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)
4 – World Braille Day (United Nations)
7 – Orthodox Christmas (Christianity) / Mahayana New Year (Buddishm)
13 – Lohri (Sikhism)
14 – Makar Sankranti/Maghi (Hinduism, Sikhism)
16 - Martin Luther King Day (United States)
17 – World Religion Day (Baha’i)
22 - Lunar/Chinese New Year (Chinese)
24 – Sadeh (Zoroastrianism)
25 - Vasant Pachami /Saraswati Puja (Hinduism)
27 – International Holocaust Remembrance Day (United Nations)
1 – World Hijab Day / Imbolc (Wicca/Paganism)
3 – Setsubun (Shintoism/Japanese Holiday)
4 - Rosa Parks Day (United States)
5 – Tu BiShvat (Judaism)
11 – International Day of Women and Girls in Science (United Nations)
14 – Missing Women’s Memorial March (Canada)
15 – Nirvana Day (Buddhism) / Lupercalia (Wicca/Paganism)
18 – Isra’a and Miraj (Islam) / Maha Shivratri (Hinduism)
20 – World Day of Social Justice (United Nations) / Family Day (Canada)
21 – International Mother Language Day (United Nations) / Losar (Tibetan New Year)
22 – Ash Wednesday (Christianity)
23 – Pink Shirt Day (Canada)
25 – Shab-e-barat (Islam)
1 - International Wheelchair Day
6 – Māgha Pūjā (Buddhism)
7 – Purim (Judaism)
8 – International Women’s Day (United Nations)/ Holi (Sikhism, Hinduism) / Holla Mohalla (Sikhism)
14 – Chet (Sikh New Year/Punjabi Culture Day)
20 – Ostara (Wicca/Paganism)
21 – International Day for Elimination of Racial Discrimination (United Nations) / Nowruz (Persian New Year) / World Down Syndrome Day (United Nations)
22 – Ramadan begins (Islam)
25 – International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade (United Nations)
31 – International Transgender Day of Visibility (United Nations)
Sexual Assault Awareness Month
2 – World Autism Awareness Day (United Nations)
6 – Hanuman Jayanti (Hinduism) / International Asexuality Day
6-13 – Pesach / Passover (Judaism)
7 – World Health Day (United Nations)/ Good Friday (Christianity)
10 – Easter Monday (Christianity)
12 – International Day of Pink (Anti-Bullying)
13 – Vaisakhi (Hinduism, Sikhism)
15 - Birth Date of Guru Nanak Dev Ji (Sikhism)
18 – Laylat al-Qadr (Islam)
20 – First day of Ridvan (Baha’i)
21 – Eid-al-Fitr (Islam)
28 – National Day of Mourning (Canada)
30 – Journey to Freedom Day (Canada)
1 – Beltane (Wicca/Paganism)
5 – National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (Canada)
17 – International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (United Nations)
18 - Global Accessibility Awareness Day
21 – World Cultural Diversity Day (United Nations)
23 – 29 – BC Anti-Racism Awareness Week
25 – Africa Day (United Nations)
26 – Shavuot (Jewish)
29 - Ascension of Baha'u'llah (Baha’i)
29 – June 4 – BC Accessibility Week
Indigenous History Month (Canada)
2 – Vesak Day (Buddhism)/ International Sex Worker’s Day (United Nations)
12 – World Day Against Child Labor (United Nations)
15 – World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (United Nations)
16 – Martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev Ji (Sikhism)
18 – International Day for Countering Hate Speech (United Nations)
19 – Juneteenth (African-American)
19 – International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict (United Nations)
20 – World Refugee Day (United Nations)
21 – National 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)
3 – Guru Purnima (Jainism, Hinduism, Buddhism)
9 - Martyrdom of the Bá’b (Baha’i)
14 – International Non-Binary Peoples Day
19 – Al-Hijra (Islamic New Year)
26 - Tishah B’av (Judaism)
31 - Lughnasadh (Wicca/Paganism)
1 – Emancipation Day (Canada)
9 – International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples (United Nations)
12 – International Youth day (United Nations)
13 to 15 – Obon Festival (Buddhism- Shinto)
19 – World Humanitarian Day (United Nations)/ Janmashtami (Hindu)
31 – Ganesh Chaturthi (Hindu) / International Overdose Awareness Day
6 – Labor Day (Canada)
10 – World Suicide Prevention Day
12 – Paryushana (Jainism)
20 - 24 - Autumn Equinox (Wicca/Paganism)
21 – International Day of Peace (United Nations)
23 – Celebrate Bisexuality Day
25-27 – Rosh Hashanah (Judaism)
29 – October 6 – Sukkot (Judaism)
30 – National Day for Truth and Reconciliation / Orange Shirt Day (Canada)
National Disability Employment Awareness Month
2 – International Day of Non-Violence (United Nations)
4 – Yom Kippur (Judaism)
7 – Shemini Atzeret (Judaism)
10 – World Mental Health Day (World Health Organization)
11 – National Coming Out Day / International Day of the Girl Child (United Nations)
17 – International Day for the Eradication of Poverty (United Nations)
18 – International Pronouns Day (United Nations)/ Persons Day (Canada)
31 - Samhain (Wicca/Paganism)
Indigenous Disability Awareness Month
4 – Bandi Chhor Divas (Sikhism)
7 – International Inuit Day / Birth of Baha’u’llah (Baha’i)
8 – National Indigenous Veterans Day (Canada)
11 – Remembrance Day (Canada)
12 – Diwali (Hinduism)
16 – Louis Riel Day (Métis)
20 – Transgender day of Remembrance
25 – International Day of Elimination of Violence Against Women (United Nations)
1 – World AIDS Day
2 – International Day for the Abolition of Slavery (United Nations)
3 – International Day of Persons with Disabilities (United Nations)
6 – National Day of Remembrance of Action on Violence Against Women (United Nations)
8 – Bodhi Day (Buddhism)
10 – Human Rights Day (United Nations)
18-26 – Hanukkah (Judaism)
21 - Winter Solstice/Yule (Wicca/Paganism)
25 – Christmas (Christianity)
26- Jan 1 – Kwanzaa (African-American)