A Partial Listing of Religious, Ethnic and Civic Observances Academic Year 2011-12 2011 *Ramadan (Islamic) August 1-30 *Quds Day (Islamic) August 5 *Lailat al Kadr (Islamic) August 26 *Rosh Chodesh Elul (Jewish) August 30 *Eid al-Fitr (Islamic) August 30 Ganesh Chaturdhi (Hindu) September 1 Labor Day (U.S.) September 5 Devi Navaratri (Hindu) September 27 - October 6 *Rosh Hashanah/Jewish New Year September 28-30 *Tzom Gedaliah (Jewish) October 2 Cirio de Nazare (Brazil) October 4-24 Chong Yang (China) October 5 Dassehra/Dussehra (Hindu) October 6 Vijayadashmi (Hindu) October 6 *Yom Kippur/Day of Atonement (Jewish) October 8 Columbus Day (U.S.) October 10 *Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles) (Jewish) October 14 Karva Chauth (Buddhist, Hindu) October 16 *Hosha’anah Rabah (Jewish) October 19 Birth of the Bab (Bahá’í) October 20 *Shemini Atzeret (Jewish) October 20 *Simchat Torah (Jewish) October 21 Diwali (Buddhist, Hindu, Sikh, Jain) October 26 All Hallows Eve/Halloween October 31 Samhain (Pagan, Wiccan) October 31 All Saints’ Day (Christian) November 1 Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) (Latin America) November 2 All Souls’ Day (Roman Catholic) November 2 Bunka No Hi (Japan) November 3 *Waqf al Arafa (Islamic) November 5 *Eid al-Adha (Islamic) November 7 Veterans’ Day (U.S.) November 11 Birth of Baha’u’llah (Bahá’í) November 12 Shichigosan Matsuri (Shinto) November 15 Thanksgiving (U.S.) November 24 Day of the Covenant (Bahá’í) November 26 Muharram (Islamic New Year) November 27 Sundays of Advent (Christian) November 27 December 4, 11, 18 *Ashura (Islamic) December 5 Bodhi Day (Buddhist, Hindu) December 8 Feast Day — Our Lady of Guadalupe (Latin America) December 12 Diversity Resource Las Posadas (Mexico) December 16-24 *Chanukah/Hanukkah (Jewish) December 21-28 OFFICEO F F I C E Winter Solstice/Yule (Pagan, International) December 22 Christmas (Christian) December 25 *Rosh Chodesh Tevet (Jewish) December 26 Kwanzaa (African-American) December 26 - January 1

2012 Japanese New Year January 1 New Year’s Day (U.S. , International) January 1 Shogatsu (Shinto New Year) January 1 *Asarah B’Tevet (Jewish) January 5 Dia de los Santos Reyes/Three Kings Day (Latin America) January 6 Epiphany (Christian) January 6 Makar Sankranti (Hindu) January 14 Birthday of Martin Luther King Jr. (U.S.) January 16 Chinese New Year January 23 Imbolc/Imbolg (Pagan, Wiccan) February 2 *Mawlid al-Nabi (Islamic) February 4 *Tu B’Shevat (Jewish) February 8 is the key to global success National Founding Day (Shinto) February 11 Maha Shivaratri (Hindu) February 20 Presidents’ Day (U.S.) February 20 International Mother Language Day February 21 www.purdue.edu/dro 765-494-7307 Ash Wednesday/Lent begins (Christian) February 22 Clean Monday/Lent begins (Orthodox Christian) February 27 Workshops and programs that address diversity issues are available for faculty, Hinamatsuri (Japan) March 3 *Fast of Esther (Jewish) March 7 staff and students. The Diversity Resource Offi ce also administers the DiversiKey Holi (Hindu) March 8 *Purim (Jewish) March 8 Program, which prepares students to be active and responsible members in their *Shushan Purim (Jewish) March 9 local and global communities. St. Patrick’s Day (Christian) March 17 Nowruz (Iranian New Year) March 21 *Rosh Chodesh Nissan (Jewish) March 24 Palm Sunday (Christian) April 1 August 2011 September 2011 October 2011 Mahavir Jayanti (Jain) April 5 Good Friday (Christian) April 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 1 *Passover/Pesach (Jewish) April 6-14 Palm Sunday (Orthodox Christian) April 8 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Easter (Christian) April 8 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Great Friday (Orthodox Christian) April 13 Holy Saturday (Orthodox Christian) April 14 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 Great and Holy Pascha (Orthodox Christian) April 15 28 29 30 31 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 23/ 24/ 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 *Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day) (Jewish) April 19 *Yom Ha’atzmaut (Jewish) April 26 November 2011 December 2011 January 2012 Beltane (Pagan, Wiccan) May 1 Cinco de Mayo (Mexican/Mexican-American) May 5 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Tango no Sekku (Shinto) May 5 *Lag BaOmer (Jewish) May 10 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 *Yom Yerushalayim (Jewish) May 20 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 *Rosh Chodesh Sivan (Jewish) May 22 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 Declaration of the Bab (Bahá’í) May 23 Pentecost (Christian) May 27 27 28 29 30 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 29 30 31 *Shavuot (Jewish) May 27 Memorial Day (U.S.) May 28 February 2012 March 2012 April 2012 Ascension of the Baha’u’llah (Bahá’í) May 29 Pentecost (Orthodox Christian) June 3 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 *Lailat al Miraj/Shab-E-Miraj (Islamic) June 16 *Rosh Chodesh Tamuz (Jewish) June 20 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Summer Solstice/Litha/Midsummer (Pagan, Wiccan) June 21 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 Independence Day (U.S.) July 4 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 *Lailat al Bara’a/Shab-E-Barat (Islamic) July 4 *Fast of Shiva Asar B’Tammuz (Jewish) July 8 26 27 28 29 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 29 30 Martyrdom of the Bab (Bahá’í) July 9 *Rosh Chodesh Av (Jewish) July 20 May 2012 June 2012 July 2012 *Ramadan (Islamic) July 21 *Tisha B’Av (Jewish) July 28 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Lammas (Pagan/Wiccan) August 1 Raksha Bandhan (Hindu, Jain) August 2 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 *Rosh Chodesh Elul (Jewish) August 18 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 *Many Islamic and Jewish observances begin at sundown/sunset on the evening preceding the 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 noted date.

