This section aims to invite you and your community to develop activities in order to create awareness about protecting the environment in your local place of residence, your work place or your school.

If you know about a certain date celebrated in your country and which is related to environmental issues, we will be thankful if you can send documented information in order to include it in this section. We would like to thank in advance for your support.

Notes:

A. Environment-Celebrations organized by UN, its organisms, agencies or programmes.

B. Environment-Celebrations organized by other organisms or institutions, different from the UN,

A. Environment-Celebrations organized by UN, its organisms, agencies or programmes.

22 nd MARCH, World Day of Water

Through resolution No. 47/193, UN’s General Assembly declared 22nd March as the World Day of the Water, promoting a general concern for saving water resources and its social benefit, including its protection and preservation and economic productivity.

23rd MARCH World Day of Meteorology l

This date was established as a result of a decision made by the Executive Council of the World Meteorological Organization, during its 5th Congress in 1967. The purpose of this celebration, is to create world wide conscience about climate care as a main factor to preserving ecosystems and subsequently sustainable development.

5th JUNE, World Day of the Environment

On 15th December 1972, through resolution No.2994 (XXVII), The General Assembly declared 5th June as the World Day of the Environment, with the spirit of promoting a deep universal conscience regarding the need of protection and improvement of world wide environment.

This date was selected due to the opening of the United Nations Conference of Human Environment, held in Stockholm, Sweden in 1972, in which an agreement was reached to establish the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

Twenty years later, the General Assembly organized the United Nations Conference for Environment and Development (UNCED), in which governments agreed to adopt necessary measures in order to undertake the objectives of the Stockholm conference and support commitment to attaining balance between environment and economic development, creating a sustainable future for Earth and everyone of its living forms.

17th JUNE World Day against Desertification and Dryness

On 19th December 1994, UN’s General Assembly proclaimed through resolution no. 49/155, that 17th June will be the World Day against Desertification and Dryness. Governments from all around the world were invited to dedicate this date to create conscience in the public opinion, regarding the need for international cooperation in the struggle against desertification and the effects of dryness, and application of UN convention’s dispositions against desertification.

11th JULY, World Day of the Pupulation

In June 1989, the General Council for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) suggested the worldwide community to celebrate every 11th July the World Day of the Population. This date was selected due to worldwide population reaching 5,000 million people on the same day in 1987. The festivity aims to promote a general concern, regarding urgency and importance of population’s problems, particularly in the context of plans and general development programmes, underlining the need to find solutions for world population’s problems.

With a 1.7% average growth rate per year, the number of human beings in the planet reached 5,600 million in the second half of 1993. At the beginning of year 2000 this number could get to 6,200 million and for the year 2019, this figure could be more than 8,000 million, according to UN’s population forecasts performed in 1993.

16th SEPTEMBER, International Day for Preserving the Ozone Layer

On 19th December 1994, UN’s General Assembly declared 16th September the International Day for Preserving the Ozone Layer, based on the signature of the Montreal Protocol, relative to ozone depleting substances (resolution 49/114) on 16th September 1987. Every state was invited to dedicate this day to promoting activities in their national context, meeting the aims and purposes of the Montreal Protocol and its amendments. The ozone layer acts as a filter to sun light, avoiding negative effects of ultraviolet radiation in the planet’s surface, and thus preserving life all around the world.

SEPTEMBER’S last week, World Day of the Sea

This celebration was established by the Administration Council of the World Maritime Organisation (WMO), on its 38th session period. The first World Day of the Sea was celebrated on 17th March 1978, along with the Intergovernment Maritime Consultant Organization’s Convention (IMCO). In 1980, IMCO’s assembly decided that celebrations of the World Day of the Sea could take place during the last week of September, each government fixing the date for festivity.

OCTOBER’S first Monday. World Day of the Atmosphere.

Suggested by the Commission for Human Settlements, UN’s General Assembly designated October’s every first Monday to become the World Day of the Atmosphere, through resolution 40/202. The first celebration took place in 1986 under the framework of the 10th Anniversary of the topic’s international conference. (Habitat: Conference of the United Nations about Human Settlements), held during the months of May and June, 1976 in Vancouver, Canada.

OCTOBER’S second Wednesday, International Day for Reducing Disasters caused by Natural Phenomena.

Under the context of the International Decennial for reducing Natural Disasters (1990-1999), UN’s General Assembly declared every October’s second Wednesday, the International Day for reducing disasters caused by natural phenomena”. International community members should pay observance every year along the 90’s decade, according to objectives and goals set in resolution 44/236.

16th OCTOBER, World Day of Nutrition

United Nations’ Conference for Agriculture and Nutrition declared in 1979 the World Day of Nutrition, which aims to create public awareness of nutritional problems and to reinforce global understanding of the struggle against starvation, bad nutrition and poverty. In 1980, United Nation’s General Assembly underscored through resolution 35/70 the importance of this day, stressing that nutrition is not only a requirement for survival and prosperity of human kind, but also an essential human need.

