The main task of the United Nations Regional Information Centre (UNRIC) is to spread the UN message, raise awareness and create understanding of issues relating to the United Nations

United Nations

The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...

' objectives. UNRIC serves the Western European Region by providing and disseminating UN information material, UN reports and documents, press kits, posters, fact sheets and brochures. The intention is to reach out to all segments of society and therefore the UNRIC Reference Library is open to all inquiries about the UN via telephone, e-mail and post. UN documents and publications are available in English, French and Spanish, but some material is also available in other European languages.

UNRIC maintains websites in 13 languages of the region: Danish, English, French, Finnish, German, Greek, Icelandic, Italian, Dutch/Flemish, Norwegian, Portuguese, Swedish and Spanish. Each version presents basic information on the UN, its structure, goals, main documents, affiliated agencies, employment/internship opportunities and main areas of work. Moreover, it gives information about the most important UN related events, activities and observances, as well as the programs of UNRIC and the UN family in the region.

UNRIC organizes information projects or campaigns with key partners, including governments, the media, NGOs

Non-governmental organization

A non-governmental organization is a legally constituted organization created by natural or legal persons that operates independently from any government. The term originated from the United Nations , and is normally used to refer to organizations that do not form part of the government and are...

, educational institutions and local authorities.

Countries served

Since 1 January 2004, the new United Nations Regional Information Centre (UNRIC) in Brussels

Brussels

Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...

 provides information services to the following Western European countries:

Andorra

Andorra

Andorra , officially the Principality of Andorra , also called the Principality of the Valleys of Andorra, , is a small landlocked country in southwestern Europe, located in the eastern Pyrenees mountains and bordered by Spain and France. It is the sixth smallest nation in Europe having an area of...

, Belgium

Belgium

Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...

, Cyprus

Cyprus

Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...

, Denmark

Denmark

Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...

, Finland

Finland

Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...

, France

France

The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...

, Germany

Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

, Greece

Greece

Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....

, the Holy See, Iceland

Iceland

Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...

, Ireland

Ireland

Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...

, Italy

Italy

Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...

, Luxembourg

Luxembourg

Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...

, Malta

Malta

Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...

, Monaco

Monaco

Monaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a sovereign city state on the French Riviera. It is bordered on three sides by its neighbour, France, and its centre is about from Italy. Its area is with a population of 35,986 as of 2011 and is the most densely populated country in the...

, the Netherlands, Norway

Norway

Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...

, Portugal

Portugal

Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...

, San Marino

San Marino

San Marino, officially the Republic of San Marino , is a state situated on the Italian Peninsula on the eastern side of the Apennine Mountains. It is an enclave surrounded by Italy. Its size is just over with an estimated population of over 30,000. Its capital is the City of San Marino...

, Sweden

Sweden

Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....

, United Kingdom

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

 and Spain

Spain

Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...

.

UNRIC also cooperates with European Union

European Union

The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...

 institutions in the field of information.

Desk Officers

The main duty of a Desk Officer is the promotion of the UN system and its work in the country/countries of her/his responsibility. For example, this can be achieved through the implementation of information campaigns, the dissemination of information materials and the publication of op-eds written by UN officials.

A Desk Officer is also responsible for arranging interviews, organizing press conferences and briefings and for monitoring the press coverage of UN issues.

The duties of a Desk Officer include the production of print information materials and the cooperation with key civil society partners at the national and regional level.

Reference library

The UNRIC library maintains a collection of UN documents and publications in English, French and Spanish, as well as general information material about the work of the United Nations. The Library provides reference services via e-mail or telephone and is open to the public.

CoolPlanet2009

Cool Planet 2009 is the UN’s European information campaign on climate change. The CoolPlanet website is the centrepiece of UNRIC’s campaign, geared at generating interest and involvement in climate change

Climate change

Climate change is a significant and lasting change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods ranging from decades to millions of years. It may be a change in average weather conditions or the distribution of events around that average...

 issues in Europe and to mobilize citizens in support of a new climate agreement in Copenhagen

Copenhagen

Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...

 in December 2009. The Wall of Events on the website is a marketplace for European ideas, innovations and projects. You can post your own climate initiatives and see what others are doing in Europe.