27 28 29 30 31 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 29 30 31 Work and school are prohibited during Jewish High Holy Days. These days begin at sundown of the evening preceding the fi rst day and conclude at sundown on the days noted. c Dia de losMuertos: Zaragoza defeated the French forces under Napoleon III. in Easter: celebration means asmuch to Hindus to does Christians. asChristmas lamps,” andthe celebration isoften referred to asthe Festival Lights. of The Puebla o Souls’All Day: now honors saints all the church, of even those not known by name. th Diwali (Divali, Dewali): their familieson Oct. 31andleave on Nov. 2. have departed thislife. It isbelieved that the spirits the dead of come to visit al-F Eid al-Fitr (Id al-Fitr): by God obey sacrificing hisson. Id al-Adha lasts for three days andcommemorates Ibrahim’s to willingness li Ash Wednesday: celebrated on Nov. 3. Nov. 2except when the date falls on aSunday, inwhich case Souls’All Day is Cinco de Mayo: not known. memo Epiphany (Western Christian): although the mainfestivities occur on the first day. Dec. a Advent: Chr (WesternChristmas theLord Christian)/Nativity of (Eastern Antiochus IVandthe subsequent reclamation Jerusalem. of celebrates the Maccabees (165BCE)of the over victory the Syrian tyrant sunset the previous day, andalso isknown asthe Festival Lights. of Hanukkah F Friday: Good the eighth day after hisbirth, according to the Law Moses. of which commemorates the circumcision of It somewhat resembles The Presentation the Lord of (Eastern Christian), men,”wise and is celebrated on the Sunday that between falls Jan. 2and8. im Eid al-Adha (Id al-Adha): and isthe Sunday following moon theon full or after the vernal equinox. N Saints’All Day: Sunday nearest Nov. 30(St. Andrew’s Day) andlasts Eve. until Christmas Christians prepare to celebrate Christ. of the birth Advent on the begins Orthodox churches, the observance isknown asGreat Friday. 25th da Chanukah/Hanukkah: The Hebrew word for “dedication,” on the begins which occurs inthe 40days before Easter. elebration to remember andprepare special inhonor foods those who of r those baptized Christians believed to inpurgatory. be It iscelebrated on riday before Easter. It commemorates the crucifi Jesus.xion of In Eastern dventus turgical year.turgical Lent isaseason spiritual of discipline, cleansing andfasting, ov. 1andby Eastern churches on the first Sunday after Pentecost. The day e 15thday inthe Kartika Hindu of calendar. Diwali means “rows lighted of Western Christianity. It also marks the endof Western Lent. The date varies portant feast the Muslim of calendar. It concludes the to pilgrimage Mecca. A Partial Listing ofReligious,EthnicandCivicObservances—AcademicYear 2011-12 itr or the “festival breaking of the fast.” The celebration lasts three days, Ti eerto ftebrho eu hithsfle n istian): Thiscelebration Jesus of the birth of on Christ hasfallen 25for more than1,600years, although the date exact Christ’s of is birth rates the presentation the infant of Jesus to the Magi, or the “three (Battle Puebla) of inwhich the Me y of Kislevy of inthe Hebrew calendar. It lasts eight days, at beginning Easter celebrates the resurrection Jesus, of the most joyous occasion The church Christian year with begins Advent (from the Latin meaning “coming” or “arrival”). Advent when isalso atime Good Friday Good occurs between March 20and April 23—on the holyA Christian day commemorating the faithfuldeparted holyA Christian day observed by many Western churches on Diversity Resource Cinco de Mayo commemorates the May 5, 1862,

