World Meditation Day
Next: December 21, 2026
Sit still. Breathe. Begin again.
The story
Where it comes from
On 6 December 2024 the UN General Assembly proclaimed 21 December World Meditation Day, adopting by consensus a resolution tabled by Liechtenstein, Andorra, Mexico, Nepal, India and Sri Lanka and co-sponsored by 71 countries. The date falls at the December solstice, which comes on 21 or 22 December, around the longest night of the northern year, a time which India's ambassador described as the start of Uttarayana, a time for inner reflection. The resolution recognises meditation's contribution to health and well-being, and its universality.
How it's celebrated
At the UN, missions and offices have marked the day with guided meditation, talks and music in New York and Geneva. Anyone can join in without equipment or a particular belief: find a quiet corner, sit comfortably and follow your breath for a few minutes, or invite a friend who has had a hard year to sit quietly with you.
Did you know
- A Meditation Room has stood at UN headquarters in New York since 1952, and Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld said the building 'should have one room dedicated to silence in the outward sense and stillness in the inner sense'.
- The day falls exactly six months after the International Day of Yoga on 21 June.
- Estimates quoted by the UN suggest that between 200 and 500 million people meditate worldwide.
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