What is a Cultural Calendar?
A cultural calendar, or a diversity and inclusion calendar, is an essential tool for knowing the historical, cultural, and religious events of diverse groups. It provides annual dates and information for commemorations, celebrations, national days, international days, and religious observances.
A diversity and inclusion calendar can help workplaces in making inclusion a daily occurrence and regular aspect of an employee’s routine. The goal is belonging. Celebrations and opportunities to socialize with their peers can make employees feel seen and included as part of a community.
How do I use a Cultural Calendar?
Incorporating a cultural calendar can be as easy as including it in company newsletters, emails, break rooms, meetings or monthly events.
Toggle below to see a list of 2023 dates you can include in your organization’s diversity and inclusion calendar.
These resources come from Work Tango and Diversity Resources, both of which are great websites with even more tools to help you in your diversity efforts.
January 2023
Month of January:
- National Mentoring Month
- Poverty in America Awareness Month
- Slavery and Human Trafficking Awareness Month
Important DEI Calendar Dates:
January 1 – New Year’s Day
January 1 – Emancipation Proclamation: President Lincoln declared all individuals held in slavery free on this day in 1863
January 4 – National Braille Day. Louis Braille’s birthday. He was a French educator who created a reading and writing system known as “braille” for the visually impaired
January 6 – Feast of the Epiphany: this Christian feast day celebrates the star leading the three wise men to baby Jesus closing the Christmas season
January 7 – Mahayana New Year (Buddhist)
January 15 – Makar Sankranti: Hindu festival dedicated to the god of the sun, Surya
January 16 – Martin Luther King Jr. Day: celebrates one of the best-known civil rights activists, MLK Jr.
January 22 – Lunar New Year: this festival marks the start of the new year in the lunar calendar used in East Asia, Southeast Asia and elsewhere
January 24 – International Day of Education
January 26 – International Customs Day
January 27 – International Holocaust Remembrance Day: remembering the approximately 6 million Jews murdered during World War II
February 2023
February observances:
- American Heart Month
- Black History Month
Important DEI Calendar Dates:
February 1 – National Freedom Day
February 4 – Rosa Parks Day
February 8 – Safer Internet Day
February 11 – International Day of Women & Girls in Science
February 11 – Tammy Baldwin’s Birthday: the birthday of the first openly LGBT woman elected to both houses of Congress
February 13 – International Epilepsy Day
February 14 – Valentine’s Day
February 15 – Nirvana Day: an annual festival that remembers the death of the Buddha after reaching nirvana; also called Parinirvana
February 15 – Susan B. Anthony’s Birthday: a leader of the women’s suffrage movement, She advocated for abolition, temperance, labor rights, and equal pay for equal work
February 15 – International Childhood Cancer Day
February 18 – Maha Shivarati (Hindu)
February 20 – World Day of Social Justice
February 20 – FamilyDay (Canada)
February 21 – Mardi Gras
February 22 – Ash Wednesday: a day of prayer and fasting that begins the Christian season of Lent
March 2023
March Observances:
- Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month
- Ethnic Equality Month
- Gender Equality Month
- Greek-American Heritage Month
- Irish-American Heritage Month
- National Colon Cancer Awareness Month
- National Kidney Month
- National Multiple Sclerosis Awareness and Education Month
- National Women’s History Month
Important DEI Calendar Dates:
March 3 – Employee Appreciation Day
March 6 – Purim (Jewish)
March 8 – International Women’s Day
March 8 – Holi: Hindu holiday that celebrates the winter harvest and onset of spring
March 10 – Harriet Tubman’s birthday (observed): American abolitionist who is well-known for her key role in the Underground Railroad
March 14 – Pi π Day
March 15 – Equal Pay Day
March 17 – St. Patrick’s Day: feast day of a Catholic saint who inspires cultural and religious celebrations around the world
March 21 – World Down Syndrome Day
March 21 – Naw-Ruz (Baha’I New Year)
March 21 – International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
March 22 to April 21 – Ramadan: the start of Islam’s sacred month — during this time Muslims abstain from eating and drinking from dawn until dusk
March 23 – Ramadan begins (Islam)
March 23 – International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade
March 31 – International Transgender Day of Visibility
