Since 1959 the UN has designated International years in order to draw attention to major issues and to encourage international action to address concerns which have global importance and ramifications.

The General Assembly has declared two international years for 2010: the International Year for the Rapprochement of Cultures, and the International Year of Biodiversity. Please find below a brief description of the aims and purposes of these years. For more detailed information, please refer to the relevant resolutions in full (document symbols indicated below) or the links to websites where available.

International Year for the Rapprochement of Cultures

Lead agency: UNESCO

WEBSITE: http://bit.ly/IntlYearOfRapprochementOfCultures

The year 2010 will be celebrated as the International Year for the Rapprochement of Cultures. The goal of the International Year consists in making the rapprochement of cultures the hallmark of all policy-making at local, national, regional and international levels, involving the greatest number of relevant stakeholders.

International Year of Biodiversity
Lead agency: Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (SCBD)

WEBSITE: http://bit.ly/IntlYearOfBiodiversity

The United Nations proclaimed 2010 to be the International Year of Biodiversity, which is a unique opportunity to increase understanding of the vital role that biodiversity plays in sustaining life on Earth. The GA resolution (A/RES/62/920) encourages Member States and other stakeholders to take advantage of the International Year to increase awareness of the importance of biodiversity by promoting actions at the local, regional and international levels.

Puma and UNEP Announced Strategic Partnership to Support the 2010 International Year of Biodiversity.

UN International Days
2010

January	February	March	April	May	June
July	August	September	October	November	December

Others

January
	27 January	International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust


February
	4 February	World Cancer Day [WHO]
	20 February	World Day of Social Justice
	21 February	International Mother Language Day

March
	8 March	International Women's Day
	21 March	International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
	21 March	World Poetry Day [UNESCO]
	22 March	World Water Day
	23 March	World Meteorological Day [WMO]
	24 March	World Tuberculosis Day [WHO]
	25 March	International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade
	25 March	International Day of Solidarity with Detained and Missing Staff Members

April
	2 April	World Autism Awareness Day
	4 April	International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action
	7 April	World Health Day
	7 April	International Day of Reflection on the Genocide in Rwanda
	22 April	International Mother Earth Day
	23 April	World Book and Copyright Day
	25 April	World Malaria Day [WHO]
	26 April	World Intellectual Property Day [WIPO]
	28 April	World Day for Safety and Health at Work [ILO]

May
	3 May	World Press Freedom Day
	9-10 May	World Migratory Bird Day [UNEP]
	15 May	International Day of Families
	17 May	World Telecommunication and Information Society Day
	21 May	World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development
	22 May	International Day for Biological Diversity
	25 May	Africa Day
	29 May	International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers
	31 May	World No-Tobacco Day [WHO]

June
	5 June	World Environment Day
	8 June	World Oceans Day
	12 June	World Day Against Child Labour [ILO]
	14 June	World Blood Donor Day [WHO]
	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	United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture

July
	July, 1st Saturday	International Day of Cooperatives
	11 July	World Population Day
	18 July	Nelson Mandela International Day

August
	9 August	International Day of the World's Indigenous People
	12 August	International Youth Day
	19 August	World Humanitarian Day
	23 August	International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and Its Abolition [UNESCO]

September
	8 September	International Literacy Day
	10 September	World Suicide Prevention Day [WHO]
	15 September	International Day of Democracy
	16 September	International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer
	21 September	International Day of Peace
	27 September	World Tourism Day [WTO]
	27 September	World Heart Day [WHO]
	28 September	World Rabies Day [WHO]
	Last week of September	World Maritime Day [IMO] (24 September)

October
	1 October	International Day of Older Persons
	2 October	International Day of Non-Violence
	5 October	World Teachers’ Day [UNESCO]
	October, 1st Monday	World Habitat Day
	Second Thursday in October	World Sight Day [WHO] (8 October)
	9 October	World Post Day [UPU]
	10 October	World Mental Health Day [WHO]
	October, 2nd Wednesday	International Day for Natural Disaster Reduction
	15 October	International Day of Rural Women
	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
	27 October	World Day for Audiovisual Heritage [UNESCO]

November
	6 November	International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict
	10 November	World Science Day for Peace and Development [UNESCO]
	14 November	World Diabetes Day
	16 November	International Day for Tolerance
	November, 3rd Sunday	World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims and Their Families
	19 November	World Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Day [WHO]
	Third Thursday in November	World Philosophy Day [UNESCO]
	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

December
	1 December	World AIDS Day
	2 December	International Day for the Abolition of Slavery
	3 December	International Day of Persons with Disabilities
	5 December	International Volunteer Day for Economic and Social Development
	7 December	International Civil Aviation Day
	9 December	International Anti-Corruption Day
	10 December	Human Rights Day
	11 December	International Mountain Day
	18 December	International Migrants Day
	19 December	United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation
	20 December	International Human Solidarity Day

Others
	24 March	World TB Day
	7 April	Anniversary of the Genocide in Rwanda
	25 May	Africa Day
	19 August	Anniversary of the Baghdad bombing

For more information about UN International Days and Years, please contact United Nations Office in Ukraine:

1 Klovsky Uzviz
Kyiv 01021 Ukraine
Tel. +38 044 254 0035
Fax +38 044 253 2607

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