International Years are designated by the United Nations General Assembly in order to draw attention to particular issues of international importance. United Nations General Assembly The United Nations General Assembly is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations. ...

The UN declares and coordinates "International Year of the..." in order to focus world attention on important issues. Using the symbolism of the UN, a specially designed logo for the year, and the infrastructure of the UN system to coordinate events worldwide, the various years have become catalysts to advancing key issues on a global scale. While the United Nations is an International organization, the United Nations System is the whole network of international organizations, treaties and conventions that were created by the United Nations. ...

Typically the lead agency for a particular International Year presents a written report during the following year. This summarizes the activities that took place around the world under the auspices of the International Year, and makes recommendations for the future.

• 2006: International Year of Deserts and Desertification
• 2005: International Year for Sport and Physical Education
• 2005: International Year of Microcredit [1] (http://www.uncdf.org/english/microfinance)
• 2004: International Year to Commemorate the Struggle against Slavery and its Abolition [2] (http://portal.unesco.org/culture/en/ev.php@URL_ID=13974&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html)
• 2004: International Year of Rice [3] (http://www.fao.org/rice2004/index_en.htm)
• 2003: International Year of Freshwater [4] (http://www.wateryear2003.org/en/)
• 2002: International Year of Ecotourism [5] (http://www.world-tourism.org/sustainable/IYE-Main-Menu.htm)
• 2002: International Year of Mountains [6] (http://www.mountains2002.org/)
• 2002: United Nations Year for Cultural Heritage [7] (http://www.unesco.org/culture/unych/)
• 2001: International Year of Mobilization against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance
• 2001: United Nations Year of Dialogue among Civilizations
• 2001: International Year of Volunteers
• 2000: International Year of Thanksgiving
• 2000: International Year for the Culture of Peace
• 1999: International Year of Older Persons
• 1998: International Year of the Ocean
• 1996: International Year for the Eradication of Poverty
• 1995: World Year of Peoples' Commemoration of Victims of the Second World War
• 1995: United Nations Year for Tolerance
• 1994: International Year of Sport and the Olympic Ideal
• 1994: International Year of the Family
• 1993: International Year of the World's Indigenous People
• 1992: International Space Year
• 1990: International Literacy Year
• 1987: International Year of Shelter for the Homeless
• 1986: International Year of Peace
• 1985: Year of the United Nations
• 1985: International Youth Year
• 1984: Year of Women in South Africa [8] (http://www.un.org.au/International%20Years.htm)
• 1983: World Communications Year
• 1982: International Year of Mobilization for Sanctions against South Africa
• 1981: International Year for Disabled Persons
• 1979: International Year of the Child
• 1978/1979: International Anti-Apartheid Year
• 1975: International Women's Year
• 1974: World Population Year
• 1971: International Year for Action to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination
• 1970: International Education Year
• 1968: International Year for Human Rights
• 1967: International Tourist Year
• 1965: International Cooperation Year
• 1961: International Health and Medical Research Year
• 1959/1960: World Refugee Year

2006 is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2005 is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2004 was declared the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle against Slavery and its Abolition by the United Nations General Assembly. ... 2003 is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar, and also: The International Year of Freshwater The European Disability Year Events January January 1 - Luíz Inácio Lula Da Silva becomes the 37th President of Brazil. ... 2002 is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2001 is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2000 is a leap year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1999 is a common year starting on Friday of the Common Era, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... 1998 is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean. ... 1996 is a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ... 1995 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1995 was declared the United Nations Year for Tolerance by the United Nations General Assembly, and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization was responsible for the lead organisation of the year. ... 1994 was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International year of the Family. ... 1993 is a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar and marked the Beginning of the International Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination (1993-2003) Events Media:January January 1 - Czechoslovakia divides. ... 1992 is a leap year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1990 is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1987 is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1986 is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1985 is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... International Youth Year (IYY) was held in 1985, to focus attention on issues of concern to and relating to youth. ... 1984 is a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1983 is an integer and composite number that represents a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1982 is a number and represents a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar Events January-February January 6 - William Bonin is convicted of being the freeway killer. January 8 - AT&T agrees to divest itself of twenty-two subdivisions January 11 - Mark Thatcher, son of the British... 1981 is a common year starting on Thursday. ... 1979 is a common year starting on Monday. ... 1978 was a common year starting on Sunday (the link is to a full 1978 calendar). ... 1979 is a common year starting on Monday. ... 1975 was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1975 calendar). ... 1974 is a common year starting on Tuesday (click on link for calendar). ... 1971 is a common year starting on Friday (click for link to calendar). ... 1970 was a common year starting on Thursday. ... 1968 was a leap year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1968 calendar). ... 1967 was a common year starting on Sunday (the link is to a full 1967 calendar). ... 1965 was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1965 calendar). ... 1961 (As MAD Magazine pointed out on its first cover for the year) was the first upside-down year—i. ... 1959 was a common year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1960 was a leap year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ...

See Also

• United Nations International Days and Weeks
• United Nations International Decades