The United Nations has released an app, created by three volunteers, to keep track of the United Nations observances such as World AIDS Day on December 1, or the International Day of Happiness on March 20th.

UN Calendar of Observances: Making a Difference allows users to import observances into the iPhone calendar and includes sharing options for email and social media.

Unapp

The app is the electronic version of the print United Nations Making a Difference 2013 Calendar, which highlights areas of UN achievements through high-resolution photos and text bullets. The electronic version was developed — at no cost to the United Nations — by United Nations Online volunteers Christopher Bell (New Zealand), Aveline Sodji (Canada) and Andrew Thornton (United Kingdom), working with the UN Department of Public Information (DPI). DPI staff and interns created app-specific icons and provided development support.

"Working for the United Nations in any capacity is an honour, but doing so on a voluntary basis—even in this small way—seems to be the purest way to give back to an organization committed to world peace, development and human rights", said Mr. Thornton, the coordinator of the volunteers.

UN Calendar of Observances: Making a Difference is a free download on the App Store. [Direct Link]

Top Rated Comments

whooleytoo Avatar
161 months ago
International Day of Happiness on March 20th.

Weird.. pretty sure we celebrate that on the 17th here in Ireland.. ;) Followed by the International Day of Headaches on the 18th.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
andythornton Avatar
161 months ago
Thanks!

2nd paragraph: "UN Calendar of Observances: Making a Difference allows users to import observances into the iPhone calendar and includes sharing options for email and social media.”

(Import is all I’d need too—I doubt I’d use the app itself much.)


I am one of the three volunteers that worked on this application. It is nice to see people being nice about it (I had been reluctant to even look at the comments out of fear of it getting slammed). All three of us were working regular jobs and just spent our free time working on this application over the past few months (well, we started early September with the requirements). The sponsor at the United Nations is keen to hear how the application could be improved, I am not sure I understand the points above regarding ICS files ... but if someone would like to explain a little more I can make sure that the requirement makes it to the sponsor. I think they may be putting together another team of volunteers in 2013 to either extend it/replace it or something - or at the very least pull in 2014 data (we didnt have time to implement a server-side component that holds the data, but that might be something in a future version).

If you think you'd like to do some online volunteering yourself, please consider the UN

http://onlinevolunteering.org/en/index.html
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
RoboCop001 Avatar
161 months ago
Nice. It would be cool if they also added the option to import or subscribe to the calendar, so you can have the days right in the Calendar app.

EDIT: Looks like there's an option to import :)
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nagromme Avatar
161 months ago
Nice. It would be cool if they also added the option to import or subscribe to the calendar, so you can have the days right in the Calendar app.
How about an ICS file that I can subscribe to.
I was thinking the same thing. It's not like it's hard to create a file to import into your Google Calendar or iCal or anything else. Plus, events can be added/edited automagically with that too.

PS: This is a sweet app.
2nd paragraph: "UN Calendar of Observances: Making a Difference allows users to import observances into the iPhone calendar and includes sharing options for email and social media.”

(Import is all I’d need too—I doubt I’d use the app itself much.)
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
andythornton Avatar
161 months ago
In response to the first request above for an ICS file, I posted a link to a calendar of UN observances. I have been subscribing to that calendar for some considerable time, and use the calendar on both my computer and tablet. I have no idea who is responsible for maintaining that ICS calendar, but there should be no need to duplicate effort. I suggest that the UN people responsible for the new iOS application cooperate with those behind the multi-platform ICS calendar, and work to keep it complete and up-to-date.


Thanks FFransis
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mactmaster Avatar
161 months ago
How about an ICS file that I can subscribe to.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro Render Front Page Tech

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 10 New Features

Sunday March 23, 2025 10:00 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. iPhone 17 Pro's alleged design via Front Page Tech Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of March 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone...
iCloud General Feature Redux

iPhone Users Who Pay for iCloud Storage Receive a New Perk

Thursday March 20, 2025 12:01 am PDT by
If you pay for iCloud storage on your iPhone, Apple has a new perk for you, at no additional cost. The new perk is the ability to create invitations in the Apple Invites app for the iPhone, which launched in the App Store last month. In the Apple Invites app, iCloud+ subscribers can create invitations for any occasion, such as birthday parties, graduations, baby showers, and more. Anyone ...
Generic iOS 18

iOS 18.4 Coming Soon With These New Features for Your iPhone

Tuesday March 25, 2025 6:45 am PDT by
Apple is expected to release iOS 18.4 to the general public as soon as next week, following more than a month of beta testing. Apple's website says some iOS 18.4 features will be released in "early April," so the update should be out as early as Tuesday, April 1. Apple this week seeded the iOS 18.4 Release Candidate, which is typically the final beta version, barring the discovery of any...
Generic iOS 18

Apple Seeds iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 Release Candidate With Priority Notifications, Ambient Music and More

Monday March 24, 2025 10:07 am PDT by
Apple today seeded the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 updates to developers for testing purposes, with the software coming a week after Apple released the fourth betas. iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 can be downloaded from the Settings app on a compatible device by going to General > Software Update. With iOS 18.4, Apple is adding the Priority Notifications...
airpods max 2024 colors

Don't Buy Into Apple's Hype About AirPods Max Gaining Lossless Audio

Monday March 24, 2025 4:24 pm PDT by
Apple today announced that AirPods Max with a USB-C port will be gaining support for lossless audio and ultra-low latency audio with a firmware update next month, alongside the release of iOS 18.4, iPadOS 18.4, and macOS 15.4. For context, audio files are typically compressed to keep file sizes smaller. There are lossy compression standards like MP3 and AAC (Advanced Audio Codec), which...
iOS 18

Top 5 New Features Coming in iOS 18.4

Friday March 21, 2025 3:26 pm PDT by
We're not getting new Siri Apple Intelligence features in iOS 18.4 as expected, but the upcoming update does have quite a few new additions that will be worth upgrading for. We've rounded up the five best features to look forward to, and if you're not running the beta, you can expect to get access to these in early April. Priority Notifications If you have an iPhone or iPad that supports...
Foldable iPhone 2023 Feature Iridescent Search

Foldable iPhone Expected to Launch Next Year, Costing Around $2,000

Monday March 24, 2025 3:43 am PDT by
Apple will launch its long-rumored foldable iPhone next year with a ~$2,000 premium price tag attached, expects well-connected Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman. Gurman's comments on Apple's launch plans for its first foldable device appeared in the Q&A section of his latest Power On newsletter. Earlier this month, the reporter said Apple's foldable iPhone could be arriving "as early as 2026,"...
ios 19 messages app

Here's What Apple's iOS 19 Messages App Might Look Like

Tuesday March 25, 2025 11:52 am PDT by
Leaker Jon Prosser today shared a mockup of what he says the Messages app will look like in iOS 19, demoing an interface with rounded, translucent bubble-shaped navigation buttons at the top and softer, rounder corners for the keyboard and word suggestions. Jon Prosser's Messages app mockup The return button, a button for going back to the Messages list, and the FaceTime button have a deeper...