Equality and Diversity UK 2017 Diversity Calendar
2017 Diversity Calendar
Special dates this month 4 January 2017 World Braille Day 15 January 2017 World Religion Day 27 January 2017 Holocaust Memorial Day 28 January 2017 Chinese New Year January Mon Tues Weds Thurs Fri Sat Sun 30 31 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 1 Special Days in January New Year's Day (Secular) Gantan-sai (Shinto) Shinto New Year 2 BANK HOLIDAY 5 Birthday of Guru Gobind Singh (Sikh ) 6 Epiphany (Christian) 7 Christmas Day (Orthodox Christian) 12 13 28 Mahayana New Year - Buddhist Maghi Lohri (Sikh) Chinese New Year (Confucian, Daoist, Buddhist)
2017 Diversity Calendar
February Special Days in February Special dates this month February 2017 LGBT History Month 4 February 2017 World Cancer Day 27 February - 5 March 2017 Eating Disorders Awareness Week Mon Tues Weds Thurs Fri Sat Sun 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 1 3 10 15 24 27 Vasant Panchami (Hindu) Festival that welcomes spring Rissun (Setsubun) (Shinto) A Spring festival that marks the division between Winter and Spring Tu B'Shevat (Jewish) The Jewish New Year for trees Nirvana day (Buddhist - Jain ) festival marking the anniversary of Buddha's death Shivaratri (Hindu) day and night fast in honour of Lord Shiva Clean Monday (Eastern Orthodox) Start of Great Lent 27 28
2017 Diversity Calendar
March Special Days in March Mon Tues Weds Thurs Fri Sat Sun 1 2 3 4 5 1 Ash Wednesday (Christian) The first day of Lent for Western Christian churches. Lent is the season marking the time Jesus spent in the wilderness. Special dates this month 6-10 March 2017 National Apprenticeship Week 6-10 March 2017 National Careers Week 8 March 2017 International Women's Day 19-25 March 2017 Down's Syndrome Awareness Week 21 March 2017 International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 2 12 13 14 21 26 28 28 Nineteen Day Fast (start) (Bahai) During this period Baha'is go without food or drink from sunrise to sunset. Purim (Jewish) Purim commemorates the time when the Jewish people living in Persia were saved from extermination by Esther. Holi (Hindu) Hindus celebrate spring with the Festival of Colours. Nanakshahi New Year The beginning of the year 549 in the Sikh Nanakshahi calendar. Jamshedi Noruz (Bahai, Zoroastrian) New Year Mother s Day Khordad Sal (Zoroastrian) The birthday of Zoroaster, celebrated on this date in the Shenshai calendar. Hindu New Year (Hindu)
2017 Diversity Calendar
April Special Days in April Special dates this month 2 April 2017 Autism Awareness Day Mon Tues Weds Thurs Fri Sat Sun 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 5 9 9 11 Rama Navami (Hindu) Hindus celebrate the birth of Lord Rama Mahavir Jayanti (Jain) celebrates the birth of Mahavira, a contemporary of the Buddha Palm Sunday marks the beginning of Holy Week - the week leading up to Easter. Theravada New Year (Buddhist) New Year festival for Theravada Buddhists 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 11 Passover (1st day) (Jewish) The start of the festival of Passover 14 Good Friday (Christian) Good Friday commemorates the execution of Jesus by crucifixion. (BANK HOLIDAY) 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 14 Vaisakhi (Sikh) Sikh New Year Festival 16 Easter Sunday (Christian) Christians celebrate the Resurrection of Christ 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 17 Easter Monday (BANK HOLIDAY) 21 Ridvan - first day (Bahai) The start of a 12-day festival
2017 Diversity Calendar
Special dates this month 8-14 May 2017 Mental Health Awareness Week 15-21 May 2017 Deaf Awareness Week May Mon Tues Weds Thurs Fri Sat Sun 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 Special Days in May 1 Early May BANK HOLIDAY 10 11 23 25 Vesak (Buddha day) (Buddhist) The most important of the Buddhist festivals. It celebrates the Buddha's birthday Lailat al Bara'a (Islam) The Night of Forgiveness - takes place two weeks before the beginning of Ramadan Declaration of the Bab (Bahai) Bab was the Forerunner of Baha'u'llah, founder of the Baha'i faith. Ascension Day (Christian) marks the last earthly appearance of Christ after his resurrection. 17 May 2017 International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOT) 21 May 2017 World Day for Cultural Diversity Dialogue and Development 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 26 29 30 Ramadan (start) (Muslim) Ramadan is the Muslim month of fasting. Spring BANK HOLIDAY Shavuot (Jewish) Shavuot is a 2 day festival that marks the time that the first harvest was taken to the Temple.
