Diversity + Inclusion

Global Intercultural Calendar

01 National Mentoring Month

"I have a dream"

INTERNATIONAL
HOLIDAYS AND COMMEMORATION DAYS
4|January World Braille Day is celebrated every year on 4th January around the world to commemorate the birthday of Louis Braille. Louis Braille is credited with inventing the Braille language which helps blind people to read as well as write. 20|January Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is an American federal holiday marking the birthday of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. King was the chief spokesman for nonviolent activism in the civil rights movement. 26|January In India, Republic Day honours the date on which the Constitution of India came into forceon 26 January 1950replacing the Government of India Act (1935) as the governing document of India. 31|January t, or Vietnamese New Year, is the most important T celebration of Vietnamese culture. It features aspects of the western Thanksgiving, New Years Day, Halloween and Birthday. It is the Vietnamese New Year marking the arrival of spring based on the Chinese calendar.

2014
JANUARY
MON TUE WED
1
N ew Year

D+I@BASF
THU
2

FRI
3

SAT
4
Wor l d B r a i l l e Da y

SUN
5

6
Th e Th re e K i n g s, Chri s t i an

10

11

12

13

14
Prophet Muhammads Birthday, Muslim

15

16

17

18

19

20
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, USA

21

22

23

24

25
N a ti on a l D a y, I n d i a N a ti on a l D a y, A u str a l i a

26

27
I n te r n a t i o n a l H ol oc aus t Reme m b r a n c e Da y

28

29

30

31
Start New Year, China, Korea, Vietnam (until 5.2.)

African American History Month

02

INTERNATIONAL
HOLIDAYS AND COMMEMORATION DAYS
2|February Iemanj is the Brazilian Queen of the Ocean. In Salvador, Bahia, every February 2, thousands of people line up at dawn to leave their offerings at her shrine in Rio Vermelho. Gifts for Iemanj usually include owers and objects of female vanity (perfume, jewelry, combs, lipsticks, mirrors). These are gathered in large baskets and taken out to the sea by local shermen. Afterwards a massive street party ensues. 3|February The Chinese New Year remains the most important social and economic holiday in China. Originally tied to the lunar-solar Chinese calendar, the holiday was a time to honor household and heavenly deities as well as ancestors. At Chinese New Year celebrations people wear red clothes and give children lucky money in red envelopes. 14|February Mahka Bucha is a Buddhist holiday, celebrated in Thailand, Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia. The third lunar month is known in the Thai language as Makha; Bucha is also a Thai word, meaning to venerate or to honor. As such, Makha Bucha Day honors Buddha and his teachings. 28|February Begin of Carnival South America: The Carnival of Brazil is an annual festival held during Friday to Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of Lent, the forty-day period before Easter. In the southeastern cities of Rio de Janeiro, So Paulo and Vitria, huge organized parades are led by samba schools.

2014
FEBRUARY
MON TUE WED THU
3
Worl d C ancer Day C onsti tuti on Day M exi co Independence Day, Sri Lanka Kashmir Day, Pakist an Wait angi Day, New Zealand

D+I@BASF
FRI SAT
1
I e m a nj Da y, Bra zi l

SUN
2

10

11
National Foundation Day, Japan

12

13
Valen t i ne s D a y

14
Makh a Buc ha , Budd hi s t

15

16

17
P res ide n ts Day, US A

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28
Begin of Carnival, South America

03

Womens History Month

INTERNATIONAL
hOLIDAYS AND COmmEmORATION DAYS
4|March Mardi Gras is the annual Carnival celebration held in New Orleans, Louisiana. The New Orleans Carnival has its roots in preparting for the Catholic resaon of Lent. During the 12 days preceding Mardi Gras, more than 60 parades and hundreds of private parties, dances and masked balls are annually scheduled in the metro area. 8|March International Womens Day, originally called International Working Womens Day, is marked on March 8 every year. In different regions the focus of the celebrations ranges from general celebration of respect, appreciation and love towards women to a celebration for womens economic, political and social achievements. 17|March Holi is a spring festival celebrated as a festival of colors. It is a Hindu religious festival which has also become popular with people of other communities. It is primarily celebrated in India and Nepal. 31|March Hari Raya Nyepi Nyepi is a Balinese Day of Silence that is commemorated every Isaawarsa (Saka new year) according to the Balinese calendar. It is a Hindu celebration mainly celebrated in Bali, Indonesia. Nyepi, a public holiday in Indonesia, a day of silence, fasting and meditation for the Balinese.

