The International Day for Biological Diversity (or World Biodiversity Day) is celebrated annually on the 22^nd of May and it is a United Nations international day aimed at promoting and protecting biodiversity.

This Day was created for the first time by the Second Committee of the UN General Assembly on December 29^th, 1993 (date of entry into force of the “Convention on Biological Diversity”) but only later the United Nations chose May 22^nd to celebrate the “International Day for Biological Diversity” with the aim of increasing understanding and awareness of biodiversity and its importance for nature, ecosystems and existences of all species.

Biodiversity generally refers to the great variety existing between plants, animals and microorganisms, but it also includes the many differences within the same species. Damaging biodiversity means damaging our health: in fact, it has been shown that the loss of biodiversity can give rise to diseases capable of affecting human health. But although biological diversity has been recognized as a “global asset of enormous value”, unfortunately the reduction in the number of animal and plant species has not stopped slowing down even now.

Ecosystem integrity underlines human health and sustainable development. These elements are intrinsically connected, this is why we need to care about Nature. Notably human-induced environmental changes, for the exploitation of natural resources, modify wildlife population structure and reduce biodiversity, resulting in new environmental conditions affecting the existing equilibriums and that favour particular hosts, vectors, and/or pathogens.

For all these good reasons the UN has sanctioned 22^nd May the International Day for Biological Diversity: in the end all our resources are located in nature. Noteworthy the objectives of halting biodiversity loss and promoting the sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems are included in Sustainable Development Goal 15.