International Weeks UNESCO participates in the celebration of the following International Weeks: 22-28 April 2012Education for All (EFA) Global Action Week 21-27 May 2012 (fourth week of May) International Arts Education Week (proclaimed by UNESCO -36C/Res. 38) 21-27 May 2012 (last week of May) Africa Week 26-31 August 2012World Water Week Green Accounting, with a Focus on World Water Scenarios for Our Future (26 August 2012) Seminar on the 2013 UN International Year and World Water Day on Water Cooperation (27 August 2012) Implementing the Right to Water (27 August 2012) Moving Forward: Lessons from the World Water Development Report 4 (27 August 2012) 18-22 February 2013UNESCO Mobile Learning Week (MLW) For a comprehensive list of weeks observed by the United Nations and its Specialized Agencies please consultInternational Weeks page of the UN website.

International Days The United Nations General Assembly designates a number of"International Days"to mark important aspects of human life and history (the comprehensive list of all days celebrated by the United Nations and its Specialized Agencies is available here: International Days). United Nations Specialized Agencies, including UNESCO, can also proclaim World Days. In this case, the proclamation of international days depends on their governing bodies and internal regulations only. UNESCO thus celebrates UN International Days related to its fields of competence, in addition to the other World Days, proclaimed by the Organization's governing bodies or other institutions. The list of official messages by Ms Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO, on the occasion of International Days with which UNESCO is associated is availablehere. International Days observed at UNESCO 27 JanuaryInternational Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust34 C/Resolution 61A/RES/60/7 UN web 13 FebruaryWorld Radio Day36 C/Resolution 63A/67/62 21 FebruaryInternational Mother Language Day30 C/62 A/RES/56/262 UN web 8 MarchInternational Women’s Day20 C/Resolution 13.2 UN web 20 MarchInternational Francophonie DayMessage from the Director-General 21 MarchWorld Poetry Day30 C/Resolution 29 UN web 21 MarchInternational Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination14 C/Resolution 11A/RES/2142 (XXI) UN web 21 MarchInternational Day of Nowruz184 EX/SR.1-9 A/RES/64/253 UN web 22 MarchWorld Day for Water141 EX/22 A/RES/47/193 UN web 23 AprilWorld Book and Copyright Day28 C/Resolution 3.18 UN web 30 AprilInternational Jazz Day36 C/Resolution 39 3 MayWorld Press Freedom Day26 C/Resolution 4.3 UN web 21 MayWorld Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development166 EX/37 A/RES/57/249 UN web 22 MayInternational Day for Biological Diversity146 EX/32 A/RES/49/119 UN web 25 MayAfrica Day / Africa Week 5 JuneWorld Environment Day112 EX/15A/RES/2994 (XXVII) UN web 8 JuneWorld Oceans Day181 EX/4 A/RES/63/111 UN web 17 JuneWorld Day to Combat Desertification and Drought A/RES/49/115 UN web 9 AugustInternational Day of the World's Indigenous People146 EX/32 A/RES/49/214 UN web 12 AugustInternational Youth Day159 EX/28 A/RES/54/120 UN web 23 AugustInternational Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition29 C/Resolution 40 8 SeptemberInternational Literacy Day14 C/Resolution 1.441 15 SeptemberInternational Day of DemocracyA/RES/62/7 UN web 21 SeptemberInternational Day of Peace114 EX/24A/RES/36/67; A/RES/55/282 UN web 5 OctoberWorld Teachers'Day27 C/INF.7 UN web Second Wednesday in OctoberInternational Day for Disaster Reduction134 EX/15 A/RES/44/236; A/RES/64/200 UN web 17 OctoberInternational Day for the Eradication of Poverty28 C/Resolution 2.1 A/RES/47/196 UN web 20 OctoberWorld Statistics Day A/RES/64/267 UN web 27 OctoberWorld Day for Audiovisual Heritage33 C/Resolution 53 UN web 10 NovemberWorld Science Day for Peace and Development31 C/Resolution 20 UN web Third Thursday in NovemberWorld Philosophy Day33 C/Resolution 37 UN web 16 NovemberInternational Day for Tolerance28 C/Resolution 5.61A/RES/51/95 UN web 25 NovemberInternational Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women159 EX/28 A/RES/54/134 UN web 29 NovemberInternational Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People114 EX/24 A/RES/32/40B UN web 1 DecemberWorld AIDS Day130 EX/INF.3 UN web 3 DecemberInternational Day of Persons with DisabilitiesA/RES/47/3 UN web 10 DecemberHuman Rights Day3 C/Resolution 14.8A/RES/423 (V) UN web 18 DecemberInternational Migrants Day161 EX/37A/RES/55/93 UN web 18 DecemberWorld Arabic Language Day190 EX/Decision 48

International observances (Decades): Decades[edit] 1976–1985 –United Nations Decade for Women[26], recognized by the UN 1990s –International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction 1994–2004 –First International Decade of the World's Indigenous People [27], recognized by the UN 1997–2006 –First United Nations Decade for the Eradication of Poverty[28], recognized by the UN 2000–2010 –Second International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism[29](pdf), recognized by the UN 2000–2010 –Bone and Joint Decade[30], recognized by WHO 2001–2010 –International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-violence for the Children of the World[31], recognized by the UN 2001–2010 –Decade to Roll Back Malaria in Developing Countries, Particularly in Africa (2001–2010), recognized by the UN 2003–2012 –United Nations Literacy Decade[32], recognized by the UN 2005–2014 –United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development–[33], recognized by the UN 2005–2014 –Second International Decade of the World's Indigenous People[34], recognized by the UN 2005–2015 –Water for Life Decade, recognized by the UN 2010–2020 –United Nations Decade for Deserts and the Fight Against Desertification, recognized by the UN 2011–2020 –United Nations Decade on Biodiversity, recognized by the UN; Third International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism, recognized by the UN; Decade of Action for Road Safety[www.who.int/roadsafety/decade_of_action/en/index.html], recognized by the UN

