World Suicide Prevention Day 2025; September 10th.

 

International Day to Protect Education from Attack 2025; September 9th.

FORUM: "Challenging Narratives, Reshaping Action." International Day to Protect Education from Attack 2025. In 2025, six years after the first commemoration of International Day to Protect Education from Attack, armed conflict continues to escalate globally and attacks on education remain pervasive. Between 2022 and 2023, the Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack reported approximately 6,000 attacks on students, educators, schools, and higher education institutions. This period also saw a 20% increase in the use of educational facilities for military purposes by parties to conflict. Over 10,000 students were killed, abducted, arrested, or otherwise harmed during this time. According to the 2025 UN Secretary-General’s Annual Report on Children and Armed Conflict, there was a 44% increase in attacks against schools in 2024 compared to the previous year. Attacks on education can have serious, long-term physical and psychological repercussions for students and teachers. Attacks can suspend teaching and learning, lead to a significant increase in dropout rates and prevent students from accessing their right to quality education. We must build on the international consensus on child protection and rally behind the instruments that have already been agreed upon widely as well as the respect of international law. Over 14,500 reports of attacks on education or military use of educational facilities were recorded worldwide between 2017 and 2022, according to the Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack (GCPEA). More than 28,000 students, teachers, and academics were injured, killed, or harmed in such attacks carried out in situations of armed conflict or insecurity. The International Day to Protect Education from Attack is an occasion to raise awareness about the pressing issue of attacks on schools, students, education personnel and teachers worldwide. It serves as a reminder that children and youth continue to face conflict, violence and disruption to their education, undermining their right to learn and thrive in a peaceful and nurturing environment. Follow the conversations with the hashtags: #9september, #AttacksonEducation, #ProtectEducationfromattack.

EVENTS: High-level event for the Sixth commemoration of the International Day to Protect Education from Attack.

On September 9th, at UN Geneva, a high-level event held by the UNESCO and partners will mark the International Day to Protect Education from Attack 2025, You are invited to join the debate on the theme: ‘Challenging narratives, reshaping action.’ This year, we mark the sixth United Nations International Day to Protect Education from Attack, with several commemorative events being held in the days before and after, in Geneva and elsewhere. These include a dedicated exhibition by Education Above All, entitled “Reshaping Action”, and a Youth Hub Debate, hosted by Qatar Debates, which will both take place at the Palais des Nations in Geneva from 11 am onwards. The event will be moderated by: Ms. Jenifer Vaughan (Fenton) Spokesperson for the UN Special Envoy for Syria Opening High Level Remarks: H.E. Ms. Maryam Al Attiyah Chairperson of the Qatar National Human Rights Committee H.E. Ms. Nada Al-Nashif OHCHR Deputy High Commissioner Youth Dialogue: Ahmad Al Naimi QatarDebate Youth Ambassador Noor Al Thani Qatar Debate Youth Ambassador and EAA Youth Advocate Manveer Singh Sandhu EAA-OHCHR Youth Rights Academy Participant Randa Al-Dawoudi EAA's Al Fakhoora Scholar; The Closing Remarks will be held by Mr. Abdulrahman I. Al-Subaie Programs Director, QatarDebat. Explore the full programme!

On September 9th, at UNHQ, a webinar to mark the International Day to Protect Education from Attack 2025; The United Nations General Assembly, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the UNHCR, the OHCHR, the Special Rapporteur on the right to education, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict (SRSG), the United Nations Peackeeping will held. This year's main High-Level Observance of the fifth International Day is co-organized by the UNESCO, the Permanent mission of Slovenia to the UN, the Education Above All (EAA) Foundation, the UNICEF, and the United Nations Department of Global Communications, will take place at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. This event is part of a week-long commemoration dedicated to galvanizing action to safeguard education. The event will gather global leaders, stakeholders, teachers and victims of attacks on education to focus on the endorsement and implementation of the Safe Schools Declaration, and to renew the international political commitment aimed at protecting education in conflict situations. The United Nations Peacebuilding Commission will organize a special event focusing on education’s role in building peace within the framework of the ongoing revision of UNESCO’s 1974 recommendation concerning education for international understanding, co-operation and peace and education relating to human rights and fundamental freedoms. Please Register to participate!

PUBLICATION: The version of the Education under attack 2024 Report have demonstrated that attacks on education and military use of schools and universities are increasing across the globe.The overall goal of the launch event is to galvanise support by Member States and other relevant stakeholders towards key findings and recommendations in the Education under Attack report, and to inform the Security Council Open Debate on Children and Armed Conflict. Specific objectives: 1. To disseminate and build support and partnerships towards key findings and recommendations of Education under Attack 2024, in particular those related to the increase in attacks involving the use of explosive weapons, climate change and gender; 2. To increase the political support to the Safe Schools Declaration within the Security Council in the lead up to the 2024 International Day on Protecting Education from Attack; 3. To stress the need for an intersectional and cross-sectoral approach towards attacks on education, including multi-stakeholder and multi-level coordination around different fora, including the Security Council, the 79th session of the UN General Assembly and the Summit of the Future, the 2024 Humanitarian Affairs Segment and the 2024 High-Level Political Forum. Audience: Members States, in particular members of the UN Security Council, UN experts and entities, civil society organisations, academia, donors, NY-based press. The Key findings of the Education under attack 2024 report include: • Attacks on education are increasing; over 10,000 students, teachers, and academics were harmed, injured, or killed in these attacks, which occurred in armed conflicts across the globe. • Attacks on schools were the most prevalent form of attack on education; • There has been a general increase in the use of educational facilities for military purposes and attacks involving the use of explosive weapons; • Students with disabilities were uniquely impacted by attacks on education; • Women and girls were targeted because of their gender in attacks on education in certain contexts; • Spreading violence from the Central Sahel into neighbouring West African countries began impacting access to education in affected countries; • Initial connections between climate change and attacks on education are emerging, such as in contexts of climate-change induced food insecurity. Read more!

