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Welcome
International Days and major international conferences reflect a growing sense that we are part of One Humanity and One Life. On these occasions there is a special opportunity to serve in the creation of a world that reflects this spirit of Oneness in all its diversity.
As meditators we can symbolically stand together with all those actively working to create right human relations, and invoke the aid of the Forces of Light in support of these events.
Sustainable Development Goals & Climate Change
These International Days and events reflect important themes in the mobilization of energies to:
- Build right relations in the world by addressing the causes of serious problems of poverty, inequality and environmental degradation through practical actions to help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030
- engaging people of goodwill all over the world in a common movement.
2026 United Nations International Years
Silence at the United Nations
The Spiritual Caucus at the United Nations gathers subjectively and online(September - June) on the third Thursday every month for 30 minutes of silence followed by 30 minutes of dialogue, sharing insights and exploring ways to use an inner focus in service of the work of the UN.
On the first Thursday of the month, from October to June, Caucus members and others gather in the Meditation Room at the UN HQ in New York, from 12:00 – 12:45 pm for 10-30 minutes in silence together, followed by optional conversation in the nearby cafe afterwards.
Please link in from wherever you are. More information at: http://www.spiritualcaucusun.org/
In April you are invited to gather in the UN Meditation Room for 10 - 30 minutes from 12.00 - 12.45 on April 2, and to join an online virtual gathering, including 30 minutes of silence, on Thursday, April 16, from 2.00- 3.15 pm EDT with a particular focus on supporting the UN. Write for details to info@spiritualcaucusun.org.
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April Please Hold These Events in the Light
April 2
World Autism Awareness Day
2026 theme: Autism and Humanity – Every Life Has Value .
The Day seeks to improve the quality of life of people with autism, recognising that there is a high rate of people with autism in all regions of the world.
The 2025 observance ... highlights and affirms the dignity and worth of all autistic people as part of our shared human future. At a time when misinformation and regressive rhetoric about the lives of autistic people is resurfacing, this year’s virtual event is a call to action to move beyond limiting narratives and to recognise the inherent dignity, equal rights, and unconditional worth of every autistic person.
www.un.org
www.autismspeaks.org
What is Neurodiversity?
April 2
Full Moon — Easter, Aries
Since ancient times human beings have honored the full moon as a time when the sacred is most accesible. It is a time of light - the moon reflects the light of the sun onto the face of the earth. In astrology this is a time when the qualities and potentials of the zodiacal sign of the sun are especially available to humanity for use in service.
During the full moon religious and esoteric groups around the world vizualize light and love and spiritual power flowing into humanity and strengthening all that is being done to help prepare the way for a world of unity, justice and peace; a world which is increasingly concentrated on the work of implementing the Sustainable Development Goals.
www.lucistrust.org
April 4
International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action
2026 Theme: Invest in peace, Invest in mine action.
Following a 1997 Mine Ban Treaty most countries have now banned landmines, yet anti-personnel mines continue to be used as a weapon of war and areas remain dangerous long after conflicts have ended. This United Nations Day marks a focus for campaigns to protect civilians from landmines and explosive remnants of war.
Even after the fighting stops, conflicts often leave behind a terrifying legacy: landmines and explosive ordnance that litter communities. Peace brings no assurance of safety when roads and fields are mined, when unexploded ordnance threatens the return of displaced populations, and when children find and play with shiny objects that explode. António Guterres, Secretary-General.
www.un.org/
www.icbl.org
In 2007, United Religions Initiative-Africa and Interfaith Peace-building Initiative (a URI Cooperation Circle member) declared April 5 as “Golden Rule Day” in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and called upon all citizens of the world and many other organizations, including the United Nations, to join them in proclaiming the day and living everyday according to the teaching of the Golden Rule in order to make our world better and more peaceful for all. Since then, about 700 organizations in 165 countries have joined in proclaiming Golden Rule Day and a request for a United Nations declaration of Golden Rule Day is pending before the General Assembly.
Golden Rule Day is a reminder of universal hope. Without hope and the love that we experience in connection with others what remains for tomorrow? Just as we are wired to be compassionate and act with kindness, we are people of hope. The virtues of faith, hope and charity should be our mantra for Golden Rule Day.
www.uri.org
charterforcompassion.org/
April 5
International Day of Conscience
In declaring April 5th as International Day of Conscience, the UN General Assembly invited all to pay attention to the work of building the Culture of Peace with Love and Conscience.
