Every year, May 25 is observed as International Missing Children's Day. It is a day to spread awareness for the children who go missing around the world, continue efforts to find those missing and remember those who have been victims of crime. May 25 is also observed as the United States' National Missing Children's Day. The symbol for IMCD is the forget-me-not flower.

International Missing Children's Day History:

Launched in 1998 as a joint venture of the International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children and the US's National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, the Global Missing Children's Network, also known as GMCB, is a network of nations to help recover missing and abducted children.

The Network has 29 member countries: Albania, Australia, Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Belarus, Canada, Costa Rica, Chile, Ecuador, Greece, Guatemala, Germany, Italy, Ireland, Jamaica, Lithuania, Mexico, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Portugal, Poland, Russia, South Korea, Spain, Serbia, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Following the disappearance of Etan Patz (6-year-old) in New York City in 1979, May 25 was established as National Missing Children's Day in the United States by President Ronald Reagan in 1983. In 2001, the tribute spread worldwide through the efforts of ICMEC, the European Commission and the Missing Children Europe.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 25, 2021 08:02 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).