April 2023
April Observances:
- Arab-American Heritage Month
- Autism Awareness Month
- Celebrate Diversity Month
- Earth Month
- National Child Abuse Prevention Month
- National Volunteer Month
Important DEI Calendar Dates:
April 2 – World Autism Awareness Day
April 2 – Palm Sunday (Christian)
April 5 to April 13 – Passover: major Jewish festival that celebrates the freeing of Israeli slaves
April 7 – Good Friday (Christian)
April 9 – Easter
April 14 – National Day of Silence (LGBTQ+
April 17 – Laylat al-Qadr (Muslim)
April 18 – Yom Hashoah (Jewish)
April 20 – Start of Ridvan (Baha’i)
April 21 – Eid-al-Fitr/End of Ramadan (Muslim)
April 22 – Earth Day
May 2023
May Observances:
- ALS Awareness Month
- Haitian Heritage Month
- Indian Heritage Month
- Jewish-American Heritage Month
- Mental Health Awareness Month
- National Asian American and South Pacific Islander Heritage Month
- Older Americans Month
- South Asian American Heritage Month
Important DEI Calendar Dates:
May 5 – Cinco de Mayo: Mexican-American holiday that celebrates Mexico’s defeat of the French Army
May 17 – International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia
May 19 – Malcolm X’s Birthday: well-known Muslim minister and civil rights activist, who was assassinated in 1965
May 21 – World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development
May 22 – Victoria Day (Canada)
May 23 – Declaration of the Bab (Baha’i)
May 26 – Buddha’s Birthday: celebrates the Buddha, who founded one of the world’s most practiced faiths
May 29 – Ascension of Baha’u’llah (Baha’i)
May 29 – Memorial Day
June 2023
June Observances:
- Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month
- Black Music Month
- National Caribbean American Heritage Month
- Pride Month (LGBTQ+)
Important DEI Calendar Dates:
June 2 – Indian Citizenship Act of 1924: This act granted Native Americans born in the U.S. citizenship. However, they were not given the right to vote until 1957
June 5 – World Environment Day
June 11 – Race Unity Day
June 12 – Loving Day: This day is the anniversary of the court decision that legalizes interracial marriage
June 19 – Juneteenth: (short for “June Nineteenth”) This day commemorates when the last African Americans learned of the Emancipation Proclamation (over two years after it was originally issued)
June 20 – World Refugee Day
June 21 – National Indigenous Peoples Day (Canada)
June 21 – Litha, Summer Solstice (Pagan)
June 24 – St-Jean-Baptiste Day (Quebec)
June 26 to July 1 – The Hajj: This day begins the annual pilgrimage to Mecca that all Muslims must take once in their lives
June 27 – Helen Keller’s Birthday: This day celebrates the birth of Helen Kellen, an individual who was both blind and deaf. She was a leading humanitarian in the 20th century as well as one of the co-founders of the ACLU
June 28 – Eid al-Adha (Muslim)
July 2023
July Observances:
- French-American Heritage Month
Important DEI Calendar Dates:
July 1 – Canada Day (Canada)
July 4 – Independence Day (USA)
July 6 – 14th Dalai Lama’s Birthday: The day that Tibet’s leader in exile and Nobel Peace Prize recipient was born
July 9 – Martyrdom of the Bab (Baha’i)
July 11 – World Populace Day
July 14 – Bastille Day
July 18 – International Nelson Mandela Day: Nelson Mandela’s Birthday. Nelson Mandela served as South Africa’s first black president and was a strong civil rights leader
July 19 – Muharram Islamic New Year
July 24 – Pioneer Day (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints)
July 26 – National Disability Independence Day (commemorates the signing of the Americans With Disabilities Act)
July 30 – International Day of Friendship
July 30 – Al-Hijri: this day marks the start of the Muslim New Year — beginning the prior evening
August 2023
August Observances:
- National Civility Month
Important DEI Calendar Dates:
August 7 – Purple Heart Day
August 9 – International Day of the World’s Indigenous People
August 13 – Left-Handers Day
August 15 – Feast of the Assumption: This Roman Catholic feast day marks the entry of the mother Mary into Heaven (body and soul)
August 19 – World Humanitarian Day
August 21 – Senior Citizens Day
August 22 – American Business Women’s Day
August 26 – Women’s Equality Day: This day marks the anniversary of women gaining the right to vote in the year 1920
August 31 – Ganesh Chaturthi: This Hindu festival celebrates Lord Ganesha’s birth
September 2023
September Observances:
- Hispanic Heritage Month
- National Guide Dog Month
- National Recovery Month
- Suicide Prevention Month
Important DEI Calendar Dates:
September 4 – Labor Day
September 5 – International Day of Charity
September 11 – Patriot Day (U.S.A.)
