2012
First observance
TSC Global Awareness Day
TSC Alliance’s organizational history explicitly identifies the first worldwide day in 2012 and states it was held May 15.
Evergreen date guide
What is celebrated on May 15?
See the observances and verified observance-history milestones attached to May 15. Each observance keeps its own source and date details.
Verified history
Today in history →On this date in observance history
Selected observance milestones connected to this date, based on reviewed sources.
2011
First observance
Kangaroo Care Day® / International Kangaroo Care Awareness Day
The official site describes Kangaroo Care Day as a global celebration since 2011 and fixes the observance on May 15.
1994
First observance
International Day of Families
A/RES/47/237 decided that beginning in 1994, 15 May every year would be observed as the International Day of Families.
1957
Institutional decision
Día del Empleado Bancario
The Congress states that Acta 700 corresponds to the Junta Monetaria meeting held on 15 May 1957.
Curated global anchors
See the collection →Major global guides on May 15
A reviewed starting point drawn from prominent global observances with strong institutional or organizer sources. Each observance keeps its own documented status and scope.
Source-backedFixed AnnualIn-depth guide
International Day of Families
A/RES/47/237
Reviewed depth
Other in-depth guides on May 15
Source-backedRule Based AnnualIn-depth guide
Bike to Work Day
The League of American Bicyclists lists Bike to Work Day on May 15, 2026 and explicitly gives the future-date rule as the third Friday in May.
Source-backedRule Based AnnualIn-depth guide
Endangered Species Day
GovInfo records the U.S. Senate’s agreed S. Res. 431 designating May 11, 2006 as Endangered Species Day. Current U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and Endangered Species Coalition material suppo…
Source-backedEdition SpecificIn-depth guide
Hats for Headway
Headway UK describes Hats for Headway as an annual fundraiser and awareness activity connected with Action for Brain Injury Week; current first-party material confirms the 2026 edition took…
Source-backedFixed AnnualIn-depth guide
International Conscientious Objection Day
War Resisters’ International currently uses 15 May for International Conscientious Objection Day. Its historical publications document a long-running May 15 action tradition but contain dif…
Source-backedFixed AnnualIn-depth guide
International HG Awareness Day (HGAD)
The HER Foundation’s 2026 campaign page states that May 15 is International HG Awareness Day.
Source-backedRule Based AnnualIn-depth guide
International Virtual Assistants Day
The original 2006 announcement and later OIVAC materials describe International Virtual Assistants Day as the third Friday of May each year.
Explore the mix
All topics →Topics represented on May 15
13 observances
All observances on this date
Source-backedRule Based AnnualIn-depth guide
Bike to Work Day
The League of American Bicyclists lists Bike to Work Day on May 15, 2026 and explicitly gives the future-date rule as the third Friday in May.
Source-backedRule Based AnnualIn-depth guide
Endangered Species Day
GovInfo records the U.S. Senate’s agreed S. Res. 431 designating May 11, 2006 as Endangered Species Day. Current U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and Endangered Species Coalition material suppo…
Source-backedEdition SpecificIn-depth guide
Hats for Headway
Headway UK describes Hats for Headway as an annual fundraiser and awareness activity connected with Action for Brain Injury Week; current first-party material confirms the 2026 edition took…
Source-backedFixed AnnualIn-depth guide
International Conscientious Objection Day
War Resisters’ International currently uses 15 May for International Conscientious Objection Day. Its historical publications document a long-running May 15 action tradition but contain dif…
Source-backedFixed AnnualIn-depth guide
International Day of Families
A/RES/47/237
Source-backedFixed AnnualIn-depth guide
International HG Awareness Day (HGAD)
The HER Foundation’s 2026 campaign page states that May 15 is International HG Awareness Day.
Source-backedRule Based AnnualIn-depth guide
International Virtual Assistants Day
The original 2006 announcement and later OIVAC materials describe International Virtual Assistants Day as the third Friday of May each year.
Source-backedFixed AnnualIn-depth guide
Kangaroo Care Day® / International Kangaroo Care Awareness Day
The official Kangaroo Care Day site identifies May 15 as the annual global awareness initiative, founded in 2011, and publishes dedicated 2026 materials for May 15.
Source-backedRule Based AnnualIn-depth guide
National Defense Transportation Day
36 U.S.C. §120 requests an annual presidential proclamation designating the third Friday in May as National Defense Transportation Day and recognizing the importance of the U.S. transportat…
Source-backedFixed AnnualIn-depth guide
Peace Officers Memorial Day
The White House’s 2026 proclamation states that law authorizes 15 May of each year as Peace Officers Memorial Day.
Source-backedEdition SpecificIn-depth guide
Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Day
Spinal Injuries Association describes SCIAD as an annual UK event; charity and parliamentary records show that its exact May date changes by edition, including 21 May 2021, 16 May 2025 and…
Source-backedFixed AnnualIn-depth guide
TSC Global Awareness Day
TSC Alliance history identifies the first worldwide TSC Global Awareness Day as 15 May 2012, and its current international page states that TSC International coordinates the observance each…
Source-backedFixed AnnualIn-depth guide
VBF International Day of Awareness
The Vascular Birthmarks Foundation currently identifies May 15 as its International Day of Awareness for vascular birthmarks, anomalies and related syndromes. VBF founder material says Dr.…
How dates are selected
This page combines fixed annual dates, reusable calendar rules and year-specific dates confirmed for 2026. Variable or historical dates are included only when they are clearly supported.
Read the methodology →