// Workers AI · dad joke modeWhat did the list of UN observances say to Monday? "You're noted.
(Redirected from International Day)
 |
 |
This is a list of the United Nations (UN) observances. The list includes all types of observances (such as celebratory, commemorative, and awareness days or weeks).
The majority of observances have been established by resolutions of the United Nations General Assembly, although some have been designated by UN specialized agencies.[1] These observances include many kinds of topic, all related to the UN main works, including peace, tobacco, discrimination, diseases, illegal drugs.[1]
Introduction
[edit source]Reason for establishing observances
[edit source]As the UN explained,[1]
The existence of international days predates the establishment of the United Nations, but the UN has embraced them as a powerful advocacy tool. The United Nations observes designated days, weeks, years, and decades, each with a theme, or topic. By creating special observances, the United Nations promotes international awareness and action on these issues. Each international day offers many actors the opportunity to organize activities related to the theme of the day. Organizations and offices of the United Nations system, and most importantly, governments, civil society, the public and private sectors, schools, universities and, more generally, citizens, make an international day a springboard for awareness-raising actions.
International Days and Weeks
[edit source]| Date | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| January 4 | World Braille Day | Giving attention on braille and people with visual impairment. |
| January 24 | International Day of Education | |
| January 26 | International Day of Clean Energy | |
| January 27 | International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust | |
| January 28 | International Day of Peaceful Coexistence | |
| February 1 | World Interfaith Harmony Week, 1-7 February | |
| February 2 | World Wetlands Day | |
| February 4 | International Day of Human Fraternity | |
| February 6 | International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation | |
| February 10 | World Pulses Day | |
| February 10 | International Day of the Arabian Leopard | |
| February 11 | International Day of Women and Girls in Science | |
| February 12 | International Day for the Prevention of Violent Extremism as and when Conducive to Terrorism | |
| February 13 | World Radio Day | |
| February 17 | Global Tourism Resilience Day | |
| February 20 | World Day of Social Justice | |
| February 21 | International Mother Language Day | |
| March 1 | Zero Discrimination Day | |
| March 1 | World Seagrass Day | |
| March 3 | World Wildlife Day | |
| March 5 | International Day for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Awareness | |
| March 8 | International Women's Day | |
| March 10 | International Day of Women Judges | |
| March 15 | International Day to Combat Islamophobia | |
| March 20 | International Day of Happiness | |
| March 21 | World Day for Glaciers | |
| March 21 | International Day of Forests | |
| March 21 | Week of Solidarity with the Peoples Struggling against Racism and Racial Discrimination, 21-27 March | |
| March 21 | International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination | |
| March 21 | World Poetry Day | |
| March 21 | International Day of Nowruz | |
| March 21 | World Down Syndrome Day | |
| March 22 | World Water Day | This day focuses on "the importance of freshwater", "raises awareness of the 2.2 billion people living without access to safe water", the IAH said. [3] |
| March 23 | World Meteorological Day | |
| March 24 | World Tuberculosis Day | |
| March 24 | International Day for the Right to the Truth Concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and for the Dignity of Victims | |
| March 25 | International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade | |
| March 25 | International Day of Solidarity with Detained and Missing Staff Members | |
| March 30 | International Day of Zero Waste | |
| April 2 | World Autism Awareness Day | |
| April 4 | International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action | |
| April 5 | International Day of Conscience | |
| April 6 | International Day of Sport for Development and Peace | |
| April 7 | International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Rwanda Genocide | |
| April 7 | World Health Day | |
| April 12 | International Day of Human Space Flight | |
| April 14 | World Chagas Disease Day | |
| April 15 | International Wellness Day | |
| April 21 | World Creativity and Innovation Day | |
| April 22 | International Mother Earth Day | |
| April 23 | International Girls in ICT Day | |
| April 23 | World Book and Copyright Day | |
| April 24 | World Immunization Week, 24-30 April | |
| April 24 | International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace | |
| April 25 | World Malaria Day[1] | |
| April 25 | International Delegate's Day | |
| April 26 | International Chernobyl Disaster Remembrance Day | |
| April 26 | World Intellectual Property Day | |
| April 28 | World Day for Safety and Health at Work | |
