Prepared
and issued
by Meetings Coverage Section, DPI |  |
Reference Paper
No. 43
February 2004 |
United Nations Conferences
and Observances
This year, the international
community will focus on a variety of concerns, through a number of international
meetings and observances.
To mark the tenth anniversary of the genocide in Rwanda,
the General Assembly has declared 7 April
2004 as an International Day of Reflection
on the 1994 Genocide in Rwanda.
An international meeting will be held from 30 August to 3
September 2004 in Mauritius,
to review implementation of
the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing
States. This meeting was called for in the Plan of Implementation of
the World Summit on Sustainable Development.
The Assembly has also declared 2004 as the International
Year to Commemorate the Struggle against Slavery and Its Abolition.
In addition, 2004 is the International
Year of Rice, calling attention to the staple food of more than half the world.
Early next year, the World
Conference on Disaster Reduction will meet at Kobe,
Japan, from 18 to 22 January.
Also during 2005, the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear
Weapons will hold their Seventh Review
Conference. The Sixth Review Conference took place in the year 2000.
The following pages contain information on United Nations conferences and special
observances scheduled for 2004 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.
AIDS
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, over 41 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
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). In 2001, the Assembly called upon the administering Powers to cooperate
fully with the Special Committee on decolonization to finalize before the end
of 2002 a programme of work for the Non-Self-Governing Territories, on a case-by-case
basis, to facilitate implementation of the relevant resolutions on decolonization
(resolution
56/74 of 10 December). The First Decade, 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). On 8 December 2003, the Assembly emphasized the importance of a successful
Review Conference in 2005, as the third session of the Preparatory Committee will
be convened in 2004 (resolution
58/59).
DISARMAMENT AND INTERNATIONAL SECURITY
Review Conference
of the Parties to the Treaty on the
Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons
(2005)
The Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) will
hold their next review conference in 2005. The General Assembly, on 22 November
2002, called upon the nuclear-weapon States to respect fully their existing commitments
regarding security assurances, pending the conclusion of multilaterally negotiated,
legally binding assurances to all non-nuclear-weapon States parties, and agreed
to prioritize this issue with a view to making recommendations to the 2005 Review
Conference (resolution
57/59).
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.
DISASTER REDUCTION
World Conference on Disaster
Reduction
(18-22 January 2005)
On 23 December 2003, the General Assembly decided to convene a World Conference
on Disaster Reduction, to be held at Kobe, Japan, from 18 to 22 January 2005 (resolution
58/214). Its purposes include identifying activities to implement relevant
provisions of the Plan of Implementation of the World Summit on Sustainable Development
on vulnerability, risk assessment and disaster management; sharing best practices
and lessons learned to further disaster reduction within the context of sustainable
development and to identify gaps and challenges; increasing awareness of the importance
of disaster-reduction policies, thereby facilitating their implementation; and
increasing the reliability and availability of appropriate disaster-related information
to the public and disaster-management agencies in all regions.
The Assembly invited Member States, United Nations bodies and specialized agencies
and other relevant intergovernmental agencies and organizations - in particular,
the members of the Inter-Agency Task Force for Disaster Reduction - to participate
actively in the Conference and its preparatory process. It asked the inter-agency
secretariat for the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction to serve as
secretariat for the Conference and coordinate its preparatory 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 the 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
United Nations
Decade for the Eradication of Poverty
(1997-2006)
In its resolution on implementation of the First United Nations Decade for the
Eradication of poverty adopted on 23 December 2003, the General Assembly stressed
the importance of following up on the outcome of the International Conference
on Financing for Development, and called for implementation of the Monterrey Consensus.
It also urged developed countries to make concrete efforts to reach the targets
of 0.7 per cent of their gross national product (GNP) as official development
assistance to developing countries, and 0.15 to 0.2 per cent of their GNP to least
developed countries. It also stressed the importance of access to safe drinking
water and basic sanitation (resolution
58/222).
The Assembly proclaimed the Decade in 1995 (resolution
50/107 II of 20 December) to follow up on the International Year for the Eradication
of Poverty, 1996. The Decade's main objective is eradicating absolute poverty
and reducing overall poverty substantially in the world. The theme for the Decade
is "Eradicating poverty is an ethical, social, political and economic imperative
of humankind" (resolution
51/178 of 16 December 1996).
Decade
to Roll Back Malaria in Developing Countries,
Particularly in Africa
(2001-2010)
On 7 September 2001, the General Assembly proclaimed the period 2001-2010 as the
Decade to Roll Back Malaria in Developing Countries, Particularly in Africa (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 9 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 bednets; that at least 60 per cent of all
pregnant women at risk for malaria shall have access 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). The Assembly 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.
International
Year of Microcredit
(2005)
In 1998, proclaiming 2005 as the International Year of Microcredit (resolution
53/197 of 15 December), the General Assembly requested that the Year's observance
be a special occasion for giving impetus to microcredit programmes throughout
the world. The Assembly asked all those involved in poverty eradication to take
additional steps to make available credit and related services for self-employment
and income-generating activities to an increasing number of people living in poverty.
