International Day for the Prevention of and Fight against All Forms of Transnational Organized Crime2026 · Date · History · Messages · Quotes
A/RES/78/267
About International Day for the Prevention of and Fight against All Forms of Transnational Organized Crime
The International Day for the Prevention of and Fight against All Forms of Transnational Organized Crime is observed on 15 November. The United Nations General Assembly declared the annual observance through resolution A/RES/78/267, adopted on 21 March 2024.
The day focuses on the harms caused by organized criminal networks and on international cooperation against activities such as trafficking in persons, illicit firearms and drug markets, money laundering, environmental crime and other serious cross-border offences.
Why International Day for the Prevention of and Fight against All Forms of Transnational Organized Crime matters
Transnational organized crime is not one offence or one organization. It describes serious criminal activity that can cross borders through people, money, goods, digital infrastructure or organizational control.
The observance therefore emphasizes cooperation: effective responses can require criminal justice, financial investigation, victim protection, prevention, international legal assistance and coordination between jurisdictions.
History of International Day for the Prevention of and Fight against All Forms of Transnational Organized Crime
Italy served as penholder and introduced the General Assembly initiative on behalf of a group of states. Draft A/78/L.45 became resolution A/RES/78/267.
On 21 March 2024, the General Assembly adopted A/RES/78/267 without a vote, declared 15 November as the annual International Day and invited the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, in collaboration with other relevant entities, to facilitate the observance.
UNODC supported the first commemoration on 15 November 2024. Italy explained during adoption that the date recalls 15 November 2000, when the General Assembly adopted the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, commonly known as the Palermo Convention.
How the observance developed
This timeline uses documented milestones from reviewed sources. Missing stages are left out rather than guessed.
Italy-led proposal / penholder, with a multi-state draft group
UNODC identifies Italy as the penholder of resolution 78/267, and UN meeting coverage records Italy introducing A/78/L.45 on behalf of a group of countries.
United Nations General Assembly
UN General Assembly resolution A/RES/78/267
First documented observance
UN and UNODC materials explicitly describe 15 November 2024 as the first/inaugural commemoration.
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), in collaboration with other relevant entities
Operative paragraph 3 of A/RES/78/267 explicitly invites UNODC, in collaboration with other relevant entities, to facilitate the observance.
What the evidence establishes
Confirmed institutional roles and milestones are shown first. Details that could not be established from the reviewed sources are listed separately below.
2 fields not established in reviewed sources
How to Observe International Day for the Prevention of and Fight against All Forms of Transnational Organized Crime
Learn how the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime supports cooperation in extradition, mutual legal assistance and related enforcement work.
Use victim-centred sources to understand the human impact of trafficking, exploitation and other organized crime without sensationalizing victims.
Review how money laundering and illicit financial flows can allow criminal networks to move or disguise proceeds across borders.
Support evidence-based prevention and reporting initiatives while avoiding vigilante activity or unsafe attempts to investigate suspected crime yourself.
International Day for the Prevention of and Fight against All Forms of Transnational Organized Crime Facts
The observance is held annually on 15 November.
The General Assembly adopted A/RES/78/267 on 21 March 2024.
Italy was the penholder and introduced the initiative on behalf of a group of countries.
The resolution invites UNODC, with other relevant entities, to facilitate the observance.
The first commemoration took place on 15 November 2024, and the date recalls adoption of the Palermo Convention on 15 November 2000.
International Day for the Prevention of and Fight against All Forms of Transnational Organized Crime Messages
International Day for the Prevention of and Fight against All Forms of Transnational Organized Crime is a reminder that civic life is strongest when people listen, learn and take part with care.
May International Day for the Prevention of and Fight against All Forms of Transnational Organized Crime encourage thoughtful participation, respect for others and attention to the institutions that shape everyday life.
Marking International Day for the Prevention of and Fight against All Forms of Transnational Organized Crime can begin with one useful step: learn the issue, hear different perspectives and take part constructively.
Wishing everyone observing International Day for the Prevention of and Fight against All Forms of Transnational Organized Crime a day of informed reflection, respectful conversation and meaningful participation.