Statement from the United Nations Secretary General on the International Day to Protect Education from Attack 2025, September 9th.

 No child should risk death to learn.

Yet this year, as violence against children in armed conflict continues to climb to unprecedented levels, education is once again caught in the crossfire.

The past 12 months saw a staggering 44 percent surge in attacks on schools, resulting in the death, abduction and trauma of thousands of teachers and students. Each violation carries profound consequences — not only for teachers and young learners, but for the future of entire communities and countries.

The United Nations is working tirelessly to stop this scourge and ensure every child can access their basic right to education, even in the most dangerous contexts. But we cannot do it alone.

Countries must invest in education systems that can reach every child and fully endorse and implement the Safe Schools Declaration.

I also call on all parties to conflict to meet their obligations under international law, respect schools as places of safety and hold accountable those responsible for attacks.

The pen, the book and the classroom are all mightier than the sword.

Let’s keep it that way and protect the fundamental right of every child to learn in safety and peace.

 United Nations Secretary-General.

LIVESTREAM: Public matters.

International Literacy Day 2025; September 8th.

FORUM: ‘’Promoting literacy in the digital era.” International Literacy Day 2025. The ILD2025 will be an opportunity for critical reflection on what literacy is and how literacy teaching and learning, programmes and policies are designed, managed and monitored in this digital era. In addition, ILD2025 will spotlight effective policies and interventions to promote literacy as a common good and a right, and as a lever for empowerment and transformation to build more inclusive, just and sustainable societies. It will also provide a space for collective discussion on the futures of literacy. The ILD 2025 Objectives aim at: • Celebrating literacy achievements and raising awareness of the need to address remaining and emerging challenges in the rapidly evolving digital landscapes. • Reflecting on the transformative power of literacy as a key factor for improving education and lifelong learning in the digital era. • Exploring both potential and risks of digitalization for literacy teaching and learning, programmes, policies and lifelong learning ecosystems. • Identifying effective strategies and programmes for developing literacy and digital skills • Identifying digital programmes and initiatives that effectively support the development of literacy skills of diverse learners and target groups • Fostering multistakeholder dialogue and partnerships in support of enhanced literacy efforts. The increasing integration of AI into education presents both transformative opportunities and complex challenges, reshaping pedagogies, curricula and education governance while raising critical questions about equity, ethics and human agency. As debates swirl over AI's disruptive potential — ranging from hyperbolic promises to more cautionary approaches — education systems must navigate dilemmas, including the implications of digital surveillance, systemic biases and the potential erosion of human accountability in education decision-making to recalibrate positive new directions for education futures. Under the theme "AI and the future of education: Disruptions, dilemmas and directions", The UNESCO's 2025 Digital Learning Week will assist in charting pathways for equitable, ethical and human-driven AI integration in education, ensuring technology serves as a force for inclusive progress.. Follow the conversation with the hashtags #LiteracyDay; #LiteracyLearningSpaces; #8september.

EVENTS: On and around September 8th, 2025; The ILD will be celebrated across the world at global, regional, country, community levels in person and online. At the global level, a global conference will be organized by UNESCO at its Headquarters in Paris, France, on 8 September 2025. Several national governments are planning national celebrations, while many events are being organized by other partners. To participate in the Global celebration of the International Literacy Day 2025. Read the agenda programme and Register to participate. For further information please visit the webpages of International Literacy Day 2025 and the UNESCO International Literacy Prizes. For specific inquiries, please contact: • International Literacy Day and the global celebration: ILD2025 Secretariat (Section of Youth, Literacy and Skills Development, Division of Policies and Lifelong Learning Systems) at literacy@unesco.org • International Literacy Prizes 2025: ILP Secretariat (Section of Youth, Literacy and Skills Development, Division of Policies and Lifelong Learning Systems) at literacyprizes@unesco.org.

On September 9th, 2025; In the context of the global International Literacy Day celebration at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL) will host the Annual General Meeting of the Global Alliance for Literacy (GAL) and the Action Research on Measuring Literacy Learning and Educational Alternatives (RAMAED) online. Aligned with the objectives of the Marrakech Framework for Action and the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 4, the meeting will promote literacy as a foundation for lifelong learning and emphasize its importance as a policy priority. Participants will share updates and identify national priorities in GAL and RAMAED countries. The meeting will also reflect on key findings from the evaluation of the GAL Strategy and engage members in discussions to identify lessons learned, gaps, and areas for improvement. A strategic dialogue will be facilitated to address the governance and future direction of the Global Alliance for Literacy, laying the groundwork for the development of the GAL Strategy 2030. Representatives of GAL and RAMAED countries, GAL Associate Members, GEC members, invited speakers, and other interested partners will participate in this invitation-only event. The meeting will be conducted in English, French, and Arabic with simultaneous interpretation. Learn more about this event.

