On 12 April 1961, Yuri Gagarin, a Soviet cosmonaut, made history by completing the first successful human space flight.
He circled the Earth in the Vostok 1 spacecraft for 108 minutes, traveling at a speed of 27,400 kilometers per hour.
This momentous event paved the way for future space exploration, leading the United Nations to declare 12 April as the International Day of Human Space Flight in 2011.
Commemorating Yuri's Night: Celebrating space exploration worldwide
Today, people around the world celebrate this day with great enthusiasm, remembering Yuri Gagarin's brave journey into space.
In Russia, 12 April has been marked as Cosmonautics Day since 1963, while in the United States, it is observed as Yuri's Night, a day to honor the cosmonaut and his historic accomplishment.
The United Nations played a significant role in establishing the International Day of Human Space Flight, recognizing the global interest in outer space and promoting peaceful cooperation in this field.
The UN office for outer space affairs continues to work towards this goal, ensuring that space exploration benefits all humanity.
As we celebrate this day, we also remember other significant milestones in space exploration, including the launch of the first manmade satellite, Sputnik 1, in 1957 and the first moon landing in 1969.
Such accomplishments remind us of humankind's capacity for innovation and exploration, inspiring us to continue pushing the boundaries of what we can achieve.
