HAPPY WORLD NGO DAY
Written by Roneel Narayan on February 27, 2022
World NGO Day is celebrated in more than 89 countries and over six continents
Each year World NGO Day is celebrated on February 27th.
World NGO Day is an international day dedicated to recognize, celebrate and honour all non-governmental and nonprofit organizations, and the people behind them that contribute to society all year round.
Back in 2014, the 27th of February became a historic day for the NGO community worldwide. This international calendar day, now known as “World NGO Day,” was inaugurated for the first time internationally.
World NGO Day is to inspire people to become more actively involved within the NGO sector and encourage a greater symbiosis between NGOs and both the public and private sectors.
- A day for NGOs around the globe to share their knowledge and experiences with one another.
- An opportunity for education, enabling individuals worldwide to understand more clearly what NGOs are doing for society, locally, nationally and internationally.
- An international symbol to display the efforts and achievements of all NGOs from all sectors.
- An opportunity to inspire people to consider a career within the NGO/Non-profit sector.
- An opportunity for individuals to learn more about the people involved with NGOs.
- An opportunity for NGOs to discuss the issues that affect their work, and form partnerships that can resolve a mutual problem.
How It All Started
Officially proposed and recognized in 2010, and declared in 2012. First time marked by the UN, EU, Nordic Council leaders and international organizations in 2014.
World NGO Day was officially proposed and recognised on April 17, 2010, by 12 countries of the Baltic Sea NGO Forum in Vilnius, Lithuania. The member countries of the Baltic Sea NGO Forum were Belarus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Norway and Sweden.
On April 23, 2012, World NGO Day was accepted by the Baltic Sea NGO Forum Committee under the German CBSS Presidency at the Humboldt University in Berlin, during the X Baltic Sea NGO Forum: Social Capital for a Sustainable Baltic Sea Region.
Awareness of World NGO Day was increased through a roundtable at the House of Commons and House of Lords, UK Parliament.
The first global inaugural event of World NGO Day was hosted by the Ministry for Foreign affairs of Finland on 27 February 2014 in Helsinki, Finland. The international guests were leaders from UNOPS, UNESCO, UNDP, European Union, Nordic Council and international organizations.
