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March 12 – The New “International Day of Ceramics”

The creation of a new “International Day of Ceramics”has been agreed upon by the International Ceramics Federation. The International Day of Ceramicswill be celebrated annually on or around March 12, beginning with announcements on March 12, 2025 and the first actual day being held in 2026. It is designed to draw the public’s attention to not only the huge range of different ceramic materials and their extremely useful properties, but also to how much they underpin all our lives, every day, in the modern world.

Our today’s society is very familiar with traditional ceramic materials, typically based on clay, which have been used for thousands of years. Advanced ceramics, in contrast, may have only been around for a century or two, but they are used in a multitude of every-day, high technology applications. These include electroceramics for the electronics in cell phones, computers and every single other electronic device; composites for use in the aerospace and energy industries; bioceramics for artificial teeth and bones; and many others. However, most ceramic components are contained within a larger device and hence are not visible to the user or the public in general. Ceramics are one of the three major material groups, the others being metals and polymers; however, the role of ceramics in modern life is less familiar to society than that of other materials.

The aim of the International Ceramics Day is to raise awareness of the potential uses and importance of ceramics and to arouse and motivate the interest of young people, from elementary school to university. This will ensure that the ceramic industry, research and academia remain strong and continue to grow. For the ceramics industry to continue to be able to produce these materials and develop new ones, a stream of young people who are excited about the possibilities and have been educated in ceramic science and engineering are required.

To achieve these goals, it is critical that national ceramic societies become involved in devising, planning and holding events; activities can be local, nationwide, or multinational and include press releases, exhibits, student outreach, articles in the press and on social media – and anything else you can think of.

Why March 12?

The original initiator of the idea of an International Ceramics Day was the Japan Fine Ceramics Association (JFCA). In cooperation with the International Ceramic Federation and from the ensuing discussion, the decision was finally made in favor of March 12. All references are to English and the Gregorian calendar. In a non-leap year, March 12 is the 71st day of the year. If you add up the numerical values of the letters of the alphabet of the word “ceramics”, you get the number “71”. As far as is known, March 12 is not a major holiday, which is why the date does not compete with major holidays. This ideas ultimately tipped the scales in favor of choosing the date on March 12. Of course, the day could be celebrated on any day or days around this time.

Sylvia Johnson, President International Ceramic Federation, comments: “I hope that there is now enough time to develop plans for more elaborate celebrations and events for 2026. Each country and society are free to develop their own approaches which will be most appropriate for their regions. We are aiming at informing the public more fully of the importance of ceramic materials in their lives and encouraging students of all levels to study in the field. Industry, small and large, academia and educational institutions, and civilian and government research laboratories should all be part of this effort.”

ceramics.org


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