Reimagining UA Day 2026: Official ICANN and UNESCO Event Schedule Released

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), in partnership with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), has released the full schedule of events for the fourth annual Universal Acceptance (UA) Day, taking place through the end of May 2026. The UA Day 2026 program includes more than 30 events across over 30 countries and combines both in-person and virtual formats, inviting global participation in support of a more multilingual and inclusive Internet.

UA Day serves as a global awareness initiative focused on Universal Acceptance, a foundational technical principle that ensures all valid domain names and email addresses, regardless of script, language, or length, function correctly across Internet-enabled systems. The initiative brings together technical experts, policymakers, educators, developers, civil society representatives, and language communities to promote readiness and adoption worldwide.

Driving Awareness and Adoption Worldwide
Led jointly by ICANN and UNESCO, UA Day 2026 builds on momentum established since the first UA Day in 2023. Participating organizations and countries will host locally relevant events designed to raise awareness, demonstrate practical implementation, and encourage adoption of Universal Acceptance principles. These activities are tailored to regional needs while contributing to a shared global objective.

UNESCO’s involvement highlights the cultural and policy dimensions of Universal Acceptance. The organization supports UA as a critical component of linguistic diversity online and aligns this work with its long-standing commitment to multilingualism and equitable access to cyberspace. UA is also positioned as a practical enabler for broader international efforts to preserve and promote linguistic diversity in the digital environment.

What to Expect from UA Day 2026
The 2026 program features events aimed at different audiences and goals. Some sessions focus on technical adoption, supporting developers, service providers, and infrastructure operators in making systems UA-ready. Others emphasize curriculum development and educational integration, helping academic institutions incorporate UA concepts into teaching and research. Awareness-focused events highlight the social and economic value of a multilingual Internet and explain why Universal Acceptance matters beyond purely technical contexts.

ICANN and UNESCO encourage participation from a wide range of stakeholders, including those involved in Internet governance, software development, standards development, education, and language preservation. With many events offered in hybrid formats, UA Day 2026 is designed to maximize accessibility and global engagement.

Overall, UA Day 2026 continues the shared effort to advance a truly inclusive Internet, where domain names and email addresses in all languages and scripts are fully supported, enabling users everywhere to participate online without technical or linguistic barriers.