In#2012,#Harry#Potter#fans#around#the#world#cheered#Britain’s#
Prime#Minister#David#Cameron’s#declaration#that#May#2#would#
forevermore#be#known#as#International#Harry#Potter#Day.#
Author#J.#K.#Rowling’s#literary#series#had#a#significant#impact#
and#holds#the#Guinness#World#Record#as#the#highest-selling#
series#by#a#single#author#at#over#500#million#copies#sold.
Why#May#2?#The#Battle#of#Hogwarts#was#fought#on#this#date#
in#1998.#The#final#conflict#of#the#Second#Wizarding#War#took#
place#at#the#Hogwarts#School#of#Witchcraft#and#Wizardry.#The#
Order#of#the#Phoenix#proved#victorious,#ending#the#most#
devastating#battle#of#that#war#and#resulting#in#numerous#
casualties,#most#notably#Lord#Voldemort.
Every#year#brings#extraordinary#ways#to#commemorate#and#
celebrate#this#enchanted#day.#There#are#anniversaries#to#
recognize,#characters#to#remember,#places#to#see.#Key#
locations#throughout#Europe#that#have#ties#to#the#movie#offer#
events.#The#popularity#of#the#entire#franchise#spawned#a#
theme#park,#retail#stores,#an#escape#room,#and#merchandise#
related#to#everything#Harry#Potter.
In#Cameron’s#official#statement#announcing#the#new#holiday#
he#said#“In#order#to#fully#commemorate#and#immortalize#her#
work,#we#have#decided#to#officially#declare#May#2nd#as#an#
official#international#holiday,#in#honor#of#the#date#that#
protagonist#Harry#Potter#conquered#the#main#antagonist#of#
the#series,#Lord#Voldemort.#We#hope#that#children#and#adults#
alike#will#be#reminded#of#Harry#Potter’s#strong#and#
courageous#character#on#this#day,#as#well#as#of#the#true#credit#
that#Ms.#Rowling#has#made#to#society.”
Have fun with some of the Harry Potter activities!
History of International Harry Potter Day
