We celebrate Yuri's Night on 12 April because Yuri Gagarin was the first human to orbit the earth on this date in 1961!  It is also called the International Day of Space Flight.

Celebrate each year at the international level the beginning of the space era for mankind, reaffirming the important contribution of space science and technology in achieving sustainable development goals and increasing the well-being of States and peoples.

“I am confident that the International Day of Human Space Flight will remind us of our common humanity and our need to work together to conquer shared challenges. I hope it will also inspire young people in particular to pursue their dreams and move the world towards new frontiers of knowledge and understanding.” - Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.