From September 2nd to 5th, 2025; The Third edition of Digital Learning Week will take place at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris in the Room IX and Room II. The UNESCO's Digital Learning Week presents a unique opportunity to participate in dynamic and thought-provoking discussions, dialogue and the sharing of groundbreaking ideas, and to foster meaningful co-creation and collaborative efforts to advance the digital transformation of education and to “reimagine our futures together.”The event aims to foster critical reflection, peer learning and policy dialogue, addressing today’s pressing challenges while shaping the future of education in an era of rapid technological change. It is expected to gather up to 1,000 participants, including 30 Ministers of Education, alongside digital education leaders, policy-makers, researchers and practitioners from various organizations, including UN agencies, governments, academia, NGOs and the private sector. Discussions will explore whether and how AI is disrupting education, navigate the complex dilemmas it presents, and identify strategic directions to harness its potential responsibly. The Digital Learning Week 2025 event spans four engaging days, including:

• Ministerial panels, multistakeholder dialogues and public lectures from global opinion leaders
• Parallel sessions, foresight workshops and open ideas labs for knowledge exchange and co-creation
• Launch of UNESCO-led knowledge products and tools, including think pieces on AI and learning futures
• Exhibition of digital learning solutions and innovations
• Networking opportunities with policy-makers, educators and innovators driving change

The Digital Learning Week 2025 will take place in person at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, France. All plenary sessions will be livestreamed in English and French to a global audience. Register to participate, explore the Day 1 - Day 2 - Day 3 Photos of the event and get Access the webcast for plenary sessions!

WEBINARS: These one-hour online professional learning events organized by the International Literacy Association (ILA) deliver insight and practical resources from experts in the field of literacy. You'll gain dependable, research-supported ideas you can apply in your classroom, school, and district. Explore the ILA digital events!

PUBLICATIONS: AI and the future of education. Disruptions, dilemmas and directions; This new UNESCO publication explores the philosophical, ethical and pedagogical dilemmas posed by disruptive influence of AI in education. Read the full publication.

REPORTS: AI and education: protecting the rights of learners; This report argues for a human-centred, rights-based approach that ensures innovations strengthen learning opportunities for all. Read the full report.

STATEMENTS: Statement from the UNESCO Director-General on International Literacy Day 2025; September 8th.

The global celebration of International Literacy Day (ILD) 2025, organized by UNESCO under the theme ‘Promoting Literacy in the Digital Era’, will take place on 8 September 2025 at its Headquarters in Paris, France. The in-person event will also be livestreamed to a global audience. The celebration will include the award ceremony of the UNESCO International Literacy Prizes. Interpretation will be available in English, French and Spanish. 

The main objectives of the global conference are:

• To reflect on both the potential and risks of digitalization for literacy.
• To explore how lifelong learning ecosystems can be enhanced to promote literacy in the digital era.
• To identify effective digitally empowered literacy programmes and practices.
• To reflect on the futures of literacy in a world where digitalization is increasingly transforming our life, work and learning.
• To celebrate the achievements of the six laureates of the 2025 UNESCO International Literacy Prizes.

Participants In-person participation in the global event is by invitation. Participants will include representatives of governments and partners in charge of education and digitalization, staff and experts from ministries, multilateral organizations, civil society organizations, NGOs, the private sector and foundations, learners and educators, research institutions and universities. 

AGENDA PROGRAMME

Registration & informal discussions and Opening session 

Master of Ceremony: 

• Mr Marco Horanieh, Presenter and actor, France
• Ms Farida Shaheed, UN Special rapporteur on the right to education 

Keynote speech Introduction:

• Mr Borhene Chakroun, Director, Division of Policies and Lifelong Learning Systems, Education Sector, UNESCO 
• Ms Kate Arthur, British-Canadian entrepreneur

High-level panel – Literacy in the digital era.

This session intends to explore the potential of digital technologies to improve the way in which literacy is promoted at the system, programme and practice levels. It also aims to reflect on the challenges and potential risks posed by rapidly evolving digital landscapes, which must be addressed to ensure that everyone can achieve relevant and functional literacy skills as a right and a foundation for inclusive, just and sustainable societies. 

Session 1: Enhancing lifelong learning ecosystems.

A lifelong learning ecosystem encompasses systems, institutions, structures, policies, frameworks, and governance. Creating an enabling ecosystem is essential for promoting literacy as a lifelong pursuit across both physical and virtual spaces, and within formal, non-formal and informal learning settings, such as schools, training institutions, online courses, workplaces, community learning centres and home. This session will explore ways to strengthen lifelong learning ecosystems, with attention to human rights principles, democratic values, digital inclusion, privacy, and diversity in cultures, languages and knowledge systems

Session 2: Promoting effective literacy programmes and practices in the digital era.

Digitalization is transforming literacy programmes and practices broadly in two aspects: responding to evolving skill demands – particularly the need for higher levels of literacy skills as a basis for lifelong learning, alongside digital skills, which are increasingly integral to literacy itself; and leveraging digital technologies to improve design, content, management and monitoring of literacy programmes. This session will explore the key factors that can make literacy programmes in the digital era more inclusive, effective and sustainable

Session 3: Envisioning the futures of literacy in the digital era and ways forward.

This session aims to reflect on the futures of literacy in a world where digital technologies are increasingly permeating many spheres of life, transforming how we learn, live, work, interact and socialize, while also impacting the well-being of our planet. What kind of global literacy landscapes do we aspire to shape by 2050? What should be continued, discontinued or transformed in the way we design and manage literacy policies, programmes and practices? 

