, pollinators, and many other insects are declining. In Korea, about 10 billion bees disappeared this year alone. Also, UN stated that about 40% of world's wild bees are endangered and by 2035, honeybees may disappear permanently from the Earth. This day provides an opportunity for all of us to promote actions that will protect and enhance pollinators and their habitats, improve their abundance and diversity, and support the sustainable development of beekeeping.

UN lists some of the things we can do as an individual to protect the bees and other pollinators.

-planting a diverse set of native plants, which flower at different times of the year;

-buying raw honey from local farmers;

-buying products from sustainable agricultural practices;

-avoiding pesticides, fungicides or herbicides in our gardens;

-protecting wild bee colonies when possible;

-sponsoring a hive;

-making a bee water fountain by leaving a water bowl outside;

-helping sustaining forest ecosystems;

-raising awareness around us by sharing this information within our communities and networks;