In a resolution made by the United Nations General Assembly on 7th April 2011, 12th April was declared as the International Day of Human Space Flight. It was declared in celebration of the first manned space flight which was made by the 27 year old Russian Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin.
The first manned space flight was named as Vostok 1 spacecraft and Gagarin circled the Earth for 1 hour and 48 minutes. A statue of the world’s first cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin is located near Saratov, Russia. This day is also called as Cosmonautics Day in Russia and some other former USSR countries.
The day not only brings to memory the important contribution of space science and technological developments in the space field to mankind, but it also aims to promote aspirations to explore and maintain outer space for peaceful purposes. The day is celebrated by various activities around the world, like photo exhibitions, conferences showing the technology used for outer space and also a commemorative stamp has been released.
