Every month, there are hundreds of national and international celebrations dedicated to raising awareness and support for meaningful causes.
For those working to bring attention to important topics, it can be challenging to keep track of the next relevant awareness event. We’re here to help.
At Good Good Good, we aim to help people feel more hopeful and do more good. For years we’ve privately curated a comprehensive list of important cause-themed holidays that we’ve used for creating content on our good news Instagram, our Goodnewsletter, our Goodnewspaper, and on this very website.
We’ve organized this list of special observances and events and are now making them public for the first time. Our hope is that this will help you or your organization bring attention to important issues.
Where applicable, we’ve included resources (usually good news around particular topics, action steps on how to make a difference, or relevant quotes) — and encourage you to share them if you find them helpful.
The main days and months you should know about for September are:
September is the ninth month of the year and has 30 days. It marks the beginning of autumn in the Northern Hemisphere and spring in the Southern Hemisphere. Notably, it’s named after ‘septem’, the Latin term for seven, as it was originally the seventh month in the Roman calendar.
The month sees a change in foliage in the Northern Hemisphere, as leaves start to turn into beautiful autumnal colors.
Explore our comprehensive list of national and international months, weeks, days, and birthdays for the month of September:
September Celebrations:
Awareness Months
There are several awareness months celebrated in September — though the five that often get the most attention include Hispanic Heritage Month, National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, Blood Cancer Awareness Month, Library Card Sign-up Month, and World Alzheimer’s Disease Month.
Achalasia Awareness Month
Alopecia Awareness Month
Animal Pain Awareness Month
Blood Cancer Awareness Month
Charcot-Marie-Tooth Awareness Month
Childhood Cancer Awareness Month
Read this good news story about how Instagram-famous “Doug the Pug” gives back to kids with cancer
Craniofacial Acceptance Month
Duchenne Awareness Month
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Awareness Month
Falls Prevention Month
Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month
Gynecologic and Prostate Cancer Awareness Month
Healthy Aging Month
Hispanic Heritage Month
September 15 to October 15
Read and share our guide on how to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month
Leukemia, Lymphoma, and Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Awareness Month
Library Card Sign-up Month
Read about all the reasons libraries are the best
Lymphoma Awareness Month
Microplastic Awareness Month
Mullets For Mental Health Month
Read this good news story about the Australians sporting mullets to raise money for mental health research
National Alcohol & Drug Addiction Recovery Month
National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month
National Fishing Month
National Guide Dog Month
National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month
National Hydrocephalus Awareness Month
National Recovery Month
National Save a Tiger Month
Good news! The number of endangered tigers has increased by 40%!
National Self-Care Awareness Month
Practice self-care with these self-care ideas and get inspired by these self-care quotes
National Sickle Cell Awareness Month
National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month
Checkout the Suicide Prevention Month action guide — and also read and share this collection of the best suicide prevention quotes
Orthostatic Tremor Awareness Month
Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month
Pain Awareness Month
Listen to our podcast interviews with Ruthie Lindsey and Grace Theisen about their experiences dealing with chronic pain
Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) Awareness Month
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Awareness Month
Prostate Cancer Awareness Month
Sepsis Awareness Month
Small Business September
Sourdough September
Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Month
Thyroid Cancer Awareness Month
World Alzheimer’s Disease Month
World Animal Remembrance Month
Awareness Weeks
Suicide Prevention Week
Week-long event in September
Explore our guide to Suicide Prevention Week actions and ideas
European Mobility Week
Week-long event in September
National Drive Electric Week
Week-long event in September
Climate Week
Week-long event in September, while the United Nations General Assembly is in session
Zero Waste Week
1st week of September
As you’re preparing for the holiday season, explore our guide to consumable gifts that help you reduce waste in your gift-giving
Bisexual Awareness Week
Starts on the Sunday before September 23
Ally Week
Last week of September
Sea Otter Awareness Week
Last week of September
International Week of the Deaf
Last week of September
National Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Week
Last week of September
Banned Books Week
Last full week of September
Read and share our guide to how to fight book bans during Banned Books Week and beyond
Pizzamas
September 23 to October 6
What in the world is a Pizzamas? We created the ultimate guide to explain what Pizzamas is and how it gives back to charity.
