International Students Day 2024 – On International Students’ Day, the student community is honored. We know how difficult it may be to study abroad and how brave it is to part from loved ones. International students go far from home to help their families and provide a better life. While many students perceive university life as complex, international students face particular challenges. They must resolve the issues on their own and complete their coursework. And especially, at SecureMyScholarship, we really honor the families of study abroad students who bravely take up the decision to make their careers better.

We may honor the challenges faced by international students and encourage them to succeed by celebrating International Students’ Day. Notably, Friday, November 17, 2024, is International Students’ Day, and it will be observed globally.

Date & Theme of International Student’s Day in 2024

November 17 has been designated as International Students Day in observance of the anniversary of the Nazi raid on a university in Prague in 1939. The Nazis imprisoned almost a thousand students, closed the university, and killed and tortured several others. The day’s goals are to honor these individuals and raise awareness of the challenges experienced by overseas students. The official theme of the event has yet to be revealed.

History of International Student’s Day in 2024

International Students’ Day celebrates student collaboration, variety, and multiculturalism. Originally intended to honor the more than 1,200 University of Prague students who lost their lives in World War II, International Students’ Day has evolved into an opportunity for colleges around the globe to take pride in their sizable numbers of international students and the positive work they accomplish in their local communities.

On this day, people remember the anniversary of the Nazi invasion of the University of Prague in 1939, which followed protests against the German occupation of Czechoslovakia and the deaths of laborer Václav Sedláček and Jan Opletal. The students were rounded up by the Nazis, who also killed nine student leaders and sent more than 1,200 of them to Sachsenhausen and other concentration camps. They then shut down every college and university in the Czech Republic. By this point, the country had been split into the Slovak Republic, ruled by a fascist puppet regime, and the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia.[1]

Students from Charles University’s Medical Faculty staged a protest in Prague towards the end of 1939, but it was put down by the Nazi authorities in the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia.

On October 28, a commemorative demonstration was held to mark the anniversary of the Czechoslovak Republic’s independence (1918). The student, Jan Opletal, was shot during this demonstration and died on November 11 from his wounds. His body was scheduled to be moved from Prague to his Moravian home on November 15. Thousands of students participated in his funeral procession, transforming it into an anti-Nazi protest. In response, the Nazi authorities, however, took severe measures, closing all Czech universities, detaining over 1,200 students, sending them to concentration camps, and, on November 17, killing nine professors and students without a trial. Historians conjecture that the Nazis authorized the funeral procession with the knowledge that it would result in violence, using this as a justification to shut down colleges and expel anti-fascist critics.

The following nine academics and students were put to death in Prague on November 17:

• Josef Matoušek, an associate professor and historian, took part in arranging Opletal’s funeral.
• Chairman of the National Association of Czech Students in Bohemia and Moravia and law student Jaroslav Klíma asked for the release of students detained by the Gestapo during Opletal’s funeral.
• Jan Weinert, a Germanistics and Bohemistics student who asked for the release of students detained by the Gestapo during Opletal’s burial
• Josef Adamec is the National Association of Czech Students in Bohemia and Moravia’s secretary and a law student.
• Jan Černý, a medical student, asked for the release of fellow students who had been detained by the Gestapo during Opletal’s burial.
• Marek Frauwirth, an economics student, issued fictitious passports to Jews attempting to escape the Nazis while working at the Slovak embassy in Prague.
• Bedřich Koula, a law student and secretary of the Bohemian Association of Czech Students
• Recorder of the National Association of Czech Students in Bohemia and Moravia, Václav Šafránek is an architecture student.
• František Skorkovský is a law student, the chairman of the National Association of Czech Students in Bohemia and Moravia’s Foreign Department, and the director of a committee of the Confédération Internationale des Étudiants.

