World Kindness Day 2026
November 13
About World Kindness Day 2026
World Kindness Day 2026 is Friday 13 November 2026. It falls on 13 November every year.
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 13 November 2026 | Friday |
| 2027 | 13 November 2027 | Saturday |
| 2028 | 13 November 2028 | Monday |
World Kindness Day falls on 13 November every year. It is a global observance run by the World Kindness Movement, a coalition of kindness charities and organisations founded in Tokyo in 1997. The day invites individuals, schools, businesses and public bodies to perform deliberate acts of kindness – not as a one-off gesture, but as an entry point into making kindness a consistent habit.
In 2026 the day falls on a Friday, which offers a natural opportunity for workplaces and schools to close their week with a kindness-focused activity – a team lunch, a thank-you note, an anonymous compliment board, or simply a commitment to check in on a colleague who might be struggling.
What is World Kindness Day?
World Kindness Day is an annual occasion to highlight the power of kindness to improve individual wellbeing and social cohesion. Research cited by the Mental Health Foundation has found that performing acts of kindness creates a measurable improvement in the mood of the person giving – sometimes described as a “helper’s high.” Receiving kindness reduces anxiety, and witnessing kindness can increase the likelihood that a bystander will act kindly themselves.
The day is observed in over 28 countries. In the UK it often coincides with the build-up to Anti-Bullying Week (16-20 November 2026), and schools in particular use it as a bridge between the two campaigns.
How to take part in World Kindness Day
- At work: write a handwritten thank-you note to a colleague, nominate someone for an internal recognition award, or organise a team lunch for no reason other than to spend time together.
- At school: run a “compliment circle” in form time, launch a kindness wall where pupils post anonymous kind messages, or have each class commit to one specific kindness act for the rest of term.
- In the community: check in on an older neighbour, offer to carry shopping, donate to a local foodbank, or volunteer for an hour with a local charity.
- Online: share a specific, genuine compliment on social media – tagging the person or organisation rather than posting a generic “be kind” message.
- Small and personal: hold a door, pay for the coffee behind you, send a “thinking of you” message to a friend you have not spoken to in a while.
History of World Kindness Day
World Kindness Day was introduced at the World Kindness Movement’s inaugural conference in Tokyo on 13 November 1997. The conference brought together kindness organisations from Australia, Canada, Japan, Thailand and the United States; the date was chosen for the day itself and has not moved since. The first annual observance was held in 1998. The movement now includes member organisations in more than 28 countries and has expanded significantly through social media, with #WorldKindnessDay trending annually.
A separate but related initiative, Random Acts of Kindness Week, runs in February each year in the United States and has been adopted by some UK schools.
Last reviewed: 2026-09-20. Tentpole refresh: content restructured with Mental Health Foundation research; hashtag section removed; community and school ideas expanded.
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