Important Days in May 2026
May 2026 has 35 days that exams ask about: 32 international and 3 national. Each date comes with a one-line fact and the official source it was checked against. Days fixed by a weekday, such as World Asthma Day, are shown on their 2026 date.
| Date | Day | Important day |
|---|---|---|
| 2 May | Saturday | World Tuna Day |
| 3 May | Sunday | World Press Freedom Day |
| 5 May | Tuesday | World Asthma Day · African World Heritage Day · International Day of the Midwife · World Hand Hygiene Day · World Portuguese Language Day |
| 8 May | Friday | International Thalassaemia Day (World Thalassaemia Day) · World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day |
| 9 May | Saturday | World Migratory Bird Day |
| 10 May | Sunday | International Day of Argania |
| 11 May | Monday | National Technology Day |
| 12 May | Tuesday | International Day of Plant Health · International Nurses Day |
| 15 May | Friday | International Day of Families |
| 16 May | Saturday | International Day of Light · International Day of Living Together in Peace · National Dengue Day |
| 17 May | Sunday | World Hypertension Day · World Telecommunication and Information Society Day |
| 18 May | Monday | International Day for Women in Maritime · International Museum Day |
| 19 May | Tuesday | World Fair Play Day |
| 20 May | Wednesday | World Bee Day · World Metrology Day |
| 21 May | Thursday | International Tea Day · World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development · Anti-Terrorism Day |
| 22 May | Friday | International Day for Biological Diversity |
| 23 May | Saturday | International Day to End Obstetric Fistula |
| 24 May | Sunday | International Day of the Markhor |
| 25 May | Monday | World Football Day |
| 29 May | Friday | International Day of UN Peacekeepers |
| 30 May | Saturday | International Day of Potato |
| 31 May | Sunday | World No Tobacco Day |
(Saturday)
World Tuna Day
Designated by the UN General Assembly through resolution 71/124 to highlight the importance of responsible and sustainable tuna fishing.
United Nations General Assembly · Source: un.org
(Sunday)
World Press Freedom Day
Proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in December 1993 on UNESCO's recommendation; 3 May is the anniversary of the Windhoek Declaration.
United Nations General Assembly · Source: un.org
(Tuesday)
World Asthma Day
Organised by the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) on the first Tuesday of May; first held in 1998 in more than 35 countries.
Date: every year on the first Tuesday of the month
Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) · Source: ginasthma.org
African World Heritage Day
Proclaimed by the 38th session of UNESCO's General Conference in November 2015 to celebrate Africa's cultural and natural heritage.
UNESCO · Source: unesco.org
International Day of the Midwife
Observed every 5 May; the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) uses it to draw global attention to the midwifery profession.
International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) · Source: internationalmidwives.org
World Hand Hygiene Day
Marked on 5 May as part of WHO's annual SAVE LIVES: Clean Your Hands campaign, launched in 2009 to improve hand hygiene in health care.
World Health Organization (WHO) · Source: who.int
World Portuguese Language Day
The date was set in 2009 by the Community of Portuguese-speaking Countries (CPLP); UNESCO proclaimed it a world day in 2019.
UNESCO · Source: unesco.org
(Friday)
International Thalassaemia Day (World Thalassaemia Day)
Organised every year since 1994 by the Thalassaemia International Federation (TIF) to raise awareness of this severe blood disease.
Thalassaemia International Federation (TIF) · Source: thalassaemia.org.cy
World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day
Held on the birthday anniversary of Henry Dunant, whose founding legacy gave rise to the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.
International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (ICRC and IFRC) · Source: icrc.org
(Saturday)
World Migratory Bird Day
Held on the second Saturday of May and again in October; initiated in 2006 by the secretariats of AEWA and the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS).
Date: every year on the second Saturday of the month
CMS and AEWA (UNEP) · Source: cms.int
(Sunday)
International Day of Argania
Proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in 2021 on a resolution submitted by Morocco and co-sponsored by 113 member states.
United Nations General Assembly · Source: un.org
(Monday)
National Technology DayNational
Started in 1999 by PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee to honour the scientists and engineers behind the Pokhran nuclear tests of May 1998.
Government of India (Ministry of Science and Technology) · Source: pib.gov.in
(Tuesday)
International Day of Plant Health
Designated by the UN General Assembly (resolution 76/256) as a key legacy of the International Year of Plant Health 2020.
United Nations General Assembly (FAO) · Source: fao.org
International Nurses Day
Celebrated worldwide every 12 May, the anniversary of Florence Nightingale's birth; the International Council of Nurses (ICN) marks it each year.
International Council of Nurses (ICN) · Source: icn.ch
(Friday)
International Day of Families
In 1993 the UN General Assembly decided through resolution 47/237 that 15 May of every year would be observed as International Day of Families.
United Nations General Assembly · Source: un.org
(Saturday)
International Day of Light
Marks the first successful laser operation by physicist and engineer Theodore Maiman in 1960; celebrated by UNESCO every 16 May.
