Ultimate Calendar of United Nations International Days (2024)

Every month at Good Good Good, we plan upcoming good news content for our Instagram, Goodnewsletter, Goodnewspaper, podcast, website, and more. Our work is always centered on hopeful stories about people making a difference in the world — and action steps on how each of us can join in with that good work.

With so many holidays, awareness days, education weeks, and activism months happening all year long, we’ve been slowly collecting all of these events in a private internal calendar for years.

We made our Monthly Cause Awareness Calendar publicly available earlier this year. We’ve also published:

And now we’re publishing our guide to United Nations International Days!

Our hope is this resource will help you or your organization bring attention to these important days all year long.

Where applicable, we’ve included resources around highlighted holidays — usually in the form of good news around particular topics, relevant quotes or resources, or action steps on how to make a difference. We encourage you to share them if you find them helpful.

We’ve worked hard to make this the most comprehensive and well-organized collection of UN holidays and international days and weeks on the internet. Always double-check dates, as organizers may occasionally change dates and details.

At the end of this article, we’ve also included a breakdown of the United Nations’ International Years and International Decades.

Bookmark this page and revisit it as often as you need. We’ll continue to update it and add to it over time.

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A Complete List of International Holidays

January

Days

World Braille Day - January 4

International Day of Education - January 24

International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust - January 27

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February

Days

World Wetlands Day - February 2

International Day of Human Fraternity - February 4

International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation - February 6

World Pulses Day - February 10

International Day of Women and Girls in Science - February 11

International Day for the Prevention of Violent Extremism as and when Conducive to Terrorism - February 12

World Radio Day - February 13

World Day of Social Justice - February 20

Read and share this collection of the best social justice quotes

International Mother Language Day - February 21

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Weeks

World Interfaith Harmony Week - February 1 to 7

Read and share good news stories about faith

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March

Days

World Seagrass Day - March 1

Zero Discrimination Day - March 1

World Wildlife Day - March 3

Read and share the ultimate guide on how to celebrate World Wildlife Day

International Day for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Awareness - March 5

International Women’s Day - March 8

Read and share the ultimate guide on how to celebrate International Women’s Day

International Day of Women Judges - March 10

International Day to Combat Islamophobia - March 15

International Day of Happiness - March 20

Read and share happy news stories about happiness

French Language Day - March 20

International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination - March 21

Read and share good news about racial justice

World Poetry Day - March 21

International Day of Nowruz - March 21

World Down Syndrome Day - March 21

International Day of Forests - March 21

Read and share good news about trees and forests

World Water Day - March 22

World Meteorological Day - March 23

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 24

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 25

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Weeks

Week of Solidarity with the Peoples Struggling Against Racism and Racial Discrimination - March 21 to 27

Read and share this collection of antiracism resources

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April

Days

World Autism Awareness Day - April 2

International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action - April 4

International Day of Conscience - April 5

International Day of Sport for Development and Peace - April 6

Read and share sports good news

World Health Day - April 7

Read good news about health and read these quotes about public health

International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsi in Rwanda - April 7

International Day of Human Space Flight - April 12

World Chagas Disease Day - April 14

Chinese Language Day - April 20

World Creativity and Innovation Day - April 21

International Mother Earth Day - April 22

Explore our guide on how to celebrate Earth Day. Plus: Read and share these inspiring and motivating Earth Day quotes

World Book and Copyright Day - April 23

English Language Day - April 23

Spanish Language Day - April 23

International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace - April 24

World Malaria Day - April 25

International Delegate’s Day - April 25

International Chernobyl Disaster Remembrance Day - April 26

World Intellectual Property Day - April 26

International Girls in ICT Day - April 28

World Day for Safety and Health at Work - April 28

International Jazz Day - April 30

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Weeks

World Immunization Week - April 24 to 30

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May

Days

World Tuna Day - May 2

World Press Freedom Day - May 3

Vesak, the Day of the Full Moon - 1st Full Moon of the ancient Lunar Month of Vesakha

World Portuguese Language Day - May 5

Time of Remembrance and Reconciliation for Those Who Lost Their Lives During the Second World War - May 8 and 9

