Calendar of
Multicultural Events, Religious Holidays, and Awareness Observances
Calendar of Multicultural Events, Religious Holidays, and Awareness Observances
Sharing and expanding our knowledge of multicultural events and traditions, gender identity, religious and faith-based holidays and traditions, and awareness observances of diverse members of our campus and local community helps strengthen relationships with one another, fosters collegiality, respect, and acceptance, and positively impacts our overall campus culture.
Please note the 2025 Multicultural Calendar below is an educational resource intended to provide a general overview, and the information may not apply to all individuals in any given culture or faith, nor is this an exhaustive list. To recommend additional religious or cultural observances to be highlighted in this calendar, please contact us at communications@chsu.edu.
2025 Multicultural Calendar
January 2025
Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month
January 1: New Year’s Day (modern Gregorian calendar)
January 1: Global Family Day / World Peace Day
January 1-3: Gantan-sai/ Shogatu/ Shinto New Year Holiday (Shinto)
January 2: St. Basil’s Day (Orthodox Christian)
January 4: World Braille Day
January 6: Epiphany/ Twelfth Night / Dia de los Reyes/ Three Kings Day (Roman Catholic and Protestant Christian)
January 6: Armenian Christmas (Armenian Orthodox Christian)
January 7 (Julian Calendar): Orthodox Christmas Day (Eastern Orthodox Christian)
January 12: National Pharmacists Day
January 20: Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday and National Day of Service
January 27: International Holocaust Remembrance/Day of Commemoration Day
January 29: (2025) Lunar New Year | Chinese Chunjie | Vietnamese Tet | Korean Solnal | Tibetan Losar | Spring Festival
February 2025
February 1: National Freedom Day
February 1-2: Imbolc / Candlemas
February 2: Groundhog Day
February 3: National Women Physician Day
February 3: Setsubun-sai (Shinto)
February 11: International Day of Women and Girls in Science
February 12: Magha Puja Day or Makha Bucha Day (Buddhist)
February 14: Valentine’s Day
February 17: Random Act of Kindness Day
February 17: President’s Day
February 20: World Day of Social Justice
February 28 – March 30, 2025, February 17 – March 18, 2026 **: Ramadan (Islam; dates may vary. Halal/Islamic dietary restrictions apply.)
February 28 (29 in leap years): Rare Disease Day
February 28: Tibetan New Year/ Losar (Buddhism)
March 2025
Taoist Festival honoring the Shen of Water, East and Spring
Greek-American/Hellenic Heritage Month
Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month
Bisexual Health Awareness Month
March 1: Zero Discrimination Day
March 1-19: Nineteen Day Fast Period (Baha’i)
March 5: National Equal Pay Day
March 5: Ash Wednesday and Lent Starts
March 5-Apr 17: Lent
March 8: International Women’s Day
March 13-14, 2025 / March 2-3-2026: Purim (Jewish)
March 14-15, 2025: Holi / Hola Mohalla (Hidu)
March 17: St. Patrick’s Day
March 20, 2025**: Naw Ruz (Baha’i) Nowruz/Norooz (Persian New Year)
March 21: World Down Syndrome Day
March 21: International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
March 30-31, 2025 / March 19-20, 2026 **: Eid al-Fitr (Islam; dates may vary. Halal/Islamic dietary restrictions apply.)
March 31: International Transgender Day of Visibility
March 31: Ugadi/Gudi Padwa
April 2025
Sexual Assault Awareness Month
April 2: World Autism Awareness Day
April 11: Day of Silence
April 12-20, 2025**: Passover/Pesach (Judaism; dates may vary)
April 14: Vaisakhi (Sikh/Hindu)
April 13, 2025 / March 29, 2026: Palm Sunday (Roman Catholic, Protestant Christian, Eastern Orthodox Christianity)
April 14: RAINN Day
April 18: National Transgender HIV Testing Day
April 18, 2025 / April 3, 2026: Good Friday (Roman Catholic and Protestant Christian)
April 20: Easter (Roman Catholic and Protestant Christian)
April 20: Pascha/ Easter (Eastern Orthodox Christian Church)
April 22: Earth Day
April 24-25, 2025 / April 13-14, 2026: Yom HaSho’ah/Holocaust Remembrance Day
April 26: Lesbian Visibility Day
April 30-May 11, 2025 **: Ridvan (Baha’i; 1, 9, 12th days)
May 2025
Asian-American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
Jewish-American Heritage Month
Speech and Hearing Awareness Month
May 4: Mother’s Day / Día de las Madres (Spain)
May 10: Mother’s Day / Día de las Madres (Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, Belize)
May 11-17: National Women’s Health Week
May 11: Mother’s Day (United States)
May 12: Buddha Day / Visakha Puja / Vesak (Buddhist)
May 17: International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia
May 17: Armed Forces Day (3rd Saturday in May)
May 18: World AIDS Vaccine Day
May 21: World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development
May 22: Harvey Milk Day
May 24: Pansexual and Panromantic Visibility Day
May 26: Memorial Day
May 29: Ascension of the Baha’u’llah (Baha’i)
May 29: Ascension Day/40th Day of Easter (Orthodox Christian)
June 2025
Caribbean-American Heritage Month
Jun 1-3, 2025/ May 21-23, 2026 **: Shavout (Judaism)
June 5: World Environment Day
June 6-7, 2025**: Eid al-Adha (Islam)
June 12: Loving Day
June 12: Pulse Night of Remembrance
June 15: World Elder Abuse Awareness Day
June 19: Juneteenth Holiday
June 20: World Refugee Day
June 25: Islamic New Year | Hijri New Year | Arabic New Year
