Choose your language
ENWorld NGO DayESDía Mundial de las ONGsFRLa Journée mondiale des ONGPT-BRDia Mundial das ONGsLVStarptautiskā NVO dienaLTPasaulinė NVO dienaPLŚwiatowy Dzień NGOROZiua Mondială a ONG-urilorCSSvětový den nevládních organizacíHRSvjetski dan nevladinih organizacijaHYՀԿ-ների համաշխարհային օրRUВсемирный день НКО (НПО)KKДүниежүзілік ҮЕҰ күніTRDünya STK GünüAZÜmumdünya QHT Günü
Join TodayAccess MyWND

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

An international recognition celebrating nonprofit-friendly cities, announced on February 27, World NGO Day. Each recognized city is featured digitally and in its own limited-edition coffee table book, highlighting the places, people and community connections that support and empower civil society.

Nonprofit City — signed special editionSigned special edition

Nonprofit City

Subscribe for publication news and early access.

Subscribe

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
A proposal for London & Partners

Nonprofit City
London

For the first time, a global observance, World NGO Day, will recognize and celebrate Nonprofit Friendly Cities around the world. The initiative was born in West Hollywood, California, as World NGO Day marked its 10th anniversary, inspired by the city’s vibrant civil society community.

We would like the first recognition announced from West Hollywood to be London — the city from which World NGO Day reached the world.

Nonprofit City London, the special edition
140+Countries and territories observing World NGO Day, 27 February
90+Languages and scripts with their own name for World NGO Day
10 yrsConsecutive European Union statements on World NGO Day, 2017–2026
11.7MCombined monthly audience of sources citing World NGO Day in AI search
01

What is Nonprofit City?

A recognition for cities with a nonprofit-friendly ecosystem, and for the places that support it.

Nonprofit City recognizes cities for the strength of their civil society: the nonprofits that serve residents, the leaders and delegations they welcome, and the places that host them.

The recognition is announced on February 27, World NGO Day. Each recognized city is then featured digitally and in its own limited-edition coffee table book, highlighting the places that support and empower civil society.

Why it matters for the city

Nonprofits bring leaders, delegations, conferences, partnerships and new opportunities to the cities they call home.

01Congresses and summitsWelcome the gatherings, congresses and summits the nonprofit sector holds every year.
02Leaders and delegationsPosition London for visiting nonprofit leaders, delegations and partners.
03International organizationsShow London as a welcoming base for nonprofits and NGOs opening offices.
04Nonprofit-friendly placesEncourage hotels, venues and businesses to welcome the sector.
05Partners and sponsorsConnect companies and foundations with London’s nonprofit community.
06Local businessVisiting organizations book rooms, venues, restaurants and services, and look for partners in the city.
02

Why London

World NGO Day began in Europe and grew worldwide from the United Kingdom. Nonprofit City began in West Hollywood.

01Born in EuropeWorld NGO Day began in Europe and is marked by the European Union every year since 2017.
02Grown from LondonThe initiative was developed internationally from the United Kingdom, and London is where it reached the world.
03A city that convenesLondon hosts the congresses, foundations and international organizations that civil society travels for.
London, the Thames and Tower Bridge
The announcement

On 27 February, from West Hollywood, we would announce London as a Nonprofit City: the first recognition, given to the city the Day grew from.

03 London & Partners

The proposed partnership

What we ask of London & Partners

  • 01
    AcceptanceAgreement for London to be recognized as a Nonprofit City, announced on 27 February, World NGO Day.
  • 02
    A voiceA short statement from London & Partners, or from the Mayor’s office, welcoming the recognition.
  • 03
    An articleA piece in the News and communications section of the London & Partners website on London as a nonprofit-friendly and welcoming city, linking to London’s pages on worldngoday.org and nonprofitcity.org. We link back to London & Partners from ours.
  • 04
    IntroductionsWarm introductions to London hotels, venues and businesses that could be featured as nonprofit-friendly places, each with its own case study in the book and on London’s digital pages.
  • 05
    MediaIntroductions to London media, and support in building a media partnership around the announcement.
  • 06
    A receptionA reception in London celebrating its recognition as a Nonprofit City, hosted with a partner venue.
  • 07
    Use of the logoPermission to publish the London & Partners logo on our website, alongside London’s recognition.

What London gets

  • 01
    The recognition titleLondon receives the Nonprofit City recognition title on 27 February, World NGO Day, and is featured in a limited-edition coffee table book highlighting the places that support and empower civil society.
  • 02
    A page of its ownA dedicated London page in the World NGO Day celebration pages on worldngoday.org, and on nonprofitcity.org, with a place in the published list of Nonprofit Cities by year.
  • 03
    A new segmentCivil society convenes constantly and is rarely addressed as a distinct business-events segment. Nonprofit City names it.
  • 04
    International profileLondon presented to nonprofit leaders and professionals in more than 140 countries, on one day each year.
  • 05
    A pipeline, not a campaignCongresses, forums and delegations that choose a city because it welcomes them.
  • 06
    Partner valueLondon hotels, venues and businesses featured as nonprofit-friendly places, each with its own case study, and seen supporting civil society through their own story.
  • 07
    A way into the sectorA city known as nonprofit-friendly makes the sector visible to the people who might join it. Naming the organizations, the people behind them and the places that support them helps young Londoners see a path into the sector, whether they want to start their own charity or build a career in one.
  • 08
    No feeThe recognition itself costs the city nothing. The book is funded by its partners.
04

The business case

Civil society convenes in every format, all year round, and is rarely addressed as a distinct segment.

Association congresses are the meetings of nonprofit and membership bodies. They fill hotel rooms and venues outside the tourist season, and most of them are the size that any strong city can host.

1.65bnPeople took part in business events in 2025, across more than 180 countriesEIC · Oxford Economics, 2026
$1.3tnDirect business-events spending in 2025, 12.2% above 2019EIC · Oxford Economics, 2026
12,438International association meetings held in 2025, the congresses of nonprofit and membership bodiesICCA GlobeWatch 2025
60.4%Of association meetings gather 50 to 249 people, the size most nonprofits runICCA GlobeWatch 2025
28%Of association meetings are held in hotel function roomsICCA GlobeWatch 2025
6,494NGOs held consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council at the end of 2024UN ECOSOC NGO Branch
05

What London receives

01International recognitionLondon named a Nonprofit City by World NGO Day, announced on 27 February.
02Its own bookA limited-edition coffee table book dedicated to London, featured digitally and in print.
03A day in the calendarOne day each year on which the city honours the organizations and volunteers that serve Londoners.
04Visibility where it countsA clear signal to the organizers choosing where to hold congresses, forums and conferences.
05A network of citiesA place alongside the other cities recognized for welcoming civil society.
06

Led by

Marcis Skadmanis

Founder of World NGO Day, 27 February
Chair, World NGO Day Global CouncilView profile
Joseph Galliano-Doig MBE

Joseph Galliano-Doig MBE

Executive Advisor, World NGO Day Global Council
Founder and Director Emeritus, Queer BritainView profile

Vinícius Taddone

COO · Executive Advisor
Founding Member of the World NGO Day Global CouncilView profile

The Global Council safeguards the legacy of World NGO Day, February 27, and advises on its global impact and growth, with a particular focus on cities worldwide.

Meet the Global Council