The web page was launched on 26 February 2006 by the Prime Minister of Iceland Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir

Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir

Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir , , is the Prime Minister of Iceland. Many years a politician, she was previously Iceland's Minister of Social Affairs and Social Security from 1987–1994 and 2007–2009. She has been a member of the Althing for Reykjavík constituencies since 1978, winning re-election on eight...

 on behalf of the Prime Ministers of the five Nordic countries at the Nordic Globalization Forum at the Blue Lagoon

Blue Lagoon (geothermal spa)

The Blue Lagoon geothermal spa and is one of the most visited attractions in Iceland. The steamy waters are part of a lava formation. The spa is located in a lava field in Grindavík on the Reykjanes Peninsula, southwestern Iceland...

 in Iceland.

Coolplanet2009 has joined forces with numerous so-called Cool Friends and Partners, such as Yann Arthus-Bertrand

Yann Arthus-Bertrand

Yann Arthus-Bertrand is a French photographer, journalist, reporter and environmentalist.- Early life :Yann Arthus-Bertrand was born in Paris on March 13, 1946 in a renowned jewellers' family founded in 1803 by Claude Arthus-Bertrand and Michel-Ange Marion. His sister Catherine is one of his...

 and Good Planet, the Icelandic rock band Sigur Rós

Sigur Rós

Sigur Rós is an Icelandic post-rock band with classicaland minimalist elements. The band is known for its ethereal sound, and frontman Jónsi Birgisson's falsetto vocals and use of bowed guitar. In January 2010, the band announced that they will be on hiatus. Since then, it has since been announced...

, Björk

Björk

Björk Guðmundsdóttir , known as Björk , is an Icelandic singer-songwriter. Her eclectic musical style has achieved popular acknowledgement and popularity within many musical genres, such as rock, jazz, electronic dance music, classical and folk...

’s NGO Náttúra and the three chairwomen of the Road to Copenhagen: Margot Wallström

Margot Wallström

Margot Elisabeth Wallström is a Swedish social democratic, currently holding the job as . Prior to this post, she served as European Commissioner for Institutional Relations and Communication Strategy...

, Vice President of the European Commission, Gro Harlem Brundtland

Gro Harlem Brundtland

Gro Harlem Brundtland is a Norwegian Social democratic politician, diplomat, and physician, and an international leader in sustainable development and public health. She served three terms as Prime Minister of Norway , and has served as the Director General of the World Health Organization...

, UN Special Envoy on Climate Change and Mary Robinson

Mary Robinson

Mary Therese Winifred Robinson served as the seventh, and first female, President of Ireland from 1990 to 1997, and the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, from 1997 to 2002. She first rose to prominence as an academic, barrister, campaigner and member of the Irish Senate...

, former President of Ireland.

CoolPlanet2009 is the European branch of the global UN campaign Seal the Deal. CoolPlanet is also promoting the Seal the Deal in Europe through the concept “Wear Seal the Deal” in partnership with the Belgian designer Jean-Paul Knott. The concept features downloadable Seal the Deal campaign tools based on a do-it-yourself philosophy and includes Seal the Deal postcards, pins and t-shirts.

Seal the Deal 2009

The UN-led global campaign Seal the Deal seeks to encourage governments to successfully conclude a fair, balanced and effective climate agreement at the Copenhagen climate conference from 7 -18 December 2009. The campaign was launched on 5 June 2009, World Environment Day.

The Seal the Deal campaign aims to raise awareness on climate change and to emphasize that public pressure from around the globe is important to make politicians reach a deal by the time the meeting ends on December 18. To gather public support the Seal the Deal campaign encourages users to sign an online global petition which will be presented to world leaders. The petition will serve as a reminder that world leaders must negotiate a fair, balanced and effective agreement in Copenhagen, and that they must seal a deal to power green growth, protect our planet and build a more sustainable, prosperous global economy that will benefit all nations and all people.

Human Rights Education

Human Rights Education is an UNRIC campaign that began in 2009 to celebrate the International Year for Learning Human Rights. The web-based campaign is to be a marketplace of ideas for teachers and students where they can download and access material, exchange experiences about teaching and studying human rights, and find contacts, links, partners as well as a wide variety of other practical and relevant information.

