Important Times of International Observance

Important Weeks

March 21-27	-	Week of Solidarity with the Peoples Struggling against Racism and Racial Discrimination
May 25-31	-	Week of Solidarity with the Peoples of Non-Self- Governing Territories
4th week of September	-	International Peace Week
October 4-10	-	World Space Week
October 24-30	-	Disarmament Week

Important Months

January	-	Alzheimer's Awareness Month
February	-	African American History Month
		Heart Month
March	-	Women's History Month
		Help Fight Liver Disease Month
		National Colo-rectal Cancer Awareness Month
		National Epilepsy Month
		National Kidney Month
		National Nutrition Month
		Red Cross Month
April	-	Earth Month
		Poetry Month
		Daffodil Month: Cancer Awareness
		Dental Health Month
		Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Awareness Month
		National Cancer Month
		Parkinson Awareness Month
		National Physiotherapy Month
May	-	Mental Health Awareness Month
		Cystic Fibrosis Month
		Foot Health Awareness Month
		Asian Pacific American Heritage Month
		Speech and Hearing Awareness Month
		National Physiotherapy Month
		Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month
		Medic Alert Month
		Hepatitis Awareness Month
		Huntington's Disease Awareness Month
June	-	ALS Awareness Month (Lou Gehrig's Disease)
		National Athletic Therapy Month
		National Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus Awareness Month
		Relay for Life
		Seniors Month
		Stroke Awareness Month
		Black Music Month
		LGBT Pride Month
July	-	Caucasian History Month
		Hot Dog Month
September	-	National Arthritis Month
		Ovarian Cancer Month
October	-	Breast Cancer Awareness Month
		International Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Awareness Month, by International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (ISAAC)

Important Years

1959-60	-	World Refugee Year
1961	-	International Health and Medical Research Year
1965	-	International Cooperation Year
1967	-	International Tourist Year
1968	-	International Year for Human Rights
1969	-	International Year of Love
1970	-	International Education Year
1971	-	International Year for Action to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination
1974	-	World Population Year
1975	-	International Women's Year
1979	-	International Year of the Child
1981	-	International Year of Disabled Persons
1982	-	International Year of Mobilization for Sanctions against South Africa
1983	-	World Communications Year
1984	-	Year of Women in South Africa
1985	-	Year of the United Nations
1985	-	International Youth Year
1986	-	International Year of Peace
1987	-	International Year of Shelter for the Homeless
1990	-	International Literacy Year
1992	-	International Space Year
1993	-	International Year of the World's Indigenous People
1994	-	International Year of Sport and the Olympic Ideal
1994	-	International Year of the Family
1995	-	World Year of Peoples' Commemoration of Victims of the Second World War
1995	-	United Nations Year for Tolerance
1996	-	International Year for the Eradication of Poverty
1998	-	International Year of the Ocean
1999	-	International Year of Older Persons
2000	-	International Year of Thanksgiving
2000	-	International Year for the Culture of Peace
2000	-	World Mathematical Year
2001	-	International Year of Mobilization against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance
2001	-	International Year of Volunteers
2001	-	United Nations Year of Dialogue among Civilizations
2002	-	International Year of Eco-tourism
2002	-	International Year of Mountains
2002	-	United Nations Year for Cultural Heritage
2003	-	International Year of Freshwater
2003	-	European Disability Year
2004	-	International Year to Commemorate the Struggle against Slavery and its Abolition
2004	-	International Year of Rice
2005	-	International Year for Sport and Physical Education
2005	-	International Year of Micro-credit
2005	-	World Year of Physics
2006	-	International Year of Deserts and Desertification
2007-08	-	Year of the Dolphin
2007	-	International Year of the Scout
2007-08	-	International Heliophysical Year
2008	-	International Year of Languages
2008	-	International Year of the Potato
2008	-	International Year of Sanitation
2008	-	International Year of the Frog
2009	-	International Year of Astronomy
2009	-	International Year of Natural Fibres
2009	-	International Year of Reconciliation
2009	-	Year of the Gorilla
2009	-	International Year of the Shark
2010	-	International Year of Communications
2010	-	International Year of Biodiversity
2010	-	International Year of Youth
2011	-	International Year of Forests
2011	-	International Year of Chemistry
2011	-	International Year for People of African descent
2011	-	World Veterinary Year 2011

Important Decades

1976–1985	-	United Nations Decade for Women
1990s	-	International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduc tion
1994–2004	-	First International Decade of the World's Indigenous People
1997–2006	-	First United Nations Decade for the Eradication of Poverty
2000–2010	-	Second International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism
2000-2010	-	Bone and Joint Decade
2001–2010	-	International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-violence for the Children of the World
2001-2010	-	Decade to Roll Back Malaria in Developing Countries, Particularly in Africa
2003–2012	-	United Nations Literacy Decade
2005–2014	-	United Nations Decade on Education for Sustainable Development
2005–2014	-	Second International Decade of the World's Indigenous People
2005–2015	-	Water for Life Decade