World Cotton Day 2026: theme and Tashkent global event
Why in the news
World Cotton Day was observed on 7 October 2026. The main global event took place at the Hyatt Regency in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
Key facts
- Date: 7 October every year.
- 2026 theme: “Cotton for Good: Building Prosperity Through Trade, Transformation and Partnership”.
- Host city: Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
- Partners: Government of Uzbekistan, FAO, ICAC (International Cotton Advisory Committee), WTO and the C-4+ countries; ITC, UNIDO, IFC and the Islamic Development Bank also took part.
- Focus: helping cotton-producing nations boost competitiveness, diversify their economies and link farming more firmly with industry, trade, investment and innovation.
- A technical field visit to textile units and cotton research institutes near Tashkent followed on 8 October.
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 2019 | First World Cotton Day launched by the WTO on 7 October |
| 2021 | UN General Assembly proclaims 7 October as World Cotton Day |
| 2026 | Global event in Tashkent, Uzbekistan |
About World Cotton Day
The day grew out of a proposal by the Cotton-4 (C-4) countries of Africa: Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad and Mali. The WTO hosted the first observance in 2019, and in August 2021 the UN General Assembly made it an annual observance. It highlights the role of cotton in economic growth, global trade and poverty reduction in developing and least developed countries.
Exam angle
- C-4 countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali.
- 2026 host: Tashkent, Uzbekistan; theme begins “Cotton for Good”.
- 2026 partners included FAO, ICAC, WTO and the Government of Uzbekistan.