International Day for the Prevention of and Fight against All Forms of Transnational Organized Crime 2026

Official information and related dates

Read UNODC’s explanation of the international day and the UN’s official observances list. Related calendar entries include Human Rights Day and International Day for Universal Access to Information.

Source check: 23 October 2026. Annual date, resolution and UNODC’s facilitating role were checked against official UN and UNODC sources. No unverified annual campaign theme is used.

Ideas for schools, colleges and universities

• Explore a fictional supply chain. Ask students which organisations would need to share information to understand where a product came from. Focus on accountability and evidence rather than guessing that a real company is involved in wrongdoing.
• Read an official case study. Identify the countries, agencies and forms of cooperation involved. Discuss what information is established and which questions remain unanswered.
• Examine an online claim. Use a suitable fictional example to practise checking the source, recognising uncertainty and finding the relevant official information.
• Invite a specialist educator. Agree the subject and age group in advance. A carefully scoped session can explain a particular issue without relying on sensational stories or distressing material.

Ideas for workplaces

Use the date to review a relevant existing process with the colleague responsible for it. Depending on the organisation, that might involve procurement checks, staff awareness, information security or how concerns are reported. The aim is to make the process understandable and usable, not to create a separate informal investigation.

A short team session could walk through a fictional concern and ask where an employee would find the correct procedure. Check whether new starters, contractors and people working outside normal office hours can access the information they need. Record any gaps and assign an owner to follow them up.

If specialist or legal questions arise, take them to the appropriate qualified person or public authority. General awareness material cannot determine whether a particular transaction, employer or person has committed an offence.

Why was the day established?

The General Assembly designated 15 November through resolution A/RES/78/267 in March 2024, with the first observance later that year. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, known as UNODC, facilitates the day with other relevant organisations.

The UN resolution invites educational activities, public awareness and the sharing of good practice. UNODC’s explanation describes the reach of organised criminal networks across different places and sectors. The focus is international cooperation and prevention, rather than treating the issue as the responsibility of one country or one type of organisation.

What does transnational organised crime cover?

UNODC discusses offences including human trafficking, firearms and drug trafficking, environmental crime, fraud and cybercrime. These are different issues, with different specialist responses. A useful awareness activity should choose a defined subject rather than attempt to teach every aspect at once.

For example, a business might consider how it checks suppliers, a university might examine international cooperation, and a community organisation might introduce trustworthy sources of information about exploitation. Keep the distinction between understanding a risk and investigating a suspected crime clear.

Community participation and careful communication

A library or community group could create a resource display using official educational information, or host a discussion with an established local service. Explain the scope of the session and avoid asking participants to share sensitive personal information publicly.

When communicating about organised crime, describe the conduct being discussed rather than associating criminality with a nationality or community. Check quotations, dates and sources before sharing a claim. A useful activity leaves people better able to find reliable help and information, rather than more fearful of their neighbours.