UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCES AND OBSERVANCES

United Nations Conferences and Observances

The United Nations will observe the International Year of Deserts and Desertification in 2006, to draw attention to the causes of desertification and land degradation, the poverty that results, and ways of addressing the problem.  It will also mark the twentieth anniversary of the Chernobyl catastrophe, the world’s worst accident at a nuclear power facility, with a special commemorative meeting of the General Assembly in April.

Beginning in 2006, the United Nations will observe 27 January of each year as an International Day of Commemoration in memory of the victims of the Holocaust conducted during the Second World War by the Nazi regime.  In proclaiming this observance, the General Assembly rejected any denial of the Holocaust as an historical event, either in full or part.  This action follows on the Assembly’s special session in January to mark the sixtieth anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi concentration camps.

Welcoming Mongolia’s efforts to preserve and develop nomadic culture and traditions, the Assembly has invited the international community to participate in events organized by that country during 2006 to mark the 800th anniversary of its statehood.  It has also invited Member States to observe the International Day Commemorating Victims of Radiation Accidents and Catastrophes, 26 April, undertaken by the Commonwealth of Independent States.

With a view to identifying ways of maximizing the development benefits of international migration while minimizing its negative effects, the General Assembly will hold a High-level Dialogue on International Migration and Development in New York, on 14 and 15 September 2006.  The Assembly will also hold a number of special meetings during the year to follow up on earlier actions it has taken on key issues.

Five years after its 2001 special session on HIV/AIDS, the General Assembly will conduct a comprehensive review, on 31 May and 1 June 2006, of progress achieved in realizing the targets set out in its June 2001 “Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS”.  On 2 June, it will hold a high-level meeting, aimed at continuing the engagement of world leaders in a comprehensive, global response to HIV/AIDS.

Following up on the 2001 United Nations Conference on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects and its Programme of Action, a conference from 26 June to 7 July at Headquarters will review progress made in implementing that Programme of Action.  The Assembly will also convene a high-level meeting, on 19 and 20 September, to conduct a comprehensive global review of the implementation of the Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the Decade 2001-2010.

Also in 2006, States parties to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on Their Destruction will hold their Sixth Review Conference in Geneva, between 20 November and 8 December.

In addition, the Assembly has added the following new observances to the international calendar.  It has proclaimed 4 April as the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action; the third Sunday in November as World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims; and 20 December as International Human Solidarity Day.

Affirming the role the potato can play in providing food security, eradicating poverty and achieving development goals, the Assembly has declared 2008 as the International Year of the Potato.  It has also proclaimed 2008 as the International Year of Planet Earth, to raise awareness of important issues relating to the Earth’s processes and resources; disaster prevention, reduction and mitigation; and capacity-building for the sustainable management of resources.

The Assembly has welcomed the proposal by the Economic Commission for Europe to host the first United Nations Global Road Safety Week, in Geneva in April 2007.  It has also welcomed Qatar’s offer to host an international conference in 2008 or 2009 on implementation of its “Monterrey Consensus”, the programme adopted at the 2002 International Conference on Financing for Development.

Meanwhile, the international community continues to observe the United Nations Decade for the Eradication of Poverty (1997-2006); the Decade to Roll Back Malaria in Developing Countries, Particularly in Africa (2001-2010); the Second International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism (2001-2010); the International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-violence for the Children of the World (2001-2010); the United Nations Literacy Decade:  Education for All (2003-2012); the Second International Decade of the World's Indigenous People (2005-2014); the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005-2014); and the International Decade for Action, “Water for Life” (2005-2015).

The following pages contain information on United Nations conferences and special observances scheduled for 2006 and ensuing years, listed by theme.  Under each subject heading, conferences and meetings are listed first, followed by special decades, years, weeks and days, in that order. 

Strictly chronological listings appear in the index.

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AIDS

Comprehensive review of progress achieved in realizing the targets set in the ‘Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS’

( New York , 31 May and 1 June 2006 )

followed by

High-level meeting of the General Assembly on a comprehensive, global response to HIV/AIDS

( New York , 2 June 2006 )

In a follow-up to its 2001 special session on HIV/AIDS, the General Assembly has decided to undertake a comprehensive review, on 31 May and 1 June 2006, of progress achieved in realizing the targets set out in its June 2001 “Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS” (resolution 60/224 of 23 December 2005).  It will be followed, on 2 June, by a high-level meeting of the Assembly aimed at continuing the engagement of world leaders in a comprehensive, global response to HIV/AIDS.  The Assembly has invited Member States and observers to be represented at that meeting at the highest level.

Participating in the review and high-level meeting will include the heads of UN bodies, including the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, the Special Envoys of the Secretary-General on HIV/AIDS, and relevant representatives of civil society, in particular associations of people living with HIV/AIDS and non-governmental organizations.  The private sector -- especially pharmaceutical companies and representatives of labour -- will also be represented.  The opening meeting of the plenary will feature statements by the President of the General Assembly, the Secretary-General, the Executive Director of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), and a representative of civil society.

World AIDS Day

(1 December)

The General Assembly, in 1988, stated its deep concern about the pandemic proportions of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).  Noting that the World Health Organization (WHO) had declared 1 December 1988 World AIDS Day, the Assembly stressed the importance of observing that occasion (resolution 43/15).  Today, some 40 million people are living with HIV/AIDS.

CHILDREN

International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression

(4 June)

On 19 August 1982, at its emergency special session on the question of Palestine, the General Assembly, "appalled at the great number of innocent Palestinian and Lebanese children victims of Israel's acts of aggression", decided to commemorate 4 June of each year as the International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression (resolution ES-7/8).

Universal Children's Day

(20 November)

The General Assembly recommended in 1954 (resolution 836 (IX)) that all countries institute a Universal Children's Day, to be observed as a day of worldwide fraternity and understanding between children and of activity promoting the welfare of the world's children.  It suggested to Governments that the Day be observed on the date which each considers appropriate.  The date of 20 November marks the day in which the Assembly adopted the Declaration of the Rights of the Child, in 1959, and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, in 1989.

