Equality and Inclusion Calendar 2023-24
The University is made up of people with diverse backgrounds and circumstances, something which we regard as a great asset. We strive to create an environment where everyone can participate in and contribute to our activities.
The Equality and Inclusion calendar can help create an inclusive work and study environment. It can also enable students, staff and visitors to take part in key celebration and/or remembrance events. The calendar highlights the main faith days observed or celebrated, key diversity days, awareness raising dates, public holidays and academic term dates. Use this resource to support timetabling, schedule work, plan events and help respond to requests for flexibility on the grounds of religion or belief.
The calendar focuses on seven key faiths: Bahai, Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Sikhism. Sources of information used to produce the calendar include external faith bodies, diversity organisations and national faith calendars. Some dates may vary regionally as they are determined by the lunar calendar. Some holy days may begin at sunset the day before the date shown. More detailed guidance is available on the EIU Religion and Belief Resource webpage, which includes information about prayer spaces, religious observance and responding to requests for flexibility on the grounds of religion.
The religions, beliefs or non-beliefs that are not included on the calendar are equally as valued. The dates on the calendar were accurate at the time of publication. To provide feedback on the calendar, please contact equality@leeds.ac.uk.
The Equality and Inclusion Calendar is also available to import into a calendar format of your choice (including Outlook and Google). Please use the Equality and Inclusion Calendar 2023-24 ICS link and follow these instructions on how to import an ICS file.
Months (Sep 2023-Aug 2024)
- September 2023
- October 2023
- November 2023
- December 2023
- January 2024
- February 2024
- March 2024
- April 2024
- May 2024
- June 2024
- July 2024
- August 2024
September 2023
- 1 Sep Sikhism: First Parkash
- 15 – 17 Sep Judaism: Rosh Hashanah**
- 23 Sep Bi Visibility Day
- 24-25 Sep Judaism: Yom Kippur**
- 25 Sep – 1 Oct National Inclusion Week
- 27 Sep Islam: Mawlid an-Nabi (Prophet Muhammad’s birthday)*
- 29 Sep – 6 Oct Judaism: Sukkot*
October 2023
- 1 – 31 Oct Black History Month
- 1 – 31 Oct ADHD Awareness month
- 2 Oct Leeds University Autumn semester begins
- 7-8 Oct Judaism: Simchat Torah**
- 10 Oct World Mental Health Day
- 11 Oct National Coming Out Day
- 16 Oct Bahai: Birth of the Báb
- 17 Oct Bahai: Birth of Bahá’u’lláh
- 18 Oct World Menopause Day
- 20 Oct Sikhism: Installation of the Scriptures as Guru Granth
November 2023
- 1 – 30 Nov Islamophobia Awareness Month (IAM)
- 1 Nov Christianity: All Saints
- 2 Nov Christianity: All Souls
- 12 Nov Hinduism: Diwali
- 12 - 19 Nov Inter Faith Week
- 13 – 19 Nov Trans Awareness Week
- 16 Nov – 16 Dec UK Disability History Month
- 17 Nov International Students’ Day
- 18 Nov LGBTQ+ STEM Day
- 19 Nov International Men’s Day
- 20 Nov Trans Day of Remembrance
- 23 Nov Carers Rights Day
- 23 Nov Sikhism: Guru Nanak Dev Sahib
- 25 Nov White Ribbon Day
- 28 Nov Bahai: Ascension of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá
December 2023
- 1st Dec World Aids Day
- 3 Dec International Day of Persons with Disabilities
- 7 – 15 Dec Judaism: Hanukkah**
- 15 Dec University of Leeds Autumn term ends
