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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, from October to June, Caucus members and others gather in the Meditation Room at the UN HQ in New York, from 12:30 – 1:00 pm. We spend 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 September you are invited to join an online virtual gathering, including 30 minutes of silence, on Thursday, September 18, 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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September Please Hold These Events in the Light
September 5
International Day of Charity
Honoring the date of Mother Theresa's death, the United Nations General Assembly has designated September 5th as International Day of Charity.
Affirming the role of charity in furthering the culture of peace the Day seeks to draw attention to the value of charitable organizations. The day is dedicated to commemorate the common desire to help the most disadvantaged members of society and to promote charitable activities around the world. Charity, like the notions of volunteerism and philanthropy, provides real social bonding and contributes to the creation of inclusive and more resilient societies.
Charity, when rooted in equity and ethics, is more than generosity: it’s a powerful act of global responsibility. It connects people across borders and sectors to confront poverty, uplift communities, and build a more inclusive and sustainable world for everyone.
www.un.org/
September 7
International Day of Police Cooperation
First observed in 2023, Police Cooperation Day emphasises "the need to strengthen international cooperation at the global,regional and subregional levels in various areas related to preventing and combating transnational crime, in particular transnational organized crime, and preventing and countering terrorism."
www.un.org/
September 7
International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies
Theme 2025: Racing for Air. Every Breath Matters
This UN Day seeks to raise awareness of the problem of air pollution and the need for urgent action to improve air quality.
www.un.org/
www.cleanairblueskies.org
September 7
World Duchenne Awareness Day
Duchenne muscular dystrophy is one of the most common pediatric genetic rare diseases.
This UN Day, first observed in 2024, seeks to encourage stakeholders to actively raise awareness on the specific challenges and needs faced by individuals and families in the rare diseases community through national campaigns, educational programmes and information dissemination, with the goal of fostering greater understanding and empathy towards those affected by rare diseases and promoting global solidarity.
www.un.org/
www.worldduchenneday.org
September 7
Full Moon - Virgo
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
September 8
International Literacy Day
Theme 2025: Promoting literacy in the digital era.
This special UNESCO Day celebrates one of the most basic movements in the education and uplift of consciousness: the movement to promote support and teach adult literacy programs. Large numbers of professionals and volunteers work in every country helping adults in their efforts to learn to read and write.
Digitalisation has been changing ways in which we learn, live, work and socialise, in both positive and negative ways, depending on how we engage with it.
www.unesco.org
September 9
International Day to Protect Education from Attack
During armed conflicts and national insecurity, the noise of guns silences education.... For children and youth caught up in emergency situations, education not only means the continuity of learning, but it also provides a sense of normalcy and the key to a different future. This Day reaffirms the right to education for all, and calls for action to protect educational institutions during times of conflict.
www.un.org
protectingeducation.org
www.unesco.org
September 9
United Nations General Assembly 80th Session opens with a Minute of Silence
Every year the annual session of the General Assembly at UN Headquarters in New York opens with a ceremonial only meeting on the second Tuesday of September, observing a Minute of Silent Prayer or Meditation. The General Assembly is the one place where representatives of all 193 member states of the UN have the opportunity to take part in deliberation and policy making on global issues. The Minute of Silence is an important symbolic moment in UN affairs, when according to the Rules of Procedure, members are invited to stand to observe one minute of meditation or prayer.
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Explore the function and purpose of the General Assembly at: www.un.org/ga/
UNGA 80 President Pledges to Bring UN Together to Forge Better Future for All
UNGA80 Is Around the Corner: Here’s the Lineup So Far
September 10 - 12
Festival of Compassion, Cape Town, South Africa
We are at the convergence of polycrises brought on by ecological collapse, social fragmentation, and economies of exclusion. In the face of increasing isolation, inequality, and despair, we believe compassion is not a soft sentiment but a radical and vital force for transformation. Now more than ever, we need spaces that bring people together to remember who we are and how we belong to ourselves, to one another, and to the Earth – we need to come home
This is the first of what is planned as an annual event, convened by the Global Compassion Coalition, and broadcast online. Artists, scholars, educators, clinicians, movement builders, policymakers, and thousands of others from around the world will gather for three days of reflection, connection, and action to build a better world.
festivalofcompassion.com
www.globalcompassioncoalition.org
September 10
World Suicide Prevention Day
Theme 2025: Changing the Narrative on Suicide
Supported by the World Health Organization, this annual Day promotes worldwide commitment and action to prevent suicides. World Suicide Prevention Day is an opportunity to raise awareness of suicide and to promote action through proven means that will reduce the number of suicides and suicide attempts globally.
www.iasp.info
September 12
International Day for South-South Cooperation
2025 Theme: New Opportunities and Innovation through South-South and Triangular Cooperation
South-South cooperation is a manifestation of solidarity among peoples and countries of the South that contributes to their national well-being, their national and collective self-reliance and the attainment of internationally agreed development goals, including the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Triangular cooperation involves Southern-driven partnerships between two or more developing countries supported by a developed country(ies)/or multilateral organization(s) to implement development cooperation programmes and projects.
www.un.org/
www.unsouthsouth.org
September 15
International Day of Democracy
This United Nations Day highlights the state of democracy in the world.Democracy is a universally recognized ideal and is one of the core values and principles of the United Nations. Democracy provides an environment for the protection and effective realization of human rights.
www.un.org
September 16
International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer
2025 theme: From science to global action.