2017 Diversity Calendar
June Special Days in June Mon Tues Weds Thurs Fri Sat Sun 1 2 3 4 4 Pentecost - Whitsun (Christian) Commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples and the birth of the Christian Church. Special dates this month June 2017 Gypsy, Roma & Travellers History Month 1-12 June 2017 Volunteers' Week 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 16 21 25 Martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev (Sikh) Guru Arjan Dev was the fifth Sikh Guru and the first Sikh martyr. Summer Solstice - Litha (Pagan) Longest day of the year Eid-Ul-Fitr (Muslim) The end of Ramadan when Muslims celebrate the end of fasting and thank Allah for His help with their month-long act of selfcontrol. 12-18 June 2017 Carers Week 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 29 St Peter and St Paul's Day (Christian) The martyrdoms of both these saints are observed by the Church today 19-25 June 2017 Learning Disabilities Week 23 June 2017 International Women in Engineering Day 26 27 28 29 30 24 June 2017 Armed Forces Day
2017 Diversity Calendar
July Special Days in July Mon Tues Weds Thurs Fri Sat Sun Special dates this month 16 July 2017 Disability Awareness Day 31 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 13 15 Martyrdom of the Bab (Bahai) Anniversary of the Bab's execution in 1850 in Tabriz, Iran. Obon (Buddhist, Shinto) Asalha - Puja Day (Buddhist) The anniversary of the start of Buddha's teaching - his first sermon, "The Wheel of Truth", after his enlightenment. 23 July 2017 Parents Day 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 23 Birthday of Haile Selassie I (Rastafari) Haile Selassie was the Emperor of Ethiopia. Rastas believe Haile Selassie is God, and that he will return the black community who are living in exile to Africa. 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 28 31 Birthday of Guru Har Krishen (Sikh) Tisha B'Av (Jewish) A solemn day that commemorates a series of tragedies that have befallen the Jewish people over the years, many of which have coincidentally happened on this day.
2017 Diversity Calendar
August Special Days in August Mon Tues Weds Thurs Fri Sat Sun Special dates this month 7 August 2017 International Friendship Day 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 1 15 15 Lughnasadh - Lammas (Pagan) A harvest festival and one of the Pagan festivals of Celtic origin Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Christian) A largely Roman Catholic festival celebrating their belief that Mary, the mother of Jesus, was taken body and soul into heaven. Janmashtami Hindus celebrate the birth of Lord Krishna 12 August 2017 International Youth Day 23 August 2017 International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 18 25 28 Paryushan The most important Jain festival of the year Ganesh Charurthi Hindus celebrates the birth of Ganesh, god of wisdom and prosperity. Summer BANK HOLIDAY 28 29 30 31
2017 Diversity Calendar
September Special Days in September Mon Tues Weds Thurs Fri Sat Sun 1 2 3 1 Eid-Ul-Adha (Islam) Festival of Sacrifice marking the day after Arafat, the most important day in the Hajj ritual. This is a four-day holiday Special dates this month 8 September 2017 International Literacy Day 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 8 20 Birthday of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Christian) Roman Catholic and Anglican churches celebrate the birth of Mary, mother of Jesus. Rosh Hashanah (1st day) (Jewish) Jewish New Year. A two-day festival during which work is not permitted. 10 September 2017 World Suicide Prevention Day 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 21 Navaratri (start) (Hindu) Navaratri) symbolises the triumph of good over evil and marks the start of autumn 21 September 2017 International Day of Peace 21 Al-Hjira (Islam) Islamic New Year. Marks the migration of the Prophet Mohammad from Mecca to Medina. 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 22 Autumn Equinox (Pagan) This day is celebrated when day and night are of equal duration. 25 26 27 28 29 30 30 30 Dasara (Hindu) Celebrates Lord Rama's victory over the evil Ravana. Yom Kippur (Jewish) Day of Atonement - the most solemn day of the Jewish year.
