Welcome to our look at UK and international days that celebrate or encourage mental health, well-being and positivity.

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Veganuary – month of January

Veganuary encourages and supports people and businesses alike to switch to a plant-based diet in the month of January as a way of protecting the environment, preventing animal suffering, and improving the health of millions of people. Since the campaign was launched by Veganuary – which is actually a charitable organisation as well as the name of the initiative – in 2014, the number of people taking on the challenge has continued to rise year on year.

Time to Talk Day – 3rd February

Time to Talk Day is all about creating supportive communities by having conversations with family, friends, or colleagues about mental health. We all have mental health, by talking about it we can support ourselves and others. Conversations about mental health have the power to change lives – and we can all take part!

Children’s Mental Health Week – 7th to 13th February

1 in 6 children and young people have a diagnosable mental health problem, and many more struggle with challenges. Children’s Mental Health Week aims to draw attention to the children struggling with their mental health and raise awareness of the benefits of getting children support as early as possible.

Eating Disorders Awareness Week – 21st to 27th February

Eating Disorders Awareness Week is an opportunity to talk about the connection between bullying and eating disorders, and to fight the myths surrounding eating disorders.

Self Injury Awareness Day – 1st March

Self Injury Awareness Day aims to educate people globally on self-harm and the detrimental effect it can have on someone’s life. Raising awareness of self-harm is extremely important as there can be a lot of secrecy around it and it can lead to even worse habits.

International Women’s Day – 8th March

International Women’s Day is a time to reflect on progress made, to call for change and to celebrate acts of courage and determination by ordinary women, who have played an extraordinary role in the history of their countries and communities.

International Day of Happiness – 20th March

The International Day of Happiness is a yearly event celebrated internationally every March 20 to recognise the importance of happiness in our lives. This day is as a way to recognise the importance of happiness in the lives of people around the world.

World Bipolar Day – 30th March

World Bipolar Day is about facilitating discussions about bipolar disorder and spreading the word about community resources for bipolar disorder help and support.

Stress Awareness Month – month of April

Stress Awareness Month has been held every April since 1992. It aims to raise awareness about how to cope with stress and anxiety.

World Health Day – 7th April

World Health Day is a global health awareness celebrated on 7 April every year, and each year draws attention to a specific health topic of concern to people all over the world.

UK Maternal Mental Health Matters Awareness Week – 3rd to 8th May

UK Maternal Mental Health Matters Awareness Week is a week long campaign dedicated to talking about mental illness while pregnant or after having a baby.

Mental Health Awareness Week – 9th to 15th May

Conceived by the Mental Health Foundation, Mental Health Awareness Week is a national week to raise awareness of mental health problems and promote the message of good mental health for all. 

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day – 15th June

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day – or WEAAD – is held on 15th June every year, across the world. It is the globally recognised day to highlight the abuse and neglect of older people, helping us to act against it. The colour associated with the day is purple.

International Fathers’ Mental Health Day – 21st June

International Fathers’ Mental Health Day (IFMHD) is an annual global event first launched in 2016 which gives a voice to issues unique to men as they transition to fatherhood—their strengths, difficulties, and needs. 1 in 10 expecting or new dads experience perinatal anxiety or depression and 56% do not seek support.

Disability Independence Day – 26th July

Disability Independence Day is more than just an annual day, but a movement used to break down barriers to inclusion and advocate for the rights of people with disability.

International Day of Friendship – 30th July

International Day of Friendship is a day to appreciate and promote friendships of all backgrounds. The day aims to bridge the gaps between factors such as race, language and culture. The day promotes the idea that fostering friendships between peoples, countries, cultures and individuals can inspire peace and build bridges between those communities.  

World Humanitarian Day – 19th August

World Humanitarian Day is dedicated to recognising humanitarian people and those who lost their lives working for humanitarian causes. The day also pays tribute to those who have sacrificed their time and risked their lives in order to support and deliver aid to people worldwide undergoing many humanitarian crises. It especially focuses on those who put their lives at risk trying to help people in war-stricken and disease-ridden areas.

World Suicide Prevention Day – 10th September

World Suicide Prevention Day is an awareness day observed on 10 September every year, in order to provide worldwide commitment and action to prevent suicides.

International Equal Pay Day – 18th September

Equal Pay Day is the symbolic day dedicated to raising awareness of the gender pay gap. It represents the longstanding efforts towards the achievement of equal pay for work of equal value. 

International Day of Peace – 21st September

Established in 1981, Peace Day provides a globally shared date for all humanity to commit to Peace above all differences and to contribute to building a Culture of Peace.

Black History Month UK – month of October

Black History Month in the UK is an event that has been celebrated nationwide for more than 30 years. The month was originally founded to recognise the contributions that people of African and Caribbean backgrounds have made to the UK over many generations. Now, Black History Month has expanded to include the history of not just African and Caribbean people but black people in general.

World Mental Health Day – 10th October

The overall objective of World Mental Health Day is to raise awareness of mental health issues around the world. The day provides an opportunity for all stakeholders working on mental health issues to talk about their work, and what more needs to be done to make mental health care a reality for people worldwide.

National Stress Awareness Day – 2nd November

National Stress Awareness Day is a sponsored event by the International Stress Management Association (ISMA), which is a registered charity promoting knowledge about stress, best practices for stress management, well-being, and performance that are recognized nationally and internationally as well.

Anti-Bullying Week – 14th to 18th November

Antibullying Week is an important annual event that can make the school and online environment safer and happier for kids, and potentially save lives. It doesn’t just help children being bullied, but also those who are acting out by bullying and the bystanders who feel at a loss and don’t know what to do.

International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day – 19th November

International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day is an event in which survivors of suicide loss come together to find connection, understanding, and hope through their shared experience. 

International Day of the Abolition of Slavery – 2nd December

Slavery has evolved and manifested itself in different ways throughout history. Today some traditional forms of slavery still persist in their earlier forms, while others have been transformed into new ones. The focus of this day is on eradicating contemporary forms of slavery, such as trafficking in persons, sexual exploitation, the worst forms of child labour, forced marriage, and the forced recruitment of children for use in armed conflict.