World Social Work Day will be celebrated on March 17, 2026. This year’s theme, “Co-Building Hope and Harmony: A Harambee Call to Unite a Divided Society,” emphasizes the important role social work plays in bringing people together across communities, cultures and systems to help create a more inclusive and sustainable future.
In recognition of World Social Work Day, explore several events taking place this month where you can connect, exchange ideas and collaborate with social workers both in your community and around the world.
Ubuntu Pedagogy Masterclass 2026
The Ubuntu Pedagogy Masterclass 2026 is an advanced learning session is dedicated to harambee, the theme for World Social Work Day and World Social Work and Development Conference 2026. Taking place on March 13 at 10 AM CAT, it is organized by the Africa Social Work and Development Network (ASWDNet) and the Association of Schools of Social Work in Africa (ASSWA). This annual class is for anyone from any part of the world eager to deepen their understanding of Ubuntu and those seeking more effective ways to apply their experiences of Ubuntu in academia, learning and practice.
This special session takes place via Zoom. Registration for the Ubuntu Pedagogy Masterclass 2026 is required.
World Social Work Day Event: Global Social Work and the SWSD 2026 Conference
The World Social Work Day Event: Global Social Work and the SWSD 2026 Conference event will take place on March 17 at 9 AM Arizona time and celebrate global social work. It will discuss the upcoming Joint World Conference on Social Work, Education and Social Development (SWSD 2026), which will take place in Nairobi, Kenya, from 26–29 June 2026.
The event will feature contributions from members of the SWSD Conference planning team:
- David Androff, Professor of Social Work, Arizona State University and SWSD World Conference Coordinator
- Elizabeth Lightfoot, Director and Distinguished Professor, Arizona State University, School of Social Work
- Charles Mbugua, Kenyan National Association of Social Workers and Chair of the Local Organizing Committee
- Gidraph Wairire, Professor and Chair, Department of Sociology, Social Work, and African Women Studies, University of Nairobi
This special event will take place on Zoom. Registration for World Social Work Day Event: Global Social Work and the SWSD 2026 Conference is required.
29th Annual Daniel S. Sanders Peace and Social Justice Memorial Lecture
The 29th Annual Daniel S. Sanders Peace and Social Justice Memorial Lecture is an event held every year by the School of Social Work to invite, discuss, and celebrate social work around the world. This year, we invite you to join us on March 24 at 5:30 PM CST for dinner and a lecture given by Dr. Jerome Galea, Associate Professor, University of South Florida. The lecture, “There Is No Health Without Mental Health: What is it, why does it matter?”, explores the rapidly evolving field of Global Mental Health over the past decade and concludes with a discussion of future prospects of Global Mental Health in the context of challenges posed by constrained global health funding.
This event is held in-person. Registration for the 29th Annual Daniel S. Sanders Peace and Social Justice Memorial Lecture is required and closes on March 13.