Browse all researched observances

World Bonobo Day

14 February · global bonobo awareness and conservation observance

Friends of Bonobos documents Ashley Stone/The Bonobo Project as the origin force behind World Bonobo Day, the 2021 merger into Friends of Bonobos, February 14 recurrence and continuing camp…

World Book and Copyright Day

23 April · UNESCO international observance

UNESCO 28 C/Resolution 3.18

World Book Night

23 April annually · United Kingdom / The Reading Agency adult-reading campaign

The official World Book Night history states that the campaign was first celebrated in the UK and Ireland on 5 March 2011, moved to 23 April in 2012, and is now run in the UK by The Reading…

World Braille Day

4 January · United Nations / international observance

A/RES/73/161

World Brain Tumour Day

8 June · international brain-tumour awareness and solidarity observance

Deutsche Hirntumorhilfe (German Brain Tumour Association)

World Breast Cancer Research Day

18 August annually · International breast-cancer research awareness campaign

The official campaign says the Dr Susan Love Foundation founded World Breast Cancer Research Day in 2021 for August 18 and documents a 2024 mission transition to Tower Cancer Research Found…

World Breast Pumping Day

27 January annually · Snugabell-created breast-pumping support observance / recurring January 27 awareness day

Snugabell states that it created World Breast Pumping Day in 2017 and invites pumping parents to celebrate on January 27; independent 2018 coverage documents Snugabell as the creator and th…

World Breastfeeding Week

1–7 August · WHO-supported global health observance

WHO-supported; World Health Assembly endorsement in 2018

World Burlesque Day

26 April · International / creator-led burlesque community observance

The official World Burlesque Day site identifies April 26 as the annual date, Sapphira as creator and April 26, 2020 as the first edition.

World Calligraphy Day

Second Wednesday of August; 12 August 2026 · International calligraphy community / founder and museum context

A calligraphy museum account states that World Calligraphy Day was established in 2017 by Manuscript Pen Company with the Pen Museum and is marked on the second Wednesday of August.

World Card Making Day

First Saturday of October · International / card-making community observance

World Card Making Day is observed on the first Saturday of October. Historical card-making material credits Paper Crafts magazine with founding the event in 2006 and identifies 7 October 20…

World Caring Day

7 June · global caring and family-caregiver recognition observance led by CaringBridge

CaringBridge first-party communications verify June 7 current stewardship and identify 2023 as the second annual World Caring Day, supporting a 2022 first edition; the campaign is voluntary…

World Chagas Disease Day

14 April · WHO / international observance

WHO observance

World Chess Day

20 July · United Nations / international observance

A/RES/74/22

World Children’s Day

20 November · United Nations / UNICEF global child-rights observance

UNICEF identifies World Children’s Day as its global day of action marking the Convention on the Rights of the Child on 20 November; United Nations background material links 20 November to…

World Chocolate Day

7 July · International / informal chocolate-industry and consumer observance

Industry and institutional sources consistently use July 7; reviewed historical accounts conflict on 2003 versus 2009 and do not securely establish the popular 1550 date rationale.

World Cholangiocarcinoma Day

Third Thursday in February; 19 February 2026 · Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation / global awareness campaign

Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation materials state that from 2023 World Cholangiocarcinoma Day is the third Thursday of February; its 2026 materials identify 19 February.

World Cider Day

3 June annually · World Cider Day organizer / international cider celebration

The official World Cider Day site fixes June 3, while the Hessian cider association says it launched the observance in 2013 and has marked it annually since.

World Circus Day

Third Saturday of April annually; 18 April 2026 · Global / Fédération Mondiale du Cirque observance

The Fédération Mondiale du Cirque maintains World Circus Day on the third Saturday in April. Contemporaneous Federation press-release material identifies 17 April 2010 as the inaugural Worl…

World Cities Day

31 October · United Nations / international observance

A/RES/68/239

World Civil Defence Day

1 March · international civil-protection awareness and service-recognition observance

ICDO records a General Assembly resolution adopted on 18 December 1990 designating March 1 as World Civil Defence Day, with initiation in 1991.

