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ABOUT ZERO DISCRIMINATION DAY On Zero Discrimination Day, 1 March, we celebrate the right of everyone to live a full and productive life—and live it with dignity. Zero Discrimination Day highlights how people can become informed about and promote inclusion, compassion, peace and, above all, a movement for change. Zero Discrimination Day is helping to...
Healthy seagrass, healthy planet In May 2022, the General Assembly adopted A/RES/76/265 proclaiming 1 March as World Seagrass Day. The resolution highlights the urgent need to raise awareness at all levels and to promote and facilitate actions for the conservation of seagrasses in order to contribute to their health and development, bearing in mind that enhancing ecosystem...
The incalculable value of wildlife Billions of people, in developed and developing nations, benefit daily from the use of wild species for food, energy, materials, medicine, recreation, inspiration and many...
Online Event accessed through CITES YouTube Channel The incalculable value of wildlife Billions of people, in developed and developing nations, benefit daily from the use of wild species for food,...
The incalculable value of wildlife Billions of people, in developed and developing nations, benefit daily from the use of wild species for food, energy, materials, medicine, recreation, inspiration and many...
We are not reaching net zero fast enough Implementing a robust sustainability strategy that delivers a return on investment should be every organisation’s long-term ambition. Improving your implementation of sustainability projects is good for business and the planet, and expected by investors. The 9th annual Sustainability Week, incorporating the Energy Transition summit (ETS), will deliver vital...
The International Day for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Awareness seeks to promote better awareness and understanding of disarmament issues among the public, especially young people. Since the founding of the United Nations, the goals of multilateral disarmament and arms limitation have been central to the Organization’s efforts to maintain international peace and security. Weapons of mass...
Development in Asia hinges on decisive measures against climate change. The region is grappling with escalating climate disturbances, impacting countless individuals' well-being, food stability, and health. While governments across Asia have made increasingly ambitious climate pledges to address this, substantial scope remains to accelerate decarbonisation and the transition to a greener economy. Current and evolving...
Invest in women: Accelerate progress Achieving gender equality and women’s well-being in all aspects of life is more crucial than ever if we want to create prosperous economies and a healthy planet. However, we are facing a key challenge: the alarming $360 billion annual deficit in gender-equality measures by 2030. Join us on March 8,...
Invest in women: Accelerate progress Achieving gender equality and women’s well-being in all aspects of life is more crucial than ever if we want to create prosperous economies and a healthy planet. However, we are facing a key challenge: the alarming $360 billion annual deficit in gender-equality measures by 2030. Join us on March 8,...
Background While equality in the judiciary has been historically uneven, steps are being taken to remedy this as evidenced by the declaration by the United Nations General Assembly of 10 March as the International Day of Women Judges. The General Assembly resolution, drafted by the State of Qatar, is tangible proof of an positive shift. Redressing...
Overview for New tools for companies seeking to advance their ESG and Climate data transparency As a sustainability leader, you need a strong and clear sustainability strategy that covers environmental,...
COP28’s global stocktake recognised the global scientific consensus with the explicit acknowledgment of the need to “transition away” from fossil fuels. With a flurry of enhanced national plans to deliver 1.5C being delivered by next year in response, the pressure is now on for governments and businesses to turn climate commitments into concerted action. Bringing about...
AI holds great promise: Better answers. Saving time. Driving revenue. Until now, these promises have been largely conceptual, especially when applied to specific verticals such as sustainability and ESG. In...
What is Islamophobia? Islamophobia is a fear, prejudice and hatred of Muslims that leads to provocation, hostility and intolerance by means of threatening, harassment, abuse, incitement and intimidation of Muslims and non-Muslims, both in the online and offline world. Motivated by institutional, ideological, political and religious hostility that transcends into structural and cultural racism, it...
Overview Carbon credits issued from avoided deforestation projects (known as REDD+) received a lot of scrutiny last year, yet they also accounted for the second largest volume of credit retirements....
