World Teachers' Day, October 5th

Every October, we celebrate World Teachers’ Day. But what exactly is this holiday, and how is it different from Teacher Appreciation Day? 

World Teachers’ Day is held each year on October 5. It commemorates the 1966 signing of the International Labour Organization (ILO)–United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Recommendation Concerning the Status of Teachers. This important document set international standards for the treatment of teachers, including recruitment, training, continuing education, and labor conditions.

First celebrated in 1994, World Teachers’ Day was created by UNESCO and Education International (EI). It’s an international holiday, one that’s meant to recognize the importance of teachers across the globe. This year marks the 30th anniversary of this special day.

You might be wondering how World Teachers’ Day is different from Teacher Appreciation Day or Week. Teacher Appreciation Day/Week is a U.S. holiday, held toward the end of each school year in May. Its purpose is to give students, parents, and the community a chance to thank teachers for all their hard work throughout the year.

World Teachers’ Day has a somewhat loftier goal. While this is definitely a day to show teacher appreciation, it’s also a time to consider bigger issues related to teaching and education. Each year, UNESCO and EI partner to create a theme. They then use World Teachers’ Day as a springboard to draw community and media attention to this theme, starting conversations on topics that matter to teachers. For 2024, UNESCO/EI have declared the theme to be “Valuing Teachers’ Voices: Towards a New Social Contract for Education," emphasizing the importance of integrating teacher perspectives into educational policies and the need to provide teachers with ongoing professional development in a supportive environment.