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February 27

A global day celebrating the people behind nonprofits and NGOs making a difference around the world.

The World NGO Day Global Review

The first edition records how the Day has developed, country by country, with named sources.

Get Involved

There are many ways to take part in World NGO Day.

Use the World NGO Day logo on February 27

For over a decade, the symbol has represented unity, diversity, and the people behind civil society, celebrated every 27 February.

Nonprofit-friendly places, where organizations and communities meet, connect, celebrate, convene and collaborate.

Nonprofit City

The first global guide to discovering cities and their nonprofit-friendly places, where organizations and communities meet, connect, celebrate, convene and collaborate, featuring exclusive interviews, local recommendations, original photography and art.

Nonprofit City — Volume 1, USAVolume 1 · USA

Nonprofit City — Vol. 1: United States

West Hollywood, San Diego, Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington D.C. and New York.

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About

Learn who safeguards the legacy of World NGO Day and how you can support it.

Ways to Support

Become a PartnerInstitutional and corporate partnershipsBecome a PatronOngoing support — it focuses on cities becoming patronsLeave a LegacyGifts that outlast a single yearOne-Time GiftA single contribution to the Day
J’Net Nguyen
Global Council

J’Net Nguyen Joins World NGO Day Global Council as Executive Advisor

FriendsHAUS Founder and Assistance League of Los Angeles Board Member J’Net Nguyen joins as Executive Advisor.

Read More
Explore the journey

The making of an international day

The concept of an international day dedicated to NGOs, World NGO Day, was created in 2009 by 24-year-old law student Marcis Skadmanis. Today, it celebrates the people behind nongovernmental, nonprofit organizations worldwide every February 27, connecting communities across all continents.

SEE THE TIMELINE → EU STATEMENTS →
UK Parliament, House of Commons2012
UK Parliament, House of Commons
The first World NGO Day · Finland2014
The first World NGO Day · Finland
Council of Europe · Strasbourg2019
Council of Europe · Strasbourg
Lithuania’s Seimas · Written into law2023
Lithuania’s Seimas · Written into law
Latvia’s Saeima · Written into law2025
Latvia’s Saeima · Written into law
The story

A simple but powerful
idea

Marcis Liors Skadmanis⁠ (LL.M, LL.B, Honoris Causa, FRSA) is the visionary behind World NGO Day.

The Vision

At 24, while preparing his Master’s dissertation in International Law, Marcis developed a clear vision: the world needed a day to recognize NGOs and the people behind them—and to champion their rights. At the time, no such global day existed.

Raising awareness

By 2013 the idea had international support. Volunteers helped take it to both Houses of the UK Parliament, the European Commission, the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, UNESCO, the British Embassy in Finland and the Royal Over-Seas League.

Lobbying for World NGO Day at Taichung City Council, Taiwan
Lobbying for World NGO Day at Taichung City Council, Taiwan
The journey of global recognition

The World NGO Day
timeline

From a simple idea in 2009 to a global awareness day observed across all continents.

2009

The idea

The concept was created in Latvia by Latvian-British lawyer Marcis Liors Skadmanis, then a law student, with lobbying support from Civic Alliance – Latvia. He later advanced the initiative internationally from the UK.

LatviaUnited Kingdom
2012

X Baltic Sea NGO Forum

The X Baltic Sea NGO Forum in Berlin, held under the German Presidency of the Council of the Baltic Sea States and attended by the European Commission, called on every country in the network to celebrate the Day. In November, Finland’s Minister for International Development issued the first government letter of support.

BerlinHelsinki
2013

World NGO Day Introduction Activities

High-level introductory meetings of the World NGO Day concept were held at the UK Parliament (House of Commons and House of Lords), led by Major Ian Liddell-Grainger, Member of Parliament; the European Commission; the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association; UNESCO; the British Embassy in Finland, led by HE Matthew Lodge; and the Royal Over-Seas League in London, led by Major General Roddy Porter, Director General.

LondonBrusselsParis
Major Ian Liddell-Grainger, Member of Parliament · World NGO Day introductory meeting, House of Commons, UK · 2013
Major Ian Liddell-Grainger, Member of Parliament · World NGO Day introductory meeting, House of Commons, UK · 2013

November 21, 2013

Four months before the launch, Marcis lost his younger sister, Daina Skadmane, and his father, Janis Skadmanis, in the Zolitūde tragedy. Encouraged by close friends, he did not cancel the plan.

