TEACHERS. On this day, each year since Oct. 5, 1994 WORLD TEACHERS’ DAY has been celebrated to honor and recognize the individuals who shape young minds, helping them to learn and grow to the best of their abilities.

This globally recognized holiday was originally launched in 1994 by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as a way to show annual respect and admiration to “dedicated teachers around the world who continue to strive every day to ensure that ‘inclusive and equitable quality education’ and the promotion of ‘lifelong learning opportunities for all’ become a reality in every corner of the globe.”

Just as Matilda had Ms. Honey, Helen Keller had Anne Sullivan, Harry Potter had Dumbledore and Luke Skywalker had Jedi Master Yoda — almost everyone has had a favorite teacher, a person who went above and beyond to encourage and inspire.

Waking up at the crack of dawn, to have the patience of an absolute saint throughout the day while remaining a positive influence can be stressful work. World Teachers’ Day serves as a great way to remind your favorite educators that you care — either with hand-made gifts, praise or a simple heartfelt thank you.

Sure, having summers off can be a highly-coveted perk, but there are still many complex issues affecting teachers within educational systems throughout the world. For instance, according to UNESCO, learning proficiency around the globe is down with six out of 10 children (a total of 617 million kids) not meeting the minimum requirements for competency in mathematics and reading. In fact, the world is in need of 69 million teachers to achieve UNESCO’s goal of providing universal primary and secondary education by 2030.