CULTURAL DIVERSITY

Eight hundredth anniversary of Mongolian statehood

(2006)

By its resolution 60/16 of 14 November 2005, the Assembly welcomed the efforts undertaken by the Government of Mongolia to celebrate the 800th anniversary of Mongolian statehood in 2006, inviting Member States, as well as the United Nations system, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations and academia, to take part actively in the events to be organized by Mongolia.  In that context, it welcomed the efforts undertaken by the Government of Mongolia to preserve and develop nomadic culture and traditions in modern societies.

World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development

(21 May)

Emphasizing the need to enhance the potential of culture as a means of achieving prosperity, sustainable development and global, peaceful coexistence, the General Assembly, on 20 December 2002, proclaimed 21 May the World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development (resolution 57/249).  Acting during the closing days of the United Nations Year for Cultural Heritage (2002), the Assembly recognized the close link between protecting cultural diversity and the larger framework of the dialogue among civilizations.

DECOLONIZATION

Second International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism

(2001-2010)

On 8 December 2000, as the General Assembly observed the fortieth anniversary of its adoption of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, it declared 2001-2010 the Second International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism (resolution 55/146).

On 22 December 2004, the Assembly urged Member States to contribute to the United Nations efforts to usher in a world free of colonialism within the Second International Decade, giving their full support to the Special Committee on decolonization in that endeavour (resolution 59/134).  Addressing the situation of American Samoa, Anguilla, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Guam, Montserrat, Pitcairn, Saint Helena, the Turks and Caicos Islands and the United States Virgin Islands, the Assembly reaffirmed the inalienable right of the peoples of the Territories to self-determination in conformity with the United Nations Charter and the General Assembly Declaration on decolonization (resolution 1514 (XV)).

The Assembly reaffirmed that there is no alternative to self-determination, and called on the administering Powers, in cooperation with the territorial governments, to facilitate political education programmes in the Territories to foster awareness among their peoples of their right to self-determination.  It also reaffirmed the responsibility of the administering Powers to promote the socio-economic development and preserve the cultural identity of the Territories, and request the Territories and administering Powers to protect the environment of the Territories under their administration against environmental degradation.

The first International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism, 1990-2000, was declared in 1988 (resolution 43/47).

Week of Solidarity with the Peoples of Non-Self-Governing Territories

(beginning 25 May)

The General Assembly in 1999 requested the Special Committee on decolonization to observe annually the Week of Solidarity with the Peoples of Non-Self-Governing Territories commencing on the week beginning 25 May 1999 (resolution 54/91 of 6 December).  The Week had been proclaimed in 1972 (resolution 2911 (XXVII)) as the Week of Solidarity with the Colonial Peoples of Southern Africa and Guinea (Bissau) and Cape Verde Fighting for Freedom, Independence and Equal Rights, to begin on 25 May, Africa Liberation Day.

DISABLED PERSONS

International Day of Disabled Persons

(3 December)

In 1992, at the conclusion of the United Nations Decade of Disabled Persons (1983-1992), the General Assembly proclaimed 3 December as the International Day of Disabled Persons (resolution 47/3).  The Decade had been a period of raising awareness and enacting measures to improve the situation of persons with disabilities and to provide them with equal opportunities.  Subsequently, the Assembly appealed to Member States to highlight the observance of the Day in order to further integrate people with disabilities into society (resolution 47/88).

DISARMAMENT AND INTERNATIONAL SECURITY

United Nations Conference to review progress made in implementing the Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects

( New York , 26 June- 7 July 2006 )

A United Nations conference to review progress made in implementing the Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects will be held in New York from 26 June to 7 July 2006.  On 8 December 2005, the Assembly encouraged all initiatives aimed at promoting the successful conclusion of the conference, to set an agenda for tackling this problem in the coming years (resolution 60/81).

The Assembly also decided to establish a group of governmental experts, to be appointed by the Secretary-General, to consider further steps to enhance international cooperation in preventing, combating and eradicating illicit brokering in small arms and light weapons.  The group will hold three sessions of one week’s duration each, commencing after the review conference and no later than 2007.  It will report the results of its study to the Assembly at its sixty-second session.

The Assembly set the dates for the conference by its resolution 59/86 of 3 December 2004, and decided that the preparatory committee for that conference will be held in New York from 9 to 20 January 2006, with a subsequent session of up to two weeks if necessary.

Sixth Review Conference of the Biological Weapons Convention

( Geneva , between 20 November and 8 December 2006 )

On 8 December 2006, the General Assembly noted that the Sixth Review Conference of States parties to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on Their Destruction will be held in Geneva in 2006 (resolution 60/96).  The dates of the Review Conference will be formally agreed by a preparatory committee, open to all States parties to the Convention, which will meet in Geneva during the week beginning 24 April 2006.  Those dates are expected to fall between 20 November and 8 December 2006.

Disarmament Week

(24-30 October)

The annual observance of Disarmament Week, which begins on the anniversary of the founding of the United Nations, was called for in the Final Document of the General Assembly 1978 special session on disarmament (resolution S-10/2).  States were invited to highlight the danger of the arms race, propagate the need for its cessation and increase public understanding of the urgent tasks of disarmament.

In 1995, the Assembly invited Governments, as well as non-governmental organizations, to continue taking an active part in Disarmament Week (resolution 50/72 B of 12 December).  It invited the Secretary-General to continue using the United Nations information entities as widely as possible to promote a better understanding among the public of disarmament problems and the aims of the Week.

International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action

(4 April)

On 8 December 2005, the General Assembly declared that 4 April of each year shall be officially proclaimed and observed as International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action (resolution 60/97).  It called for continued efforts by States, with the assistance of the United Nations and relevant organizations, to foster the establishment and development of national mine-action capacities in countries where mines and explosive remnants of war constitute a serious threat to the safety, health and lives of the civilian population, or an impediment to social and economic development at the national and local levels.

DISASTERS AND DISASTER REDUCTION

Special commemorative meeting of the General Assembly in observance of the twentieth anniversary of the Chernobyl catastrophe

( New York , during April 2006)

On 25 and 26 April 1986, the world’s worst accident at a nuclear power facility occurred at Chernobyl in the former Soviet Union, now Ukraine.  On 14 November 2005, the Assembly requested that its President convene a special commemorative meeting of the General Assembly in April 2006 in observance of the twentieth anniversary of that catastrophe (resolution 60/14).  It also welcomed the activities in observance of the International Day Commemorating Victims of Radiation Accidents and Catastrophes, 26 April, undertaken by the States participating in the Commonwealth of Independent States, and invited Member States to observe this Day with appropriate activities.

