International Tea Day

On Wednesday, 21 May 2025 from 9.30 to 16.00 (CEST); Join us to mark the World Bee Day and International Tea Day  at FAO headquarters (Atrium) . Tea for Better Lives. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has the pleasure to inform Members that the celebration of the International Tea Day 2025 will be held on Wednesday, 21 May 2025 at 9:30 (CEST) at FAO headquarters (Atrium), through a joint observance with World Bee Day, which is officially celebrated on Tuesday, 20 May. The event will be inaugurated by the FAO Director-General, Mr QU Dongyu, and will highlight tea’s significant contributions to livelihoods, sustainability, and well-being. The inauguration will be followed by an exclusive tea tasting experience, as well as a special edition of Markets and Trade Talks—a series of short, speaker’s corner-style sessions where participants will share insights about their tea heritage, culture, and tradition. Get the provisional programme of the event !...

  Tea for Better Lives EVENT, Master of ceremonies (MC): Ms Yasmina Bouziane, OCCD. Inauguration Ceremony. 9:30 Inauguration of International Tea Day 2025 by FAO Director-General. 9:45 FAO Director-General opens the tea tasting and visits the exhibiting tables.  Tea Talks - Speaker’s Corner  10:30-10:45 Markets and Trade Talks – Speaker’s Corner Tea Landscapes and Living Heritage A brief talk highlighting tea-producing communities recognized as Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS), with the announcement of a new tea-producing site in China.  11:30 -onwards Markets and Trade Talks – Speaker’s Corner Teas from Around the World A series of informal 15-minute talks featuring participants sharing insights into their country’s tea heritage, production, and cultural traditions.  12:00-onwards Tea tastings will continue  16:00 Celebration closes Download the agenda programme!

The origins of tea stretch back more than 5 000 years, but its contributions to health, culture and socioeconomic development are still as relevant today. Tea is currently grown in very localized areas, and supports over 13 million people, including smallholder farmers and their households, who depend on the tea sector for their livelihoods. The May 21st ,  International Tea Day is an opportunity to celebrate the cultural heritage, health benefits and economic importance of tea , while working to make its production sustainable “from field to cup” ensuring its benefits for people, cultures and the environment continue for generations.

Recognizing the long history and the cultural and economic significance of tea around the world , as well as the significant role it plays in rural development, poverty reduction and food security in developing countries, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 21 May as International Tea Day , calling on FAO to lead the observance.   Tea production and processing are a main source of livelihoods for millions of families. The International Tea Day celebration promotes the sustainable production, consumption, and trade of tea, and offers an opportunity for actors at global, regional and national levels to ensure that the tea sector continues to play a role in reducing extreme poverty, fighting hunger and safeguarding natural resources Key messages Tea production and processing represent a source of livelihoods for millions of families, including millions in the least developed countries. The tea sector is a multi-billion dollar industry that can support economies and con...