World Cleanup Day

20 September · United Nations / international observance

A/RES/78/122

World Coconut Day

2 September · International / International Coconut Community member-country observance

International Coconut Community material states that 2 September is World Coconut Day and commemorates the 1969 establishment of the ICC, formerly APCC; public-institution material document…

World Coding Day

29 October · UNESCO international day

Designated by UNESCO Member States; first celebrated in 2024

World Communion Sunday

First Sunday in October; 4 October in 2026 · Presbyterian, United Methodist and wider ecumenical Christian observance

PC(USA) traces World Communion Sunday to Shadyside Presbyterian Church in Pittsburgh in 1933 and defines the first-Sunday-in-October observance; United Methodist material also documents the…

World Compliment Day

1 March · International / Hans Poortvliet-led appreciation initiative

The official World Compliment Day and Dutch National Compliment Day sites identify Hans Poortvliet as the driving force/initiator, March 1 as the recurring date, and the Dutch predecessor a…

World Computer Literacy Day

2 December annually · NIIT-originated international digital-literacy campaign

NIIT first-party history states that it launched World Computer Literacy Day on 2 December to mark its 20th anniversary; NIIT was incorporated on 2 December 1981, placing the launch in 2001…

World Conjoined Twins Day

24 November · United Nations / international observance

A/RES/78/313

World COPD Day

Third Wednesday in November · Organizer-backed international observance

Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD)

World Cotton Day

7 October · FAO / United Nations / international observance

A/RES/75/318

World Creativity and Innovation Day

21 April · United Nations / international observance

A/RES/71/284

World Curlew Day

21 April · international curlew conservation awareness observance coordinated by Curlew Action

Curlew Action verifies April 21, Mary Colwell’s origin role, explicit date rationale and continuing annual stewardship; because first-party pages use 2017 founding language and 2018 “got go…

World Day Against Child Labour

12 June · International Labour Organization global observance

ILO observance

World Day Against Cyber Censorship

12 March annually · Global / Reporters Without Borders campaign

Reporters Without Borders identifies 12 March as World Day Against Cyber Censorship and states that RSF initiated the observance.

World Day Against the Death Penalty

10 October · international human-rights advocacy observance coordinated by the World Coalition Against the Death Penalty

World Coalition first-party material establishes an October 10 recurring day of action launched in 2003 and current annual coordination, including the 24th campaign in 2026; legal status in…

World Day against Trafficking in Persons

30 July · United Nations international observance

A/RES/68/192

World Day for African and Afrodescendant Culture

24 January · UNESCO world day

World Day for Animals in Laboratories

24 April annually · International / animal-research advocacy observance

The campaign’s official history identifies 24 April and traces the observance to 1979; NAVS also marks the date in current advocacy material.

World Day for Audiovisual Heritage

27 October · UNESCO / international observance

UNESCO 33 C/Resolution 5

World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development

21 May · United Nations / UNESCO international observance

A/RES/57/249

World Day for Decent Work

7 October · global labour-rights campaign coordinated by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC)

ITUC verifies the 2006 Founding Congress call, the first World Day for Decent Work on October 7, 2008, and continuing annual coordination including 2026; campaign advocacy and international…

World Day for Farmed Animals

2 October annually · Global / Farm Animal Rights Movement (FARM) campaign

FARM’s organizational history says World Farm Animals Day began in 1983 and is now called World Day for Farmed Animals; FARM reporting identifies the annual observance date as 2 October.

World Day for Glaciers

21 March · United Nations / international observance

A/RES/77/158

World Day for Safety and Health at Work

28 April · ILO / United Nations / international observance

ILO observance

World Day for the Prevention of and Healing from Child Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Violence

18 November · United Nations / international observance

A/RES/77/8

World Day of Peace

1 January annually · Catholic Church / global papal observance

The Holy See’s 1 January 2026 Angelus states that the World Day of Peace has been celebrated on 1 January since 1968; the Pope’s current peace message confirms the 2026 edition.