2017 Diversity Calendar
October Special Days in October Mon Tues Weds Thurs Fri Sat Sun 30 31 1 1 4 Ashura (Islam) Marks the martyrdom of the Prophet's grandson, Hussein. Sukkot (Jewish) commemorates the years Jews spent in the desert on their way to the Promised Land. Special dates this month October 2017 Black History Month 1 October 2017 Older People's Day 2-8 October 2017 Dyslexia Awareness Week 10 October 2017 World Mental Health Day 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 17 19 21 22 Birthday of Guru Ram Das (Sikh) The fourth of the Sikh Gurus. Diwali (Hindu, Sikh, Jainism) Diwali, the festival of lights is the most popular of all the festivals from South Asia. Birth of the Bab (Bahai) Celebrates the birth of the precursor of the founder of the Baha'i faith. Birth of Baha'u'llah (Bahai) This day celebrates the birth in 1817 of the founder of the Baha'i faith. 11 October 2017 National Coming Out Day 22 October 2017 International Stammering Awareness Day 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 23-29 October 2017
2017 Diversity Calendar
Special dates this month 1 November 2017 National Stress Awareness Day 2 November 2017 Bring in your Parents Day 12-19 November 2017 Inter-Faith Week 16 November 2017 International Day of Tolerance 13-17 November 2017 Anti-Bullying Week 20 November 2017 Transgender Day of Remembrance/Awareness November Mon Tues Weds Thurs Fri Sat Sun 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 2 2 4 11 11 24 Special Days in November Coronation of Emperor Haile Selassie I (Rastafari) Haile Selassie was the Emperor of Ethiopia. All Souls' Day (Christian) All Souls' Day is an opportunity to commemorate the faithful departed. Birthday of Guru Nanak Dev Sahib (Sikh) Founder of the Sikh religion Armistice Day (Multifaith) Marks the end of the First World War on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month in 1918. Diwali (Hindu, Sikh, Jainism) Diwali, the festival of lights is the most popular of all the festivals from South Asia. Martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur (Sikh) Guru Tegh Bahadur was the ninth Sikh Guru
2017 Diversity Calendar
December Special Days in December Mon Tues Weds Thurs Fri Sat Sun 1 2 3 1 3 Milad un Nabi (Sunni Muslim) Birthday of the Prophet Muhammad Advent Sunday (Christian) The beginning of the ecclesiastical year Special dates this month 1 December 2017 World AIDS Day 3 December 2017 International Day of Persons with Disabilities 10 December 2017 Human Rights Day 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 8 8 12 25 Bodhi Day (Buddhist) On Bodhi day some Buddhists celebrate Gautama's attainment of enlightenment under the Bodhi tree at Bodhgaya, India. Feast of the Immaculate Conception (Catholic) Celebrated by Roman Catholics who remember Mary's conception as being without sin, therefore, immaculate. Hanukkah (Jewish) Hanukkah is the Festival of Lights and marks the restoration of the temple by the Maccabees in 164 BCE. Christmas Day (Christian) BANK HOLIDAY - Western Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 26 26 Boxing Day BANK HOLIDAY Zarathosht Diso Zoroastrians remember the death of their prophet, Zoroaster.
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