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Welcome
International Days and major international conferences reflect a growing sense that we are part of One Humanity and One Life. On these occasions there is a special opportunity to serve in the creation of a world that reflects this spirit of Oneness in all its diversity.
As meditators we can symbolically stand together with all those actively working to create right human relations, and invoke the aid of the Forces of Light in support of these events.
Sustainable Development Goals & Climate Change
These International Days and events reflect important themes in the mobilization of energies to:
- Build right relations in the world by addressing serious problems of poverty, inequality and climate change through practical actions to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030
- engaging people of goodwill all over the world in a common movement.
2025 United Nations International Years
Silence at the United Nations
The Spiritual Caucus at the United Nations gathers subjectively and online(September - June) on the third Thursday every month for 30 minutes of silence followed by 30 minutes of dialogue, sharing insights and exploring ways to use an inner focus in service of the work of the UN.
On the first Thursday of the month (October 2), from October to June, Caucus members and others gather in the Meditation Room at the UN HQ in New York, from 12:00 – 12:45 pm for 10-30 minutes in silence together, followed by optional conversation in the nearby cafe afterwards.
Please link in from wherever you are. More information at: http://www.spiritualcaucusun.org/
In October you are invited to join an online virtual gathering, including 30 minutes of silence, on Thursday, October 16, from 2.00- 3.15 pm EDT with a particular focus on supporting the UN. Write for details to spiritualcaucusun@gmail.com.
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October Please Hold These Events in the Light
October 1
International Day of Older Persons
Theme 2025: Older Persons Driving Local and Global Action: Our Aspirations, Our Well-Being and Our Rights.
People are living longer. This is prompting governments and people's organisations all over the world to reflect deeply on how we can plan for future societies in which: every individual, each with rights and responsibilities, has an active role to play.
The 2025 theme highlights the transformative role older persons play in building resilient and equitable societies. Far from being passive beneficiaries, older persons are drivers of progress, contributing their knowledge and experience in areas such as health equity, financial well-being, community resilience, and human rights advocacy.
www.un.org
www.who.int/ageing/
October 1 - 3
Raising Hope Conference, Castel Gondolfo, Italy
The Catholic Church Laudato Si' Movement (Catholics for our Common Home) is facilitating this conference to mark the 10th anniversary of the Laudato Si' Encyclical. Opened by Pope Leo XIV, this event will be attended by invitees and also by a global online audience: Leaders from the realms of faith, movements, science, and policy will reflect on the impact of Laudato Si’ and the most effective actions we can take now.
raisinghope.earth
October 2
International Day of Non-Violence
To mark the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, October 2nd is observed by the UN and around the world as an occasion to "disseminate the message of non-violence, including through education and public awareness". The General Assembly resolution reaffirms "the universal relevance of the principle of non-violence" and the desire "to secure a culture of peace, tolerance, understanding and non-violence".
www.un.org
www.facebook.com/nonviolenceday
October 4
World Animal Day
World Animal Day, observed on the Feast Day of St Francis of Assisi, was first celebrated in 1931. Since then it has become a day for remembering and paying tribute to all animals and the people who love and respect them. The Day unites the animal welfare movement, mobilising it into a global force to make the world a better place for all animals. Events are held around the world by peoples of diverse faiths and cultures.
www.worldanimalday.org.uk/
October 4 - 10
World Space Week
2025 theme: Living in Space
Observed with thousands of events all over the world, World Space Week celebrates the contribution of space science and technology to the betterment of the human condition. Every year events are held in schools around the world to observe the Week.
www.worldspaceweek.org
www.un.org
October 5
World Teachers' Day
Theme 2025: Recasting teaching as a collaborative profession.
Think about the role of teachers in the transition into a new era. Who are the teachers? What is required of those who teach the children and young people?