Imagine a world where every action is guided by love, a clear sense of right and wrong, and genuine care for one another — this is the essence of a culture of peace, a vision embraced by the United Nations and global communities alike. Central to this vision is the International Day of Conscience, observed each year on 5 April, which highlights the vital role of conscience as a guiding force in achieving global peace, tolerance, and mutual respect. Established to inspire individuals and communities, the day underscores the power of ethical reflection and compassionate action in addressing today’s global challenges. It calls on societies worldwide to promote dialogue, cultivate empathy, and adopt conscientious behaviors that uphold human dignity, contribute to sustainable development, and foster peaceful coexistence among diverse cultures. Through this annual observance, the United Nations reaffirms that collective responsibility, moral awareness, and solidarity are essential foundations for building a more harmonious, fair, and inclusive world.
www.un.org/en/observances/
April 6
International Day of Sport for Development and Peace
2026 Theme Sport: Building Bridges, Breaking Barriers
The 2026 International Day will highlight evidence-based approaches and best practices demonstrating how sport contributes measurably to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, particularly in advancing health, gender equality, reduced inequalities, and peaceful, inclusive societies. Through dialogue, partnerships, and shared experiences, IDSDP 2026 will reaffirm sport’s role as a strategic tool for building bridges between people and breaking down barriers to inclusion, leaving no one behind.
www.un.org/en/observances/
2026 Theme: Together for health. Stand with science.
This year’s Health Day celebrates the power of scientific collaboration to protect the health of people, animals, plants, and the planet. The year-long campaign spotlights both scientific achievements and the multilateral cooperation needed to turn evidence into action.
As a part of the campaign on the theme WHO will take a leading role in an International One Health Summit (April 5-7) in Lyon, France hosted by the French Government, and will host the first Global Forum of WHO Collaborating Centres (April 7-9). Together, these events form the largest scientific network ever convened around a United Nations agency, underscoring how science driven partnerships can build a healthier, safer future for all.
www.who.int
oneplanetsummit.fr
www.who.int
April 7
International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsi in Rwanda
2026 marks the 32nd anniversary of the genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, one of the darkest chapters in human history. More than one million people — overwhelmingly Tutsi, but also moderate Hutu, Twa and others who opposed the genocide — were systematically killed in less than three months. On this Day, we honour those who were murdered and reflect on the suffering of those who survived.
www.un.org
April 12
International Day of Human Space Flight
12 April 1961 was the date of the first human space flight, carried out by Yuri Gagarin. The day is observed by the UN to celebrate each year at the international level the beginning of the space era for mankind, reaffirming the important contribution of space science and technology in achieving sustainable development goals and increasing the well-being of States and peoples, as well as ensuring the realization of their aspiration to maintain outer space for peaceful purposes.
www.un.org
April 14
World Chagas Disease Day
Chagas disease, also known as "silent or silenced disease", affects mainly poor people without access to health care or people without a political voice. The disease progresses slowly and often shows an asymptomatic clinical course. Without treatment, Chagas disease can lead to severe cardiac and digestive alterations and become fatal. Raising awareness of the disease is essential to improve the rates of early treatment and cure, together with the interruption of its transmission.
www.who.int
April 14 - 16
ECOSOC Youth Forum, UN Headquarters, New York
Theme 2026: the Forum will focus on transformative, equitable, innovative, and coordinated actions to advance the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals.
The annual Forum is the largest gathering of young people that takes place at the UN. The Forum provides a platform for young people to engage in a dialogue with Member States and other actors to voice their views, concerns, and galvanize actions on how to transform the world into a fairer, greener, and more sustainable place guided by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
www.un.org
April 14 - 17
UN Permanent Forum on People of African Descent, UN HQ, Geneva
2026 theme: Expanding the human rights of people of African descent under the Second International
Decade for People of African Descent.
The Permanent Forum on People of African Descent was established by the UN General Assemby in 2021 as a consultative mechanism for people of African descent and other relevant stakeholders, and as a platform for improving the safety and quality of life and livelihoods of people of African descent, as well as an advisory body to the Human Rights Council. The Forum meets under the auspices of The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). Numerous side events, organised by various stakeholders, are held during the event.
www.ohchr.org/
April 15
International Wellness Day
The Day was adopted by the UN General Assembly on March 10, 2026, to promote awareness and action for holistic well-being. … This Day serves as a platform for education, cultural exchange, and knowledge-sharing — encouraging people everywhere to embrace accessible, inclusive, and affordable wellness practices that enhance both personal and collective health.
Maintaining wellness through preventive, lifestyle-based, and people-centered approaches plays a vital role in saving lives, reducing healthcare costs, and delivering cost-effective solutions to preventable diseases. Such approaches strengthen public health systems and contribute to achieving health for all worldwide.