Cartooning for Peace

The power and the responsibility of political cartooning was illustrated by the Prophet Mohammad cartoon debacle and the controversial cartoon exhibition on the Holocaust in Iran. Conceived by the French cartoonist Plantu, ‘Cartooning for Peace’ was born on 16 October 2006 at the UN Headquarters in New York. Twelve of the most renowned political cartoonists from all over the world participated in a two-day conference to help us ‘Unlearn intolerance.’ The conference was accompanied by an exhibition. A movement was born.

Development Policy Forum

The Development Policy Forum (DPF) is a partnership between the Brussels-based think tank ‘Friends of Europe,’ the World Bank, the United Nations, the Agence Française de Développement (AFD), the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID) and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Zusammenarbeit (GTZ). Support also comes from the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES), the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and an association with the European Commission Directorate General for Development and Relations with African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP). The goal of the partnership is to systematically address forthcoming challenges in the area of development policy through lively debates and written analyses.

The aims of the DPF are to:

• Raise awareness of development issues;
• Promote debate on topical and interlinked political, economic and social matters;
• Bring together political authorities, members of national, international and European development organisations, commentators and business representatives to discuss and debate development questions.

CINE-ONU

CINE-ONU is an event organized by UNRIC on a regular basis (once a month, in general). It is open to the public and it is one of the most successful initiatives of UNRIC in Brussels. Its success has grown over the past few years and it is expected that in the near future it will reach an even larger audience. CINE-ONU involves the screening of a film relevant to a specific UN issue, followed by a debate with reputed speakers - either connected to the film, to the issue in question, or to both. Often, CINE-ONU is organized to raise awareness of a UN International Day and the issues involved (for example the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women). CINE-ONUs are announced around two weeks in advance, via an internal mailing list, on-line platforms promoting similar events and/ or by putting up posters in universities and cultural centres. The usual venue is the Polak Room of Residence Palace, Rue de la Loi/Wetstraat 155. As this room has a limited number of seats, invitees are usually asked to register in advance by writing an e-mail to one of the organizers. The purpose of CINE-ONU is to raise awareness and spark debate on UN-specific issues. Moreover, it often offers the opportunity to its participants to see premieres of highly acclaimed documentaries and address questions to senior UN officials or other personalities.

UNRIC Magazine

UNRIC Magazine provides an overview of UN-related events that are taking place in Western Europe (UNRIC Activities). It also contains opinion pieces written by senior UN officials, interview of the month, background material on recent major UN initiatives, an article from one of the staff members at UNRIC, new appointments and report launches. A new edition of the magazine is published every month.