Governments, non-governmental organizations, the private sector and the media
were invited to highlight the role of microcredit in poverty eradication, its
contribution to social development, and its positive impact on the lives of the
poor.
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, 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 annually, on 5 December,
the International Volunteer Day for Economic and Social Development, also urging
them to heighten awareness of the contribution of volunteer service, thereby stimulating
more people in all walks of life to offer their services as volunteers, both at
home and abroad (resolution
40/212 of 17 December 1985). 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).
ENVIRONMENT AND DEVELOPMENT
International Meeting to
Review Implementation of Programme of Action
for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States
(30 August - 3 September
2004)
On 20 December 2002, the Assembly decided to convene an international meeting
in 2004 to review implementation of the Programme of Action for the Sustainable
Development of Small Island Developing States, as called for in the Plan of Implementation
of the World Summit on Sustainable Development (resolution
57/262). It welcomed the offer of the Government of Mauritius to host that
meeting, which will include a high-level segment.
On 23 December 2003, the Assembly set the dates for the International Meeting,
urging that representation and participation at the Meeting be at the highest
possible level (resolution
58/213). It welcomed the efforts made at the national, subregional and regional
levels to implement the Programme of Action, and took note of the reports of the
regional preparatory meetings for the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian Ocean, Mediterranean,
South China Sea and Caribbean regions of small island developing States.
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.
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.
International Year of Deserts and Desertification
(2006)
On 23 December 2003, the General Assembly decided to declare 2006 as the International
Year of Deserts and Desertification (resolution
58/211). 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 has 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.
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)
World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought, 17 June, was proclaimed by the
General Assembly in 1994 (resolution
49/115). On that date, the same year, the United
Nations Convention to Combat Desertification was adopted. States were invited
to devote the World Day to promoting awareness of the need for international cooperation
to combat desertification and the effects of drought, and on the 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 of 19 December). 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.
GENOCIDE
International Day of Reflection
on the 1994 Genocide in Rwanda
(7 April 2004)
On 23 December 2003, the General Assembly adopted a resolution
designating 7 April 2004 as the International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide
in Rwanda to commemorate –- on the tenth anniversary of those events -- the victims
and promote a recommitment to the fight against genocide throughout the world.
Noting that many of the perpetrators continued to elude justice, the Assembly
expressed its conviction that exposing and holding them and their accomplices
accountable, as well as restoring the dignity of the victims, would guide societies
in the prevention of further such violations.
HUMAN RIGHTS
United
Nations Decade for Human Rights Education
(1995-2004)
The General Assembly proclaimed the United Nations Decade for Human Rights Education
in 1994, to begin on 1 January 1995, and welcomed the Plan of Action for the Decade
submitted by the Secretary-General (resolution
49/184). The Assembly stated that human rights education should be a lifelong
process by which people learn respect for the dignity of others. It called on
governments to direct education towards full development of the human personality
and the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. The
Coordinator for implementation of the Plan of Action for the Decade is the United
Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.
On 19 December 2001, the General Assembly urged governments to contribute further
to implementation of the Plan of Action by encouraging the establishment of broadly
representative national committees to develop national plans for human rights
education (resolution
56/167). On 22 December 2003, the Assembly urged all governments to promote
the development of national strategies for human rights education and to establish
and strengthen knowledge of human rights in their education policies (resolution
58/181).
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, the International Convention on the
Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families
was adopted in 1990 (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 some 130 million people live outside their countries of origin.
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
International
Year of Rice
(2004)
Noting that rice is the staple food of more than half of the world’s population,
the Assembly, on 16 December 2002, declared 2004 the International Year of Rice
(resolution
57/162). In doing so, the Assembly 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.
The Assembly invited the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
of the United Nations 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 and non-governmental organizations.
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
International Decade of the World's Indigenous People
(1994-2004)
In 1990, the General Assembly proclaimed 1993 the International Year of the World's
Indigenous People (resolution
45/164). In 1993, on the recommendation of the 1993 World Conference on Human
Rights, the Assembly proclaimed the International Decade of the World's Indigenous
People, starting on 10 December 1994 (resolution
48/163), adopting the Programme of Activities for the Decade in 1995 (resolution
50/157). The goal of the Decade is to strengthen international cooperation
for solving problems faced by indigenous people in such areas as human rights,
the environment, development, education and health. The Coordinator of the Decade
is the United Nations High Commissioner
for Human Rights; its theme is "Indigenous people: Partnership in action".
On 19 December 2001, the Assembly appealed to all governments and organizations
to consider contributing to the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Indigenous Populations,
if possible with a substantial increase in the level of contributions (resolution
56/140).
On 22 December 2003, the Assembly adopted a resolution encouraging governments
to support the Decade by seeking means of giving indigenous people greater responsibility
for their own affairs and an effective voice in decisions on matters that affect
them. It encouraged the creation of national committees or other mechanisms involving
indigenous people to ensure that the objectives and activities of the Decade are
planned and implemented on the basis of full partnership with indigenous people
(resolution
58/158).
International Day of the World's Indigenous People
(9 August)
In 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 of 23 December). The date marks the day of the first meeting, in 1992,
of the Working Group on Indigenous Populations of the Subcommission on the Promotion
and Protection of Human Rights.