What is the International Day of Happiness? It’s a day to be happy, of course! Since 2013, the United Nations has celebrated the International Day of Happiness as a way to recognise the importance of happiness in the lives of people around the world. Happiness is a fundamental human goal. The United Nations General Assembly recognizes this...
On March 20, the UN celebrates French Language Day Language Days at the United Nations were introduced in 2010 to celebrate multilingualism and cultural diversity. The UN celebrates six “Language Days” each year, dedicated to the six official languages of the United Nations, which are Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish. These days are...
Background The International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination is observed annually on the day the police in Sharpeville, South Africa, opened fire and killed 69 people at a peaceful demonstration against apartheid "pass laws" in 1960. In 1979, the General Assembly adopted a programme of activities to be undertaken during the second half of the...
What is Nowruz and why do we celebrate it? The word Nowruz (Novruz, Navruz, Nooruz, Nevruz, Nauryz), means new day; its spelling and pronunciation may vary by country. Nowruz marks the first day of spring and is celebrated on the day of the astronomical vernal equinox, which usually occurs on 21 March. It is celebrated...
Practiced throughout history – in every culture and on every continent – poetry speaks to our common humanity and our shared values, transforming the simplest of poems into a powerful catalyst for dialogue and peace. Held every year on 21 March, World Poetry Day celebrates one of humanity’s most treasured forms of cultural and linguistic...
Background The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 21 March the International Day of Forests in 2012 to celebrate and raise awareness of the importance of all types of forests. Countries are encouraged to undertake local, national and international efforts to organize activities involving forests and trees, such as tree planting campaigns. The organizers are the United Nations Forum...
Background The estimated incidence of Down syndrome is between 1 in 1,000 to 1 in 1,100 live births worldwide. Each year, approximately 3,000 to 5,000 children are born with this chromosome disorder. The quality of life of people with Down syndrome can be improved by meeting their health care needs, including regular check-ups with health...
Key messages for World Water Day 2024 Water can create peace or spark conflict. When water is scarce or polluted, or when people struggle for access, tensions can rise. By cooperating on water, we can balance everyone’s water needs and help stabilize the world. Prosperity and peace rely on water. As nations manage climate change,...
Every 23 March, the World Meteorological Organization commemorates the coming into force of the Convention establishing the World Meteorological Organization on 23 March 1950. It showcases the essential contribution of...
The Right to the Truth The right to the truth is often invoked in the context of gross violations of human rights and grave breaches of humanitarian law. The relatives of victims of summary executions, enforced disappearance, missing persons, abducted children, torture, require to know what happened to them. The right to the truth implies...
24 March is World Tuberculosis Day Each year we commemorate World TB Day to raise public awareness about the devastating health, social and economic consequences of tuberculosis (TB) and to step up efforts to end the global TB epidemic. The date marks the day in 1882 when Dr. Robert Koch announced that he had discovered...
2024 Remembrance Programme “Creating Global Freedom: Countering Racism with Justice in Societies and Among Nations" The transatlantic trade in enslaved Africans represents one of the most horrific and traumatizing eras in human history. This racialized system of enslavement abducted, trafficked, and brutally dehumanized Africans and their descendants over centuries leaving a pernicious legacy of...
Protecting UN staff Since the founding of the United Nations in 1945, hundreds of brave men and women have lost their lives in its service. During the 1990s, the growing number and scale of UN peacekeeping missions put many more at risk. More lives were lost during the 1990s than in the previous four decades...
Sustainability in Focus: Driving Towards a Sustainable Future The auto industry's transition to electric vehicles is accelerating. By 2030, over one in four new passenger cars sold is projected to...
International Day of Zero Waste The International Day of Zero Waste aims to promote sustainable consumption and production patterns, support the societal shift towards circularity and raise awareness about how zero-waste initiatives contribute to the advancement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The waste sector contributes significantly to the triple planetary crisis of climate change,...
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