A tentative plan to honor the horrors committed against students in German-occupied Czechoslovakia was discussed in 1940 by soldiers of the Czechoslovak Army in England. The Central Association of Czechoslovak Students (USCS), which the German Protectorate in Czechoslovakia had dissolved, was re-established by a small group of soldiers who had previously served as elected student officials. The British National Union of Students of England and Wales, along with other international students battling the Nazis from England, discussed the idea of remembering the tragedy of November 17. One year after the events at the Czech universities, on November 17, 1940, the USCS was re-established in London with the following members, thanks to the support of Edvard Beneš, President-in-Exile of Czechoslovakia:

• Václav Paleček, Chairman
• Čeněk Adamec, Vice Chairman
• Karel Macháček, Vice Chairman
• Bohuslav Šulc, Secretary General
• Božetěch Dubový, Treasurer
• Pavel Kavan, Chairman of the Foreign Section
• Lubor Zink, Chairman of the Cultural Section
• Leopold Rozbořil, Chairman of the Organization Section
• Jiří Bleier, Chairman of the Social Section
• Milan Smutný, Chairman of the High School Section
• Gustav Galko

Efforts were made throughout 1941 to persuade students in other countries to observe November 17 as a day of remembrance, honoring and promoting the struggle for freedom and democracy worldwide as well as resistance against the Nazis. The NUS Vice President Lena Chivers, Zink, Paleček, and Kavan conducted the majority of these negotiations. Ultimately, fourteen nations came to a consensus and signed the ensuing declaration:

“We, students of Great Britain and its territories and India, North and South America, the USSR, Belgium, Czechoslovakia, France, Greece, China, Holland, Norway, Poland, Yugoslavia and all free nations, to honour and commemorate the tortured and executed students who were the first to raise their voices to reject Nazi oppression and condemn the occupation of 1939, proclaim November 17 as International Students’ Day.”

President Beneš provided support for the inaugural meeting, which took place on November 16, 1941, in London’s Caxton Hall. All those present, including the representatives of every government that was living in exile in London, read and embraced the proclamation. USCS Chairman Paleček chaired the meeting, which featured notable speakers, including Czechoslovak Secretary of Defense Sergej Ingr, British politicians Lena Chivers and Elizabeth Shields-Collins, Olav Rytter of Norway, Frenchman Claude Guy, and Yugoslavian representative A. Vlajčić.

President Beneš granted members of the USCS Executive Committee an extended audience on November 17, 1941, and such meetings continued every year on November 17 throughout WWII. The BBC’s Czechoslovakian department prepared a special report and broadcast it to the occupied country on November 17. Several British universities read the proclamation of November 17 in observance of the events in Prague two years earlier. Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, Bangor, Cardiff, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Reading, Exeter, Bristol, Aberystwyth, Leicester, London, Holloway College, Bournemouth, Sheffield, King’s College London, and Manchester were among them. Numerous Czechoslovak students living in exile could complete their degrees thanks to Oxford University’s assistance to the closed Charles University during the war.

1989 the Socialist Union of Youth (SSM/SZM) and independent student leaders planned a large-scale protest to honor International Students’ Day. The students expressed their displeasure with the ruling Communist Party of Czechoslovakia through this 50th anniversary event. What had started out as a calm celebration of the anniversary turned violent by nightfall, with many of the attendees being severely beaten by riot police, red berets, and other law enforcement personnel. There were about 15,000 participants in this demonstration. It was initially believed that the body of a student was lying where the beatings had occurred, but it turned out that the person lying there was an undercover agent. The next night, students and theatre performers decided to go on strike in response to the rumor that a student had died as a result of police brutality. The International Students’ Day events on November 17, 1989, catalysed the Velvet Revolution in Czechoslovakia. Today, Slovakia and the Czech Republic both observe Struggle for Freedom and Democracy Day as an official holiday (since 2000, thanks to a campaign by the Czech Student Chamber of the Council of Higher Education Institutions).

Only a few nations celebrated November 17 without any international coordination following the fall of the Berlin Wall and the crisis that ensued within the International Union of Students. Some national and international student unions, including the Italian Unione degli Studenti, and the Organization of Caribbean and Latin American Students (OCLAE) decided to relaunch the date and call for a global demonstration on November 17, 2004, during the World Social Forum held in Mumbai, India in 2004. Following that year, student movements across numerous nations mobilized once more. With the help of the European Students’ Union (ESU) and the Organising Bureau of European School Student Unions (OBESSU), they continued to observe International Students’ Day in subsequent years.

