International Day of Mathematics or Pi Day is celebrated every year on March 14. The day is written in the month and date (MM/DD) format to represent the value of Pi which is 3.14. It is celebrated by mathematics enthusiasts and educators around the world to recognise and appreciate the importance of mathematics in our lives.

2023 Theme

The theme for International Day of Mathematics 2023 is “Mathematics for Everyone” as per the official website of the celebration.

This year’s theme was proposed by Marco Zarco Rotairo, who is from the Trece Martires City National High School in the Philippines.

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The theme was also proposed for the International Day of Mathematics 2022 by the London Mathematical Society to highlight the importance of bettering equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) in the mathematical community. However, the chosen theme for IDM 2022 was Mathematics Unites.

History and Significance

The first Pi Day was celebrated in 1988, by physicist Larry Shaw at the San Francisco Exploratorium. The motivation behind the celebration was to create a fun and memorable way to celebrate mathematics and its importance in life.

The first celebration included a circular parade, the cutting of a Pi-shaped pie, and the recitation of pi to as many decimal places as possible.

In 2009, a resolution was passed by the United States House of Representatives to officially recognise March 14 as National Pi Day. The day encouraged schools and educators to use Pi Day to promote mathematics education and awareness.

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In 2019, the day was recognised by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) as International Mathematics Day during its general conference.

Now, the day has grown in popularity and is celebrated by various schools, universities, and mathematics organisations worldwide with a unique theme each year, and the common goal of promoting mathematics education and awareness.

The day holds significance as it brings the ability to attract the attention of the world to the importance of mathematics in our daily lives. Pi is a fundamental constant which has been instrumental in performing calculations and Mathematics has been studied and used by scientists throughout history. Thus, the day helps to promote mathematics education and encourages people of all ages to explore the subject.

(Edited by : Sudarsanan Mani)