International days, years and decades in the UN and UNESCO system

UNESCO

International observances highlight key themes, raise awareness, and inspire action on global issues. These commemorations serve as platforms for advocacy, education, and resource mobilization, empowering individuals and communities to make a meaningful impact and drive positive change worldwide.

• International Days are annual observances that highlight specific issues or themes. Each year, a focus is selected to encourage global participation through events, campaigns, and policy discussions.
• International Weeks are short-term campaigns designed to highlight a specific cause over several days. Less common than international days, they often include coordinated global events and activities.
• International Years spotlight global issues to educate, mobilize political will, and enhance international cooperation, promoting global action and awareness on specific themes annually.
• International Decades are ten-year commitments that focus on large-scale global challenges, requiring long-term efforts across multiple countries and organizations. These often involve governments, scientific communities, and civil society.

List of UNESCO International Days, Weeks, Years and Decades

United Nations

International days are occasions to educate the general public on issues of concern, to mobilize political will and resources to address global problems, and to celebrate and reinforce achievements of humanity. 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.

• International Days and Weeks: The United Nations designates specific days, weeks as occasions to mark particular events or topics in order to promote, through awareness and action, the objectives of the Organization
• International Years are the international years currently observed by the United Nations.
• International Decades are the international decades currently observed by the United Nations
• UN Anniversaries The United Nations observes milestone anniversaries of key events in its history.

List of UN International Days, Weeks, Decades and UN Anniversaries