2014
MARCH
MON TUE WED THU
3
Rhenish Car nival, Germany

D+I@BASF
FRI SAT
1

SUN
2

4
Mardi Gras, Car nival (varying)

5
Ashes Wednesday, Christian (varying)

7
In ter n ation al Wom en s D ay

10

11

12

13

14
P u rim , J ew ish

15

16

17
Ho l i Ce l eb rat i on, I ndi a

18
Benito Juarezs Birthday, Mexico

19

20
P e r sian New Year

21
World Down Syndrome Day

22
P ak istan Day

23

24
Ha r i R aya Ny ep i , B a l i

25

26
Independence Day, Bangladesh

27

28

29

30

31

Celebrate Diversity Month

04

INTERNATIONAL
HOLIDAYS AND COMMEMORATION DAYS
5|April The Chinese Qingming-Festival is a traditional Chinese feast in order to remember the death. It is celebrated on the 106th day of the Chinese calendar. Things, which the death liked in their lifetime, are brought to their graves. Also, owers and food are put down. 8|April International Roma Day on April 8 is not just about celebrating Roma culture, it also highlights the persecution and discrimination that Roma people face in all areas of life. 21|April Joaquim Jos da Silva Xavier known as Tiradentes, was a leading member of the Brazilian revolutionary movement known as the Incondncia Mineira whose aim was full independence from the Portuguese colonial power and to create a Brazilian republic. When the plan was discovered, Tiradentes was arrested, tried and publicly hanged. Since the 19th century he has been considered a national hero of Brazil and patron of the Polcia Militar de Minas Gerais. 25|April Anzac Day is a national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand. ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. It marks the anniversary of the rst major military action fought by Australian and New Zealand forces during the First World War.

2014
APRIL
MON TUE
1

D+I@BASF
WED
2
Wor l d A u t i s m Aw aren es s D ay

THU
3

FRI
4

SAT
5

SUN
6
F or m a ti on of B A S F Chakri Memorial Day, Thailand

C h i n g Mi n g F e sti v a l , C h i n a

7
Yom Ha S h o a h , Holo c a u st R e m emb ranc e D a y Inter national Rom a D ay

8
D ay o f Val o r, Ph i l i ppi n es

9
Hung Kings Commemorat i o n , V i et n am

10

11

12
S on gk r a n , Th a i N e w Ye a r

13

14
S o n g kr a n , T h ai New Ye ar P a s s o ve r 2 2 .4., Je w i s h Bengali N ew Year

15
Songkran, Thai N ew Year

16

17
G o o d F r i d a y, Ch r i sti a n

18

19

20
Easter Sunday, Orthodox Easter, C h r i sti a n

21
Ea s te r M o n d a y B a h a i R i d va n - Fe s t T ira de n t e s D a y, Bra z i l Discovery Day, Brazil

22
So J o r g es D ay, B r azi l

23
Ch i l dren s F es t i val , Tu r k ey

24
An zac D a y, A u str a l i a , New Ze a l a n d , Ton go

25

26

27

28

29
V ict o r y D ay, V i et n am

30

05 Asian/Pacic American Heritage Month

INTERNATIONAL
HOLIDAYS AND COMMEMORATION DAYS
1|May International Workers Day is a celebration of the international labour movement that occurs on May Day, May 1, a traditional Spring holiday in much of Europe. May 1 is a national holiday in more than 80 countries, and celebrated unofcially in many other countries. 5|May Cinco de Mayo is a celebration held on May 5. It is celebrated in Mexico, where the holiday is called El Da de la Batalla de Puebla (English: The Day of the Battle of Puebla). It is originated with Mexican-American communities in the American West as a way to commemorate the cause of freedom and democracy during the rst years of the Mexican-American Civil War, and today the date is observed in the United States as a celebration of Mexican heritage and pride. 14|May Vesak Day is a holy day observed traditionally by Buddhists. Sometimes informally called Buddhas Birthday, it actually commemorates the birth, enlightenment and death of Gautama Buddha. 17|May The International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia is an annual event celebrated every May 17. May 17 was the day that homosexuality was removed from the International Classication of Diseases of the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1990.

