Religious, Spiritual & Commemorative Dates for the 2011-2012 academic term

* begins at previous sundown**dates subject to sighting of the new moon

SEPTEMBER 2011

September 2-10 / Paryushana Parva / Jain
September 13 / Take Back the Night (McMaster) / Commemorative Date
September 23 / Mabon/Fall Equinox / Wicca/Pagan
Sept 28 – Oct 5 / Navaratri / Hindu
Sept 29-30* / Rosh Hashanah / Jewish

OCTOBER 2011
Islamic History Month; Learning Disabilities Month; Women’s History Month; Hispanic Heritage Month

October 8* / Yom Kippur / Jewish
October 10 / Thanksgiving / State Holiday
October 13-19* / Sukkot / Jewish
October 18 / Person’s Day / Commemorative Date
October 20* / Shemini Atzeret / Jewish
October 20 / Birth of the Báb / Bahá’í
October 21 / Simhat Torah / Jewish
October 26 / Diwali / Jain – Hindu – Sikh
October 31 / Samhain/New Year’s Eve / Wiccan

NOVEMBER 2011

November 1 / Samhain – Beltane / Wicca/Pagan
November 6** / Eid al Adha (Eid-ul-Adha) / Islam
Nov 5 – 7** / Eid-al-Adha / Islam
November 10 / Guru Nanak Dev Sahib birthday / Sikh
November 11 / Remembrance Day / Commemorative Date
November 12 / Trans Remembrance Day / Commemorative Date
November 12 / Birth of Baha’u’llah / Bahá’í
November 25 / International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women / Commemorative Date
November 29 / International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People / Commemorative Date

DECEMBER 2011

December 2 / International Day for the Abolition of Slavery / Commemorative Date
December 3 / International Day of People with Disabilities / Commemorative Date
December 5** / Ashura / Islam
December 6 / Remembrance of Montreal Massacre / Commemorative Date
December 10 / Human Rights Day / Commemorative Date
December 21 or 22nd / Yule / Wiccan
Dec 21 – 28* / Hanukkah / Jewish
December 25 / Nativity of the Lord (Julian Calendar) / Eastern Orthodox
December 25 / Christmas / Christian
December 26 / Death of Prophet Zarathustra / Zoroastrianism

JANUARY 2012

January 1 / Gantan-sai / Shinto
January 6 / Feast of the Nativity / Christian
January 6 / Christmas / Armenian, Christian
January 7 / Christmas / Christian – Coptic & Eastern Orthodox
January 7 / Christmas (Orthodox) / Christian
January 23 / Chinese New Year / Confucian, Daoist, Buddhist

FEBRUARY 2012
Black History Month; White Cane Week

February 2 / Imbolc - Lughnassad / Wiccan
February 3 / Setsubun-sai / Shinto
February xx / Solnal / Korean
February 20 / Family Day / Provincial Holiday
February 22 / Losar / Tibet
February 22 / Ash Wednesday / Christian

MARCH 2012

March 8 / International Women’s Day / Commemorative Date
March 8 / Magha Puja Day / Buddhist
March 8-9 / Holi / Sikh, Hindu
March 20 / Ostara/Spring Equinox / Wiccan
March 21 / New Year’s Day/Naw-Rúz/Navruz / Bahá’í, Muslim, Islam, Ismaili, Zorostrian, Afghanistan, Iran
March 21 / International Day Elimination of Racial Discrimination / Commemorative Date

APRIL 2012

April 1-7 / Holy Week / Christian
April 6 / Good (Holy) Friday / Christian/ State Holiday
April 6 / Mahavir Jayanti (Mahavira-Jayanti) / Jain
April 7-14* / Pesach/Passover / Jewish
April 8 / Easter Sunday / Christian and Orthodox
April 12-14* / Last two days of Passover / Jewish
April 13 / Holy Friday (Orthodox) / Christian
April 14 / Baisakhi (13 or 14) / Sikh, Hindu
April 14 / Baisakhi / Sikhism, Hinduism
April 15 / Easter/Pascha / Orthodox Christian
April 17 - 24 / Holy Week / Orthodox Christian
April 21* / First Day of Ridván / Bahá’í
April 29* / Ninth Day of Ridván / Bahá’í

MAY 2012
Sexual Abuse/Assault Prevention Month; Asian Heritage Month

May 1-4 (approx.) / International Youth Week / Commemorative Date
May 1-4 (approx.) / National Mental Health Week / Commemorative Date
May 1 / Beltane - Samhain / Wicca/Pagan
May 2* / Twelfth Day of Ridván / Bahá’í
May 6 / Buddha Day – Visakha Puja (Wesak) / Buddhist
May 17 / International Day Against Homophobia / Commemorative Date
May 21 / Victoria Day / State Holiday
May 21-25 / Aboriginal Awareness Week / Commemorative Date
May 23* / Declaration of the Báb / Bahá’í
May 27 / Pentecost / Christian
May 29* / Ascension of Bahá’u’lláh / Bahá’í
May 26-28* / Shavuot / Jewish

JUNE 2012
Seniors Month; Deaf-Blind Awareness Month

June 20 / Litha/Summer Solstice / Wiccan
June 20 / World Refugee Day / Commemorative Date
June 21 / National Aboriginal Day / Commemorative Date
June 21 / Aboriginal Day of Prayer
June 27 / Canadian Multiculturalism Day / Commemorative Date

JULY 2012

July 2 / Canada Day / State Holiday
July 3 / Asalha Puja Day / Buddhist
July 9 / Martyrdom of the Báb / Bahá’í
July 13-16 / Obon / Buddhist/Shinto
July 20** / Ramadan begins / Islam
July 19 – Aug 19** / Ramadan / Islam

AUGUST 2012

August 1 / Lammas / Wiccan
August 6 / Civic Holiday / State Holiday
August 9 / International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples / Commemorative Date
August 10 / Krisha Janmashtami / Hindu
August 19** / Eid al Fitr / Islam

Published by Office of Human Rights & Equity Services, McMaster University
If there are any errors or omissions please contact: ge 1 of 4