UCL EQUALITIES & DIVERSITY
DIVERSITY CALENDAR
2015 - 2016
SEPTEMBER 2015
SEPTEMBER 2015
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
1
2
Thursday
Friday
3
Saturday
4
Sunday
5
6
4th
Sri Krishna Janmashtami** (Hinduism)
4th
Hoshanah Rabbah* (Judaism)
14-15 Rosh Hashanah (New Year) (Judaism)
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
16th
Fast of Gedaliah (Judaism)
17th
Ganesh Chaturthi** (Hinduism)
20-25 Hajj (Pilgrimage)* (Islam)
23rd
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
Yom Kippur (Judaism)
23-26 Eid Ul Adha (Festival of Sacrifice)* (Islam)
29-4
Tabernacles (Sukkot)* (Judaism)
UN International Day of Peace
21
UN
International
Day of Peace
28
22
29
23
30
24
25
26
27
“Each year the International Day of Peace is
observed around the world on 21 September.
The General Assembly has declared this as a day
devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace, both
within and among all nations and peoples.
The theme of this year’s commemoration is
“Partnerships for Peace – Dignity for All” which
aims to highlight the importance of all segments of
society to work together to strive for peace.”
Find out more here:
http://www.un.org/en/events/peaceday/
Image above: UCL students opening season
OCTOBER 2015
OCTOBER 2015
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
1
Black History Month
Saturday
2
Sunday
3
4
5th
Shemini Atzeret* (Judaism)
6th
Simchat Torah* (Judaism)
13-21Navaratri** (Hinduism)
5
6
7
8
9
10
World Mental
Health Day
11
14th
Hijra - New Year* (Islam)
20th
Installation of Scriptures as Guru Granth (Sikhism)
22ndDassera** (Hinduism)
23rdAshura* (Islam)
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
Ada Lovelace
Day
19
26
20
27
21
28
22
29
23
30
24
31
25
Black History Month “is an international annual
month, recognising and valuing the inspirational
individuals and events that have shaped the
black generation. During Black History Month, we
remember and celebrate the important people
from the past and also who contribute to and help
our society today.
First celebrated in the UK in 1987, Black History
Month in the UK is marked annually during the
month of October, with important reference to
the black society. It went from receiving a kindhearted response to being a national celebration
to BHM UK individuals, shaping history as it
stands today.”
Read more:
http://officialblackhistorymonthuk.co.uk/
Image above: UCL celebrates Black History Month
NOVEMBER 2015
NOVEMBER 2015
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
1
2
9
16
23
3
10
17
24
4
11
18
25
5
National
Stress
Awareness
Day
6
7
8
11thDiwali** (Hinduism/Sikhism)
24th
Guru Tegh Bahadur Martyrdom (Sikhism)
25th
Guru Nanak Dev Sahib birthday (Sikhism)
UK Disability History Month 22 Nov - 22 Dec
12
19
International
Men’s Day
26
13
20
Transgender
Day of
Awareness
27
14
21
28
15
“UK Disability History Month (UKDHM) is an
annual event creating a platform to focus on the
history of our struggle for equality and human
rights.
22
The theme for 2015 is ‘Portrayal of Disability:
Then and Now’ which aims to examine the
way disability and disabled people have been
portrayed in literature, pictures, sculpture,
photographs, advertising, journalism, media and
film.”
Interfaith
Week, 15-21
UK Disability
History Month
begins
29
Find out more:
http://ukdhm.org/
Image above: Candles lit in preparation for Diwali celebrations
DECEMBER 2015
DECEMBER 2015
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
1
7
8
2
Thursday
International
Day of
Disabled
People
9
Friday
3
Saturday
4
10
Sunday
5
11
12
6
13
International
Human Rights
Day
14
15
16
7-14Chanukah* (Judaism)
23rd
Mawlid an Nabi* (Islam)
25th
Christmas Day (Christian)
Chanukah
Begins sunset of Sunday, December 6, 2015
Ends nightfall of Monday, December 14, 2015
17
18
19
20
“The eight-day festival of light celebrates the
triumph of light over darkness, of purity over
adulteration, of spirituality over materiality.”
Find out more:
http://www.chabad.org/holidays/chanukah/
article_cdo/aid/102911/jewish/What-isHanukkah.htm
21
22
23
28
29
30
Christmas
Eve
New Year’s
Eve
24
Christmas
Day
25
Boxing
Day
26
27
31
Image above: UCLU Dance Society event as part of Black History Month celebrations
JANUARY 2016
JANUARY 2016
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
New Year’s
Day
Saturday
1
Sunday
2
3
5th
Guru Gobindh Singh birthday (Sikhism)
6thEpiphany (Christian)
13thMaghi (Sikhism)
25th
World Braille
Day
4
5
6
7
8
9
Tu BiShvat (Judaism)
10
National Holocaust Memorial Day
11
12
13
14
15
16
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
National
Holocaust
Memorial Day
17
World
Religion Day
Holocaust Memorial Day was created on 27
January 2000, when representatives from 46
governments around the world met in Stockholm
to discuss Holocaust education, remembrance
and research. At the end of this meeting, all
attendees signed a declaration committing to
preserving the memory of those who have been
murdered in the Holocaust.