17th OCTOBER, International Day for Poverty Eradication

In 1992, United Nations’ General Assembly declared 17th October the International Day for Poverty Eradication, through resolution 47/196. In the light of eliminating poverty and indigence in the world, this issue has become a priority for development in the 1990’s, particularly for developing countries.

Moreover, on 21st December 1993, the General Assembly proclaimed 1996 the International Year for Poverty Eradication, through resolution 48/143, determining that main monitoring activities would have different application levels, such as local, national and international contexts. In addition, it was decided that United Nations would bring assistance to states, creating commitments towards policy adoption and public awareness about the importance of phasing out poverty, in the light of peace and sustainable growth.

The General Assembly also asked General Secretary and States to organize a programme relative to celebrating this date every year, including participations of specialized organisms, Inter-government and non-government institutions. The department for Sustainable development and Policy Coordination was assigned by the General Assembly to prepare celebrations and the Economical and Social Council to coordinate activities during this international year.

6th NOVEMBER, International Day for Preventing Exploitation of the Environment during Wars and Armed Conflict

On the 5th November 2001, United Nations declared through resolution 56/4, every 6th November to become the International Day for Preventing Exploitation of the environment during wars and Armed Conflicts.

29th DECEMBER, International Day of Biological Diversity

On 19th December 1994, United Nations’ General Assembly proclaimed 29th December to become the International Day of Biological Diversity. It was first celebrated in 1995.

It is important to emphasize that for the very first time, an international agreement was translated to the Braile System, favouring more than 40 million potential readers in the world who are not able to see. It is also the very first time when the Industrial Sector joined forces with the Secretary for the Convention of Biological Diversity and the Spanish National Organization for Blind People, supporting transcription of such convention to the Braile System in three languages (English, French and Spanish).

B. Environment Celebrations organized by other non-UN organisms and institutions

2th FEBRUARY, International Day of the Wetlands

The International Day of Wetlands is celebrated on the 2nd February, declared by the Ramsar Convention or the International Convention for Wetlands Preservation, which name derived from the city’s name where it was held in 1971, in Iran. Beginning in 1975, it has currently more than 100 country members that share their concern and their interest in the topic. Wetlands are Ecosystems that depend on a water regime, (through out the year or during certain seasons, like lakes or mangroves). Swamps are permanent wetlands. In Central America there exist around twenty wetlands of worldwide importance.

Wetlands bring forest and wild life resources, fishing, fodder and proper conditions for developing some agriculture activities.

In May 1999, an important meeting was held in San José Costa Rica, where country members of the Ramsar Convention participated in.

22nd APRIL, Day of the Earth

The Day of the Earth was celebrated for the first time in the United States, Canada and several Western European countries on the 22nd April 1970. The purpose is to promote a general conscience about the environment, through a series of sound activities, involving local and urban authorities, the civil society, non-government environmental organizations, and contributions from children, youngsters and adult population.

9th May, International Day of the Birds

The International Day of Birds is celebrated due to an initiative from Birdlife International, who encourages countries to perform activities such as festivals, events, exhibitions, conferences and presentations related to the day’s Topic. The purpose is to acknowledge at least once a year, the greatness and beauty of this particular living form.

8th JUNE, The Day of the Oceans

This is a relatively recent celebration, proposed by Canada. Oceans cover two thirds of the earth’s surface, and through their interaction with the atmosphere, lithosphere, and biosphere, they play an important role, in the configuration of climate conditions that make life possible in our planet. Oceans are not only the habitat of a vast majority of plants and animals, but also provide food, energy and multiple resources to human beings. In 1994, the international community took a very important step in order to protect oceans, particularly through the official decree of the Convention of the United Nations for the Oceans Law. One of the main issues, in the light of preservation of fauna and flora, was the protection particularly of tuna, shark, sword fish and merlin fish populations. In 1997, United Nations’ General Assembly declared 1998, the International Year of Oceans.

JULY’S 2nd Thursday, Day of the Trees (Mexico)

The Year of the Trees was declared in Mexico by presidential mandate, published in the Mexican National Official Bulletin on 27th July 1951. Under the presidency of Mr. Adolfo López Mateos (1958-1964), an official announcement declared that every second Thursday of July the Day of the Trees should be celebrated. Finally, on 7th July 1959, another presidential decree institutionalized the commemoration of the Festivity o Forests, during the whole month of July.

OCTOBER’s First Saturday Interamerican Day of the Water

In 1992, given the imperative need of creating awareness among the Americas’ peoples, about the importance of water in our lives an agreement was set to commemorate the Interamerican Day of Water. Three organizations: the Health Panamerican Organisation (HPO), the Interamerican Association of Sanitary and Environment Engineering (IASEE) and the Caribbean Association for Water and Sewage (CAWS) sgined the Declaration during the XXIII Interamerican Congress of IASEE), held in La Havana, Cuba. 1993 was the first year in which this date was celebrated, continuing this tradition year by year every October’s first Saturday.

The Interamerican Day of Water is a “celebration of water in the Americas” and it has served as point of departure for stressing the relationship between water and good health, educate and influence public opinion about the adequate use of water, and promote activities related to water in scholar population and the general community.

A. Celebrations organized by UN

B. Celebrations organized by other organisms or institutions