Diversity Resource Marks the first day Lent of inthe Western Christian Diade los Muertos (Day the Dead) isaMexican of

OFFICE The joyous celebration at Ramadan isEid the endof

OFFICE Diwali isafive-day Hindu festival that occurs on Eidal-Adha (Feast Sacrifi of ce) isthe most

Appreciation of religious, ethnic and civic observances fosters an Epiphany for Western com- Christians inclusive learning and working environment. With that in mind, we xican troops under GeneralIgnacio encourage you to display this calendar. And we invite you to join us for Jesus inthe Temple at Jerusalem workshops that address diversity issues for faculty, staff and students.

Campus Mail Ba talla de Amer Kwanzaa: Kwanzaa from the Kiswahili word meaning “first fruits,” isan African- number Bangladeshi of university students. East Pakistan) since 1952, when the East Pakistani police andarmy a inDhaka killed W Sunday: Palm Israelites slavery from inthe 1200sBCE. Egyptian The word I Mawlid al-Nabi: LutherMartin King Jr.” (36USC, 169j.) Section refl onect the principles andnonviolent racialequality of change social espoused by January.of Congress’ intention was that the holiday “serve for asatime to Americans legal holiday on Jan. 20, 1986, andsince observed then hasbeen on the third Monday c National Founding Day: parades, memorial ceremonies andthe decoration graves of fl with owers andfl ags. women the nation’s of in wartime. killed Traditionally services armed marked by t LutherMartin KingJr. Day: spiritual cleansing through prayer, fasting andrepentance. the resurrection Jesus. of From the Old English precedingtime the Holy Christian Week, which culminates inthe celebration of a t New Year’sDay: the throne on that day andcreated the Japanese state. Japan.of It isbasedon thethat myth the first Japanese emperor, Jinmu, ascended to ann Day: Memorial calendar. Muhammad was about born 570 AD anddiedin632 AD. o Posadas:Las about anddeveloping history African-American unity. that would facilitate building goals of African-American astrong family, learning the creation Dr. in1966of Maulana Ron Karenga, who sought to establish aholiday E Lent: walk through communities andstop at homes selected to ask for lodging. representing the Christ Child Joseph andimages of riding on andMary aburro. They the inn.” season, Each Christmas celebrants form aprocession adoll andcarry s Passover/Pesach: Jesus was crucified. From the Hebrew after the vernal equinox, but never before the Jewish Passover, since that was the day entire Church Christian inthe year 325, varies each year. It falls on the first Sunday Lan International Mother Day: Language Israelites’ homes marked lambs. theof blood with to the Bible, the fi killed God homesrst-born but child inEgyptian “passed over” the 10thplague placed for God on keeping Egypt the Israelites inslavery. According end o Pascha: in Jesus’ path asHe entered Jerusalem prior to His crucifixion. Holy of beginning Week. The day commemorates the spreading palms andclothing of o honor the birthday Luther Martin of King Jr. Thiswas first celebrated asafederal slam. The day isfixed at the 12thday the month of Rabi of al-Awwal inthe Muslim unset on the 15thday Nisan of inthe Hebrew calendar. Jews celebrate the flight the of elebrated on Feb. 11 and commemorates th f Mary andJoseph Mary f from Nazareth to Bethlehem andtheir search for a “room at astern churches, excluding Sundays inthe Western churches). It of isthe period estern liturgical Christian calendar. It signals the upcoming Lent endof andthe ime of renewal; of ime many people resolve to break bad habitsones. good andbegin ually on the last Monday inMay inthe United States inhonor the menand of guage Movement Day. The day commemorated hasbeen inBangladesh (formerly Also called “the Great Fast,” Lent lasts 40days (including Sundays inthe f the Orthodoxf Lent. The date Pascha, of asdefined by the assembly the of ican cultural festival on Dec. beginning 26andending Jan. 1. The festival was Pascha isthe High Holy day the Orthodox of year, Christian marking the LasPosadas isatraditional Mexican festival that reenacts the journey Palm Sunday occurs on the Sunday before Easter Sunday inthe First observed on May 30, 1868, it isalegalholiday observed New Year’s Day iscelebrated on Jan. 1inthe Gregorian calendar. It is A celebration the birthday the Prophet of of Muhammad, founder of Passover, or Pesach, isaneight-day at observance that begins

