Days of Significance 2023

Please click on the months below to find a list of cultural, religious, national, and international days of significance. This is, by no means, intended to be an exhaustive list, but as a starting point to learn more about the diverse days of significance that members of our communities might observe. You can click on the day of significance to learn more about it. We hope you find this list a useful resource!

Alzheimer's Awareness Month (Canada)

1 - Gantan-sai (Shintoism/Japanese National Holiday) / New Year’s Day (Gregorian Calendar) 

4World Braille Day (United Nations)

7Orthodox Christmas (Christianity)  / Mahayana New Year (Buddishm) 

13Lohri (Sikhism)

14Makar Sankranti/Maghi (Hinduism, Sikhism)

16 - Martin Luther King Day (United States)

17World Religion Day (Baha’i)

22 - Lunar/Chinese New Year (Chinese)

24Sadeh (Zoroastrianism)

25 - Vasant Pachami /Saraswati Puja (Hinduism)

27International Holocaust Remembrance Day (United Nations)

Black History Month

1World Hijab Day / Imbolc (Wicca/Paganism)  

3Setsubun (Shintoism/Japanese Holiday)

4 - Rosa Parks Day (United States)

5Tu BiShvat (Judaism)

11International Day of Women and Girls in Science (United Nations)

14Missing Women’s Memorial March (Canada)

15 –  Nirvana Day (Buddhism) / Lupercalia (Wicca/Paganism) 

18Isra’a and Miraj (Islam)  / Maha Shivratri (Hinduism) 

20World Day of Social Justice (United Nations) /  Family Day (Canada)

21International Mother Language Day (United Nations) / Losar (Tibetan New Year)

22Ash Wednesday (Christianity)

23Pink Shirt Day (Canada) 

25Shab-e-barat (Islam)

1 - International Wheelchair Day

6Māgha Pūjā (Buddhism)

7Purim (Judaism)

8International Women’s Day (United Nations)/ Holi (Sikhism, Hinduism) / Holla Mohalla (Sikhism)

14Chet (Sikh New Year/Punjabi Culture Day)

20Ostara (Wicca/Paganism) 

21International Day for Elimination of Racial Discrimination (United Nations) / Nowruz (Persian New Year) / World Down Syndrome Day (United Nations)

22Ramadan begins (Islam)

25International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade (United Nations)

31International Transgender Day of Visibility (United Nations)

Deaf History Month

Sexual Assault Awareness Month

Sikh Heritage Month

2World Autism Awareness Day (United Nations)

6Hanuman Jayanti (Hinduism) / International Asexuality Day 

6-13Pesach / Passover (Judaism)

7World Health Day (United Nations)/ Good Friday (Christianity)

10Easter Monday (Christianity)

12International Day of Pink (Anti-Bullying)

13Vaisakhi (Hinduism, Sikhism)

15 - Birth Date of Guru Nanak Dev Ji (Sikhism)

18Laylat al-Qadr (Islam)

20First day of Ridvan (Baha’i)

21Eid-al-Fitr (Islam)

28National Day of Mourning (Canada)

30Journey to Freedom Day (Canada)

Indigenous History Month (Canada)

Pride Month (Canada)

2Vesak Day (Buddhism)/ International Sex Worker’s Day (United Nations)

12World Day Against Child Labor (United Nations)

15World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (United Nations)

16Martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev Ji (Sikhism)

18International Day for Countering Hate Speech (United Nations)

19Juneteenth (African-American)

19 – International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict (United Nations)

20World Refugee Day (United Nations)

21National Indigenous Peoples Day (United Nations)/ Litha/Midsummer (Wicca/Paganism)

23 – National Day of Remembrance for Victims of Terrorism (Canada)

24 – Nativity of St. John the Baptist (Christianity)

27 – Multiculturalism Day (Canada)

28 – Eid al-Adha (Islam)

Disability Pride Month

3Guru Purnima (Jainism, Hinduism, Buddhism)

9 - Martyrdom of the Bá’b (Baha’i)

14International Non-Binary Peoples Day

19Al-Hijra (Islamic New Year)

26 - Tishah B’av (Judaism)

31 - Lughnasadh (Wicca/Paganism) 

1Emancipation Day (Canada)

9International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples (United Nations)

12International Youth day (United Nations)

13 to 15Obon Festival (Buddhism- Shinto)

19World Humanitarian Day (United Nations)/ Janmashtami (Hindu)

31Ganesh Chaturthi (Hindu) / International Overdose Awareness Day

6Labor Day (Canada)

10World Suicide Prevention Day

12Paryushana (Jainism)

20 - 24Autumn Equinox (Wicca/Paganism) 

21International Day of Peace (United Nations)

23Celebrate Bisexuality Day

25-27Rosh Hashanah (Judaism)

29 – October 6Sukkot (Judaism)

30National Day for Truth and Reconciliation / Orange Shirt Day (Canada)

1World AIDS Day

2International Day for the Abolition of Slavery (United Nations)

3International Day of Persons with Disabilities (United Nations)

6National Day of Remembrance of Action on Violence Against Women (United Nations)

8Bodhi Day (Buddhism)

10Human Rights Day (United Nations)

18-26Hanukkah (Judaism)

21Winter Solstice/Yule (Wicca/Paganism)

25Christmas (Christianity)

26- Jan 1 – Kwanzaa (African-American)