Nelson Mandela International Day 2026 – July 18

Key facts

• Nelson Mandela International Day is observed annually on July 18.
• The day was declared by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in November 2009 through resolution A/RES/64/13.
• The day commemorates Nelson Mandela’s birthday and his lifetime of service to humanity.
• The 2026 theme is 'It's in our hands'.
• In December 2015, the General Assembly extended the scope of the day to promote humane conditions of imprisonment and adopted the revised United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, known as the 'Nelson Mandela Rules'.
• A virtual public service activity linked to the day encourages participation in the ActNow x Mandela Day challenge to limit global warming and protect the environment.