previous year1999
2000200120022003200420052006200720082009
2010next year

Major Events of February 2003: Key Historical Moments from the Month

Each month is marked by defining moments that shape the course of history. Whether through political shifts, cultural movements, or world-changing events, these periods leave a lasting impression. Dive into the most important events from February 2003 and discover how they influenced the world both then and now.

history

Major Events of February 2003: Key Historical Moments from the Month

  • 01 Feb 2003 Space Shuttle Columbia Disaster: The Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated during re-entry into Earth's atmosphere on February 1, 2003, resulting in the tragic loss of all seven crew members. The accident was later determined to have been caused by a piece of foam insulation that punctured the shuttle's left wing during launch, compromising its structural integrity during re-entry.
  • 02 Feb 2003 Vaclav Havel's Presidential Career Concludes: Vaclav Havel, a pivotal figure in Czech and Czechoslovak politics, completed his presidential terms. Having served as the last president of Czechoslovakia and then the first president of the Czech Republic, Havel was a key intellectual and democratic leader during the post-Communist transition.
  • 03 Feb 2003 Space Shuttle Columbia Disaster: The Space Shuttle Columbia tragically disintegrates during re-entry into Earth's atmosphere over Texas, resulting in the loss of all seven crew members. This catastrophic event marked a significant moment in space exploration history, highlighting the inherent risks of human spaceflight.
  • 04 Feb 2003 Yugoslavia Transforms into Serbia and Montenegro: The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia adopts a new constitution, fundamentally restructuring its political framework by creating a loose confederacy between Montenegro and Serbia. This constitutional change marks a significant shift in the nation's governance and territorial organization.
  • 05 Feb 2003 NASA's Spirit Rover Launches Mars Mission: NASA's Spirit rover commenced its groundbreaking journey to Mars as part of the Mars Exploration Rover mission, representing a significant milestone in space exploration and robotic planetary research.
  • 06 Feb 2003 Hanford Spent Nuclear Fuel Project Milestone: The Department of Energy's Spent Nuclear Fuel Project successfully completed the relocation of over two million pounds (957 metric tons) of highly radioactive spent fuel, containing approximately 25 million curies of radioactivity, away from the K Basins and further from the Columbia River.
  • 07 Feb 2003 Daegu Subway Fire Tragedy: A catastrophic fire in the Daegu subway system in South Korea resulted in nearly 200 fatalities, making it one of the deadliest public transportation accidents in modern history.
  • 08 Feb 2003 UK Government's Controversial Iraq Intelligence Dossier: On February 8, 2003, the UK government released a highly controversial intelligence dossier about Iraq, which was later dubbed the 'Dodgy Dossier'. The document, intended to build a case for military intervention, was found to contain significant plagiarism and unverified information. Key political figures like Tony Blair and US Secretary of State Colin Powell cited this dossier as evidence supporting the necessity of war against Iraq. The dossier's contents were largely copied without permission from sources including Jane's Intelligence Review and an outdated 12-year-old doctoral thesis by an American student, which was originally published in the Middle East Review of International.
  • 09 Feb 2003 India's Massive Polio Vaccination Campaign: The Indian Government launched its largest ever nationwide vaccination program, targeting the comprehensive immunization of 160 million children against polio within a six-day period. This ambitious public health initiative represented a significant effort to eradicate the debilitating disease and protect the country's child population.
  • 10 Feb 2003 NATO Procedural Dispute Over Iraq War Preparations: France and Belgium disrupted NATO's silent approval procedure for protection measures for Turkey in anticipation of a potential war with Iraq. Germany supported their stance. NATO Secretary General George Robertson activated the procedure on February 6. In response, Turkey invoked Article 4 of the NATO Treaty, which mandates consultation among member states when a member feels threatened.
  • 11 Feb 2003 U.S. Military Mobilization for Iraq: Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld signed deployment orders to send an additional 62,000 U.S. military personnel to the Persian Gulf, bringing the total military presence in the region to approximately 122,000 troops in preparation for potential conflict with Iraq.
  • 12 Feb 2003 Bolivian Political Crisis and Violent Clashes in La Paz: A severe political crisis erupted in La Paz, Bolivia, when striking police confronted the army in a violent standoff. The military attempted to protect the presidential palace from stone-throwing protesters. The confrontation escalated from tear gas to gunfire, resulting in 27 fatalities and over 100 serious injuries. The violence was followed by 24 hours of widespread looting and burning of public and foreign business buildings, highlighting the intense social and political tensions in the country.
