International Observance Days

An international observance, also known as an international dedication or an international anniversary, is a period of time to observe some issues of international interest or concern. this is used to commemorate, promote and mobilize for action. Many of these periods have been established by the United Nations General Assembly.(Wikipedia, 2017).

These are some of the International Observance Days of the UN.

JANUARY

27: International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust (A/RES/60/7)

FEBRUARY

4: World Cancer Day

6: International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation  (A/RES/67/146)

11: International Day of Women and Girls in Science (A/RES/70/212)

13: World Radio Day  (UNESCO 36 C/Resolution 63; A/RES/67/124)

20: World Day of Social Justice   (A/RES/62/10)

21: International Mother Language Day  (A/RES/56/262)  

MARCH

1: Zero Discrimination Day  [UNAIDS]

3: World Wildlife Day  (A/RES/68/205)

8: International Women's Day

20: International Day of Happiness  (A/RES/66/281)

21: International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination  (A/RES/2142 (XXI))

21: World Poetry Day (UNESCO 30 C/Resolution 29)

21: International Day of Nowruz  (A/RES/64/253)

21: World Down Syndrome Day  (A/RES/66/149) 

21: International Day of Forests  (A/RES/67/200)

22: World Water Day  (A/RES/47/193)

23: World Meteorological Day  [WMO] WMO/EC-XII/Res.6

24: World Tuberculosis Day  [WHO]  

24: International Day for the Right to the Truth concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and for the Dignity of Victims  (A/RES/65/196)

25: International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade  (A/RES/62/122)

25: International Day of Solidarity with Detained and Missing Staff Members

APRIL

2: World Autism Awareness Day  (A/RES/62/139)

4: International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action  (A/RES/60/97)

6: International Day of Sport for Development and Peace  (A/RES/67/296)

7: International Day of Reflection on the Genocide in Rwanda (A/RES/58/234)

7: World Health Day  [WHO]  (WHA/A.2/Res.35)

12: International Day of Human Space Flight  (A/RES/65/271)

22: International Mother Earth Day  (A/RES/63/278)

23: World Book and Copyright Day  (UNESCO 28 C/Resolution 3.18)

23: English Language Day 

25: World Malaria Day [WHO]

26: International Chernobyl Disaster Remembrance Day (A/RES/71/125)

26: World Intellectual Property Day [WIPO]

28: World Day for Safety and Health at Work

29: Day of Remembrance for all Victims of Chemical Warfare (OPCW C-10/5)

30: International Jazz Day (UNESCO 36 C/Resolution 39)

MAY

2: World Tuna Day (A/RES/71/124)

3: World Press Freedom Day (UNESCO 26 C/Resolution 4.3)

8-9 Time of Remembrance and Reconciliation for Those Who Lost Their Lives During the Second World War  (A/RES/59/26)

10: World Migratory Bird Day  [UNEP]

10: "Vesak", the Day of the Full Moon (A/RES/54/115)

15: International Day of Families  (A/RES/47/237)

17: World Telecommunication and Information Society Day  (A/RES/60/252; ITU Resolution 68/2006)

21: World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development  (A/RES/57/249)

22: International Day for Biological Diversity  (A/RES/55/201)

23: International Day to End Obstetric Fistula  (A/RES/67/147)

29: International Day of UN Peacekeepers  (A/RES/57/129)

31: World No-Tobacco Day [WHO] (WHA Resolution 42.19)

JUNE

1: Global Day of Parents  (A/RES/66/292)

4: International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression  (A/RES/ES-7/8)

5: World Environment Day (A/RES/2994 (XXVII))

8: World Oceans Day  (A/RES/63/111)

12: World Day Against Child Labour

13: International Albinism Awareness Day (A/RES/69/170)

14: World Blood Donor Day  [WHO]  (WHA Resolution 58.13)

15: World Elder Abuse Awareness Day  (A/RES/66/127)

16: International Day of Family Remittances (GC 38/Resolution 189)

17: World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought   (A/RES/49/115)

19: International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict (A/RES/69/293)

20: World Refugee Day  (A/RES/55/76)

21: International Day of Yoga  (A/RES/69/131) 

23: United Nations Public Service Day  (A/RES/57/277)

23: International Widows' Day  (A/RES/65/189)