UN international days and observances

January
27 January	International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust International Holocaust Remembrance Day International Holocaust Remembrance Day, January 27, is an international memorial day for the victims of the Holocaust, the genocide that resulted in the annihilation of 6 million European Jews and millions of others by the Nazi regime.. It was designated by the United Nations General Assembly...
February
4 February	World Cancer Day World Cancer Day World Cancer Day is marked on February 4 to raise awareness of cancer and to encourage its prevention, detection, and treatment. It is led by the Union for International Cancer Control, a global consortium of more than 470 cancer-fighting organisations in over 120 countries...  [WHO]
20 February	World Day of Social Justice World Day of Social Justice World Day of Social Justice is a day recognizing the need to promote efforts to tackle issues such as poverty, exclusion and unemployment. The United Nations General Assembly has decided to observe 20 February annually, starting in 2009, as the World Day of Social Justice.As recognized by the World...
21 February	International Mother Language Day International Mother Language Day International Mother Language Day is an observance held annually on 21 February worldwide to promote awareness of linguistic and cultural diversity and multilingualism. It was first announced by UNESCO on 17 November 1999...
March
8 March	International Women's Day International Women's Day International Women's Day , originally called International Working Women’s Day, is marked on March 8 every year. In different regions the focus of the celebrations ranges from general celebration of respect, appreciation and love towards women to a celebration for women's economic, political and...
21 March	International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination 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...  / World Poetry Day World Poetry Day World Poetry Day is on 21 March, and was declared by UNESCO in 1999. The purpose of the day is to promote the reading, writing, publishing and teaching of poetry throughout THE WORLD and, as the UNESCO session declaring the day says, to "give fresh recognition and impetus to national, regional and...  [UNESCO]
22 March	World Water Day
23 March	World Meteorological Day
24 March	World Tuberculosis Day World Tuberculosis Day World Tuberculosis Day, falling on March 24 each year, is designed to build public awareness about the global epidemic of tuberculosis and efforts to eliminate the disease...  [WHO]
25 March	International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade
April
2 April	World Autism Awareness Day World Autism Awareness Day World Autism Awareness Day has been held every year since September 09, 1989. It was designated under by the United Nations General Assembly resolution "62/139...
4 April	International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action
7 April	World Health Day World Health Day World Health Day is celebrated every year on 7 April, under the sponsorship of the World Health Organization .In 1948, the World Health Organization held the First World Health Assembly. The Assembly decided to celebrate 7 April of each year, with effect from 1950, as the World Health Day...
22 April	International Mother Earth Day International Mother Earth Day International Mother Earth Day was established in 2009 by the General Assembly under Resolution A/RES/63/278. The Resolution was introduced by The Plurinational State of Bolivia and endorsed by over 50 member states...
23 April	World Book and Copyright Day World Book and Copyright Day World Book and Copyright Day is a yearly event on 23 April, organized by UNESCO to promote reading, publishing and copyright...
25 April	World Malaria Day World Malaria Day World Malaria Day is commemorated every year on 25 April and recognizes global efforts to control malaria. Globally, 3.3 billion people in 106 countries are at risk of malaria...  [WHO]
26 April	World Intellectual Property Day World Intellectual Property Day World Intellectual Property Day is observed annually on April 26. The event was established by the World Intellectual Property Organization in 2000 to "raise awareness of how patents, copyright, trademarks and designs impact on daily life" and "to celebrate creativity, and the contribution made...  [WIPO]
28 April	World Day for Safety and Health at Work World Day for Safety and Health at Work World Day for Safety and Health at Work is a UN international day that is celebrated every 28th of April. It is concerned about safe work and awareness of the dimensions and consequences of work-related accidents and diseases; to place occupational safety and health on the international and...  [ILO]
May
3 May	World Press Freedom Day World Press Freedom Day The United Nations General Assembly declared 3 May to be World Press Freedom Day to raise awareness of the importance of freedom of the press and remind governments of their duty to respect and uphold the right to freedom of expression enshrined under Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of...
8-9 May	Time of Remembrance and Reconciliation for Those Who Lost Their Lives during the Second World War
9-10 May	World Migratory Bird Day [UNEP]
15 May	International Day of Families International Day of Families May 15 is the International Day of Families. This was established by the General Assembly of the United Nations in 1992.-Theme:An annual message of the Secretary-General is prepared for wide distribution....
17 May	World Telecommunication and Information Society Day
21 May	World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development The World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development is a United Nations–sanctioned international holiday for the promotion of diversity issues. It is currently held on May 21. The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed this holiday due to UNESCO's Universal Declaration on...
22 May	International Day for Biological Diversity International Day for Biological Diversity The International Day for Biological Diversity is a United Nations–sanctioned international day for the promotion of biodiversity issues...
29 May	International Day of UN Peacekeepers
31 May	World No-Tobacco Day
June
4 June	International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression The International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression is a United Nations observance each 4 June. It was established on 19 August 1982.-UN Resolution:E-7/8...
5 June	World Environment Day
8 June	World Oceans Day
