2024 Calendar of Observances
The following calendar of observances remind us of the rich diversity of our union and our communities and encourages us to be culturally aware when providing care to our patients. The calendar also invites us to reflect on how we might support initiatives to advance equitable access to the social determinants of health.
As you scroll through the calendar you will note the recognition of a number multi-faith and multicultural days (in black text) and the listing of various commemorative events or days (in berry text). This list is by no means exhaustive but reflects one aspect of the diversity of our membership (and our communities) and a few of the many celebrations and events that mark the year.
|
1-30 |
Indigenous Disability Awareness Month |
|
1 |
All Saints Day – Christian Diwali – Sikh |
|
2 |
Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) |
|
7 |
International Inuit Day |
|
8 |
National Indigenous Veterans Day |
|
11 |
Remembrance Day |
|
13-19 |
Transgender Awareness Week |
|
14 |
World Diabetes Day |
|
16 |
Louis Reil Day |
|
20 |
World Children’s Day |
|
25 |
International Day for Elimination of Violence Against Women |
|
1-31 |
Universal Human Rights Month |
|
1 |
World AIDS Day |
|
2 |
International Day for the Abolition of Slavery |
|
3 |
International Day of Persons with Disabilities |
|
6 |
National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women |
|
9 |
International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime |
|
10 |
Human Rights Day |
|
17 |
International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers (Red Umbrella Day) |
|
18 |
International Migrants Day |
|
25 |
Christmas Day |
|
25- |
Hanukkah – Judaism |
|
26- |
Kwanzaa |
|
27 |
International Day of Epidemic Preparedness |
|
31 |
New Year's Eve |
|
1-31 |
Tamil Heritage Month |
|
1 |
Shogatsu/Gantan-sai (New Year’s) – Shinto |
|
4 |
World Braille Day |
|
5 |
Twelfth Night – Christian |
|
6 |
Dia de los Reyes (Three Kings Day) – Christian |
|
7 |
Feast of the Nativity – Orthodox Christian |
|
13 |
Maghi – Hindu |
|
15 |
Black Excellence Day |
|
17 |
Guru Gobindh Singh Jayanti – Sikh |
|
24 |
International Day of Education World Day for African and Afrodescendant Culture |
|
25 |
Mahayana New Year – Buddhism |
|
26 |
International Day of Clean Energy |
|
27 |
International Holocaust Remembrance Day |
|
1-29 |
Black History Month |
|
1-4 |
World Interfaith Harmony Week |
|
1-2 |
Imbolc (Candlemas) – Wicca/Neo Pagan |
|
2 |
World Wetlands Day |
|
3 |
International Decade for People of African Descent: Milestones & Progress Symposium |
|
3 |
Setsuban – Shinto |
|
6-7 |
Lailat Al Miraj – Islam |
|
10 |
Community Immunity Awareness Forum Lunar New Year |
|
11 |
International Day of Women and Girls in Science |
|
14 |
Annual Women’s Memorial March St.Valentine's Day – Christian National Have a Heart Day |
|
15 |
Parinirvana Day – Buddhist |
|
17-18 |
Vancouver Island Black Entrepreneurs & Business Expo |
|
20 |
Birth of Bernice Redmon World Day of Social Justice |
|
21 |
International Mother Language Day |
|
24 |
SANKOFA Moments for Youth & Cultural Performance by Mamadou Diabete |
|
28 |
Pink Shirt Day |
|
1 |
Zero Discrimination Day |
|
1-2 |
Hoobiyee |
|
8 |
International Women’s Day |
|
10 |
Ramadan Begins – Islam |
|
15 |
International Day to Combat Islamophobia |
|
17 |
St. Patrick’s Day – Christian |
|
19 |
Nowruz (New Year) – Persian/Zoroastrian Ostara – Wicca/Pagan |
|
20 |
Two-Spirit and Indigenous LGBTQIA+ Celebration and Awareness Day |
|
21 |
International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination World Down Syndrome Day |
|
22 |
World Water Day |
|
24 |
World TB Day |
|
25 |
Feast of the Annunciation – Christian International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade |
|
30 |
International Zero Waste Day |
|
1-30 |
Sikh Heritage Month |
|
8 |
Eid-ul-Fitr – Islam |
|
10 |
Indigenous Nurses Day International Day of Pink |
|
13 |
Vaisakhi – Sikh |
|
22 |
Earth Day |
|
22-29 |