Diversity Resource Offi ce, Purdue University Kenkoku, which isJapanese for “national founding,” is Phone: 765-494-7307; Fax: 765-496-1295 In 1983, the 98thCongress passed Public Law 98-144 E-mail: [email protected]; Web: www.purdue.edu/dro Pesach Originated asthe international recognition of e anniversary the foundation mythical of or “passover.”

lengten

• updated 2011 PRSV 2011 updated Media and Marketing Purdue by Produced

or “spring,” of it isatime An equal access/equal opportunity university opportunity access/equal equal An Passover

isderived from

E-mail: [email protected] [email protected] E-mail:

765-494-7307 www.purdue.edu/dro T Simchat Torah: Feast of Weeks because it occurs seven weeks after the first day Passover. of Commandments, the foundation Jewish of law. Shavout also isknownasthe sixth day Sivan, of at beginning sunset the night before, andcelebrates the Ten th Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day): year. Hemisphere isleaning away farther from the sun thanat any other of time sa Samhain: Samhainisthe Celtic Feast the Dead andisone of the eight of (Day Judgment) of andendon Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement). Hashanah for one day. The Ten Days Penitence of on Rosh begin Hashanah calendar andlasts two days. However, Reform Jews usually celebrate Rosh Qur Ramadan: The most sacred holiday the Muslim of year, mandated by the Feb. 12, many states combine the two into Presidents’ Day. to the third Monday inFebruary. Since Abraham Lincoln’s birthday cameon that begin with Rosh with that begin Hashanah, the Day Judgment. of one’s transgressions. Yom Kippur at falls the Ten the endof Days Penitence of since the events of Yom Kippur focus on asking forgiveness andgranting for the Jewish calendar. The observance also isknown asthe Day of Atonement — alo Shavuot: areand fairies overthrown, andthey canvisit others’ realms.” believed that, during Samhain, “the between barriers humans, ancestors, gods the harvestof (fruits, nuts winter. andsouls) of andthe beginning The Celts descendent thisancient of festival. Th Ca Solstice: Winter changed the date to the fourth Thursday inNovember. public andprayer.” thanksgiving In 1939, President Franklin Roosevelt Th Rosh Hashanah: A solemn celebration the Jewish of the beginning year. of which the Qur’an was revealed to Mohammad asguidance for the people. charitable andthe purifi acts cation individual of behavior. Also in the time obligation Islam. of worship, of Ramadan isatime reading the Qur’an, holy month fasting. of Fasting isconsidered to the be third religious pillar of las Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement): at Beginning sunset on Tishri 9and Germany. Buchenwald, at camp concentration Nazis during the Holocaust. On27Nisan, 1945, ForcesAllied liberated the is observed worldwide asamemorial to the six million Jews by killed the w Thanksgiving: the sukkots. Sukkot also signifi fores athanksgiving the harvest. wandered inthe during desert their journey to the Promised Landandlived in holidays. Sukkot means “booth” andrecalls that the time the Israelites and continues for seven days. Only the first two days are celebrated asfull b Sukkot: joyous celebration that concludes the annual cycle the reading of the Torah. of mo Presidents’ Day: orah” andrepresents the culmination Sukkot of andShemini Atzeret. It isa egins ategins sunset the day before the 15thday Tishri of inthe Hebrew calendar as in1619. In 1789, George Washington proclaimed Nov. 26asa “day of e Hebrew calendar. The holiday was established by the Israeli Knesset and bbats inthe Pagan calendar. The modern-day Halloween celebration isa pricorn andthe sun isthe shortest. Becausethe earth’s of tilt, the Northern ting untilting three stars appear after Tishri 10, Yom Kippur isthe holiest day in e new year at begins sunset before the first day Tishri of inthe Hebrew ving the legal observance of George the legalobservanceving of Washington’s birthday from Feb. 22 ’an (2:183). It occurs inthe ninth month the Islamic of calendar andisthe ng Passover with andSukkot —inthe Jewish calendar. It falls on the Sukkot, also known asthe Feast the Booths of or Feast Tabernacles, of Shavuot, meaning “weeks,” isone the three festivals of pilgrim The first recorded in Thanksgiving observance of America Simhat Torah (Tishri 23)literally means “rejoicing inthe The day when the distance between the Tropic of Began with the with passage Began Public of Law 90-363in1968,

e Celticcelebration the signaled end

Academic Year 2011-12 Year Academic Academic Year 2011-12 Year Academic

Occurs on 27Nisan in and Civic Observances Civic and and Civic Observances Civic and

Calendar of Religious, Ethnic Ethnic Religious, of Calendar Calendar of Religious, Ethnic Ethnic Religious, of Calendar