World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims

Third Sunday of November · United Nations / WHO global observance

UN endorsement in 2005; A/RES/60/5

World Day of Romani Language

5 November · UNESCO international day

Proclaimed by UNESCO in 2015

World Day of Social Justice

20 February · United Nations international observance

A/RES/62/10

World Day of the Fight Against Sexual Exploitation

4 March · International / sexual-exploitation awareness context

Haryana State Legal Services Authority documented March 4, 2024 awareness activities under this observance title, while National Today independently places it on March 4 annually.

World Day of Theatre for Children and Young People

20 March annually · Global / ASSITEJ International observance

ASSITEJ International identifies 20 March as the annual World Day of Theatre for Children and Young People.

World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought

17 June · United Nations / international observance

A/RES/49/115

World Development Information Day

24 October · United Nations / international observance

A/RES/3038 (XXVII)

World Diabetes Day

14 November · WHO / United Nations-recognized global health observance

A/RES/61/225

World Distance Learning Day

31 August · International informal education observance recognized by universities and education institutions

Georgia State University, LSU and other education institutions identify August 31 as World Distance Learning Day, supporting a stable recurring date while not implying a UN designation.

World Down Syndrome Day

21 March · United Nations international observance

A/RES/66/149

World Dream Day

25 September annually · Global organizer-led participatory observance

World Dream Day’s official site states that the observance is held annually on 25 September and its current 2026 page describes the campaign’s focus on ideas, goals and dreams.

World Drowning Prevention Day

25 July · United Nations / World Health Organization observance

A/RES/75/273

World Duchenne Awareness Day

7 September · United Nations / international observance

A/RES/78/12

World Egg Day

Second Friday of October · World Egg Organisation-backed global food observance

World Egg Organisation (formerly the International Egg Commission) says World Egg Day was established in Vienna in 1996, first celebrated that year and is observed on the second Friday in O…

World Ego Awareness Day

11 May · International / Ego Awareness Movement self-reflection and behavior-awareness campaign; non-diagnostic scope

Ego Awareness Movement first-party material identifies May 11, says the movement and observance were established in 2018, and continues to steward the campaign. Reader treatment does not ad…

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day

15 June · United Nations / international observance

A/RES/66/127

World Elephant Day

12 August · International elephant conservation awareness campaign

World Elephant Day first-party history identifies an inaugural August 12, 2012 launch, Patricia Sims and the Elephant Reintroduction Foundation as co-founders, and continuing campaign leade…

World Emoji Day

17 July annually · Emojipedia / global organizer-led observance

Emojipedia founder Jeremy Burge says he created World Emoji Day in 2014; current Emojipedia material keeps the annual date on July 17 and identifies the present Zedge stewardship layer.

World Engineering Day for Sustainable Development

4 March · UNESCO international day

Proclaimed by UNESCO in 2019

World Environment Day

5 June · United Nations Environment Programme global observance

A/RES/2994 (XXVII)

World Fair Play Day

19 May · United Nations / international observance

A/RES/78/310

World Fair Trade Day

Second Saturday in May; 9 May in 2026 · World Fair Trade Organization / global fair-trade movement

The World Fair Trade Organization currently publishes World Fair Trade Day as a global campaign celebrated every second Saturday in May; the reviewed first-party source does not establish a…

World Fair Trade Day

Second Saturday of May · World Fair Trade Organization campaign and wider Fair Trade movement observance

World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO) currently celebrates World Fair Trade Day every second Saturday of May and publishes the target-year campaign; the reviewed first-party material does no…

World Fiddle Day

Third Saturday of May · international fiddle-music celebration

World Fiddle Day campaign; recurrence and history corroborated in Canada’s National Fiddling Day Act

World First Aid Day

Second Saturday in September · Organizer-backed global first-aid awareness observance

International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC)

World Fisheries Day

21 November · Global fishers and fisheries-community observance; later marked by governments and FAO

Fishworker-movement history places the decision to establish World Fisheries Day at the New Delhi World Forum meeting concluding 21 November 1997; archival material documents 21 November 19…