Awareness Days

There are Awareness Days for a whole range of topics, and keeping track of which ones might be relevant for congregations can be tricky. To aid planning, we have listed some we think are most pertinent, by month, with links to related sites. Note that some Days have the same date each year, whilst others change slightly.

If you think we have missed anything obvious, please get in touch with your suggestion.

January

18-25 – Week of Prayer for Christian Unity
24 – International Day of Education
27 – Holocaust Memorial Day

February

LGBT History Month
1 – Time to Talk Day
4 – International Day of Human Fraternity
5-11 – Children’s Mental Health Week
6 – International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM
20 – World Day of Social Justice
22 – World Thinking Day

March

1 – Zero Discrimination Day
3 – World Wildlife Day
3 – National Day of Reflection
7 – World Book Day
8 – International Women’s Day
8-17 – British Science Week
10 – Start of Ramadan
18-24 Debt Awareness Week
21 – World Down Syndrome Day
22 – World Water Day
23 – Earth Hour
24 – World TB Day
31 – International Trans Day of Visibility

April

2-8 – World Autism Acceptance Week
7 – World Health Day
8 – Ramadan ends
22 – Pesach/Passover begins
24-30 – Global Intergenerational Week
25 – World Malaria Day  
28 – International Worker’s Memorial Day – see also here for Edinburgh
30 – Pesach/Passover ends

May

Dementia UK’s “Time for a Cuppa Month
1 – World Maternal Mental Health Day
6-12 – Deaf Awareness Week
6-12 – Dying Matters Week
8-14 – Red Cross Week
12 – National Children’s Day UK
12-18 – Christian Aid Week
13-19 – Mental Health Awareness Week
13-19 – Dementia Action Week
13-17 – Water Saving Week
28 – World Hunger Day
29 – International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers

June

Pride Month
1 – Global Day of Parents
2 – Cancer Survivors Day
3-9 – Volunteer Week
3-9 – UK Clothing Poverty Awareness Week
4 – International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression
5 – World Environment Day
8 – World Oceans Day
10-16 – Carers Week 
10-16 – Loneliness Awareness Week
10-16 – Men’s Health Week
12 – World Day Against Child Labour
16 – Father’s Day
17-23 – Learning Disability Week
17-23 – Refugee Week – see also Scottish Faiths Action for Refugees
18 – Autistic Pride Day
20 – World Refugee Day

July

3 – National Bereaved Parents Day – see also Care for the Family
7 – Thank You Day
14 – Seafarers Sunday
17 – International Justice Day
24 – Samaritans Awareness Day
30 – International Day of Friendship
30 – World Day Against Trafficking in Persons

August

1-7 – World Breastfeeding Week
7 – Playday 
9 – International Day of the World’s Indigenous People
12 – International Youth Day – see also World Council of Churches
19 – World Humanitarian Day
21 – International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism
22 – International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief
23 – International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition
28 – Makaton International Awareness Day – see also Becky George
29 – International Day against Nuclear Tests
30 – International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearance
31 – International Day for People of African Descent
31 – International Overdose Awareness Day

September

Season of Creation – see also Eco-Congregation Scotland
World Alzheimer’s Month
5 – International Day of Charity
8 – International Literacy Day
9-22 – Fairtrade Fortnight
10 – World Suicide Prevention Day – see also Samaritans
15 – International Day of Democracy
22 – Disability Awareness Sunday
23-29 – Scotland’s Climate Week
26 – International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons
29 – International Day of Awareness on Food Loss and Waste Reduction

October

Black History Month — see also resources from CTBI
1 – International Day of Older Persons – see also FiOP
2 – International Day of Non-Violence 
7-13 – Challenge Poverty Week
9-15 – Baby Loss Awareness Week
10 – World Mental Health Day
13 – Sight Loss Sunday
16 – World Food Day
17 – International Day for the Eradication of Poverty
29 – Bible Sunday

November

Movember – Men’s Health Month
12-19 – Interfaith Week
13-19 – Book Week Scotland
19 – International Men’s Day
19 – World Toilet Day — see also Toilet Twinning
20 – World Children’s Day
20 – Transgender Day of Remembrance
25-10 Dec – 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence – see also Mother’s Union and Anglican Communion
25 – International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women
25 – White Ribbon Day

December

25 Nov-10 Dec – 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence – see also Mother’s Union and Anglican Communion
1 – World AIDS Day
2 – International Day for the Abolition of Slavery
2-8 – National Grief Awareness Week
3 – International Day of Persons with Disabilities
10 – Human Rights Day
18 – International Migrants Day
20 – International Human Solidarity Day
28 – Feast of the Holy Innocents (some thoughts here from 2022)