ICANN and UNESCO publish global schedule for Universal Acceptance Day 2026
ICANN and UNESCO have released the programme for Universal Acceptance Day 2026, a global series of events focused on making the Internet work equally well for all languages and writing systems. The initiative will run through May and include events in more than 30 countries.
The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers and UNESCO have published the events schedule for Universal Acceptance Day 2026. The global initiative will take place through the end of May and is expected to feature more than 30 events worldwide, offered in both in-person and virtual formats.
Organised by ICANN with the support of UNESCO and other global partners, Universal Acceptance Day brings together stakeholders from technical and language communities, governments, businesses, academia, and the Domain Name System industry. The events aim to advance awareness and adoption of Universal Acceptance across regions and sectors.
UNESCO continues to support Universal Acceptance as part of its broader work on multilingualism and inclusive digital transformation. This includes activities linked to the promotion of multilingual access to cyberspace, the International Decade of Indigenous Languages (2022–2032), and its Global Roadmap for Multilingualism in the Digital Era.
Since its launch in 2023, Universal Acceptance Day has engaged tens of thousands of participants in dozens of countries. The 2026 programme includes sessions focused on awareness, adoption, and integration of Universal Acceptance in academic curricula, supported by UNESCO’s global network of field offices to amplify local and regional engagement.
The full schedule of Universal Acceptance Day 2026 events is publicly available on the ICANN website.
