International Widows Day was established by The Loomba Foundation[clarification needed] to raise awareness of the issue of widowhood.
[3] As part of the Loomba Foundation's awareness campaign, this study was presented to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on 22 June 2010.
[5] By the sixth International Widows Day in 2010, events were held in Rwanda, Sri Lanka, the United States, the UK, Nepal, Syria, Kenya, India, Bangladesh and South Africa.
[6] On 21 December 2010, the United Nations General Assembly formally adopted 23 June as International Widows Day, endorsing by unanimous acclaim a proposal introduced by President Ali Bongo Ondimba of Gabon.
[7] As well as formally recognizing 23 June as a day of observance, the accompanying resolution called upon "Member States, the United Nations system and other international and regional organizations to give special attention to the situation of widows and their children.