12 June	World Day Against Child Labour World Day Against Child Labour The World Day Against Child Labour is an International Labour Organization–sanctioned holiday for the purpose of raising awareness and activism to prevent child labour in both economic and military fields. It is currently held each June 12...
14 June	World Blood Donor Day World Blood Donor Day World Blood Donor Day is day dedicated to "thanking and celebrating voluntary non-remunerated blood donors". It occurs on June 14, the birthday of Karl Landsteiner, the creator of the ABO blood group system, for which he won the Nobel Prize. The first day was held in 2005.One of the main goals of...
17 June	World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought The World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought is a United Nations observance each June 17. Its purpose is to highlight ways to prevent desertification and recover from drought...
20 June	World Refugee Day World Refugee Day World Refugee Day, observed June 20 each year, is dedicated to raising awareness of the situation of refugees throughout the world.- History :...
23 June	United Nations Public Service Day
26 June	International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking The International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking is a United Nations International Day against drug abuse and the illegal drug trade. It has been held annually since 1988 on 26 June, a date chosen to commemorate Lin Zexu's dismantling of the opium trade in Humen, Guangdong, just...
26 June	United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture
July
First Saturday	International Day of Cooperatives International Co-operative Day International Co-operative Day is an annual celebration of the co-operative movement observed on the first Saturday in July since 1923 by the International Co-operative Alliance....
11 July	World Population Day World Population Day World Population Day is an annual event, observed on July 11, which seeks to raise awareness of global population issues. The event was established by the Governing Council of the United Nations Development Programme in 1989...
18 July	Nelson Mandela International Day
August
9 August	International Day of the World's Indigenous People International Day of the World's Indigenous People The International Day of the World's Indigenous People is observed on August 9 each year to promote and protect the rights of the world’s indigenous population. This event also recognizes the achievements and contributions that indigenous people make to improve world issues such as environmental...
12 August	International Youth Day International Youth Day International Youth Day is an awareness day designated by the United Nations. The first IYD was on 12 August 2000. As with other political awareness days, such as Earth Day, the purpose of the day is to draw attention to a given set of cultural and legal issues surrounding an endangered...
19 August	World Humanitarian Day World Humanitarian Day World Humanitarian Day is a day dedicated to recognize humanitarian personnel and those who have lost their lives working for humanitarian causes. It was designated by the United Nations General Assembly as part of a Swedish-sponsored GA Resolution A/63/L.49 on the Strengthening of the...
23 August	International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition, August 23 of each year, the day designated by UNESCO to memorialize the transatlantic slave trade. That date was chosen by the UNESCO Executive Board's adoption of resolution 29 C/40 at its 29th session. Circular CL/3494 of...
September
8 September	International Literacy Day International Literacy Day September 8 was proclaimed International Literacy Day by UNESCO on November 17, 1965. It was first celebrated in 1966. Its aim is to highlight the importance of literacy to individuals, communities and societies. On International Literacy Day each year, UNESCO reminds the international community of...
10 September	World Suicide Prevention Day World Suicide Prevention Day World Suicide Prevention Day is an awareness day observed on September 10 every year, in order to provide worldwide commitment and action to prevent suicides, with various activities around the world...  [WHO]
15 September	International Day of Democracy International Day of Democracy In 2007 the United Nations General Assembly decided to observe 15 September as the International Day of Democracy and invited all member states and organizations to commemorate the day in an appropriate manner that contributes to raising public awareness....
16 September	International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer September 16 was designated by the United Nations General Assembly as the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer.This designation was made on December 19 1994, in commemoration of the date, in 1987, on which nations signed the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the...
21 September	International Day of Peace International Day of Peace The International Day of Peace, also known as the World Peace Day, occurs annually on 21 September. It is dedicated to peace, and specifically the absence of war, such as might be occasioned by a temporary ceasefire in a combat zone. It is observed by many nations, political groups, military...
27 September	World Tourism Day World Tourism Day Since 1980, the United Nations World Tourism Organization has celebrated World Tourism Day on September 27. This date was chosen as on that day in 1970, the Statutes of the UNWTO were adopted. The adoption of these Statutes is considered a milestone in global tourism...  [WTO]
28 September	World Rabies Day World Rabies Day World Rabies Day is an international campaign coordinated by the Global Alliance for Rabies Control, a non-profit organization with headquarters in the United States and the United Kingdom...  [WHO]
28 September	World Heart Day [WHO]
Last week	World Maritime Day
October
First Monday	World Habitat Day World Habitat Day World Habitat Day is observed every year on the first Monday of October throughout the world. It was officially designated by the United Nations and first celebrated in 1986. The purpose of the day is to reflect on the state of our cities and towns and the basic human right to adequate shelter...
1 October	International Day of Older Persons International Day of Older Persons The International Day of Older Persons is observed on October 1 each year.On December 14, 1990 the United Nations General Assembly voted to establish October 1 as the International Day of Older Persons as recorded in Resolution 45/106...
