International Day of Non-Violence

International Day of Non-Violence marks the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, the famous and much-loved leader of the Indian independence movement and pioneer of the philosophy and strategy of non-violence. The Day is to disseminate the message of non-violence, and to secure a culture of peace, tolerance, understanding and non-violence. In Gandhi's words: Non-violence is the […]

World Mental Health Day

Mental health is about what is going well. It is an individual's state of well-being and their capacity to thus realise their potential, cope with the normal stresses of life, work productively and fruitfully, and contribute to community. World Mental Health Day is to raise awareness of mental health issues and mobilise efforts in support […]

World Mental Health Week

Mental Health Week in Australia is in early October, beginning with World Mental Health Day on the 10th October. Observed across Australia, each state and territory adopts its own theme and holds their own event. This year will have a clear focus on safeguarding the social determinants of mental health during and after the COVID-19 […]

World Development Information Day

World Development Information Day is to propagate information and mobilise the public to cooperate internationally to achieve the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals -- #GlobalGoals: No poverty Zero hunger Good health and well-being Quality education Gender equality Clean water and sanitation Affordable and clean energy Decent work and economic growth Industry, innovation, and infrastructure Reduced inequalities […]

World Tsunami Awareness Day

Tsunamis are giant ocean waves caused by earthquakes or volcanic eruptions under the sea. As the waves travel inland (sometimes at the speed of a jet plane), they get higher and higher as the depth of the ocean decreases. Though rare, tsunamis can be extremely deadly. The Indian Ocean tsunami (December 2004), for example, caused […]

World Science Day for Peace and Development

First celebrated in 2002, World Science Day for Peace and Development is to highlight the significant role of science in society and to: strengthen public awareness of the role of science for peaceful and sustainable societies; promote national and international solidarity for shared science between countries; renew national and international commitment for the use of […]

World Children’s Day

Established in 1954 as Universal Children's Day, the now-named World Children's Day is to promote international togetherness and awareness among children worldwide, and to improve children's welfare. The date marks the adoption of both the 1959 Declaration of the Rights of the Child and the 1989 Convention on the Rights of the Child. World Children's […]

World Television Day

Electronic television was first demonstrated successfully in San Francisco in 1927 by Philo Taylor Farnsworth, a 21-year-old inventor who scanned images with a beam of electrons showing first a line and then a dollar sign on the screen. Today, television continues to be the single largest source of video consumption. Though different platforms are now […]

World AIDS Day

World Aids Day is to fight against HIV, to show support for people living with HIV, and to commemorate those who have died from an AIDS-related illness. AIDS is the late stage of HIV infection that occurs when the body’s immune system is badly damaged because of the virus. With appropriate medication that stops the […]

International Human Solidarity Day

Solidarity, as identified in the Millennium Declaration, is one of the fundamental values of international relations -- those, who suffer or benefit least deserve help from those who benefit most. In the context of globalization and the challenge of growing inequality, strengthening of international solidarity is indispensable.The Sustainable Development Agenda is centred on people and […]