1995

1995 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar.

In international affairs, the Bosnian War continued, with a peace process culminating in the Dayton Agreements negotiated in November and signed in December 1995. The Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing produced the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. The World Trade Organization began formal operations on January 1, 1995, replacing portions of the GATT system. The Srebrenica massacre occurred in July as part of the Bosnian conflict, highlighting the ongoing violence in the region.

Significant disasters and security events marked the year. The Great Hanshin earthquake struck the Kobe region of Japan on January 17, causing widespread destruction and thousands of deaths. The Oklahoma City bombing on April 19 killed 168 people and injured hundreds. In the United States, the criminal trial of O. J. Simpson concluded with a verdict of not guilty on October 3.

Technology and economy also saw notable developments. Microsoft released Windows 95 on August 24, a major upgrade to personal computing. Netscape Communications conducted its initial public offering on August 9, accelerating the growth of the Internet, while Java 1.0 was released in May, and Internet Explorer 1.0 appeared later that year.

Cultural and sports events reflected broad cultural shifts. Toy Story, the first feature-length computer-animated film, opened in theaters on November 22. The Rugby World Cup was hosted by South Africa, which won the tournament. The year also saw popular films such as Se7en and Batman Forever contributing to 1995’s cinematic landscape.