Cultural Holidays and Observances Calendar
University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) is committed to making awareness and inclusion a daily practice. This calendar highlights many multicultural events and observances that are important to our patients and families, workforce and communities.
Throughout the year, we will mark many of these days with messages, events and educational opportunities. Click on the links in the calendar to learn more.
We also ask that our team members review the calendar to help us be respectful in scheduling and to better ensure inclusion, 365 days a year.
Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec
January
- All month: Poverty in America Awareness Month
- 1/1: New Year's Day
- 1/4: World Braille Day
- 1/7: Orthodox Christmas Day
- 1/14: Orthodox New Year
- 1/15: Martin Luther King Jr. Day
- 1/21: World Religion Day
- 1/27: International day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust
February
- All month: American History Month
- All month: Black History Month
- 2/10: Lunar New Year
- 2/11: International Day of Women and Girls in Science
- 2/13: Mardi Gras
- 2/14: Ash Wednesday
- 2/20: World Day of Social Justice
March
- All month: Gender Equality Month
- All month: National Women's History Month
- All month: Irish-American Heritage Month
- All month: Ethnic Equality Month
- All month: Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month
- 3/8: International Women's Day
- 3/10: Ramadan
- 3/21: International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
- 3/25: Holi
- 3/31: Transgender Day of Visibility
- 3/31: Easter
April
- All month: Celebrate Diversity Month
- All month: National Arab American Heritage Month
- All month: Autism Acceptance Month
- All month: National Deaf History Month
- 4/2: World Autism Awareness Day
- 4/7: World Health Day
- 4/9: Eid al-Fitr
- 4/13: Vaisakhi
- 4/22: Earth Day
- 4/22: Passover
May
- All month: Mental Health Awareness Month
- All month: National Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
- All month: Indian Heritage Month
- All month: Jewish-American Heritage Month
- All month: Speech and Hearing Awareness Month
- 5/5: Holocaust Remembrance Day (Yom HaShoah)
- 5/5: Orthodox Easter
- 5/17: International day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia
- 5/19: Malcolm X Day
- 5/21: World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development
- 5/23: Vesak (Buddha Day)
- 5/27: Memorial Day
- 5/28: World LGBTQ Domestic Violence Awareness Day
June
- All month: LGBTQ Pride Month
- All month: Caribbean American Heritage Month
- 6/9: Race Unity Day
- 6/15: World Elder Abuse Awareness Day
- 6/16: Eid al-Adha
- 6/19: Juneteenth
July
- 7/4: Independence Day
- 7/7: Muharram Islamic New Year
- 7/9: Martyrdom of the Bab (Baha'i)
- 7/18: Nelson Mandela International Day
- 7/24: Pioneer Day (Mormon)
- 7/24: International Self-Care Day
- 7/26: National Disability Independence Day
- 7/28: World Hepatitis Day
- 7/30: International Day of Friendship
August
- 8/9: International Day of the World’s Indigenous People
- 8/12: International Youth Day
- 8/26: Women's Equality Day
- 8/26: Krishna Janmashtami (Hindu)
September
- All month: Hispanic Heritage Month
- 9/2: Labor Day
- 9/5: International Day of Charity
- 9/8: International Literacy Day
- 9/11: Patriot Day
- 9/15: Mawlid al-Nabi
- 9/27: National Native American Day
October
- All month: Global Diversity Awareness Month
- All month: National Filipino American History Month
- 10/2: Rosh Hashanah
- 10/3: Navrati begins (Hindu)
- 10/10: World Mental Health Day
- 10/11: Yom Kippur
- 10/11: National Coming Out Day
- 10/16: Sukkot (Jewish)
- 10/20: Birth of the Bab (Baha'i)
- 10/20: Sikh Holy Day (birth of Guru Granth)
- 10/31: Halloween
- 10/31: Diwali (Hindu)
November
- All month: Native American Heritage Month
- 11/1: Diwali
- 11/1: All Saints' Day (Roman Catholic)
- 11/2: Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead)
- 11/11: Remembrance/Veterans Day
- 11/12: Birth of Baha'u'llah (Baha'i)
- 11/19: International Men's Day
- 11/20: Transgender Day of Remembrance
- 11/20: Universal Children's Day (Human Rights, U.N.)
- 11/25: Day of the Covenant (Baha'i)
- 11/25: International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women
- 11/27: Ascension of Abdu'l-Baha (Baha'i)
- 11/28: Thanksgiving Day
December
- 12/3: International Day of Persons with Disabilities
- 12/25: Christmas
- 12/25: Hanukkah
- 12/26: Kwanzaa
- 12/31: New Year's Eve
Comments or suggestions for the calendar? Contact EDI@umm.edu.