The 1985 Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer and the associated Montreal Protocol is one of the great successes of modern international action to protect the environment. The Montreal Protocol is rightly hailed as a multilateralism success story. It united the world to phase out ozone-depleting substances putting the ozone layer on the path to recovery and protecting all life on Earth. ... Phasing out ozone-depleting substances has proven to be a powerful tool for climate action that has helped slow global warming, for example, postponing the first ice-free Arctic summer by up to 15 years.
This is a Day to celebrate humanity’s ability to work together for a common cause and is a model for climate change agreements.
ozone.unep.org/
www.un.org
www.facebook.com/my.ozone.day
September 16
International Day for Interventional Cardiology
32% of all globaldeaths are the result of cardiovascular disease (disorders of the heart and blood vessels). This UN Day seeks to raise public awareness of cardiovascular diseases and their treatment.
The key to cardiovascular disease reduction lies in the inclusion of cardiovascular disease management interventions in universal health coverage packages, although in a high number of countries health systems require significant investment and reorientation to effectively manage cardiovascular diseases. Patients with cardiovascular disease should have access to appropriate technology and medication.
www.un.org
September 16
International Day of Science, Technology and Innovation for the South
The International Day of Science, Technology, and Innovation for the South represents an important step in reaffirming our commitment of leaving no one behind. It underscores that advancing science, technology, and innovation is essential not only for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) but also creating a fairer, more participatory, and inclusive world.
www.un.org
www.undp.org
September 17
World Patient Saftey Day
2025 theme: Safe care for every newborn and every child
The World Health organization (WHO) defines patient saftey as "the absence of preventable harm to a patient and reduction of risk of unnecessary harm associated with health care to an acceptable minimum." WHO calls on parents, caregivers, health practitioners, health care leaders, educators and communities, to unite in action to prevent avoidable harm in paediatric care and to build a safer, healthier future for every child, as part of the global effort to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 3.
www.who.int
WHO patient saftey
September 18
International Equal Pay Day
International Equal Pay Day … represents the longstanding efforts towards the achievement of equal pay for work of equal value. It further builds on the United Nations commitment to human rights and against all forms of discrimination, including discrimination against women and girls.
www.un.org
Equal Pay International Coalition
September 19 - 28
Global Goals Week
Global Goals Week is an annual week of virtual and in-person events coinciding with the UN General Assembly High Level Week. This year over 170 partners from civil society, business, academia, and the UN system will be partnering to offer events designed to accelerate action on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It is also an opportunity to speak out as one voice, share ideas and transformative solutions in the fight to recover better from global challenges.
Events include: Systems Change Summit; NYC Climate Week; and UN Private Sector Forum. A series of Forums of the Future for young professionals and students to be held in different centres around the world includes a 'Future of Culture' event.
globalgoalsweek.org
sdgactioncampaign.org
September 20
World Clean Up Day
Since 2018, World Cleanup Day has become the biggest civic movement in human history, uniting 211 countries and territories – which includes 95% of UN-listed countries – across the world, and 91 million volunteers, equal to 1.1% of global population – all striving to create a cleaner planet.… On one single day each year, volunteers and partners worldwide come together, to raise awareness of the global mismanaged waste crisis.
In 2024 the Day began to be observed by the United Nations.
www.worldcleanupday.org
September 21
International Day of Peace
2025 theme: Act Now for a Peaceful World.
UN Peace Day has come to be widely observed around the world with citizens undertaking a huge variety of local actions for peace including interfaith prayers, meditations and minutes of silence.
At UN Headquarters, an annual ceremony is held during which the Secretary General ceremonially rings the Peace Bell and calls on the people of the world to observe a minute of silence at 12 noon. The day is celebrated by the UN as a day of non-violence and cease fire, inviting all nations and people to honour a cessation of hostilities during the Day, and to otherwise commemorate the Day through education and public awareness on issues related to peace.
Events organized around the world on the day include festivals, concerts, a global Peace Wave with a Minute of Silence at noon in every time zone and countless local activities. See internationaldayofpeace.org.
