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Global Handwashing Day is celebrated every year on October 15 to raise awareness about the importance of handwashing with soap as an effective and affordable way to prevent diseases and save lives.

Global Handwashing Day was founded by the Global Handwashing Partnership, and is an opportunity to design, test, and replicate creative ways to encourage people to wash their hands with soap at critical times.

The first Global Handwashing Day was held in 2008, when over 120 million children around the world washed their hands with soap in more than 70 countries. Since 2008, community and national leaders have used Global Handwashing Day to spread the word about handwashing, build sinks and tippy taps, and demonstrate the simplicity and value of clean hands.  Since then, Global Handwashing Day has continued to grow.  Global Handwashing Day is endorsed by governments, schools, international institutions, civil society organizations, NGOs, private companies, individuals, and more.

The 2024 Global Handwashing Day theme is “Why are clean hands still important?”