Passover – Judaism |
|
24 |
Theravada New Year – Buddhism |
|
25 |
World Malaria Day |
|
28 |
National Day of Mourning World Day for Safety and Health at Work |
|
1-31 |
Asian Heritage Month Jewish Heritage Month |
|
1 |
Beltane – Neo Pagan |
|
1-7 |
Mental Health Week |
|
5 |
National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and Two-Spirit People Vesak Day – Buddhism |
|
6-12 |
National Nursing Week |
|
12 |
International Nurses Day |
|
15 |
International Day of Families |
|
17 |
International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia |
|
20 |
World Bee Day |
|
21 |
World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development |
|
22 |
Victoria Day |
|
23 |
International Day to End Obstetric Fistula |
|
1-30 |
Pride Month Indigenous Heritage Month |
|
2 |
International Sex Worker’s Day |
|
7 |
World Food Safety Day |
|
13 |
Men’s Mental Health Awareness Day |
|
15 |
World Elder Abuse Awareness Day |
|
20 |
World Refugee Day |
|
21 |
National Indigenous Peoples Day |
|
23 |
National Day of Remembrance for Victims of Terrorism |
|
27 |
Multiculturalism Day |
|
1-30 |
Disability Pride Month |
|
11 |
World Population Day |
|
14 |
International Non-Binary Peoples Day |
|
18 |
Nelson Mandela International Day |
|
20 |
Birth of Frantz Fanon |
|
28 |
World Hepatitis Day |
|
30 |
International Day of Friendship |
|
1 |
Emancipation Day |
|
9 |
International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples |
|
12 |
International Youth Day |
|
19 |
World Humanitarian Day |
|
22 |
International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief |
|
23 |
International Day of the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition |
|
26 |
Krishna Janmashtami – Hindu |
|
31 |
International Day for People of African Descent International Overdose Awareness Day |
|
2 |
Labour Day |
|
10 |
World Suicide Prevention Day |
|
11 |
Enkutatash – Ethiopian New Year |
|
15 |
International Day of Democracy |
|
15-16 |
Mawlid – Islam |
|
17 |
World Patient Safety Day |
|
18 |
International Equal Pay Day |
|
21 |
International Day of Peace |
|
22 |
Mabon – Pagan and Wiccan |
|
23 |
International Day of Sign Languages Celebrate Bisexuality Day |
|
30 |
National Day of Truth and Reconciliation Orange Shirt Day |
|
1-31 |
Women’s History Month Islamic History Month National Disability Employment Awareness Month LGBTQ History Month |
|
2 |
World Habitat Day International Day of Non-Violence |
|
2-4 |
Rosh Hashanah – Judaism |
|
3-12 |
Navarati – Hindu |
|
10 |
World Mental Health Day |
|
11 |
International Day of the Girl Child National Coming Out Day |
|
11-12 |
Yom Kippur – Judaism |
|
14 |
Thanksgiving |
|
16 |
World Food Day International Pronouns Day Lakshmi Puja – Jain |
|
17 |
International Day for the Eradication of Poverty |
|
29 |
International Day of Care and Support |
|
31 |
Samhain – Pagan and Wiccan |
|
1-31 |
Tamil Heritage Month |
|
1 |
Shogatsu/Gantan-sai (New Year’s) – Shinto |
|
4 |
World Braille Day |
|
5 |
Guru Gobindh Singh birthday – Sikh |
|
6 |
Dia de los Reyes (Three Kings Day) – Christian |
|
7 |
Feast of the Nativity – Orthodox Christian |
|
8 |
Feast of the Holy Family – Catholic Christian |
|
13 |
Black Excellence Day |
|
22 |
Lunar New Year |
|
24 |
World Day for African and Afrodescendant Culture |
|
27 |
International Holocaust Remembrance Day |
|
29 |
National Day of Remembrance of the Quebec City Mosque Attack and Action Against Islamophobia |
|
30 |
Mahayana New Year (three days) – Buddhism |
|
1-28 |
Black History Month |
|
2 |
Imbolc (Candlemas) – Wicca/Neo Pagan |
|
3 |
Setsebun – Shinto |
|
11 |
International Day of Women and Girls in Science |
|
14 |
Annual Women’s Memorial March |
|
15 |
Nirvana Day – Buddhist |
|
28 |
World Day of Social Justice |
|
21 |
International Mother Language Day |
|
22 |
Pink Shirt Day |
|
1 |
St. David of Wales – Christian |
|
8 |
International Women's Day |
|
17 |
St. Patrick's Day – Christian |
| 20 | Two-Spirit and Indigenous LGBTQIA+ Celebration and Awareness Day Learn more |
