As the joke goes, people who wear glasses will welcome the New Year because they will finally be able to see 2020. There will be events that will make the upcoming year a most momentous start for the new decade.
U.S. Presidential Election
After a headline-making first term, President Donald Trump will be facing the voters on November 3, 2020. It remains to be seen who his opponent will be but it's certain that the campaign will dominate the headlines for most of the year.
2020 Summer Olympic Games
Tokyo will be hosting the Summer Olympics from July 24 to August 9 and it promises to attract a huge global audience. Younger people will be drawn to the new sports including rock-climbing, skateboarding and surfing. As well, the hosts will be sure to showcase some breathtaking forms of technology involving 5G, A.I., immersive media and much more.
2020 UEFA European Football Championship
UEFA Euro 2020 will be held from June 12 to July 12 so it won't be overlapping the Olympic Games in Japan. It's the 60th Anniversary of the tournament and as a result it will be held in 12 selected cities and countries with London's Wembley Stadium hosting the Semi-Finals and the Finals. The number of nations participating was also increased from 16 to 24 so it promises to be the biggest EuroCup ever with plenty of drama.
75th Anniversary of the United Nations
According to the United Nation's own web site, "To mark its 75th anniversary in 2020, the United Nations will launch the biggest-ever global conversation on the role of global cooperation in building the future we want." The organization was formed after World War 2 in order to prevent any future such wars and it was seen as a more effective body than the League of Nations. The U.N. says it will "launch the biggest-ever global conversation on the role of global cooperation in building the future we want." Given the posturing of some countries in recent years, it is hoped that such cooperation will indeed be achieved. As such, the world will indeed be watching.
Milestone Anniversaries
2020 will be a special year in terms of anniversary celebrations. These include the 250th anniversary of the birth of Ludwig von Beethoven, the 75th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, the 200th anniversary of the birth of Florence Nightingale (with 2020 designated as the Year of the Nurse by the W.H.O.), the 400th anniversary of the sailing of the Mayflower to America, the 100th anniversary of the start of Prohibition in the United States and the 500th anniversary of the death of Raphael.
There will undoubtedly be ceremonies to mark all of the occasions. Some will be celebrations and others will be a time for reflection. It is hoped that everyone will take part in some way and appreciate the way that milestones in history have affected the present and will continue to influence the future.
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It should be a very interesting year!
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