Days of Significance 2024
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)
13 – Lohri (Sikhism) / Maghi (Sikhism)
15 – Makar Sankranti (Hinduism, Sikhism) / Martin Luther King Day
21 – World Religion Day (Baha’i)
24 - Tu BiShvat (Judaism)
25 - Mahayana New Year (Buddhism)
27 – International Holocaust Remembrance Day (United Nations)
30 – Sadeh (Zoroastrianism)
1 – World Hijab Day / Imbolc (Wicca/Paganism)
3 – Setsubun (Shintoism/Japanese Holiday)
4 - Rosa Parks Day
8 – Isra’a and Miraj (Islam)
10 - Lunar Chinese New Year / Losar (Tibetan New Year)
11 – International Day of Women and Girls in Science (United Nations)
14 – Missing Women’s Memorial March (Canada) / Vasant Panchami /Saraswati Puja (Hinduism) / Ash Wednesday (Christianity)
15 – Nirvana Day (Buddhism) / Lupercalia (Wicca/Paganism)
20 – World Day of Social Justice (United Nations)
21 – International Mother Language Day (United Nations)
25 – Shab-e-barat (Islam)
28 – Pink Shirt Day (Canada)
1 - International Wheelchair Day
8 – International Women’s Day (United Nations) / Maha Shivratri (Hinduism)
10 – Ramadan begins (Islam)
14 – Chet (Sikh New Year/Punjabi Culture Day)
19 - Nowruz (Persian New Year) / Two-Spirit and Indigenous LGBTQQIA+ Celebration and Awareness Day
20 – Ostara (Wicca/Paganism)
21 – International Day for Elimination of Racial Discrimination (United Nations) / World Down Syndrome Day (United Nations)
24 - Māgha Pūjā (Buddhism) / Purim (Judaism)
25 – International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade (United Nations) / Holi (Sikhism, Hinduism)
27 - Holla Mohalla (Sikhism)
29 - Good Friday (Christianity)
31 – International Transgender Day of Visibility (United Nations) / Easter Monday (Christianity)
Sexual Assault Awareness Month
2 – World Autism Awareness Day (United Nations)
6 – International Asexuality Day / Laylat al-Qadr (Islam)
7 – World Health Day (United Nations)
9 – Eid-al-Fitr (Islam)
12 – International Day of Pink (Anti-Bullying)
13 – Vaisakhi (Hinduism, Sikhism)
21 – First day of Ridvan (Baha’i)
22 - 30 – Pesach / Passover (Judaism)
23 - Hanuman Jayanti (Hinduism)
28 – National Day of Mourning (Canada)
30 – Journey to Freedom Day (Canada)
Jewish Heritage Month (Canada)
1 – Beltane (Wicca/Paganism)
5 – National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, 2-Spirit, and gender diverse people (Canada)
6 - Yom HaShoah - Holocaust Memorial Day
17 – International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (United Nations)
21 – World Cultural Diversity Day (United Nations)
23 - Vesak Day (Buddhism)
20 – 24 – BC Anti-Racism Awareness Week
25 – Africa Day (United Nations)
26 - June 1 – BC Accessibility Week
Indigenous History Month (Canada)
2 – International Sex Worker’s Day (United Nations)
10 – Martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev Ji (Sikhism)
11 - 13 - Shavuot (Jewish)
12 – World Day Against Child Labor (United Nations)
15 – World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (United Nations)
16 – Eid al-Adha (Islam)
18 – International Day for Countering Hate Speech (United Nations)
19 – Juneteenth / 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) / Nativity of St. John the Baptist (Christianity)
27 – Multiculturalism Day (Canada)
7 – Al-Hijra (Islamic New Year)
9 - Martyrdom of the Bá’b (Baha’i)
14 – International Non-Binary Peoples Day
21 – Guru Purnima (Jainism, Hinduism, Buddhism)
1 – Emancipation Day / Lughnasadh (Wicca/Paganism)
9 – International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples (United Nations)
12 – International Youth day (United Nations) / Tish'a B'Av (Judaism)
13 – Obon Festival (Buddhism- Shinto)
19 – World Humanitarian Day (United Nations)
26 - Janmashtami (Hindu)
31 – International Overdose Awareness Day
31 - Sep 7 - Paryushana (Jainism)
2 – Labor Day (Canada)
6 - Ganesh Chaturthi (Hindu)
10 – World Suicide Prevention Day
20 - 24 - Mabon Autumn Equinox (Wicca/Paganism)
21 – International Day of Peace (United Nations)
23 – Celebrate Bisexuality Day
30 – National Day for Truth and Reconciliation / Orange Shirt Day (Canada)
National Disability Employment Awareness Month
2 – International Day of Non-Violence (United Nations)
2 - 4 - Rosh Hashanah (Judaism)
10 – World Mental Health Day (World Health Organization)
11 – National Coming Out Day / International Day of the Girl Child (United Nations)
12 – Yom Kippur (Judaism)
16 - 23 – Sukkot (Judaism)
17 – International Day for the Eradication of Poverty (United Nations) / Birth of Baha’u’llah (Baha'i)
18 – International Pronouns Day (United Nations)/ Persons Day (Canada)
24 – Shemini Atzeret (Judaism)
31 - Samhain (Wicca/Paganism)
Indigenous Disability Awareness Month
1 – Diwali (Hinduism)
4 – Bandi Chhor Divas (Sikhism)
8 – National Indigenous Veterans Day (Canada)
11 – Remembrance Day (Canada)
15 - Birth Date of Guru Nanak Dev Ji (Sikhism)
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)
17 - International day to End Violence Against Sex Workers (Red Umbrella Day)
21 - Winter Solstice/Yule (Wicca/Paganism)
25 – Christmas (Christianity)
25 - Jan 1 – Hanukkah (Judaism)
26 - Jan 1 – Kwanzaa (African American)