In 2009, OBESSU and ESU organized several events across Europe to honor November 17, 1939, its 70th anniversary. The University of Brussels hosted an event from November 16–18 that focused on the history of the student movement and how it has helped to promote active citizenship against authoritarian regimes. This was followed by a discussion assembly about the current state of student unions and the necessity of a European Student Rights Charter. About 100 students from over 29 European countries’ national student associations, student governments, and a few foreign delegations attended the conference.

The Significance of International Student’s Day in 2024

Innovation and creativity thrive in settings where individuals from different cultures meet, share ideas, and learn from one another.

Furthermore, it’s believed that awareness of diversity and acceptance of differences are essential for our children to grow into successful adults who can solve problems and find fresh approaches. Thus, by celebrating International Students Day, we can all be reminded that diversity makes us human.

Every day, we engage and come into contact with people from different cultures and backgrounds. These exchanges also help us develop empathy and understanding for other people.

How Should International Student’s Day Be Observed?

• On this day, academic workshops, food tastings, athletic events, and cultural performances are held at universities and schools. They also provide information about scholarships and financial aid.
• Many schools regularly host events like seminars, workshops, carnivals, and cultural festivals. Students can also participate in various activities, such as tests, debates, essay contests, and other enjoyable events.
• Dignitaries give eminent lectures on analyzing issues and devising solutions for the student body to celebrate the day. Worldwide universities hold events to encourage youth involvement on International Students’ Day.

Here are 10 wishes and messages for World Student’s Day 2024:

• “Happy World Student’s Day! May your journey in education be filled with curiosity, knowledge, and endless opportunities to grow.”
• “On World Student’s Day, let’s celebrate the spirit of learning and the adventures that await in every book and classroom. Keep reaching for the stars!”
• “Wishing you a wonderful World Student’s Day! May your path of learning be as exciting as it is enlightening.”
• “Here’s to the dreams and aspirations that fuel your journey. Happy World Student’s Day! Keep inspiring and keep learning.”
• “On this World Student’s Day, remember that every challenge is a stepping stone to success. Embrace your educational journey with passion and perseverance.”
• “Cheers to the future leaders, innovators, and thinkers! Happy World Student’s Day. May your quest for knowledge be fruitful and fulfilling.”
• “Happy World Student’s Day! Let your curiosity lead the way and your determination keep you steadfast on the path of learning.”
• “To all the students out there, may this World Student’s Day remind you of your potential and the incredible impact you can have on the world.”
• “On World Student’s Day, we celebrate your hard work, dedication, and the positive difference you’re making in your pursuit of education.”
• “Wishing you a joyous World Student’s Day! May your educational journey be as unique and wonderful as you are.”

International Student’s Day 2024 – WhatsApp & Facebook Status

Here are some captions and thoughts suitable for WhatsApp and Facebook status updates to celebrate International Student’s Day 2024:

• “Celebrating the spirit of learning and diversity this International Student’s Day. Here’s to the journeys that shape our minds and hearts. ?? #InternationalStudentsDay2024”
• “On International Student’s Day, let’s embrace the power of education to unite us across borders and cultures. ?✨ #UnityInLearning”
• “To all the students out there, may your quest for knowledge be as boundless as the sky. Happy International Student’s Day! ?? #StudentLife”
• “Today, we honor the courage and determination of students everywhere. Keep shining and shaping the future! ?? #InternationalStudentsDay”
• “Education is the passport to the future. Celebrating International Student’s Day with hopes for a brighter tomorrow. ?? #FutureLeaders”
• “Happy International Student’s Day! Here’s to the late nights, early mornings, and endless learning. Your hard work is your superpower. ??☀️ #StudentJourney”
• “United by knowledge, divided by none. Celebrating the diversity and strength of students worldwide. ?? #InternationalStudentsDay2024”
• “Every student’s journey is a story of hope and possibilities. Proud to be part of this global community. Happy International Student’s Day! ?❤️ #GlobalCommunity”
• “Learning knows no borders. On International Student’s Day, let’s celebrate the power of education to change the world. ?? #ChangeMakers”
• “To all the dreamers, thinkers, and doers: Your potential is limitless. Happy International Student’s Day! ?? #DreamBig”
• These statuses are perfect for sharing your thoughts and celebrating the occasion on social media platforms like WhatsApp and Facebook.

