2021 Diversity Calendar

Equality and Diversity UK Jackie Robinson: the first African American to play in Major League Baseball

2021

Diversity Calendar

January Mon Tues Weds Thurs Fri Sat Sun Special Days in January

New Year's Day (BANK HOLIDAY) 1 Gantan-sai (Shinto) Shinto New Year 1 2 3 5 Birthday of (Sikh)

6 Epiphany (Christian) Special dates this month Feast of the Nativity (Orthodox 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7 Christian) World Braille Day 14 Maghi – (Sikh) 4 January 2021 27 Holocaust Memorial Day

Mahayana New Year (Buddhist) World Religion Day 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 28 17 January 2021 Tu B'Shevat (Jewish) The Jewish New 28 Year for trees

Holocaust Memorial Day 31 Birthday of – Sikh

27 January 2021 18 19 20 21 22 23 24

25 26 27 28 29 30 31

2021

Diversity Calendar

Bernie Grant: was one of the first three black MPs elected to the Commons

February Special Days in February Mon Tues Weds Thurs Fri Sat Sun Chinese New Year (Confucian, Daoist, 12 Buddhist)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Nirvana Day (Jain, Buddhist) 15 Buddhists celebrate the death of the Buddha, because they believe that having attained Enlightenment, he Special dates this month achieved freedom from physical existence and its sufferings. LGBT History Month 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 17 Ash Wednesday (Christian) The first February 2021 day of Lent.

Sexual Abuse and Sexual Purim (Jewish) Commemorates the 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 26 time when Jewish people living in Violence Awareness Week Persia were saved by Esther. 1 - 7 February 2021

World Cancer Day 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 4 February 2021

National Apprenticeship Week 8 - 14 February 2021

Chinese New Year 12 February 2021

Bayard Rustin: American leader in social movements for civil rights, socialism, nonviolence, and gay rights

2021

Diversity Calendar

March Special Days in March Mon Tues Weds Thurs Fri Sat Sun Nineteen Day Fast (start) (Bahai) 1 During this period Baha'is go without 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 food or drink from sunrise to sunset. Purim (Jewish) Commemorates the 10 time when Jewish people living in Persia were saved by Esther.

Special dates this month 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Maha Shivaratri (Hindu) day and night 11 fast in honour of Lord Shiva Eating Disorders 14 Bali - Hindu New Year Awareness Week 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 Nanakshahi – Sikh New Year

1 - 7 March 2021 Clean Monday (Eastern Orthodox) 15 Start of Great Lent

International Women's Day 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 Naw-Rúz (New Year) – (Baha’i) 8 March 2021 20 Norooz (New Year) – (Zoroastrian)

Passover (1st day) (Jewish) The start International Day for the 29 30 31 of the festival of Passover Elimination of Racial 28 Magha Puja (Buddhist) Khordad Sal (Zoroastrian) The

Discrimination birthday of Zoroaster

21 March 2021 Palm Sunday - The beginning of Holy 28 Week - the week leading up to Easter

World Down's Syndrome Lailat al Bara'a (Islam) The Night of 29 Forgiveness Day 21 March 2021 (Hindu) Spring Festival 29 (Sikh)

2021

Diversity Calendar

Walter Tull: English professional footballer and British Army officer

April Special Days in April Mon Tues Weds Thurs Fri Sat Sun Good Friday (Christian) Good Friday 2 commemorates the execution of Jesus by crucifixion. (BANK HOLIDAY) 1 2 3 4 Easter Sunday (Christian) Christians 4 celebrate the Resurrection of Christ Special dates this month 5 Easter Monday (BANK HOLIDAY) Mahavir Jayanti (Jain): The most Autism Awareness Day 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 6 important religious holiday for Jains

2 April 2021 Ramadan (start) (Muslim) Ramadan is 12 the Muslim month of fasting. World Day for Health and (Sikh): Day to celebrate when 14 was born as a collective faith. Safety at Work 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Birthday of – Sikh 28 April 2021 18 Birthday of Dev – Sikh

Ridvan - first day (Bahai) The start of a 20 12 day festival 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Rama Navami (Hindu) celebrate 21 the birth of Lord Rama 29 Ridvan - Ninth Day (Bahai)

26 27 28 29 30

Phillis Wheatley: the first African-American author of a published book of poetry.

