HRH The Duke of Edinburgh Joins Award Participants for World Cleanup Day

22nd September 2026 | Royal Visits to Surrey

HRH The Duke of Edinburgh Joins Award Participants for World Cleanup Day

This year marks the historic 70th Anniversary of The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award.

To mark seven decades of young people leading change in their communities through volunteering, environmental stewardship and civic contribution, our global Award family is coming together for a day of collective action on UN World Cleanup Day on 20 September.

In Spelthorne, Surrey, His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh took part in a community clean-up alongside local Award participants, young people and community groups, as communities around the world take action for the planet.

With generations of alumni, volunteers, supporters and HRH The Duke of Edinburgh taking part, the Award community has the power to amplify World Cleanup Day’s global impact.

National Award Operators worldwide are taking part, with cleanup events taking place in Australia, Bermuda, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Kenya, Malta, Mauritius, New Zealand, Nigeria, Slovakia, South Africa, Türkiye, the UK, the USA and Zambia.

These teams around the globe are cooperating with local environmental organisations, councils, ministries, schools and alumni groups, bringing together communities in a collective effort that reflects the reach and diversity of the Award.

Through our global partnership with the GOALD platform, we are digitally mapping and tracking the network’s combined achievements, capturing the hours dedicated to cleanup activities and the amount of waste collected around the world.

photographs The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award / Susannah Fields