International Day of Combating Sand and Dust Storms2026 · Date · History · Messages · Quotes
A/RES/77/294
About International Day of Combating Sand and Dust Storms
International Day of Combating Sand and Dust Storms is observed on 12 July. The United Nations General Assembly established the annual observance through resolution A/RES/77/294, adopted on 8 June 2023.
The day focuses attention on the environmental, health, agricultural, transport and economic effects of sand and dust storms and on the need for coordinated prevention, preparedness, monitoring and mitigation.
Why International Day of Combating Sand and Dust Storms matters
Sand and dust storms can cross borders and affect air quality, visibility, transport, agriculture, water systems and human health far from their source areas. Responses therefore require cooperation across meteorology, land management, public health and disaster-risk systems.
The observance is best used to explain risk reduction and evidence-based preparedness rather than to imply that one awareness campaign can eliminate a complex transboundary hazard.
History of International Day of Combating Sand and Dust Storms
Cuba tabled draft resolution A/77/L.72 on behalf of the Group of 77 and China. During the General Assembly consideration, the Group also credited Iraq with coordinating and facilitating the draft on its behalf.
On 8 June 2023, the General Assembly adopted resolution A/RES/77/294 and proclaimed 12 July as the International Day of Combating Sand and Dust Storms. The resolution invited the United Nations Coalition on Combating Sand and Dust Storms to facilitate the observance.
The first observance was marked on 12 July 2023, including a side event during the high-level political forum on sustainable development with contributions from the UN Coalition on Combating Sand and Dust Storms.
How the observance developed
This timeline uses documented milestones from reviewed sources. Missing stages are left out rather than guessed.
Group of 77 and China; Cuba tabled A/77/L.72 on the Group’s behalf, with Iraq credited for coordinating and facilitating the draft
The UN Digital Library identifies Cuba as tabling A/77/L.72 on behalf of the Group of 77 and China; General Assembly Web TV records the Group crediting Iraq with coordination and facilitation of the draft.
United Nations General Assembly
UN General Assembly resolution A/RES/77/294
First documented observance
The Secretary-General’s report A/78/237 states that Member States organized a side event to commemorate the first observance on 12 July 2023.
United Nations Coalition on Combating Sand and Dust Storms
Operative paragraph 3 of A/RES/77/294 invites the UN Coalition on Combating Sand and Dust Storms to facilitate the observance in collaboration with other relevant organizations.
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.
3 fields not established in reviewed sources
How to Observe International Day of Combating Sand and Dust Storms
Use official air-quality and weather services to explain what residents should do during severe dust episodes in the local area.
Map how land degradation, drought, wind, exposed soils and human land use can interact without reducing every dust event to a single cause.
Review a school, workplace or community plan for protecting people who may be more vulnerable to poor air quality, following local public-health guidance.
Compare regional monitoring or early-warning systems and identify where cross-border data sharing improves preparedness.
International Day of Combating Sand and Dust Storms Facts
International Day of Combating Sand and Dust Storms is observed every year on 12 July.
The General Assembly established the day through resolution A/RES/77/294 on 8 June 2023.
The first observance took place on 12 July 2023.
The establishing resolution invites the United Nations Coalition on Combating Sand and Dust Storms to facilitate the observance.
The reviewed first-party sources do not state a definitive historical reason for choosing 12 July.
International Day of Combating Sand and Dust Storms Messages
May International Day of Combating Sand and Dust Storms inspire curiosity about the living world and thoughtful action to protect it.
Celebrate International Day of Combating Sand and Dust Storms by learning from credible conservation sources and choosing one practical way to reduce harm or support protection.
Wishing everyone marking International Day of Combating Sand and Dust Storms a day of discovery, respect for nature and care that continues beyond today.
On International Day of Combating Sand and Dust Storms, may appreciation for the natural world lead to informed stewardship and practical care for the places and species around us.
International Day of Combating Sand and Dust Storms Quotes
“But just as human activity is fuelling these tempests, human action can help to calm them.”
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.
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/77/L.72 (opens in a new tab)
United Nations Digital Library — A/RES/77/294 (opens in a new tab)
United Nations — Secretary-General report A/78/237 (opens in a new tab)
UN Web TV — General Assembly consideration of A/77/L.72 (opens in a new tab)
United Nations — International Day of Combating Sand and Dust Storms (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 of Combating Sand and Dust Storms?
12 July The documented recurrence rule is: 12 July.
Does International Day of Combating Sand and Dust Storms fall on the same date every year?
Yes. It uses a fixed annual date unless stronger evidence changes the pattern.
Is International Day of Combating Sand and Dust Storms 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 of Combating Sand and Dust Storms?
The reviewed sources identify United Nations General Assembly as the proclaiming or establishing body. The proposer or originator is recorded separately as Group of 77 and China; Cuba tabled A/77/L.72 on the Group’s behalf, with Iraq credited for coordinating and facilitating the draft. Current facilitation or coordination is recorded as United Nations Coalition on Combating Sand and Dust Storms.
Is International Day of Combating Sand and Dust Storms 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 International Day of Combating Sand and Dust Storms created?
The UN General Assembly adopted resolution A/RES/77/294 on 8 June 2023 and proclaimed 12 July as the annual observance.
Who facilitates the observance?
The establishing resolution invites the United Nations Coalition on Combating Sand and Dust Storms to facilitate the observance in collaboration with other relevant organizations.
Why is it observed on 12 July?
The resolution designates 12 July, but the reviewed first-party sources do not provide a source-explicit historical rationale for selecting that exact date.
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