UN Observances

For the first time in 2018 May 20th is commemorated as the World Bee Day."

Another new observance is the World Bicycle Day, commemorated on June 3rd."

World Youth Skills Day is celebrated on July 15th.''

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. The majority of observances have been established by resolutions of the United Nations General Assembly, although some have been designated by UN specialized agencies. The United Nations also observes anniversaries of key events in its history.

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC

JANUARY (details)
4 January	World Braille Day
24 January	International Day of Education
27 January	International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust

FEBRUARY (details)
4 February	World Cancer Day [WHO]
6 February	International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation [WHO]
11 February	International Day of Women and Girls in Science
13 February	World Radio Day [UNESCO]
20 February	World Day of Social Justice
21 February	International Mother Language Day

MARCH (details)
1 March	Zero Discrimination Day [UNAIDS]
3 March	World Wildlife Day
8 March	International Women's Day
20 March	French Language Day at the UN
20 March	International Day of Happiness
21 March	International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
21 March	International Day of Nowruz
21 March	World Poetry Day [UNESCO]
21 March	World Down Syndrome Day
21 March	International Day of Forests and the Tree
22 March	World Water Day
23 March	World Meteorological Day [WMO]
24 March	World Tuberculosis Day [WHO]
24 March	International Day for the Right to the Truth concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and for the Dignity of Victims
25 March	International Day of Solidarity with Detained and Missing Staff Members
25 March	The International Day of Remembrance for the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade

APRIL(details)
2 April	World Autism Awareness Day
4 April	International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action
6 April	International Day of Sport for Development and Peace
7 April	World Health Day [WHO]
7 April	Commemoration of the Genocide in Rwanda
12 April	International Day of Human Space Flight
20 April	Chinese Language Day at the UN
21 April	World Creativity and Innovation Day
22 April	International Mother Earth Day
23 April	English Language Day at the UN
23 April	Spanish Language Day
23 April	World Book and Copyright Day [UNESCO]
24 April	International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace
25 April	World Malaria Day [WHO]
26 April	World Intellectual Property Day [WIPO]
28 April	World Day for Safety and Health at Work [ILO]
30 April	International Jazz Day [UNESCO]
MAY (details)
2 May	World Tuna Day
3 May	World Press Freedom Day
8-9 May	Time of Remembrance and Reconciliation for Those Who Lost Their Lives during the Second World War
11 May (second Saturday of May)	World Migratory Bird Day [UNEP]
15 May	International Day of Families
16 May	International Day of Living Together in Peace
16 May	International Day of Light [UNESCO]
17 May	World Telecommunication and Information Society Day
17 May	"Vesak", the Day of the Full Moon
20 May	World Bee 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
29 May	International Day of UN Peacekeepers
31 May	World No-Tobacco Day [WHO]

JUNE (details)
1 June	Global Day of Parents
3 June	World Bicycle Day
4 June	International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression
5 June	World Environment Day
5 June	International Day for the Fight against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing
6 June	Russian Language Day at the UN
7 June	World Food Safety Day
8 June	World Oceans Day
12 June	World Day Against Child Labour
13 June	International Albinism Awareness Day
14 June	World Blood Donor Day [WHO]
15 June	World Elder Abuse Awareness Day
16 June	International Day of Family Remittances
17 June	World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought
18 June	Sustainable Gastronomy Day
19 June	International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict
20 June	World Refugee Day
21 June	International Day of Yoga
23 June	United Nations Public Service Day
23 June	International Widow’s Day
25 June	Day of the Seafarer (IMO)
26 June	International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking
26 June	United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture
27 June	Micro-, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises
29 June	International Day of the Tropics
30 June	International Asteroid Day
30 June	International Day of Parliamentarism

JULY (details)
6 July (first Saturday of July)	International Day of Cooperatives
11 July	World Population Day
15 July	World Youth Skills Day
18 July	Nelson Mandela International Day
28 July	World Hepatitis Day [WHO]
30 July	International Day of Friendship
30 July	World Day against Trafficking in Persons
30 July	International Day of Friendship

AUGUST (details)
9 August	International Day of the World's Indigenous People
12 August	International Youth Day
19 August	World Humanitarian Day
21 August	International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism
23 August	International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and Its Abolition
29 August	International Day against Nuclear Tests
30 August	International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances
SEPTEMBER(details)
5 September	International Day of Charity
8 September	International Literacy Day [UNESCO]
10 September	World Suicide Prevention Day
12 September	United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation
15 September	International Day of Democracy
16 September	International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer
21 September	International Day of Peace
23 September	International Day of Sign Languages
26 September	International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons
26 (last Thursday of September)	World Maritime Day [IMO]
27 September	World Tourism Day [WTO]
28 September	World Rabies Day
28 September	International Day for Universal Access to Information
30 September	International Translation Day

OCTOBER(details)
1 October	International Day of Older Persons
2 October	International Day of Non-Violence
5 October	World Teacher's Day
7 October (first Monday in October)	World Habitat Day
9 October	World Post Day
10 October	World Mental Health Day [WHO]
11 October	International Day of the Girl Child
12 October (second Saturday of October)	World Migratory Bird Day [UNEP]
13 October	International Day for Disaster Reduction
15 October	International Day of Rural Women
16 October	World Food Day
17 October	International Day for the Eradication of Poverty
20 October (every five years, beginning in 2010)	World Statistics Day
24 October	United Nations Day
24 October	World Development Information Day
27 October	World Day for Audiovisual Heritage [UNESCO]
31 October	World Cities Day

NOVEMBER (details)
2 November	International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists
5 November	World Tsunami Awareness Day
6 November	International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict
10 November	World Science Day for Peace and Development [UNESCO]
14 November	World Diabetes Day [WHO]
16 November	International Day for Tolerance
17 November (third Sunday in November)	World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims
19 November	World Toilet Day
20 November	Universal Children’s Day
20 November	Africa Industrialization Day
21 November	World Television Day
21 November (third Thursday in November)	World Philosophy Day
25 November	International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women
29 November	International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People
30 November	Day of Remembrance for all Victims of Chemical Warfare

DECEMBER (details)
1 December	World AIDS Day
2 December	International Day for the Abolition of Slavery
3 December	International Day of Persons with Disabilities
5 December	International Volunteer Day for Economic and Social Development
5 December	World Soil Day [FAO]
7 December	International Civil Aviation Day [ICAO]
9 December	International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime
9 December	International Anti-Corruption Day
10 December	Human Rights Day
11 December	International Mountain Day
12 December	International Day of Neutrality
12 December	International Universal Health Coverage Day
18 December	International Migrants Day
18 December	Arabic Language Day at the UN
20 December	International Human Solidarity Day