September 20, 2026: "From Clean Plates to Clean Cities" — World Cleanup Day
On September 20, 2026, the world marks World Cleanup Day — the largest civic movement in human history. The official UN date is September 20. On this day, millions of volunteers take to streets, beaches, parks, and forests to create a planet free from trash.
A Global Movement Born in Estonia
The story began in 2008 in Estonia, when 50,000 people cleaned up the entire country in a single day, collecting over 10,000 tonnes of trash. That spark ignited a global movement: in 2018, the first official World Cleanup Day united 18 million people. Today, the movement spans 211 countries and territories — about 95% of UN-listed countries. In 2024, it was officially added to the UN calendar of international days.
2026 Theme: "From Clean Plates to Clean Cities"
World Cleanup Day 2026 focuses on food waste — one of the largest and most preventable waste streams affecting cities and communities worldwide. The theme "From Clean Plates to Clean Cities" connects the choices we make around our plates with the systems that shape our neighborhoods and cities.
The scale of the problem is staggering: every day, more than one billion meals are wasted worldwide, even as millions face hunger. According to the UNEP Food Waste Index Report 2024, approximately 1.05 billion metric tons of food were wasted in 2022 — about 19% of food available to consumers. Meanwhile, 673 million people experienced hunger, and 2.3 billion faced moderate or severe food insecurity.
Food waste also carries significant environmental and economic costs: it generates up to 10% of global greenhouse-gas emissionsand costs the global economy about US$1 trillion annually.
Global Observance in Shaoxing
The centerpiece of 2026 will take place on September 20 in Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province, China — the first time China has been chosen to host the global observance. Organized jointly with UN-Habitat, the event will provide a platform for international dialogue, knowledge-sharing, and partnerships supporting the Sustainable Development Goals. Shaoxing, an early practitioner of the nationwide "Clean Your Plate" campaign, has been actively promoting waste sorting and citywide cleanup drives.
The "One Heritage" Campaign: Cleanliness as Shared Heritage
The "One Heritage" campaign by the Dolphin Hub platform, founded by Iskandar Kadyrov, aims to protect the entire planetary ecosystem — from oceans and seas to rivers, lakes, and land. The mission — "We Are One. The World Is One. Nature Is One." — unites people, organizations, and businesses to preserve our shared heritage.
World Cleanup Day perfectly embodies this philosophy. Every bag of trash collected, every tonne of food saved from the landfill, every city made cleaner — is a contribution to the shared heritage of humanity. As Dolphin Hub states, "silence must never become the norm" — September 20 is the day to act.
What We Can Do
A clean planet starts on our plates and on our streets. When countries act together, communities unite, and every person takes a small step — the world becomes cleaner.
A Global Movement Born in Estonia
The story began in 2008 in Estonia, when 50,000 people cleaned up the entire country in a single day, collecting over 10,000 tonnes of trash. That spark ignited a global movement: in 2018, the first official World Cleanup Day united 18 million people. Today, the movement spans 211 countries and territories — about 95% of UN-listed countries. In 2024, it was officially added to the UN calendar of international days.
2026 Theme: "From Clean Plates to Clean Cities"
World Cleanup Day 2026 focuses on food waste — one of the largest and most preventable waste streams affecting cities and communities worldwide. The theme "From Clean Plates to Clean Cities" connects the choices we make around our plates with the systems that shape our neighborhoods and cities.
The scale of the problem is staggering: every day, more than one billion meals are wasted worldwide, even as millions face hunger. According to the UNEP Food Waste Index Report 2024, approximately 1.05 billion metric tons of food were wasted in 2022 — about 19% of food available to consumers. Meanwhile, 673 million people experienced hunger, and 2.3 billion faced moderate or severe food insecurity.
Food waste also carries significant environmental and economic costs: it generates up to 10% of global greenhouse-gas emissionsand costs the global economy about US$1 trillion annually.
Global Observance in Shaoxing
The centerpiece of 2026 will take place on September 20 in Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province, China — the first time China has been chosen to host the global observance. Organized jointly with UN-Habitat, the event will provide a platform for international dialogue, knowledge-sharing, and partnerships supporting the Sustainable Development Goals. Shaoxing, an early practitioner of the nationwide "Clean Your Plate" campaign, has been actively promoting waste sorting and citywide cleanup drives.
The "One Heritage" Campaign: Cleanliness as Shared Heritage
The "One Heritage" campaign by the Dolphin Hub platform, founded by Iskandar Kadyrov, aims to protect the entire planetary ecosystem — from oceans and seas to rivers, lakes, and land. The mission — "We Are One. The World Is One. Nature Is One." — unites people, organizations, and businesses to preserve our shared heritage.
World Cleanup Day perfectly embodies this philosophy. Every bag of trash collected, every tonne of food saved from the landfill, every city made cleaner — is a contribution to the shared heritage of humanity. As Dolphin Hub states, "silence must never become the norm" — September 20 is the day to act.
What We Can Do
- Prevent food waste: plan purchases, store food properly, share excess.
- Participate in local cleanups — join actions on September 20 or organize your own.
- Support sorting and recycling initiatives in your community.
- Share knowledge about the link between food waste, climate, and clean cities.
A clean planet starts on our plates and on our streets. When countries act together, communities unite, and every person takes a small step — the world becomes cleaner.
17.09.2026
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ONE HERITAGE campaign