Created by UNESCO, World Teachers Day celebrates teachers worldwide.This year, the Day highlights the transformative potential of collaboration for teachers, schools and education systems. Reframing teaching as inherently collaborative – supported by policies, practices, and environments that value mutual support, shared expertise, and joint responsibility – is essential to strengthen teaching, learning, and teachers’ professional fulfilment.
www.unesco.org/en/
October 6
World Habitat Day
2025 theme: urban crisis response.
Celebrated on the first Monday of October every year, the UN World Habitat Day invites us to reflect on the state of our cities and towns and what we want the cities of our future to look like. The day marks the beginning of a month of activities on urban sustainability: Urban October.
World Habitat Day 2025 will focus on addressing multiple crises affecting urban areas, including climate and conflicts that are contributing to inequality, and promote existing tools and approaches to effective crisis response.
urbanoctober.unhabitat.org
www.un.org
October 7
World Cotton Day
2025 theme: The Fabric of our Lives.
Cotton represents so much more than just a commodity. This natural fabric is a life-changing product worldwide that sustains 32 million growers (almost half of them women) and benefits over 100 million families across 80 countries in 5 continents.
www.un.org
www.fao.org
October 7
Full Moon — Libra
Since ancient times human beings have honored the full moon as a time when the sacred is most accesible. It is a time of light - the moon reflects the light of the sun onto the face of the earth. In astrology this is a time when the qualities and potentials of the zodiacal sign of the sun are especially available to humanity for use in service.
During the full moon religious and esoteric groups around the world use the opportunities of this time to vizualize light and love and spiritual power flowing into humanity and strengthening all that is being done to help prepare the way for a world of unity, justice and peace; a world in which the Sustainable Development Goals will be achieved.
www.lucistrust.org
2025 theme: #PostForPeople: Local Service. Global Reach.
World Post day celebrates the establishment of the Universal Postal Union in 1874. This year marks the 150th anniversary of the UPU.
The purpose of World Post Day is to create awareness of the role of the postal sector in people’s and businesses’ everyday lives and its contribution to the social and economic development of countries.
www.un.org
www.upu.int
October 9 - 15
IUCN World Conservation Congress , Abu Dhabi
Every four years nature conservation experts, governments, leaders and decision makers from around the world gather for the Congress of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). This Year's Congress will focus on five key themes to power transformative conservation.
iucncongress2025.org
October 10
World Mental Health Day
WHO 2025 theme: Mental health in humanitarian emergencies.
HEALERS TAKE NOTE: This is a Day to focus on the contribution all can make towards the creation of a healthy mental environment - and on the sensitive healing needed by those who suffer from mental illness in its many forms.
wmhdofficial.com
www.who.int/
October 10
World Day Against the Death Penalty
Theme 2025: The Death Penalty Protects No One.
Organised by the World Coalition to End the Death Penalty, the World Day unifies the global abolitionist movement and mobilizes civil society, political leaders, lawyers, public opinion and more to support the call for the universal abolition of capital punishment.
worldcoalition.org
October 10 - 17
World Food Forum, FAO HQ, Rome
October 11
International Day of the Girl Child
2025 theme: The girl I am, the change I lead: Girls on the frontlines of crisis.
The international celebration of this Day is yet another sign of the growing concentration on efforts to fulfill the vision of the Declaration of Human Rights and the Declaration of the Rights of the Child as they concern gender rights.
www.un.org/en/events/girlchild/
www.unicef.org/
October 11
World Migratory Bird Day
2025 theme: Shared Spaces: Creating Bird-friendly Cities and Communities
World Migratory Bird Day is an annual awareness-raising campaign by the UN Environment Program highlighting the need for the protection of migratory birds and their habitats. On the second Saturday each May and October, people around the world take action and organise public events such as bird festivals, education programmes and birdwatching excursions to celebrate World Migratory Bird Day.
www.worldmigratorybirdday.org
October 11 - 17
International Association of Judges, Annual Meeting, Baku, Azerbaijan
The International Assn. of Judges brings together 92 national associations of judges. Tha main aim of the Association is to safeguard the independence of the judiciary, which is an essential requirement of the judicial function, guaranteeing human rights and freedom.