CAMPAIGN MATERIALS: ‘’Promoting literacy in the digital era.” These challenges highlight the importance of developing more solid and higher levels of literacy skills, while ensuring linguistic, cultural, and epistemic diversity, through enhancing holistic lifelong learning ecosystems, and embracing policies, programmes, practices, monitoring, governance, financing and partnerships.The Ideas generated through ILD2025 discussions to address issues in these areas are expected to chart future actions at the global, system, programme and practice levels. join the campaign, Get the ILD2025 Poster and other communication materials!

International Day of Clean Air for blue skies 2025; September 7th.

FORUM: “Racing for Air. Every Breath matters.“ International Day for Clean Air and Blue Skies 2025. Our first contact with the world. What we inhale 12 times a minute. It keeps us alive or poisons us. 99% of us breathe polluted air. We can't take it anymore. Air pollution is the biggest environmental health risk of our time. It also exacerbates climate change, causes economic losses, and reduces agricultural productivity. It knows no borders – everyone has a responsibility to protect our atmosphere and ensure healthy air for all. By collaborating across borders, sectors, and silos, we can reduce air pollution through collective investments of time, resources, and efforts. On this International Day of Clean Air for blue skies, we call upon everyone—from governments and corporations to civil society and individuals—to join the race for solutions. We’re Racing for Clean Air. By tackling air pollution proactively, we can achieve transformative change and secure healthy air for all. The sixth International Day of Clean Air for blue skies held under the theme “Racing for Air. Every breath matters.” will emphasize the need to accelerate solutions and collective action to deliver clean air for all. During this year’s campaign we will link clean air to sport, performance, endurance, and equity - highlighting the urgency of action while shifting the narrative from problems to solutions. Air pollution is the second leading risk factor for death, causing around 8.1 million premature deaths annually from conditions such as Stroke, heart disease, lung cancer, and acute respiratory infections. Clean air saves lives, strengthens the economy, enhances quality of life, protects the climate, and opens doors for innovation. We’re making progress — and we know how to do it. Now it’s time to accelerate. Learn about some innovators who are helping the world breathe fresher air. Follow the conversations with the hashtags, #7september; #WorldCleanAirDay, #CleanAirNow.

EVENTS: On this September 7th, International Day of Clean Air for blue skies, discover how clean air powers health, climate action, and stronger communities. Join the race for solutions, because clean air empowers performance, endurance, and equity. Together, we’re Racing for Air - accelerating actions for a healthier, fairer future.Several events, webinars and workshops will be held to mark the day.

On September 24th, 2025, from 09:00 - 12:00 (New York), a panel discussion entitled “Smarter Feed, Stronger Genes, Healthier Herds: The Path to Lower Livestock Emissions” will be held.Livestock methane represents 32% of all human-made methane emissions. Increasing productivity of livestock systems is a crucial lever to reduce emissions from agriculture. It increases the production of food while reducing the need for extra animals, and it paves the way for the development and adoption of groundbreaking methane-reducing technologies by farmers. Investing in groundbreaking solutions to reduce emissions from livestock and on productivity increases are crucial steps to achieve the emissions reductions from livestock we need. The Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC), Clean Air Task Force (CATF), Spark Climate Solutions, and the Environmental Defense Fund are coming together to highlight the key pillars for optimizing productivity and reducing emissions in livestock: feed, breed, and animal health – the triple win. Through the lenses of multiple livestock stakeholders, we will highlight the opportunities and challenges on the path to sustainable intensification, technology development, and farmers’ adoption of solutions. We will also discuss how data and a strong measuring framework is crucial for livestock to achieve its goals: food production, economic gains, land protection, and emissions reductions. Register to participate!

On September 8th, 2025, from 5:30 - 17:00 (Paris), a virtual event entitled ‘‘Accelerating Clean Air Action: New Tools for 2025 and Beyond” will be held to mark the International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies 2025, this webinar will showcase new tools and knowledge resources designed to empower air quality managers globally. Together these initiatives strengthen decision-making, improve public engagement and drive effective policies for clean air. Featured launches include: New Curated Guidance on Air Quality Management Exchange platform (AQMx); The WHO Science and Policy Snapshots; The introduction of the UNECE E-learning course on monitoring air pollution effects under the Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution; The launch of the WMO/Global Atmosphere Watch (GAW)’s 5th Edition of the Climate and Air Quality Bulletin; and the launch of the UNEP - Law and Air Quality Toolkit. Register to participate!

On September 7th; to mark the 6th annual International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies, Participants will focus on the urgent need for stronger partnerships, increased investment, and share responsibility for overcoming air pollution. Air pollution, indoors and outdoors, directly impacts human and ecosystem health. We all share and breathe the same air; thus, we all have a responsibility to protect our atmosphere and ensure healthy air for everyone. Register to participate!

On September 3rd, 2025, from 15:00 - 16:30 (Paris) a Webinar entitled ‘‘Improving waste management in MENA region through better data: lessons from Iraq and Jordan.” was held. This webinar showcased the insights from two country-led initiatives in Iraq and Jordan aimed at strengthening data systems to support waste sector management strategies and climate goals, including reporting. Participants heared directly from the organizations that led the implementation in each country, gain insights into key findings and challenges, and can engage with project teams and technical experts during a live Q&A session. Watch the livestream!

WEBCASTS: Watch the Climate and Clean Air Coalition webinar to mark the International Day of Clean Air for blue skies 2025 and explore the calendar of upcoming meetings and events.

