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. These observances include many kinds of topic, all related to the UN main works, including peace, tobacco, discrimination, diseases, illegal drugs.

Introduction

Reason for establishing observances

As the UN explained,

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

International Days and Weeks
DateNameDescription
January 4World Braille DayGiving attention on braille and people with visual impairment.
January 24International Day of Education
January 26International Day of Clean Energy
January 27International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust
January 28International Day of Peaceful Coexistence
February 1World Interfaith Harmony Week, 1-7 February
February 2World Wetlands Day
February 4International Day of Human Fraternity
February 6International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation
February 10World Pulses Day
February 11International Day of Women and Girls in Science
February 12International Day for the Prevention of Violent Extremism as and when Conducive to Terrorism
February 13World Radio Day
February 17Global Tourism Resilience Day
February 20World Day of Social Justice
March 1Zero Discrimination Day
March 1World Seagrass Day
March 3World Wildlife Day
March 5International Day for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Awareness
March 8International Women's Day
March 10International Day of Women Judges
March 10International Day to Combat Islamophobia
March 20International Day of Happiness
March 22World Water DayThis day focuses on "the importance of freshwater", "raises awareness of the 2.2 billion people living without access to safe water", the IAH said.
April 2World Autism Awareness Day
April 4International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action
April 5International Day of Conscience
April 25World Malaria Day 2021
April 28World Day for Safety and Health at Work
April 29International Day in Memory of the Victims of Earthquakes
April 30International Jazz Day
May 2World Tuna Day
May 3World Press Freedom Day
May 8Time of Remembrance and Reconciliation for Those Who Lost Their Lives During the Second World War
May 10International Day of Argania
May 10World Migratory Bird Day
May 12International Day of Plant Health
May 12Vesak, the Day of Full Moon
May 19World Fair Play Day
May 20World Bee Day
May 21World Tea DayTea 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." According to Tea & Coffee Trade Journal, China is the leading producer of tea with a production of 3.181 million tonnes.
May 25World Football Day
May 30International Day of Potato
May 31World No Tobacco Day
June 1Global Day of Parents
June 3World Bicycle Day
June 4International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression
June 5World Environment Day
June 5International Day for the Fight against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing
June 7World Food Safety Day
June 8World Oceans Day
June 10International Day for Dialogue among Civilizations
June 11International Day of PlayIn 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.
June 12World Day Against Child LabourThe 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.
August 6International Day of Awareness of the Special Development Needs and Challenges of Landlocked Developing Countries
September 15International Day of Democracy
September 17World Patient Safety Day
October 2International Day of Non-ViolenceBirthday of Mahatma Ghandi
October 7World Cotton Day
October 23International Day of the Snow Leopard
October 24United Nations Day
November 2International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists
November 5World Tsunami Awareness Day
November 6International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict
November 20World Children's Day
November 21World Television Day
November 30Day of Remembrance for all Victims of Chemical Warfare
December 1World AIDS Day
December 4International Day of Banks
December 5World Soil Day

Six Language Days

These six languages are the official languages of the UN.

DateLanguageRationaleRef.
March 20Frenchday when OIF (was named l'Agence de coopération culturelle et technique (ACCT)) established
April 20ChineseChinese jieqi Guyu
April 23Englishbirth of William Shakespeare
April 23Spanishdeath of Miguel de Cervantes
June 6Russianbirth of Pushkin (Russian: А. С. Пушкин)
December 18Arabicthe day when Arabic became an official language in UN

Other language-related days

DateNameRationaleRef.
February 21International Mother Language DayThis day is advised by Bangladesh.
September 30International Translation DayThe feast of St. Jerome, the Bible translator, who is considered the patron saint of translators.

International Years

International Years
YearNameRef.
2008International Year of Languages
2019International Year of Indigenous Languages
2022International Year of Sustainable Mountain Development
2023International Year of Dialogue as a Guarantee of Peace
International Year of Millets
2024International Year of Camelids
2025International Year of Quantum Science and Technology
International Year of Cooperatives
International Year of Glaciers' Preservation
International Year of Peace and Trust
2026International Year of the Woman Farmer
International Year of Volunteers for Sustainable Development
International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists
2027International Year of Sustainable and Resilient Tourism
2029International Year of Asteroid Awareness and Planetary Defence

International Decades

International Decades
YearDecadeRef.
2025–2034Second International Decade for People of African Descent
2026-2035United Nations Decade of Sustainable Transport
2027–2036United Nations Decade for Afforestation and Reforestation in line with Sustainable Forest Management

UN anniversaries

See also

Footnotes

These are the labels for the observances in specific subdivisions of the UN including World Health Organisation.

External links