The International Week of Science and Peace returns November 9–15, 2026, linking two ideas the United Nations wants people to see together. It’s held each year in the week that includes November 11.
When the Week Falls
Every year, in the week that includes November 11. The UN resolution sets it that way rather than naming fixed dates, so the days shift a little. In 2026, the week runs Monday, November 9, through Sunday, November 15.
General Assembly members made it official in 1988. No single country hosts it, and any school, lab or club can hold an event.
From a Peace Year to a UN Vote
Grassroots groups started it. The week was first held in 1986, during the UN’s International Year of Peace, as a non-governmental project.
Its organizers wanted the widest possible reach. They told the Year’s secretariat about their plans and later sent in a summary of what took place.
Two years on, the Assembly took it up. Resolution 43/61, titled “Science and peace,” passed without a vote on December 6, 1988.
That text also asked the Secretary-General to report back at the Assembly’s forty-fifth session.
What the Week Asks For
Resolution 43/61 urged member states and other groups to hold events on how progress in science and technology links to peace and security.
Cooperation is the other goal. Governments were urged to help scientists work together across borders, and the UN sees the week as a boost for academic exchange.
A related UNESCO day sits inside the week. World Science Day for Peace and Development, proclaimed by UNESCO in 2001, is marked every November 10.
UNESCO credits that day with real results. One example it gives is the Israeli-Palestinian Science Organization, set up with its support.
Outreach is built in. UNESCO’s plan for the day involves government officials, the media and school pupils, not only researchers.
Each November 10 has a theme. For 2026, it’s “Common ground through science diplomacy.”
Ways to Take Part
- Host a talk on how scientists from rival countries have worked on a shared problem.
- Invite a researcher who works with colleagues abroad to describe that partnership.
- Read Resolution 43/61 in the UN Digital Library with a class or club.
- Plan a lesson for November 10 around this year’s science diplomacy theme.
- Look up UNESCO’s Recommendation on Science and Scientific Researchers, which sets out the values meant to guide research.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the week an official UN observance?
Yes. The General Assembly proclaimed it, and it’s listed among the UN’s international observances.
Who ran it before the UN stepped in?
Private organizers outside government, for its first two years.
Was there a vote on the resolution?
No. Member states adopted it at a plenary meeting without one.