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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 the causes of serious problems of poverty, inequality and environmental degradation through practical actions to help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030
- engaging people of goodwill all over the world in a common movement.
2026 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 12:00 – 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 July the Spiritual Caucus is on summer recess.
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July Please Hold These Events in the Light
June 27 - July 4
World Ethic Forum, Nairobi, Kenya
2026 Theme: Regenerative Impulses
The World Ethic Forum is a global organism inquiring into the preconditions for radically shared aliveness. We bring together diverse voices – thinkers, community leaders, elders, farmers, artists, activists and researchers across sectors, cultures and generations, as well as the many voices of the more-than-human – to explore the shared collective practices and capacities that define and enable a culture of care and kinship, in the service of all life.
The gathering in Nairobi will be held in close collaboration with Nile Journeys which has been working for 10 years in the Nile bio-region in North Africa co-creating spaces of transformation, regenerating land with communities, and empowering youth to lead in nurturing pathways of sustainable peace.
Participants will come from around the world to deepen the inquiry of our radically shared aliveness, strengthen relationships across difference, and cultivate shared capacities for care, agency, and planetary stewardship. The convening unfolds through two interconnected phases: the Firekeeper Circle Gathering and a public event open to wider participation.
www.worldethicforum.com.
July 4
International Day of Co-operatives
Theme 2026: Cooperatives for a peaceful world.
The cooperative movement encompassing financial organisations, farmers, producers and consumers is playing an incredible role in pioneering new ethics and values in business and economics. This Day, which is observed on the first Saturday of July, marks the formation in 1895 of the International Cooperative Alliance. Today the Alliance has more than 1 billion cooperative members who belong to 3 million cooperatives worldwide.
The basis of co-operation lies primarily in mutual responsibility. - Agni Yoga, Heart, 559
coopsday.coop
www.un.org/en/observances/
July 6
World Rural Development Day
In a gesture both symbolic and strategic, the General Assembly declared July 6 as World Rural Development Day, reaffirming its unwavering commitment to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This declaration, steeped in the spirit of international solidarity, acknowledges the deep-rooted challenge of rural poverty and the necessity of addressing it as a precondition for achieving the broader goals of economic, social, and environmental sustainability. Drawing from a lineage of global declarations and resolutions—from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to the Addis Ababa Action Agenda—the resolution seeks to shine a sustained light on the lives and struggles of those who till the soil, harvest the seas, and nurture the land in rural corners of the world.
www.un.org
July 8 - 12
AI For Good Global Summit, Geneva
The annual AI for Good Global Summit is the leading United Nations platform on Artificial Intelligence, unlocking AI’s potential to serve humanity. AI for Good is organized by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) – the UN specialized agency for information and communication technology – in partnership with 40 UN sister agencies and co-convened with the government of Switzerland.
aiforgood.itu.int
July 7 - 15
UN High Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, New York
Theme 2026: Transformative, equitable, innovative and coordinated actions for the 2030 Agenda and its SDGs for a sustainable future for all
This Forum has been established as the main UN body to review progress towards the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the SDGs. Its task is to provide political leadership, guidance and recommendations on the 2030 Agenda's implementation and follow-up; keep track of progress; spur coherent policies informed by evidence, science and country experiences; as well as address new and emerging issues.
The HLPF will also review in-depth Sustainable Development Goals: 6 on water and sanitation, 7 on energy for all, 9 on sustainable industrialization, 11 on cities, and 17 on global partnerships to achieve the Goals.
The Sustainable Development Goals can only become a focus for the living will in humanity if and as people of goodwill in every sector of society are inspired to contribute towards their achievement. Governments will only act to the extent that people of goodwill want them to act. The Forum includes representatives of civil society as well as governments.
