World Philosophy Day was proclaimed by UNESCO to be celebrated every 3rd Thursday of November. It was first celebrated on 21 November 2002.

By celebrating World Philosophy Day each year, on the third Thursday of November, UNESCO underlines the enduring value of philosophy for the development of human thought, for each culture and for each individual. UNESCO has always been closely linked to philosophy, not speculative or normative philosophy, but critical questioning which enables it to give meaning to life and action in the international context.

objective :

Its objective is to encourage the peoples of the world to share their philosophical heritage and to open their minds to new ideas, as well as to inspire a public debate between intellectuals and civil society on the challenges confronting our society.

• UNESCO leads World Philosophy Day – but does not own it. It belongs to everyone, everywhere, who cares about philosophy.

This year’s programme falls in line with the International Day for Tolerance celebrated on 16 November 2016. In this context, events for World Philosophy Day will highlight the need for new philosophy practices in today’s world, encourage dialogue on the connections with tolerance and explore new ways to increase accessibility of philosophical teaching and learning.