2 October	International Day of Non-Violence International Day of Non-Violence The International Day of Non-Violence is observed on 2 October, the birthday of Mohandas Gandhi. This day is referred to in India as Gandhi Jayanti....
5 October	World Teachers' Day
Second Wednesday	International Day for Natural Disaster Reduction International Day for Natural Disaster Reduction The International Day for Disaster Reduction encourages every citizen and government to take part in building more disaster resilient communities and nations....
Second Thursday	World Sight Day [WHO]
9 October	World Post Day World Post Day World Post day happens each year on October 9, remembering this date for the establishment of Universal Postal Union in 1874 in Bern, Switzerland. The UPU was the start of global communications revolution, people could write to others all over the world....
10 October	World Mental Health Day World Mental Health Day World Mental Health Day , is a day for global mental health education, awareness and advocacy. It was first celebrated in 1992 at the initiative of the World Federation for Mental Health, a global mental health organization with members and contacts in more than 150 countries.This day, each October...
15 October	International Day of Rural Women
16 October	World Food Day World Food Day World Food Day is celebrated every year around the world on 16 October in honor of the date of the founding of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in 1945...
17 October	International Day for the Eradication of Poverty
24 October	United Nations Day United Nations Day In 1947, the United Nations General Assembly declared 24 October, the anniversary of the Charter of the United Nations, as which "shall be devoted to making known to the peoples of the world the aims and achievements of the United Nations and to gaining their support for" its work.In 1971 the...
24 October	World Development Information Day World Development Information Day In 1972, the United Nations General Assembly decided to institute a World Development Information Day coinciding with United Nations Day on 24 October...
27 October	World Day for Audiovisual Heritage [UNESCO]
November
6 November	International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict
10 November	World Science Day for Peace and Development [UNESCO]
14 November	World Diabetes Day World Diabetes Day World Diabetes Day is the primary global awareness campaign of the diabetes mellitus world and is held on November 14 of each year. It was introduced in 1991 by the International Diabetes Federation and the World Health Organization in response to the alarming rise of diabetes around the world...
Third Thursday	World Philosophy Day [UNESCO]
Third Sunday	World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims The World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims takes place on the third Sunday in November every year as the appropriate acknowledgment of victims of road traffic crashes and their families. It was started by RoadPeace in 1993 and was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in...
16 November	International Day for Tolerance International Day for Tolerance The International Day for Tolerance is an annual observance declared by UNESCO in 1995 to generate public awareness of the dangers of intolerance. It is observed on 16 November...
19 November	World Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Day [WHO]
20 November	Universal Children’s Day
20 November	Africa Industrialization Day
21 November	World Television Day World Television Day In December 1996 the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 21 November as World Television Day commemorating the date on which the first World Television Forum was held in 1996....
25 November	International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women Women's activists have marked November 25 as a day to fight violence against women since 1981. On December 17, 1999, the United Nations General Assembly designated 25 November as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women...
29 November	International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People The International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People is a UN-organized observance. Events are held at the United Nations headquarters in New York, as well as at United Nations offices at Geneva and Vienna....
December
1 December	World AIDS Day World AIDS Day World AIDS Day, observed December 1 every year, is dedicated to raising awareness of the AIDS pandemic caused by the spread of HIV infection. Government and health officials observe the day, often with speeches or forums on the AIDS topics. Since 1995, the President of the United States has made an...
2 December	International Day for the Abolition of Slavery International Day for the Abolition of Slavery The International Day for the Abolition of Slavery is a yearly event on 2 December ,organized by the United Nations General Assembly. The Day was first celebrated in 1986....
3 December	International Day of Persons with Disabilities
5 December	International Volunteer Day for Economic and Social Development
7 December	International Civil Aviation Day International Civil Aviation Day In 1996 the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed that 7 December was to be the International Civil Aviation DayThe day had been celebrated by the International Civil Aviation Organization since 7 December 1994, the 50th anniversary of the signing the Convention on International Civil...
9 December	International Anti-Corruption Day International anti-corruption day International Anti-Corruption Day has been observed annually, on the 9th December, since the passage of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption on 31 October 2003.-Background:The Convention states, in part, that the UN is:...
10 December	Human Rights Day Human Rights Day Human Rights Day is celebrated annually across the world on 10 December.The date was chosen to honor the United NationsGeneral Assembly's adoption and proclamation, on 10 December 1948, of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights , the first global enunciation of human rights...
11 December	International Mountain Day
18 December	International Migrants Day International Migrants Day International Migrants Day is an international day observed on December 18 as International Migrants Day appointed by the General Assembly of United Nations on December 4, 2000 taking into account the large and increasing number of migrants in the world...
19 December	United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation
20 December	International Human Solidarity Day