2014
MAY
MON TUE WED THU
1
Labor Day, Europe, Malaysia, Singapore, Mexico

D+I@BASF
FRI
2

SAT
3

SUN
4

5
Cinco de Mayo, Mexico + USA Coronation Day, Thailand Birthday of the Buddha, South Korea

6
Roma Celebration of Saint George

7
End of World War II

8
Europe Day

10

11

12

13
Vesak Day, Buddhist

14

15
International Day of the Family

16
In ter n ation al Day again st Homoph obia

17

18

19
V ictoria Day, Canada

20

21

22

23

24

25

26
M e m or i al D ay, USA

27

28
A sc e n sio n D a y, C h r ist ia n

29

30

31

Gay & Lesbian Pride Month

06

INTERNATIONAL
HOLIDAYS AND COMMEMORATION DAYS
2 | June The Dragon Boat (Tuen Ng Festival) has been celebrated on the fth day of the fth moon (early June) for the past 21/2 millennia. Its exact origin is unknown, but legend notes that this festival commemorates the tragic death of the honest and learned minister of state, Chu Yuan, who died in 288 BC. On a river, competitions between giant dragon boats are run. 6 | June Berlin is a city with a large international population. The idea of a carnival of cultures which presents the cultural and ethnic diversity of Berlin was developed in 1995 and has been a huge success with hundreds of thousands of visitors ever since. 20 | June World Refugee Day was established by the United Nations to honor the courage, strength and determination of women, men and children who are forced to ee their homes under threat of persecution, conict and violence. 28 | June Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar; Muslims worldwide observe this as a month of fasting. Fasting is obligatory for adults with a few exceptions. While fasting from dawn until sunset, Muslims refrain from consuming food, drinking liquids, smoking; in some interpretations they also refrain from swearing. Food and drink is served daily, before sunrise and after sunset.

2014
JUNE
MON TUE WED THU
2
Tu e n N g F e s t i v a l , A s i a S h a v u ot , Je w ish

D+I@BASF
FRI SAT SUN
1
In t er n at ion al C h ild ren s D ay

5
Lo s An geles Prid e

6
Ca r ni v al of C u lt u res B erlin

7
King Agongs Birthday, Malaysia Pen t ecos t , C h ris t ian

9
W h i t M on d a y, G er many

10

11
Valentines Day, Brazil

12
Independence Day, Philippines

13

14

15

16

17

18
Co rpus Chri s ti , Chri s ti a n

19
Wo rl d R efu gee D ay

20

21

22

23 30
S a in t Joh n s D a y

24

25

26

27
Christopher Street Day Gay Pride Day New York (varying)

28
Begin of Ramadan, Muslim San Francisco Pride / Seattle Pride Sain t Pet ers D ay

29

07

INTERNATIONAL
HOLIDAYS AND COMMEMORATION DAYS
4 | July The American Independence Day is anually celebrated and is often known as the Fourth of July. It is the anniversary of the publication of the declaration of independence from Great Britain in 1776. Patriotic displays and family events are organized throughout the United States such as picnics and barbecues. 7 | July Tanabata is a Japanese star festival. It celebrates the meeting of the deities Orihime and Hikoboshi. According to legend, the Milky Way separates these lovers, and they are allowed to meet only once a year on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month of the lunisolar calendar. 14 | July The French national day commemorates the storming of the Bastille, which took place on 14 July 1789 and marked the beginning of the French Revolution. 28 29 | July Eid-al-Fatri, Hari Raya Aidiltri, also called Feast of Breaking the Fast, the Sugar Feast, Bayram the Sweet Festival and the Lesser Eid, is an important religious holiday celebrated by Muslims worldwide that marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting.

2014
JULY
MON TUE
1
Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Establishment Day Canad a Day

D+I@BASF
WED
2

THU
3

FRI
4
Indepe n den ce Day, USA

SAT
5

SUN
6

7
Ta na b a ta, Japan

10
Asalha Pu ja, Th ailan d

11

12

13

14
Na t i onal Day, France

15

16
Gion Matsuri, Japan

17
Constitution Day, South Korea

18

19

20

21
Na t i onal Day, B el g ium

22

23

24

25

26

27

28
Hari Raya Aidilfitri, Muslim

29

30

31

08

INTERNATIONAL
HOLIDAYS AND COMMEMORATION DAYS
1|August The Swiss National Day is the national holiday of Switzerland, set on August 1. The date is inspired by the date of the Federal Charter of 1291, placed in early August. The document is one of several dozen pacts attested for the territory of Switzerland in the period of the mid-13th to mid-14th century. 15|August The Christian holiday of the Assumption of Mary, also known as Assumption Day, celebrates the day that God assumed the Virgin Mary into Heaven following her death, according to popular Christian belief. It is celebrated annually on or around August 15 by many countries, particularly in parts of Europe and South America. 21|August Sart Thai is a time to remember dead relatives with prayers, Buddhist rituals, and merit making on their behalf. In addition, September crops (including rice) in Thailand are beginning to ripen. 29|August Ganesha Chaturthi is the Hindu festival celebrated on the birthday of Lord Ganesha.It is believed that Lord Ganesh bestows his presence on earth for all his devotees during this festival. It is the day Shiva declared his son Ganesha as superior to all the other gods. Ganesha is widely worshipped as the god of wisdom, prosperity and good fortune and traditionally invoked at the beginning of any new venture or at the start of travel.