|
21 |
Norooz (New Year) – Persian/Zoroastrian |
|
22 |
Ramadan Begins – Islam |
|
24 |
World TB Day |
|
25 |
Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary – Christian |
|
26 |
Khordad Sal – Zoroastrian |
|
30 |
Magha Puja Day – Buddhism |
|
31 |
International Transgender Day of Visibility |
|
1-30 |
Sikh Heritage Month |
|
9 |
Easter – Christian |
|
10 |
Indigenous Nurses Day |
|
12 |
International Day of Pink |
|
14 |
Baisakhi (Vaisakhi) – Sikh |
|
16 |
Theravadin New Year – Buddhism |
|
22 |
Eid-ul-Fitr – Islam |
|
23 |
St. George's Day – Christian |
|
25 |
Saint Mark, Apostle and Evangelist – Christian |
|
28 |
National Day of Mourning |
|
30 |
St. James the Great Day – Orthodox Christian |
|
1 |
May Day/ International Worker's Day |
|
1-7 |
Mental Health Week |
|
1-31 |
Asian Heritage Month |
|
5 |
National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and Two-Spirit People |
|
8-14 |
National Nursing Week |
|
12 |
International Nurses Day |
|
14 |
Mothers Day |
|
15 |
International Day of Families |
|
16 |
International Day of Living Together in Peace |
|
17 |
International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia |
|
20 |
World Bee Day |
|
21 |
World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development |
|
22 |
Victoria Day |
|
23 |
International Day to End Obstetric Fistula |
|
1-30 |
LGBTQ Pride |
|
7 |
World Food Safety Day |
|
15 |
World Elder Abuse Awareness Day |
|
18 |
Father's Day |
|
21 |
National Indigenous Peoples Day |
|
1 |
Canada Day |
|
11 |
World Population Day |
|
14 |
International Non-Binary People’s Day |
|
18 |
Nelson Mandela International Day |
|
20 |
Birth of Frantz Fanon |
|
28 |
World Hepatitis Day |
|
30 |
International Day of Friendship |
|
1 |
Emancipation Day |
|
7 |
BC Day |
|
9 |
International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples |
|
12 |
International Youth Day |
|
19 |
World Humanitarian Day |
|
22 |
International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief |
|
23 |
International Day of the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition |
|
30 |
International Day for People of African Descent |
|
31 |
International Overdose Awareness Day |
|
4 |
Labour Day |
|
6-7 |
Krishna Janmashtami – Hindu |
|
10 |
World Suicide Prevention Day |
|
15 |
International Day of Democracy |
|
15 - 17 |
Rosh Hashanah – Judaism |
|
17 |
World Patient Safety Day |
|
18 |
International Equal Pay Day |
|
21 |
International Day of Peace |
|
21 - 29 |
Mabon – Pagan and Wiccan |
|
23 |
International Day of Sign Languages |
|
24 - 25 |
Yom Kippur – Judaism |
|
26 - 27 |
Mawlid – Islam |
|
29 |
Mid-Autumn Moon Festival |
|
30 |
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation |
|
2 |
World Habitat Day International Day of Non-Violence |
|
9 |
Thanksgiving |
|
10 |
World Mental Health Day |
|
11 |
International Day of the Girl Child National Coming Out Day |
|
15 - 24 |
Navaratri – Hindu |
|
16 |
World Food Day |
|
17 |
International Day for the Eradication of Poverty |
|
29 |
International Day of Care and Support |
|
31 |
Samhain – Pagan and Wiccan |
|
1 |
All Saints Day – Christian |
|
2 |
Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) |
|
8 |
National Indigenous Veterans Day |
|
11 |
Remembrance Day |
|
12 |
Diwali – Hindu and Sikh Lakshmi Puja – Jain |
|
13 – 19 |
Transgender Awareness Week |
|
14 |
World Diabetes Day |
|
20 |
World Children’s Day |
|
25 |
International Day for Elimination of Violence Against Women |
|
1 |
World AIDS Day |
|
3 |
International Day of Persons with Disabilities |
|
6 |
National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women |
|
7 - 15 |
Hanukkah – Judaism |
|
9 |
International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime |
|
10 |
Human Rights Day |
|
18 |
International Migrants Day |
|
25 |
Christmas Day |
|
26 - Jan. 1 |
Kwanzaa |
|
27 |
International Day of Epidemic Preparedness |
|
31 |
New Year's Eve |
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