International Day for Natural Disaster Reduction

(second Wednesday of October)

In 2001, the General Assembly decided to maintain the observance of the International Day for Natural Disaster Reduction on the second Wednesday of October (resolution 56/195 of 21 December), as a vehicle to promote a global culture of natural disaster reduction -- including disaster prevention, mitigation and preparedness.  The Assembly had designated that Day to be observed during the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction, 1990-1999 (resolution 44/236).

DRUG ABUSE CONTROL

International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking

(26 June)

The General Assembly, in 1987, decided to observe 26 June as International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking as an expression of its determination to strengthen action and cooperation to achieve the goal of an international society free of drug abuse.  It took that action on 7 December 1987 (resolution 42/112), following a recommendation of the 1987 International Conference on Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, which, on 26 June, had adopted the Comprehensive Multidisciplinary Outline of Future Activities in Drug Abuse Control.

ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

High-level Dialogue on International Migration and Development

( New York , 14-15 September 2006)

On 23 December 2005, the General Assembly decided to convene a High-level Dialogue on International Migration and Development in New York, on 14 and 15 September 2006 (resolution 60/227).  The Dialogue will address the multidimensional aspects of international migration and development, in order to identify appropriate ways and means to maximize its development benefits and minimize its negative impacts.

The Assembly further decided to hold one-day informal interactive hearings in 2006 with representatives of non-governmental organizations, civil society organizations and the private sector, to be presided over by the President of the General Assembly, who will prepare a summary of those hearings prior to the High-level Dialogue in September.  In addition, selected representatives of non-governmental organization in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council, civil society organizations and the private sector will participate in each round table of the High-level Dialogue -- without creating a precedent for other meetings of the General Assembly.

High-level meeting on the midterm comprehensive, global review of the implementation of the Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the Decade 2001-2010

( New York , 19-20 September 2006)

On 23 December 2005, the Assembly decided to convene a high-level meeting on the midterm comprehensive global review of the implementation of the Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the Decade 2001-2010, to be held in New York on 19 and 20 September 2006 (resolution 60/228).  The meeting will be chaired by the President of the Assembly.

The Assembly reaffirmed its commitment to address the special needs of the least developed countries, and urged all countries and relevant United Nations bodies, including the Bretton Woods institution, to make concerted efforts and adopt speedy measures for meeting in a timely manner the goals and targets of the Programme of Action.  It also decided to convene a three-day preparatory meeting of experts for the midterm comprehensive review during its sixtieth session -- preferably on 4, 5 and 6 September 2006 -- to propose appropriate measures to advance the process of implementing the Programme of Action for the Decade.

Seventh Global Forum on Reinventing Government

( New York , during 2007)

On 30 November, the General Assembly emphasized the importance of the Seventh Global Forum on Reinventing Government, to be hosted by the United Nations in 2007, which will highlight the importance of improving public administration in order to achieve internationally agreed development goals, including the Millennium Development Goals (resolution 60/34).

International Conference on Financing for Development to review implementation of the Monterrey Consensus

( Qatar , during 2008 or 2009)

The Assembly continues to focus attention on the process begun at the International Conference on Financing for Development, held in Monterrey, Mexico, in March 2002, and its subsequent “Monterrey Consensus”.  On 22 December 2005, the Assembly decided to hold a follow-up international conference on financing for development to review implementation of the Monterrey Consensus, at a date to be determined during 2008 or 2009 (resolution 60/188).  It welcomed the offer of the Government of Qatar to host the conference.

This conference will follow on two recent, high-level meetings on the same theme:  the High-level Dialogue on Financing for Development, held in New York on 27 and 28 June 2005; and the separate meeting on financing for development held within the framework of the High-level Plenary Meeting of the General Assembly, on 14 September 2005.

United Nations Decade for the Eradication of Poverty

(1997-2006)

The General Assembly proclaimed the United Nations Decade for the Eradication of Poverty on 20 December 1995 to follow up on the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty (1996), with the object of eradicating absolute poverty and substantially reducing overall poverty worldwide (resolution 51/178 of 16 December 1996).

On 22 December 2005, the Assembly stressed the need to translate increases in official development assistance into real increases in resources for national development strategies, as well as the international agreed development goals (resolution 60/209).  It also stressed the need to take account of the need for resource predictability, including budget support mechanisms where appropriate.

The Assembly urged countries to direct resources freed through debt relief, particularly through debt cancellation and reduction, towards poverty eradication activities, sustainable economic growth, sustainable development and internationally agreed development goals.  It called on developed countries to promote capacity-building and facilitate access to and transfer of technologies and corresponding knowledge on favourable terms, including concessional and preferential terms.

Decade to Roll Back Malaria in Developing Countries,

Particularly in Africa

(2001-2010)

On 23 December 2005, the Assembly welcomed the increased funding for malaria interventions and for research and development in support of the goals of the Decade to Roll Back Malaria in Developing Countries, Particularly in Africa (resolution 60/221).  It called upon the international community to continue to support the “Roll Back Malaria” partner organizations, including the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), as vital complementary sources of support for the efforts of malaria-endemic countries.

The General Assembly proclaimed the period 2001-2010 as the Decade to Roll Back Malaria in Developing Countries, Particularly in Africa, on 7 September 2001 (resolution 55/284).  In its efforts to address one of the most deadly tropical diseases -- which causes some 1 million deaths each year in Africa where nine out of 10 cases occur -- the Assembly called for joint comprehensive efforts by Africa and the international community to reach certain goals by 2005, the middle of the Decade.

These include ensuring that at least 60 per cent of those at risk for malaria shall benefit from the most suitable combination of personal and community protective measures, such as insecticide-treated bed nets; that at least 60 per cent of all pregnant women at risk for malaria shall have access to chemoprophylaxis or presumptive intermittent treatment; and that at least 60 per cent of those suffering from malaria shall have prompt access to correct, affordable and appropriate treatment within 24 hours of the onset of symptoms.

