The celebration of international days and international weeks is an occasion for educating the public on issues that are important to them, mobilizing political will and resources to address issues that affect the world, and celebrating the achievements of mankind.
1 February: World Interfaith Harmony Week, 1-7 February
Every year, World Interfaith Harmony Week is observed during the first week of February, after being proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in 2010. A culture of peace is characterized by mutual understanding and interreligious dialogue. This is why the General Assembly established World Interfaith Harmony Week as a means of promoting harmony between people regardless of their religious beliefs. The theme of World Interfaith Harmony Week during various years:
- The Theme of World Interfaith Harmony Week 2012: The Diaspora-a Force for Positive Change
- The Theme of World Interfaith Harmony Week 2014: Tolerance, Reconciliation and Forgiveness
- The Theme of World Interfaith Harmony Week 2015: Interfaith Prayer, Healing, and Community Services in the Cause of Peace
- The Theme of World Interfaith Harmony Week 2016: Building Bridges across Boundaries
- The Theme of World Interfaith Harmony Week 2019: Sustainable Development through Interfaith Harmony
24 April: World Immunization Week, 24-30 April
World Immunization Week, celebrated in the last week of April, aims to highlight the collective action needed and to promote the use of vaccines to protect people of all ages against disease.
WHO uses its convening power to raise awareness about the importance of vaccines and immunizations across the globe. By doing so, it ensures that governments receive the guidance and technical assistance necessary for the implementation of high-quality immunization programs. The ultimate goal of World Immunization Week is to ensure that more people – and their communities – are protected from vaccine-preventable diseases. The theme of Here is the theme of World Immunization Week 2022 is “LongLifeforAll”
- The Theme of World Immunization Week 2021: Vaccines bring us closer
- The Theme of World Immunization Week 2020: VaccinesWork for All
25 May: Week of Solidarity with the Peoples of Non-Self-Governing Territories, 25-31 May
The observation Week of Solidarity with the Peoples of Non-Self-Governing Territories aimed to show support to Non-Self-Governing Territories. Non-Self-Governing Territories are those whose citizens have not yet achieved full self-government.
Several UN Member States identified a number of territories under their administration that was not self-governing in 1946 and placed them on a UN list. Non-Self-Governing Territories are administered by countries known as administering powers. Most of the Territories have been removed from the list due to the decolonization process over the years.
1 August: World Breastfeeding Week, 1-7 August
World Breastfeeding Week raises awareness about breastfeeding. It is observed between 1-7 August. World Breastfeeding Week 2021 was “Protect Breastfeeding: A Shared Responsibility.”
Breastfeeding within the first hour of birth, followed by exclusive breastfeeding for six months and continued breastfeeding for two years or more prevents all forms of child malnutrition, including wasting and obesity. Breastfeeding also acts as babies’ first vaccine, protecting them against many common childhood illnesses.
4 October: World Space Week, 4-10 October
The World Space Week is the world’s largest space event each year. Through this event, the week helps develop the workforce of tomorrow by inspiring students; demonstrating visible public support for the space program; educating the public about space activities; and fostering international cooperation in space outreach and education.
The World Space Week 2022 theme is “Space and Sustainability” focusing on achieving sustainability in space and achieving sustainability from space. A major inspiration for the theme is the relationship between sustainability in space and how humanity uses space, especially the orbital area surrounding the Earth.
24 October: Global Media and Information Literacy Week, 24-31 October
Global Media and Information Literacy Week, commemorated annually, is a major occasion for stakeholders to review and celebrate the progress achieved towards “Media and Information Literacy for All.”
24 Oct: Disarmament Week, 24-30 October
7 November: International Week of Science and Peace, 7-13 November 2022
13 November: World Antibiotic Awareness Week, 13-19 November
World Antimicrobial Awareness Week (WAAW) is celebrated annually to raise awareness of global antimicrobial resistance and to encourage health workers, policy makers, and the general public to adopt best practices to prevent the spread of drug-resistant infections. The theme of World Antimicrobial Awareness Week 2021 was “Spread Awareness, Stop Resistance”. The theme of World Antimicrobial Awareness Week 2020 was “Antimicrobials: handle with care”