Starting to plan your diversity and inclusion programs for this year? We've got you covered with a comprehensive calendar, replete with dates, history, and nations in which they are celebrated.
The world has been working for decades to improve our understanding of diversity in our daily lives. From the Civil Rights Movement to the Black Lives Matter Movement, embracing diversity and encouraging inclusion has been a cornerstone of a peaceful and thriving organization.
For decades now, businesses have been putting in a lot of effort to develop DE&I programs in their workplaces so that their employees are seen and heard. This is to ensure equal opportunities for people from all backgrounds, ethnicities, and sexes. So, we've created a diversity and inclusion calendar for 2023 to ensure you don't miss out on any significant events. Lets's dive in!
Diversity and Inclusion Calendar 2023: List of Cultural Holidays
January Holidays
- January 1, New Year’s Day: This is the first day of the year and a globally recognized holiday.
- January 4, National Braille Day Birthday: This day marks the birth of Louis Braille (People with Disabilities). French educator Louis Braille created a system of reading and writing for visually impaired people. His system, known worldwide as “braille,” remains largely unchanged today.
- January 7, Christmas (Eastern Orthodox): This day celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ on Epiphany.
- January 7, Mahayana New Year (Buddhist): This day is celebrated by Mahayana Buddhists, who celebrate the New Year on the first full moon day in January.
- January 15, World Religion Day: This day was initiated by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of the United States, but now it is recognized internationally.
- January 17, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day: This 2022 US Holiday is observed in the remembrance of MLK, who was the face of the nonviolent civil rights movement in the US.
- January 22, Lunar New Year: According to the traditional Chinese calendar, this day is marked as the beginning of the new year.
- January 24, International Day of Education: This day is a celebration of the role of education for peace and development.
- January 27, International Holocaust Remembrance Day: This day commemorates the tragedies that occurred during the Second World War.
February Holidays
- February 1, National Freedom Day: This day is internationally recognized as a day when Abraham Lincoln, who was the nation's president at the time, signed a joint resolution that proposed the 13th amendment to the United States Constitution.
- February 8, Safer Internet Day: This day is celebrated in the second week of February to provide safer and better internet, where every user gets to use the internet responsibly and without getting their data leaked.
- February 15, Susan B. Anthony Day (US): This day is marked as a celebration of women’s suffrage in the US.
- February 15, International Childhood Cancer Day: This day is internationally recognized as a day to raise awareness of cancer and support efforts towards eradicating cancer.
- February 18, Maha Shivaratri (Hindu): This day from our heritage months calendar is celebrated as a festival of worship of the Hindu god Shiva and his wife Parvati, the “mother goddess.”
- February 21, International Mother Language Day: This day promotes multilingualism and promotes linguistic and cultural diversity.
- February 21, Mardi Gras: This is a celebration of carnival, which ends on the day before Ash Wednesday.
- February 22, Ash Wednesday: Western Christians recognize this first day of Lent as a holy day for fasting and praying.
- Black History Month (the US and Canada): This month celebrates the role of people of African ancestry in the history of the US and Canada.
- Black History Month (UK): This month is an annual celebration of the contributions and achievements of the people of African heritage.
- LGBT History Month (UK): This month is to raise awareness of the civil rights movements related to the LGBT group in the UK.
March Holidays
- March 3, Employee Appreciation Day: On the first Friday of March, employers celebrate this day to support, thank, and reward their employees.
- March 6-7, Purim (Jewish): The Jewish holiday in which Jews commemorate being saved from persecution in the ancient Persian Empire.
- March 8, International Women’s Day: This day marks the celebration of all the political, social, and economic achievements of women.
- March 8, Holi (Hindu): Holi is a popular ancient Indian festival, also known as the "Festival of Love", the "Festival of Colours" and the "Festival of Spring".
- March 14, Pi Day: This day of the 2023 cultural events, the world celebrates Pi Day to recognize the mathematical constant, Pi.
- March 17, St. Patrick’s Day: This day on the multicultural calendar 2023 is a celebration of Irish heritage.
- March 21, Naw-Ruz (Baha’i New Year): This day from the cultural days 2023 calendar is the first day of the Baháʼí calendar year and one of nine holy days for adherents of the Baháʼí Faith.
- March 23, Ramadan begins (Muslim): This day on the ethnic holiday calendar is the beginning of one of the holiest Islamic months.
- March 31, International Transgender Day of Visibility: This day celebrates as the Trans Day of Visibility is an annual awareness day celebrated around the world.
