List of international observances

This is not a list of National Days, commemorative days, or days which have some significance in one or a very small number of countries.

International observance (also known as international dedication or international anniversary) denotes a day, week, year, decade or other period of time under the Gregorian calendar which is set aside to observe some principal or issue of international interest or concern, to commemorate, promote and mobilize for action. Many of these periods have been established by the United Nations General Assembly, Economic and Social Council or by UNESCO. In this case, the lead agency for a particular international observance uses the symbolism of the United Nations (UN) or UNESCO, a specially designed logo for the year, and their infrastructure to coordinate events worldwide. It also presents a written report about the event. This summarizes the activities that took place around the world under the auspices of the international observance, and makes recommendations for the future.

List of international observances

Below follows a list of consecutively days, years and decades that have been denoted as international observances by the United Nations. There are also other organizations that declare international observances, although these are not as widely recognized.

Days

January

January 1 - Global Family Day--formerly One Day of Peace and Sharing, recognized by the UN
January 6 - World day for War orphans - intiated by (S.O.S Enfants En Detresse - www.soseed.org and AIDS & War Orphans International)
January 15 - Martin Luther King Day
January 27 - International Holocaust Remembrance Day

September

September 8 - International Literacy Day, recognized by the UN
September 16 - International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer, recognized by the UN
September 21 - International Day of Peace, recognized by the UN, World Alzheimer's Day
September 22 - (World) Car Free Day(s)
September 25 - International Grab Hand Day. Not Recognised by UN, but only those in the GIS Industry, and all associated IT Disciplines.
September 26 - European Day of Languages
September 27 - World Tourism Day
4th week of September - (International) Peace Week
During last week of September - World Maritime Day, recognized by the UN

October

First Monday of October - World Habitat Day
October 1 - International Day of Older Persons, recognized by the UN
October 1 - World Vegetarian Day
October 4 - World Animal Day
October 5 - World Teachers' Day
Second Wednesday of October - International Day for Natural Disaster Reduction
October 9 - World Post Day
October 10 - World Mental Health Day, recognized by the UN
October 16 - World Food Day, recognized by the UN
October 17 - International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, recognized by the UN
October 24 - United Nations Day, recognized by the UN
October 24 - World Development Information Day, recognized by the UN

November

November 1 - World Vegan Day
November 6 - International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict, recognized by the UN
November 9 - International day for mobilization for the fight against terrorism and the terrorist movements in the world, created in 2005 by Stephen N. Kinuthia in memory of the victims of terrorist acts in the world - notably in Kenya, Tanzania, the USA, Egypt, Spain, United Kingdom, France, Palestine, Israel, Indonesia etc...]
November 9 - World Inventor's Day
November 16 - International Day for Tolerance, recognized by the UN
November 17 - International Students Day
November 19 - World Toilet Day
November 20 - Africa Industrialization Day, recognized by the UN
November 20 - Universal Children's Day, recognized by the UN
November 21 - World Television Day, recognized by the UN
November 25 - International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, recognized by the UN
November 29 - International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, recognized by the UN

December

December 1 - World AIDS Day, recognized by the UN
December 2 - International Day for the Abolition of Slavery, recognized by the UN
December 3 - International Day of Disabled Persons, recognized by the UN
December 5 - International Volunteer Day for Economic and Social Development, recognized by the UN
December 7 - International Civil Aviation Day, recognized by the UN
December 10 - Human Rights Day, recognized by the UN
December 18 - International Migrants Day, recognized by the UN
December 20 - International Human Solidarity Day, recognized by the UN

Years

1959/1960 - World Refugee Year
1961 - International Health and Medical Research Year
1965 - International Cooperation Year
1967 - International Tourist Year
1968 - International Year for Human Rights
1970 - International Education Year
1971 - International Year for Action to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination
1974 - World Population Year
1975 - International Women's Year
1978/1979 - International Anti-Apartheid Year
1979 - International Year of the Child
1981 - International Year of Disabled Persons
1982 - International Year of Mobilization for Sanctions against South Africa
1983 - World Communications Year
1984 - Year of Women in South Africa [1]
1985 - Year of the United Nations
1985 - International Youth Year
1986 - International Year of Peace
1987 - International Year of Shelter for the Homeless
1990 - International Literacy Year
1992 - International Space Year
1993 - International Year of the World's Indigenous People
1994 - International Year of Sport and the Olympic Ideal
1994 - International Year of the Family
1995 - World Year of Peoples' Commemoration of Victims of the Second World War
1995 - United Nations Year for Tolerance
1996 - International Year for the Eradication of Poverty
1998 - International Year of the Ocean
1999 - International Year of Older Persons
2000 - International Year of Thanksgiving
2000 - International Year for the Culture of Peace
2001 - International Year of Mobilization against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance
2001 - International Year of Volunteers
2001 - United Nations Year of Dialogue among Civilizations
2002 - International Year of Ecotourism [2]
2002 - International Year of Mountains [3]
2002 - United Nations Year for Cultural Heritage [4]
2003 - International Year of Freshwater [5]
2003 - European Disability Year
2004 - International Year to Commemorate the Struggle against Slavery and its Abolition [6]
2004 - International Year of Rice [7]
2005 - International Year for Sport and Physical Education
2005 - International Year of Microcredit [8]
2005 - World Year of Physics (declared by IUPAP) [9]
2006 - International Year of Deserts and Desertification [10], recognized by the UN
2007 - (International) Year of the Dolphin - (http://www.yod2007.org) by the United Nations and UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme).

(The UN Convention on Migratory Species, together with its specialized agreements on dolphin conservation ACCOBAMS and ASCOBANS and the WDCS (Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society) have proposed 2007 as the Year of the Dolphin ('YOD'))

2008-International Year of Planet Earth - http://www.yearofplanetearth.org] and [11] & [12]
2008 - International Year of the Potato (proposed FAO, adopted by UN GA, Resolution 60/191)
2009 - International Year of Natural Fibres [13]
2009 - International Year of Astronomy (proposal accepted by 33rd session of the UNESCO General Conference, UN proposal in preparation)
2010 -
2011 - International Year of Forests [14] (GA resolution 61/193)

Decades

1976–1985 - United Nations Decade for Women [15]
1994–2004 - First International Decade of the World's Indigenous People [16]
1997–2006 - First United Nations Decade for the Eradication of Poverty [17]
2000–2010 - Second International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism [18] (pdf)
2001–2010 - International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-violence for the Children of the World [19], recognized by the UN
2003–2012 - United Nations Literacy Decade [20]
200.–201. - United Nations Decade on Education for Sustainable Development - ...
2005–2014 - Second International Decade of the World's Indigenous People [21]
2005–2015 - Water For Life Decade [22]

External links

United Nations Observances - a list of observances officially recognized by the United Nations.
Drori, Gili S., "United Nations'Dedications": A World Culture in the Making?, International Sociology, June 2005.