International observances (Years): Years[edit] Before 1950[edit] 1882/1883 –International Polar Year 1932/1933 –International Polar Year 1950s[edit] 1957/1958 –International Geophysical Year 1959/1960 –World Refugee Year 1960s[edit] 1961 –International Health and Medical Research Year 1965 –International Cooperation Year 1967 –International Tourist Year 1968 –International Year for Human Rights 1970s[edit] 1970 –International Education Year 1971 –International Year for Action to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination 1974 –World Population Year 1975 –International Women's Year 1978/1979 –International Anti-Apartheid Year 1979 –International Year of the Child 1980s[edit] 1981 –International Year of Disabled Persons 1982 –International Year of Mobilization for Sanctions against South Africa 1983 –World Communications Year 1984 –Year of Women in South Africa[6] 1985 –Year of the United Nations 1985 –International Youth Year 1986 –International Year of Peace 1987 –International Year of Shelter for the Homeless 1990s[edit] 1990 –International Literacy Year–United Nations General AssemblyResolution104 session 42International Literacy Yearon December 7, 1987 1992 –International Space Year 1993 –International Year of the World's Indigenous People 1994 –International Year of Sport and the Olympic Ideal 1994 –International Year of the Family 1995 –World Year of Peoples'Commemoration of Victims of the Second World War 1995 –United Nations Year for Tolerance 1996 –International Year for the Eradication of Poverty 1998 –International Year of the Ocean 1999 –International Year of Older Persons 1999 –International Men's Day 2000s[edit] 2000 –International Year for the Culture of Peace 2001 –International Year of Mobilization against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance 2001 –International Year of Volunteers 2001 –United Nations Year of Dialogue among Civilizations[7][8][9] 2002 –International Year of Ecotourism[10] 2002 –International Year of Mountains[11]United Nations General AssemblyResolution24 session 53(retrieved 2007-11-19) 2002 –United Nations Year for Cultural Heritage[12] 2003 –International Year of Freshwater[13] 2003 –European Disability Year 2004 –International Year to Commemorate the Struggle against Slavery and its Abolition[14] 2004 –International Year of Rice 2005 –International Year for Sport and Physical Education 2005 –International Year of Microcredit[15] 2005 –World Year of Physics(declared byIUPAP)[16] 2006 –International Year of Deserts and Desertification 2007 –Year of the Dolphin(extended to 2008) 2007 –International Year of the Scout[17] 2007–2008 –International Heliophysical Year 2007–2008–(2009) –International Polar Year (2007)–2008–(2009) –International Year of Planet Earth– (N.B. Triennium) –[18]and[19]&[20] 2007 – Year of the Rights of Internally Displaced Persons in Colombia 2008 –International Year of Languages 2008 –International Year of the Potato 2008 –International Year of Sanitation 2009 –International Year of Astronomy[21](proposal accepted by 33rd session of the UNESCO General Conference, proclaimed by United Nations 62nd General Assembly) 2009 –International Year of Natural Fibres[22] 2009 –International Year of Reconciliationhttp://www.undemocracy.com/generalassembly_61/meeting_56/pg025-bk02#pg025-bk02 ][23] 2009 –Year of the Gorilla–[24] 2009 –International Year of the Shark–[25] 2010s[edit] 2010 –International Year of Communications[citation needed] 2010 –International Year for the Rapprochement of Cultures[139] 2010 –International Year of Biodiversity 2010 –International Year of Youth 2011 –International Year of Forests 2011 –International Year of Advanced Skills 2011 –International Year of Chemistry, recognized byUNESCO 2011 –International Year for People of African descent 2011 –World Veterinary Year 2011 2012 –International Year of Cooperatives 2012 –International Year of Sustainable Energy for All 2013 –International Year of Water Cooperation 2013 –International Year of Quinoa 2013 – International Year of Statistics (Statistics2013)[140] 2014 –International Year of Family Farming 2014 –International Year of Crystallography[141][142]

International observances (Weeks & Months): Weeks[edit] February 1–7World Interfaith Harmony Week, recognized by the UN with A/RES/65/5[137] March 21 – 27Week of Solidarity with the Peoples Struggling against Racism and Racial Discrimination, recognized by the UN with A/RES/34/24 [137] April 25 – May 2 (2009) —Vaccination Week in the Americas[138] May 25 – 31Week of Solidarity with the Peoples of Non-Self-Governing Territories, recognized by the UN with A/RES/54/91[137] August 1–7World Breastfeeding Week, coordinated by the WHO[3] October 4–10–World Space Week, recognized by the UN with A/RES/54/68[137] October 24–30–Disarmament Week, recognized by the UN with A/RES/S-10/2 (see p. 102)[137] October 25–31–International Epidermolysis Bullosa Awareness Week,[4] The week in which November 11 falls –International Week of Science and Peace, recognized by the UN with A/RES/43/61[137] Global Road Safety Week– held on a different week every year, 2013: May 6–12; coordinated by the WHO[5] Months[edit] February –LGBT Month October –Breast Cancer Awareness Month November –MovemberNovember events to raise awareness and funds for men's health issues, such as prostate cancer and depression November –National Novel Writing MonthPeople from all over the world trying to each write a 50,000 word novel in a month.