International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem
Established by UNESCO in 2015
Established by UNESCO in 2015
This authority record treats the observance as a fixed annual date. The same month and day can be reused unless a stronger source changes the rule. Public-holiday or government status is never inferred from the observance name alone.
Overview
The International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem is observed on 26 July. UNESCO’s General Conference proclaimed the day in 2015 through 38 C/Resolution 22.
The observance raises awareness of mangroves as biodiversity-rich coastal ecosystems that support communities, store carbon, sustain fisheries and reduce exposure to erosion and storm impacts.
Why it matters
Mangrove conservation is not only about planting trees. It also involves hydrology, coastal development, water quality, fisheries, land use, community rights and the ecological conditions that allow mangrove forests to persist.
UNESCO works on mangroves through biosphere reserves, World Heritage sites, Global Geoparks and blue-carbon initiatives, so observance activities can connect local ecosystem knowledge with wider conservation and climate-resilience work.
History
Before UNESCO’s proclamation, 26 July was already being marked internationally as the International Day for the Defense of the Mangrove Ecosystem.
At its 38th session, UNESCO’s General Conference examined document 38 C/66 and adopted 38 C/Resolution 22 at the 16th plenary meeting on 17 November 2015, proclaiming 26 July as the International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem.
UNESCO continues to use the day to promote conservation, restoration, science and community engagement around mangrove ecosystems.
How the observance developed
This timeline is assembled only from verified provenance fields. Missing stages are omitted rather than inferred.
International Day for the Defense of the Mangrove Ecosystem
UNESCO’s 2015 proclamation retained 26 July while establishing the International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem within UNESCO’s institutional framework.
UNESCO General Conference
UNESCO General Conference 38 C/Resolution 22
UNESCO
UNESCO maintains the international-day platform and ongoing mangrove science, conservation and restoration programmes tied to the observance.
What the evidence establishes
Verified institutional roles and milestones are shown first. Fields that the reviewed sources do not establish remain fail-closed and are available below without competing with the confirmed record.
5 fields not established in reviewed sources
Predecessor and precursor observances
Earlier or merged observances are kept separate from former names and later institutional actions.
Ways to observe
Map nearby mangrove or coastal-wetland systems and learn which agencies, communities or conservation groups manage them.
Compare intact and degraded mangrove sites using reliable ecological sources rather than assuming all restoration problems can be solved by planting alone.
Learn how mangroves support fisheries, shoreline protection, biodiversity and carbon storage in a specific region.
Support field activities only through qualified local organizations so restoration does not introduce unsuitable species or damage tidal processes.
Useful facts
The UNESCO observance is held on 26 July.
UNESCO established the day in 2015 through 38 C/Resolution 22.
The formal record says document 38 C/66 was examined before the resolution was adopted.
The resolution was adopted on 17 November 2015.
A pre-existing International Day for the Defense of the Mangrove Ecosystem is explicitly acknowledged in the institutional history.
Topic and context
What this page does not assume
- Keep the source-defined country, community, organizer or institutional scope; do not silently broaden it.
- Do not treat the title alone as proof of government recognition or public-holiday status.
- Do not add a creator, founding story or origin claim unless the supporting evidence establishes it.
Evidence & sources
Repeated links from the authority record, institutional provenance and editorial guide research are consolidated here. Badges show how each source is used; a contextual source is never treated as proof of establishment on its own.
UNESCO General Conference — 38 C/Resolution 22 / document 38 C/66 (opens in a new tab)
UNESCO — Proclamation document (opens in a new tab)
UNESCO — International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem (opens in a new tab)
Dedicated Authoritative Page
Understand it, compare it, then explore further
Start with the most common factual questions, then use reviewed distinctions and related authority records to understand where this observance fits.
Frequently asked questions
When is International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem?
26 July The stored recurrence guidance is: 26 July.
Does International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem fall on the same date every year?
The authority record classifies it as fixed annual, so its month and day are reusable unless stronger evidence changes the rule.
Is International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem an official public holiday?
The authority record verifies it within this scope: UNESCO international day. That recognition does not by itself make it a statutory public holiday; the site only makes public-holiday claims when the supporting authority record explicitly does so.
Who established or recognizes International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem?
The reviewed provenance layer identifies UNESCO General Conference as the proclaiming or establishing body. Current facilitation or coordination is recorded as UNESCO.
Is International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem international or country-specific?
The record has international or global institutional scope: UNESCO international day. That does not mean every country treats the date as a public holiday or observes it in the same way.
How is this page verified?
The factual layer is source-backed and keeps its date rule, scope, provenance and editorial guardrails attached to the authority record. This record was checked on 2026-09-05.
When did UNESCO establish the Mangrove Ecosystem Day?
UNESCO’s General Conference adopted 38 C/Resolution 22 on 17 November 2015, proclaiming 26 July as the annual day.
Was 26 July used before UNESCO’s proclamation?
Yes. The formal UNESCO record notes an existing International Day for the Defense of the Mangrove Ecosystem before the 2015 proclamation.
Why are mangroves important?
They support biodiversity and fisheries, store carbon, help sustain coastal livelihoods and can reduce erosion and storm impacts.
Other observances on July 26
These records also resolve to July 26, 2027 under the current authority data.
Independence Day of the Maldives
The President’s Office states that Independence Day is observed annually on 26 July, commemorating the Maldives gaining full independence from the British Protectorate in 1965.
Independence Day of the Republic of Liberia
Liberia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs states that July 26 each year is set aside as the national holiday known as Independence Day; because July 26 fell on Sunday in 2026, the public holida…
National All or Nothing Day
Independent observance calendars identify July 26 as the annual date of National All or Nothing Day.
National Aunt and Uncle Day
Independent observance calendars identify July 26 for the aunt-and-uncle family observance; punctuation varies between sources.
National Bagelfest Day
National Day Calendar and contemporaneous local-news coverage place National Bagelfest Day on July 26 and attribute the tradition to Murray Lender and the 1986 Mattoon Bagelfest.
National Coffee Milkshake Day
Two Association of Nutrition & Foodservice Professionals chapter calendars from different publication years list National Coffee Milkshake Day on 26 July.