It’s evolution, baby — for your calendar. Feb. 12 is looking to set the stage for a holiday of love and babymaking by first giving a nod to why the babies keep getting made in the first place. On Monday, the Senate’s Committee on Natural Resources voted to designate the day as International Darwin Day, working within a world still fraught with tension over the issues of evolution associated with the father of the concept.

The reason for the tension stems from the fact that some religious observers adhere to the idea of creationism — meaning, the universe is created by a central deity.

However, many do not find a conflict between celebrating Darwin and their faith. Randi Kisiel, executive director of the Little Chapel of All Nations here on campus (and secretary for the University Religious Council), said he wouldn’t be opposed to celebrating a Darwin day.

“While I cannot speak for the University Religious Council on this matter, I can say personally and for the Little Chapel — which subscribes to no religion — that we would be delighted to see a Charles Darwin Day,” he said. “Darwin made significant contributions to science. Let’s celebrate him.”

Recognizing evolution and its founder is as important to science as they are to philanthropy and global health, according to Dr. Judith Bronstein, UA professor in the department of ecology and evolutionary biology.

“I’m thrilled that the Arizona Senate supports this shout-out to Charles Darwin,” she said. “Darwin’s core ideas, published over 150 years ago, continue to lie at the heart of our understanding how the world around us functions. Darwin’s insights also offer desperately needed guidance on how we can foster the health of entire systems, from our own bodies to the entire planet.” 

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