UNESCO · Source: unesco.org
International Day of Living Together in Peace
Declared by the UN General Assembly through resolution 72/130 to promote peace, tolerance and a culture of living together in harmony.
United Nations General Assembly · Source: un.org
National Dengue DayNational
The Government of India has declared 16 May as National Dengue Day and July as anti-dengue month to step up dengue prevention.
Government of India (Ministry of Health and Family Welfare) · Source: pib.gov.in
(Sunday)
World Hypertension Day
Started by the World Hypertension League (WHL) and first held in 2005 to stress the importance of better control of high blood pressure.
World Hypertension League (WHL) · Source: whleague.org
World Telecommunication and Information Society Day
Celebrated since 1969, it marks the founding of ITU and the signing of the first International Telegraph Convention on 17 May 1865.
International Telecommunication Union (ITU) · Source: un.org
(Monday)
International Day for Women in Maritime
Proclaimed by the IMO Assembly at its 32nd session in December 2021 to promote the recruitment and retention of women in the maritime sector.
International Maritime Organization (IMO) · Source: imo.org
International Museum Day
Organised by the International Council of Museums (ICOM) since 1977, when its General Assembly in Moscow adopted a resolution creating it.
International Council of Museums (ICOM) · Source: icom.museum
(Tuesday)
World Fair Play Day
Proclaimed by the UN General Assembly on 1 July 2024 through resolution 78/310; the first World Fair Play Day was held on 19 May 2025.
United Nations General Assembly · Source: un.org
(Wednesday)
World Bee Day
Celebrated since 2018 on the birthday of Anton Janša, a Slovenian pioneer of modern beekeeping, after efforts led by Slovenia.
United Nations General Assembly (FAO) · Source: fao.org
World Metrology Day
Marks the signing of the Metre Convention on 20 May 1875; set up by the CIPM in 1999 and proclaimed by UNESCO in 2023.
BIPM and OIML (proclaimed by UNESCO) · Source: unesco.org
(Thursday)
International Tea Day
Proclaimed by the UN General Assembly (resolution 74/241), which asked FAO to lead it, to promote sustainable production and trade of tea.
United Nations General Assembly (led by FAO) · Source: fao.org
World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development
Declared by the UN General Assembly in December 2002 (resolution 57/249) after UNESCO adopted the Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity in 2001.
United Nations General Assembly · Source: un.org
Anti-Terrorism DayNational
Observed on the day former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was killed by terrorists in 1991; an anti-terrorism pledge is taken in government offices.
Government of India (Ministry of Home Affairs) · Source: pib.gov.in
(Friday)
International Day for Biological Diversity
Marks the adoption of the Convention on Biological Diversity text on 22 May 1992; the UN General Assembly chose the date in December 2000.
United Nations General Assembly · Source: sdgs.un.org
(Saturday)
International Day to End Obstetric Fistula
Designated by the UN General Assembly (resolution 67/147); UNFPA leads the global Campaign to End Fistula, a preventable childbirth injury.
United Nations General Assembly · Source: un.org
(Sunday)
International Day of the Markhor
Proclaimed by the UN General Assembly (resolution 78/278) and first celebrated in 2024 for the markhor, listed in CITES Appendix I since 1992.
United Nations General Assembly · Source: un.org
(Monday)
World Football Day
Proclaimed by the UN General Assembly on 7 May 2024; recalls the first global football tournament, held on 25 May 1924 at the Paris Olympics.
United Nations General Assembly · Source: un.org
(Friday)
International Day of UN Peacekeepers
Marks the day in 1948 when UNTSO, the first UN peacekeeping mission, began operations; designated by UN General Assembly resolution 57/129.
United Nations General Assembly · Source: un.org
(Saturday)
International Day of Potato
Designated by the UN General Assembly (resolution 78/123) to build on the International Year of the Potato, which was observed in 2008.
United Nations General Assembly (FAO) · Source: fao.org
(Sunday)
World No Tobacco Day
Created by WHO Member States in 1987; World Health Assembly resolution WHA42.19 set 31 May as its date every year.
World Health Organization (WHO) · Source: who.int
Frequently Asked Questions
How many important days are there in May 2026?
This list has 35 days in May 2026: 32 international and 3 national. Each was checked against an official page of the UN, a UN agency, the Government of India or the body that runs the day.
Which national days of India fall in May 2026?
National Technology Day (11 May); National Dengue Day (16 May); Anti-Terrorism Day (21 May).
Which days in May change their date every year?
These are held on a fixed weekday, so the date moves: World Asthma Day (every year on the first Tuesday of the month; 5 May in 2026); World Migratory Bird Day (every year on the second Saturday of the month; 9 May in 2026).
Are the themes of these days given?
No. Themes change every year, so this list keeps to the lasting facts: who declared the day, whose memory or which event it marks, and since when. A given year’s theme is in that day’s current affairs story.