International Days list, promoted by the United Nations as occasions to mark particular events or topics in order to create awareness and action on these issues.
The United Nations designates specific days, weeks, years and decades as occasions to mark particular events or topics in order to promote awareness and action on these issues. You can find a list of International Days and Weeks on the UN website, with articles and videos about every special day to give you all the information you need.
There are many international days and weeks celebrated globally. Some of the most popular observances include World Braille Day (January 4), International Day of Education (January 24), International Women’s Day (March 8), World Water Day (March 22), and the International Day of Peace (September 21). Other annual observances include World Seagrass Day (March 1), United Nations Zero Discrimination Day (March 1), International Day for Ear and Hearing Loss (March 3) and World Health Day (April 7).
There are also many other social media holidays and STEM-related seasonal events celebrated throughout the year.The UN also designates specific years for certain topics, such as the year 2023 being designated as the mid-point since the UN adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
The purpose of observing international days and weeks is to educate the general public on issues of concern, to mobilize political will and resources to address global problems, and to celebrate and reinforce achievements of humanity.
Each international day offers many actors the opportunity to organize activities related to the theme of the day. While all UN observances share the same principal aims, UN days can ensure the greatest degree of continuity. The significance of observing these days includes promoting diversity, cooperative spirit among nations, equality, peace, unity, universal respect for justice and international law as well as human rights and fundamental freedoms.
The themes for international days and weeks are chosen by the United Nations or by organizations in close coordination with the UN. The UN observes designated days, weeks, years, and decades, each with a theme or topic. For example, World Space Week Association Board of Directors selects a theme each year in close coordination with the UN Office of Outer Space Affairs. The United Nations designates specific years for certain topics to promote awareness through observances. Each year’s theme for International Day of Families is selected to raise awareness on important issues such as sustainable urban policies.
As I said before International Women’s Day (March 8) is one of the most celebrated international days. It is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. The event got its start in the U.S., but it is more widely celebrated elsewhere. International Women’s Day is a day when women are recognized for their achievements without regard to divisions, whether national, ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economic or political. The day aims to promote gender equality and women’s rights around the world. While there are other popular observances such as World Water Day (March 22) and the International Day of Peace (September 21), International Women’s Day has gained significant attention and recognition globally.
Individuals or organizations can propose new international days or weeks. According to the United Nations website, International days are proposed to the UN General Assembly by Member States. Additionally, as stated in Brill’s article on International Days at the United Nations, UN days may be initiated by a host of actors including international and national organizations, politicians, professional bodies, policy makers, NGOs and individuals. However, it is important to note that not all proposals for new observances are accepted. The General Assembly prioritizes information relevant to its work and may not accept proposals that do not align with its priorities.
Here is the complete list of International World Days.
January
01 Jan – World Day of Peace
04 Jan – World Braille Day
24 Jan – International Day of Education
27 Jan – International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust
February
01 Feb – World Interfaith Harmony Week, 1-7 February
02 Feb – World Wetlands Day
04 Feb – International Day of Human Fraternity
06 Feb – International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation
10 Feb – World Pulses Day
11 Feb – International Day of Women and Girls in Science
12 Feb – International Day for the Prevention of Violent Extremism as and when Conducive to Terrorism
13 Feb – World Radio Day
17 Feb – Global Tourism Resilience Day
20 Feb – World Day of Social Justice
21 Feb – International Mother Language Day
March
01 Mar – World Seagrass Day
01 Mar – Zero Discrimination Day
03 Mar – World Wildlife Day
05 Mar – International Day for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Awareness
08 Mar – International Women’s Day
10 Mar – International Day of Women Judges
15 Mar – International Day to Combat Islamophobia
20 Mar – International Day of Happiness
20 Mar – French Language Day
21 Mar – Week of Solidarity with the Peoples Struggling against Racism and Racial Discrimination, 21-27 March
21 Mar – International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
21 Mar – World Poetry Day
21 Mar – International Day of Nowruz
21 Mar – World Down Syndrome Day
21 Mar – International Day of Forests
22 Mar – World Water Day
23 Mar – World Meteorological Day
24 Mar – World Tuberculosis Day
24 Mar – International Day for the Right to the Truth concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and for the Dignity of Victims
25 Mar – International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade
25 Mar – International Day of Solidarity with Detained and Missing Staff Members
30 Mar – International Day of Zero Waste
April
02 Apr – World Autism Awareness Day
04 Apr – International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action
05 Apr – International Day of Conscience
06 Apr – International Day of Sport for Development and Peace
07 Apr – World Health Day
07 Apr – International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda
12 Apr – International Day of Human Space Flight
14 Apr – World Chagas Disease Day
20 Apr – Chinese Language Day
21 Apr – World Creativity and Innovation Day
22 Apr – International Mother Earth Day
23 Apr – World Book and Copyright Day
23 Apr – English Language Day
23 Apr – Spanish Language Day
24-30 Apr – World Immunization Week
24 Apr – International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace
25 Apr – World Malaria Day
25 Apr – International Delegate’s Day
26 Apr – International Chernobyl Disaster Remembrance Day
26 Apr – World Intellectual Property Day
28 Apr – International Girls in ICT Day
28 Apr – World Day for Safety and Health at Work
30 Apr – International Jazz Day
May
01 May – International Workers Day
02 May – World Tuna Day
03 May – World Press Freedom Day