INFORMATION
World Summit
on the Information Society
(16-18 November 2005)
The second, concluding part of the World Summit on the Information Society will
be held in Tunis, from 16 to 18 November 2005. The first
part of the Summit, held at Geneva from 10 to 12 December 2003, addressed
a broad range of themes concerning the information society and adopted a Declaration
of Principles and Plan of Action. At the invitation of the General Assembly,
the International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
has the leading managerial role for the Summit. The Assembly has invited governments
to be represented at the Summit at the highest possible level (resolution
56/183).
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 3 December 2001, the Assembly noted the actions taken by Member
States to observe the Day, and requested that they continue to give it the widest
possible publicity (resolution
56/34).
Reaffirming that the United Nations had a permanent responsibility with respect
to the question of Palestine until it was resolved in a satisfactory manner in
accordance with international legitimacy, the Assembly, on 3 December 2001, authorized
the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People
to continue to promote the exercise of these rights, to adjust its work programme
in the light of developments and to emphasize the need to mobilize support and
assistance for the Palestinian people (resolution
56/33).
On 3 December 2003, the General Assembly stressed the necessity for a commitment
to the vision of the two-State solution, the principle of land for peace, and
the implementation of Security Council resolutions 242
(1967), 338
(1973), 1397
(2002) and 1515
(2003). It also stressed the need for the withdrawal of Israel from the Palestinian
territory occupied since 1967; and the realization of the inalienable rights of
the Palestinian people, primarily the right to self-determination and the right
to their independent State (resolution
58/21).
PEACE
International
Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-violence
for the Children of the World
(2001-2010)
On 5 November 2001, the General Assembly stated that the objective of the International
Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-violence for the Children of the World,
2001-2010, is to further strengthen the global movement for a culture of peace
(resolution
56/5). It invited States to expand their activities promoting such a culture
and requested that UNESCO,
as lead agency for the Decade, further strengthen their activities to promote
a culture of peace.
Proclaiming the Decade in 1998 (resolution
53/25 of 10 November), the Assembly 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
International
Year to Commemorate the Struggle
against Slavery and Its Abolition
(2004)
The General Assembly, on 18 December 2002, proclaimed 2004 the International Year
to Commemorate the Struggle against Slavery and Its Abolition (resolution
57/195). It took this action as part of its follow-up to the Durban Declaration
and Programme of Action, adopted by the World
Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance,
held at Durban, South Africa, from 31 August to 8 September 2001. The Assembly
reaffirmed its commitment to a global drive for the total elimination of racism,
racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, and stressed the need
to maintain political will and momentum at the national, regional and international
levels.
Week of Solidarity with the Peoples Struggling
against Racism and Racial Discrimination
(beginning on 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)).
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 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
International Year for Sport and Physical Education
(2005)
On 3 November 2003, the General Assembly decided to proclaim 2005 as the International
Year for Sport and Physical Education, as a means to promote education, health,
development and peace (resolution
58/5). It invited governments to organize events to underline their commitment
and to seek the assistance of sports personalities in that regard.
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)
The Assembly, on 20 December, designated 23 June of each year as United Nations
Public Service Day (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 United Nations Development Programme (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. In 2001, world population stood at 6.1 billion, and was growing
by 77 million a year. The United Nations estimates there will be between 7.9 billion
and 10.9 billion people in 2050, with 9.3 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)).
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 Habitat Day (first Monday
of October); World Post Day (9 October); World Mental Health Day (10 October);
and International Mountain Day (11 December).
INDEX
Conferences, Events and Special Sessions
International Meeting to Review
Implementation of Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small
Island Developing States (30 August-3 September 2004)
World Conference
on Disaster Reduction (18-22 January 2005)
World Summit on the Information
Society (16-18 November 2005)
Review
Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons
(2005)
International Decades and Years
1994-2004 --
International Decade of the World's Indigenous People
1995-2004 -- United
Nations Decade for Human Rights Education
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 -- United
Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development
2005-2015 -- International
Decade for Action, “Water for Life” (from 22 March 2005)
2004 -- International
Year to Commemorate the Struggle against Slavery and Its Abolition
2004 -- International
Year of Rice
2005 --
International Year of Microcredit
2005 -- International Year for Sport and Physical Education
2006 -- International Year of Deserts and Desertification
Annual Days and Weeks
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
21 March -- Beginning of the Week of Solidarity with the Peoples Struggling against
Racism and Racial Discrimination
22 March -- World Day for
Water
23 March -- World Meteorological
Day
7 April 2004 -- International Day of
Reflection on the 1994 Genocide in Rwanda
7 April -- World Health
Day
23 April -- World Book and Copyright Day
3 May -- World Press Freedom Day
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
25 May -- Beginning of the 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
5 July -- International Day of Cooperatives (first Saturday of July)
11 July -- World Population Day
9 August -- 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
4-10 October -- World Space Week
5 October -- World Teachers' Day
4 October -- World Habitat Day
(first Monday of October)
9 October -- World Post Day
10 October -- World Mental Health Day
13 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
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
* *** *