General

The 8-day Jewish celebration known as Hanukka or Chanukah commemorates the rededication during the second century B.C. of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, where according to legend Jews had risen up against their Greek-Syrian oppressors in the Maccabean Revolt.

A day to commemorate the ground-breaking Universal Declaration of Human Rights, issued in 1948. It encourages people to stand up for equality, justice, and human dignity. 

For more information about International Human Rights Day, please follow this link https://www.un.org/en/observances/human-rights-day. 

The day is observed in Canada on December 6 as the anniversary of the 1989 École Polytechnique massacre, in which an armed male student murdered 14 women engineering students and injured 10 others in the name of "fighting feminism". The day aims to examine the power dynamics between men and women and to take action against gender-based violence.

For more information about this day, please visit https://cfc-swc.gc.ca/commemoration/vaw-vff/remembrance-commemoration-en.html. 

This international day aims to promote the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities in all spheres of society. As well, it heightens awareness of the situation of persons with disabilities in every aspect of political, social, economic and cultural life.

For more information about this day, please visit https://www.un.org/en/observances/day-of-persons-with-disabilities. 

The 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence is an annual international campaign that kicks off on 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and runs until 10 December, Human Rights Day. It is used as an organizing strategy by individuals and organizations around the world to call for the prevention and elimination of violence against women and girls.

International Men’s Day is an opportunity for people everywhere to celebrate the men in their lives and the contributions they make to the greater good. It is also used to highlight social issues faced by men and boys, and to feature male role models.

Diwali is the biggest holiday in India, known as the festival of lights, and celebrated by Hindus worldwide. It symbolizes the spiritual victory of light over darkness, good over evil and knowledge over ignorance. During the 5-day celebration, temples, homes, shops and office buildings are brightly lit with lights and candles.

The purpose of Remembrance Day, which marks the end of World War I in 1918, is to remember the fallen on both sides of that war. On Remembrance Day, Canadians pause to honor the people, who have served and continue to serve Canada during times of war, conflict, and peace. The poppy is the symbol of Remembrance Day due to a Canadian physician and poet who noticed how quickly poppies had grown over the graves of soldiers who had died during the Battle of Ypres.

A day to honor traditional Japanese culture and promote the love of freedom and peace that is enshrined in the Japanese constitution.