As another year begins, we look forward to what the new year holds. 2023 had big headlines all year round, some that we predicted, and others that took us completely by surprise. Knowing what to look forward to in the new year almost makes the year seem shorter than it is, and keeps us excited for what’s to come. Only a week into 2024 and there are already so many headlines and events that the world will remember for years to come. From the Golden Globes to having the youngest-ever Prime Minister in France, this year has started with a bang. Here are some of the major global events to look forward to in 2024, including sports, entertainment, politics and more.
A Leap Year
Instead of the standard 365 days, we have every year, we get an extra 24 hours thanks to 2024 being a leap year. Every four years, the Gregorian calendar adjusts itself to accommodate for the slight discrepancy between our earthly patterns and the cycle of celestial events. In short, February 29th babies, it’s your time to shine! For everyone else, it’s one extra day to enjoy being alive.
The Olympics & Paralympics
The Paris 2024 Olympic Games are scheduled to take place from July 26 to August 11, followed by the Paralympic Games from August 28 to September 8. This is definitely an event to look forward to; because breaking, or breakdancing, will debut as a sport this year, and it will be the first time that male and female Olympics athletes will be represented in equal numbers.
A Total Solar Eclipse
Parts of Mexico, the United States and Canada will be treated to a total solar eclipse on April 8. If you recall from the eclipse madness of 2017, total solar eclipses occur when the moon passes between Earth and the sun, completely blocking the sun’s face. Skygazers outside of the eclipse’s direct path will be able to see a partial solar eclipse, which is still pretty cool and exciting. In fact, this will mark the last time the path of a total solar eclipse crosses over the US until 2044.
Major Elections All Over The World
So many elections are going to happen around the world in 2024, all of them being highly anticipated as they hold the chance to shake things up and change things around. In India, the general elections are expected to be held between April and May to elect 543 members of the Lok Sabha, raising the question of whether or not the current Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, will secure another term in office.
The US Presidential elections align with the leap year cycle. Incumbent President Joe Biden, a member of the Democratic Party, seeks re-election, while his predecessor, Donald Trump of the Republican Party, also vies for a second, nonconsecutive term.
Amid strained Sino-American relations and increasing cross-strait tensions, Taiwan will hold its eighth free and fair presidential election and its ninth parliamentary election on January 13th.
The next European elections on 6 to 9 June 2024 will be the most important ever. The EU is facing more concurrent challenges than it ever has since the integration process began almost 70 years ago. Stable conditions in the European Parliament are therefore extremely important, as stability is ultimately required to approve the vast majority of legislative procedures, including the appointment of the new EU Commission, the accession of new member states and the amendment of European treaties.
As Georgia prepares for pivotal parliamentary elections in October 2024, the small South-Caucasus nation stands at a crossroads with profound implications for its future. Central to these elections will be the shaping of Georgia’s foreign policy, as the EU has emphasised compliance with its Common Foreign and Security Policy and countering foreign disinformation in the accession process. The election outcome will hopefully reopen constructive parliamentary debates, including on partners, competitors and rivals, and reflect the will of the Georgian people when shaping strategic relationships that have direct ramifications and implications for the domestic situation.
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is expected to call a general election at some point in 2024, but exactly when is becoming a source of increasingly fevered speculation among political observers. The last nationwide vote took place on December 12, 2019. The next election has to happen by January 28, 2025, five years since the current parliament first met after allowing time for campaigning.
A Return To The Moon
In other fun moon happenings, NASA’s Artemis II mission will return humans to the moon’s orbit for the first time since the end of the Apollo program in 1972. Four astronauts will venture to the surface of the moon, including the first Black astronaut and the first woman astronaut to do so. They’ll join an elite club of just 12 people to have walked on lunar ground. NASA says the mission takes humans a step further to establishing a long-term presence on the moon and will test other capabilities and mechanisms. The launch is set for November.
A New Capital City For Indonesia
Congestion, overpopulation and climate change concerns led to Indonesia’s decision to move its capital city from flood-prone Jakarta, which is sinking into the sea, to a jungle-covered area on Borneo Island. The new capital will be named Nusantara, or “archipelago” in the Indonesian language. While the whole process was started in 2019 and will take decades to complete (it is an entire city, home to tens of millions, after all), 2024 is when the official switch is expected to be made.
UEFA Euro 2024
Germany will host EURO 2024, having been chosen to stage the 17th edition of the UEFA European Championship at a UEFA Executive Committee meeting in Nyon on 27 September 2018. Türkiye was the only other nation that bid to hold UEFA EURO 2024. West Germany hosted the 1988 edition, but this will be the first time Germany has staged the UEFA European Championship since reunification. The 2006 FIFA World Cup also took place in the country. The UEFA EURO 2024 final tournament is scheduled to take place from 14 June to 14 July 2024.
T20 World Cup In The USA
The upcoming T20 World Cup, set to be hosted jointly by the United States and the West Indies, is scheduled from June 4 to June 30, 2024, marking a significant event in the cricket calendar.
Ram Mandir Inauguration
The inauguration of Shri Ram Janmbhoomi is slated for January 22, 2024, and the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra is currently accepting online and offline bookings for ‘Aarti’ passes in anticipation of the official opening of the temple. As per the reports, the commencement of the inaugural ceremony is scheduled to begin on January 16, 2024. The temple’s morning opening hours are scheduled from 7:00 AM to 11:00 AM, with evening hours from 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM.
The 2024 calendar seems full of important events in all spheres. Sure, it’s just a flip of the calendar. And 2024 will no doubt have its share of bad news. But a new year brings a psychological clean slate. Maybe it’ll serve as a reminder that, while we can’t control the comings and goings of the ages, we do have at least a little control over our own happiness. We are more resilient than we think, and no matter what 2024 brings, we’ll face it together.
