May is World Trade Month

As a company that helps facilitate seamless cross-border commerce for retailers around the globe, Zonos would be remiss not to take the time to celebrate May as World Trade Month! If you are unfamiliar with World Trade Month, keep reading to learn about what it is and why it is celebrated, how it came to be, and what is done to commemorate it.

What is World Trade Month?

The United States (US) founded May as World Trade Month in 1938 and has honored it ever since. It began as a way for the US to celebrate and appreciate the positive economic impact that global trade has had on the country. Before it was World Trade Month, the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce first celebrated World Trade Week in 1927. World Trade Week didn’t become a national observance until 1935 when President Franklin Delano Roosevelt proclaimed it as a holiday in celebration of finally passing the Reciprocal Trade Agreements Act in 1934. This Act was the beginning of most-favored-nation (MFN) trade status for countries involved in trade agreements with the US. World Trade Week was designated for the third week of May each year.

Since then, however, World Trade Week has been celebrated for the entire month of May by federal agencies and trade-related companies and organizations, consequently transitioning from World Trade Week to World Trade Month.

What is the importance of World Trade Month?

While US economic prosperity gave birth to World Trade Month, it means so much more today. This observance brings awareness to global trade in its entirety. Awareness of global trade helps people grow in business—not just in the US, but internationally as well.

For example, there are so many companies not even scratching the surface of their full potential because they only cater to local markets. Aware, educated retailers can easily reach international markets; it doesn’t have to be some far-fetched, unattainable dream, especially in today’s world.

Zonos is an advocate and facilitator for global trade awareness and aims to simplify cross-border commerce for retailers around the world. We celebrate global trade every day and observe World Trade Month proudly with the goal of spreading the benefits of cross-border trade far and wide.

Events that honor World Trade Month

If you are interested in learning more about World Trade Month or attending some events to celebrate it, the World Trade Month website has all the information you need, including a schedule of events for May 2022!