05 May – Vesak, the Day of the Full Moon
05 May – World Portuguese Language Day
07 May – International Laughter Day
08 May – Time of Remembrance and Reconciliation for Those Who Lost Their Lives During the Second World War
10 May – International Day of Argania
12 May – International Day of Plant Health
14 May – World Migratory Bird Day
15 May – International Day of Families
16 May – International Day of Light
16 May – International Day of Living Together in Peace
17 May – World Telecommunication and Information Society Day
17-23 May – UN Global Road Safety Week (biennial)
20 May – World Bee Day
21 May – International Tea Day
21 May – World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development
22 May – International Day for Biological Diversity
23 May – International Day to End Obstetric Fistula
25 May – Week of Solidarity with the Peoples of Non-Self-Governing Territories
29 May – International Day of UN Peacekeepers
31 May – World No-Tobacco Day
June
01 Jun – Global Day of Parents
03 Jun – World Bicycle Day
04 Jun – International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression
05 Jun – World Environment Day
05 Jun – International Day for the Fight against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing
06 Jun – Russian Language Day
07 Jun – World Food Safety Day
08 Jun – World Oceans Day
12 Jun – World Day Against Child Labour
13 Jun – International Albinism Awareness Day
14 Jun – World Blood Donor Day
15 Jun – World Elder Abuse Awareness Day
16 Jun – International Day of Family Remittances
17 Jun – World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought
18 Jun – International Day for Countering Hate Speech
18 Jun – Sustainable Gastronomy Day
19 Jun – International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict
20 Jun – World Refugee Day
21 Jun – International Day of Yoga
21 Jun – International Day of the Celebration of the Solstice
23 Jun – International Widows’ Day
23 Jun – United Nations Public Service Day
24 Jun – International Day of Women in Diplomacy
25 Jun – Day of the Seafarer
26 Jun – International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking
26 Jun – United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture
27 Jun – Micro-, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Day
29 Jun – International Day of the Tropics
30 Jun – International Asteroid Day
30 Jun – International Day of Parliamentarism
July
03 Jul – International Day of Cooperatives
07 Jul – World Kiswahili Language Day
11 Jul – World Population Day
15 Jul – World Youth Skills Day
18 Jul – Nelson Mandela International Day
20 Jul – International Moon Day
20 Jul – World Chess Day
25 Jul – World Drowning Prevention Day
28 Jul – World Hepatitis Day
30 Jul – International Day of Friendship
30 Jul – World Day against Trafficking in Persons
August
01 Aug – World Breastfeeding Week, 1-7 August
09 Aug – International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples
12 Aug – International Youth Day
19 Aug – World Humanitarian Day
21 Aug – International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism
22 Aug – International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief
23 Aug – International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and Its Abolition
29 Aug – International Day against Nuclear Tests
30 Aug – International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances
31 Aug – International Day for People of African Descent
September
4 Sep – Labor Day
5 Sep – International Day of Charity
7 Sep – International Day of Police Cooperation
7 Sep – International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies8 Sep: International Literacy Day [UNESCO]
9 Sep – International Day to Protect Education from Attack
12 Sep – United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation
15 Sep – International Day of Democracy
16 Sep – International Day for Interventional Cardiology
16 Sep – International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer
17 Sep – World Patient Safety Day
18 Sep – International Equal Pay Day
21 Sep – International Day of Peace
23 Sep – International Day of Sign Languages
26 Sep – International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons
27 Sep – World Tourism Day
28 Sep – World Maritime Day
28 Sep – International Day for Universal Access to Information
29 Sep – International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste
30 Sep – International Translation Day
October
01 Oct – International Day of Older Persons
02 Oct – World Habitat Day
02 Oct – International Day of Non-Violence
04-10 Oct – World Space Week
05 Oct – World Teachers’ Day
07 Oct – World Cotton Day
09 Oct – World Post Day
10 Oct – World Mental Health Day
11 Oct – International Day of the Girl Child
13 Oct – International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction
15 Oct – World Migratory Bird Day
15 Oct – International Day of Rural Women
16 Oct – World Food Day
17 Oct – International Day for the Eradication of Poverty
24-31 Oct – Global Media and Information Literacy Week
24 Oct – United Nations Day
24-30 Oct – Disarmament Week
24 Oct – World Development Information Day
27 Oct – World Day for Audiovisual Heritage
31 Oct – World Cities Day
November
02 Nov – International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists
05 Nov – World Tsunami Awareness Day
06 Nov – International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict
09-15 Nov – International Week of Science and Peace
10 Nov – World Science Day for Peace and Development
13-19 Nov – World Antibiotic Awareness Week
14 Nov – World Diabetes Day
17 Nov – World Philosophy Day
16 Nov – International Day for Tolerance
18 Nov – World Day for the Prevention of and Healing from Child Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Violence
19 Nov – World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims
19 Nov – World Toilet Day
20 Nov – Africa Industrialization Day
20 Nov – World Children’s Day
21 Nov – World Television Day
25 Nov – International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women
29 Nov – International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People
30 Nov – Day of Remembrance for all Victims of Chemical Warfare
December
01 Dec – World AIDS Day
02 Dec – International Day for the Abolition of Slavery
03 Dec – International Day of Persons with Disabilities
04 Dec – International Day of Banks
05 Dec – International Volunteer Day for Economic and Social Development
05 Dec – World Soil Day
07 Dec – International Civil Aviation Day
09 Dec – International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime
09 Dec – International Anti-Corruption Day
10 Dec – Human Rights Day
11 Dec – International Mountain Day
12 Dec – International Day of Neutrality
12 Dec – International Universal Health Coverage Day
18 Dec – International Migrants Day
18 Dec – Arabic Language Day
20 Dec – International Human Solidarity Day
27 Dec – International Day of Epidemic Preparedness
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