World Cleanup Day2026 · Date · History · Messages · Quotes
A/RES/78/122
About World Cleanup Day
World Cleanup Day is observed on 20 September. The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed the day in resolution A/RES/78/122 in 2023, and UN-Habitat facilitates the observance.
The day recognizes clean-up efforts as part of a broader approach to sustainable waste and resource management. A one-day litter collection can be useful, but it should not be presented as a substitute for waste prevention, reliable collection systems, recycling, producer responsibility or long-term public policy.
Why World Cleanup Day matters
Clean-up activities can make public spaces safer and more usable while helping communities see where waste accumulates and which materials repeatedly escape collection or recovery systems.
The observance is strongest when visible clean-up work is connected to upstream questions: how waste is generated, how materials are designed and sold, whether collection systems reach everyone, and how local institutions can prevent litter and dumping from recurring.
History of World Cleanup Day
The movement behind World Cleanup Day traces its modern origin to Estonia on 3 May 2008, when more than 50,000 people joined a nationwide cleanup. Let’s Do It World describes that event as the birth of a global bottom-up civic movement.
Preparations for a single coordinated World Cleanup Day began in 2014, and the first global edition was held on 15 September 2018 with participation across 157 countries and territories.
On 9 June 2023, the second United Nations Habitat Assembly adopted resolution 2/3 and recommended that the General Assembly proclaim World Cleanup Day.
On 8 December 2023, the General Assembly adopted A/RES/78/122 and proclaimed 20 September as World Cleanup Day. UN-Habitat identifies 20 September 2024 as the inaugural United Nations observance.
How the observance developed
This timeline uses documented milestones from reviewed sources. Missing stages are left out rather than guessed.
Let’s Do It! Estonia national cleanup
The one-day nationwide cleanup in Estonia became the catalyst for the Let’s Do It civic movement that later developed the coordinated World Cleanup Day model.
Community-led World Cleanup Day
The global movement was already running same-name World Cleanup Day editions when the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed an annual UN World Cleanup Day on 20 September in 2023, with the first UN observance in 2024.
Estonia, introducing the General Assembly draft on behalf of its multi-State sponsor group
UN Meetings Coverage records Estonia introducing draft A/78/L.11 in plenary on behalf of its sponsors.
United Nations General Assembly
UN General Assembly resolution A/RES/78/122
First documented observance
UN-Habitat identifies the 2024 event as the inaugural World Cleanup Day under the UN observance.
United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat)
A/RES/78/122 and UN-Habitat observance material identify UN-Habitat as the facilitator of the Day.
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
Predecessor and precursor observances
Earlier or merged observances are kept separate from former names and later institutional actions.
How to Observe World Cleanup Day
Organize a cleanup only with permission, suitable gloves and collection equipment, and a clear plan for sorting and lawful disposal. Do not ask volunteers to handle sharps, chemicals or other hazardous waste without trained services.
Record the types and locations of recurring litter so the activity produces information that can guide prevention rather than only a bag count.
Pair a cleanup with a short audit of bins, collection routes, recycling access, refill options or local dumping hotspots and identify one fix that can last beyond the event.
Work with local authorities, schools, businesses or resident groups so collected material enters a legitimate waste-management stream instead of being moved from one unmanaged location to another.
World Cleanup Day Facts
World Cleanup Day is a United Nations observance on 20 September.
The movement traces its modern catalyst to a nationwide Estonia cleanup on 3 May 2008.
The first coordinated global World Cleanup Day was held on 15 September 2018.
The General Assembly established the UN observance through A/RES/78/122 on 8 December 2023.
UN-Habitat facilitates the observance, and the inaugural United Nations World Cleanup Day was held on 20 September 2024.
World Cleanup Day Messages
May World Cleanup Day inspire curiosity about the living world and thoughtful action to protect it.
Celebrate World Cleanup Day by learning from credible conservation sources and choosing one practical way to reduce harm or support protection.
Wishing everyone marking World Cleanup Day a day of discovery, respect for nature and care that continues beyond today.
On World Cleanup Day, may appreciation for the natural world lead to informed stewardship and practical care for the places and species around us.
World Cleanup Day Quotes
“World Cleanup Day provides an opportunity for people everywhere to turn awareness into action.”
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.
UN-Habitat — Resolution 2/3: World Cleanup Day (opens in a new tab)
United Nations Digital Library — A/RES/78/122 (opens in a new tab)
United Nations Meetings Coverage — A/78/L.11 introduction and Assembly action (opens in a new tab)
United Nations — World Cleanup Day (opens in a new tab)
Let’s Do It World / World Cleanup Day — movement timeline and history (opens in a new tab)
UN-Habitat — World Cleanup Day 2024 (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 World Cleanup Day?
20 September The documented recurrence rule is: 20 September.
Does World Cleanup Day fall on the same date every year?
Yes. It uses a fixed annual date unless stronger evidence changes the pattern.
Is World Cleanup Day 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 World Cleanup Day?
The reviewed sources identify United Nations General Assembly as the proclaiming or establishing body. The proposer or originator is recorded separately as Estonia, introducing the General Assembly draft on behalf of its multi-State sponsor group. Current facilitation or coordination is recorded as United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat).
Is World Cleanup Day 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.
Is World Cleanup Day an official United Nations observance?
Yes. The UN General Assembly proclaimed 20 September as World Cleanup Day through resolution A/RES/78/122, adopted on 8 December 2023.
Who facilitates World Cleanup Day?
The establishing resolution asks the United Nations Human Settlements Programme, UN-Habitat, to facilitate the observance.
Why is World Cleanup Day on 20 September?
The resolution establishes 20 September, but the reviewed first-party sources do not provide a sufficiently explicit historical explanation for why that exact date was selected. The guide therefore does not infer one.
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