Recognizing the value and diversity of the cultures and traditional knowledge of Indigenous Peoples and local communities, the United Nations highlights the contributions of evidence-based traditional medicine in enhancing health systems and promoting holistic well-being. These time-tested practices, combined with modern approaches, form an inclusive foundation for global health.
www.un.org/
docs.un.org
April 15 - 19
Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly, Istanbul, Türkiye
2026 Theme: Nurturing hope, securing peace and ensuring justice for future generations
The Inter-Parliamentary Union is the global organization of national parliaments, bringing parliamentarians from around the world together to promote peace through parliamentary diplomacy and dialogue. This will be 152nd Annual Assembly of the Organisation.
The Assembly is the IPU's main political body through which the IPU's Member Parliaments adopt parliamentary resolutions on global issues. It plays a pivotal role in addressing the issues which threaten peace, democracy and sustainable development, including through its four thematic standing committees.
www.ipu.org
April 20 - May 1
UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, UN HQ, New York
2026 theme: Ensuring Indigenous Peoples’ health, including in the context of conflict.
The Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII), established at the promptings of indigenous peoples, is a high-level UN body charged to advise the Economic and Social Council on all matters dealing with indigenous issues related to economic and social development, culture, environment, education, health and human rights. Annual meetings of the Forum provide a focal point for discussion of indigenous peoples issues at the UN - they are attended by representatives of large numbers of indigenous peoples groups from around the world who also meet together in a Global Caucus, a Womens Caucus and a Youth Caucus. During the Forum there is a strong presence of Indigenous Peoples at UN Headquarters.
social.desa.un.org/
Global Indigenous Peoples Caucus
Global Indigenous Womens' Caucus
April 20 - 24
2026 ECOSOC Financing for Development Forum, UN HQ, New York
The ECOSOC Forum on Financing for Development (FfD Forum) is an intergovernmental process with universal participation mandated to review the Addis Ababa Action Agenda(Addis Agenda) and other financing for development outcomes and the means of implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Attended by governments and civil society, the Forum provides a platform for inclusive, multi-stakeholder dialogue to address the current global challenges and advance policies for financing long-term sustainable development priorities. This years Forum will play a critical role in mobilizing momentum and concrete solutions from the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development (FFD4) in June 2025.
financing.desa.un.org/
April 21
World Creativity and Innovation Day
The Day seeks to raise awareness of the importance of creativity in meeting the Sustainable Development Goals.
Creativity and innovation, at both the individual and group levels, have become the true wealth of nations in the 21st century, according to the findings of the special edition of the Creative Economy Report "Widening local development pathways"
www.un.org/
www.wciw.org
Creative Economy - UN paper
April 21 - 24
2026 Skoll World Forum, Oxford, UK.
First held in 2004, the annual Skoll World Forum was launched to bring social innovators from all over the world to work collaboratively on the most tenacious and pressing problems. It has always been a space for innovative minds from every sector; a gathering of good people doing good things. Inspired by the vision of a sustainable world of peace and prosperity for all, the Skoll Foundation supports social entrepreneurs and innovaters to catalyze transformational social change. While the event in Oxford will bring together invited participants all are invited to participate online at no cost.
skoll.org
April 22
International Mother Earth Day & Earth Day
Over a billion people participate in Earth Day activities every year. It is the largest civic observance in the world, and is evidence of the massive concern to build right relations between humanity and the Earth. In 2009 the United Nations General Assembly added its weight to this popular movement, proclaiming April 22 International Mother Earth Day, with a significant resolution affirming the interdependence that exists among human beings, other living species and the planet we all inhabit. This is the fifth Mother Earth Day to be celebrated during the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, 2021 - 2030.
Mother Earth Day is helping to define new emerging economic, social and political processes through which humanity is seeking to raise the quality of its relationships with the Earth.
www.harmonywithnatureun.org
www.un.org
www.earthday.org
April 23
World Book and Copyright Day
23 April is a symbolic date for world literature. It is on this date in 1616 that Cervantes, Shakespeare and Inca Garcilaso de la Vega all died. It is also the date of birth or death of other prominent authors, such as Maurice Druon, Haldor K.Laxness, Vladimir Nabokov, Josep Pla and Manuel Mejía Vallejo.
The Day is observed by UNESCO to celebrate books and authors encouraging everyone, and in particular young people, to discover the pleasure of reading and gain a renewed respect for the irreplaceable contributions of those, who have furthered the social and cultural progress of humanity.
In these turbulent times, books embody the diversity of human ingenuity, giving shape to the wealth of human experience, expressing the search for meaning and expression we all share, that drive all societies forward. Books help weave humanity together as a single family, holding a past in common, a history and heritage, to craft a destiny that is shared, where all voices are heard in the great chorus of human aspiration." Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO
en.unesco.org
April 23
Girls in ICT Day
2026 Theme: AI for Development: Girls shaping the digital future.
On the 4th Thursday every year, the UN's ITU (International Telecommunications Union) and thousands of partners and supporters all around the world get together to promote the exciting career opportunities waiting for girls and young women in the tech sector.
www.itu.int
April 24
International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace
This Day confirms the principles of the UN Charter which require the international body to resolve disputes among countries through peaceful means. It acknowledges the use of multilateral decision-making and diplomacy in achieving peaceful resolutions to conflicts among nations. This non-aggressive and pacifist approach reinforces that three pillars of the UN, namely, sustainable development, peace and security and human rights.