United Nations Literacy Decade: Education for All

(2003-2012)

On 19 December 2001, the General Assembly proclaimed 2003 to 2012 as the United Nations Literacy Decade:  Education for All (resolution 56/116).  It reaffirmed that literacy for all was at the heart of the notion of basic education for all, and that creating literate environments was essential to eradicating poverty, achieving gender equity and ensuring sustainable development.

On 20 December 2004, the Assembly appealed to all Governments to develop reliable literacy data and information and to devise innovative strategies to achieve the goals of the Decade.  It appealed to all Governments and to economic and financial organizations and institutions, both national and international, to lend greater financial and material support to efforts to increase literacy.  The Assembly invited Member States, United Nations bodies and relevant intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations to intensify their efforts to implement the International Plan of Action for the Decade (resolution 59/149).

International Year of the Potato

(2008)

The General Assembly has declared 2008 as the International Year of the Potato, by its resolution 60/191 of 22 December 2005.  In taking this action, the Assembly affirmed the need to focus world attention on the role that the potato can play in providing food security and eradicating poverty, and in achieving internationally agreed development goals, including the Millennium Development Goals.  It invited the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) to facilitate the implementation of the Year, in collaboration with Governments, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research Centres, and other relevant United Nations system and non-governmental organizations.

Previously, the Assembly had declared 2004 as the International Year of Rice, noting that rice is the staple food of more than half of the world’s population (resolution 57/162 of 16 December 2002).  Then, too, it affirmed the need to heighten awareness of the role of rice in alleviating poverty and malnutrition and reaffirmed the need to focus world attention on the role it can play in attaining internationally agreed development goals, including those contained in the Millennium Declaration.

International Day of Cooperatives

(first Saturday of July)

In 1992, the General Assembly proclaimed the first Saturday of July 1995 to be International Day of Cooperatives (resolution 47/90 of 16 December).  The date marked the centenary of the International Cooperative Alliance, an umbrella group of organizations comprising 760 million members in 100 countries.

In 1994, recognizing that cooperatives were becoming an indispensable  factor of economic and social development, the Assembly invited Governments, international organizations, specialized agencies and national and international cooperative organizations to observe the Day every year (resolution 49/155 of 23 December).

International Day for the Eradication of Poverty

(17 October)

In 1992, the General Assembly, welcoming the fact that certain non-governmental organizations, on the initiative of one of them (the French-based International Movement ATD Fourth World), had, in many States, observed 17 October as World Day for Overcoming Extreme Poverty, declared that date the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty (resolution 47/196 of 22 December).  The observance aims to promote awareness of the need to eradicate poverty and destitution in all countries, particularly in developing countries -- a need that has become a development priority.

Africa Industrialization Day

(20 November)

Within the framework of the Second Industrial Development Decade for Africa (1991-2000), the General Assembly proclaimed 20 November as Africa Industrialization Day (resolution 44/237 of 22 December 1989).  The Day is intended to mobilize the commitment of the international community to the industrialization of Africa.

International Volunteer Day for Economic and Social Development

(5 December)

The General Assembly has invited Governments to observe the International Volunteer Day for Economic and Social Development on 5 December each year (resolution 40/212 of 17 December 1985).  It urged them to heighten awareness of the contribution made by volunteer service, thereby stimulating people in all walks of life to offer their services as volunteers, both at home and abroad.  In 2001, the International Year of Volunteers, the Assembly adopted a set of recommendations on ways that Governments and the United Nations system could support volunteering and asked that they be widely disseminated (resolution 56/38 of 5 December 2001).

International Human Solidarity Day

(20 December)

In connection with its observance of first United Nations Decade for the Eradication of Poverty (1997-2006), the General Assembly, on 22 December 2005, decided to proclaim 20 December of each year as International Human Solidarity Day (resolution 60/209).  In taking that action, it recalled that the Millennium Declaration identified solidarity as one of the fundamental and universal values that should underlie relations between peoples in the twenty-first century.

ENVIRONMENT AND DEVELOPMENT

United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development

(2005-2014)

The General Assembly, on 20 December 2002, proclaimed the 10-year period beginning on 1 January 2005 as the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (resolution 57/254).  The Assembly designated the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as lead agency for promotion of the Decade, asking it to develop a draft International Implementation Scheme, clarifying the Decade’s relationship with such existing educational processes as the Dakar Framework for Action adopted at the World Education Forum in 2002 and the United Nations Literacy Decade (2003-2012).

On 22 December 2004, the Assembly requested that the Secretary-General call upon UNESCO to finalize the draft Implementation Scheme as soon as possible, preferably by the beginning of the Decade, with a view to its submission to UNESCO’s governing bodies for its final consideration and adoption (resolution 59/237).  It invited Governments to promote public awareness and wider participation in the Decade, including cooperation with and initiatives engaging civil society and other relevant stakeholders, especially at the beginning of the Decade.

International Decade for Action, ‘Water for Life’

(2005-2015)

On 23 December 2003, the General Assembly proclaimed the period from 2005 to 2015 as the International Decade for Action, “Water for Life”, commencing on World Water Day, 22 March 2005 (resolution 58/217).  It welcomed the decision of the Commission on Sustainable Development to consider water, sanitation and human settlements as the thematic cluster in the first cycle, 2004-2005, and invites the Commission to work within existing resources to identify possible activities and programmes in connection with the Decade within the framework of its consideration of that cluster at its twelfth and thirteenth sessions.

The Assembly invited the Secretary-General to take the appropriate steps to organize the activities of the Decade, taking into account the results of the International Year of Freshwater and the work of the Commission on Sustainable Development at its twelfth and thirteenth sessions.  It also called upon the relevant United Nations bodies, specialized agencies, regional commissions and other organizations of the United Nations system to deliver a coordinated response, utilizing existing resources and voluntary funds, to make “Water for Life” a decade for action.  By its resolution 59/228 of 22 December 2004, the Assembly called on the United Nations system to step up efforts to make the International Decade a period for delivering on promises through the use of existing resources and voluntary funds.

International Year of Deserts and Desertification

(2006)

During its fifty-eighth session, the General Assembly decided to declare 2006 as the International Year of Deserts and Desertification (resolution 58/211 of 23 December 2003).  It invited all countries to establish national committees or focal points and to celebrate the Year by arranging appropriate activities.  It called upon all relevant international organizations and Member States to support the activities related to desertification, including land degradation, to be organized by affected countries, in particular African countries and least developed countries.

