diff --git a/frappe/utils/data.py b/frappe/utils/data.py
index e60b2fca37..d8ca8c16ef 100644
--- a/frappe/utils/data.py
+++ b/frappe/utils/data.py
@@ -254,10 +254,10 @@ def format_datetime(datetime_string, format_string=None):
 		formatted_datetime = datetime.strftime('%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S')
 	return formatted_datetime
 
-def global_date_format(date):
+def global_date_format(date, format="long"):
 	"""returns localized date in the form of January 1, 2012"""
 	date = getdate(date)
-	formatted_date = babel.dates.format_date(date, locale=(frappe.local.lang or "en").replace("-", "_"), format="long")
+	formatted_date = babel.dates.format_date(date, locale=(frappe.local.lang or "en").replace("-", "_"), format=format)
 	return formatted_date
 
 def has_common(l1, l2):