Calendar of Annual Events
If you are a Speakers’ Corner Committee looking for a topic for a debate or an organisation to take the lead in it – or if you are a local group looking for a platform, the following calendar of events could be an invaluable aid. In it, you will find a detailed schedule of literally hundreds of ‘days’ or ‘weeks’ or longer periods, many of them recurring annually, designated to mark a wide range of issues and campaigns which could provide an ideal and often newsworthy basis for a debate. SCT is grateful to Julia Hagan of Nottingham City Council’s Community & Culture Department who prepared the calendar.
The United Nations maintains a list of annual commemmorations and an alternative list can be found on Wikipedia.
| Month | Event | Description | Date(s) |
| January | World Braille Day | Opportunity for blindness organisations to promote Braille literacy, showcase their work and raise public awareness of blindness issues. | 4th January (every year) |
| World Religion Day | To foster the establishment of interfaith understanding and harmony by emphasising the common denominators underlying all religions. | 3rd Sunday in January | |
| Food Allergy and Intolerance Week | To raise awareness about the many people who suffer from food intolerances to ingredients such as wheat, dairy, eggs and gluten. | 21st – 25th January 08 | |
| Cancertalk Week | Focus on emotional and practical issues of the impact experienced by people living with cancer. | 21st – 25th January 08 | |
| Be Loud (Loud Tie Campaign) | A major awareness and fundraising campaign for the national bowel cancer charity, Beating Bowel Cancer | w/c 26th January 2009 | |
| Holocaust Memorial Day | 27th January (every year) | ||
| National Storytelling Week | 31st January – 7th February 2009 | ||
| February | UNICEF Day for Change | 6th February (every year) | |
| WOW (World Orphan Week) | Chance to make a difference to orphaned children around the world by raising money and awareness for SOS children. | 9th – 15th February 2009 | |
| National Marriage Week | Celebrated in churches and communities across the country. | 7th – 15th February 2009 | |
| International Childhood Cancer Day | Aim is to help children with cancer get the best possible treatment and care, no matter where they live in the world, by raising both awareness and money | 15th February 2008 | |
| International Mother Language Day | To promote linguistic and cultural diversity and multilingualism. | 21st February 2008 | |
| Student Volunteering Week | Raising profile of student volunteering | 25th February – 2nd March 2008 | |
| Fair Trade Fortnight | Opportunity to think about where food comes from and how we can help people in poorer countries. | 25th February – 9th March 2008 | |
| Eating Disorders Awareness Week | To raise awareness of issues around the problems encountered by people who are affected by an eating disorder. | 22nd – 28th February 2008 | |
| 24 Hour Tea or Coffee Break | Held during Fair Trade Fortnight and aims to highlight plight of poor farmers throughout the world. | 29th February 2008 | |
| March | The Great Daffodil Appeal | Marie Curie Cancer Care’s annual flagship campaign | 15th February – 31st March (every year) |
| Veggie Month | Celebration of vegetarianism and campaigning in inform schools, retailers, restaurants, community groups and others about the benefits of a veggie diet. | ||
| World Book Day | 5th March 2009 | ||
| International Women’s Day | Provides opportunity to focus upon and remember the struggle of women throughout the world. | 8th March (every year) | |
| Commonwealth Day | Annual event during which all 54 members of the commonwealth celebrate their links with each other. | Second Monday in March | |
| National Ideas Week | Focus on creativity and innovation in the workplace. | 9th – 15th March 2008 | |
| No Smoking Day | Second Wednesday in March | ||
| Red Nose Day | 13th March 2009 | ||
| World Storytelling Day | Global celebration of the art of oral storytelling. | 20th March (every year) | |
| World Poetry Day | To promote reading, writing, publishing and teaching of poetry throughout the world. | 21st March (every year) | |
| World Day for Water | Raise public awareness, focus attention on the vital need to protect and conserve water resources and supplies of drinking water. | 22nd March (every year) | |
| World Theatre Day | 27th March (every year) | ||
| April | National Pet Month | Supported by Iams but run by charitable trust and brings together animal welfare charities and professional bodies with common goal of improving welfare of pets. | |
| International Children’s Book Day | Hans Christian Andersen’s birthday is celebrated to inspire a love of reading and to call attention to children’s books. | 2nd April (every year) | |
| World Health Day | Thousands of events across the world to mark the importance of health for productive and happy lives. | 7th April (every year) | |
| International Noise Awareness Day | To inform the public of the necessity of creating a quiet home, school and recreational environment. | 16th April 2008 | |
| Welly Week | Organised by HDRA to raise funds to help educate and inspire people about organic gardening, farming and food for a sustainable future. | 19th – 26th April 2008 | |
| Global Campaign for Education Action Week | 21st – 27th April 2008 | ||
| International Turn-off TV Week | Campaign to get us off the sofa | 21st – 27th April 2008 | |
| Earth Day | Part 2 – Global event | 22nd April (every year) | |
| World Malaria Day | 25th April (every year) | ||
| RSPCA Week | Major fundraising and profile raising opportunity. | 27th April – 3rd May 2009 | |
| International Dance Day | To increase the awareness of the importance of dance among the general public, as well as to persuade governments across the world to provide a proper place for dance in all systems of education. | 29th April (every year) | |
| International Make-a-Wish-Day | 29th April 2008 | ||
| May | National Museums and Galleries Month | ||
| Local and Community History Month | To increase awareness of local history, promote history in general. | ||
