Global Handwashing Day facts for kids

Global Handwashing Day is a campaign to encourage people around the world to wash their hands with soap. It takes place on October 15 of each year. The campaign's goal is to raise awareness of handwashing with soap as a key way to prevent diseases with hygiene.

The holiday was made at the annual World Water Week 2008, which was held in Stockholm from August 17 to 23. Out of this week came the Public Private Partnership for Handwashing (PPPHW). The Global Handwashing Day took place for the first time on October 15, 2008, the date appointed by United Nations General Assembly to go along with the year 2008 as the International Year of Sanitation.

The theme for Global Handwashing Day’s inaugural year was Focus on School Children. The members pledged to get the maximum number of school children handwashing with soap in more than seventy countries.

Images for kids

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  Pupils of Lupok Central Elementary School Guiuan Eastern Samar, Philippines during the Global Hand Washing Day Celebration in 2015

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  Global Handwashing Day 2008 celebrations with celebrities at City Central School in Cagayan de Oro, Philippines

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  Dry run with kids at City Central School in Cagayan de Oro on how to wash hands with soap during Global Handwashing Day 2008 (Philippines)

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  Global handwashing day celebrations in Indonesia in 2008

See also

In Spanish: Día Mundial del Lavado de Manos para niños