www.iaj2025.com
October 12 - 14
World Health Summit, Berlin, Germany
2025 Theme: Taking Responsibility for Health in a Fragmenting World.
The World Health Summit is [a] unique international strategic forum for global health. Held annually in Berlin, it brings together stakeholders from politics, science, the private sector, and civil society from around the world to set the agenda for a healthier future by inspiring innovative solutions for better health and well-being for all.
www.worldhealthsummit.org
October 13
International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction
2025 theme: Fund Resilience, Not Disasters.
Risks can be transformed into opportunities through investments in resilience building.
iddrr.undrr.org
www.un.org/en/events/
October 13 - 17
Rome Water Dialogue
This is the third Rome Water Dialogue hosted by the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and is part of the agency's on-going efforts to foster sustainable management of water resources as part of its work to implement the 2030 Agenda. The hybrid event has a target audience of water experts and representatives from national governments, international organizations, NGOs, financing institutions, research institutes, the civil and private sectors and the media.
www.fao.org
October 15
International Day of Rural Women
First celebrated by the UN in 2008, this Day is yet another sign of the major focus on women and gender issues in global affairs. The Day has been celebrated by civil society around the world since the Beijing Women's Conference in 1995.
The Day seeks to raise awareness of rural women’s participation in the development process with a focus on their needs and rights, highlighting their contributions to sustainable development, household food security, safeguarding traditional knowledge, biodiversity, and peacebuilding and so much more.
www.woman.ch
www.un.org/
www.unwomen.org
October 15
Global Ethics Day
2025 Theme: Ethics Re-envisioned.
Established by Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs, Global Ethics Day is an annual moment to empower ethics through the actions of both individuals and organizations. Since 2014, citizens, businesses, professional organizations, schools, governments, and nonprofits from over 75 countries have participated in Global Ethics Day.
www.carnegiecouncil.org
October 15 - 17
Inner Development Goals Summit, 2025, Stockholm, Sweden & online
2025 Theme: Bridging Polarities: From Inner Growth to Outer Change.
Many awareness-based social change groups have coalesced to support a series of Inner Goals which provide an essential framework of transformative skills for sustainable development. At this years annual Summit corporate, educational, civil society and governmental leaders will convene in Stockholm to bridge the inner development and outer impact necessary for true transformation.
innerdevelopmentgoals.org
October 16
World Food Day
2025 Theme: Hand in Hand for Better Foods and a Better Future.
By working together, across governments, organizations, sectors, and communities, we can transform agrifood systems to ensure that everyone has access to a healthy diet, living in harmony with the planet.
As in previous years, a network of international movements, coordinated by Regeneration International and leading partners from the organic food community, is organizing a 24-hour, virtual People's Food Summit on World Food Day as an alternative to the UN celebrations of World Food day.
www.fao.org
regenerationinternational.org
October 17
International Day for the Eradication of Poverty
2025 Theme: Ending social and institutional maltreatment by ensuring respect and effective support for families.
In a world characterized by an unprecedented level of economic development, technological means and financial resources, that millions of persons are living in extreme poverty is a moral outrage. Poverty is not solely an economic issue, but rather a multidimensional phenomenon that encompasses a lack of both income and the basic capabilities to live in dignity.
The dignity of the human being is not only a fundamental right in itself but constitutes the basis of all other fundamental rights. Therefore, “Dignity” is not an abstract concept: it belongs to each and every one. Today, many people living in persistent poverty experience their dignity being denied and disrespected.
www.un.org/development/
overcomingpoverty.org
www.un.org/
www.atd-fourthworld.org
October 20
World Statistics Day
2025 Theme: Driving change with quality statistics and data for everyone
Statistics have been foundational not only to the UN’s operations but also to addressing worldwide challenges such as peacekeeping, sustainable development, climate change, and public health. The global statistical community exemplifies international cooperation, bringing together professionals from all regions to establish standards, share methodologies, and ensure accurate, timely data. Trusted statistics enable policymakers, businesses, and citizens to navigate complexity and make informed decisions, helping to reveal critical issues and drive meaningful change.
www.un.org
October 23
International Day of the Snow Leopard
In 2024, the General Assembly proclaimed 23 October as International Day of the Snow Leopard in order to enhance international and regional cooperation in support of efforts to conserve the snow leopard, given its role in the overall ecosystem.