Awareness Days
International Primate Day - September 1
Japan Dolphins Day - September 1
Anniversary of the End of World War II - September 2
World Beard Day - September 2
Every Woman Day - September 3
National Hummingbird Day - September 3
National Wildlife Day - September 4
Amazon Rainforest Day - September 5
International Day of Charity - September 5
National Food Bank Day - 1st Friday of September
International Day of Clean Air - September 7
World Duchenne Awareness Day - September 7
charity: water’s Birthday - September 7
Learn about the creative ways that kids are raising money and awareness for charity: water
National Iguana Awareness Day - September 8
International Literacy Day - September 8
International Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Awareness Day - September 9
Civil Rights Act of 1957 - September 9
R U OK Day - September 9
Learn how to ask the hard mental health questions that could save a life
International Vulture Awareness Day - 1st Saturday of September
World Suicide Prevention Day - September 10
Read about how to support someone who’s struggling with suicide
9/11 National Day of Service and Remembrance - September 11
Read about the efforts being made to support 9/11 first responders
Celiac Disease Awareness Day - September 13
Positive Thinking Day - September 13
Read this curated collection of positive quotes — and make sure to subscribe to the Goodnewspaper for the best positive news
National Sober Day - September 14
International Day of Democracy - September 15
World Lymphoma Awareness Day - September 15
International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer - September 16
Constitution Day - September 17
WHO World Patient Safety Day - September 17
World Manta Day - September 17
National HIV/AIDS and Aging Awareness Day - September 18
World Water Monitoring Day - September 18
Usher Syndrome Awareness Day - September 19
National Cleanup Day - 3rd Saturday of September
10th Anniversary of U.S. Repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ - September 20
World Lymphoma Awareness Day - September 20
National Concussion Awareness Day - September 20
International Day of Peace - September 21
World Alzheimer’s Day - September 21
Zero Emissions Day - September 21
Anniversary of the Founding Gift of It Gets Better Project - September 21
Brazilian Arbor Day - September 21
Read the best quotes about trees to celebrate Brazil’s Arbor Day & read all of our good tree news
International Red Panda Day - 3rd Saturday of September
Puppy Mill Awareness Day - 3rd Saturday of September
Clean Up the World Weekend - 3rd weekend of September
International Golden Lion Tamarin Day - September 22
World Car-Free Day - September 22
Explore this list of ways to live and get around without a car
World Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML) Day - September 22
World Rhino Day - September 22
Read about the “smart park” protecting rhinos from poachers thanks to technology
National Elephant Appreciation Day - September 22
Celebrate Bisexuality Day / Bi Visibility Day - September 23
International Day of Sign Language - September 23
World Cancer Research Day - September 24
Bluebird of Happiness Day - September 24
World Gorilla Day - September 24
Read about how the population of endangered mountain gorillas has grown by 71% in a decade
Fish Amnesty Day - 4th Saturday of September
National Public Lands Day - 4th Saturday of September
Read and share this guide on how to celebrate National Public Lands Day. Plus — visit a national park for free today and explore our list of the best national park quotes.
International Ataxia Awareness Day - September 25
World Lung Day - September 25
Mesothelioma Awareness Day - September 26
World Environmental Health Day - September 26
World Cassowary Day - September 26
Alpaca Day - September 26
National Shamu the Whale Day - September 26
National Gay Men’s HIV/AIDS Awareness Day - September 27
National Crush a Can Day - September 27
World Day of Migrants & Refugees - September 27
Read good news about refugees and get involved with a refugee organization in your state
World Rabies Day - September 28
World News Day - September 28
Practice better news-consumption habits by learning how to read the news (and don’t forget the good news!)
World Heart Day - September 29
International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste - September 29
Learn about how to reduce food waste
World Rivers Day - Last Sunday of September
National Previvor Day - Last Wednesday of September
Listen to our podcast interview with Paige More, founder of The Breasties
National Gay Men’s HIV/AIDS Awareness Day - Last Friday of September
Save the Koala Day - September 30
Limb Girdle Muscular Dystrophy Awareness Day - September 30
Notable Birthdays
Birthdays of leading activists, nonprofit leaders, and other world-changers born in the month of September:
Keanu Reeves’ Birthday - September 2
Freddie Mercury’s Birthday - September 5
Claudette Colvin’s Birthday - September 5
Ruby Bridges’ Birthday - September 8
Tarana Burke’s Birthday - September 12
Chuck Panozzo’s Birthday - September 20
Van Jones’ Birthday - September 20
Billy Porter’s Birthday - September 21
Betty Reid Soskin’s Birthday - September 22
Mark Hamill’s Birthday - September 25
Saint Francis of Assisi’s Birthday - September 26
You might also like: The Best September Quotes
Explore More Events:
Main Awareness Calendars: All Awareness Holidays | Heritage Months | International Days
More Awareness Calendars: Animals | Pets | Environment & Sustainability | LGBTQ+ | Black & African American | Mental Health | Disability | Cancer | HIV/AIDS
Awareness Days & Months: January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December
Is this list missing a holiday or awareness week/month? Let us know. We want to ensure this list is comprehensive and inclusive.
