Governor Proclaims International Widows Day 2023

WHEREAS, International Widows Day is a global awareness day that takes place annually on June 23 and was launched by the United Nations in 2010 to raise awareness of the needs and plight of widows and their families globally, nationally, and locally in order to give them a voice to be heard, seen, understood, and served; and

WHEREAS, there are currently nearly 15 million widows in the United States, 258 million widows globally, and 585,000 children who are directly affected by the loss of a father; and

WHEREAS, supportive communities are able to greatly assist and empower widows and their families to thrive through understanding and addressing the crucial needs in widows’ lives; and

WHEREAS, awareness of the challenges faced by those who become widows can lead to greater services, programs, initiatives, outreach, research, education, and community support for widows and their families in North Carolina and across the country; and

WHEREAS, the State of North Carolina recognizes the need to support our widowed residents and commends the communities, organizations, and individuals who dedicate their time to doing so;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, ROY COOPER, Governor of the State of North Carolina, do hereby proclaim June 23, 2023, as “INTERNATIONAL WIDOWS DAY” in North Carolina, and commend its observance to all citizens.