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Equality and Inclusion Calendar 2025 - 2026

The Equality and Inclusion Unit (EIU) calendar highlights key dates of awareness and religious observance from a number of world faiths.

This calendar is a valuable resource to support inclusive timetabling and event planning. Annually the University, the EIU, Staff Equity Networks and communities across the University may celebrate a variety of awareness dates, including dates not listed in this calendar. Faculties, departments, services and teams are encouraged to acknowledge dates of particular significance to your area of work or to employees. The dates on this calendar have been collated in collaboration with Staff Equity Networks and other teams from across the University.

The Equality and Inclusion Unit has produced a separate Faith calendar specifically focussed on dates of religious observance to support specific inclusive timetabling, events and meeting planning. Please refer to this calendar for specific guidance around supporting staff and students with accommodating religious observation at the University of Leeds.

Key

* - observation begins at sunset on the previous day

** - observation begins at the sighting of the moon

% - work activities are restricted or forbidden on these day(s)

September 2025

  • 1 – 30 September: East and South East Asian Heritage Month
  • 1 September: Sikhism: First Parkash Sri Guru Granth Sahib
  • **4 – 5 September: Islam: Milad-un-Nabi
  • 4 – 5 September: Hinduism: Onam
  • 22 September: Paganism: Mabon – Autumn Equinox
  • 22 September – 2 October: Hinduism: Navrati
  • 23 September: International Day of Sign Languages
  • 23 September: Bisexuality Visibility Day
  • *23 – 24 September: Judaism: Rosh Hashana %
  • 28 September – 2 October: Hinduism: Durga Puja

October 

  • 1 – 31 October: Black History Month
  • 1 October: International Day of Older Persons
  • *2 October: Judaism: Yom Kippur – %
  • 2 October: Hinduism and Sikhism: Vijayadashami / Dusshera
  • *7-13 October: Judaism: Sukkot – %
  • 10 October: Hinduism: Karwa Chauth
  • 11 October: National Coming Out Day
  • *14 October: Judaism: Shmini Atzeret – %
  • 15 October: International Pronouns Day
  • *15 October: Judaism: Simchat Torah – %
  • 18 October: World Menopause Day
  • 18 October: Hinduism: Dhanteras
  • 20 October: Hinduism: Diwali
  • 20 October: Sikhism: Installation of Guru Granth Sahib
  • 22 October: Baha’i: Birth of the Báb – %
  • 23 October: Baha’i: Birth of the Bahá’ullah – %
  • 25 – 28 October: Chhath Puja
  • 31 October: Paganism: Samhain

November

  • 1 – 30 November: Islamophobia Awareness Month
  • 1 November: Christianity: All Saints Day
  • 2 November: Christianity: All Souls Day
  • 5 November: Hinduism and Sikhism: Kartik Purinma
  • 5 November: Sikhism: Birthday of Guru Nanak
  • 16 November – 15 December: UK Disability History Month
  • 19 November: International Men’s Day
  • 20 November: Trans Day of Remembrance
  • 25 November: International Day for the Elimination of Violence against women and girls
  • 25 November – 10 December: 16 days of activism against Gender Based Violence
  • 25 November: Baha’i: Day of the Covenant
  • 27 November: Baha’i: Ascension of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá

December

  • 1 December: World AIDS Day
  • 3 December: International Day of Persons with Disabilities
  • 8 December: Buddhism: Bodhi Day
  • *15 – 22 December: Judaism: Hannukah
  • 21 December: Paganism: Yule – Winter Solstice
  • 24 December: Christianity: Christmas Eve (University closed)
  • 25 December: Christianity: Christmas Day (University closed)

 January 2026

  • 3 January: Buddhism: Mahayana New Year
  • 4 January: World Braille Day
  • 6 January: Christianity: Epiphany
  • 7 January: Eastern Orthodox Christianity: Christmas
  • 13 January: Hinduism: Pongal
  • ** 15 – 16 January: Islam: Lailat-al-Miraj
  • 20 January: Birthday of Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti
  • 23 January: Hinduism: Vasant Panchami
  • 27 January: International Holocaust Memorial Day

