The 69th Session of the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) will take place 9-13 March 2026 in Vienna, Austria. This page will be regularly updated with important information and opportunities related to the session, so we encourage you to check back often.

Side Events

Side events at the CND provide an important platform for NGOs, experts, and governments to highlight emerging issues, share best practices, and strengthen international collaboration. Only NGOs with ECOSOC consultative status may organize a side event. However, organizations without this status are welcome to co-sponsor events, and NGOs may support multiple events. The main organizing NGO must list all supporting organizations at the time of application. Please note that any supporters added later will NOT be included in the official program.

Because event slots are limited and assigned on a first-come, first-served basis, organizations interested in hosting or co-sponsoring an event are strongly encouraged to plan early, coordinate with partners, and have all materials ready before the application opens.

Adhere to the guidelines which can be accessed here.

Key Dates

  • Application opens: 5 January
  • Application closes: 23 January

Events may be held in person, hybrid, or fully virtual. Each organization may submit only one side-event application.

Designated Times (CET)

Except Monday morning and Friday afternoon

  • Morning: 10:00–11:00 | 11:30–12:30
  • Afternoon: 13:00–14:00 | 15:00–16:00 | 16:30–17:30

For hybrid or online events, the event link must be submitted by 25 February 2026 to the Secretariat at unodc-sgb.events@un.org.

Exhibitions

If you wish to have an exhibition during CND, you must submit an application including a design (sketch), proposed content, and/or photos between 5 – 23 January. All materials should be uploaded via WeTransfer including unodc-sgb.events@un.org as a recipient. Exhibition spaces measure 4 meters (length) x 3 meters (width) and will be located in M0E, M01, and M02 within the Vienna International Centre.

Access additional information on exhibitions here.

Application Forms

Application forms for both side events and exhibitions will be available here.

Additional Resources

To help you stay informed about important international observances and events, we maintain a regularly updated Google Calendar available here: International Events & Observances Calendar.