A global day commemorating humanity's first Moon landing and promoting international cooperation in peaceful space exploration.
Date20 July
TopicScience & Technology
Established2021
Ways to observe this day
Attend a stargazing evening to observe the Moon and stars
Visit a nearby science museum or space center
Watch a documentary about the Apollo 11 mission with family
Encourage children to read books about space and astronomy
On 9 December 2021, the UN General Assembly adopted resolution 76/76 on international cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space, declaring 20 July as International Moon Day to commemorate the Apollo 11 landing on that date in 1969, when astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans to walk on another celestial body. The Moon Village Association played a key role in proposing the day to the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space.
The day aims to raise public awareness of space exploration's importance and international cooperation within it, and to encourage new generations to engage with science, technology, and astronomy. Space agencies, science museums, and universities around the world mark the occasion with lectures, stargazing evenings, and interactive exhibits tracing the history of lunar exploration and future mission plans, including long-term human settlement projects.