‘Reweaving the Social Fabric’ announced as the theme for World Social Work Day 2027

The International Association of Schools of Social Work (IASSW), the International Council on Social Welfare (ICSW) and the International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW) have announced “Reweaving the Social Fabric” as the theme for World Social Work Day on Tuesday, 16 March 2027. Under the banner Building Relationships, Belonging and Solidarity, the three organisations invite social workers, educators, students and communities worldwide to celebrate the many ways people come together to shape the societies in which they live.

The social fabric takes shape through the relationships, communities, institutions and systems of care and social protection that connect people and sustain societies. It is reflected in everyday acts of care, collective efforts to make schools accessible, and participation in decisions about local services. Like threads woven into a fabric, these elements gain strength and resilience through their interconnectedness, underpinned by participation, belonging and solidarity. At a time when inequality, violence and displacement put this fabric under strain, social work draws on its traditions of mutual aid, community organising and social reform to address exclusion and transform the relationships and structures through which people collectively shape their lives and societies.

Antoinette Lombard, IASSW President, said, “Social work educators have an important role in preparing students to strengthen the relationships, communities and systems that sustain societies. One of the most important questions we can encourage students to ask is ‘Whose knowledge is missing here?’ When people with lived experience help shape what we teach and what we research, students learn how policies and services affect people’s lives and how these can be transformed together. That is where learning to share power begins.”
Sergei Zelenev, ICSW President, said, “For a family facing a sudden loss of income, or an older person who needs care, solidarity means knowing there is support they can rely on. Governments give practical expression to that solidarity when they invest in universal social protection and accessible care, and when the people who rely on those systems have a say in how they work.”

Eva Ponce de Leon, IFSW President, said, “Social workers see every day what it means for people to feel heard, valued and connected to others. We work alongside communities to strengthen mutual support and challenge the inequalities that leave people isolated or excluded. Belonging grows when people can participate, contribute and shape decisions together. World Social Work Day 2027 celebrates the relationships and solidarity that make this possible.”

The 2027 theme carries forward the spirit of Harambee, the call to pull together that shaped World Social Work Day 2026 and the joint world conference in Nairobi. It also looks ahead to the 2028 world conference in Paris, Solidarité: Transitioning to Inclusive and Collective Futures. At the heart of that journey is a question for social work everywhere. Whose voices shape our communities, who remains at the margins, and what can we change together?

Read more full details if the theme – Click here