The Assembly designated the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in Those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa, as focal point of the Year, in conjunction with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), and other relevant United Nations bodies.

On 22 December 2005, the Assembly expressed its resolve to strengthen implementation of the Convention, in order to address the causes of desertification and land degradation and the poverty resulting from land degradation, through such means as the mobilization of adequate and predictable financial resources, the transfer of technology and capacity-building at all levels.  It welcomed the nomination of United Nations honorary spokespersons for the International Year of Deserts and Desertification, and encouraged the Secretary-General to nominate additional personalities in that respect, so as to promote a successful celebration of the Year worldwide (resolution 60/200).

International Year of Planet Earth

(2008)

On 22 December 2005, the General Assembly declared 2008 as the International Year of Planet Earth (resolution 60/192).  In so doing, it took account of the crucial role the Year could play in raising public awareness of the importance for sustainable development of the Earth’s processes and resources; disaster prevention, reduction and mitigation; and capacity-building for the sustainable management of resources; as well as its important contribution to the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005-2014).

The Assembly designated the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as the lead agency and focal point for the Year, to organize related activities in collaboration with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and other relevant UN bodies, as well as the International Union of Geological Sciences and other Earth science societies and groups worldwide.

World Day for Water

(22 March)

The General Assembly has declared 22 March as World Day for Water (resolution 47/193 of 22 December 1992).  The observance aims at promoting awareness of the extent to which water resource development contributes to economic productivity and social well-being.

International Day for Biological Diversity

(22 May)

On 20 December 2000, the General Assembly proclaimed 22 May, the date of adoption of the Convention on Biological Diversity, as the International Day for Biological Diversity (resolution 55/201).  The Day was previously observed on 29 December (resolution 49/119 of 19 December 1994).  In 2000, the Conference of the Parties to the Convention, at its fifth meeting, had recommended that the date be changed to give it greater visibility.

World Environment Day

(5 June)

By resolution 2994 (XXVII)) of 15 December 1972, the General Assembly designated 5 June as World Environment Day to deepen public awareness of the need to preserve and enhance the environment.  That date recalls the opening day of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment ( Stockholm, 1972), which led to the establishment of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought

(17 June)

The World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought, 17 June, was proclaimed by the General Assembly in 1995 (resolution 49/115), marking the adoption of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification on 17 June 1994.  The Assembly invited States to use devote the World Day to promoting awareness of the need for international cooperation to combat desertification and the effects of drought, including implementation of the Convention to Combat Desertification.

International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer

(16 September)

In 1994, the General Assembly proclaimed 16 September the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer, commemorating the date of the signing, in 1987, of the Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer (resolution 49/114).  States were invited to devote the Day to promote activities in accordance with the objectives of the Protocol and its amendments.  The ozone layer, a fragile shield of gas, protects the Earth from the harmful portion of the rays of the sun, thus, helping preserve life on the planet.

International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict

(6 November)

On 5 November 2001, the General Assembly declared 6 November of each year as the International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict (resolution 56/4).  In taking this action, it considered that damage to the environment in times of armed conflict impairs ecosystems and natural resources long after the period of conflict, often extending beyond the limits of national territories and the present generation.  It also recalled the United Nations Millennium Declaration, which emphasized the necessity of working to protect our common environment.

United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation

(19 December)

On 23 December 2004, the General Assembly declared 19 December of each year as the United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation (resolution 58/220).  This marks the date, in 1978, when the General Assembly endorsed the Buenos Aires Plan of Action for Promoting and Implementing Technical Cooperation among Developing Countries (resolution 33/134).

HUMAN RIGHTS

World Refugee Day

(20 June)

On 4 December 2000, the General Assembly noted that 2001 marked the fiftieth anniversary of the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, and that the Organization of African Unity (OAU) had agreed to have International Refugee Day coincide with Africa Refugee Day on 20 June.  It, therefore, decided that, as from 2001, 20 June would be celebrated as World Refugee Day (resolution 55/76).  [Note:  The OAU was replaced by the African Union on 9 July 2002.]

International Day in Support of Victims of Torture

(26 June)

The Assembly in 1997, on the recommendation of the Economic and Social Council (decision 1997/251), proclaimed 26 June United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture (resolution 52/149 of 12 December).  The Day aims at the eradication of torture and the effective functioning of the 1984 Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, which entered into force on 26 June 1987.

International Day for Tolerance

(16 November)

In 1996, the General Assembly invited Member States to observe the International Day for Tolerance on 16 November, with activities directed towards both educational establishments and the wider public (resolution 51/95 of 12 December).  This action came in the wake of the United Nations Year for Tolerance, 1995, proclaimed by the Assembly in 1993 (resolution 48/126).  The Year had been declared on the initiative of the General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO); on 16 November 1995, the UNESCO member States had adopted the Declaration of Principles on Tolerance and Follow-up Plan of Action for the Year.

International Day for the Abolition of Slavery

(2 December)

The International Day for the Abolition of Slavery, 2 December, recalls the date of the adoption, by the General Assembly, of the United Nations Convention for the Suppression of the Traffic in Persons and the Exploitation of Others (resolution 317 (IV) of 2 December 1949).

Human Rights Day

(10 December)

All States and interested organizations were invited by the General Assembly in 1950 to observe 10 December as Human Rights Day (resolution 423 (V)).  The Day marks the anniversary of the Assembly's adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948.

International Migrants Day

(18 December)

As recommended by the Economic and Social Council (decision 2000/288 of 28 July 2000), the General Assembly has proclaimed 18 December International Migrants Day (resolution 55/93 of 4 December 2000).  On that day in 1990, the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families was adopted (resolution 45/158).  The Assembly has stressed the need to make further efforts to ensure respect for the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all migrants.  It is estimated that one in every 35 persons in the world is a migrant, living and working in a country other than his or her own.  All countries have migrants among their population.

HUMAN SETTLEMENTS

World Habitat Day

(first Monday of October)

In 1985, acting on a recommendation of the Commission on Human Settlements, the General Assembly designated the first Monday of October as World Habitat Day (resolution 40/202 A).  The first observance of the Day, in 1986, marked the tenth anniversary of the first international conference on the issue -- Habitat:  United Nations Conference on Human Settlements (Vancouver, Canada, 1976).