| April 29 | International Day in Memory of the Victims of Earthquakes | |
| April 30 | International Jazz Day | |
| May 2 | World Tuna Day | |
| May 3 | World Press Freedom Day | |
| May 8 | Time of Remembrance and Reconciliation for Those Who Lost Their Lives During the Second World War | |
| May 10 | International Day of Argania | |
| May 10 | World Migratory Bird Day[Footnote 1] | |
| May 10 | International Day of Argania | |
| May 12 | International Day of Plant Health[Footnote 2] | |
| Full Moon in May | Vesak, the Day of Full Moon | |
| May 15 | International Day of Families | |
| May 16 | International Day of Living Together in Peace | |
| May 16 | International Day of Light | |
| May 17 | World Telecommunication and Information Society Day | |
| May 19 | World Fair Play Day | |
| May 20 | World Bee Day | |
| May 21 | World Day for Cultural Diversity | |
| May 21 | International Tea Day | Tea is a kind of drink which may have the origin in northeast India, northern Myanmar and southwest China. Al Jazeera authors: Marium Ali and Hanna Duggal wrote, "From Tibetan po cha to a good old English breakfast brew, tea is considered a unifying and hospitable beverage."[4] According to Tea & Coffee Trade Journal, China is the leading producer of tea with a production of 3.181 million tonnes.[5] |
| May 22 | International Day for Biological Diversity | |
| May 23 | International Day to end Obstetric Fistula | |
| May 24 | International Day of the Markhor | |
| May 25 | World Football Day | |
| May 25 | Week of Solidarity with the Peoples of Non-Self-Governing Territories, 25-31 May | |
| May 29 | International Day of UN Peacekeepers | |
| May 30 | International Day of Potato | |
| May 31 | World No Tobacco Day | |
| June 1 | Global Day of Parents | |
| June 3 | World Bicycle Day | |
| June 4 | International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression | |
| June 5 | World Environment Day | |
| June 5 | International Day for the Fight against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing | |
| June 7 | World Food Safety Day | |
| June 8 | World Oceans Day | |
| June 10 | International Day for Dialogue among Civilizations | |
| June 11 | International Day of Play | In March 2024, the United Nations declared a new International Day of Play, supported by 140 member states. This day is not literally just a day to play; it focuses on the child right. Poverty, conflict, displacement, and discrimination further impair children to play.[6] |
| June 12 | World Day Against Child Labour | The UN defines child labour as "work performed by children under the minimum legal age specified for that kind of work, or work that, because of its hazardous nature or detrimental conditions, is prohibited". In the report shows 138 million of children do not enjoy their fundamental rights, including around 54 million involved in hazardous work.[7] |
| June 13 | International Albinism Awareness Day | |
| June 14 | World Blood Donor Day | |
| June 15 | World Elder Abuse Awareness Day | |
| June 16 | International Day of Family Remittances | |
| June 17 | World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought | |
| June 18 | Sustainable Gastronomy Day | |
| June 18 | International Day for Countering Hate Speech | |
| June 19 | International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict | |
| June 20 | World Refugee Day | |
| June 21 | International Day of Yoga | |
| June 21 | International Day of the Celebration of the Solstice | |
| June 23 | United Nations Public Service Day | |
| June 23 | International Widows Day | |
| June 24 | International Day of Women in Diplomacy | |
| June 25 | Day of the Seafarer | |
| June 26 | International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking | |
| June 26 | United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture | |
| June 27 | International Day of Deafblindness | |
| June 27 | Micro-, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Day | |
| June 29 | International Day of the Tropics | |
| June 30 | International Asteroid Day | |
| June 30 | International Day of Parliamentarism | |
| First Saturday in July | International Cooperative Day | |
| July 6 | World Rural Development Day | |
| July 11 | International Day of Reflection and Commemoration of the 1995 Genocide in Srebrenica | |
| July 11 | World Population Day | |
| July 11 | World Horse Day | |
| July 12 | International Day of Combating Sand and Dust Storms | |
| July 12 | International Day of Hope | |
| July 15 | World Youth Skills Day | |
| July 18 | Nelson Mandela International Day | |
| July 20 | World Chess Day | |
| July 20 | International Moon Day | |
| July 25 | International Day of Women and Girls of African Descent | |
| July 25 | World Drowning Prevention Day | |
| July 25 | International Day for Judicial Well-being | |
| July 28 | World Hepatitis Day | |
| July 30 | International Day of Friendship | |
| July 30 | World Day against Trafficking in Persons | |
| August 1 | World Breastfeeding Week, 1-7 August | |
| August 6 | International Day of Awareness of the Special Development Needs and Challenges of Landlocked Developing Countries | |