Find out more:
http://hmd.org.uk/page/stockholmdeclaration#sthash.ToBHBNgK.dpuf
Image above: Cloudy sky over the London Eye
FEBRUARY 2016
FEBRUARY 2016
Monday
Tuesday
1
Chinese New
Year
8
Wednesday
2
9
3
10
Thursday
Friday
4
11
Saturday
5
12
International
Day of Zero
Tolerance
to Female
Genital
Mutilation
Sunday
6
13
7
5th
Guru Gobindh Singh birthday (Sikhism)
9th
Shrove Tuesday (Christian)
10th Ash Wednesday (Christian)
12th
Vasant Panshami** (Hinduism)
14
LGBT History Month
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
“LGBT History Month is celebrated in February
in the UK but our work to challenge homophobia,
biphobia and transphobia continues throughout
the year.
The overall aim of LGBT History month is to
promote equality and diversity for the benefit of
the public.”
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
Find out more:
http://lgbthistorymonth.org.uk/
Keep up-to-date with UCL’s programme of events:
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/hr/equalities/news/index.
php
29
LGBT History Month
Image above: UCL students at LGBT ball as part of LGBT History Month at UCL
MARCH 2016
MARCH 2016
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
1
2
Thursday
Friday
3
Saturday
4
Sunday
5
6
8th
Maha Shivaratri ** (Hindu)
20th
Palm Sunday (Christian)
23rdHoli** (Hinduism)
24thPurim* (Judaism)
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
International
Women’s Day
14
16
St Patrick’s
Day
17
18
19
20
Good Friday (Christian)
27th
Easter Sunday (Christian)
International Women’s Day
“International Women’s Day has been observed
since in the early 1900’s, a time of great
expansion and turbulence in the industrialized
world that saw booming population growth and
the rise of radical ideologies.”
21
22
23
24
28
29
30
31
UN
International
Day for the
Elimination of
Racism
Easter
Monday
15
25th
Good
Friday
25
26
27
Find out more:
http://www.internationalwomensday.com/
about.asp#.Vc3N7flVhBc
Image above: UCL staff at Astrea (network for women in Professional Services) conference
APRIL 2016
APRIL 2016
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
1
Sunday
2
3
14thVaisakhi** (Sikhism)
15thRamanavami** (Hindu)
22nd
Hanuman Jayanti** (Hinduism)
23-30 Pesach (Passover)* (Judaism)
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
23rd
St. George’s Day (Christian)
Vaisakhi
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
St George’s
Day
25
26
27
28
29
“Vaisakhi (also spelled Baisakhi) is the festival
which celebrates the founding of the Sikh
community known as the Khalsa. It is celebrated
on April 14 each year. On Vaisakhi day in 1699,
Guru Gobind Singh summoned Sikhs from all
over India to the city of Anandpur Sahib. At this
gathering, the Guru called upon Sikhs to uphold
their faith and preserve the Sikh religion.”
Read more about Vaisakhi here:
http://www.sikhismguide.org/vaisakhi.aspx
30
Image above: Festive decorations in Delhi
MAY 2016
MAY 2016
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
1
2
3
May Day Bank
Holiday
9
16
10
4
11
Mental Health
Awareness
Week, 11-17
5
12
6
13
7
14
8
15
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
Spring Bank
Holiday
International
Day
Against
Homophobia
5th
Lailat al Miraj* (Islam)
Yom HaShoah* (Judaism)
12th
Yom Ha’Atzmaut* (Judaism)
15thPentecost (Christian)
21st
Lailat al Bara’ah** (Islam)
26th
Lag B’Omer* (Judaism)
International Day Against Homophobia &
Biphobia (IDAHOBIT)
“The Day represents an annual landmark to draw
the attention of decision makers, the media,
the public, opinion leaders and local authorities
to the alarming situation faced by lesbian, gay,
bisexuals, transgender and intersex people and
all those who do not conform to majority sexual
and gender norms.
IDAHOBIT is not one centralised campaign; rather
it is a moment that everyone can take advantage
of to take action. May 17th was specifically
chosen to commemorate the World Health
Organization’s decision in 1990 to declassify
homosexuality as a mental disorder.”
Find out more:
http://dayagainsthomophobia.org/what-ismay-17th/
Image above: UCL students at Freshers’ Fair
JUNE 2016
JUNE 2016
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
1
Friday
2
Saturday
3
Sunday
4
5
6th
Ramadan begins* (Islam)
12-13Shavuot* (Judaism)
16th
6
7
8
13
14
15
20
21
22
27
28
29
9
10
16
17
23
24
National
Women in
Engineering
Day
11
Pride in
London
12
18
19
25
26
Guru Arjan martyrdom (Sikhism)
National Women in Engineering Day is a day
dedicated to raising the profile and celebrating the
achievements of women in engineering.
