The National Unity Day (NUD) in South Sudan has a long tradition. Historically, NUD has been used as a vehicle to promote peace in the country. For example, Unity Day celebrations took place between 1973 and 1983. Since 2016, the celebration of the NUD has been taking place in Juba. The main objective of the NUD is to promote the interaction of diverse populations through sports, the spirit of fair play, and sportsmanship.

The 5th NUD took place from 25 January to 2 February 2020 in Juba, South Sudan with the theme "Sports for Peace & Social Cohesion". The 5th NUD welcomed the participation of around 552 young athletes, coaches and officials from across the country. NUD is organized by the Ministry of Information, Culture, Youth and Sports (MOCYS), in collaboration with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), Swiss Agency for International Cooperation and Development (SDC) and Universal Printers.

The 5th NUD comprised of: Sports events (football, athletics, volleyball, wrestling); Pre-NUD community events; Awareness sessions; Peacebuilding and gender workshops; and Peace and Culture Day.