September 15 – International Day of Democracy
September 15 to September 17 – Rosh Hashanah: This holiday is the Jewish New Year when Jews reflect on their faith
September 16 – Mexican Independence Day
September 21 – International Day of Peace
September 21 – World Gratitude Day
September 22 – National Native American Day
September 24 – Yom Kippur (Jewish)
September 29 – Sukkot (Jewish)
September 30 – National Day for Truth & Reconciliation (Canada)
October 2023
October Observances:
- Breast Cancer Awareness Month
- Bullying Prevention Month
- Domestic Violence Awareness Month
- Global Diversity Awareness Month
- Filipino-American Heritage Month
- German-American Heritage Month
- Italian-American Heritage Month
- LGBTQ History Month
- National Disability Employment Awareness Month
- National Work and Family Month
- Polish-American Heritage Month
- Family History Month
Important DEI Calendar Dates:
October 2 – International Day of Nonviolence
October 9 – National Indigenous Peoples’ Day (United States)
October 10 – Thanksgiving Day (Canada)
October 10 – World Mental Health Day
October 10 – Indigenous People’s Day
October 11 – National Coming Out Day (LGBTQ+)
October 12 – World Sight Day
October 14 – Defender of Ukraine Day: This day celebrates those who have fought for the freedom of Ukraine
October 15 – Navrati begins (Hindu)
October 16 – Birth of the Bab (Baha’i)
October 16 – Waste Reduction Week
October 16 – Bosses’ Day
October 19 – Spirit Day (LGBTQ+ anti-bullying)
October 20 – Sikh Holy Day (birth of Guru Granth)
October 22 – International Stuttering Awareness Day
October 25 – Birth of Baha’u’llah (Baha’i)
October 31 – Halloween
November 2023
November Observances:
- Diabetes Awareness Month
- Movember (awareness of men’s health issues, such as prostate cancer)
- National Native American, American Heritage Month
Important DEI Calendar Dates:
November 1 – All Saints’ Day, All Souls Day, Día de Los Muertos: These days are dedicated to all those who have passed away in the Christian faith as well as the Mexican and Aztec communities
November 1 – National Stress Awareness Day
November 9 – Diwali (Hindu
November 9 – World Freedom Day
November 9 – World Adoption Day
November 11 – Remembrance/Veterans Day
November 12 – Diwali: An important celebration in the Hindu faith in which a variety of deities are praised
November 13 – World Kindness Day
November 16 – International Day for Tolerance: The UN holiday was founded to encourage respect among various people regardless of culture, language, religion, or ethnicity
November 16 – Dutch American Heritage Day: This day applauds the long friendship between the Netherlands and the United States
November 19 – International Men’s Day
November 20 – Transgender Day of Remembrance: This day is held as a remembrance for all those murdered because of transphobia
November 20 – Universal Children’s Day (Human Rights, U.N.)
November 23 – Thanksgiving
November 25 – Day of the Covenant (Baha’i)
November 27 – Ascension of Abdu’l-Baha (Baha’i)
December 2023
December Observances:
- HIV/AIDS Awareness Month
- Universal Human Rights Month
Important DEI Calendar Dates:
December 1 – World AIDS Day
December 3 – International Day of Persons with Disabilities
December 5 – International Volunteer Day
December 7 to December 15 – Hanukkah
December 9 – International Genocide Prevention Day
December 10 – International Humans Rights Day
December 21 – Yule Winter Solstice (Pagan)
December 16 to December 24 – Las Posadas: A religious festival celebrated in Mexico and parts of the U.S. during the Christmas season.
December 25 – Christmas
December 26 – Kwanzaa: An 8-day holiday (Celebration of African Customs & Cultures)
December 26 – Boxing Day
December 31 – New Year’s Eve