International Human Solidarity Day
Next: December 20, 2026
Heavy loads are lighter shared.
The story
Where it comes from
In its Millennium Declaration of 2000, the UN named solidarity as one of the fundamental values of the 21st century: those who suffer or benefit least deserve help from those who benefit most. On 20 December 2002 the General Assembly decided to establish the World Solidarity Fund to help fight poverty. On 22 December 2005, in resolution 60/209, the Assembly proclaimed the fund's anniversary, 20 December, International Human Solidarity Day.
How it's celebrated
The UN describes it as a day to celebrate unity in diversity, to remind governments of their commitments, to raise awareness of the importance of solidarity and to encourage new ideas for ending poverty. UN Women, for example, uses it to share its work on gender equality. For everyone else, it is a day for a small act of solidarity: volunteering, giving, or checking on a neighbour who may need help.
Did you know
- The Millennium Declaration named six fundamental values: freedom, equality, solidarity, tolerance, respect for nature and shared responsibility.
- The World Solidarity Fund became a trust fund of the UN Development Programme in February 2003, with the aim of eradicating poverty and promoting human and social development among the poorest people of developing countries.
- Malay has a word for neighbours pitching in together, gotong-royong, and a proverb to match: ringan sama menjinjing, berat sama memikul, 'light, we carry it together; heavy, we shoulder it together'.
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