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Hello hello hello. You might not have been aware that last Saturday was 'World Hello Day'. Every year on November 21st, we, as a collective group of 6.1 billion people, were meant to say hello to ten different strangers as a means of prospering peace.

Did you do it? No, chances are you didn't. You should have done as it's an attempt to solve international conflict by communication, which is a good thing, we're pretty sure. That said, we're worried it may be a tad ineffective, not to mention potentially embarrassing.

So as a tribute to the planet's most ludicrous 'World Days' we've gathered together the most obscure, irrelevant and downright weird ones for your enjoyment... after the jump. Dig in, then let us know which international days you think should be added to the calendar.

World Turtle Day - 23 May

Active since 2000, World Turtle Day is a celebration of all things turtle-y, be it the saving of turtles, the cuddling of turtles or dressing up as a giant turtle. American Tortoise Rescue is proud to sponsor the event, even though the majority of the world is totally unaware of turtle-related issues, and only meet the beasties, at best, not that often. If, um, ever.


World Toilet Day – 19 November

Missed the World Toilet Summit? Fear not, you can get your toilet-based celebrating done on November 19th, the founding day of the World Toilet Organisation back in 2001. If your toilet appreciation proves too much for just one day to suffice, why don't you check out WTO's World Toilet College? But hurry, places on the ever popular Restroom Specialist Training Course are filling up fast.

World UFO Day – 14 June

Skywatchers (as they're known) collectively decided to use June 14th as their date to look forward to after the first UFO was spotted on the same day in 1947. Non-nerds are encouraged to crane their necks star-wards to spot any passing flying saucers, all together, at the same time. Stop us if we're wrong, but the chances of a UFO coming on that exact day are pretty unlikely. Almost as unlikely as aliens existing at all, in fact.


World Jump Day – 20 July

Not so much a real day as one of the planet's best pranks, World Jump Day took place in 2006 where artist / legendary trickster Torsten Lauschmann claimed to be Professor Hans Peter Niesward from the Institute for Gravitational Physics in Munich, asking 600 million people to all jump at the same time, so that the world would, in theory, spin off its axis and spiral into the sun. It wouldn't, and it didn't. Still, top marks for trying, Torsten.


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