25: Day of the Seafarer  [IMO]  (STCW/CONF.2/DC.4)

26: International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking  (A/RES/42/112)

26: United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture  (A/RES/52/149)

30: International Asteroid Day (A/RES/71/90)

JULY

1 July (first Saturday in July): International Day of Cooperatives  (A/RES/47/90)

11: World Population Day  (UNDP decision 89/46 15, A/RES/45/216)

15: World Youth Skills Day (A/RES/69/145)

18: Nelson Mandela International Day  (A/RES/64/13)

28: World Hepatitis Day  [WHO]

30: International Day of Friendship  (A/RES/65/275)

30: World Day against Trafficking in Persons  (A/RES/68/192)

AUGUST

9: International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples  (A/RES/49/214)

12: International Youth Day  (A/RES/54/120)

19: World Humanitarian Day  (A/RES/63/139)

23: International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and Its Abolition  [UNESCO]  (29 C/Resolution 40)

29: International Day against Nuclear Tests   (A/RES/64/35)

30: International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances  (A/RES/65/209)

SEPTEMBER

5: International Day of Charity  (A/RES/67/105) 

8: International Literacy Day [UNESCO]  (14 C/Resolution 1.441)

12: United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation  (A/RES/58/220)

15: International Day of Democracy  (A/RES/62/7)

16: International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer  (A/RES/49/114)

21: International Day of Peace  (A/RES/36/67)  (A/RES/55/282)

26: International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons  (A/RES/68/32)

27: World Tourism Day

28: World Rabies Day [WHO]

28 September (last Thursday of September): World Maritime Day (IMCO/C XXXVIII/21)

OCTOBER

1: International Day of Older Persons  (A/RES/45/106)

2: International Day of Non-Violence  (A/RES/61/271)

2 October (first Monday in October): World Habitat Day  (A/RES/40/202 A)

5: World Teachers’ Day  [UNESCO]  (27 C/INF.7)

9: World Post Day  (UPU/1969/Res.C.11)

10: World Mental Health Day [WHO]

11: International Day of the Girl Child  (A/RES/66/170)

13: International Day for Disaster Reduction (A/RES/64/200)

15: International Day of Rural Women  (A/RES/62/136)

16: World Food Day  [FAO]  (A/RES/35/70)

17: International Day for the Eradication of Poverty  (A/RES/47/196)

20 October (every five years, beginning in 2010): World Statistics Day (A/RES/69/282)

24: United Nations Day  (A/RES/168 (II); A/RES/2782 (XXVI))

24: World Development Information Day  (A/RES/3038 (XXVII))

27: World Day for Audiovisual Heritage  (UNESCO 33/C/Resolution 53)

31: World Cities Day  (A/RES/68/239)

NOVEMBER

2: International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists  (A/RES/68/163)

5: World Tsunami Awareness Day (A/RES/70/203)

6: International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict  (A/RES/56/4)

10: World Science Day for Peace and Development (UNESCO 31 C/Resolution 20)

14: World Diabetes Day  (A/RES/61/225)

16: International Day for Tolerance  (UNESCO 28 C/Resolution 5.61; A/RES/51/95)

16 November (third Thursday in November): World Philosophy Day (UNESCO 33 C/Resolution 37)

19: World Toilet Day  (A/RES/67/291)  

20: Africa Industrialization Day  (A/RES/44/237)

19 November (third Sunday in November): World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims  (A/RES/60/5)

20: Universal Children’s Day (A/RES/836(IX))

21: World Television Day  (A/RES/51/205)

25: International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women  (A/RES/54/134)

29: International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People  (A/RES/32/40B)

DECEMBER

1: World AIDS Day

2: International Day for the Abolition of Slavery (A/RES/317(IV))

3: International Day of Persons with Disabilities  (A/RES/47/3)

5: International Volunteer Day for Economic and Social Development  (A/RES/40/212)

5: World Soil Day  (A/RES/68/232)

7: International Civil Aviation Day  [ICAO]  (A/RES/51/33)

9: International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime (A/RES/69/323) 

9: International Anti-Corruption Day  (A/RES/58/4)

10: Human Rights Day  (A/RES/423 (V))

11: International Mountain Day  (A/RES/57/245)

18: International Migrants Day  (A/RES/55/93)

20: International Human Solidarity Day  (A/RES/60/209)