UCL Women is a network for academic staff
(postdoc and above) in science, technology,
engineering and mathematics (STEM).
For more information and to join the network visit:
http://uclwomen.org/
30
Image above: Nepalese women in traditional dress
JULY 2016
JULY 2016
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
1
4
11
18
25
5
12
19
26
6
13
20
27
7
14
21
28
8
15
22
29
Sunday
2
9
16
23
30
3
10
17
24
31
1st
7-9
Lailat al Kadr * (Islam)
16th
Guru Arjan Martyrdom (Sikhism)
Eid al Fitr * (Islam)
Eid al Fitr
Ramadan ends with the festival of Eid al Fitr.
Literally the “Festival of Breaking the Fast,” Eid
al Fitr is one of the two most important Islamic
celebrations. At Eid al Fitr people dress in their
finest clothes, adorn their homes with lights and
decorations, give treats to children, and enjoy
visits with friends and family.
Although charity and good deeds are always
important in Islam, they have special significance
at the end of Ramadan. As the month draws to
a close, Muslims are obligated to share their
blessings by feeding the poor and making
contributions to mosques.
Find out more here:
http://www.infoplease.com/spot/ramadan1.
html
Image above: Colourful costumes at Notting Hill Carnival
AUGUST 2016
AUGUST 2016
Monday
Tuesday
1
8
Wednesday
2
9
3
10
Thursday
Friday
4
11
Saturday
5
12
Sunday
6
13
7
5th
14th
Ganesh Chathurthi ** * (Hinduism)
18th
Raksha Bandhan ** (Hinduism)
25th Krishna Janmashtami** (Hinduism)
Tish’a B’av* (Judaism)
14
Ganesh Chathurthi
15
22
16
23
17
24
18
25
19
26
20
27
21
28
On this day Hindus all over the world celebrate
the birthday of Lord Ganesh.
In places such as Andhra Pradesh and
Maharashtra (in India), the festival is celebrated
for ten days and is a joyous event and regarded
as a public occasion. In other places it is simply
celebrated at home and hymns are sung and
offerings made to Ganesh. Sweets are also
distributed because in Hindu legend Ganesh liked
them.
Find out more:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/
hinduism/holydays/ganesh.shtml
29
Late Summer
Bank Holiday
30
31
Image above: UCL graduate students outside the Portico.
At UCL it has been agreed that student requests to be absent due to religious commitments should be dealt
with sympathetically by departments. Students should not be registered as ‘absent’ without good cause’ if
they are absent due to religious commitments, provided this has been discussed and agreed with their tutor.
Staff wishing to observe religious festivals and holy days should negotiate with their managers in advance.
Managers in turn are encouraged to consider sympathetically requests for annual leave or flexible work
schedules from staff wishing to participate in religious festivals and to be prepared to make reasonable
adjustments to working arrangements as long as they don’t cause undue disruption. Each academic year, a
calendar of the main religious holidays is available so these can be taken into account by Departments with
reference to drafting teaching timetables, coursework deadlines and field trips etc.
Please note that the effect of these festivals will vary from person to person, and they will not necessarily
impact on staff or students time whilst at university (for example they are celebrated in the evening or at
weekends).
Contacts:
Sarah Guise
Head of Equalities & Diversity
Tel: 020 3108
Email: s.guise@ucl.ac.uk
Fiona McClement
Equalities & Diversity Advisor
Tel: 020 3108 8888
Email: f.mcclement@ucl.ac.uk
The above dates are not intended to be a prescriptive list. Staff, students, parents or members of the public
are welcome to contact the equalities team (equalities@ucl.ac.uk) to suggest other noteworthy dates.
* Holy days usually begin at sundown the day before this date.
** Local or regional customs may use a variation of this date.
Harriet Jones
Equalities & Diversity Advisor
Tel: 020 3108 8860
Email: harriet.jones@ucl.ac.uk
Useful Links:
Religion & Belief: guidance for UCL managers
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/hr/equalities/belief/religion_belief_guidance_for_managers.pdf
Religion & Belief Equality Policy for Students
https://www.ucl.ac.uk/academic-manual/part-5/religion-belief-equality
Supporting Muslim staff during Ramadan
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/hr/equalities/belief/ramadan.php
Many thanks to Rachna Kayastha and UCLU for the use of their images.
Sonal Bharadva
Equalities Team Administrator
Tel: 020 3108 8890
Email: s.bharadva@ucl.ac.uk
For general enquiries email: equalities@ucl.ac.uk
Website: www.ucl.ac.uk/hr/equalities