  • 13 Feb 2003 US Special Forces Pre-Invasion Deployment in Iraq: Two US Special Forces units had been operating inside Iraq for over a month, making preliminary preparations for a large-scale invasion, signaling the imminent military intervention in Iraq.
  • 14 Feb 2003 UN Weapons Inspection Report on Iraq: UNMOVIC Executive Chairman Hans Blix reported to the UN Security Council that disarmament inspectors found no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, a critical moment in the lead-up to the Iraq War.
  • 15 Feb 2003 Global Anti-War Protests Against Iraq Invasion: On February 15, 2003, an unprecedented global peace demonstration took place, with more than ten million people protesting in over 600 cities worldwide against the impending Iraq War. This massive, coordinated protest represented a significant moment of global civic engagement and opposition to military intervention.
  • 16 Feb 2003 Iraq Missile Discovery Violates UN Sanctions: A missile discovered in Iraq was found to exceed the size limits imposed by United Nations sanctions, raising significant international tensions and concerns about potential weapons violations.
  • 17 Feb 2003 London Introduces Congestion Charge: London, England, implemented a groundbreaking £5 (US$8) daily charge for driving within an 8 square-mile central zone, aimed at reducing traffic congestion, decreasing pollution, and funding public transportation infrastructure.
  • 18 Feb 2003 Daegu Subway Fire Tragedy: A devastating fire at an underground train station in Daegu, South Korea claimed the lives of 192 people, with 148 injured and many others missing. Witnesses reported that an arsonist deliberately threw a milk carton containing a flammable substance into an underground train, causing a catastrophic blaze that quickly spread through the confined subway space.
  • 19 Feb 2003 Devastating Iranian Military Aircraft Crash: An Ilyushin Il-76 military aircraft crashed near Kerman, Iran, resulting in a catastrophic loss of 275 lives. The aircraft was carrying members of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards, traveling from Zahedan to Kerman, approximately 500 miles southeast of Tehran. The crash occurred in the mountainous terrain, and the government did not conduct a thorough investigation into the cause.
  • 20 Feb 2003 Station Nightclub Fire Tragedy: On February 20, 2003, a devastating fire broke out during a Great White concert at The Station nightclub in West Warwick, Rhode Island. The fire was caused by pyrotechnics used during the band's performance, resulting in a catastrophic blaze that killed approximately 100 people and injured over 200 others. This tragic event became one of the deadliest nightclub fires in U.S. history, leading to significant changes in fire safety regulations and concert venue safety standards.
  • 21 Feb 2003 The Station Nightclub Fire in Rhode Island: A devastating fire broke out during a Great White concert at The Station nightclub in West Warwick, Rhode Island, resulting in the tragic deaths of over 100 concert attendees. The incident became one of the deadliest nightclub fires in U.S. history, highlighting critical safety concerns in entertainment venues.
  • 22 Feb 2003 Ukraine's Presidential Impeachment: President Viktor Yanukovych of Ukraine was unanimously impeached by the Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian Parliament) in a decisive vote of 328-0, marking a significant political transition in the country.
  • 23 Feb 2003 56th BAFTA Awards Honors 'The Pianist': At the 56th British Academy Film Awards (BAFTAs), 'The Pianist' emerged as the top film, winning Best Film. Director Roman Polanski was also recognized with the Best Director award, marking a significant moment in international cinema recognition.
  • 24 Feb 2003 Invasion of Iraq Begins: The United States and its coalition partners initiated the military invasion of Iraq on February 24, 2003, marking a significant geopolitical event in the early 21st century.
  • 25 Feb 2003 UN Security Council Debates Iraq Resolution: The United States, Britain, and Spain presented a UN Security Council resolution claiming Iraq failed to disarm. The resolution did not include military force deadlines. France, Germany, and Russia countered with a proposal for peaceful disarmament through further inspections, highlighting international diplomatic tensions preceding the Iraq War.
  • 26 Feb 2003 World Trade Center Memorial Design Selected: Daniel Libeskind's architectural design for the World Trade Center memorial site was chosen, featuring an innovative office building and a symbolic 'Wedge of Light' memorial. The design honors the victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, with the memorial area designed to be illuminated and then darkened annually on September 11th between specific times, utilizing the original WTC foundations.
  • 27 Feb 2003 Serbian Prime Minister Assassinated: Zoran Dindic, Serbia's Prime Minister, is assassinated in Belgrade, a shocking event that would have significant political repercussions for Serbia's democratic transition.
  • 28 Feb 2003 Iraq Missile Destruction Controversy: Iraq began destroying Al Samoud missiles on March 1, with UN Chief Weapons Inspector Hans Blix calling it 'a very significant piece of real disarmament'. However, the White House spokesman Ari Fleischer dismissed the action as fraudulent, insisting on total Iraqi disarmament.