February

  • 1 – 28 February: LGBT History Month
  • 1-7 February: World Interfaith Harmony Week
  • 1 February: Paganism: Imbolc
  • 2 – 8 February: Race Equality Week
  • 3 – 9 February: Sexual Abuse and Sexual Violence Awareness Month
  • 15 February: Buddhism: Nirvana Day
  • 15 February: Buddhism: Maha Shivrati
  • 17 February: Lunar New Year/Chinese New Year
  • **17 February – 18 March: Islam: Ramadan
  • 18 February: Christianity: Ash Wednesday
  • 18 February – 2 April: Christianity: Lent
  • 20 February: World Day of Social Justice
  • 21 February: International Mother Language Day

March 

  • 1-31 March: Women’s History Month
  • 1 March: Zero Discrimination Day
  • 3 March: Buddhism: Magha Puja Day
  • *3 March: Judaism: Purim
  • 4 March: Hinduism and Sikhism: Holi
  • 4 – 6 March: Sikhism: Holla Mohalla
  • 8 March: International Women’s Day
  • 15 March: International Day to Combat Islamophobia
  • 19 March Hinduism: Ugadi/Samvatsaradi and Gudi Padwa
  • **19 – 20 March: Islam: Eid-al-Fitr
  • 19 – 27 March: Hinduism: Vasant Navrati
  • 20 March: Paganism: Ostara – Spring Equinox
  • 21 March: International Day for the Eli
  • 22 March: Baha’i: Naw’Rùz – %
  • 26 March: Hinduism: Ram Navami
  • 29 March: Christianity: Palm Sunday
  • 31 March: Trans Day of Visibility

April

  • 1 April: Hinduism: Hanuman Jayanti
  • 2 April: World Autism Day (University closed)
  • *2 – 9 April: Judaism: Pesach – % 2-3 and 8-9 April (University closed 2 - 7 April)
  • 3 April: Christianity: Good Friday (University closed)
  • 5 April: Christianity: Easter Sunday (University closed)
  • 6 April: International Asexuality Day (University closed)
  • 13 April: Buddhism: Theravada New Year
  • 13 – 15 April: Buddhism: Songkran (Water Festival)
  • 14 April: Sikhism: Vaisakhi
  • 14 – 21 April: Hinduism: Bihu
  • 14 April: Hinduism: Vishu
  • 21 April: Baha’i: First day of Ridván – %
  • 26 April: Lesbian Visibility Day
  • 29 April: Baha’i: Ninth day of Ridván – %

May

  • 1 May: Paganism: Beltane
  • 2 May: Baha’i: Twelfth day of Ridván – %
  • 11 – 17 May: Mental Health Awareness Week
  • 14 May: National Day of Staff Networks
  • 14 May: Christianity: Ascension Day
  • 15 May: Global Accessibility Awareness Day
  • 16 – 22 May: Refugee Week
  • 17 May: International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia
  • *22 – 23 May: Judaism: Shavuot – %
  • 24 May: Baha’i: Declaration of the Báb – %
  • 24 May: Christianity: Pentecost/Whitsun
  • **24 – 29 May: Islam: Hajj (University closed 25 - 26 May)
  • **26 – 30 May: Islam: Eid-al-Adha (University closed 26 May)
  • 29 May: Baha’i: Ascension of the Bahá’u’llah – No work permitted
  • 31 May: Buddhism: Vesak

Dates tbc: Africa week

June

  • 1 to 30 – Gypsy, Roma and Traveller (GRT) History Month
  • 1 – 30 June: LGBT+ Pride Month
  • 8 – 14 June: Men’s Health Week
  • 8 – 14 June: Carer’s Week
  • 15 – 21 June: Learning Disability Week
  • **16 June: Islam: Muharram
  • 16 June: Sikhism: Martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev
  • 21 June: Paganism: Litha – Summer Solstice
  • 22 June: Windrush Day
  • **25 – 26 June: Islam: Ashura

July 

  • 1 – 31 July: Disability Pride Month
  • 10 July: Baha’i: Martyrdom of the Báb
  • 14 July: International Non-Binary People’s Day
  • 18 July – 17 August: South Asian Heritage Month
  • 19 July: Sitalsasthi
  • 23 July: Judaism: Tish’a B’av
  • 29 July: Buddhism: Asala-Dharma Day
  • 29 July: Guru Purnima

Date tbc: Leeds Pride

August 

  • 1 August: Paganism: Lammas
  • 13 August: Buddhism: Obon
  • 15 August: Christianity: Assumption Day
  • 28 August: Hinduism: Raksha Bandhan/Rakhi