Born on November 15
World Prematurity Day
For the tiniest fighters and their families.
Next: November 15, 2026
Where it comes from
World Prematurity Day was started in 2008 by the European Foundation for the Care of Newborn Infants, now the Global Foundation (GFCNI), with European parents' organisations, and was first marked in 2009. In 2025 the World Health Assembly added it to WHO's official calendar.
How it's celebrated
The day is marked in purple. Landmarks are lit, hospitals and parent groups hold gatherings, and families share their stories in more than 100 countries. A kind message to a family with a baby in the NICU, or to the nurses looking after one, suits the day.
Did you know
The day's symbol is a line of socks: one tiny purple pair among nine full-sized ones, because about one baby in ten is born preterm.
Read the full story of World Prematurity Day
Star sign
Scorpio · October 23 – November 21 · Water sign
Intense and private, with a loyalty that runs deep.