From 20-21 May 2025 - The Annual meeting of the Joint Task Force on Health Aspects of Air Pollution will be held virtually. The 2025 annual meeting of the Joint Task Force on the Health Aspects of Air Pollution gathered virtually 50 participants representing 27 Member States and 4 intergovernmental organizations to share information and updates or air quality and health and to review recent progress in the health risk assessment of air pollution under the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution (UNECE Air Convention). As recognized in the Declaration of the Seventh Ministerial Conference on Environment and Health, the Task Force will play an important role in supporting the implementation of Conference commitments on air quality, climate change and health, by providing a platform to exchange knowledge and information. The agenda covers international policies and processes for air quality and health, WHO tools for health risk assessment of air pollution (AirQ+ and CLIMAQ-H), progress in research on air quality and health, and relevant experiences in Member States. Other agenda items will address air pollution, climate change and health, and communicating on air quality and health. Presentations will include updates on the ongoing revision of the European Union Directive on ambient air quality and cleaner air for Europe, information about the Second Global Conference on Air Pollution and Health in 2025 and the contribution of the Task Force to the regional Science and Policy Snapshots, and the use of behavioural and cultural insights for environment and health. Participants will also review current activities of the Task Force workplan for 2024–2025 and discuss the next steps for implementation.

STATEMENTS:

Statement from the U.N. Secretary General on the International Day of Clean Air for blue skies 2025; September 7th.

Air pollution is a global emergency – and a preventable one.

Today, nearly every person on Earth breathes air that is unsafe, contributing to millions of deaths every year – particularly amongst the elderly and children.

But solutions are within reach. We can rein in the pollutants that choke people, and heat the planet by investing in renewable energy, improving waste management, halting deforestation including wildfires, and promoting eco-friendly agriculture.

Bold policies are key, including stronger enforcement, public alert systems, and collaboration across borders.

Governments must seize the opportunity of new national climate plans – NDCs – due this year, to chart a course to drastic emission cuts, and a just transition away from fossil fuels.

For too many around the world, blue skies have been stained grey by inaction and injustice.

Let us take urgent steps today, for clean, breathable air for all.

António Guterres.

Statement from the UN Environment Executive director on the International Day of Clean Air for blue skies 2025.

Every day, billions of people are on the move to school, to work and to care for others.
But for many, every step is harder than it really should be.
Not because of the journey itself, but because of the air that they breathe.
Air pollution is one of the world's deadliest environmental threats, claiming over 8 million premature lives each year, and countless days are lost for school and work accordingly and impacting people's quality of life. But this race against air pollution can be won.
We have the solutions, cleaner energy and cooking solutions, sustainable transport, better agricultural and waste practices, stronger regulatory frameworks and proven solutions to cut super pollutants.
Clean air is not a privilege. It's a right.
On this International Clean Air Day for Blue Skies, now is the time to pick up the pace and win this race. Sorry. We just do it again. Yes. No problem. It's a great pleasure to welcome everyone here today as we celebrate clean air for blue skies.
Let me particularly express. It's a great pleasure to welcome everyone here as we celebrate clean air for Blue Skies Day. Let me express express your appreciation.
have to get it right. All right, I got it, I got. Don't worry. It's a great pleasure to welcome everyone here as we celebrate clean air for Blue Skies Day.
Let me also expressed deep appreciation to the Republic of Korea for the strong support to this day, but also to the work that Unep does on the environment.

Inger Andersen.

WHO Regional Director's message on the International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies 2025; September 7th.

International Day of Charity 2025; September 5th.

FORUM: “Call the world to act with solidarity and compassion.“ International Day of Charity 2025. By encouraging social responsibility, we will better understand the needs of the most vulnerable to help the international community move forward. The United Nations system comprises many funds, programmes and specialized agencies, each of which have their own area of work, leadership and budget. The programmes and funds are financed through voluntary rather than assessed contributions. The Specialized Agencies are independent international organizations funded by both voluntary and assessed contributions. The United Nations coordinates its work with these separate UN system entities, which cooperate with the Organization to help achieve the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development, which recognises the barriers that poverty places on international development. Follow the conversations with the hashtags: #charitywork, #donate, #InternationalDayofCharity, #5September, #Charities, #MotherTheresa.

EVENTS: Commemoration of the anniversary of the passing away of Mother Theresa. 

On September. 5, 2025; A Mass with the Missionaries of Charity of Mother Teresa  will be held to mark the 28th anniversary of the death of Mother Teresa. 

On September 5th, at UNHQ, to mark the International Day of Charity 2025 a minute of silence will observed by the Permanent mission of the Holy See to the United Nations to pay tribute to mother theresa and to discuss on the charitable efforts made to alleviate poverty worldwide. The United Nations General Assembly and the United Nations Economic and Social Council invites the United Nations Member states, non-member states, the United Nations Specialized agencies, the Civil Society Organizations, the Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), the non-profits, the charitable organizations, individuals and volunteer organisations at local, national and international levels to observe the day in an appropriate manner. Religious ceremonies will be held to honour Mother Theresa who was named the patroness of a number of churches worldwide. Last year; The UN Chamber Music Society of the United Nations Staff Recreation Council (UNCMS) performed a tribute concert to the homeless – in the spirit and call of strengthened global solidarity, focused on the need. Register to participate!

WEBINARS: In these webinars you'll learn from industry-leading partners who understand the challenges nonprofits face and discover new ways to amplify your organization's impact. Subscribe to the upcoming GreaterGiving virtual-event!

