World Olive Tree Day is celebrated annually on November 26th. It was established by the UNESCO General Conference to highlight the cultural, economic, environmental, and social significance of the olive tree, and to encourage the public to protect it.
The olive tree (Olea europaea) is a small evergreen tree or shrub that belongs to the Oleaceae family, which also includes ash, forsythia, jasmine, and lilac. It originates from the Mediterranean basin and is cultivated on all continents except Antarctica. There are six natural subspecies of olives and hundreds of varieties.
The olive is one of the oldest and most important domesticated crops. Its fruits are a source of olive oil, which is one of the key ingredients of Mediterranean cuisine. In addition, olive oil is used in the production of cosmetics and pharmaceuticals, as a base for soap, as a lubricant and solvent, and as fuel for traditional oil lamps.
Approximately 90% of all harvested olives are used to make olive oil, and the rest are used for food. The latter are called table olives. Although olives are grown on all continents, as we mentioned above, the 10 countries in the world that grow olives are located in the Mediterranean region. These are Spain, Greece, Italy, Turkey, Morocco, Syria, Tunisia, Algeria, Egypt, and Portugal.
However, the olive is more than just a crop. Olive oil has long been considered sacred in world religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. It is used in various religious ceremonies to this day. Since ancient times, the olive branch has been a symbol of abundance, glory, harmony, peace, purity, and wisdom. It is depicted on the Great Seal of the United States and the UN flag.
World Olive Tree Day
Given the social, cultural, economic, and environmental importance of the olive tree, it is not surprising that it has an international holiday dedicated to it. In 2019, UNESCO supported the proposal of Lebanon and Tunisia and proclaimed World Olive Tree Day to celebrate the values embodied by the olive branch, as well as to emphasize the importance of the olive tree, promote its conservation and cultivation, and strengthen environmental sustainability, with a special focus on preserving olive biodiversity.
UNESCO encourages all stakeholders to celebrate World Olive Tree Day through a variety of activities, such as conferences, debates, exhibitions, presentations, workshops, and cultural events. The holiday is supported by the International Olive Council and other representatives of the global olive oil industry, environmental organizations, and other stakeholders.
You can also celebrate World Olive Tree Day! Join the celebration by learning more about the olive tree and its importance, visiting an olive grove or olive factory (if there is one near you), buying a bottle of olive oil, a jar of olives or a piece of olive soap, using olive oil in cooking, trying cosmetic procedures with olive oil, and more.
