Tuesday, May 20 marks the eighth annual World Bee Day, a celebration that shines the spotlight on the importance of bees around the globe.
This year’s World Bee Day theme, announced by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, is bee inspired by nature to nourish us all, and Wheen Bee Foundation CEO Fiona Chambers says there is an obvious link between the theme and the essential pollination service bees provide to people and the planet.
“This year’s theme highlights the wonderful connection between the way bees nourish us in the foods that we enjoy and the landscapes we live in,” Ms Chambers said. “It can often be taken for granted, but bees play a role, either directly or indirectly, to so many of the foods we love, which is worth remembering every time we sit down to eat.”
The Wheen Bee Foundation oversees World Bee Day in Australia, and Ms Chambers said she hopes to see participation increase on last year, when a record number of events were held across the country.
Events already listed on the calendar this year include a World Bee Day Parliament House tour in Canberra, a native bee hotel workshop in Darebin Parklands in Victoria, beeswax and candle making at The House of Honey in WA and a morning tea workshop by Bee Queens in South Arm.
“There are lots of ways to get involved in World Bee Day this year, whether it’s joining a webinar, visiting a farmers’ market, gardening workshops, information sessions or talking with friends about bees,” Ms Chambers said.
Another great way to celebrate in May is The Great Bee Morning Tea, a fun opportunity for businesses, schools and community organisations to come together and support Australia’s almost 50,000 commercial and recreational beekeepers and their bees.
“The Great Bee Morning Tea is a wonderful opportunity to share a cup of tea, enjoy treats made with pure Australian honey and start a conversation about bees,” Ms Chambers said.
“By buying 100 per cent pure Australian honey, you are supporting Australian beekeepers and allowing them to continue providing pollination services to Australian farmers. It’s this broader sense of the nourishment bees provide from pollination that we need to celebrate.”
Find free posters and social media tiles to help promote your event and register your Great Bee Morning Tea on the website, wheenbeefoundation.org.au/our-work/events/the-great-bee-morning-tea
Anyone interested in hosting an event for World Bee Day is encouraged to register their event for free online at the World Bee Day website.
For more information visit worldbeeday.org.au