UICC coordinates World Cancer Day on 4 February each year, supported by members and partners, the World Health Organization, the International Atomic Energy Agency, and other international bodies.

UICC organized the first World Cancer Day in 2006. 

Previous world cancer day themes

2006:  "My child matters" (childhood cancer)

Accomplishments: two years later, over USD 3 million have been raised and 25 projects in low and middle income countries are being supported. This has become the largest international childhood cancer initiative in low-resource settings.

2007:  Launch of 5-year "Today's children, tomorrow's world" primary prevention global initiative

World Cancer Campaign

World Cancer Day is the high point each year of UICC's World Cancer Campaign, which aims to put cancer on the global agenda and to scale up awareness of the fight against cancer, which in many countries still takes a back seat to other public health priorities.

Each year, a global campaign is kicked off on World Cancer Day. Local activities take place in partnership with UICC member organisations and others on World Cancer Day and throughout the year.

"Today's children, tomorrow's world"

On World Cancer Day 2007, UICC launched a five-year cancer prevention campaign, focused on children and prevention. About 40% of all cancers can prevented by healthy habits started early. "Today's children, tomorrow's world" presents simple steps that parents can share with children to prevent cancer later in life:

• Give children a smoke-free environment
• Eat a balanced diet and being physical activity
• Learn about vaccines to prevent viruses that cause liver and cervical cancer
• Teach children to avoid overexposure to ultraviolet radiation by being "sun-smart"

Each year, World Cancer Day will focus on one of the above themes.

• "I love my smoke-free childhood" is the first-year theme in "Today's children, tomorrow's world". "I love my smoke-free childhood" has the official support of the World Health Organization.
• A comparative international survey, overseen by our President-elect, Prof David Hill of the Cancer Council Victoria in Australia, will establish the degree of public awareness of cancer prevention in different countries. The results of this survey will be released at the World Cancer Congress in August 2008.
• UICC will promote regional education and mobilization projects. A first call for projects will be launched in August.
• Pfizer and the Pfizer Foundation are lead sponsors of this campaign. Major corporate sponsors include GlaxoSmithKline, MDS and Merck. One of our leading member organizations, the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention - CDC - is also backing the campaign.

• Visit the campaign website