International Day of Argania - May 10

International Day of Plant Health - May 12

World Migratory Bird Day - 2nd Saturday of May

International Day of Families - May 15

International Day of Living Together in Peace - May 16

International Day of Light - May 16

Read and share the best quotes about light and quotes about darkness and light

World Telecommunication and Information Society Day - May 17

World Bee Day - May 20

Listen to this podcast episode about saving the bees

International Tea Day - May 21

World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development - May 21

International Day for Biological Diversity - May 22

International Day to End Obstetric Fistula - May 23

International Day of UN Peacekeepers - May 29

World No-Tobacco Day - May 31

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Weeks

UN Global Road Safety Week - Week-long biennial event in May

Week of Solidarity with the Peoples of Non-Self-Governing Territories - May 25 to 31

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June

Days

Global Day of Parents - June 1

World Bicycle Day - June 3

Read about the cities where bike commuting is growing fastest in the U.S.

International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression - June 4

World Environment Day - June 5

Read and share good news about the environment

International Day for the Fight Against Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing - June 5

Russian Language Day - June 6

World Food Safety Day - June 7

World Oceans Day - June 8

Read and share this guide on how to celebrate World Oceans Day‍

World Day Against Child Labour - June 12

International Albinism Awareness Day - June 13

World Blood Donor Day - June 14

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day - June 15

International Day of Family Remittances - June 16

World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought - June 17

International Day for Countering Hate Speech - June 18

Sustainable Gastronomy Day - June 18

International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict - June 19

World Refugee Day - June 20

Read and share ideas about how to celebrate World Refugee Day

International Day of Yoga - June 21

International Day of the Celebration of the Solstice - June 21

International Widows’ Day - June 23

United Nations Public Service Day - June 23

International Day of Women in Diplomacy - June 24

Day of the Seafarer - June 25

International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking - June 26

United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture - June 26

Micro, Small, and Medium-sized Enterprises Day - June 27

Support our small business (and get good news) by subscribing to the Goodnewspaper

International Day of the Tropics - June 29

International Asteroid Day - June 30

International Day of Parliamentarism - June 30

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July

Days

International Day of Cooperatives - 1st Saturday of July

World Kiswahili Language Day - July 7

World Population Day - July 11

World Youth Skills Day - July 15

Nelson Mandela International Day - July 18

Read and share the best quotes by Nelson Mandela

International Moon Day - July 20

World Chess Day - July 20

World Drowning Prevention Day - July 25

World Hepatitis Day - July 28

International Day of Friendship - July 30

World Day Against Trafficking in Persons - July 30

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August

Days

International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples - August 9

International Youth Day - August 12

World Humanitarian Day - August 19

Learn about how to celebrate World Humanitarian Day and read and share the best humanitarian quotes

International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism - August 21

International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief - August 22

International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and Its Abolition - August 23

International Day Against Nuclear Tests - August 29

International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances - August 30

International Day for People of African Descent - August 31

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Weeks

World Breastfeeding Week - August 1 to 7

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September

Days

International Day of Charity - September 5

International Day of Police Cooperation - September 7

International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies - September 7

International Literacy Day - September 8

International Day to Protect Education from Attack - September 9

United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation - September 12

International Day of Democracy - September 15

International Day for Interventional Cardiology - September 16

International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer - September 16

World Patient Safety Day - September 17

International Equal Pay Day - September 18

International Day of Peace - September 21

International Day of Sign Languages - September 23

International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons - September 26

World Tourism Day - September 27

World Maritime Day - Last Saturday of September

International Day for Universal Access to Information - September 28

International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste - September 29

Read our extensive guide to how to reduce food waste

International Translation Day - September 30

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October

Days

International Day of Older Persons - October 1

World Habitat Day - 1st Monday of October

International Day of Non-Violence - October 2

World Teachers’ Day - October 5

World Cotton Day - October 7

World Post Day - October 9

World Mental Health Day - October 10

Read our guide on how to celebrate World Mental Health Day, explore good news articles about mental health, read and share the best mental health quotes, and utilize our mental health resources

International Day of the Girl Child - October 11

World Migratory Bird Day - 2nd Saturday of October

International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction - October 13

