| Importance | Year |
| » World Refugees year | 1959/60 |
| » Health and Medical Research year | 1961 |
| » Co-operation Year | 1965 |
| » Tourism year | 1967 |
| » Human Rights Year | 1968 |
| » Education Year | 1970 |
| » Action to Combat Racism and Racial Prejudice | 1971 |
| » Population Year | 1974 |
| » Women’s Year | 1975 |
| » Anti-Apartheid year | 1978/79 |
| » Childrens Year | 1979 |
| » Disabled Persons year | 1981 |
| » Mobilization for Sanctions Against South Africa | 1982 |
| » Communication Year | 1983 |
| » Youth Year | 1985 |
| » Peace Year | 1986 |
| » Year of Shelter for the Homeless | 1987 |
| » Literacy Year | 1990 |
| » Space Year | 1992 |
| » World’s Indigenous People year | 1993 |
| »Year of the Family, Year of Sport and the Olympic Ideal | 1994 |
| » Year of Tolerance | 1995 |
| » Poverty Eradication Year | 1996 |
| » Ocean Year | 1998 |
| » Old Age persons Year | 1999 |
| » Peace and Cultural Year | 2000 |
| » Year of Volunteers | 2001 |
| » Year for Cultural Heritage, Ecotourism year, Mountains Year | 2002 |
| » Fresh Water Year | 2003 |
| » International Rice Year | 2004 |
| » International Micro Credit Year | 2005 |
| » International Physics Year | 2005 |
| » International Sports and Physical Education | 2005 |
| » Year of Deserts and Desertification | 2006 |
| » Polar Year | 2007/08 |
| » International Potato Year, International Earth Year, Year of Sanitation, Year of languages | 2008 |
| » Year of Reconciliation, Year of Natural Fibres, Human Rights learning, Year of Astronomy | 2009 |
| » Year of Youth, Reapproachment of cultures, Year of Seafarer, Bio Diversity Year | 2010 |
| » Year for People of African Descent, Year of Chemistry, Year of Forest | 2011 |
| » Sustainable Energy for All | 2012 |
| » Water Cooperation, Year of Quinoa | 2013 |
| » Solidarity with the Palestinian people year, Small Island Developing States, Crystallography, Family Farming | 2014 |
| » Year of Soils | 2015 |
| » Year of Pulses | 2016 |