The United Nations Charter points the way, with its vision of people and countries living as good neighbours, defending universal values and recognizing our common future. Strengthening multilateralism means strengthening our commitment to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and building a safer, more just world for future generations. — UN Secretary-General António Guterres
www.un.org/events/
April 24 - 30
World Immunization Week
2026 Theme For every generation, vaccines work.
World Immunization Week, celebrated in the last week of April, aims to highlight the collective action needed to protect people from vaccine-preventable diseases.
The Essential Programme on Immunization (EPI) was launched by the WHO in 1974. It stands as a global endeavor to ensure equitable access to life-saving vaccines for every child, regardless of their geographic location or socioeconomic status.
www.who.int
April 25
World Malaria Day
Theme 2026: Driven to End Malaria: Now We Can. Now We Must.
According to the latest World Malaria Report, there were 247 million cases of malaria in 2021 compared to 245 million cases in 2020. The estimated number of malaria deaths stood at 619 000 in 2021 compared to 625 000 in 2020.
The WHO African Region continues to carry a disproportionately high share of the global malaria burden. In 2021 the Region was home to about 95% of all malaria cases and 96% of deaths. Children under 5 years of age accounted for about 80% of all malaria deaths in the Region.
www.who.int
en.wikipedia.org
April 25
International Delegates Day
Delegates bring the United Nations to life. Without them, this Organization would not be what it is. They negotiate agreements and coordinate with their home countries. Some form alliances, others struggle for compromises. In that way, they embody the multilateralism, which the UN stands for.
The delegates represent their countries in meetings at the United Nations. Unless a politician of higher rank is present, the delegates speak and vote on behalf of their country at the UN General Assembly, and other fora, such as the UN Security Council. The delegates are appointed by their countries. Hence, they follow the interests of the government they serve.
www.un.org/en/events/
April 25
World Tai Chi & Qui Gong Day
The last Saturday of April each year in 100s of cities, spanning over 80 nations, people come together … to breathe together and provide a healing vision for our world. The Day begins at 10.00 am with mass Tai Chi, Chi Kung, and Mind Body events in the earliest time zones of New Zealand, and then spreads as the world turns, 10 am local time worldwide, ending with final events in Hawaii (USA).
www.worldtaichiday.org
April 26
International Chernobyl Disaster Remembrance Day
In 2016 the UN General Assembly resolved to establish this Chernobyl Remembrance Day, recognizing that three decades after the disaster there remains persistent serious long-term consequences and that the affected communities and territories are experiencing continuing related needs.
www.un.org
April 26
World Intellectual Property Day
2026 Theme: IP and Sports: Ready, Set, Innovate.
A Day to focus on the the role that copyright and intellectual property rights play in encouraging innovation and creativity.
This World IP Day, athletes, creators, innovators, and entrepreneurs worldwide show how IP rights keep the world of sports thriving.
www.wipo.int
April 28
World Day for Saftey and Health at Work
Theme 2026: Let's ensure a healthy psychosocial working environment
The World Day for Safety and Health at Work is an annual international campaign to promote safe, healthy and decent work. It has been observed by the International Labour Organization (ILO) since 2003.
www.un.org/en/events/
www.ilo.org/
April 28
International Day in Memory of the Victims of Earthquakes
2026 marks the first year when this Day will be observed. It seeks to highlight both the need to support earthquake survivors and to build resilience against earthquakes.
Earthquakes are among the deadliest natural hazards and are responsible for some of the largest disasters in human history. Currently [2025], Myanmar is in the midst of responding to the earthquake that struck it on 28 March, which killed over 3,700 people, as of 24 April. In Türkiye and Syria, millions are still struggling to rebuild their lives two years after the devastating earthquakes of 2023, which killed over 55,000 people.
www.undrr.org/
April 30
International Jazz Day
April 30 was first celebrated by UNESCO as International Jazz Day in 2012. The Day is intended to raise awareness in the international community of the virtues of jazz as an educational tool, and a force for peace, unity, dialogue and enhanced cooperation among people. An extensive range of performances,and international and community outreach programmes are held on all seven continents of the world on Jazz Day. The 2026 global concert will be hosted by the city of Chicago, USA and livestreamed by Youtube, Facebook, UN Web and UNESCO.
jazzday.com
www.un.org
en.unesco.org/
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