Current Affairs - Important Days - Discussion

International Asteroid Day is observed annually on June 30 to raise global awareness about asteroid impact hazards and the importance of planetary defence. The date commemorates the Tunguska Event of June 30, 1908, the largest recorded asteroid impact event in modern history, which devastated nearly 2,000 square kilometres of forest in Siberia. The United Nations General Assembly officially proclaimed the observance in 2016 to encourage international cooperation in asteroid detection, scientific research, emergency preparedness, and public education. The day also highlights the need to monitor Near-Earth Objects (NEOs) and strengthen global efforts to protect Earth from potential asteroid threats.