April Holidays
- April 2, World Autism Awareness Day: This day is observed to raise awareness about people on the Autism spectrum.
- April 2, Palm Sunday (Christian): Palm Sunday is a celebration honoring Jesus Christ's victorious entry into Jerusalem on the Diversity and Inclusion Calendar 2023.
- April 6, National Tartan Day (Scottish): This day commemorates the Scottish Declaration of Independence.
- April 7, Good Friday (Christian): This day commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus on the Friday before Easter.
- April 9, Easter (Christian): This festival and holiday celebrate the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, as described in the Old Testament. As always, the 2023 Easter will be celebrated on a Sunday.
- April 14, National Day of Silence (LGBTQIAA+): People take a vow of silence to protest the harmful effects of harassment and discrimination against LGBTQ people in schools.
- April 21, Eid al-Fitr (Muslim): This day marks the end of Ramadan.
- April 22, Earth Day: This is an international event celebrated worldwide to pledge support for environmental protection.
May Holidays
- May 5, Cinco de Mayo: A Day to celebrate Mexican culture and heritage.
- May 14, Mother’s Day (US): This day celebrates the joy of motherhood and all the contributions made by mothers.
- May 17, International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia
- May 21, World Day for Cultural Diversity: This day from our heritage month's calendar highlights the need for cultural exchange and celebrates the world’s diversity.
- May 29, Memorial Day: This day from our cultural celebrations by month is to remember all those who have died in military service.
June Holidays
- June 4, National Cancer Survivors Day (US): This day is observed to celebrate the people who survived cancer, inspire those still battling, and support the community.
- June 11, Race Unity Day: This day aims to promote racial harmony.
- June 18, Father’s Day (US): This day celebrates the joy of fatherhood and all the contributions made by fathers.
- June 19, Juneteenth: This day marks the end of slavery in Texas in 1865 and honors African-American freedom. This 2023 US Holiday is falling on a Sunday in the coming year.
- June 20, World Refugee Day: This day on the DEI Calendar is dedicated to raising awareness about refugees worldwide.
- June 21, National Indigenous Peoples’ Day (United States): This day honors, celebrates, and pays tribute to the contributions of Indigenous peoples in the US.
- June 21, National Indigenous Peoples Day (Canada)
- June, Pride Day (LGBTQIAA+) (varies by city and country): This month commemorates the Stonewall Riots in New York in 1969.
July Holidays
- July 1, Canada Day (Canada): Canada Day is a federal statutory holiday celebrating the Canadian Confederation.
- July 4, Independence Day (USA): This day is celebrated as the Independence Day of the USA.
- July 11, World Populace Day: This day from our cultural celebrations by month is observed annually on 11 July to focus on the urgency and importance of population issues.
- July 18, International Nelson Mandela Day: This day on the DEI Calendar is celebrated in the honor of the civil rights leader for South Africa and the country’s first black president.
- July 24, Pioneer Day (Mormon): Utah's official holiday marking the arrival of LDS church founder Brigham Young arriving in the Salt Lake area.
- July 26, National Disability Independence Day (commemorates the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act): On this day from the DEI Calendar 2023 act has outlawed discrimination against people with disabilities
- July 30, International Day of Friendship: Promoted by the United Nations, this day promoted friendship among people from diverse backgrounds.
August
- August 9, International Day of the World’s Indigenous People: This day is created by the UN, celebrates the cultures of indigenous peoples around the world
- August 13, Left-Handers Day: On this day the nation pauses to acknowledge and remember the sacrifices made by the brave members of our military.
- August 21, Krishna Janmashtami (Hindu): This day from the DEI Calendar 2023 celebrates the birth of one of the most popular deities in the Hindu faith, celebrated with a great festival
- August 21, Senior Citizens Day: This day from the Diversity Holiday Calendar is celebrated as the world’s senior citizen’s day.
- August 26, Women’s Equality Day: This commemorates American women gaining the right to vote in 1920.
September Holidays
- September 4, Labor Day: Labor Day pays tribute to the contributions and achievements of American workers and is traditionally observed on the first Monday in September.
- September 11, Patriot Day: This day remembers those who were injured or killed on September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in the US.
- September 15, International Day of Democracy: The International Day of Democracy on the cultural celebration calendar provides an opportunity to review the state of democracy in the world.
- September 15-17, Rosh Hashanah begins (Jewish): This day is the beginning of the Jewish New Year, a time for reflection in the faith.