| August 9 | International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples | |
| August 11 | World Steelpan Day | |
| August 12 | International Youth Day | |
| August 19 | World Humanitarian Day | |
| August 21 | International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism | |
| August 22 | International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief | |
| August 23 | International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition | |
| August 27 | World Lake Day | |
| August 29 | International Day against Nuclear Tests | |
| August 30 | International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances | |
| August 31 | International Day for People of African Descent | |
| September 5 | International Day of Charity | |
| September 5 | International Day of the World's Indigenous Women and Girls | |
| September 7 | International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies | |
| September 7 | International Day of Police Cooperation | |
| September 7 | World Duchenne Awareness Day | |
| September 8 | International Literacy Day | |
| September 9 | International Day to Protect Education from Attack | |
| September 12 | United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation | |
| September 15 | International Day of Democracy | |
| September 16 | International Day of Science, Technology and Innovation for the South | |
| September 16 | International Day for Interventional Cardiology | |
| September 16 | International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer | |
| September 17 | World Patient Safety Day[Footnote 2] | |
| September 18 | International Equal Pay Day | |
| September 20 | World Cleanup Day | |
| September 21 | International Day of Peace | |
| September 23 | International Day of Sign Languages | |
| September 24 | World Maritime Day | |
| September 26 | International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons | |
| September 27 | World Tourism Day | |
| September 28 | International Day for Universal Access to Information | |
| September 29 | International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste | |
| First Monday in October | World Habitat Day | |
| October 1 | International Coffee Day | |
| October 1 | International Day of Older Persons | |
| October 2 | International Day of Non-Violence | Birthday of Mahatma Gandhi[8] |
| October 4 | World Space Week, 4-10 October | |
| October 5 | World Teachers' Day | |
| October 7 | World Cotton Day | |
| October 9 | World Post Day | |
| October 9 | World Migratory Bird Day | |
| October 10 | World Mental Health Day | |
| October 11 | International Day of the Girl Child | |
| October 13 | International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction | |
| October 15 | International Day of Rural Women | |
| October 16 | World Food Day | |
| October 17 | International Day for the Eradication of Poverty | |
| October 23 | International Day of the Snow Leopard | |
| October 24 | Disarmament Week, 24-30 October | |
| October 24 | United Nations Day | |
| October 24 | World Development Information Day | |
| October 24 | Global Media and Information Literacy Week, 24-31 October | |
| October 27 | World Day for Audiovisual Heritage | |
| October 29 | International Day of Care and Support | |
| October 31 | World Cities Day | |
| First Thursday in November | International Day Against Violence and Bullying at School, Including Cyberbullying | |
| November 2 | International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists | |
| November 5 | World Tsunami Awareness Day | |
| November 6 | International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict | |
| November 9 | International Week of Science and Peace, 9-15 November | |
| November 10 | World Science Day for Peace and Development | |
| November 14 | World Diabetes Day | |
| November 15 | International Day for the Prevention of and Fight against All Forms of Transnational Organized Crime | |
| Third Thursday in November | World Philosophy Day | |
| Third Sunday in November | World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims | |
| November 16 | International Day of the Mediterranean Diet | |
| November 16 | International Day for Tolerance | |
| November 18 | World Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Week, 18-24 November | |
| November 18 | World Day for the Prevention of and Healing from Child Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Violence | |
| November 19 | World Toilet Day | |
| November 20 | [Africa Industrialization Day]] | |
| November 20 | World Children's Day | |
| November 21 | World Television Day | |
| November 24 | World Conjoined Twins Day | |
| November 25 | International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women | |
| November 26 | World Sustainable Transport Day | |
| November 29 | International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People | |
| November 30 | Day of Remembrance for all Victims of Chemical Warfare | |
| December 1 | World AIDS Day | |
| December 2 | International Day for the Abolition of Slavery | |
| December 3 | International Day of Persons with Disabilities | |
| December 4 | International Day of Banks | |
| December 4 | International Day Against Unilateral Coercive Measures | |