- 22 Dec – 1 Jan University of Leeds closed
- 24 Dec Christianity: Christmas Eve
- 25 Dec Christmas Day
January 2024
- 5 Jan Sikhism: Birthday of Guru Gobindh Singh
- 6 Jan Christianity: Epiphany
- 15 -26 Jan University of Leeds Examinations
- 25 Jan Buddhism: Mahayana New Year
- 27 Jan Holocaust Memorial Day
- 29 Jan University of Leeds Spring term begins
February 2024
- 1-29 Feb LGBT+ History Month
- 10 Feb Chinese Lunar Year
- 13 Feb Christianity: Shrove Tuesday
- 14 Feb Christianity: Ash Wednesday
- 14 Feb Hinduism: Vasant Panchami
- 15 Feb Buddhism: Nirvana Day
- 24 Feb Buddhism: Magha Puja Day
- 26 - 29 Feb Bahai: Intercalary Days
March 2024
- 1 - 19 Mar Bahai: Nineteen Day Fast
- 8 Mar International Women’s Day
- 10 Mar Islam: Ramadan begins (ends 9 April)* (TBC)
- 20 Mar Bahai: Naw Rúz (New Year)
- 22-30 March Hinduism: Navratri
- 22 Mar University of Leeds Spring Term ends
- 23 – 24 Mar Judaism: Purim**
- 24 March Christianity: Palm Sunday
- 25 Mar Sikhism: Holi
- 25 – 31 Mar World Autism Acceptance Week
- 27 Mar Sikhism: Hola Mohalla
- 28 Mar- 2 Apr University of Leeds closed
- 29 Mar Christianity: Good Friday
- 30th Mar World Bipolar Day
- 31 Mar International Transgender Day of Visibility
- 31 Mar Christianity: Easter Sunday
April 2024
- 2 Apr World Autism Awareness Day
- 9 Apr Islam: Ramadan ends* (TBC)
- 10 Apr Islam: Eid al-Fitr * (TBC)
- 13 Apr Sikhism: New Year Vaisakhi
- 17 April Hinduism: Rama Navami
- 21 Apr Bahai: First Day of Ridván
- 22 April University of Leeds Summer term begins
- 22 Apr Stephen Lawrence Day
- 22 - 30 Apr Judaism: Pesach (Passover)**
- 24 - 26 Apr Buddhism: Theravada New Year
- DATES TBC Lesbian Visibility Week
- 29 Apr Bahai: Ninth Day of Ridván
May 2024
- 1-7 May Deaf Awareness Week
- 2 May Bahai: Twelfth Day of Ridván
- 5 - 6 May Judaism: Yom HaShoah**
- 6 May University of Leeds closed
- 8 May National Day for Staff Networks
- 9 May Christianity: Ascension Day
- 10 May University of Leeds Spring term ends
- 13 – 19 May Black Inclusion Week
- 13 - 20 May Mental Health Awareness Week
- 17 May International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia
- 19 May Christianity: Pentecost
- 20 May – 7 Jun University of Leeds Examinations
- 23 May Buddhism: Vesak (Buddah Day)
- 23 May Bahai: Declaration of the Báb
- 27 – 28 May University of Leeds closed
- 29 May Bahai: Ascension of Bahá’u’lláh
June 2024
- 5-11 Jun Carers Week
- 8 Jun Christianity: Corpus Christi
- 11 - 13 June Judaism: Shavuot**
- 14 Jul Islam: Hajj* (TBC)
- 16 Jun Sikhism: Martyrdom of Guru Arjun Dev
- 16 - 17 Jun Islam: Eid al-Adha*
- 21 June University of Leeds Summer term ends
- 22 Jun Windrush Day
- 29 Jun Christianity: St Peter and St Paul Day
July 2024
- 7 July Hinduism: Puri Ratha Yatra
- 8 Jul Islam: Muharram/Islamic New Year*
- 14 Jul International Non-Binary People’s Day
- 17 Jul – 16 Aug South Asian Heritage Month (TBC)
- 17 Jul Islam: Ashura*
August 2024
- Dates TBC Leeds Pride
- Dates TBC UK Black Pride
- 12 - 13 AugJudaism: Tisha B’va**
- 15 Aug Christianity: Assumption
- 19 Aug Hinduism: Raksha Bandhan
- 26 – 27 Aug University of Leeds closed
*Please note the exact dates of the major Islamic festivals will depend on the moon sightings based on the lunar calendar. Please see the Ramadan Guidance for more information.
**Please note the major Jewish festivals begin in the evening of the festival start date. Please see the Jewish Religious Observance guidance for more information.