World Student’s Day 2024 – Instagram Captions

Here are some Instagram captions tailored for World Student’s Day 2024:

• “Embracing the journey of knowledge one page at a time. Happy World Student’s Day! ?? #WorldStudentsDay2024 #LifelongLearner”
• “Celebrating the power of education and the beauty of young minds. Cheers to all the students out there! ?? #WorldStudentsDay #FutureLeaders”
• “Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere. Happy World Student’s Day to all the curious minds! ?? #EducationForAll #StudentLife”
• “To all the late-night studiers and early morning risers, your dedication is inspiring! Happy World Student’s Day! ?☀️ #StudentGrind #WorldStudentsDay2024”
• “Books, coffee, and dreams. World Student’s Day is here to celebrate our educational journey. Keep aiming high! ?☕️✨ #StudentGoals #CelebrateLearning”
• “Here’s to the endless pursuit of knowledge and the adventures in learning. Happy World Student’s Day! ?? #ExploreToLearn #StudentsDay”
• “Learning to change the world, one lesson at a time. Happy World Student’s Day! ?? #ChangeMakers #EducationMatters”
• “In the classroom of life, every day is a learning opportunity. Cheers to all the students this World Student’s Day! ?? #LifeLessons #WorldStudentsDay2024”
• “Books open doors to endless possibilities. Happy World Student’s Day to all the bookworms out there! ?? #BookLovers #StudentsDayCelebration”
• “Your hard work today shapes the world of tomorrow. Keep shining, students! Happy World Student’s Day! ?? #ShapingTheFuture #StudentPower”

These captions are perfect for sharing on Instagram, celebrating the spirit of learning, and acknowledging the hard work and dedication of students worldwide.

Famous Quotes for International Students Day

Here are 15-20 famous quotes by renowned individuals that are fitting for International Student’s Day 2024:

• “Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.” – Mahatma Gandhi
• “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” – Nelson Mandela
• “The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you.” – B.B. King
• “The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled.” – Plutarch
• “Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself.” – John Dewey
• “The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character – that is the goal of true education.” – Martin Luther King Jr.
• “The only person who is educated is the one who has learned how to learn and change.” – Carl Rogers
• “It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.” – Aristotle
• “Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.” – Malcolm X
• “Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young.” – Henry Ford
• “Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.” – William Butler Yeats
• “Change is the end result of all true learning.” – Leo Buscaglia
• “An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.” – Benjamin Franklin
• “Education is the key to unlock the golden door of freedom.” – George Washington Carver
• “Do not wait to strike till the iron is hot; but make it hot by striking.” – William Butler Yeats
• “Learning is not attained by chance, it must be sought for with ardor and attended to with diligence.” – Abigail Adams
• “The roots of education are bitter, but the fruit is sweet.” – Aristotle”
• “To educate a person in the mind but not in morals is to educate a menace to society.” – Theodore Roosevelt
• “I have never let my schooling interfere with my education.” – Mark Twain
• “Educate a boy, and you educate an individual. Educate a girl, and you educate a community.” – African Proverb

These inspiring quotes reflect the significance of education, learning, and personal growth, making them perfect for sharing on International Student’s Day.

Celebrate the International Students Day!

Remembering the hardships and sacrifices made by students who fought for their right to an education, we commit to working toward a day when everyone can access high-quality education. So, let’s reiterate our commitment to ensuring everyone has access to education in honor of International Students Day!

Are you willing to study abroad? Then, at SecureMyScholarship, you can fulfil your dream. Get yourself guaranteed and exclusive scholarship for your dream course at your dream university, which can offer you abundant opportunities and confidence to face the world. Contact us today and get in touch with our admission counselors.