World Social Work Day 2024

Theme – Buen Vivir

19 March was a commemoration of social work around the world. This is an important day for social workers globally. The theme was Buen Vivir: Shared Future for Transformative Change. The International Federation of Social Workers called social workers to ‘adopt innovative, community-led approaches that are grounded in indigenous wisdom and harmonious coexistence with nature’.

Buen Vivir is:

• A Latin American indigenous philosophy
• Interconnectivity
• Reciprocity
• Complementarity in human relationships
• Bond with nature

Message from IFSW President Joachim Mumba

Buen Vivir resonates deeply with the core values of social work. As we celebrate World Social Work Day, let’s embrace this principle and champion a future where communities and nature coexist in harmony a future where social workers will, together with local people co-design and co-build peaceful communities critical to our shared sustainable futures.”

Joachim Mumba, IFSW President

African days to commemorate

The ASWDNet joins social workers in commemorating this day, and encourages these commemorations to be extended to African Days, such as:

• Africa’s Women’s Day was founded by the Pan-African Women’s Organisation (PAWO) – 31 July
• Day of the African Child – 16 June
• Africa Day – 25 May
• Africa Environment Day/Wangari Maathai Day – 3 March
• Commemoration of the African Day of Peace and Reconciliation 31 January
• African Day of School Feeding 1st March  
• African Union Day of Commemoration of the 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsi in Rwanda 7th April
•  African Refugee Day/ World Refugee Day 20th June
• African Public Service Day 23rd June
• Day of Africa ‘s Scientific Renaissance 30th June
• African Integration Day 7th July 
• African Anti-Corruption Day 11th July
• Africa Day of Seas and Oceans 25th July
• Africa Day of Decentralisation and Local Development 10th August
• Civil Registration and Vital Statistics Day 10th August
• African Traditional Medicine Day 31st August
• Africa Human Rights Day 21st October
• Africa Food Security and Nutrition Day 30th October
• Africa Youth Day 1st November
• African Statistics Day 18th November
• Africa Industrialisation Day 20th November
• Africa Telecommunications and ICT Day 7th December
• Day of African Sport 14th December