National Family Week originated in

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

and takes place the week before

Thanksgiving Thanksgiving is a national holiday celebrated on various dates in the United States, Canada, Grenada, Saint Lucia, Liberia, and unofficially in countries like Brazil and Philippines. It is also observed in the Netherlander town of Leiden ...

every year. It was proclaimed an official week by the government of Canada in 1985. National Family Week is celebrated throughout the country with special events put on by community organizations. National Family Week also exists in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

, the United States, and Australia. It is a distinct event from

Family Day Family Day is a public holiday in the countries of Angola, Israel, South Africa, Uruguay, Vanuatu, and Vietnam; in the Australian Capital Territory; in the Canadian provinces of Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, Saskatchewan and soon New Brunswic ...

which is a statutory holiday created by the provincial governments of

Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central C ...

Alberta Alberta ( ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is part of Western Canada and is one of the three prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to the west, Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest Ter ...

and

Saskatchewan Saskatchewan ( ; ) is a province in western Canada, bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, to the northeast by Nunavut, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dak ...

Canada

National Family Week (french: Semaine Nationale de la Familie) is largely a public awareness campaign, the purpose of which is to celebrate families. Each year FRP Canada, in partnership with other national organizations, creates downloadable resources for families and those who work with families to access when planning an event in their community. With a different theme each year, National Family week highlights various important aspects of family life.

Government perspective

National Family Week offers an opportunity for the federal government to honour families and to introduce new legislation or modify existing laws in ways that it deems will help families. In 2007, Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, Monte Solberg, stated that "Canada's New Government is proud to celebrate National Family Week and to recognize the important role that families play in this country. Families are the building blocks of our society, and we will continue delivering on our commitment to support and strengthen them.”

National Family Week UK

National Family Week takes place during the Summer half term holiday and is backed by over 180 not-for-profit organisations

National Family Week United States

''National Family Week'' in the United States takes place the week of American Thanksgiving. It was first proclaimed by Richard Nixon in 1972 pursuant to a resolution introduced in Congress by Representative John Myers (R-IN) upon the suggestion of a constituent, Sam Wiley. It is led annually by the National Family Week Foundation, established by Mr. Wiley and now managed by John Palatiello, a former staff assistant to Rep. Myers. President

Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021. Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of P ...

proclaimed the week of November 18 through November 24, 2018, as National Family Week.Alt URL
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National Families Week Australia

The

Australian Government The Australian Government, also known as the Commonwealth Government, is the national government of Australia, a federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy. Like other Westminster-style systems of government, the Australian Government ...

, through the Department of Social Services, sponsors National Families Week with Families Australia. National Families Week coincides with the United Nations International Day of Families on 15 May, the day observed by the United Nations to mark the importance placed on families as the most fundamental units of society, and to show the international community's concern for family issues in many parts of the world.

References

External links

{{Family October observances Observances in Canada Awareness weeks in Canada Awareness weeks in the United States Observances in Australia Observances in the United Kingdom November observances September observances Awareness weeks Family member holidays Week-long observances