HUNGER

World Food Day

(16 October)

The aim of World Food Day, proclaimed in 1979 by the Conference of the FAO of the United Nations, is to heighten public awareness of the world food problem and strengthen solidarity in the struggle against hunger, malnutrition and poverty.  The Day marks the date of the founding of the FAO in 1945.  In 1980, the General Assembly endorsed observance of the Day in consideration of the fact that "food is a requisite for human survival and well-being and a fundamental human necessity" (resolution 35/70 of 5 December).

INDIGENOUS PEOPLE

Second International Decade of the World’s Indigenous People

(2005-2014)

On 16 December 2005, the General Assembly adopted the Programme of Action for the Second International Decade of the World’s Indigenous People (document A/60/270, sect. II), and adopted “Partnership for action and dignity” as its theme (resolution 60/142).  It appealed to the international community at large to provide financial support to the Programme of Action, including through contributions to the Voluntary Fund for the Second Decade, and urged all Governments and indigenous organizations concerned to take action to facilitate adoption of the draft United Nations declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples as soon as possible.

The Assembly proclaimed the first International Decade of the World’s Indigenous People on 21 December 1993, with the goal of strengthening international cooperation for the solution of problems faced by indigenous people in such areas as human rights, the environment, development, education and health (resolution 48/163).  It proclaimed the Second International Decade on 20 December 2004, with the goal of further strengthening cooperation in those areas, including economic and social development (resolution 59/174).  It asked the Secretary-General to appoint the Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs as the Coordinator for the Second Decade, and invited Governments to ensure that activities and objectives for the Second Decade are planned and implemented in full collaboration with indigenous people.

International Day of the World’s Indigenous People

(9 August)

On 23 December 1994, the General Assembly decided that the International Day of the World's Indigenous People shall be observed on 9 August every year during the International Decade of the World's Indigenous People (resolution 49/214).  By its resolution 59/174 of 20 December 2004, in which the Assembly proclaimed the Second International Decade of the World's Indigenous People (2005-2014), it also decided to continue observing the International Day of Indigenous People every year during the Second Decade, in New York, Geneva and other offices of the United Nations.  The Assembly asked the Secretary-General to support observance of the Day from within existing resources, and to encourage Governments to observe the Day at the national level.

INFORMATION

World Press Freedom Day

(3 May)

The General Assembly in 1993 declared 3 May as World Press Freedom Day (decision 48/432 of 20 December).  This action stemmed from the UNESCO General Conference, which, by a 1991 resolution on "Promotion of press freedom in the world", had recognized that a free, pluralistic and independent press was an essential component of any democratic society.  The General Conference had transmitted to the General Assembly the wish of UNESCO member States to have 3 May declared "International Press Freedom Day".

That date commemorates the Windhoek Declaration on Promoting an Independent and Pluralistic African Press, adopted on 3 May 1991 by the Seminar on Promoting an Independent and Pluralistic African Press, organized by UNESCO and the United Nations in Windhoek, Namibia.

World Development Information Day

(24 October)

The General Assembly in 1972 instituted World Development Information Day to draw the attention of world public opinion to development problems and the need to strengthen international cooperation to solve them (resolution 3038 (XXVII)).  The Assembly decided that the date for the Day should coincide in principle with United Nations Day, 24 October, which was also the date of the adoption, in 1970, of the International Development Strategy for the Second United Nations Development Decade.  The Assembly felt that improving the dissemination of information and the mobilization of public opinion, particularly among young people, would lead to greater awareness of the problems of development, thus, promoting efforts in the sphere of international cooperation for development.

World Television Day

(21 November)

In 1996, the General Assembly proclaimed 21 November as World Television Day, commemorating the date on which, in 1996, the first World Television Forum was held at the United Nations.  States were invited to observe the Day by encouraging global exchanges of television programmes focusing on issues such as peace, security, economic and social development, and the enhancement of cultural exchanges (resolution 51/205 of 17 December).

OLDER PERSONS

International Day of Older Persons

(1 October)

The General Assembly designated 1 October the International Day of Older Persons by resolution 45/106 of 14 December 1990, following up on United Nations initiatives such as the Vienna International Plan of Action on Ageing, adopted by the 1982 World Assembly on Ageing and endorsed later that year by the General Assembly.

OUTER SPACE

World Space Week

(4-10 October)

By resolution 54/68 of 6 December 1999, the General Assembly proclaimed World Space Week, to be observed between 4 and 10 October, to celebrate the contributions of space science and technology to the betterment of the human condition.  The dates recall the launch, on 4 October 1957, of the first artificial satellite, Sputnik I, and the entry into force, on 10 October 1967, of the Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space.

PALESTINE QUESTION

International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People

(29 November)

In 1977, the General Assembly called for the annual observance of 29 November as the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People (resolution 32/40 B).  On that day, in 1947, the Assembly had adopted the resolution on the partition of Palestine (resolution 181 (II)).

On 1 December 2005, by its resolution 60/37, the Assembly encouraged Member States to continue to give the widest support and publicity to the observance of the Day of Solidarity.  The Assembly requested that the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People and the Division for Palestinian Rights of the Secretariat, as part of that observance, continue to organize an annual exhibit on Palestinian rights or a cultural event in cooperation with the Permanent Observer Mission of Palestine to the United Nations.

PEACE

International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-violence

for the Children of the World

(2001-2010)

On 20 October 2005, the General Assembly again stated that the objective of the International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-violence for the Children of the World is to further strengthen the global movement for a culture of peace (resolution 60/3).  It invited States to continue to expand their activities promoting such a culture and encouraged UNESCO, as lead agency for the Decade, to further strengthen its activities to promote a culture of peace.

The Assembly proclaimed the International Decade in 1998, following the observance of the International Year for the Culture of Peace in 2000 (resolution 53/25 of 10 November).  It invited non-governmental organizations, religious bodies and groups, educational institutions, artists and the media to support the Decade for the benefit of every child of the world.

