World Seagrass Day2026 · Date · History · Messages · Quotes
A/RES/76/265
About World Seagrass Day
World Seagrass Day is observed on 1 March. The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed the annual observance through resolution A/RES/76/265, adopted on 23 May 2022.
The day raises awareness of seagrass meadows as marine ecosystems that support biodiversity, fisheries, coastal protection, water quality and climate mitigation and adaptation.
Why World Seagrass Day matters
Seagrasses are flowering plants that form underwater meadows in shallow coastal waters. Their ecological role is broader than carbon storage: they provide habitat and nursery areas, help stabilize sediments and support coastal food systems.
An evidence-led observance should distinguish seagrass from seaweed and avoid turning global estimates into claims about every local meadow. Conservation priorities depend on local species, pressures and governance.
History of World Seagrass Day
Sri Lanka submitted draft resolution A/76/L.56 proposing World Seagrass Day, with additional Member States later joining as sponsors.
On 23 May 2022, the General Assembly adopted A/RES/76/265, proclaimed 1 March as World Seagrass Day and invited the United Nations Environment Programme to facilitate the observance.
The United Nations explicitly described 1 March 2023 as the first World Seagrass Day.
How the observance developed
This timeline uses documented milestones from reviewed sources. Missing stages are left out rather than guessed.
Sri Lanka
The UN Digital Library identifies Sri Lanka as the author of draft resolution A/76/L.56, the draft that led to A/RES/76/265.
United Nations General Assembly
UN General Assembly resolution A/RES/76/265
First documented observance
The UN Secretary-General’s noon briefing on 1 March 2023 explicitly identifies that date as the first World Seagrass Day.
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
Operative paragraph 4 of A/RES/76/265 invites UNEP to facilitate the observance of World Seagrass 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
How to Observe World Seagrass Day
Learn whether seagrass occurs in a nearby coast or estuary and use a local conservation authority or research institution rather than assuming global distribution applies locally.
Compare the ecosystem services of seagrass meadows with mangroves, salt marshes or coral reefs and note where the functions overlap and where they differ.
Support a coastal clean-up or habitat-restoration programme that follows local ecological guidance and avoids trampling or disturbing sensitive seagrass beds.
Review how boating, anchoring, dredging, pollution or coastal development can affect seagrass in a specific region and identify the management measures actually used there.
World Seagrass Day Facts
World Seagrass Day is observed every year on 1 March.
The General Assembly established the day through resolution A/RES/76/265 on 23 May 2022.
Sri Lanka submitted the draft resolution that became A/RES/76/265.
For World Seagrass Day, the resolution invites UNEP to facilitate the observance.
The first World Seagrass Day was marked on 1 March 2023.
World Seagrass Day Messages
May World Seagrass Day inspire curiosity about the living world and thoughtful action to protect it.
Celebrate World Seagrass Day by learning from credible conservation sources and choosing one practical way to reduce harm or support protection.
Wishing everyone marking World Seagrass Day a day of discovery, respect for nature and care that continues beyond today.
On World Seagrass Day, may appreciation for the natural world lead to informed stewardship and practical care for the places and species around us.
World Seagrass Day Quotes
“The seagrass ecosystem is a perfect example of nature in action, where habitats and the delicate web of life are intertwined in perfect harmony.”
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/76/L.56 / Sri Lanka (opens in a new tab)
United Nations Digital Library — A/RES/76/265 (opens in a new tab)
UNEP — World Seagrass Day (opens in a new tab)
Dedicated Authoritative Page
United Nations Secretary-General — noon briefing, first World Seagrass Day (opens in a new tab)
United Nations — World Seagrass Day (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 Seagrass Day?
1 March The documented recurrence rule is: 1 March.
Does World Seagrass Day fall on the same date every year?
Yes. It uses a fixed annual date unless stronger evidence changes the pattern.
Is World Seagrass 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 Seagrass Day?
The reviewed sources identify United Nations General Assembly as the proclaiming or establishing body. The proposer or originator is recorded separately as Sri Lanka. Current facilitation or coordination is recorded as United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
Is World Seagrass 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 2026-09-07.
When was World Seagrass Day established?
The UN General Assembly adopted resolution A/RES/76/265 on 23 May 2022 and proclaimed 1 March as the annual observance.
Who proposed World Seagrass Day?
The UN Digital Library identifies Sri Lanka as the author of draft resolution A/76/L.56, which led to A/RES/76/265.
Who facilitates World Seagrass Day?
The establishing resolution invites the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to facilitate the observance.
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