2014
AUGUST
MON TUE WED THU
4 5 6
H i ro shima R e me mbra nc e D a y

D+I@BASF
FRI
1
Na t io nal D ay, Sw itzer land R om a G enocid e R em em b r ance Day

SAT
2

SUN
3

8
National Day, Singapore

9
Nagasaki Remembrance Day

10

11
S ai n t C a t h e r in e s D a y, B r a z i l

12

13

14
Inde pe nde nc e D a y, P a k ist a n

15
Bon Celebration Day, Japan Assumption of Mary, Christian Independence Day, India Liberation Day, South Korea

16

17
I nd ep end ence Day, I nd ones ia

18

19

20
S a rt T ha i, T ha ila nd

21

22

23

24

25
National Heroes Day, Philippines

26

27

28
Ga ne sha Fes tival, I nd ia

29

30
National D ay, M alays ia

31

09 Hispanic Heritage Month

INTERNATIONAL
HOLIDAYS AND COMMEMORATION DAYS
7|September The Independence Day of Brazil, commonly called Sete de Setembro, is a national holiday observed in Brazil on September 7 of every year. The date celebrates Brazils Declaration of Independence of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves on September 7, 1822. 8|September The Mid-Autumn Festival (Zhongqiu Jie) is a traditional Chinese holiday and Taoist festival that is celebrated on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month. It has its roots in the Shang dynasty tradition of moon worship, and is held at a time of the year when moon is at its fullest visually most large and bright. The Mid-Autumn Festival is second only to Chinese New Year in terms of its importance . 8|September Chuseok is the biggest and most important holiday in Korea. Family members from near and far come together to share food and stories and to give thanks to their ancestors for the abundant harvest. 21|September World Alzheimers Day, September 21st of each year is a day on which Alzheimers organizations around the world concentrate their efforts on raising awareness about Alzheimers and dementia. Alzheimers disease is the most common form of dementia, a group of disorders that impairs mental functioning.

2014
SEPTEMBER
MON
1
L a bo r Day, U S A N a tion a l D a y, V ie tn a m

D+I@BASF
WED
2 3

TUE

THU
4

FRI
5

SAT
6

SUN
7
Ind ep end ence Day, Brazi l

8
Mid-A utum n F e s t iv a l, C h in a Chu se o k , K o re a

9
C o p t i c / A fg h a n Ne w Ye a r

10

11

12

13

14

15
M a la ysia Da y

16

17

18

19

20
Wo rl d A l zhei m ers Day

21

22

23

24
R o s h Ha s h a n a h , Je w i s h

25

26

27

28

29

30

Disability Employment Awareness Month

10

INTeRNaTIONaL
HOLIdaYS aNd COmmemORaTION daYS
3|October Yom Kippur, also known as Day of Atonement, is the holiest day of the year for the Jewish people. Its central themes are atonement and repentance. Jewish people traditionally observe this holy day with an approximate 25-hour period of fasting and intensive prayer, often spending most of the day in synagogue services. 12|October Our Lady of Aparecida is a celebrated 18th-century clay statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the traditional form of the Immaculate Conception. The image is widely venerated by Brazilian Catholics especially those of the Roman Rite who consider her as the principal patroness of Brazil. 13|October Thanksgiving Day Canada has been a holiday on the second Monday of October since 1957. It is a chance for people to give thanks for a good harvest and other fortunes in the past year and meet with family and friends. 23|October Divali, or the festival of light, is an important feast of the Hindus in India, Sri Lanka and Nepal and other countries with Hindu religion. Persisting several days, the feast can be compared to Western Christmas, as it has a spiritual and social meaning and people celebrate it widely and in a cheerful way. In North India, Divali is the same with New Years Day.

2014
OCTOBER
MON TUE WED
1
C h u n g Ye u n g F e s t i v a l , Hong Kong + China Nat i o n a l D a y, C h i n a Mahatma Gandhis Birthday, India

D+I@BASF
THU
2
N a t i o n al D ay, G er man y N a t i o n al D ay, K o rea Yo m K ip p u r, Jew ish