International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers

(29 May)

The Assembly has designated 29 May of each year as the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers, to pay tribute to all the men and women who have served in United Nations peacekeeping operations for their high level of professionalism, dedication and courage, and to honour the memory of those who have lost their lives in the cause of peace (resolution 57/129, 11 December 2002).  The Assembly invited all Member States, organizations of the United Nations system, non-governmental organizations and individuals to observe the Day in an appropriate manner.

International Day of Peace

(21 September)

In 1981, the General Assembly declared that the opening day of its regular session in September “shall be officially dedicated and observed as the International Day of Peace and shall be devoted to commemorating and strengthening the ideals of peace both within and among all nations and peoples" (resolution 36/67).  In 1998, the Assembly reaffirmed that the Day should continue to be observed on the opening day of its annual regular session (resolution 52/232 of 4 June).

On 7 September 2001, the Assembly decided that, beginning in 2002, the International Day of Peace shall be observed on 21 September each year, with this date to be brought to the attention of all people for the celebration and observance of peace (resolution 55/282).  It declared that the Day shall, henceforth, be observed as a day of global ceasefire and non-violence, an invitation to all nations and people to honour a cessation of hostilities throughout the Day.  It also invited Member States, United Nations bodies, regional and non-governmental organizations to commemorate the Day and to cooperate with the United Nations in establishing the global ceasefire.

RACISM AND RACIAL DISCRIMINATION

Week of Solidarity with the Peoples Struggling against Racism and Racial Discrimination

(beginning 21 March)

As part of its programme for the first Decade for Action to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination, the General Assembly in 1979 called for the observance by all States of a Week of Solidarity with the Peoples Struggling against Racism and Racial Discrimination, beginning on 21 March (resolution 34/24).

International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination

(21 March)

The International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination is observed annually on 21 March.  On that day, in 1960, police opened fire and killed 69 people at a peaceful demonstration in Sharpeville, South Africa, against the apartheid "pass laws".  Proclaiming the Day in 1966, the General Assembly called on the international community to redouble its efforts to eliminate all forms of racial discrimination (resolution 2142 (XXI)).

SECOND WORLD WAR

International Day of Commemoration in memory of the victims of the Holocaust

(27 January)

On 1 November 2005, the General Assembly designated 27 January as an annual International Day of Commemoration in memory of the victims of the Holocaust conducted during the Second World War by the Nazi regime (resolution 60/7).  In doing so, the Assembly rejected any denial of the Holocaust as an historical event, either in full or part.

By other terms of that text, the Assembly urged Member States to develop educational programmes to inculcate future generations with the lessons of the Holocaust, in order to help prevent future acts of genocide.  It commended those States which have actively engaged in preserving those sites that served as Nazi death camps, concentration camps, forced labour camps and prisons during the Holocaust.  It requested that the Secretary-General establish a programme of outreach on the subject of “the Holocaust and the United Nations”, as well as measures to mobilize civil society for Holocaust remembrance and education.

Time of Remembrance and Reconciliation for Those Who Lost Their Lives during the Second World War

(8 and 9 May)

By its resolution 59/26 of 22 November 2004, the General Assembly declared 8 and 9 May as a time of remembrance and reconciliation, and invited Member States, United Nations bodies, non-governmental organizations and individuals to observe annually either one or both of those days in an appropriate manner, to pay tribute to all those who lost their lives in the Second World War.

WOMEN

United Nations Day for Women's Rights and International Peace

(8 March)

In 1977 (resolution 32/142), the General Assembly invited States to proclaim, in accordance with their historical and national traditions and customs, any day of the year as United Nations Day for Women's Rights and International Peace.  States were called upon to contribute to creating conditions for the elimination of discrimination against women and for their full and equal participation in social development.  That action came on the wake of the International Women's Year (1975) and the United Nations Decade for Women (1976-1985), both proclaimed by the Assembly.  The United Nations began observing International Women's Day, 8 March, in 1975 -- the International Women's Year.

International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women

(25 November)

The General Assembly has designated 25 November as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and has invited Governments, international organizations and non-governmental organizations to organize on that day activities to raise public awareness on the problem (resolution 54/134 of 17 December 1999).  Women's activists have marked 25 November as a day against violence since 1981.  The date came from the brutal 1961 assassination of the three Mirabal sisters, political activists in the Dominican Republic, on orders of Dominican ruler Rafael Trujillo.

YOUTH

International Youth Day

(12 August)

The General Assembly, on 17 December 1999 (resolution 54/120 I), endorsed the recommendation made by the World Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youth (Lisbon, 8-12 August 1998) that 12 August be declared International Youth Day.  It recommended that public information activities be organized to support the Day as a way to promote better awareness of the World Programme of Action for Youth to the Year 2000 and Beyond, adopted by the Assembly in 1995 (resolution 50/81).

OTHER OBSERVANCES

United Nations Global Road Safety Week

(in April 2007)

On 26 October 2005, the General Assembly welcomed the proposal of the Economic Commission for Europe to host the first United Nations Global Road Safety Week, in Geneva, in April 2007, targeted at young road users, including young drivers (resolution 60/5).  It also invited the WHO to organize jointly a second road safety stakeholders’ forum in Geneva as part of Global Road Safety Week, to continue work begun at the first forum held at United Nations Headquarters in 2004.

International Day of Families

(15 May)

In 1993, the General Assembly decided that 15 May of every year should be observed as the International Day of Families (resolution 47/237 of 20 September).  In 1989, by resolution 44/82, the Assembly had proclaimed 1994 the International Year of the Family, to increase awareness of family issues and improve the capability of nations to tackle family-related problems with comprehensive policies.

United Nations Public Service Day

(23 June)

On 30 November 2005, the Assembly stressed the importance of making more effective use of United Nations Public Service Day and the United Nations Public Service Awards in the process of revitalizing public administration by building a culture of innovation, partnership and responsibleness (resolution 60/34).

The Assembly designated 23 June of each year as United Nations Public Service Day on 20 December 2002 (resolution 57/277).  It encouraged Member States to organize special events on that Day to highlight the contribution of public service in the development process.