The General Assembly stressed the urgent need to address the unprecedented global decline in biodiversity, including by preventing the extinction of threatened species, improving and sustaining their conservation status and restoring and safeguarding ecosystems that provide essential functions and services, including services related to water, health, livelihoods and well-being.
www.un.org
October 24
United Nations Day
Hold the United Nations in the light especially on this Day marking the 80th anniversary of the coming into force of the UN Charter. Visualise the General Assembly being overshadowed with higher energies of Synthesis and of the active principle of Peace. Please also hold the Meditation Room at the United Nations Headquarters in New York in the light - you will find a photograph of the room and a copy of Dag Hammarskjold's inspiring paper on the room here. Read about the Chagall Window of Peace outside the Meditation Room here and here.
Every year UN Day is celebrated at the United Nations with a special concert held in the General Assembly Hall. The concert is broadcast live on UN Web TV.
www.un.org/
www.unchambermusic.org
The United Nations at 80
October 24
World Development Information Day
First observed by the UN in 1972, Development Information Day seeks to mobilize public opinion in support of the UN's development objectives and the need to strengthen international cooperation to achieve these goals.
www.un.org/
October 24 - 26
Global Oneness Summit
Theme 2025: Awaken the Divine Within: Embody the Transformation. Inspire the Future.
Online forum with visionary speakers coordinated by Humanity's Team.
www.humanitysteam.org
October 24 - 30
World Disarmament Week
Disarmament Week has been observed by the United Nations since 1978. Member States are invited to highlight the dangers of the arms race, promote recognition of the need to stop the arms race, and increase public understanding of the urgent tasks of disarmament. NGOs organize a range of events seeking to raise public opinion and pressurize governments to act on disarmament.
www.un.org/
www.reachingcriticalwill.org
ngodisarm.org
www.unfoldzero.org
October 24 - 31
Global Media and Information Literacy Week
2025 Theme: Minds Over AI.
This UN Week, established by the General Assembly in 2021, focuses attention on the need for the dissemination of factual, timely, targeted, clear, accessible, multilingual and science-based information. The 2025 theme focuses on ensuring that human judgment, ethics, and critical awareness guide the use and interpretation of AI in our media landscapes. UNESCO is hosting a global conference to observe the week in Amman, Jordan on October 30-31.
www.un.org/
www.unesco.org
October 29
International Day of Care and Support
Mindful of the need to invest in the care economy and to create robust, resilient and gender-responsive, disability-inclusive and age-sensitive care and support systems with full respect for human rights with a view to recognizing, reducing, valuing and redistributing unpaid care and domestic work and support, the General Assembly decided to proclaim 29 October as International Day of Care and Support. See the ILO report: Care work and care jobs for the future of work
www.un.org/
www.ilo.org
October 30 - 31
Social Forum of the Human Rights Council, UN HQ, Geneva, Switzerland
2025 theme: The contribution of education to the respect, promotion, protection and fulfilment of all human rights for all.
The Social Forum is an annual meeting convened by the Human Rights Council. It is a unique space for open and interactive dialogue between civil society, representatives of Member States, and intergovernmental organizations, on a theme chosen by the Council each year.
www.ohchr.org/
October 31
World Cities Day
2025 theme: People-Centred Smart Cities.
The aim of this year's theme is to promote people-centred smart cities and demonstrate how crucial it is for smart cities to prioritize human needs, inclusivity, and accessibility.
www.un.org/
urbanoctober.unhabitat.org
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