Join Carnegie Council and a global community of individuals and organizations working to ensure that ethics plays a central role in our personal and professional lives.
NEW YORK (May 21, 2026) – The case for re-centering ethics in public life has rarely felt more pressing. We are confronting an increasingly zero-sum world where might often makes right, partisanship continues to worsen, and emerging technologies are transforming society at a rapid pace.
Amid these pressures, ethical considerations are too often pushed to the margins. Yet ethics is not just an abstract area of study reserved for philosophers or academics. It is an active process that each of us can engage in to improve our lives, strengthen our communities, and build a better world.
Now in its 13th year, Global Ethics Day 2026 is an annual opportunity for individuals and organizations to reflect on the values, principles, and actions that shape ethical decision-making. Anyone can take part in Global Ethics Day. Whether you work in a classroom or a boardroom, a city hall or a startup, a hospital or a studio, we invite you to begin planning your own activities for October 21.
There are countless ways to take part—both large and small. Past participants have organized everything from full-day civic engagement workshops for municipal employees to visual arts activities on values led by third-grade teachers, company town halls on emerging ethical challenges, and university watch parties for Carnegie Council’s Global Ethics Day keynote event.
For inspiration as you plan your own engagement, we encourage you to review highlights of activations from Global Ethics Day 2025. Visit the Global Ethics Day website to access key messages and download our social media toolkit. And be sure to sign up for the Carnegie Ethics Newsletter to stay up to date on all things Global Ethics Day and Carnegie Council.
Have a question about Global Ethics Day or want to share details of your upcoming activities? Get in touch with the Carnegie Council team.
About:
Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit institution that works to empower ethics globally by identifying and addressing the most critical ethical issues of today and tomorrow. From our Global Ethics Hub in New York City, the Council identifies emerging ethical issues; convenes leading practitioners, academics, and next-gen leaders; builds active communities by embracing multilateralism and exploring shared values; and frames ethical perspectives by educating and engaging with audiences around the world. Founded by Andrew Carnegie over a century ago, the Council is the only nonpartisan institution working to empower ethics across international relations and defend the moral principles of international cooperation, democracy, fidelity, and humanitarianism.
Contact:
Veronika Cernadas
Deputy Director of Communications
[email protected]