Archbishop Thomas Wenski's homily at Mass with the Missionaries of Charity of Mother Teresa on the 28th anniversary of the death of Mother Teresa. Sept. 5, 2025.

Mother Teresa went home to heaven 28 years ago today. I remember that first week of September 1997. The week began with the tragic death of Princess Diana, and it ended with the passing into eternal life of Mother Teresa. In between those two events was my ordination as a bishop.

The day of her “birthday” into heaven is also her feast day — and so, we join with her, and all the angels and saints in heaven, and offer our worship to God by celebrating the Holy Eucharist, the Sacrifice of the Mass. At this Mass, we ask Mother Teresa to pray for us. With the help of her prayers, with the encouragement of her words, and through the example of her life, may we too come to share in the joys of heaven.

The Holy Mass is a special prayer; but Mother Teresa herself would say, "Try to feel the need for prayer often during the day and take the trouble to pray.” “Prayer”, she would tell people, “makes the heart large enough until it can contain God's gift of Himself.”

Yet prayer — as the life of Mother Teresa shows with great translucency — does not distance oneself from the cares of the world or the needs of one’s neighbor. Prayer is a lifting up of one’s heart and mind to God but doing so doesn’t mean one ignores one’s neighbor — as Pope Francis said, “to ignore man’s suffering is to ignore God.” “True worship,” he added, “does not exist if it is not translated into service of one’s neighbor.”

Jesus said it clearly in today’s Gospel parable of the Last Judgment. “Whatsoever you do to the least of my brethren, you do to me.”

Mother Teresa would urge us to recognize Christ in our neighbor — even when he appears in various disguises — sometimes disagreeable ones. “People,” Mother would say, “are unreasonable, illogical and self-centered. Love them anyway.”

Mother Teresa was a real woman who took real risks, who had a real belief that Jesus called her to do what she was doing, and she went ahead and did it without hesitation. Some people were scandalized that she did not shun publicans and sinners — like Jesus, she met with them and often recruited their assistance; others criticized her because she did not adopt the sophisticated approaches to poverty of a modern NGO, or because she was not a crusader against social injustice and structural sin in the style of many self-styled champions of the downtrodden. She took on the battles she knew she could win. “If you can’t feed a hundred people, then feed one,” she would say.

The vocation of the Missionaries of Charity founded by Mother Teresa was not to be simply their work. The vocation of the Missionaries of Charity was and is the love of Jesus. Again, to quote Mother Teresa, “I see Jesus in every human being. I say to myself this is hungry Jesus, I must feed him. This is sick Jesus. This one has leprosy or gangrene. I must wash and tend to him. I serve because I love Jesus.”

Mother visited Miami — and she visited this very place. A saint walked, stood, prayed and served right here. Isn’t that something? But let’s not forget why she came here, and why she sent her sisters here. And you know why? Because she found Jesus here. Isn’t that something, that even though we can be sometimes unreasonable, illogical and self-centered, that even though we can be poor, confused, thirsty, forgotten or abandoned, Mother could see Jesus in us.

This is the great Mystery of Faith — Jesus gives himself to us hidden under the appearances of bread and wine so that we give ourselves to him as he appears to us in various disguises — even disagreeable ones.

Mother Teresa of Kolkata, pray for us.

Archbishop Thomas Wenski - The Archdiocese of Miami.

FILM SCREENING: Mother Teresa (1986) Portrait Of A Catholic Saint..

This definitive portrait of Mother Teresa was shot over 5 years and follows the saint into the world's trouble spots, showing how Mother Teresa transcends all barriers with her works of love.

"28 years passed since the death of Mother Teresa." Missionaries of Charity.

September 5th is the Feast day of our dearest Mother. See more events

International Day for People of African Descent 2025; August 31st.

FORUM: "People of African Descent: Recognition, Justice, and Development." International Day for People of African Descent 2025; An initiative have been developed during the launch of the Second International Decade for People of African Descent, to amplify global efforts toward justice and development for individuals of African descent. Societies around the world are increasingly recognizing the role structural racism plays in driving social, economic and political inequalities; several countries have made racial profiling and discrimination illegal and have introduced policies to promote the rights and choices for people of African descent. Governments have accelerated their efforts to make Afrodescendants more statistically visible in order to address historical injustices and to bridge gaps in access to health care, social services and opportunities. Further action, political will and investments are needed to end inequalities and ensure the full empowerment of people of African descent.Today we honour and celebrate the many African diaspora who continue to make extraordinary contributions across the world and re-commit to eliminate all forms of discrimination against them. Follow the conversations with the hashtags #AfricanDescent, #InternationalDecadeforPeopleofAfricanDescent; #africandescentday; #31august, #StandUp4HumanRights, #FightRacism.

EVENT: On August 31st; from 14:30 to 16:00 pm EST, a virtual event will be held to mark the 5th edition of the International Day for People of African Descent. The United Nations General Assembly invites all Member States, all organizations and bodies of the United Nations system and other international and regional organizations, the private sector and academia, as well as civil society, including non-governmental organizations and individuals, to observe the International Day in an appropriate manner, including through education and public awareness-raising activities, in order to promote the extraordinary contributions of the African diaspora around the world and to eliminate all forms of discrimination against people of African descent. By fostering collaboration among governments, organizations, and communities we can find way to create a more equitable future in which the aspirations and rights of people of African descent are fully recognized, honored, and celebrated. You are invited to Register to participate!

Statement of the United Nations Secretary General on the International Day for People of African Descent 2025; August 31st.

