World Television Day2026 · Date · History · Messages · Quotes
A/RES/51/205
About World Television Day
World Television Day is observed on 21 November as a United Nations observance about television’s role in communication, public information and globalization.
The UN explicitly frames the day around the significance and influence of television rather than simply celebrating television sets or entertainment programming.
Why World Television Day matters
Television has historically shaped access to news, public debate, culture and shared events. The observance can therefore be used to examine media responsibility, representation, access, public-service communication and changes in audiovisual distribution.
It is related to but distinct from World Day for Audiovisual Heritage, which focuses on preserving audiovisual records and archives.
History of World Television Day
The United Nations held the first World Television Forum on 21 and 22 November 1996, bringing together leading media figures to discuss television’s growing importance and international cooperation.
On 5 December 1996, Italy formally requested inclusion of an agenda item on proclaiming World Television Day and attached an explanatory memorandum and draft resolution. The General Assembly then adopted resolution 51/205 on 17 December 1996, formally proclaiming the annual day and commemorating the date of the first Forum.
The date therefore reflects a documented event-to-observance transition rather than an arbitrary calendar choice.
How the observance developed
This timeline uses documented milestones from reviewed sources. Missing stages are left out rather than guessed.
First United Nations World Television Forum
The Forum concluded with support for proclaiming World Television Day on 21 November; A/RES/51/205 then formally created the annual observance and explicitly commemorated the date of the first Forum.
Italy
UN document A/51/235 records Italy’s 5 December 1996 request to add proclamation of World Television Day to the General Assembly agenda and notes that the submission contained an explanatory memorandum and draft resolution.
United Nations General Assembly
UN General Assembly resolution A/RES/51/205
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.
4 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 Television Day
Compare how television news, public broadcasting and streaming platforms shape access to information.
Study a historically significant broadcast and evaluate its sourcing, framing and public impact.
Discuss representation and accessibility in television, including captions, sign language and audio description.
For archival material, check copyright and preservation status before republishing clips.
World Television Day Facts
World Television Day is observed on 21 November.
The first UN World Television Forum was held on 21 and 22 November 1996.
Italy formally requested the General Assembly agenda item and submitted an explanatory memorandum and draft resolution for the proclamation.
The UN General Assembly formally proclaimed the day through resolution 51/205 on 17 December 1996.
The observance is about television’s social and communicative significance, not simply entertainment.
World Television Day Messages
Happy World Television Day! May World Television Day invite fresh curiosity about the traditions, ideas and people connected with this occasion.
Celebrate World Television Day by learning something new, sharing what you enjoy and inviting someone else into the experience.
May World Television Day spark fresh ideas, thoughtful conversation and a little more curiosity about the subject behind the day.
World Television Day is a good excuse to slow down, explore the topic and enjoy the people, stories or traditions connected with it.
Wishing everyone marking World Television Day a day filled with curiosity, creativity and meaningful discovery.
World Television Day Quotes
“Television represents a symbol for communication and globalization in the contemporary world.”
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/51/205 (opens in a new tab)
United Nations Digital Library — Italy request A/51/235 (opens in a new tab)
United Nations Press — first World Television Forum, 1996 (opens in a new tab)
United Nations — World Television 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 Television Day?
21 November The documented recurrence rule is: 21 November.
Does World Television Day fall on the same date every year?
Yes. It uses a fixed annual date unless stronger evidence changes the pattern.
Is World Television 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 Television Day?
The reviewed sources identify United Nations General Assembly as the proclaiming or establishing body. The proposer or originator is recorded separately as Italy.
Is World Television 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.
Why is World Television Day on 21 November?
The first United Nations World Television Forum opened on 21 November 1996, and the General Assembly used that date for the annual observance.
Is World Television Day a celebration of television sets?
Not really. The UN frames the day around television’s role in communication, public opinion and globalization.
How is it different from World Day for Audiovisual Heritage?
World Television Day focuses on television as a communication medium; World Day for Audiovisual Heritage focuses on preserving audiovisual records and archives.
How this differs from closely related observances
These distinctions use the cited evidence to clarify scope without treating related observances as identical.
Is World Television Day the same as World Day for Audiovisual Heritage?
World Television Day focuses on television as a communication medium and its social influence. World Day for Audiovisual Heritage focuses on preserving audiovisual records, archives and heritage.
Open World Day for Audiovisual Heritage →Distinction sources
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