Calendar

Building a new culture of peace in the minds and spirits of women and men for the 21st century

3 September 2026 (UNESCO HQ – Paris, France), 5:30pm - 6:30pm, Room IV

High-level event, organized in collaboration with the Permanent Delegation of France to UNESCO, to explore young people’s vision of the Organization’s contribution to peace, as part of the celebrations marking its 80th anniversary.

International Day of Indigenous Women and Girls 

5 September 2026 

Adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 2025, the International Day celebrates the leadership, knowledge and contributions of Indigenous women and girls to their communities and to sustainable development. It also highlights the importance of protecting their rights, cultures, languages and participation in decision-making. 

International Literacy Day (8 September)

8-9 September 2026 (Chiapas, Mexico)

To mark the 60th anniversary of International Literacy Day, UNESCO will convene a global celebration in Mexico, on 8-9 September, in collaboration with the Mexican Government. The event will include the award ceremony of the UNESCO International Literacy Prizes, recognizing outstanding literacy programmes worldwide.

Digital Learning Week 2026

8-11 September 2026 (UNESCO HQ – Paris, France), Rooms I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII

Under the theme Education in the age of AI: Facts | Frictions | Frontiers, Digital Learning Week 2026 will examine what counts as fact in an age of synthetic knowledge, how to navigate the frictions AI is generating across education systems, and what new frontiers are emergingfrom public-interest AI and digital sovereignty to analogue and community-led approaches. The UNESCO King Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa Prize for the Use of ICT in Education award ceremony, the release of the “Education in the age of AI: A compilation of action-oriented policy briefs” and an exhibition are among the events taking place during that week.

International Day to Protect Education from Attack

9 September 2026 (UNESCO HQ – Paris, France), 10:45am - 11:30am, Installation on the Piazza area

This day serves as an opportunity to raise awareness and inspire action for the protection of education and the provision of support for students, teachers, and education communities in conflict zones. Attacks on educational institutions, students, and teachers are occurring at an alarming rate globally. This year's global observance will take place under the theme "Can education survive attack? The resilience of human communities." An installation illustrating the number of Attacks on schools per year, “The Crossing” will be launched at UNESCO Headquarters on that Day.

First International Day for Caves and Karst 

13 September 2026 

Proclaimed by UNESCO in November 2025, this International Day is meant to raise awareness about underground natural voids, water resources, and unique geological landscapes worldwide. 

UNESCO Africa Engineering Week

13-17 September 2026 (Dar es Salaam, Tanzania)

The week, celebrated annually across the African continent in September, highlights the vital role of engineering in sustainable development and encourages young people to pursue STEM careers through innovation and practical learning. This year, UNESCO will organize the Africa Regional Training Workshop for National Focal Points on Engineering Data Collection and Governance to strengthen the capacity of participating countries to contribute effectively to the third Global Engineering Report (ER III) assessment process. 

UNESCO Campus XL “Shaping the Future of Learning”

14 September 2026 (UNESCO HQ – Paris, France), 10am-12:30pm, Room I

At a time when artificial intelligence and digital technologies are profoundly transforming how young people learn, access information, and envision their futures, this Campus will bring together young people aged 13 to 18 for a programme dedicated to the challenges of education in the digital age. This hybrid session will be in French with interpretation in English and Chinese.

4th UNESCO Global Forum on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence 

14-17 September 2026 (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia)

The 4^th UNESCO Global Forum will be held alongside the Global AI Summit 2026 (15-17 Sept.), as part of Saudi Arabia’s Global AI Week. Together, these events will create an engaging environment with high-level ethical reflection, bridging discussions on governance with technological innovation. They also coincide with Saudi Arabia’s designation of 2026 as the Year of Artificial Intelligence.

Exhibit on General History of Africa

17-23 September 2026 (UNESCO HQ – Paris, France), 9am-5:30pm, Hall Segur and Pas Perdus Hall 

The exhibition will present images, maps, texts, iconography, artefacts, photographs, etc. With both aesthetic quality and historical depth, visitors will be invited to moments of reflection, immersion and interaction. It will also align with UNESCO’s call for African governments to make greater use of the educational tools developed through the General History of Africa. In doing so, the exhibition will help promote a culture of peace and non-violence.

Calling for Peace: Identity, Creativity and Intercultural Dialogue for Inclusive and Peaceful Societies

21 September 2026 (UNESCO HQ – Paris, France), Room I

This event will highlight racial equity and inclusion through a youth focused master class and a concert celebrating dialogue, diversity and a culture of peace.

Visit of Pope Leo XIV

25 September 2026 (UNESCO HQ – Paris, France)

UNESCO will welcome His Holiness Pope Leo XIV at its Headquarters in Paris at the invitation of UNESCO Director General. The visit will be dedicated to contemporary challenges related to artificial intelligence, information integrity, education and artistic creation in the age of AI.

MOST Social Transformations Week 

29 September- 2 October 2026 (UNESCO HQ – Paris, France), Rooms I, II, IX and Salle des Actes

Climate change, tech disruption, and inequality demand better policy. The Social Transformations Week will explore how broader evidence and transdisciplinarity can shape more resilient solutions.