On the International Day for People of African Descent, we honour the extraordinary contributions of people of African descent across every sphere of human endeavour.

But we also recognise enduring injustices. The legacies of slavery and colonialism cast long shadows – seen in systemic racism, unequal economies and societies, and the digital divide. White supremacy and dehumanizing narratives are amplified by social media, and, too often, racial bias is encoded in algorithms.

Eighty years after the United Nations Charter reaffirmed the equal rights and inherent dignity of every human being, and sixty years since the adoption of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, it is long past time to right historic wrongs.

The Global Digital Compact takes a step forward, with commitments to tackle discrimination and hate speech in digital technologies. And the second International Decade for People of African Descent must drive real change -- including working towards a United Nations Declaration on the full respect of people of African descent’s human rights.

Let’s make this a decade of action – for justice, dignity and equality for people of African descent around the world.

António Guterres, United Nations Secretary-General.

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Statement from Mr Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on the International Day for People of African Descent 2025; August 31st.

People of African descent have built a rich heritage of creative excellence, of transformative leadership, and of enduring resilience. They have shaped the world in ways that cannot be measured. The International Day for People of African descent is an opportunity to celebrate their diverse contributions to societies. Today also serves as a call to step up efforts to address the persistent injustices against them. the legacy of colonialism and the trade in enslaved Africans. Because of systemic racism, people of African descent are more likely to live in poverty and to experience discrimination across the board, from access to housing and health care to education and political representation.
Damaging stereotypes fuel racially motivated violence, hate speech, and supremacist ideologies that threaten their safety and dignity. This community faces systemic discrimination in their interactions with law enforcement and criminal justice and women and girls of African descent. People with disabilities and many other groups within the community experience intersectional discrimination.
To secure the full rights and freedoms of people of African descent, we need urgent progress on three fronts. First, recognition that systemic racism can only be tackled with systemic reforms.
My office, UN Human Rights, stands ready to support states to dismantle racist systems, laws, and policies. Second, reparatory justice to address the lasting impact of enslavement and colonialism.
initiatives can include truthtelling, memorialization, and formal apologies as well as reparations.
Third, improving data collection to confront entrenched racial inequalities.
What isn't counted doesn't count. So states need to monitor the differing impact of laws and policies on different communities and they need to take action grounded in robust data analysis.
The United Nations is working around the world to end the discrimination, the violence and the inequality suffered by people of African descent. I welcome the designation of the next 10 years as the
second international decade for people of African descent and I urge states to prioritize deliberation and adoption of a United Nations declaration on the respect, protection and fulfillment of the human rights of this important group. This will help to confront violations and provide guidance for  building anti-racist societies. Justice denied to people of African descent is a denial of our shared humanity. This International Day is a powerful reminder that we need to intensify the fight against racism for a just and equitable future for all.

Mr Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Statement of the UNFPA on International Day for People of African Descent 2025; August 31st.

Across the world, people of African descent continue to endure glaring inequalities in sexual and reproductive health and rights, economic opportunity and political representation. Higher rates of maternal death and adolescent pregnancy among women and girls of African descent rooted in historical patterns of race-based reproductive discrimination continue – and often go unaddressed. This year, as we mark the start of the second International Decade for People of African Descent, we have a pivotal opportunity to take concrete actions to end racism, reach reproductive justice and secure the full human rights of people of African descent worldwide. Reproductive justice requires securing sexual and reproductive health for Afrodescendent women and youth. To achieve equity and human rights, including in reproductive health, the legacies of colonialism, slavery and systemic neglect must be dismantled. We must advance universal, high-quality sexual and reproductive health services, rights and choices, from comprehensive sexuality education to contraception to pre- and postnatal care, while ensuring cultural competency and promoting gender equality and human rights. Securing reproductive justice also requires opening opportunities for Afrodescendent people to overcome poverty, including combating systemic racism, ensuring access to quality education and training, expanding access to emerging technologies such as AI, and promoting equal employment opportunities for Afrodescedent youth. The collection of high-quality data, disaggregated by race, gender and age, is critical to identifying and addressing persistent sexual and reproductive health disparities among women and girls of African descent. Recent funding cuts jeopardize long-standing data systems, highlighting the urgent need to secure sustainable investments and to develop alternative mechanisms for data collection and analysis. Statistical visibility does more than reveal needs: It openly affirms the value, contributions and belonging of Afrodescendent women and girls across the world.

UNFPA Executive-Director.

  

International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances 2025; August 30th.

FORUM: "Stand up for the rights of the disappeared." International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances 2025. The United Nations and regional human rights experts urged all States to provide effective access to justice for victims of enforced disappearance, that include any individual who has suffered harm as the direct result of an enforced disappearance. Follow the conversations with the hashtags: #enforceddisappearances, #30August, #access2justice,#InternationalDayOfVictimsOfEnforcedDisappearances.

EVENTS: On August 30th; The International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances 2025 will be held at the United Nations Palace in Geneva and at UNHQ in New York. The United Nations invites authorities to strengthen operational and technical capacities, including the provision of training in mass grave exhumations, crime scene management, and mortuary procedures; to provide guidance on effective operational planning, inter-agency cooperation, chain of custody, and the upgrade mortuary facilities. In the context of the 76th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Committee on Enforced Disappearances, the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances, the Inter-american Commission on Human Rights, the Chairperson of the Working Group on Death Penalty, Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Killings of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the Representatives of Indonesia and Malaysia to the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights jointly called on all States to make pledges to promote justice for all victims of enforced disappearances without delay, and to ratify international and regional instruments on enforced disappearances. Register to participate!

