INTERCULTURAL AND CITIZENSHIP CALENDAR 2021-2022

This calendar reflects the cultural diversity present in our schools. Each school can add cultural information, as desired.

JULY 2021 OCTOBER 2021

1 Canada Day Women’s History Month (Canada) 13-15 O-bon, festival honouring the spirits of the ancestors, who are 2 International Day of Non-Violence (UN) welcomed with dancing in homes and villages 7-14 Navaratri, Hindu festival dedicated to the worship of the deity 18 Beginning of pilgrimage to Mecca Durga 20 Eid al-Adha, a great Muslim feast held at the end of the 11 Thanksgiving (Canada), harvest festival pilgrimage to Mecca 17 International Day for the Eradication of Poverty (UN) 24 , festival honouring the first teachings of 18-24 Québec’s Week of Intercultural Encounters the Buddha after his enlightenment near Benares 19 an-Nabi, commemorating the birth of Muhammad, 24 Guru Purnima, Nepalese and Indian festival dedicated to founder of Islam (October 24 for Shias) academic and spiritual teachers 20 Pavarana, celebration marking the end of , a retreat monks AUGUST 2021 hold during the rainy season (Theravada ) 24 United Nations Day 10 Ras el-Am el-Hejri, the Islamic New Year, the first day of the 31 and national UNICEF Day month of Muharram (year 1443) 12 International Youth Day NOVEMBER 2021 18 Ashura, Shiite Muslims remember the death of Imam Hussein, grandson of the prophet Mohammed. Sunni Muslims 1 All Saints’ Day, observed by Catholics and some Protestants commemorate Moses and his people leaving Egypt 2 All Souls’ Day, observed by Catholics and some Protestants 19 World Humanitarian Day 4 , Hindu festival of lights dedicated to the goddess Lakshmi SEPTEMBER 2021 4 Diwali, Sikh festival commemorating the release from imprisonment of Guru Hargobind, the Sixth Sikh Master 6 11 Remembrance Day (Canada) 6-8 , Jewish New Year (year 5782) 19 Birthday of Guru Nanak, founder of Sikhism 8 International Literacy Day (UNESCO) 20 Universal Children’s Day (UN) 10 Ganesh Charturthi, festival of Ganesha, deity of education and 25 International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women protector of students (UN) 15-16 , Jewish Day of Atonement devoted to fasting and 25 Thanksgiving (United States) repentance 28 First Sunday in Advent, the period most Christians set aside to 20-27 Sukkot, Jewish Feast of Booths to mark 40 years in the desert prepare for 21 International Day of Peace (UN) November 28-December 6 , Jewish Festival of Lights 21 Mid-Autumn Festival, or Full Moon Festival (China, Vietnam) celebrating the glittering moon 22 Autumnal equinox (2:21 p.m., EST) End of September Anti-Bullying and Violence Awareness Week at School (Québec) INTERCULTURAL AND CITIZENSHIP CALENDAR 2021-2022

DECEMBER 2021 MARCH 2022

6 National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against 1 , Hindu festival dedicated to the god Shiva Women 2 Ash Wednesday, marking the first day of Lent for most 8 , the day that the Buddha experienced enlightenment Christians ( Buddhism) 7 Clean Monday, Beginning of Great Lent in preparation for 10 Human Rights Day (UN) in Orthodox churches, ending April 5 18 International Migrants Day (UN) 8 International Women’s Day (UN) 21 Winter solstice (10:59 a.m., EST) 14 Sikh New Year (year 554) 25 Christmas, celebration of the birth of Jesus (January 7 in the 16-17 Purim, festival commemorating the deliverance of the Jewish Julian calendar) people from the Persian Empire 17 St. Patrick’s Day, celebration of the Irish people JANUARY 2022 18 Holi, Hindu spring and colors festival 1 New Year’s Day (January 14 in the Julian calendar) 18 Hola Mohalla, Sikh festival 6 Theophany, Orthodox celebration commemorating the baptism 20 Spring (vernal) equinox (10:33 a.m. EST) of Jesus, when it was revealed that he was the son of God 20 International Francophonie Day (January 19 in the Julian calendar) 20 or 21 Nowruz, Persian New Year (year 1401) 6 Epiphany, the Magi visit Jesus (January 6 or the first Sunday after January 1st) 21 International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (UN) 15 Journée nationale du vivre-ensemble (Québec) End of march Francofête, celebration of the French language and 18 New Year, Mahayana Buddhism (year 2566) francophone culture (Québec) FEBRUARY 2022 Action Week Against Racism (Québec)

Black History Month (Canada and United States) 1 (Chūn Jié) and Vietnamese New Year (Têt Nguyen Dan) (4720, Year of the Water Tiger) 2 Candlemas - Celebration of the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple in Jerusalem (February 15 in the Julian calendar) 11 Day (Québec) 12 Red Hand Day, to protest against the use of child soldiers (UN) 14 Valentine’s Day, celebration of love 15 , commemorating the day of Buddha’s death and his attainment of (Mahayana Buddhism) 16 Magha Pûja, Day (Theravadan Buddhism) 21 International Mother Language Day (UNESCO) INTERCULTURAL AND CITIZENSHIP CALENDAR 2021-2022

APRIL 2022 JUNE 2022

3 Beginning of Ramadan, the Muslim month of fasting, which Beginning of June Start of the First Nations Pow Wow season (Québec) ends around May 2 4-6 Shavuot, Jewish holiday commemorating the day Moses 10 , beginning of Holy Week commemorating the last received the Torah at Mount Sinai days of Jesus (April 30 in the Julian calendar) 5 Pentecost, feast celebrating the descent of the Holy Spirit upon 10 Rama Navami, Hindu festival celebrating the birth of Rama, the Apostles (June 12 for Orthodox Christians) seventh incarnation of the god Vishnu 20 World Refugee Day 13-14 Vaisakhi, Sikh festival celebrating the Khalsa religious fraternity 21 Summer solstice (04:13 a.m., EST) 14 Indian New Year (year 1944 according to the Indian national 21 National Aboriginal Day (Canada) calendar). Other regions in India celebrate on April 1st according to the Hindu calendar (year 2079) 24 St-Jean-Baptiste - Québec’s National Holiday 15-23 , Jewish festival commemorating the escape from slavery in Egypt 15 , crucifixion of Christ (May 5 in the Julian calendar) Some dates can change according to the solar or lunar calendar, 16 New Year, Theravadan Buddhism (year 2566) or according to the difference in time zones between Canada 17 Easter, celebration of the resurrection of Jesus three days after and other countries. Moreover, the dates of some thematic his death (May 7 in the Julian calendar) weeks were not known at the time of preparing this calendar; 22 International Mother (UN) they are indicated here in the month during which they usually take place. 24 Armenian Genocide (Québec) 27 Holocaust - Yom Hashoah Memorial Day (Québec) – International Holocaust Remembrance Day is on January 27 Please note that this intercultural calendar can be used to plan a variety of MAY 2022 school activities and to mark certain significant events in the history of communities, countries and humanity. It should not, however, be used to 1 International Workers’ Day determine statutory holidays for school staff as these are stipulated in the collective agreements and during specific negotiations between parties. 3 Eïd al-Fitr, feast celebrating the breaking of the fast after the month of Ramadan 16 or Buddha Purnima, day commemorating Buddha’s birth (Mahayana tradition), and day commemorating his birth, enlightenment and passing to Nirvana (Theravadan Buddhism) 17 International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia 21 World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development 23 Journée nationale des Patriotes (Québec) 23 Victoria Day (Canada) 26 Feast of the Ascension of Jesus into Heaven