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World Wish Day Celebrated Around the World as Make-A-Wish® Marks Its Global Impact

Last updated on 28 April 2026 | Published on

By Niamh Ryan - Reading time 1 min
A group of people in matching blue shirts play drums and flutes outdoors, smiling and enjoying themselves among trees in a park setting.

Events and celebrations take place around the world on World Wish Day, April 29, inviting people everywhere to help create life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses.

Hilversum, Netherlands – 27 April 2026 – This April, Make–A–Wish International is celebrating World Wish Month by honoring the people who make wishes possible for children with critical illnesses and inviting supporters everywhere to take action in support of its mission. World Wish Month culminates on World Wish Day, April 29, the anniversary of the wish that inspired the Make-A-Wish movement. On April 29, 1980, a small group of people came together to help grant 7-year-old Chris Greicius’ wish to be a police officer. That single act of compassion for a little boy living with leukemia sparked a movement that has since helped grant more than 650,000 life-changing wishes to children with critical illnesses around the world.

Yesterday, hundreds of supporters gathered at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center in Athens for a powerful Wish Walk marking the 30th anniversary of Make-A-Wish Greece. Wish children, families, volunteers, and partners walked together through the park alongside Make-A-Wish Leaders. Linda Pauling, mother of Chris Greicius and co–founder of Make–A–Wish, also joined the walk as a guest of honor. The event featured commemorative installations reflecting three decades of helping grant wishes for children with critical illnesses in Greece and concluded at sunset with a drone display, transforming the Athens skyline in celebration of World Wish Day and the enduring impact of a wish.

WishMakers include donors, volunteers, partners, medical professionals, and other supporters who help bring each wish to life. Their involvement can span every step of the journey, from referral and planning through to the wish experience itself.

Research shows that a wish can have lasting positive effects, including improvements to physical, psychological, and emotional well-being. Each wish is designed as a carefully planned experience that can support children during and beyond treatment.

“World Wish Month is about recognizing the people who make this impact possible,” said Luciano Manzo, President & CEO of Make–A–Wish International. “WishMakers help bring hope, strength, and joy to children with critical illnesses, and this month is an opportunity to thank them – and to invite more people to be part of that life-changing impact.”

Across the Make-A-Wish International network, spanning nearly 50 countries, World Wish Day is being marked through events and symbolic moments that reflect local communities while sharing a global purpose – helping deliver hope, strength and joy for children facing critical illness.

World Wish Day Highlights Around the World Include:

Globally – This year, Disney is celebrating the second annual Disney Week of Wishes from April 27 to May 1. This week-long campaign honors all the Disney wishes granted throughout the year, all around the world, reflecting a wish-granting legacy that spans more than 45 years and includes helping grant more than 175,000 wishes.

India – Make-A-Wish India will mark its 30th anniversary and the milestone of its 100,000th wish granted with an in-person celebration on April 29 in Mumbai. The event will include the unveiling of a commemorative coffee table book titled Where Wishes Live, honoring three decades of helping grant wishes across the country.

Norway – World Wish Day activities are taking place in selected hospitals, bringing moments of joy and celebration to children undergoing treatment.

Turkey – A World Wish Day celebration for wish children will take place at the Fairmont Quasar Istanbul, bringing wish families together in recognition of the impact of a wish.

Around the world – Iconic landmarks are lighting up blue in support of World Wish Day on April 29, standing in solidarity with children waiting for their wishes.

On World Wish Day, Make-A-Wish is inviting people everywhere to become WishMakers by donating, fundraising, volunteering, or supporting the mission in other meaningful ways. To learn more, visit worldwish.org/world-wish-month.

A crowd watches at dusk as a star shape appears in the sky, formed by illuminated drones. Many people are taking photos or videos with their mobiles. Trees are silhouetted against the sunset.
A group of people in blue shirts gather outdoors for a ribbon-cutting ceremony, surrounded by balloons and cheering participants. A large building and mural are visible in the background.
A woman on stilts in a flower crown and a costume with sunflowers waves a large blue flag marked 30 above a crowd at an outdoor event during sunset. Trees and modern buildings are visible in the background.
Six people wearing blue and white clothes pose and smile together outdoors at an event. A tall banner with 30 and Make-A-Wish is visible in the background, and others are gathered round tables behind them.
A large group of people, including adults and children, walk along a path surrounded by greenery. Some hold white balloons. The sky is clear and buildings and trees are visible in the background.

By Niamh Ryan

Niamh Ryan is Senior Manager, PR and Communications at Make-A-Wish International, having joined the organisation in 2022 after 5 years at Make-A-Wish Ireland. Niamh oversees the organisation’s internal and external communications and looks after media relations and media strategy. With a background in digital marketing, she is passionate about employing the latest technology and trends to help more people learn about the life-changing power of a wish-come-true! We believe in transparency and accuracy. Read more in our editorial guidelines.