June 26: LGBTQ+ Equality Day – Anniversary of the Legalization of Same-Sex Marriage in the U.S
June 27: National HIV Testing Day
June 28: Stonewall Riots Anniversary
July 2025
Disability Pride Month
July 4: Independence Day (Fourth of July Holiday in US)
July 5: Ashura
July 11: World Population Day
July 14: International Non-Binary People’s Day
July 18: Nelson Mandela International Day
July 24: Pioneer Day
August 2025
National Minority Donor Awareness Month
August 2-3, 2025**: Tish’a B’Av (Judaism)
August 9: Raksha Bandhan / Rakhi Festival (Hindu)
August 9: Lammas / Lughnasadh Beginning of Harvest Celebration (Druid, Pagan, Wiccan)
August 9: International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples
August 15: Assumption of Mary (Catholic Christian)
August 15: Krishna Janmashtami (Hindu)
August 21: National Senior Citizen Day
August 26: National Women’s Equality Day
September 2025
Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15-October 15)
September 1: Labor Day
September 10: World Suicide Prevention Day
September 15: International Day of Democracy
September 17: Constitution Day and Citizenship Day
September 18: National HIV/AIDS and Aging Awareness Day
September 21: International Day of Peace
September 16-23: Bisexual Awareness Week (#BiWeek)
September 23: Celebrate Bisexuality+ Day
September 22: Mabon / Alban Elfed / Autumnal Equinox (Druid, Pagan, Wiccan)
September 24-30: Allyship Week
October 2025
Global Diversity Awareness Month
Filipino-American Heritage Month
German-American Heritage Month
National Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15-October 15)
Italian-American Heritage Month
Polish-American Heritage Month
Domestic Violence Awareness Month
National Bullying Prevention Month
National Depression Education and Awareness Month
National Diabetes Awareness Month
October 2: International Day of Non-Violence
October 2-4, 2024 / September 22-24, 2025**: Rosh Hashanah (New Year – Judaism High Holy Days. Kosher restrictions apply.)
Oct. 2-12, 2024 / Sept. 22 – Oct. 2, 2025: Navaratri (Hindu)
October 6-12: Mental Illness Awareness Week
October 10: World Mental Health Day
October 11: National Coming Out Day
Oct. 11-12, 2024 / Oct. 1-2, 2025**: Yom Kippur (Judaism – High Holy Days. Kosher restrictions apply.)
October 14: Indigenous Peoples’ Day
Oct. 16-23, 2024 / Oct. 6-13, 2025 **: Sukkot (Judaism – High Holy Days. Kosher restrictions apply.)
October 17: Spirit Day
October 19: LGBTQ Center Awareness Day
October 20-26, 2024 / October 19-25, 2025: Ace Week (Asexual Awareness)
Oct. 23-25, 2024 / Oct. 13-15, 2025**: Shemini Atzeret (Judaism. Kosher restrictions apply.)
October 26: Intersex Awareness Day
October 28: National Immigrants Day
October 31, 2024 / October 20, 2025: Diwali (Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh, Jain; date varies year to year)
October 31 – November 1: Samhain (Druid, Pagan, Wiccan)
November 2025
Native American Indian / Alaska Native Heritage Month
November 1: All Saints Day (Catholic and Protestant Christian)
November 2: All Souls Day (Catholic Christian)
November 2: Birth of the Bab (Baha’i)
November 3: Birth of Baha’u’llah (Baha’i)
November 8: Intersex Day of Remembrance / Intersex Day of Solidarity
November 11: Veterans Day
November 13-19: Transgender Awareness Week
November 15: Guru Nanak Gurpurab (Sikh)
November 16: International Day For Tolerance
November 19: International Men’s Day
November 20: International Transgender Day of Remembrance
November 25: International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women
November 28: Thanksgiving Day
December 2025
December 1: World AIDS Day
December 1-24: Advent (Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant Christian)
December 3: International Day of Persons with Disabilities
December 8: Pansexual / Panromantic Pride Day
December 9: Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception / Feast of the Immaculate Conception (Roman Catholic; Holy Day of Obligation)
December 10: Human Rights Day
December 20: Yalda / Shab-e Chelleh Night
December 21: Dongzhi Festival
December 21: Yule / Midwinter / Alban Arthan / Winter Solstice (Druid, Pagan, Wiccan)
December 23: HumanLight
December 25: Christmas (Roman Catholic and Protestant Christian)
Dec. 25 – Jan. 2, 2025 **: Hanukkah / Chanukah (Judaism; kosher restrictions apply.)
December 26 – January 1: Kwanzaa
December 31: New Year’s Eve
* Indicates the holiday begins at sundown the night prior.
** Indicates the holiday begins at sundown on the first day through sunset on the last day.
Points to remember
- Lunar calendars vary based on region and practice
- Islamic dates are approximate; the official days can be plus/minus one day and depend upon the official physical sighting of the new moon.
- “Kosher restrictions apply” refers to the dietary guidelines of Jewish law which apply daily throughout the year. Restrictions include pork, shellfish (fish is allowed) and mixing meat with dairy.
- “Halal dietary restrictions apply” refers to the foods prohibited according to Islamic dietary law throughout the year. Restrictions include alcohol and pork.
- Shabbat, Jewish Sabbath: Every week from Friday sundown to Saturday sundown. (Also observed by several Christian denominations, the largest being 7th Day Adventists)
- Baha’is holidays begin at sunset on the day preceding the given date. There are also 19 days of fasting.