| December 5 | International Volunteer Day for Economic and Social Development | |
| December 5 | World Soil Day | |
| December 7 | International Civil Aviation Day | |
| December 9 | International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime | |
| December 9 | International Anti-Corruption Day | |
| December 10 | Human Rights Day | |
| December 11 | International Mountain Day | |
| December 12 | International Day of Neutrality | |
| December 12 | Universal Health Coverage Day | |
| December 14 | International Day against Colonialism in All its Forms and Manifestations | |
| December 18 | International Migrants Day | |
| December 20 | International Human Solidarity Day | |
| December 21 | World Meditation Day | |
| December 21 | World Basketball Day | |
| December 24 | International Anti-Cybercrime Day | |
| December 27 | International Day of Epidemic Preparedness |
Six Language Days
[edit source]These six languages are the official languages of the UN.[1]
| Date | Language | Rationale | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| March 20 | French | day when OIF (was named l'Agence de coopération culturelle et technique (ACCT)) established | [9] |
| April 20 | Chinese | Chinese jieqi Guyu | [10] |
| April 23 | English | birth of William Shakespeare | |
| April 23 | Spanish | death of Miguel de Cervantes | [11] |
| June 6 | Russian | birth of Pushkin (Russian: А. С. Пушкин) | [12] |
| December 18 | Arabic | the day when Arabic became an official language in UN |
Other language-related days
[edit source]| Date | Name | Rationale | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| February 21 | International Mother Language Day |
This day is advised by Bangladesh. |
[13] |
| September 30 | International Translation Day | The feast of St. Jerome, the Bible translator, who is considered the patron saint of translators. | [14] |
International Years
[edit source]| Year | Name | Ref. |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | International Year of Languages | [16] |
| 2019 | International Year of Indigenous Languages | [17] |
| 2022 | International Year of Sustainable Mountain Development | |
| 2023 | International Year of Dialogue as a Guarantee of Peace | |
| International Year of Millets | ||
| 2024 | International Year of Camelids | |
| 2025 | International Year of Quantum Science and Technology | |
| International Year of Cooperatives | ||
| International Year of Glaciers' Preservation | ||
| International Year of Peace and Trust | ||
| 2026 | International Year of the Woman Farmer | |
| International Year of Volunteers for Sustainable Development | ||
| International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists | ||
| 2027 | International Year of Sustainable and Resilient Tourism | |
| 2029 | International Year of Asteroid Awareness and Planetary Defence |
International Decades
[edit source]| Year | Decade | Ref. |
|---|---|---|
| 2025–2034 | Second International Decade for People of African Descent | |
| 2026-2035 | United Nations Decade of Sustainable Transport | |
| 2027–2036 | United Nations Decade for Afforestation and Reforestation in line with Sustainable Forest Management |
UN anniversaries
[edit source]![[icon]](/pun/wiki/File:Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg){kind=small} | This section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (January 2026) |
See also
[edit source]Footnotes
[edit source]These are the labels for the observances in specific subdivisions of the UN including World Health Organisation.
References
[edit source]- 1 2 3 4 5 "United Nations Observances". United Nations. Retrieved 2025-10-10.
- ↑ "International Days and Weeks". United Nations. Retrieved 2025-10-12.
- ↑ "World Water Day 2025". 22 Mar 2025.
- ↑ Ali, Marium; Hanna, Duggal. "International Tea Day: Spilling the tea on unusual brews around the world".
- ↑ "The Global Tea Report 2024". TACTJ. 2024-05-16.
- ↑ "CELEBRATING INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PLAY". Right to Play.
- ↑ Stefanou, Yanis. "World Day Against Child Labour" (PDF). European Parliament.
- ↑ Mbithi, Peter. "International Day of Non-Violence". United Nations Office at Nairobi.
That is why the UN General Assembly decided, 12 years ago, to recognize 2 October, the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, as the International Day of Non-Violence.
- ↑ "Journée de la langue française | Nations Unies". United Nations (in French). Retrieved 2025-10-10.
- ↑ "联合国中文日 | 联合国". United Nations (in Simplified Chinese). Retrieved 2025-10-10.
- ↑ "Día del Idioma Español en las Naciones Unidas | Naciones Unidas". United Nations (in Spanish). Retrieved 2025-10-10.
- ↑ "Russian Language Day". United Nations. Retrieved 2025-10-10.
- ↑ "International Mother Language Day". Beautiful Bangladesh.
- ↑ "International Translation Day". United Nations. Retrieved 2025-10-10.
- ↑ "International Years". United Nations. Retrieved 2025-10-10.
- ↑ "International Year of Languages - 2008". United Nations (in Russian). Retrieved 2025-10-10.
- ↑ "About IYIL 2019". 2019 - International Year of Indigenous Language. Retrieved 2025-10-10.
- ↑ "International Decades".