Every year on June 26, we celebrate World Refrigeration Day, a global event that shines a light on the amazing people and technologies that keep our world cool, comfortable, and safe. From storing food and medicine to cooling homes and powering industries, refrigeration, air-conditioning, and heat-pump (RACHP) systems play a huge role in our lives.

This year’s theme, “Cool Skills,” focuses on the skilled professionals who make all of this possible. These include technicians, engineers, researchers, apprentices, trainers, and support staff. Their expertise helps protect public health, improve comfort, support digital systems, and even fight climate change through more efficient, climate-friendly technologies.

How It All Began

World Refrigeration Day was officially launched in 2019. It was created to raise awareness of how important RACHP technologies are in modern life. The idea came from a global collaboration between trade associations and professional groups who wanted to educate the public about the value of this industry.

The date, June 26, was chosen because it’s the birthday of William Thomson, also known as Lord Kelvin—a famous scientist known for his work in thermodynamics and the Kelvin temperature scale. His legacy is tied closely to how we understand and manage temperature.

One of the leaders behind the campaign, Steve Gill, explained that the sector has a rich and fascinating history full of inventors, engineers, and scientists whose work has made life better across the world. The industry wanted to come together and celebrate that shared history while also looking toward the future.

Since then, the day has been supported by organisations and professionals across the USA, Europe, Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Oceania. It continues to grow each year as more people learn just how essential refrigeration and cooling really are.

Spotlight on 2025: “Cool Skills” Campaign

In 2025, the “Cool Skills” campaign invites people and organisations in the RACHP sector to share real stories and photos of team members—whether they’re in the field, in the office, or in training. The goal is to highlight their contribution to the industry and to global wellbeing.

Selected images will be creatively edited with the World Refrigeration Day logo and fun effects like ice or fire to represent both cooling and heating. Past participants include inspiring individuals such as Diarrah from Mali, who won the first U3ARC–WRD Dr Charity Kpabep Award, and Trevor Matthews from Canada.

This campaign helps bring visibility to the people who keep our systems running smoothly and efficiently every day—often without much public recognition. It also encourages more young people to consider a career in this vital and growing field.

Global Gathering in Paris

Ahead of the day itself, a special World Refrigeration Day 2025 event was held in Paris on June 18, hosted by the International Institute of Refrigeration (IIR). It brought together nearly 120 high-level experts from government, industry, universities, and international groups.

The event celebrated the impact of refrigeration and heat pump technologies on human wellbeing, animal welfare, and the environment. It also focused on how to make these systems more sustainable in the future.

So tomorrow, June 26, take a moment to thank the people who make cooling work—from the service tech who fixes your air con to the engineer designing tomorrow’s clean energy systems. Their cool skills keep the world running.

This story and image was sourced from the RefIndustry News Page and was edited prior to publication.
For more info, click here