International Day of Rural Women - October 15

World Food Day - October 16

Read and share all of our good news about food

International Day for the Eradication of Poverty - October 17

Read and share the best quotes about poverty and helping the poor

United Nations Day - October 24

World Development Information Day - October 24

World Day for Audiovisual Heritage - October 27

World Cities Day - October 31

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Weeks

World Space Week - October 4 to 10

Disarmament Week - October 24 to 30

Global Media and Information Literacy Week - October 24 to 31

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November

Days

International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists - November 2

World Tsunami Awareness Day - November 5

International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict - November 6

World Science Day for Peace and Development - November 10

World Diabetes Day - November 14

World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims - November 16

International Day for Tolerance - November 16

World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims - 3rd Sunday of November

World Philosophy Day - 3rd Thursday of November

World Day for the Prevention of and Healing from Child Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Violence - November 18

World Toilet Day - November 19

Africa Industrialization Day - November 20

World Children’s Day - November 20

World Television Day - November 21

International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women - November 25

International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People - November 29

Day of Remembrance for all Victims of Chemical Warfare - November 30

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Weeks

International Week of Science and Peace - November 9 to 14

World Antibiotic Awareness Week - November 18 to 24

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December

Days

World AIDS Day - December 1

Read and share our resources and good news about HIV/AIDS

International Day for the Abolition of Slavery - December 2

International Day of Persons with Disabilities - December 3

International Day of Banks - December 4

International Volunteer Day for Economic and Social Development - December 5

World Soil Day - December 5

International Civil Aviation Day - December 7

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 9

Human Rights Day - December 10

Exlore our collection of good news stories about human rights

International Mountain Day - December 11

International Universal Health Coverage Day - December 12

International Day of Neutrality - December 12

International Migrants Day - December 18

Arabic Language Day - December 18

International Human Solidarity Day - December 20

International Day of Epidemic Preparedness - December 27

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International Years

2026: International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists

2025: International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation

2024: International Year of Camelids

2023: International Year of Dialogue as a Guarantee of Peace

2023: International Year of Millets

2022: International Year of Sustainable Mountain Development

2022: International Year of Basic Sciences for Sustainable Development

2022: International Year of Glass

2022: International Year of Artisanal Fisheries and Aquaculture

2021: International Year of Peace and Trust

2021: International Year of Creative Economy for Sustainable Development

2021: International Year of Fruits and Vegetables

2021: International Year for the Elimination of Child Labor

2020: International Year of Plant Health

2020: International Year of the Nurse and the Midwife

2019: International Year of Indigenous Languages

Read about the efforts of one group to help preserve their Indigenous language through music

2019: International Year of Moderation

2019: International Year of the Periodic Table of Chemical Elements

2017: International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Developmen

2016: International Year of Pulses

2015: International Year of Light and Light-based Technologies

2015: International Year of Soils

2014: International Year of Solidarity with the Palestinian People

2014: International Year of Small Island Developing States

2014: International Year of Crystallography

2014: International Year of Family Farming

2013: International Year of Water Cooperation

2013: International Year of Quinoa

2012: International Year of Cooperatives

2012: International Year of Sustainable Energy for All

2011: International Year for People of African Descent

2011: International Year of Chemistry

2011: International Year of Forests

Read and share the best quotes about trees and learn about how we have more trees now than ever

2010: International Year of Youth

Read about kids making a difference and teen activists

2010: International Year for the Rapprochement of Cultures

2010: International Year of Biodiversity

2010: International Year of the Seafarer

2009: International Year of Reconciliation

2009: International Year of Natural Fibres

2009: International Year of Human Rights Learning

2009: International Year of Astronomy

2009: Year of the Gorilla

2008: International Year of Planet Earth

2008: International Year of Languages

2008: International Year of Sanitation

2008: International Year of the Potato

Read about the unique way potato farmers are conquering a devastating worm with banana paper

2007-2008: International Polar Year

2006: International Year of Deserts and Desertification

2005: International Year of Microcredit

2005: International Year for Sport and Physical Education

2005: International Year of Physics

2004: International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and its Abolition

2004: International Year of Rice

2003: Year of Kyrgyz Statehood

2003: International Year of Freshwater

2002: United Nations Year for Cultural Heritage

2002: International Year of Mountains

2002: International Year of Ecotourism

2001: United Nations Year of Dialogue among Civilizations

2001: International Year of Volunteers

2001: International Year of Mobilization Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia, and Related Intolerance

