UN Days, Weeks and Years
International Years
Since 1959 the UN has designated International years in order to draw attention to major issues and to encourage international action to address concerns which have global importance and ramifications. There is a concerted effort not to designate every year - for fiscal reasons and to avoid any process of trivialization. The following is the chronological list of years designated to date:
1959/60 World Refugee Year
1965 International Cooperation Year
1967 International Tourism Year
1968 International Year for Human Rights
1970 International Education Year
1971 International Year for Action to Combat Racism & Racial Discrimination
1974 World Population Year
1975 International Women’s Year
1978 International Anti-Apartheid Year
1979 International Year of the Child
1981 International Year of Disabled Persons
1982 International Year of Mobilisation for Sanctions Against South Africa
1983 World Communications Year
1985 International Youth Year
1986 International Year of Peace
1987 International Year of Shelter for the Homeless
1990 International Literacy Year
1992 International Space Year (endorsed, not declared)
1993 International Year for World’s Indigenous People
1994 International Year of the Family; and
International Year of Sport & Olympic Ideal
1995 United Nations Year for Tolerance
1996 International Year for the Eradication of Poverty
1998 International Year of the Ocean
1999 International Year of Older Persons; and
Centennial of the First International Peace Conference
2000 International Year for the Culture of Peace; and
International Year of Thanksgiving
2001 International Year of Volunteers; and
United Nations Year of Dialogue among Civilizations; and
International Year of Mobilization against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance
2002 International Year of Mountains; and
International Year of Culture Heritage; and
International Year of Ecotourism (http://www.world-tourism.org/index.htm or http://www.uneptie.org/pc/tourism/ecotourism/iye.htm)
2003 International Year of Freshwater
2004 International Year to Commemorate the Struggle against Slavery and Its Abolition; and
International Year of Rice
2005 International Year of Microcredit; and
International Year for Sport and Physical Education
2006 International Year of Deserts and Desertification
2008 International Year of the Potato; and
International Year of Planet Earth; and
International Year of Sanitation; and
International Year of Languages
2009 International Year of Reconciliation; and
International Year of Natural Fibres
2010 International Year of Biodiversity
2011 International Year of Forests