The International Day Against Violence and Bullying at School, including Cyberbullying is an United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) holiday celebrated every year on the first Thursday of November.

This International Day was designated by the member states of UNESCO in 2019 and it was first held in November 2020. According to UNICEF, one in three young people in 30 countries have been a victim of online bullying (2019 poll) and half of students aged 13 to 15 experience peer violence around school (2018 report). In 67 countries, corporal punishment is still allowed in schools. The UNESCO International day remind people that violence in schools violates the right of children and adolescents to education, health and well-being. The aim is to call on the international community, civil society (including parents, pupils and teachers), the tech industry, the education community and the education authorities to take part in the fight against violence and bullying at school.

In 2026, the Day will be observed on 5 November under the theme: Every learner safe and well: From promise to practice. The theme focuses on safety and well-being, reflecting an approach that brings the whole school together around violence prevention, mental health and psychosocial support, teacher support, inclusion and digital safety. This also calls for global commitments to be put into practice through sustained action across the education sector. The 2026 observance opens marks the beginning of the second five-year cycle of the International Day, at a moment of renewed global attention to ending violence against children. The Second Global Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence Against Children, to be held in Manila on 18-19 November 2026, will review progress following the 2024 Bogotá Ministerial, including commitments to safe and enabling schools. At this occasion, UNESCO will convene a briefing and policy dialogue for Member States at its Headquarters in Paris, presenting UNESCO’s work to support  violence-free, safe, inclusive and health-promoting learning environments. It will also highlight key UNESCO resources such as Teaching with care: A practical guide for teachers to support mental health and well-being in schools and Connected and safe: Policy orientations to address online and technology-facilitated violence in education.

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Day against Violence and Bullying at School, including Cyberbullying