The May 12 Initiative is an opportunity to celebrate women in mathematics all around the world. This celebration takes place every year worldwide to inspire women to celebrate their achievements in mathematics, and to encourage an inclusive work environment for everybody. This initiative brings together local events celebrating women in mathematics taking place during the period May 1-June 15.

Why May 12? May 12, 1977, is the birthday of Maryam Mirzakhani, who was an Iranian mathematician and a Professor of Mathematics at Stanford University. In 2014, Maryam Mirzakhani was awarded the Fields Medal for her outstanding contributions to the dynamics and geometry of Riemann surfaces and their moduli spaces, becoming the first woman, and the first Iranian, to be recognised for her mathematical achievements by this top mathematical prize. In 2017 Maryam died tragically from cancer at the early age of 40.

The ICEDIM Women in Mathematics Day 2024 is registered under the May 12 Initiative 2024.