The Week Ahead at the United Nations in Brussels, Belgium and further afar. Join events, seminars and conferences, in person or online, from the heart of the European Union to UN Headquarters and missions around the world.
Find out about key UN-EU events, international observances and global summits.
Bookmark this page to stay abreast of what’s happening.
BRUSSELS/BELGIUM:
Wednesday, 21 October
- Film screening of ‘Traces’
Organized by the Irish Presidency of the Council of the European Union, European External Action Service, Directorate-General for Enlargement and Eastern Neighbourhood of the European Commission, Mission of Ukraine to the EU and UN Women Brussels.
Cinema Vendôme, Chaussée de Wavre 18, 1050 Ixelles – 18.30 CEST – Trailer
Thursday, 22 October
- Cine ONU de Wilde Noordzee (North Sea, Nature Untamed)
Cinema Vendôme, Brussels – 6.30 PM – Additional information
- The Transformative power of aquatic value chains (FAO)
L-42, Rue de la Loi 42, Brussels – 10.30-12.00 CEST – Registration information
Friday, 23 October
- UN80 ‘Shared Lives, Shared Future’ exhibition (open for three weeks)
Koekelberg, Brussels – Opening at 4 p.m – Additional information
- WIIS Brussels « Conversations With » session featuring Florence Raes, the Director of UN Women Brussels
WIIS Brussels (in person) – 18.30 CEST – Additional information
Saturday, 24 October
- UN Day celebrations
27 October
- Residence Palace Talks for Journalists: 11th breakfast briefing
Climate negotiations:
What makes them work?
What does it take for climate negotiations to succeed?
Residence Palace – 9.00-10.30 CET – On invitation - Report Launch – Crime-Proofing the Future: Safeguarding Sustainability Transitions (UNICRI)
ECDPM Brussels office, Rue Guimard 9 – 11.00-13.00 CET – Additional information
2 November
- Students4Food Talks 2026 (FAO)
Benelux House, Brussels – 13.30-17.00 CET – Additional information
3 November
- The ILO will participate in a research conference on “The socio-economic value of job quality”
Organized by the European Commission Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion (DG EMPL) in association with the EESC
European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), Rue Belliard 99/101 Brussels Belgium – Additional information
10 November
- Screening of “How to Live on Earth”
Organized by the United Nations, the European Commission Representation in Belgium and the UK Mission to the EU
Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech (ULiege), Senghor Auditorium – 6.00 PM CET – Additional information - European policy dialogue on education in the Countdown to 2030 (UNESCO)
Centre for Fine Arts – BOZAR – 16.30-18.30 CEST – Additional information
EUROPE AND BEYOND:
19-30 October
- UN Biodiversity Conference (COP17)
Additional information
20-21 October
- Global AI & Digital Summit (World Bank)
Watch online – Additional information
21 October
- Unlocking Adaptation Finance: How the Public Sector Catalyzes Private Investment (UNDP)
Online – 14.00-15.30 CEST – Online Registration - Expected launch of UNEP Emissions Gap Report
Additional information
22 October
- Who Gets to Shape the Future? An Intergenerational Global Policy Dialogue with members of the
UN High-level Advisory Board on Economic and Social Affairs
Conference Room 6, UN Headquarters, and online – 21.00-22.30 CEST – Online Registration - Informal public dialogue on the progress of the Inter-agency Task Force on Financing for Development (UNDESA)
Virtual – 16.00-17.30 CEST – Additional information
23 October
- Online Press Briefing: UNESCO report reveals most journalists’ killings are not brought to justice, and impunity is intensifying
Online – 15.00 CEST – Additional information
25-27 October
- 9th World Investment Forum 2026 (UNCTAD)
Doha, Qatar – Additional information
29 October
- “Human Dignity Under Strain: The Humanitarian and Human Rights Consequences in the Occupied Palestinian Territory” (Palestinian Rights Committee)
Hybrid event (ECOSOC Chamber, UNHQ) – 16.00-19.00 CET – Additional information
LOOKING AHEAD:
9-20 November
- UN Climate Change Conference, COP31
Antalya, Turkiye – Additional information
2-4 December
- 2026 United Nations Water Conference
Dubai, UAE – Additional information
7-10 December
- ITU World Radiocommunication Seminar 2026 (WRS-26)
Geneva, Switzerland – Additional information
13-15 January
- UNESCO World Conference on Education for Sustainable Development 2027
Nairobi, Kenya – Additional information
25 January to 12 February 2027
- The United Nations Conference of Plenipotentiaries on Protection of Persons in the Event of Disasters
Manila, Philippines – Additional information
3-4 May 2027
- UN Global Dialogue on AI Governance 2027
UNHQ, New York – Additional information
Upcoming observances:
Observances designated by UN agencies or with a global dimension are marked with an asterisk (*).
October
- 01 October: International Coffee Day (A/RES/80/248)
- 01 October: International Day of Older Persons (A/RES/45/106)
- 02 October: International Day of Non-Violence (A/RES/61/271)
- 04–10 October: World Space Week (A/RES/54/68)
- 05 October: World Teachers’ Day (27 C/INF.7)
- 05 October: World Habitat Day (A/RES/40/202 A)
- 07 October: World Cotton Day (A/RES/75/318)
- 09 October: World Post Day
- 10 October: World Mental Health Day
- 10 October: World Migratory Bird Day
- 11 October: International Day of the Girl Child (A/RES/66/170)
- 13 October: International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction (A/RES/64/200)
- 15 October: International Day of Rural Women (A/RES/62/136)
- 16 October: World Food Day (A/RES/35/70)
- 17 October: International Day for the Eradication of Poverty (A/RES/47/196)
- 23 October: International Day of the Snow Leopard (A/RES/79/143)
- 24–30 October: Disarmament Week (A/RES/S-10/2)
- 24 October: United Nations Day (A/RES/168 (II))
- 24 October: World Development Information Day (A/RES/3038 (XXVII))
- 24–31 October: Global Media and Information Literacy Week (A/RES/75/267)
- 27 October: World Day for Audiovisual Heritage (33/C/Resolution 5)
- 29 October: International Day of Care and Support (A/RES/77/317)
- 31 October: World Cities Day (A/RES/68/239)
International Years 2026
- International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists | A/RES/76/253
- International Year of Volunteers for Sustainable Development | A/RES/78/127
- International Year of the Woman Farmer | A/RES/78/279
International Decades
- United Nations Decade of Sustainable Transport (2026–2035)
NEW International Year
- 2028 Proclaimed Year of International Law
