UN’s International Days, Weeks and Years of the United Nations Copyright © 2012 UNA-Canada Page 1

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UN’s International Days, Weeks & Years (as designated by the UN General Assembly)

The United Nations has established a set of Days, Weeks, Years and Decades to help focus the world on the issues of importance to creating a better world. The UN calls on Member States, organizations and citizens everywhere to mark these days in ways which reflect their priorities. It’s a time to discover new ideas, share insights, transform perceptions and take actions towards a better world.

International Days and Weeks January 27 International Day of Commemoration in

memory of the victims of the Holocaust

February 1st week World Interfaith Harmony Week 20 World Day of Social Justice 21 International Mother Language Day

March 8 International Women’s Day 8 UN Day for Women’s Rights & International

Peace 20 International Day of Happiness 21 International Day for the Elimination of Racial

Discrimination 21-28 Week of Solidarity with the Peoples Struggling

against Racism and Racial Discrimination 22 World Water Day 23 World Meteorological Day

April 2 World Autism Awareness Day 4 International Day for Mine Awareness and

Assistance in Mine Action 7 World Health Day 22 International Mother Earth Day 23 World Book & Copyright Day

May 3 World Press Freedom Day 15 International Day of Families 17 World Information Society Day 21 World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue &

Development

22 International Day for Biological Diversity 25-Jun1 Week of Solidarity with the Peoples of Non-

Self-Governing Territories 29 International Day of UN Peacekeepers 31 World No-Tobacco Day

June 4 International Day of Innocent Children Victims

of Aggression 5 World Environment Day 8 World Oceans Day 15 World Elder Abuse Awareness Day 17 World Day to Combat Desertification &

Drought 20 World Refugee Day 23 UN Public Service Day 26 International Day Against Drug Abuse & Illicit

Trafficking 26 International Day in Support of Victims of

Torture

July 1st Sat International Day of Cooperatives 11 World Population Day 30 International Day of Friendship

August 9 International Day of the World’s Indigenous

People 12 International Youth Day 19 World Humanitarian Day 29 International Day against Nuclear Tests

September 8 International Literacy Day

UN’s International Days, Weeks and Years of the United Nations Copyright © 2012 UNA-Canada Page 2

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September Cont. 15 International Day of Democracy 16 International Day for the Preservation of the

Ozone Layer 21 International Day of Peace Last Wk World Maritime Day (date varies each year)

October 1 International Day for Older Persons 2 International Day of Non-Violence 4-10 World Space Week 5 World Teacher’s Day 1st Mon World Habitat Day 2nd Wed International Day for Natural Disaster

Reduction 9 World Post Day 11 International Day of the Girl Child 16 World Food Day 17 International Day for the Eradication of

Poverty 24 United Nations Day 24 World Development Information Day 24-30 Disarmament Week

November 6 International Day for Preventing the

Exploitation of the Environment in War & Armed Conflict

14 World Diabetes Day 16 International Day of Tolerance

3rd Sun World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims

20 Universal Children’s Day 20 Africa Industrialization Day 21 World Television Day 25 International Day for the Elimination of

Violence against Women 29 International Day of Solidarity with the

Palestinian People

December 1 World AIDS Day 2 International Day for the Abolition of Slavery 3 International Day of Disabled Persons 5 International Volunteer Day for Economic &

Social Development 7 International Civil Aviation Day 9 International Anti-Corruption Day 10 Human Rights Day 11 International Mountain Day 18 International Migrants Day 19 UN Day for South-South Cooperation 20 International Human Solidarity Day (Some UN agencies also have their own international days, established and promoted by the agency but not designated by the UN General Assembly for the full UN system. While equivalent in purpose, this list does not include agency-specified days.)

Current & Upcoming International Years 2012 International Year of Cooperatives: celebrating cooperative enterprise as a successful, alternative business

model, and for their contributions to poverty reduction, employment generation and community-building

2012 International Year of Sustainable Energy for All: highlighting the importance of increasing sustainable access to energy, energy efficiency and renewable energy

2013 International Year of Water Cooperation: raising awareness on the urgent challenges facing national and transboundary water management, water cooperation, water education and water diplomacy

2013 International Year of Quinoa: focusing global awareness on food security issues; and promoting the importance of reclaiming traditional or forgotten crops as a means to combat hunger and promote healthy eating

2014 International Year of Crystallography: celebrating how crystallography underpins and contributes to most technological developments in modern society; and fostering international scientific collaboration

2014 International Year of Family Farming: promoting the role of small holder farms in eradicating hunger, reducing rural poverty, managing biodiversity, and preserving traditional practices of sustainable production

For a complete list of all UN observances, including a list of historical International Years and Decades:

www.un.org/en/events/observances/