Hundreds of National, International and World Days are celebrated each year worldwide.
What is the difference between National, International and World days?
If you check the list of various Environmental/ Ecological days celebrated Worldwide, you will find…
- National Bird Day
- International Zebra Day
- World Aquatic Animal Day
…and so on
Now, have you ever wondered why some days are ‘National’, some are ‘International’ and some are marked as ‘World’? Any clue? No?
Don’t feel bad. Even I had absolutely no idea about it earlier. I used to think that they are just trying to confuse us or make our school projects even more complicated. Haha!
But then I tried to understand the logic behind using each term. And surprisingly, it’s not that complicated. In fact, it’s so obvious and easy!
Are you eager to know the meaning of each term? So, what are you waiting for? Let’s begin!
What are International days?
International days are observed by United Nations to create awareness and educate the general public on particular events, topics or issues of concern etc.
The United Nations is an international organization committed to…
- Maintaining international peace and security
- Developing friendly relations among nations
- Promoting social progress, better living standards and human rights.
On occasion, these celebrations are declared by the specialized agencies of the United Nations, such as UNESCO, UNICEF, FAO, etc.
Usually, one or more Member States propose these observances and the General Assembly establishes them with a resolution.
Here are some of the examples of International Days:
| Date | Category | Day | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21 March | Environment | International Day of Forests | Kenya, India, Canada etc. |
| 21 June | Health | International Day of Yoga | India, Nepal, Oman etc. |
| 6 July | Love & Family | International Kissing Day | North Macedonia, Armenia, Indonesia etc. |
| 1 October | Food | International Coffee Day | Germany, Ireland, New Zealand, Singapore, United Kingdom etc. |
Now, let’s move to World days.
What are World / Global days?
Similar to International days, World days are also observed by the specialized agencies of the United Nations and General assembly.
The only difference between the two lies in their reach.
As the name suggests, World/ Global days are celebrated worldwide. Whereas the International days are limited to only few countries.
Examples of World Days:
| Date | Category | Day | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 March | Environment | World Wildlife Day | Worldwide |
| 1 May | Love & Family | Global love day | Worldwide |
| 7 July | Food | World Vegan Day | Worldwide |
| 26 September | Health | World Contraception Day | Worldwide |
Simple! Isn’t it?
Now, let’s learn about National Days.
What are National days?
National days are observed by a particular nation to mark their nationhood, culture or local topics that need attention etc.
Such days are not celebrated worldwide. They are basically limited to particular country or states.
Two different countries may have a national day based on the same theme, but with different name / date.
For example,
So many countries have individual specific dates to celebrate Arbor Day (or Tree plantation Day)
Some other examples of National Days:
| Date | Category | Day | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21 January | Love & Family | National Hugging Day | USA |
| 10 February | Health | National Deworming Day | India |
| 13 March | Environment | National Elephant Day | Thailand |
| 21 July | Food | National Junk Food Day | USA |
World vs International vs National Days
Just to make it easy to remember,
| World Day | International Day | National Day |
|---|---|---|
| World days are celebrated worldwide (or in many countries around the world). | International days are observed in few countries. | National days are celebrated by particular nation / states. |
Piece of cake!
What was so complicated about it? Nothing!
Ohh… I can see the smile on your face!
So, what are you waiting for? Let’s have a look at all the special days celebrated worldwide.
Thanks for reading!
Hope you liked my simple explanation on the difference between National, International and World days.
Do you celebrate any such days in your area?
Hello!
Thanks for reading. Hope you liked my collection. Do you have any suggestions, experiences or innovative ideas to share? They would be super helpful!
If you see anything that needs to be removed / updated or added, please feel free to drop your comments below. I read every single one, and I’d love to know!
You may also like:
- World Health Awareness Days & Dates Calendar 2024
- Important Environmental Awareness Days & Dates in 2024
The way of your explanation is osm. I fell in love with the way of your writing. It help me to understand differences easily
Thank you so much Shruti! I am glad that you liked it 🙂