International Day of Conscience
Next: April 5, 2027
Let your conscience lead the way.
The story
Where it comes from
The UN General Assembly declared 5 April the International Day of Conscience on 25 July 2019, in resolution 73/329, 'Promoting the Culture of Peace with Love and Conscience', which was put forward by Bahrain. The day builds on the UN's 1999 Declaration and Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace, an idea that took shape at a UNESCO congress in Côte d'Ivoire in 1989. It asks people everywhere to reflect on their actions and to let conscience, empathy and respect for others guide them.
How it's celebrated
The UN and UNESCO share stories, exhibitions and teaching resources on building a culture of peace, and schools and community groups hold discussions on dialogue, empathy and tolerance. The resolution invites everyone, from governments to individuals, to mark the day in ways that suit their own culture, especially through education. A simple way to keep it is to pause and ask whether today's choices are kind and fair.
Did you know
- Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights says that all human beings 'are endowed with reason and conscience'.
- The first International Day of Conscience was held on 5 April 2020.
- UNESCO Bangkok helped run a 'Together for Peace' exhibition of silent manga, wordless comic stories chosen from 274 entries by artists in 117 countries.
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