During World Goodwill's Cycle of Conferences Visualisation initiative esoteric workers will reflect on the meaning and significance of ideas about unity in diversity, freedom, earth stewardship, and the birthing of an Aquarian sense of wholeness and integration. The Forum occurs, each year, during the sign of Cancer, and it is partly with this in mind that the seed thought used during the visualisation is the keynote for the disciple in Cancer, I build a lighted house and therein dwell.
hlpf.un.org
hlpf 2026 events
July 11
World Population Day
World Population Day seeks to focus attention on the urgency and importance of population issues.
www.unfpa.org/
www.un.org/
July 11
International Day of Reflection and Commemoration of the 1995 Genocide in Srebrenica
The war that followed the breakup of the former Yugoslavia claimed more than 100,000 lives in Bosnia and Herzegovina between 1992 and 1995, mostly of Bosnian Muslims, and displaced more than two million others.The massacre in Srebrenica marked one of the darkest chapters of that war..
www.un.org
In June 2025 the UN General Assembly declared July 11 as World Horse Day, calling on governments, schools, businesses and individuals to celebrate the role of horses — and to tackle the challenges they face in the modern world.
Few animals have contributed to human progress as profoundly — and quietly — as the horse. From ancient nomads on the Eurasian steppes to modern Olympic arenas and backyard barns, horses have carried goods, ploughed fields, won wars and comforted hearts. Even in today’s high-tech world, draft horses still work organic farms, mounted rangers protect wildlife, and therapy ponies bring joy to hospitals..
www.un.org
July 1 - 3
Earth Charter Youth Summit, Aliso Viejo, California, USA
Theme: Redesigning Tomorrow’s World: Uniting Global Youth for Climate Justice and Collective Healing — An Intercultural Call for the Earth Community
This event organised by Earth Charter International will bring togther 100 participants from around the world to connect, build networks, and strengthen the Earth Charter Young Leaders Programme.
Wikipedia describes the Charter as: an international declaration of fundamental values and principles considered useful by its supporters for building a just, sustainable, and peaceful global society in the 21st century. Created by a global consultation process, and endorsed by organizations representing millions of people, the Charter "seeks to inspire in all peoples a sense of global interdependence and shared responsibility for the well-being of the human family, the greater community of life, and future generations." It calls upon humanity to help create a global partnership at a critical juncture in history. The Earth Charter's vision proposes that environmental protection, human rights, equitable human development, and peace are interdependent and indivisible. The Charter attempts to provide a new framework for thinking about and addressing these issues.
The Charter recognizes that peace is the wholeness created by right relationships with oneself, other persons, other cultures, other life, Earth, and the larger whole of which all are a part.
earthcharter.org
July 12
International Day of Hope
In a world facing growing unrest, widening social divisions, and persistent economic and environmental challenges, the global community continues to seek values that unite rather than divide. Among these, hope stands out as a deeply powerful and universally resonant force. Recognizing this, the United Nations General Assembly has designated 12 July as the International Day of Hope—a day to celebrate and promote hope as a guiding principle for individuals, communities, and nations alike.
The Day highlights the essential role hope plays in promoting well-being, mutual respect, social stability, and sustainable development.... Ultimately, this day is a reminder that even in difficult times, hope remains a transformative force. It can bridge divides, drive progress, and uplift the human spirit. The International Day of Hope invites all of us to pause, reflect, and recommit to a future built not on despair or division, but on shared humanity and the unwavering belief in a better tomorrow..
www.un.org
July 12
International Day of Combating Sand and Dust Storms
In 2023 the UN General Assembly resolved, by consensus, to declare July 12 as International Day of Combating Sand and Dust Storms.
The Day aims to stimulate education and activities aimed at raising public awareness of the importance of combating such storms for human health and well-being; the promotion of sustainable land use and management; enhancing food security and resilience to climate change; and sustainable livelihoods..
www.un.org
unemg.org
July 13 - 17
Caux Inner Development Goals Forum, Caux, Switzerland
2026 Theme: The Alchemy of Forgiveness
In a time of profound global shifts, how do we navigate uncertainty, build resilience, connect across divides and drive meaningful change? The Caux Inner Development Goals Forum 2026 invites leaders, changemakers, and organizations from around the world to explore these urgent questions through a transformative journey of inner development for global action.
The event is organised by the Caux Initiatives of Change together with Initiatives of Change International (a movement which grew out of the work of Frank Buchman who founded the Moral Re-Armament Movement), and the The Inner Development Goals Foundation.
https://www.iofc.ch/
July 15
World Youth Skills Day
Theme 2026: Skills for a Shared Future.
The UN estimates that in 2022 a total of 73 million youth around the world were unemployed.
