IGD Themes Announced for 2026, 2027, and 2028

Today we are pleased to announce the themes for the next three years of UNESCO International Geodiversity Day. Following an online competition in which suggestions were made by individuals from all around the world, the panel decided that as the calibre of submissions was so high, they would select the themes for the period 2026-2028.

The theme for this year’s International Geodiversity Day (IGD), to be held on Tuesday 6th October 2026, will be ‘Geodiversity On Our Doorstep’. The theme is a chance to explore the geodiversity that lies just beyond our own threshold, and asks people to recognise the geodiversity where they are from, where they live, and in their everyday lives. This theme brings together two submissions who we co-credit with the theme: Martina Stupar of Slovenia, and Naomi Irapta of the Philippines.

Martina, of the Institute of the Republic of Slovenia for Nature Conservation, said “I am deeply honored that this theme has been chosen for the 2026 International Geodiversity Day. After more than thirty‑five years in nature conservation, I’ve seen how strongly geodiversity shapes our lives and why understanding our local environment matters. I look forward to the new stories that will emerge, and I wish all participants and coordinators a wonderful and inspiring celebration of geodiversity.”

Naomi, a PhD candidate in Earth Sciences at Eötvös Loránd University said "In a highly urbanized and digital world, we may feel detached from geodiversity. This year's IGD reminds us that geodiversity is in our everyday lives: from the screen you're reading this on, to the soil that grows our food. It's an inspiration to protect geodiversity as it sustains our societies."

The theme for IGD 2027, to be celebrated on Wednesday 6^th October 2027, will be ‘Connecting People and Planet’. This theme will promote the close and often forgotten links between geodiversity and all aspects of our lives. It is a chance for organisations and individuals to promote the significant influence that geodiversity has on communities all around the world.

The theme for 2027 was submitted by Nawrass Ameen of Iraq, Professor in Geophysics at Al-Muthanna University, who said “I am deeply honored to have this theme selected. ‘Connecting People and Planet’ highlights the vital relationship between humanity and Earth’s geodiversity, emphasizing our shared responsibility to understand, protect, and sustainably manage natural systems for future generations.”

The theme for IGD 2028, to be celebrated on Friday 6^th October 2028, will be ‘The Cradle of Life’. This theme will promote the deep and intertwined connections between geodiversity and biodiversity, promoting the important and foundational roles that rocks, soils, and minerals play in every ecosystem on the planet. It is also an opportunity to consider the fascinated record of fossilised life hosted within the rocks of our planet, telling the story of evolution over a period of 3.4 billion years.

The theme for 2028 was submitted by Miguel Rosado of Portugal, member of the Technical Committee of the Arrabida UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, who said "As a member of the Technical Committee of the Arrábida Biosphere Reserve, Portugal, I believe this theme can inspire initiatives worldwide in 2028. Geodiversity, as the cradle of life, tells the story of our planet—shaping landscapes, nurturing ecosystems, and sustaining life, past, present, and future, across one shared Earth."

International Geodiversity Day was proclaimed by UNESCO in 2021, following a grassroots campaign by geoscience organisations around the world. Geodiversity is all around us, and includes the parts of nature that aren't alive; like minerals, fossils, soils, and landscapes. Geodiversity Day is a worldwide celebration to bring people together in promoting the many aspects of geodiversity, and its importance to society.

The panel considering theme submissions comprised Helena Tukiainen, Lecturer at the University of Oulu; Ľubomír Štrba, Associate Professor at the Technical University of Košice; and Jack Matthews, Honorary Associate at the Oxford University Museum of Natural History.

Jack Matthews, Co-coordinator of International Geodiversity Day said “The next three years of themes for UNESCO International Geodiversity Day give individuals and organisations the opportunity to celebrate many of the important ways geodiversity benefits us. From the beauty of our local landscapes, through the natural resources we rely on, to the inextricable link with biodiversity, these themes will help people and communities to further appreciate and understand geodiversity.”

Jack continued "We are so grateful to all those from around the world who submitted their suggestions for IGD themes. Congratulations to the winners.”