2021

Diversity Calendar

May Special Days in May Mon Tues Weds Thurs Fri Sat Sun 1 Ridvan – Twelfth Day (Bahai) 1 2 2 Birthday of Dev – Sikh 3 Early May BANK HOLIDAY

Laylat al Qadr (Muslim) The holiest Special dates this month night in the Islamic calendar. The night 7 the Quran was sent down from the 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 heaven to the Earth Deaf Awareness Week Eid-Ul-Fitr (Muslim) The end of 4 - 9 May 2021 Ramadan when Muslims celebrate the end 12 of fasting and thank Allah for His help Mental Health Awareness with their month-long act of self-control. 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Shavuot (Jewish) Shavuot is a 2 day Week 17 festival that marks the time that the first 18 - 23 May 2021 harvest was taken to the Temple.

Declaration of the Bab (Bahai) Bab Vascular Birthmark Day was the Forerunner of Baha'u'llah, 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 founder of the Baha'i faith. 15 May 2021 23 Birthday of (Sikh) Pentecost - Whitsun (Christian) International Day Against Commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples and the birth of Homophobia, Transphobia the Christian Church. and Biphobia (IDAHOT) 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 Vesak (Buddha day) (Buddhist) The 17 May 2021 26 most important of the Buddhist festivals - The Buddha's birthday World Day for Cultural 28 Ascension of Baha’u’llah (Bahai) Diversity Dialogue and 31 Trinity Sunday (Christian) Development 30 Spring BANK HOLIDAY 21 May 2021 31

2021

Diversity Calendar

Baroness Chakrabarti, CBE: British politician, barrister, and human rights activist.

June Special Days in June Mon Tues Weds Thurs Fri Sat Sun Martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev (Sikh) 16 Guru Arjan Dev was the fifth Sikh Guru 1 2 3 4 5 6 and the first Sikh martyr. Summer Solstice - Litha (Pagan) 23 Longest day of the year Special dates this month St Peter and St Paul's Day (Christian) 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 29 The martyrdoms of both these saints are observed by the Church today Gypsy, Roma & Travellers History Month June 2021 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

Volunteers' Week 1 - 6 June 2021 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 Carers Week 7 - 13 June 2021 28 29 30 Refugee Week 14 - 20 June 2021

Learning Disabilities Week 21 – 27 June 2021

School Diversity Week 21 – 25 June 2021

Haile Selassie I: Emperor of Ethiopia from 1930 to 1974

2021

Diversity Calendar

July Special Days in July Mon Tues Weds Thurs Fri Sat Sun 6 Birthday of (Sikh)

1 2 3 4 Martyrdom of the Bab (Bahai) Anniversary of the Bab's execution in 9 1850 in Tabriz, Iran.

Special dates this month Tisha B'Av (Jewish) A solemn day that 18 commemorates a series of tragedies that have befallen the Jewish people over the Disability Awareness Day 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 years, many of which have coincidentally happened on this day. 18 July 2021 Eid-Ul-Adha (Islam) Festival of Sacrifice 20 marking the day after Arafat, the most important day in the Hajj ritual. This is a World Youth Skills Day four day holiday 15 July 2011 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Birthday of Haile Selassie I (Rastafari) Haile Selassie was the Emperor of Ethiopia. Rastas believe Haile International Friendship Day Selassie is God, and that he will return 23 the black community who are living in 30 July 2021 exile to Africa.

19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Birthday of Guru HarKrishan (Sikh)

Asalha Puja (Dharma Day) – Buddhist The anniversary of the start of Buddha's 24 teaching - his first sermon, "The Wheel of Truth", after his enlightenment. 26 27 28 29 30 31

Lisa Nandy: Shadow 2021 Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth Diversity Calendar and Development Affairs

August Special Days in August Mon Tues Weds Thurs Fri Sat Sun Al-Hjira - Muharram (Islam) Islamic New Year. Marks the migration of the 9 Prophet Mohammad from Mecca to 1 Medina.

Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Christian) A largely Roman Special dates this month Catholic festival celebrating their belief 15 that Mary, the mother of Jesus, was taken 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 body and soul into heaven. International Youth Day Obon - Ullambana (Buddhist, Shinto) 12 August 2021 Raksha Bandhan (Hindu) celebrates 21 the relationship between brothers and International Day for the 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 sisters. Remembrance of the Slave Ashura (Islam) Marks the martyrdom of 18 the Prophet's grandson, Hussein. Trade and its Abolition Krishna Janmashtami (Jayanti) Hindus 23 August 2021 30 celebrate the birth of Krishna 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 Summer BANK HOLIDAY Women’s’ Equality Day 30 26 August 2021

23 24 25 26 27 28 29

30 31

Diane Abbot: The first black woman elected to Parliament, she is the longest-serving black MP in the House of Commons.