FRI
3

SAT
4

SUN
5
T h an ksg iv in g , G er man y H ar i R ay a H aji, S in g ap o r

I d u l A d h a, Mu slim

8
S u k k o t , J e wi s h

10
C o min g O u t D ay

11
C h ild ren s D ay, B r az il

12
S en h o r a A p arecid as D ay

13
Columbus Day aka. Dia de la Raza aka. Fiesta Nacional, Brazil Dus s e hra , Hi nd u

14
S i m c h a t To r a , J e wi s h Te a c h e r s D a y, B r a z i l

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22
D i v a l i , H i n du

23

24
Aw al Mu h ar r am, Mu slim A lev i Mu h ar rem

25

26

27

28

29

30
H a l l o w een

31
R e fo r mat io n D ay, C h r ist ian

11

American Indian Heritage Month

INTERNATIONAL
HOLIDAYS AND COMMEMORATION DAYS
9 | November Iqbal Day is the birthday of Muhammad Iqbal and is a public holiday in Pakistan. Iqbal is known as a Muslim philosopher and great poet and considered a most important gure in the Urdu literature. He is widely admired by the Pakistani, Indian, Iranian and Turk poets. 12 | November Bahullh was the founder of the Bah Faith. He claimed to be the prophetic fullment of Bbism, a 19th-century outgrowth of Shism, but in a broader sense claimed to be a messenger from God. Bahullh taught that humanity is one single race and that the age has come for its unication in a global society. 20 | November The Day of Black Awareness is celebrated annually on November 20 in Brazil as a day on which to reect upon the injustices of slavery (from the rst transport of African slaves to Brazil in 1594 to 1888) and to celebrate the contributions to society and to the nation by Brazilian citizens of African descent. It takes place during the Week of Black Awareness. 27 | November Thanksgiving Day is a national holiday celebrated primarily in the United States and Canada as a day of giving thanks for the blessing of the harvest and of the preceding year. Several other places around the world observe similar celebrations. Thanksgiving has its historical roots in religious and cultural traditions, but has long been celebrated in a more secular manner as well.

2014
NOVEMBER
MON TUE WED THU
3
A lev i Ashur a Da y, Muslim

D+I@BASF
FRI SAT
1
All Saints Day, Christian All Saints Day, Christian

SUN
2

9
Night of Broken Glass (Pogrom against the Jews) Fall of the Berlin Wall Iqbal Day, Pakistan

10

11
Veterans Day, USA + Canada Armistice Day, Belgium + France Start of the Carnival, Germany

12
Bahaullahs Birthday, Bah

13

14
Republic Day, Brazil

15

16

17
Rev ol ut i on Da y, Mexico

18

19

20
Day of Repentance, Christian Black awareness Day, Brazil

21

22

23

24

25
International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women

26
Thanksgiving, U SA

27

28

29

30
Bonifacio Day, Philippines

12

INTERNATIONAL
HOLIDAYS AND COMMEMORATION DAYS
6|December The tradition of Saint Nicholas Day is a festival for children in many countries in Europe related to surviving legends of the saint, and particularly his reputation as a bringer of gifts. The American Santa Claus, as well as the British Father Christmas, derive from these legends. 13|December Saint Lucias Day is the church feast day dedicated to Saint Lucy and is observed on 13 December. In traditional celebrations, Saint Lucy comes as a young woman with lights and sweets. It is one of the very few saint days observed in Scandinavia. In some forms, a procession is headed by one girl wearing a crown of candles, while others in the procession hold only a single candle each. 26|December Kwanzaa is a week-long celebration held in the United States and also celebrated in the Western African Diaspora in other nations of the Americas. The celebration honors African heritage in African-American culture, and is observed from December 26 to January 1, culminating in a feast and gift-giving. 26|December Boxing Day is traditionally the day following Christmas Day, when servants and tradesmen would receive gifts from their superiors or employers, known as a Christmas box. Today, Boxing Day is better known as a bank or public holiday that occurs on 26 December, or the rst or second weekday after Christmas Day, depending on national or regional laws.

2014
DECEMBER
MON
1
World A i d s D ay

D+I@BASF
WED
2 3
D+ I A mb a s s a d o r D a y, U n i t e d N a t i o n s In t e r n a t i o n a l D a y o f P e r s o n s w i t h Di s a b i l i t i e s

TUE

THU
4

FRI
5
T h e K i ng s Bi rthd ay, T hai l and

SAT
6
St. Ni cho l as Day

SUN
7

10
Hu ma n R i g h t s D a y S a i n t L u c i a s D a y, S w e d e n Co n s t i t u t i o n D a y, T h a i l a n d

11

12

13

14

15

16
H a n u kka h , Je w i s h

17

18

19
Yezi - Cel eb rati o n o f Ezi

20

21

22

23
C h r i s t ma s E v e

24
Ch r i s t ma s c e l e b r a t i o n

25
B o x i ng Day, Canad a K w a nzaa, USA

26

27

28

29

30
N e w Ye a r s E v e

31