The year 2024 stands ready to be a landmark year filled with important historical events that will matter worldwide. The Allied invasion of Normandy on June 6, 1944 is being recognized on this 80th anniversary of D-Day. During World War II, the critically important period marked the onset of the downfall of Nazi Germany and a remodeling of geopolitical relations and boundaries in Europe. At the heart of this is celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Rwanda genocide, which kickstarted in April 1994, leading to close to one million deaths. The terrible circumstances strongly represent the devastating effects of ethnic hatred and underline the international effort required to put an end to these heinous crimes.
In 2024, it will also mark 15 years since Barack Obama became the U.S.’s first African American president, an important step that has shaped worldwide movements for racial justice. The year will celebrate the 15th year of Facebook, which has reshaped social interaction and communication and affected politics, culture, and business globally.
In relation to current worldwide problems, the persistence of armed conflicts, such as the war in Ukraine and the tensions in the Middle East, will be the main focus of news. The escalation of the Israel-Hamas conflict in 2023 is an important development to follow as actions for peace continue internationally. When evaluated as a single dataset, these events reveal the relationship between heritage sites and serious issues, which impacts our understanding of both past contests and future obstacles.