World Lake Day2026 · Date · History · Messages · Quotes
A/RES/79/142
About World Lake Day
World Lake Day is observed on 27 August. The United Nations observance focuses attention on the ecological, social and economic importance of lakes and on the need to protect, restore and sustainably manage lake ecosystems.
Its institutional history connects a 2024 General Assembly proclamation with a much older lake-governance milestone: the first World Lake Conference, convened on 27 August 1984.
Why World Lake Day matters
Lakes store freshwater, support biodiversity, moderate local and regional conditions, sustain livelihoods and recreation, and connect to wider river-basin and groundwater systems. Their condition therefore affects both ecosystems and human communities.
The Day is designed to turn awareness into stewardship by encouraging integrated management, pollution prevention, restoration and cooperation across the sectors and jurisdictions that affect lakes.
History of World Lake Day
Indonesia introduced the proposal for World Lake Day in the United Nations General Assembly.
On 12 December 2024, the General Assembly adopted A/RES/79/142 and designated 27 August as World Lake Day.
The selected date corresponds to the first World Lake Conference, held on 27 August 1984, creating a documented historical anchor for the annual date.
The first World Lake Day was observed on 27 August 2025, with the resolution inviting the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to facilitate observance.
How the observance developed
This timeline uses documented milestones from reviewed sources. Missing stages are left out rather than guessed.
First World Lake Conference
The conference predates the UN observance and supplies the historical date anchor later used for World Lake Day.
Indonesia
The General Assembly meeting record states that Indonesia proposed and introduced the draft resolution establishing World Lake Day.
United Nations General Assembly
A/RES/79/142
First documented observance
UNEP and the United Nations identify 2025 as the first observance of World Lake Day.
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
A/RES/79/142 invites UNEP to facilitate observance of World Lake 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.
2 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 Lake Day
Use local or national lake-monitoring data to explain pressures such as nutrient pollution, invasive species, over-extraction, shoreline degradation or climate-related change.
Organize a lake or watershed clean-up only where local authorities or conservation groups can manage waste safely and avoid disturbing sensitive habitat.
Highlight restoration, sustainable fisheries, water-quality monitoring or community stewardship projects with links to the organizations responsible for them.
Connect lake protection to the wider catchment: actions upstream can materially change water quality and ecosystem health downstream.
World Lake Day Facts
World Lake Day is observed on 27 August.
The General Assembly established it through A/RES/79/142 on 12 December 2024.
Indonesia introduced the proposal.
The date is linked to the first World Lake Conference on 27 August 1984.
UNEP was invited to facilitate observance, and 2025 was the first observance.
World Lake Day Messages
Celebrate World Lake Day by learning from credible conservation sources and choosing one practical way to reduce harm or support protection.
Wishing everyone marking World Lake Day a day of discovery, respect for nature and care that continues beyond today.
On World Lake Day, may appreciation for the natural world lead to informed stewardship and practical care for the places and species around us.
May World Lake Day inspire curiosity about the living world and thoughtful action to protect it.
World Lake Day Quotes
“They are life-support systems for millions, providing drinking water, irrigation, food and recreation.”
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/RES/79/142 (opens in a new tab)
United Nations General Assembly meeting record A/79/PV.52 (opens in a new tab)
UNEP — World Lake Day 2025 (opens in a new tab)
United Nations — Today is the first World Lake Day (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 Lake Day?
27 August The documented recurrence rule is: 27 August.
Does World Lake Day fall on the same date every year?
Yes. It uses a fixed annual date unless stronger evidence changes the pattern.
Is World Lake 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 Lake Day?
The reviewed sources identify United Nations General Assembly as the proclaiming or establishing body. The proposer or originator is recorded separately as Indonesia. Current facilitation or coordination is recorded as United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
Is World Lake 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.
When is World Lake Day?
It is observed every year on 27 August.
Why is World Lake Day on 27 August?
The date corresponds to the first World Lake Conference, held on 27 August 1984.
Who established World Lake Day?
The United Nations General Assembly established it through Resolution A/RES/79/142 in December 2024, following a proposal introduced by Indonesia.
Other observances on August 27
These observances are also listed on August 27, 2027.
Independence Day of the Republic of Moldova
The Government of Moldova states that the Republic marks Independence Day on 27 August and that Moldova proclaimed independence on 27 August 1991; the 2026 programme marked the 35th anniver…
Lyndon Baines Johnson Day
Texas Government Code §662.003(b)(5) fixes August 27 as Lyndon Baines Johnson Day in observance of Johnson’s birthday. Texas legislative/history sources trace the holiday to 1973 legislatio…