| National Share-a-Story Month | The Federation of Children’s Book Groups celebrates the power of story. | ||
| International Firefighters’ Day | 4th May (every year) | ||
| Deaf Awareness Week | Aims to improve understanding of different types of deafness and methods of communication. | 5th – 11th May 2008 | |
| Red Cross Week | Celebration of the organisations work and services to raise money and recruit. | 6th – 12th May 2008 | |
| World Red Cross Red Crescent Day | Anniversary of founder. | 8th May (every year) | |
| Europe Day | Anniversary of the day when the European Union was conceived. | 9th May 2008 | |
| World Fair Trade Day | Second Saturday in May | ||
| Christian Aid Week | Door to door fundraising drive. | 11th – 17th May 2008 | |
| Limerick Day | Celebrates the birth of writer Edward Lear who popularised limericks in 19th Century. | 12th May (every year) | |
| Foster Care Fortnight | Annual recruitment campaign. | 12th – 25th May 2008 | |
| World No Tobacco Day | To draw global attention to tobacco epidemic and preventable deaths and disease. | 31st May (every year) | |
| June | National Osteoporosis Month | ||
| Everyman Male Cancer Awareness Month | Set up by The Institute of Cancer Research to raise awareness of and funds for prostate and testicular cancers. | ||
| Volunteers’ Week | Events held nationally to recognise, reward and recruit volunteers. | 1st – 7th June 2008 | |
| Recycle Now Week | 2nd – 8th June 2008 | ||
| International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression | Acknowledges pain suffered by children throughout the world and affirms a commitment to protect the rights of children. | 4th June (every year) | |
| Heart Week | 4th – 10th June 2008 | ||
| World Environment Day | Used by the United Nations to stimulate awareness of environmental issues. | 5th June (every year) | |
| World Oceans Day | Celebration of the planet’s marine environment. | 8th June (every year) | |
| World Blood Donor Day | Commemorates the birth of Karl Lansteiner who discovered the ABO blood group system. | 14th June (every year) | |
| National Bike Week | A week of events to highlight real alternatives to the car. | 14th – 22nd June 2008 | |
| Refugee Week | Events to celebrate the contribution of refugees to the UK and encourages better understanding between communities. | 16th – 22nd June 2008 | |
| Child Safety Week | 23rd – 29th June 2008 | ||
| July | World Population Day | To raise awareness of global population issues. | 11th July (every year) |
| National Parks’ Week | 28th July – 3rd August 2008 | ||
| August | National Road Victim Month | ||
| Marine Week | 2nd – 17th August 2008 | ||
| International Youth Day | To draw attention to youth issues worldwide. | 12th August (every year) | |
| September | Bear Necessities Month | Organised by WSPA to raise funds and awareness for mistreated bears. | |
| National Organic Fortnight | 6th – 21st September 2008 | ||
| International Literacy Day | Focuses attention on worldwide literacy needs. | 8th September (every year) | |
| Heritage Open Days | Celebrates England’s architecture and culture. | 11th – 14th September 2008 | |
| International Day of Peace | Calls for full day of peace and ceasefire throughout the world. | 21st September (every year) | |
| World Car Free Day | 22nd September 2008 | ||
| British Food Fortnight | 20th September – 5th October 2008 | ||
| European Day of Languages | Celebrate language and cultural diversity. | 26th September (every year) | |
| World Heart Day | Run in over 90 countries. | 28th September 2008 | |
| October | Black History Month | Promote a greater understanding of UK’s diverse cultural heritage. | |
| Breast Cancer Awareness Month | |||
| IFAW Animal Action Week | Largest animal-focused event in the world. | First week in October | |
| World Animal Day | Events organised to raise awareness of animal issues. | 4th October (every year) | |
| World Space Week | International celebration of science and technology. | 4th – 10th October (every year) | |
| World Teachers Day | 5th October (every year) | ||
| World Architecture Day | Set up by UN for the world to reflect on the state of human settlements and basic rights to adequate shelter. | First Monday in October | |
| World Habitat Day | First Monday in October | ||
| National Children’s Book Week | First full week in October | ||
| National Poetry Day | 9th October 2008 | ||
| World Hospice and Palliative Care Day | 11th October 2008 | ||
| World Arthritis Day | 12th October (every year) | ||
| World Food Day | To commemorate the founding of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the UN (FAO). | 16th October (every year) | |
| Trafalgar Day | Celebration of the victory of Nelson’s fleet at Battle of Trafalgar. | 21st October (every year) | |
| United Nations Day | Marking the anniversary of the founding of the UN. | 24th October (every year) | |
| November | Vegan Month | ||
| Shout About Climate Change | Friends of the Earth’s annual activity project for 11 – 13 year olds. | TBC | |
| Dyslexia Awareness Week | 7th – 13th November 2008 | ||
| National Stress Awareness Day | 5th November 2008 | ||
| National Adoption Week | 10th – 16th November 2008 | ||
| World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims | Third Sunday of November | ||
| International Day of Tolerance | 16th November 2008 | ||
| World Philosophy Day | Promoting awareness and reconsideration of the important role that philosophy has played in public life and in our adapting to social changes. | Third Thursday in November | |
| Universal Children’s Day | 20th November 2008 | ||
| World Television Day | 21st November (every year) | ||
| World Hello Day | Demonstrates the importance of personal communication to preserve peace. | 21st November (every year) | |
| International Day for the Elimination of Violence Towards Women | 25th November (every year) | ||
| December | World AIDS Day | 1st December (every year) | |
| International Day for the Abolition of Slavery | 2nd December (every year) | ||
| International Day of Disabled Persons | 3rd December (every year) | ||
| International Volunteer Day | 5th December (every year) | ||
| Carers Right Day | 5th December 2008 |