2021

Diversity Calendar

September Special Days in September Mon Tues Weds Thurs Fri Sat Sun Celebration of , the central religious scripture of Sikhism, regarded by as the final, sovereign 1 2 3 4 5 1 and eternal living Guru following the lineage of the ten human gurus of the religion

Special dates this month Paryushan - The most important Jain 4 festival of the year 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 International Literacy Day Birthday of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Christian) Roman Catholic and Anglican 8 September 2021 8 churches celebrate the birth of Mary, mother of Jesus.

World Suicide Prevention Day Ganesh Charurthi Hindus celebrates the 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 10 birth of Ganesh, god of wisdom and 10 September 2021 prosperity. Rosh Hashanah (1st day) (Jewish) 6 Jewish New Year. A two-day festival International Day of Peace during which work is not permitted.

21 September 2021 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 Yom Kippur (Jewish) Day of Atonement 15 - the most solemn day of the Jewish year.

27 28 29 30

Baroness Lawrence of Clarendon, OBE: British Jamaican campaigner and the mother of Stephen Lawrence, a black British teenager who was murdered in a racist attack in South East London in 1993.

2021

Diversity Calendar

October Special Days in October Mon Tues Weds Thurs Fri Sat Sun Birthday of (Sikh) 9 The fourth of the . 1 2 3 Navaratri (start) (Hindu) Navaratri) symbolises the triumph of good over evil 7 and marks the start of autumn

Dussehra (Hindu) Celebrates Lord Special dates this month 15 Rama's victory over the evil Ravana. 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Milad un Nabi (Sunni Muslim) Birthday Black History Month 18 of the Prophet Muhammad October 2021 Sukkot (Jewish) commemorates the years Jews spent in the desert on their ADHD Awareness Month way to the Promised Land. 20 Birth of the Bab (Bahai) Celebrates the October 2021 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 birth of the precursor of the founder of the Baha'i faith. Dyslexia Awareness Week 4 - 10 October 2021

World Mental Health Day 18 19 20 21 22 23 24

10 October 2021

National Coming Out Day 11 October 2021 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

Stammering Awareness Day

22 October 2021 2021

Diversity Calendar

Mary Jane Seacole: British- Jamaican nurse, healer and businesswoman who set up the "British Hotel" behind the lines during the Crimean War.

November 2021

November Special Days in November Mon Tues Weds Thurs Fri Sat Sun All Souls' Day (Christian) All Souls' Day is an opportunity to commemorate the 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 faithful departed. 2 Coronation of Emperor Haile Selassie I (Rastafari) Haile Selassie was the Emperor of Ethiopia. Special dates this month 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Diwali (Hindu, Sikh, Jainism) Diwali, 4 the festival of lights is the most popular of National Stress Awareness all the South Asian festivals Day Birth of Baha'u'llah (Bahai) This day 7 celebrates the birth in 1817 of the founder 4 November 2021 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 of the Baha'i faith.

Armistice Day (Multifaith) Marks the Inter-Faith Week 11 end of the First World War 8-14 November 2021 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 Birthday of Dev Ji Sahib 19 (Sikh) Founder of the Sikh religion

International Day of Martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur 24 (Sikh) Guru Tegh Bahadur was the ninth Tolerance 29 30 Sikh Guru 16 November 2021 Hanukkah (Jewish) Hanukkah is the 28 Festival of Lights and marks the restoration of the temple by the Anti-Bullying Week Maccabees in 164 BCE. 15-21 November 2021 Advent Sunday (Christian) The beginning of the ecclesiastical year Transgender Day of Remembrance/Awareness

20 November 2021

2021

Diversity Calendar

Madam C.J. Walker: American entrepreneur, philanthropist, and political and social activist and the first female self-made millionaire in America

December 2021

Tuesday Special Days in December Mon Tues Weds Thurs Fri Sat Sun Bodhi Day (Buddhist) On Bodhi day some Buddhists celebrate Gautama's attainment of enlightenment under the 1 2 3 4 5 Bodhi tree at Bodhgaya, India.

8 Feast of the Immaculate Conception (Catholic) Celebrated by Roman Catholics who remember Mary's Special dates this month conception as being without sin, therefore, immaculate. World AIDS Day 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Christmas Day (Christian) - Western 1 December 2021 25 Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.

International Day for the Boxing Day 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 26 Zarathosht Diso Zoroastrians remember Abolition of Slavery the death of their prophet, Zoroaster. 2 December 2021 27 BANK HOLIDAY 28 BANK HOLIDAY International Day of Persons 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 with Disabilities 3 December 2021

Human Rights Day 27 28 29 30 10 December 2021

Equality and Diversity UK are a specialist training company focusing on equality and diversity in the private, public and voluntary sectors. We provide training courses, seminars, resources and the Equality and Diversity Network

Telephone: 0161 763 4783 Email: [email protected] Website: www.equalityanddiversity.co.uk