UNITED NATIONS INTERNATIONAL DAYS AND WEEKS

Since the early days of the United Nations system, the UN has established a set of Days and Weeks (as listed below), Years and Decades to help focus the world on the issues in which the UN has an interest and commitment. The UN calls on Member States and other organizations to mark these days in ways which reflect their priorities.

Sometimes the promotion of a specific day is led by a specific UN agency or programme, for example the World Health Organization (WHO) leads World Health Day and World No-Tobacco Day, UN Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) leads World Water Day and International Literacy Day, UN Environment Programme (UNEP) leads World Environment Day etc.

Some UN agencies also have their own international days (e.g. WHO's World TB Day and UNESCO's World Philosophy Day), established and promoted by the agency but not designated by the UN General Assembly for the full UN system. While equivalent in purpose, the following list does not include agency-specified days.

January
27	International Day of Commemoration in memory of the victims of the Holocaust
February
20	World Day of Social Justice (as of 2009)
21	International Mother Language Day
March
8	International Women's Day and United Nations Day for Women's Rights and International Peace
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
4	International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action
7	World Health Day
23	World Book and Copyright Day
May
3	World Press Freedom Day
15	International Day of Families
17	World Information Society Day (formerly World Telecommunication Day)
21	World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development
22	International Day for Biological Diversity (formerly December 29, changed in 2001)
25-June 1	Week of Solidarity with the Peoples of Non-Self-Governing Territories
29	International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers
31	World No-Tobacco Day
June
4	International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression
5	World Environment Day
17	World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought
20	World Refugee Day
23	United Nations Public Service Day
26	International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking and International Day in Support of Victims of Torture
July
First Saturday	International Day of Cooperatives
11	World Population Day
August
9	International Day of the World's Indigenous People
12	International Youth Day
23	International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition
September
8	International Literacy Day
15	International Day of Democracy
16	International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer
21	International Day of Peace (formerly the opening day of the UN General Assembly, changed to a set date as of 2002)
During last Week	World Maritime Day
October
1	International Day for Older Persons
4 - 10	World Space Week
5	World Teacher's Day
First Monday	World Habitat Day
Second Wednesday	International Day for Natural Disaster Reduction
9	World Post Day
10	World Mental Health Day
16	World Food Day
17	International Day for the Eradication of Proverty
24	United Nations Day and World Development Information Day
24-30
	Disarmament Week
November
6	International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict
14	World Diabetes Day
16	International Day of Tolerance
Third Sunday	World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims
20	Universal Children's Day, and 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 and 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	United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation
20	International Human Solidarity Day