World Population Day

(11 July)

In 1989, the Governing Council of the UNDP recommended that 11 July be observed as World Population Day.  An outgrowth of the Day of Five Billion, celebrated on 11 July 1987, the Day seeks to focus attention on the urgency and importance of population issues, particularly in the context of overall development plans and programmes, and the need to find solutions for these issues.  According to the Population Division of the United Nations, world population totalled 6.5 billion in 2005, and was growing by some 76 million a year.  The United Nations estimates that there will be between 7.7 billion and 10.6 billion people in 2050, with 9.1 billion the most likely projection.

United Nations Day

(24 October)

The anniversary of the entry into force of the United Nations Charter on 24 October 1945 has been celebrated as United Nations Day since 1948.  It has traditionally been marked throughout the world by meetings, discussions and exhibits on the achievements and goals of the Organization.  In 1971, the General Assembly recommended that Member States observe it as a public holiday (resolution 2782 (XXVI)).

World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims

(third Sunday of November, annually)

On 26 October 2005, the General Assembly invited Member States and the international community to recognize the third Sunday in November of every year as the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims, as appropriate acknowledgement for victims of road traffic crashes and their families (resolution 60/5).

International Civil Aviation Day

(7 December)

In 1996, the General Assembly proclaimed 7 December as International Civil Aviation Day, and urged Governments, as well as national, regional, international and intergovernmental organizations, to take steps to observe it (resolution 51/33 of 6 December).  The Day had been declared in 1992 by the Assembly of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), a United Nations specialized agency, to highlight and advance the benefits of international civil aviation.  Observation of the Day started on 7 December 1994 -- the fiftieth anniversary of the signing of the Convention on International Civil Aviation, which established ICAO.

Other International Days

Other international days observed throughout the United Nations system include:  International Mother Language Day (21 February); World Meteorological Day (23 March); World Health Day (7 April); World Book and Copyright Day (23 April); World Telecommunication Day (17 May); World No-Tobacco Day (31 May); International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and Its Abolition (23 August); International Literacy Day (8 September); World Maritime Day (during last week of September); World Teachers' Day (5 October); World Post Day (9 October); World Mental Health Day (10 October); and International Mountain Day (11 December).

Conferences, Events and Special Meetings

Special commemorative meeting of the General Assembly in observance of the twentieth anniversary of the Chernobyl catastrophe ( New York, during April 2006)

Comprehensive review of progress achieved in realizing the targets set in the “Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS” (New York, 31 May and 1 June 2006) -- to be followed by -- High-level meeting of the General Assembly on a comprehensive, global response to HIV/AIDS (New York, 2 June 2006)

United Nations conference to review progress made in implementing the Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects ( New York, 26 June - 7 July 2006

High-level Dialogue on International Migration and Development ( New York, 14-15 September 2006)

High-level meeting on the midterm comprehensive, global review of the implementation of the Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the Decade 2001-2010 (New York, 19-20 September 2006

Sixth Review Conference of the States Parties to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on Their Destruction (Biological Weapons Convention) ( Geneva, between 20 November and 8 December 2006)

Seventh Global Forum on Reinventing Government ( New York, during 2007)

International Conference on Financing for Development to review implementation of the Monterrey Consensus ( Qatar, during 2008 or 2009)

International Decades and Years

1997-2006	United Nations Decade for the Eradication of Poverty
2001-2010	Decade to Roll Back Malaria in Developing Countries, Particularly in Africa
2001-2010	Second International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism
2001-2010	International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-violence for the Children of the World
2003-2012	United Nations Literacy Decade: Education for All
2005-2014	Second International Decade of the World’s Indigenous People
2005-2014	United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development
2005–2015	International Decade for Action, “Water for Life” (from 22 March 2005)
2006	International Year of Deserts and Desertification
2006	Eight hundredth anniversary of Mongolian statehood
2008	International Year of the Potato
2008	International Year of Planet Earth

Annual Days and Weeks

27 January	International Day of Commemoration in memory of the victims of the Holocaust
21 February	International Mother Language Day
8 March	United Nations Day for Women's Rights and International Peace (International Women’s Day)
21 March	International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
Beginning 21 March	Week of Solidarity with the Peoples Struggling against Racism and Racial Discrimination
22 March	World Day for Water
23 March	World Meteorological Day
In April 2007	United Nations Global Road Safety Week
4 April	International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action
7 April	World Health Day
23 April	World Book and Copyright Day
3 May	World Press Freedom Day
8 and 9 May	Time of Remembrance and Reconciliation for Those Who Lost Their Lives during the Second World War
15 May	International Day of Families
17 May	World Telecommunication Day
21 May	World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development
22 May	International Day for Biological Diversity
Beginning 25 May	Week of Solidarity with the Peoples of Non-Self-Governing Territories
29 May	International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers
31 May	World No-Tobacco Day
4 June	International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression
5 June	World Environment Day
17 June	World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought
20 June	World Refugee Day
23 June	United Nations Public Service Day
26 June	International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking
26 June	International Day in Support of Victims of Torture
1 July	International Day of Cooperatives (first Saturday of July)
11 July	World Population Day
9 August (through 9 August 2014)	International Day of the World’s Indigenous People
12 August	International Youth Day
23 August	International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and Its Abolition
8 September	International Literacy Day
16 September	International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer
21 September	International Day of Peace
September	World Maritime Day (during last week of September)
1 October	International Day of Older Persons
2 October	World Habitat Day (first Monday of October)
4-10 October	World Space Week
5 October	World Teachers’ Day
9 October	World Post Day
10 October	World Mental Health Day
11 October	International Day for Natural Disaster Reduction (second Wednesday of October)
16 October	World Food Day
17 October	International Day for the Eradication of Poverty
24 October	United Nations Day
24 October	World Development Information Day
24-30 October	Disarmament Week
6 November	International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict
16 November	International Day for Tolerance
19 November	World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims (third Sunday of November, annually)
20 November	Africa Industrialization Day
20 November	Universal Children's Day
21 November	World Television Day
25 November	International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women
29 November	International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People
1 December	World AIDS Day
2 December	International Day for the Abolition of Slavery
3 December	International Day of Disabled Persons
5 December	International Volunteer Day for Economic and Social Development
7 December	International Civil Aviation Day
10 December	Human Rights Day
11 December	International Mountain Day
18 December	International Migrants Day
19 December	United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation
20 December	International Human Solidarity Day

For information media • not an official record