International awareness days and key dates

Sunday 1 March 2026

• Self-injury Awareness Day

  Awareness

  A day on 1 March each year that raises awareness of self-harm, challenges stigma and encourages people to seek support.

• World Seagrass Day

  Awareness

  World Seagrass Day on 1 March raises awareness of seagrass meadows, which shelter fish, protect coastlines and are being lost each year.

• Zero Discrimination Day

  Awareness

  Zero Discrimination Day on 1 March, led by UNAIDS, celebrates everyone's right to live a full life with dignity, free from discrimination.

Tuesday 3 March 2026

• Lantern Festival

  Religious and cultural

  The Lantern Festival falls on the 15th day of the lunar new year and closes the new year celebrations.

• Purim

  Religious and cultural

  Purim is a joyful one-day Jewish festival in late winter or early spring, celebrating the story of Esther.

• World Hearing Day

  Awareness

  A World Health Organization day on 3 March that raises awareness of how to prevent deafness and hearing loss and promotes ear and hearing care.

• World Wildlife Day

  Awareness

  World Wildlife Day on 3 March celebrates wild plants and animals and highlights the need to tackle wildlife crime and species loss.

Wednesday 4 March 2026

• Holi

  Religious and cultural

  Holi is the Hindu festival of colours in March, celebrating spring and the victory of good over evil.

• World Engineering Day for Sustainable Development

  Awareness

  World Engineering Day for Sustainable Development on 4 March highlights the role of engineers in meeting the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

• World Obesity Day

  Awareness

  A global day of action on 4 March that aims to improve understanding, prevention and treatment of obesity.

Thursday 5 March 2026

• International Day for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Awareness

  Awareness

  On 5 March the UN raises public awareness of disarmament and non-proliferation, especially among young people.

Friday 6 March 2026

• World Day of Prayer

  Religious and cultural

  A Christian day of prayer held on the first Friday of March, with services prepared each year by women from a different country.

Sunday 8 March 2026

• International Women's Day

  Awareness

  A global day on 8 March celebrating women's achievements and pushing for gender equality.

• World Glaucoma Week

  Awareness8 to 14 March 2026

  A global week in March encouraging regular eye checks to catch glaucoma early, held 8 to 14 March in 2026.

Monday 9 March 2026

• Commonwealth Day

  Religious and cultural

  Commonwealth Day, on the second Monday in March, celebrates the 56 member countries of the Commonwealth.

Tuesday 10 March 2026

• International Day of Women Judges

  Awareness

  The International Day of Women Judges on 10 March promotes the full and equal participation of women at every level of the judiciary.

• MAR10 Day

  Commercial and retail

  MAR10 Day on 10 March is Nintendo's yearly celebration of Mario, chosen because the date written as Mar 10 looks like the character's name.

Thursday 12 March 2026

• World Kidney Day

  Awareness

  A global day on the second Thursday of March that raises awareness of kidney health and the prevention of kidney disease.

Friday 13 March 2026

• World Sleep Day

  Awareness

  A global day in March, held on the Friday before the spring equinox, that highlights the importance of healthy sleep.

Saturday 14 March 2026

• International Day of Action for Rivers

  Awareness

  Held on 14 March, when communities around the world take action to protect rivers and the people who depend on them.

• International Day of Mathematics

  Awareness

  The International Day of Mathematics on 14 March, Pi Day, celebrates the role of mathematics in everyday life and in science.

Sunday 15 March 2026

• International Day to Combat Islamophobia

  Awareness

  The International Day to Combat Islamophobia on 15 March promotes tolerance, respect for religious diversity and dialogue against anti-Muslim hatred.

• World Consumer Rights Day

  Awareness

  Marked each year on 15 March to promote consumer rights and protection around the world.

Monday 16 March 2026

• Global Money Week

  Awareness16 to 22 March 2026

  An international week in March that helps children and young people learn about money, saving and financial decisions.

• Nutrition and Hydration Week

  Awareness16 to 22 March 2026

  An international week each March focused on good food and drink in health and social care settings.

Tuesday 17 March 2026

• St Patrick's Day

  Religious and cultural

  St Patrick's Day on 17 March is Ireland's national day, celebrated with parades and green landmarks around the world.

Wednesday 18 March 2026

• Global Recycling Day

  Awareness

  An international day on 18 March that promotes recycled materials as a valuable resource rather than waste.

Friday 20 March 2026

• Eid al-Fitr

  Religious and cultural

  Eid al-Fitr is the Muslim festival that marks the end of Ramadan, celebrated with prayers, family meals and gifts.