2014

The first World NGO Day

Finland becomes the first country to officially support the initiative. Its Ministry for Foreign Affairs hosts the inaugural World NGO Day Forum in Helsinki on 27–28 February, featuring UNOPS, UNESCO, UNDP, the European Commission and the Nordic Council, alongside 38 Goodwill Ambassadors from some 25 countries.

Helsinki25 countries
Pekka Haavisto, Minister for International Development, Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland · Helsinki, February 27, 2014
Pekka Haavisto, Minister for International Development, Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland · Helsinki, February 27, 2014
2017

The EU Marks World NGO Day

The European External Action Service issues its first statement marking World NGO Day, beginning a practice the institution has maintained every 27 February since.

European Union
ReadEU statements →
OFFICIAL EU STATEMENT · FEBRUARY 27, 2026Kajsa Ollongren, Secretary-General of the EEAS (2026) and EU Special Representative for Human Rights.Video Source
2019

The Council of Europe Marks World NGO Day

The Conference of INGOs marks World NGO Day in Strasbourg for the first time and has continued to do so every year since — led by Anna Rurka, President.

Strasbourg
SourceConference of INGOs, Council of Europe⁠
Council of Europe · February 27, 2019
Council of Europe · February 27, 2019
2023

The first country writes it into law

Lithuania’s Seimas adds Pasaulinė NVO diena to the Law on Memorable Days on 8 June by 94 votes to one, with 10 abstentions — the first country in the world to do so.

Lithuania · national law
SourceSeimas of the Republic of Lithuania⁠
Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania · June 8, 2023
Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania · June 8, 2023
2024

A Decade of Recognition

World NGO Day is added to the European Union’s calendar of recognized international days. The Conference of INGOs of the Council of Europe marks its tenth anniversary in Strasbourg, led by Gerhard Ermischer, President. In Africa, 23 umbrella organizations across 19 countries mark the Day, up from 14 the previous year.

European UnionStrasbourgAfrica
Tenth anniversary, Council of Europe · February 27, 2024
Tenth anniversary, Council of Europe · February 27, 2024
2025

The second country writes it into law

Latvia’s Saeima adds 27 February to the Law on Public Holidays, Commemoration Days and Celebration Days, becoming the second country to legislate World NGO Day.

Latvia · national law
SourceSaeima of the Republic of Latvia⁠
Saeima of the Republic of Latvia · 2025
2026

A Fast-Growing Global Day

South Africa’s Western Cape announces R1.138 billion in transfer funding to 1,072 nonprofit organizations on the Day; Jamaica hosts the first Caribbean CSO Conference; and the first World NGO Day Global Review documents celebrations across more than 140 countries and territories.

140+ countries
SourceWestern Cape Department of Social Development⁠SourceJamaica Information Service — inaugural Caribbean CSO Conference⁠SourceCaribbean CSO Conference (video)⁠
World NGO Day observance, Pakistan
World NGO Day observance, Pakistan
Voices from the first forum

Finland, 2014

I hope my message will, in a small way, add to the voices from those who believe that the time has come for the international community, particularly through the United Nations, to designate a day in a year to be known as the World NGO Day.
Dr William Shija⁠ · Secretary-General, Commonwealth Parliamentary Association⁠
The universal concept

The Universal
concept

01

Celebrate

The people behind non-governmental, nonprofit organizations — staff, volunteers, founders and members — and what they achieve in their own communities.

02

Commemorate

Those who founded organizations and stood up for civil society, and those who lost their lives doing this work — in conflict, in disaster, and wherever representing an NGO carries a cost.

03

Collaborate

Across sectors and borders. Governments, institutions, businesses and NGOs meet on 27 February to work on what none of them can solve alone.

A symbol beyond borders

More than a logo

It is a universal symbol of collaboration — a reminder that when people unite across nations and causes, we can build a better, more compassionate world.

It connects the many sectors nonprofits serve — health, environment, human rights — working together on challenges none can solve alone.

ConferencesMarathonsParliamentary eventsUniversity campusesCommunity eventsCity hallsCampaignsAwards ceremonies
European Union · official statements

A Decade of
EU Recognition

World NGO Day is recognized as an international day by the European Union⁠, and has been marked every 27 February since 2017 by the European External Action Service (EEAS)⁠ — the diplomatic service of the European Union. Each statement draws attention to the issues facing civil society worldwide.

Issued by the European External Action Service on the occasion of World NGO Day, 27 February 2026.

StatementOpen here⁠