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On the night of 31 December and the morning of 1 January, people in many countries all over the world will celebrate the beginning of a new year. How will they celebrate and how did this tradition begin?

It's the time of year for Santa Claus, fairy lights and all the best pop songs. What are the essential elements of Christmas in the UK?

December 2 is the United Nation's International Day for the Abolition of Slavery. Did you know that slavery still exists today and is probably much closer to you than you realise?

Hanukkah is a Jewish festival that is celebrated for eight days, usually in December. It is also called the Festival of Lights. Find out why and learn about what people do to celebrate this special holiday.

Every year in November, people look for bargains on Black Friday. But did you know that the same day is also Buy Nothing Day?

Every autumn, Canadian and American families gather for a day centred around community, food and giving thanks – the day of Thanksgiving. Where did this holiday come from and how is it celebrated today?

Children all around the world need adults to help them, to protect them and to teach them their rights. Do you know what the Rights of the Child are? Every year, 20 November is Universal Children’s Day, a chance for all of us to learn how we can help the youngest, most vulnerable members of our communities.

World Kindness Day is celebrated on 13 November. How can we become happier by doing kind things for others? And how can we help the world by doing kind things for ourselves?

The COP26 UN Climate Change Conference will take place 1–12 November 2021, in Glasgow, Scotland. The event will bring together country leaders, experts and environmental campaigners to take urgent action against climate change.

If you’re ever in the UK on the evening of 5 November, you might wonder why you can hear fireworks. Bonfire Night is celebrated all over the country, but what is it about? Find out about the history of this well-loved event in this article.

Diwali is a festival of light which originated in South Asia and is celebrated over five days. The dates change every year, but it is always celebrated in October or November and is now celebrated around the world.

Vegans argue that animal farming is not only cruel but also bad for the environment. World Vegan Day, on 1 November, puts the focus on the vegan way of life.

October 31 is Halloween and is now celebrated in many countries around the world, but do you know anything about the origins of this scary special day? Read the article and find out.

World Mental Health Day, on 10 October, is a day to raise awareness of the effects mental illness has on millions of people’s lives across the world, and to help educate and inform us all.

October 5 is World Teachers' Day. Find out which famous people want to say thank you to their school teachers for their success.

October is Black History Month in the UK. The event recognises black people's achievements and educates people about black history.

‘Mindfulness’ is a word we hear a lot these days, but what exactly does it mean? Find out what it is, what the benefits of mindfulness are and how you can start to practise it.

Knowing how to read and write is a very important factor in most people’s lives. But some people never learn these skills. How can we make sure that everybody gets the opportunity to become literate?

What risks do people face when they are in countries at war? And why are humanitarian workers a target for attacks? The UN's World Humanitarian Day puts the focus on these important questions.

The International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples on 9 August is a day to promote indigenous peoples' rights and celebrate indigenous communities, from the Inuit in the Arctic Circle to the Tuareg in the deserts of northern Africa.

July 30 is the United Nations International Day of Friendship. Read about the importance of friendship and find out why the UN decided to give it a special day.

The horrific crime of human trafficking may be closer to you than you realise. Read more about the UN's World Day against Trafficking in Persons.

Did you know that there's a World Emoji Day? Well, there is ... and it's on July 17!  

What do you know about chocolate? Learn about the history of chocolate and the interesting journey from cocoa bean to chocolate bar.

Yoga is becoming more and more popular around the world. What exactly is it, where did it come from and what are the health benefits of doing yoga?

Did you know that every minute of the day 20 people leave their homes to escape war or terror? World Refugee Day is a day when we can support and celebrate the strength and courage of millions of refugees worldwide.

World Oceans Day is a day to think about the extremely important role that the oceans play in all our lives, the dangers that are facing our oceans and the actions we can take to protect them.

On World Environment Day people from countries all around the world come together to take action to defend our planet. Find out about some of the things people are doing to celebrate this special day.

May 1 is International Workers' Day. On this day, people in many countries around the world celebrate workers' achievements and march in the streets demanding fair pay and better working conditions.

English Language Day is celebrated on 23 April. Read about where English came from, how it came to be spoken all over the world and how it is changing.

International Mother Earth Day, on 22 April, promotes harmony with nature and reminds us of the importance of protecting all the different ecosystems and species on our planet.

Tea is the world's second most popular drink (after water!). In the UK, you can even celebrate drinking it on 21 April.

Ramadan is a holy month for Muslims. What happens during Ramadan and what does it mean to millions of Muslims worldwide?

Easter is the most important festival of the year for most Christians and a holiday for many others. Read on to find out more about it.

April Fool's Day is a special day for jokes and tricks in many countries. Read this article to find out all about it.

Holi is sometimes called the festival of colours. Find out more about this very special springtime festival in this article.

Every year, millions of people around the world switch off their lights for one hour to draw attention to the environment. Read on to find out more.

World Water Day, 22 March, draws attention to the essential role of water in our lives, the difficulties people face in getting it and solutions to these problems.

Nowruz is an important festival in Iran, Central Asia and beyond. Read on to find out how people celebrate the Persian New Year.

There's more behind the International Day of Happiness than you might think. Find out more by reading the article and answering the questions.

Get ready for green lights, green hats, even green beer! Saint Patrick's Day is on 17 March. Why is Ireland's national day such a worldwide party?

March 8 is International Women's Day, but the global campaigns for equal rights for women continue all year round. Read more about #IWD in this article.

On World Wildlife Day, 3 March, people all around the world hold events to celebrate the natural world and to raise awareness of the importance of protecting wildlife. Read the article to find out more.

There are about 6,500 languages in the world, but did you know that a language disappears and dies every two weeks? International Mother Language Day, on 21 February, is a day to celebrate and protect all the languages of the world.

Pancake Day is on a different date every year and is a celebration unique to the UK. Read the text and find out why British people celebrate with pancakes.

Carnival is an annual festival celebrated in many different ways in many countries around the world. Some of the world's most famous carnivals are held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, New Orleans, USA, and Venice, Italy. Find out what happens in these and one other carnival you may not have heard of.

Valentine's Day is celebrated in many countries, but what are the differences between today's celebration and in the past? Read the text to find out some curious facts about the most romantic day of the year.

Were you born in the year of the Dog, the Monkey or maybe the Rooster? Read on to find out more about Lunar New Year and how it is celebrated in some places in Asia.

February 11 is International Day of Women and Girls in Science. We explore some of the reasons why there are fewer girls and women interested in working in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and what's happening to encourage equality in these fields.

On Safer Internet Day let's take a closer look at who uses our online data, what it's used for and what we can do to protect it.

Many Europeans see the Eurovision Song Contest as the best show on Earth. And now, the rest of the world is starting to discover it too. What is so special about this annual song competition?

One of the world's most important inventions was 'born' in March 1989 and celebrated its 30th birthday in 2019. Read the article to find out what it is.