• French Language Day

  Awareness

  French Language Day at the UN on 20 March celebrates the history, culture and use of French, one of the UN's six official languages.

• International Day of Happiness

  Awareness

  The International Day of Happiness on 20 March recognises happiness and wellbeing as basic human goals that public policy should support.

• World Oral Health Day

  Awareness

  A global day on 20 March promoting good oral health for people of all ages.

• World Sparrow Day

  Awareness

  Held on 20 March to raise awareness of the house sparrow and other common birds and the threats they face in towns and cities.

Saturday 21 March 2026

• International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination

  Awareness

  On 21 March the UN calls for action against racism, marking the anniversary of the 1960 Sharpeville massacre in South Africa.

• International Day of Forests

  Awareness

  The International Day of Forests on 21 March celebrates forests of every kind and encourages events such as tree planting.

• International Day of Nowruz

  Religious and cultural

  The International Day of Nowruz on 21 March marks the Persian new year, celebrated at the spring equinox by many communities worldwide.

• International Day of Nowruz

  Awareness

  The International Day of Nowruz on 21 March marks the spring new year festival celebrated by millions across many countries.

• Week of Solidarity with the Peoples Struggling against Racism and Racial Discrimination

  Awareness21 to 27 March 2026

  From 21 to 27 March the UN encourages a week of solidarity with people fighting racism and racial discrimination.

• World Day for Glaciers

  Awareness

  The World Day for Glaciers on 21 March raises awareness of glaciers, snow and ice and their vital role in the world's water supply.

• World Down Syndrome Day

  Awareness

  World Down Syndrome Day on 21 March raises awareness of Down syndrome and promotes the inclusion of people who have it.

• World Poetry Day

  Awareness

  World Poetry Day on 21 March honours poets, promotes reading and writing poetry and supports linguistic diversity.

• World Puppetry Day

  Awareness

  Marked on 21 March to celebrate the art of puppetry and the puppeteers who keep it alive around the world.

Sunday 22 March 2026

• World Water Day

  Awareness

  World Water Day on 22 March focuses attention on fresh water and the billions of people still without safe water and sanitation.

Monday 23 March 2026

• World Meteorological Day

  Awareness

  World Meteorological Day on 23 March highlights the work of weather, climate and water services in keeping people safe.

Tuesday 24 March 2026

• International Day for the Right to the Truth concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and for the Dignity of Victims

  Awareness

  On 24 March the UN honours victims of gross human rights violations and promotes the right to truth and justice.

• World Tuberculosis Day

  Awareness

  World TB Day on 24 March raises awareness of tuberculosis and calls for stronger action to end one of the world's deadliest infectious diseases.

Wednesday 25 March 2026

• International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade

  Awareness

  On 25 March the UN remembers the millions of people enslaved through the transatlantic slave trade and calls for action against racism.

• International Day of Solidarity with Detained and Missing Staff Members

  Awareness

  On 25 March the UN stands with detained and missing UN staff, peacekeepers, aid workers and journalists, and calls for their protection.

Thursday 26 March 2026

• Purple Day

  Awareness

  An international epilepsy awareness day on 26 March, when people wear purple and hold events to support those living with epilepsy.

• Ram Navami

  Religious and cultural

  Ram Navami is the Hindu festival in spring celebrating the birth of Lord Rama.

Friday 27 March 2026

• World Theatre Day

  Awareness

  World Theatre Day on 27 March celebrates theatre worldwide, with an international message written each year by a leading theatre figure.

Saturday 28 March 2026

• Earth Hour

  Awareness

  A global lights-off hour at 8.30pm local time on a Saturday in late March, held on 28 March 2026 and 20 March 2027.

Sunday 29 March 2026

• Palm Sunday

  Religious and cultural

  Palm Sunday is the Sunday before Easter, when Christians remember Jesus entering Jerusalem and Holy Week begins.

Monday 30 March 2026

• International Day of Zero Waste

  Awareness

  The International Day of Zero Waste on 30 March promotes cutting waste, reusing materials and moving towards a circular economy.

• World Bipolar Day

  Awareness

  An international day on 30 March that raises awareness of bipolar disorder and works to reduce the stigma around it.

Tuesday 31 March 2026

• International Transgender Day of Visibility

  Awareness

  An international day on 31 March celebrating trans people and their contributions.

• Mahavir Jayanti

  Religious and cultural

  Mahavir Jayanti is the main Jain festival, held in March or April to celebrate the birth of Mahavira.

• World Backup Day

  Awareness

  Marked on 31 March to remind people to back up their photos, documents and other data before something goes wrong.