October 15, 2025 is Global Dignity Day, celebrated around the world!

Global Dignity Day is celebrated every year on October 15 to honour the inherent worth and equality of all people. It’s a global movement that encourages individuals—especially young people—to reflect on what dignity means in their lives and how they can show respect, kindness, and empathy toward others. The celebration is rooted in the belief that dignity is a shared human value that connects us beyond borders, cultures, and circumstances.

Founded in 2005 by Crown Prince Haakon of Norway, Professor Pekka Himanen of Finland, and John Hope Bryant of the United States, Global Dignity began as part of the World Economic Forum’s Young Global Leaders community. Their goal was to inspire a worldwide conversation about the importance of dignity in personal and public life. Since then, the movement has grown to reach millions of students and educators in more than 80 countries.

Each year, Global Dignity Day brings together schools, communities, and organizations to share stories, host workshops, and explore how dignity shapes our relationships and actions. These activities invite participants to reflect on their own experiences and consider how they can help create more respectful, inclusive environments. Whether through storytelling, art, or dialogue, the day serves as a reminder that everyone has a role in building a world grounded in mutual respect.

Flashback: Looking back at past Global Dignity Day Events like Food is Belonging

20 years of Global Dignity

In 2025, Global Dignity Day marks its 20th anniversary—a milestone celebrating two decades of empowering youth and communities to live with compassion and purpose. This year’s observance focuses on rebuilding trust and connection in a time when division and uncertainty often dominate public life. The anniversary highlights the ongoing importance of dignity as a foundation for peace, cooperation, and human development.

Participating in Global Dignity Day, people are encouraged to take action in their own lives—to listen more deeply, treat others with fairness, and speak up for those whose dignity is threatened. It is not just a single day of celebration but an invitation to make dignity a daily practice. On October 15, the world comes together to affirm a simple but powerful truth: every person matters, and every act of respect helps build a more just and humane world.

Presentation – Global Dignity Day 2025Download
Watch the statement by Prescott-Russell-Cumberland Member of Parliament Giovanna Mingarelli in Canada’s House of Commons.

Global Dignity Day 2025 Activities

On October 9, 2025, in commemorating the twentieth anniversary of Global Dignity, Art Borups Corners, artists Eva Suluk, Tony Eetak, Krish Agrawal and Jamie Bell were recognized alongside Global Dignity Canada in the House of Commons by Prescott-Russell-Cumberland Member of Parliament Giovanna Mingarelli!

On Wednesday, October 15 we will have a small pop-up exhibition of photos and moments from our summer 2025 arts internship, mentorship and capacity building program. This year’s program was made possible thanks to the support of the Ontario Arts Council Multi and Inter-Arts Projects program, The Arts Incubator Winnipeg and the Minneapolis College of Art and Design Creative Entrepreneurship Program. We will also host a special group session online at 2:00 CST.

Where Dignity Grows: 20 short stories for 20 years of Global Dignity

Welcome to our first compilation of stories, a collection created with immense gratitude and dedicated to the work of Global Dignity Canada. For 20 years, this wonderful initiative has championed the cause of dignity, and we have long been proud to support their mission. In honor of their two decades of commitment, we have brought together 20 stories—one for each year of their inspiring work. At its heart, dignity is the belief that every person has inherent worth. It is a value that guides us to build a more compassionate world, not just for ourselves, but for all those around us. These pages hold short, easy-to-read stories that we hope will be a joyful and thoughtful exploration of that idea. Each one is a simple reminder that dignity and kindness are not just abstract concepts; they are choices we can make every day. Each of the stories in this collection was written to reflect one of the five guiding principles of global dignity: the right to a dignified life; the opportunity to fulfill one's potential; the freedom to make personal decisions; the belief that dignity should guide all actions; and the understanding that our own dignity is always linked to the dignity of others. This book was created for fun as part of our youth literacy program, and the authors hope you enjoy these stories. We hope they resonate with you and inspire you to see the dignity in yourself, in others, and in the world around you.

To celebrate two decades of dignity and kindness programming, youth and artists who have volunteered and supported the organization’s work came together to publish a collection of 20 short stories centered on themes of dignity and kindness.

This special collection of short stories is available from: Apple Books, Barnes and Noble, bol.com, bol.de, Casa De Libro, Cultura, Decitre, eBook.de, Everand, Ex Libris, Fable, Hugendubel, Indigo Chapters, Internet Bookstore Italia, La Feltrinelli, Librarie E. Leclerc, Librería de Porrúa, Morawa, Orell Füssli, Palace Marketplace, PChome 24h, Rakuten Kobo, Smashwords, Standaard Boekhandel, Thalia, Vivlio, and 楽天ブックス

To celebrate Global Dignity Day 2025 and 20 years of Global Dignity, Where Dignity Grows can be downloaded for free on Smashwords using coupon code CEFH2.

This year’s dignity project was made possible with funding from the Ontario Arts Council Multi and Inter-Arts Projects program and the Art Borups Corners Storytelling Club.