On International Day for the Prevention of and Fight against All Forms of Transnational Organized Crime, may informed participation, respectful dialogue and public responsibility strengthen the communities we share.
International Day for the Prevention of and Fight against All Forms of Transnational Organized Crime Quotes
“It is therefore evident, that joint efforts from States across the world are required as organized crime cannot be tackled in isolation.”
Topic and context
What this page does not assume
- Keep the source-defined country, community, organizer or institutional scope; do not silently broaden it.
- Do not treat the title alone as proof of government recognition or public-holiday status.
- Do not add a creator, founding story or origin claim unless the supporting evidence establishes it.
- Remembrance Civic Context Care.
Evidence & sources
Sources used across the guide are gathered here. Labels show how each source supports the page, and contextual references are kept separate from primary evidence.
United Nations Digital Library — A/RES/78/267 (opens in a new tab)
United Nations Digital Library — draft A/78/L.45 (opens in a new tab)
United Nations Meetings Coverage — Italy introduction / date rationale (opens in a new tab)
United Nations — International Day for the Prevention of and Fight against All Forms of Transnational Organized Crime (opens in a new tab)
UNODC — first 2024 commemoration / facilitator role (opens in a new tab)
United Nations — List of International Days and Weeks (opens in a new tab)
United Nations — Observances: who chooses them and how (opens in a new tab)
Understand it, compare it, then explore further
Start with the most common factual questions, then compare closely related observances and explore useful connections.
Frequently asked questions
When is International Day for the Prevention of and Fight against All Forms of Transnational Organized Crime?
15 November The documented recurrence rule is: 15 November.
Does International Day for the Prevention of and Fight against All Forms of Transnational Organized Crime fall on the same date every year?
Yes. It uses a fixed annual date unless stronger evidence changes the pattern.
Is International Day for the Prevention of and Fight against All Forms of Transnational Organized Crime an official public holiday?
The reviewed sources verify it within this scope: United Nations / international observance. That recognition does not by itself make it a statutory public holiday; the site only makes public-holiday claims when reliable evidence explicitly does so.
Who established or recognizes International Day for the Prevention of and Fight against All Forms of Transnational Organized Crime?
The reviewed sources identify United Nations General Assembly as the proclaiming or establishing body. The proposer or originator is recorded separately as Italy-led proposal / penholder, with a multi-state draft group. Current facilitation or coordination is recorded as United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), in collaboration with other relevant entities.
Is International Day for the Prevention of and Fight against All Forms of Transnational Organized Crime international or country-specific?
The documented scope is international or global: United Nations / international observance. That does not mean every country treats the date as a public holiday or observes it in the same way.
How is this page verified?
The factual information is checked against reviewed sources, including the date pattern, scope and institutional history. This page was checked on 2026-09-05.
When was the International Day against Transnational Organized Crime established?
The UN General Assembly adopted A/RES/78/267 on 21 March 2024 and declared 15 November as the annual observance.
Who facilitates the observance?
The establishing resolution invites the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, in collaboration with other relevant entities, to facilitate it.
Why is it observed on 15 November?
Italy’s introduction of the resolution states that 15 November recalls the General Assembly’s adoption of the Palermo Convention on 15 November 2000.
Other observances on November 15
These observances are also listed on November 15, 2026.
America Recycles Day®
Keep America Beautiful identifies America Recycles Day on November 15 as its national recycling-awareness program
Day of the Imprisoned Writer
PEN International states that each year on 15 November it marks the Day of the Imprisoned Writer; PEN traces the campaign to its Writers in Prison Committee in 1981.
National Philanthropy Day®
AFP history plus U.S. and Canadian primary legal records establish Douglas Freeman’s origin role, the first official 1986 celebration, a date-specific U.S. federal designation, and permanen…
Proclamation of the Republic — Brazil
The 15 November 1889 historical event is the anniversary anchor. Federal legal sources show November 15 in the national-commemoration framework by Decree 155-B of 1890 and as a national hol…
World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims
UN endorsement in 2005; A/RES/60/5