World Youth Skills Day focuses attention on the importance of young people learning skills as a way of reducing unemployment and under-employment.
www.un.org/en/observances/
unevoc.unesco.org
www.worldskills.org
July 18
Nelson Mandela International Day
The United Nations has observed this Day every year on Nelson Mandela's birthday since 2010.
The overarching objective of Mandela Day is to inspire individuals to take action to help change the world for the better, and in doing so build a global movement for good. Ultimately it seeks to empower communities everywhere. "Take Action; Inspire Change; Make Every Day a Mandela Day."
www.un.org/en/events/
www.mandeladay.com/
The United Nations first observed World Chess Day in 2020.
Throughout history, games and sports have helped humanity to survive times of crisis by reducing anxieties and improving mental health.
www.un.org
July 20
International Moon Day
Declared an International Day by the UN General Assembly in 2021, Moon Day is part of the UN Agenda on International Cooperation in the Peaceful uses of Outer Space. The day marks the anniversary of the first landing by humans on the Moon.
Celebrations will also consider the achievements of all States in the exploration of the Moon and raise public awareness of sustainable Moon exploration and utilization.
www.un.org/
internationalmoonday.org
July 20 - 21
UN High-Level Meeting on Improving Global Road Safety
Theme: Scaling up and accelerating implementation of commitments to halving road traffic deaths and injuries by 2030
The event will bring Heads of state and government, ministers, officials and experts together from governments, the UN, civil society, academia, the private sector and philanthropic foundations to advance progress in meeting the goal of halving road deaths and injuries by 2030 that was agreed in the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021-2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals.
www.who.int
July 25
World Drowning Prevention Day
Theme 2026: Promoting the Global Strategy for Drowning Prevention.
This global advocacy event serves as an opportunity to highlight the tragic and profound impact of drowning on families and communities and offer life-saving solutions to prevent it. An estimated 236,000 people drown every year, and drowning is among the ten leading causes of death for children aged 5-14 years.
un.org
www.who.int
rnli.org
July 25
International Day of Women and Girls of African Descent
In August 2024 the General Assembly proclaimed this International Day to honour the history, culture and struggles of women and girls of African descent around the world.
The Day highlights the importance of commemorating the global fight against slavery and racism, the commitment to achieve gender equality, and the significant contribution of all women and girls of African descent to the development of societies.
www.un.org
July 25
International Day for Judicial Well-being
In March 2025 the General Assembly proclaimed this International Day, calling on the global judicial community to embrace and implement strategies that safeguard the well-being of judicial officers. It acknowledges that judicial well-being is essential for upholding integrity, independence and the efficiency of justice systems worldwide.
www.un.org
www.unodc.org
www.lawgazette.co.uk
July 28
World Hepatitis Day
2026 theme: Hepatitis: Let’s Break It Down
Viral Hepatitis which is an inflamation of the liver causing liver disease and liver cancer is one of the leading causes of death globally - more than HIV/AIDS and malaria.
The theme for 2026 calls for urgent action to dismantle the financial, social and systemic barriers – including stigma – that stand in the way of hepatitis elimination and liver cancer prevention.
www.who.int/
www.worldhepatitisday.org
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
July 30
World Day Against Trafficking in Persons
2026 Theme: Trapped behind the scam
Human trafficking is a crime that exploits women, children and men for numerous purposes including forced labour and sex.
"Trapped Behind the Scam," draws attention to a rapidly expanding form of human trafficking in which transnational organized crime groups exploit people to carry out industrial-scale financial fraud. Victims are trafficked for forced criminality and compelled to participate in online scam operations. This form of exploitation is closely linked to cybercrime, financial fraud, money laundering, and corruption, demonstrating the increasingly interconnected nature of organized crime.
www.un.org/en/events/
www.unodc.org/
July 30
International Day of Friendship
United Nations International Day of Friendship highlights friendship as the fundamental glue uniting people across diverse cultures and backgrounds; an essential requirement in building the Culture of Peace and fundamental to the work of the United Nations.To confront the crises and challenges facing our world, their root causes must be addressed by promoting and defending a shared spirit of human solidarity that takes many forms — the simplest of which is friendship.
The International Day of Friendship is an initiative that follows on the proposal made by UNESCO defining the Culture of Peace as a set of values, attitudes and behaviours that reject violence and endeavour to prevent conflicts by addressing their root causes with a view to solving problems.
www.un.org
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