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.
November 2026
Movember – Men’s Health Month
8–15 – Interfaith Week
13 – World Kindness Day
15–22 – Prisoners’ Week Scotland
16–20 – Anti-Bullying Week
19 – International Men’s Day
19 – World Toilet Day – see also Toilet Twinning
20 – World Children’s Day
20 – Transgender Day of Remembrance
25 – International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women
25 – White Ribbon Day
25–10 Dec – 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence
December 2026
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
5 – World Soil Day
10 – Human Rights Day
18 – International Migrants Day
20 – International Human Solidarity Day
28 – Feast of the Holy Innocents
January 2027
4 – World Braille Day
11 – Human Trafficking Awareness Day
18–25 – Week of Prayer for Christian Unity
24 – International Day of Education
25 – World Leprosy Day
27 – Holocaust Memorial Day
28 – International Day of Peaceful Coexistence
30 – Parent Mental Health Day
31 January–8 February – National Storytelling Week
February 2027
LGBT+ History Month
30 January–7 February – National Storytelling Week
1–7 February – World Interfaith Harmony Week
1–7 – Children’s Mental Health Week
4 – International Day of Human Fraternity
6 – International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM
8 – Expected start of Ramadan
9 – Safer Internet Day
14 – Racial Justice Sunday
20 – World Day of Social Justice
22 – World Thinking Day
25 – Time to Talk Day
March 2027
1 – Zero Discrimination Day
3 – World Wildlife Day
5 – World Day of Prayer
5–14 – British Science Week
6 – World Book Day
8 – International Women’s Day
8 – Ramadan expected to end
14 – Covid Day of Reflection
15–21 – Debt Awareness Week
20 – Earth Hour
21 – World Down Syndrome Day
22 – World Water Day
24 – World TB Day
31 – International Trans Day of Visibility
April 2027
2 – World Autism Awareness Day
7 – World Health Day
21 – Pesach/Passover begins
22 – Earth Day
24–30 – Global Intergenerational Week
25 – World Malaria Day
28 – International Workers’ Memorial Day
29 – Pesach/Passover ends
May 2027
1–8 – Dementia UK’s “Time for a Cuppa Week“
3–9 – Deaf Awareness Week
5 – World Maternal Mental Health Day
7–13 – Red Cross Week
9 – National Children’s Day UK
9–15 – Christian Aid Week
10–16 – Mental Health Awareness Week
17–23 – Dementia Action Week
28 – World Hunger Day
29 – International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers
June 2027
Pride Month
1 – Global Day of Parents
4 – International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression
5 – World Environment Day
6 – Cancer Survivors Day
7–13 – Volunteer Week
7–13 – Carers Week
8 – World Oceans Day
8–14 – Loneliness Awareness Week (in 2026. Dates for 2027 dates TBC)
12 – World Day Against Child Labour
14–20 – Men’s Health Week
14–20 – Learning Disability Week
14–20 – Refugee Week – see also Scottish Faiths Action for Refugees
18 – Autistic Pride Day
20 – World Refugee Day
July 2027
3 – National Bereaved Parents Day – see also Care for the Family
11 – Srebrenica Memorial Day
11 – Seafarers Sunday
17 – International Justice Day
24 – Samaritans Awareness Day
30 – International Day of Friendship
30 – World Day Against Trafficking in Persons
August 2027
1–7 – World Breastfeeding Week
4 – Playday
9 – International Day of the World’s Indigenous People
12 – International Youth Day
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 2027
Season of Creation – see also Eco-Congregation Scotland
World Alzheimer’s Month
5 – International Day of Charity
8 – International Literacy Day
10 – World Suicide Prevention Day – see also Samaritans
15 – International Day of Democracy
20 September–3 October – Fairtrade Fortnight
21 – International Day of Peace
21 – World Alzheimer’s Day
26 – International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons
26 – Disability Awareness Sunday
29 – International Day of Awareness on Food Loss and Waste Reduction
28 September–4 October (2026. Dates for 2027 TBC) – Scotland’s Climate Week
October 2027
Black History Month
20 September–3 October – Fairtrade Fortnight
1 – International Day of Older Persons
2 – International Day of Non-Violence
5–11 (2026. Dates for 2027 TBC) – Challenge Poverty Week
9–15 (2026. Dates for 2027 TBC) – Baby Loss Awareness Week
10 – World Mental Health Day
10 – Sight Loss Sunday
16 – World Food Day
17 – International Day for the Eradication of Poverty
24 (likely date – 2027 TBC) – Bible Sunday