Meditation Vigils and interfaith events are being organized around the world for Peace Day. Many will take part in the Global Silent Minute at 9.00pm GMT. All are invited to participate in a global 24 hour Vigil on Peace Day using the Great Invocation or another universal invocation on the quarter hour for periods from 30 minutes or longer.
www.internationaldayofpeace.org
www.un.org/en/events/peaceday/
www.peaceoneday.org
September 22 - 29
United Nations General Assembly High Level Week - General Debate, UN HQ New York
September 22 - 26
Sustainable Development Impact Meetings
Organized by the World Economic Forum during the UN General Assembly opening High Level Segment. … communities of purpose, business leaders, policy-makers, international and civil society organizations, innovators and social entrepreneurs will convene in person for a series of carefully curated impact-driven leaders’ dialogues.
www.weforum.org
September 23
International Day of Sign Languages
2025 Theme: No Human Rights Without Sign Language Rights
The Day offers a unique opportunity to support and protect the linguistic identity and cultural diversity of all deaf people and other sign language users.
www.un.org
wfdeaf.org
September 24 - 27
International Youth Conference, New York, USA
Theme 2025: Youth Solutions for a Changing World,
This 12th International Youth Conference is organized by International Organization of Youth (IOY) with support from UN agencies including UN-Habitat. IYC12 features innovation labs, policy roundtables, intergenerational dialogues, and a youth declaration that will echo into the halls of the UN.
iycforyouth.org
September 24 - 28
World Goetheanum Forum 2025, Sekem, Egypt
Theme 2025: Re-Think, Re-Feel, Re-do Sustainable Development
For the first time this annual gathering of the Rudolf Steiner inspired World Goetheanum Association will meet in Sekem a sustainable development community in Egypt with almost 50 years of experience in ecological, social, economic and cultural sustainable development. The Forum is convened in collaboration with several groups including the Egyptian Biodynamic Association & Economy of Love; The Club of Rome; World Ethic Forum; and World Future Council.
www.worldgoetheanumforum.org
September 25
World Maritime Day
2025 Theme: Our Ocean, Our Obligation, Our Opportunity
the theme for this year shines a spotlight on the essential role the ocean plays in sustaining life, livelihoods, and the global economy. It provides half of the oxygen we breathe, feeds billions of people, regulates the climate, and enables more than 80% of global trade through maritime transport. The ocean is also home to countless marine species and a vital source of jobs, food, and economic opportunity for millions.
www.un.org
https://www.imo.org/
September 26
International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons
The UN has been aiming to achieve nuclear disarmament for much of its history. It was the subject of a General Assembly resolution in 1946. On July 17 2017 the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons was adopted. This is the first multilateral legally binding instrument for nuclear disarmament to have been negotiated in 20 years, by 122 countries. The Day will be observed at the United Nations this year with a High Level Plenary Meeting of the General Assembly on September 26.
Today around 12,512 nuclear weapons remain. Countries possessing such weapons have well-funded, long-term plans to modernize their nuclear arsenals. More than half of the world’s population still lives in countries that either have such weapons or are members of nuclear alliances.
www.un.org
www.unfoldzero.org
www.pnnd.org
September 27
World Tourism Day
2025 Theme: Tourism and sustainable transformation
This United Nations Day seeks to foster awareness of the social, cultural and economic importance of tourism and its role in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
www.un.org/en/events/
www.unwto.org
September 28
World Rivers Day
Every year since 2005, when the UN Water for Life Decade was launched, millions of people around the world have observed the last Sunday of September as World Rivers Day.
World Rivers Day highlights the many values of our rivers, strives to increase public awareness, and encorages the improved stewardship of all rivers around the world. Activities include stream cleanups, habitat enhancement projects, educational outings, and community riverside celebrations. In previous years several million people across more than 60 countries have participated in the Day.
worldriversday.com
September 28
World Rabies Day
2025 theme:Act Now: You, Me, Community
Marking the anniversary of the death of Louis Pasteur who developed the first rabies vaccine, Rabies Day raises awareness about rabies prevention and celebrates progress in defeating the disease. The WHO and FAO have agreed to a goal to achieve zero human deaths from canine rabies by 2030.
WHO promotes mass dog vaccinations and animal birth control programs among street and stray dog populations. Significant progress has been made in pioneering this work at Help in Suffering Animal Shelter in Jaipur India and the two shelters in the Darjeeling District of India administered by Darjeeling Goodwill Animal Shelters Trust.
www.who.int/campaigns/
rabiesalliance.org/
September 28
International Day for Universal Access to Information
2025 Theme: Ensuring Access to Environmental Information in the Digital Age
This International Day serves as a platform to assess progress made in promoting access to information since the adoption of the UN Sustainable Development Agenda. While significant strides have been taken, there remains a pressing need to accelerate progress globally.UNESCO and the government of Philippines will host a major international conference in observance of the 2025 theme on September 29-30.
www.un.org
en.unesco.org
September 29
International Day of Awareness on Food Loss and Waste Reduction
2025 theme: Stop Food Loss and Waste. For the People. For the Planet
The Day recognizes the fundamental role that sustainable food production plays in promoting food security and nutrition. ... One-third of food produced for human consumption is lost or wasted globally, which amounts to about 1.3 billion tonnes per year.
The day will be observed with a global virtual event held by FAO and UNEP on September 27.
fao.org
www.un.org
September 30
International Translation Day
International Translation Day is meant as an opportunity to pay tribute to the work of language professionals, which plays an important role in bringing nations together, facilitating dialogue, understanding and cooperation, contributing to development and strengthening world peace and security.
The day is observed on the Feast Day of St Jerome, bible translator who is considered to be the patron saint of translators. Working in six official languages, the United Nations is one of the world's largest employers of translators.
www.un.org
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