On 15 and 16 January 2025 in Geneva, Switzerland. The forthcoming World Congress on Enforced Disappearances, which will take place, presents a crucial opportunity to bring States, victims and their representative organisations, national human rights institutions and experts together to find actionable solutions to eliminate and prevent enforced disappearances and promote the universal ratification of the International Convention for the Protection of all Persons against Enforced Disappearances. The World Congress will allow us to identify and adopt concrete actions to address these concerns and pledge to implement them under our respective mandates. We encourage all actors involved in the fight against enforced disappearances to make the most of this event and to commit to concrete action. On this International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances, we reiterate our shared commitment to assisting victims worldwide and our call for collective action to end this scourge, once and for all.” The first World Congress on Enforced Disappearances provided a platform to share experiences, challenges, and best practices. This crucial step in shaping a collective path toward justice, truth, reparation, and the prevention of future disappearances, showed once again the urgency that all States ratify the Convention for the Protection of all Persons against Enforced Disappearances.

PUBLICATIONS: 2024 Report of the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances; This report reflects the activities of the WGEID, communications and cases that it processed during the reporting period. It also includes the main findings and observations on the thematic study on enforced disappearances and elections. Explore the Thematic report: Enforced disappearances and elections -A/HRC/57/54/Add.4 and the full report. A/HRC/57/54.

STATEMENTS: The United Nations and regional human rights experts issued a joint statement today, urging all actors to join forces immediately to support victims of enforced disappearance and ensure that their rights and obligations as codified in regional and international treaties and other legal instruments. Read the full Statement by Human Rights experts ahead of the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances 2025; August 30th.

Enforced disappearances entail a serious violation of multiple human rights, inflicting profound suffering, experienced not only by those who are forcibly disappeared, but also by their families, their communities, and by society as a whole. They are often practiced as a deliberate strategy of control through terror intended to cause suffering, instill fear, suppress dissent, and punish entire communities. Their commission involves varying degrees of participation, acquiescence, or omission by State agents.

Any act of enforced disappearance places the persons subjected thereto outside the protection of the law and at high risk of being subjected to serious human rights violations. It constitutes a violation of both international and domestic laws that guarantee, among others, the right to recognition as a person before the law, the right to liberty and security of the person and the right not to be subjected to torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. It also constitutes a grave threat to the right to life.

The prolonged isolation and deprivation of communication with the outside world, to which forcibly disappeared persons are subjected, are harmful to their psychological integrity and that of their relatives, and constitute a violation of the prohibition of torture and/or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.

Enforced disappearances prevent monitoring by national preventive mechanisms and other competent bodies, facilitating the commission of torture and/or other forms of cruel treatment. Decades of documentation of this heinous crime show how the practice has often served as a means to circumvent fundamental legal safeguards, including limitations to the duration of deprivation of liberty and the prohibition of violent interrogation methods.

Various international and regional human rights bodies, including the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, the African Commission on Human and Peoples? Rights, the Committee against Torture, the Human Rights Committee, and the European Court of Human Rights, have recognized enforced disappearances as a form of torture or other ill-treatment against the forcibly disappeared individuals and/or their families.

The Committee on Enforced Disappearances and the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances view with concern the continuous torture inflicted upon the relatives of the forcibly disappeared persons. The daily anguish of not knowing their fate and whereabouts, the fear of never seeing them again, as well as the silence, inaction, official indifference, and impunity that usually surround this crime, inflict on relatives unimaginable pain and despair. Scores of heart-breaking testimonies by family members refer to these experiences as a form of psychological torture or cruel treatment.

The psychological toll on family members is devastating and transgenerational, entailing lasting physical and mental health consequences such as depression, anxiety and profound trauma. Women, in particular, often bear a disproportionate burden, in most cases abruptly having to assume new roles as search organizers, advocates, on top of the additional caring or financial responsibilities they have to assume to their families.

Children grow up in the shadows of fear, doubt and anxiety created by the enforced disappearance, and the rupture of the family structure.

On this International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances, we urgently call on all States to strengthen their policies to prevent and eradicate this crime and to guarantee the right of relatives of disappeared persons and society as a whole to know the truth about the fate and whereabouts of those forcibly disappeared, as well as access to justice and integral reparations. We acknowledge the shared aspiration that was recalled by all participants to the World Congress on Enforced Disappearance in January 2025 for truth, healing, and dignity, and reaffirm the value of constructive dialogue and cooperation in fostering a more humane and caring society.

Enforced disappearance is a wound that corrodes the fabric of society. It is a form of torture and/or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment that must be condemned unequivocally, prevented and eradicated through collective action, effective prevention, accountability, and sustained support for victims, including through the implementation of the pledges made at the World Congress on Enforced Disappearances.

We stand in solidarity with all those affected by enforced disappearances and reaffirm our commitment to truth, justice, rehabilitation, and reparations for all victims.

This is the occasion for the remaining States that have not yet ratified the International Convention for the Protection of all Persons against Enforced Disappearance and the Inter- American Convention on Forced Disappearance to do their part to eradicate this heinous crime, starting with committing today to ratify them.

OHCHR Experts Joint Statement.

The UN expert of the WGEID to review of 689 cases of Enforced disappearances from 41 countries at its 135th Session from 27 to 31 January 2025.