2000: International Year of Thanksgiving

2000: International Year for the Culture of Peace

1999: International Year of Older Persons

1998: International Year of the Ocean

1996: International Year for the Eradication of Poverty

1995: United Nations Year for Tolerance

1995: World Year of Peoples’ Commemoration of the Victims of the Second World War

1994: International Year of the Family

1994: International Year of Sport and the Olympic Ideal

1993: International Year for the World’s Indigenous People

Read and share good news articles about Indigenous people and Indigenous activists to follow and learn from

1992: International Space Year

1990: International Literacy Year

1987: International Year of Shelter for The Homeless

Learn how to create a homeless care package and read and share the best quotes about homelessness

1986: International Year of Peace

1985: Year of the United Nations

1985: International Youth Year: Participation, Development, Peace

1983: World Communications Year; Development of Communication Infrastructures

1982: International Year of Mobilization for Sanctions Against South Africa

1981: International Year for Disabled Persons

1979: International Year of The Child

1978/1979: International Anti-Apartheid Year

1975: International Women’s Year

Read and share quotes about women — from our collection of Women’s History Month quotes

1974: World Population Year

1971: International Year for Action to Combat Racism and Racial Prejudice

1970: International Education Year

1968: International Year for Human Rights

1967: International Tourist Year

1965: International Co-operation Year

1961: International Health and Medical Research Year

1959/1960: World Refugee Year

Read and share our good news stories about refugees and support a nonprofit in your state that supports refugees

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International Decades

2022-2032: International Decade of Indigenous Languages

Read about one group of artists using music to help preserve their Cherokee language

2021-2030: United Nations Decade of Healthy Aging

2021-2030: Fourth International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism

2021-2030: Second Decade of Action for Road Safety

2021-2030: United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration

2021-2030: United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development

2019-2028: Nelson Mandela Decade of Peace

Read and share the best Nelson Mandela quotes

2019-2028: United Nations Decade of Family Farming

2018-2028: International Decade for Action “Water for Sustainable Development”

2018-2027: Third United Nations Decade for the Eradication of Poverty

Read and share quotes about the eradication of poverty

2016-2025: United Nations Decade of Action on Nutrition

Read and share quotes about hunger and feeding the poor

2016-2025: Third Industrial Development Decade for Africa

2015-2024: International Decade for People of African Descent

2014-2024: United Nations Decade of Sustainable Energy for All

2011-2020: Third International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism

2011-2020: United Nations Decade on Biodiversity

2011-2020: Decade of Action for Road Safety

2010-2020: United Nations Decade for Deserts and the Fight Against Desertification

2008-2017: Second United Nations Decade for the Eradication of Poverty

2006-2016: Decade of Recovery and Sustainable Development of the Affected Regions

2005-2015: International Decade for Action, “Water for Life”

2005-2014: United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development

2005-2014: Second International Decade of the World’s Indigenous People

2003-2012: United Nations Literacy Decade: Education for All

2001-2010: International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-violence for the Children of the World

Read and share Martin Luther King Jr.’s best quotes about nonviolence

2001-2010: Decade to Roll Back Malaria in Developing Countries, Particularly in Africa

2001-2010: Second International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism

1997-2006: Decade for The Eradication for Poverty

1995-2004: Decade for Human Rights Education

1994-2004: Decade of the World’s Indigenous People

1993-2003: Third Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination

1991-2000: Second Industrial Development Decade for Africa

1991-2000: Second Transport and Communications Decade in Africa

1991-2000: United Nations Decade Against Drug Abuse

1991-2000: Fourth United Nations Development Decade

1990-2000: International Decade for the Eradification of Colonialism

1990-1999: United Nations Decade of International Law

1990-1999: International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction

1990s: Third Disarmament Decade

1988-1997: World Decade for Cultural Development

1983-1993: Second Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination

1983-1992: United Nations Decade for Disabled Persons

1981-1990: International Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation Decade

1981-1990: Third United Nations Development Decade

1980-1990: Second Disarmament Decade

1980s: Industrial Development Decade for Africa

1976-1985: United Nations Decade for Women: Equality, Development, and Peace

1973-1983: Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination

1971-1980: Second United Nations Development Decade

1970s: Disarmament Decade

1960-1970: United Nations Development Decade

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