Event World Day
World Bee Day 2026
World Bee Day is celebrated each year on 20 May to raise awareness of the importance of bees as pollinators, the threats they face and their contribution to sustainable development. This year, the theme is "Bee together for people and the planet. A partnership that sustains us all."
About
For centuries bees, among the hardest working creatures on the planet, have benefited people, plants and the environment. By carrying pollen from one flower to another, bees and other pollinators enable not only the production of an abundance of fruits, nuts and seeds, but also more variety and better quality, contributing to food security and nutrition. To raise awareness of the importance of pollinators, the threats they face and their contribution to sustainable development, the United Nations designated 20 May as World Bee Day.
The goal is to strengthen measures aimed at protecting bees and other pollinators, which would significantly contribute to solving problems related to the global food supply and eliminate hunger in developing countries. We all depend on pollinators and it is, therefore, crucial to monitor their decline and halt the loss of biodiversity.
Natural Bee Sculpture introduced by the City of Geneva gardeners in Parc La Grange in 2022.
This United Nations celebration raises awareness of the essential role bees and other pollinators play in keeping people and the planet healthy, and on the many challenges they face today. FAO has been celebrating this day since 2018, thanks to the efforts of the Government of Slovenia with the support of the International Federation of Beekeepers’ Associations Apimondia, that led the UN General Assembly to declare 20 May as World Bee Day.
The date for this observance was chosen as it was the day Anton Janša (1734–1773), a pioneer of modern apiculture, was born. Janša came from a family of beekeepers in Slovenia, where beekeeping is an important agricultural activity with a long-standing tradition. The Austrian Empress Maria Theresa appointed him to the post of permanent teacher of apiculture at the new School of Beekeeping in Vienna. He became well known even before his death. After 1775, all state beekeeping teachers had to teach the subject in accordance with his teachings and methods.
Today bees, pollinators, and many other insects are declining in abundance. This day provides an opportunity for all of us – whether we work for governments, organizations or civil society or are concerned citizens – to promote actions that will protect and enhance pollinators and their habitats, improve their abundance and diversity, and support the sustainable development of beekeeping.
2026 Theme: “Bee together for people and the planet. A partnership that sustains us all”
For millennia, bees and people have shared a close and evolving connection, shaped by the ways communities across the world have relied on bees for food and livelihoods, with bees often becoming part of their cultural identity. From honey hunting to a large variety of beekeeping systems, this relationship has continually adapted to different environments, technologies, and socio-cultural needs.
This year’s theme, “Bee together for people and the planet”, focuses on how humans and bees have been working together to nourish and sustain people and the environment. It will highlight the evolution of beekeeping across diverse cultures and landscapes over thousands of years, while promoting innovative approaches that improve bee production and health, and support the livelihoods of beekeepers, including women and youth.
It will also emphasize how both traditional knowledge and modern technologies can contribute to sustainable beekeeping, and how partnerships and inclusive approaches can help secure a sustainable future for both pollinators and people, while advancing the transformation of agrifood systems.
This theme aligns closely with the International Year of Rangeland and Pastoralists 2026 and the International Year of the Woman Farmer 2026, offering valuable opportunities to reflect on the role of beekeeping in rural and pastoral livelihoods and its contribution to women’s empowerment.
The Role of Geneva
Various international and local organizations in Geneva are engaged in the protection and conservation of our biological diversity, including pollinators.
Events in Geneva
To mark World Bee Day 2026, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), together with the Permanent Missions of Slovenia, Switzerland, Ethiopia and Mexico to the United Nations in Geneva, and the United Nations Office at Geneva (UNOG), with the support of the World Food Forum (WFF) Global Youth Action Initiative and the Geneva Environment Network, are organizing a special in-person celebration on 27 May 2026 from 11:30 – 13:00 CEST at Palais des Nations, Building H Auditorium. → Register for in person participation
Other Events in Geneva