- September 19, Ganesh Chaturthi (Hindu): Festival from the Diversity Holiday Calendar celebrating the birth of Lord Ganesha, the God of new beginnings and a fresh start.
- September 21, International Day of Peace: The UN General Assembly has declared this as a day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace through observing 24 hours of non-violence and cease-fire.
- September 22, American Business Women’s Day: This day honors the accomplishments of businesswomen across the nation.
- September 22, National Native American Day: This day is observed annually on the second Monday in October, celebrating the cultures and contributions of the many Native American tribes.
- September 27, World Tourism Day: This day aims to raise awareness of the importance of tourism in affecting the social, cultural, political, and economic values of the international community.
October Holidays
- October 2, International Day of Nonviolence: This day from the Cultural Holidays 2023 is celebrated on the occasion of the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, leader of the Indian independence movement and pioneer of the philosophy and strategy of non-violence.
- October 10, World Mental Health Day: This day is observed to raise mental health awareness and dismantle the social stigma surrounding it.
- October 11, National Coming Out Day (LGBTQIAA+): This annual observance celebrates the LGBT community.
- October 16, Bosses’ Day: This day is celebrated by employees to thank their bosses for their support.
- October 31, Halloween: This day from the 2023 Cultural Calendar originated with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, when people would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off ghosts.
- Breast Cancer Awareness Month: This month from the Cultural Holidays 2023 highlights the importance of breast cancer awareness and research.
- National Disability Employment Awareness Month (US): This month is celebrated to highlight the contributions of people with disabilities in workplaces.
- National Work and Family Month (US): This month from the 2023 Cultural Calendar, businesses are asked to promote work-life balance and flexible work environments.
- LGBT History Month (US): This annual observance of civil rights movements of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender people in the history of the United States.
- German-American Heritage Month (US): This month honors, celebrates, and pays tribute to German-Americans' contributions in the US.
- Filipino-American History Month (US): This month honors, celebrates, and pays tribute to Filipino-Americans' contributions in the US.
- Italian-American Heritage Month (US): This month honors, celebrates, and pays tribute to the contributions of Italian-Americans in the US.
- Polish-American Heritage Month (US): This month honors, celebrates, and pays tribute to the contributions of Polish Americans in the US.
November Holidays
-
- November 1, All Saints’ Day (Roman Catholic): On this day, those who have passed away in the Christian faith and Mexican and Aztec communities.
- November 1, National Stress Awareness Day: This day intends to raise awareness about stress and methods to fight it.
- November 11, Veterans Day: This day from the Equality and Diversity Calendar 2023 commemorates the hostilities of the First World War and celebrates those who served in the war.
- November 12, Diwali (Hindu): Diwali is a festival of lights that usually lasts five days and is celebrated during the Hindu lunisolar month Kartika.
- November 16, Internation Day for Tolerance: This day is founded by the UN to promote respect for various religions, languages, ethnicities, and cultures.
- November 19, International Men’s Day: International Men's Day celebrates the positive value men bring to the world, their families, and communities worldwide.
- November 20, Transgender Day of Remembrance: This day seeks to remember those murdered due to transphobia.
- November 20 – Universal Children’s Day (Human Rights, U.N.): The day from the Equality and Diversity Calendar 2023 is celebrated globally to promote children's rights besides improving their living standards.
- November 23 – Thanksgiving: This is the time in America to give thanks for the harvest and spend time with family and friends.
December
- December 1, World AIDS Day: This day aims to help raise awareness of HIV/AIDs and money to cure it.
- December 3, International Day for People with Disabilities: This day aims to promote the rights and well-being of people with disabilities.
- December 5, International Volunteer Day: This day takes measures to heighten awareness of the vital contribution of volunteer service.
- December 10, International Human Rights Day: This day on the inclusivity calendar commemorates the Universal Declaration of Human Rights adoption by the United Nations General Assembly.
- December 25, Christmas (Christian): This day on the cultural celebrations 2023 calendar is a holiday celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ
- December 26, Kwanzaa begins: This celebration honors African heritage and culminates with a feast.
- December 31, New Year’s Eve: The last day of the year, and the day is celebrated at evening parties.
We hope you’ve enjoyed our Diversity Calendar 2023! Our goal is to make your workplace more inclusive. Additionally, if you are looking to onboard a more diverse group of people, we recommend checking out these amazing diversity recruiting tools.
