Equalities and diversity calendar - August 2012
2 Raksha Bandhan – Hindu Raksha Bandhan is the Hindu festival that celebrates relationship between brothers and sisters. The sisters tie a sacred thread around the brothers wrist symbolising love and prayers for her brothers well-being.
10 Krishna Janamashtmi - Hindu
Hindus celebrate the birthday of Lord Krishna. Worshippers offer poojas (prayers) and sing bhajans (religious songs).
12 International Youth Day - age
The United Nations promotes awareness of global issues concerning youth.
13 International Left Handers Day
Raising awareness of left-handedness and the challenges caused by living in such a right-handed world.
14 Laylat al Kadr – Islam
This commemorates the night when God (Allah) revealed the Qur’an (or Koran), which is the Islamic holy book, to the prophet Muhammad (also known as Mohammad), according to Islamic belief.
15 Assumption of Blessed Virgin Mary - Catholic Christian
Christians celebrate the life and dedication of Mary, the Mother of Jesus. Catholics traditionally celebrate this day as the Assumption of Mary.
17 Birthday of Marcus Garvey - Rastafarian
The Jamaican politician born in 1887 who predicted the crowning of a king of Africa.
T.B.A UK Black Pride
An annual celebration of "Black Pride" promotes unity and cooperation among all Black people of African, Asian, Caribbean, Middle Eastern and Latin American descent, as well as their friends and families.
19 Eid ul Fitr (Ramadan ends) - Islam
Eid is a Muslim holiday that marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting. Eid is an Arabic word meaning "festivity", while Fitr means "to break the fast" (and can also mean "nature", from the word "fitrah"), and so the holiday symbolises the breaking of the fasting period. It is celebrated starting on the first day of the Islamic month of Shawwal. People mark the end of Ramadan with morning congregational prayer, visiting friends and family and making charitable donations.
23 International Day for the Remembrance of Slave Trade and its Abolition
Intended to inscribe the tragedy of the transatlantic slave trade in the memory of all peoples. The night of 22 to 23 August 1791, in Santo Domingo (today Haiti and the Dominican Republic) saw the beginning of the uprising that would play a crucial role in the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade.
26 to 27 Notting Hill Carnival
Held each August Bank Holiday since 1966, Notting Hill Carnival is the largest celebration of its kind in Europe. Started as a local festival set up by the West Indian immigrants of the area it has now become a full-blooded Caribbean carnival, attracting millions of visitors from around the world.