OCTOBER 2023 MORE INFORMATION
National Coming Out Day is recognized in the United States to celebrate those who come out as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer as well as the recognition of the 1987 march on Washington for gay and lesbian equality. The Twin Holy Birthdays celebrate the births of two central figures in the Bahá'í faith: the Báb and Bahá'u'lláh. Known as the “Twin Manifestations of God,” the leaders each revealed his own writings and founded his own religion. Navratri is the nine-day festival celebrating the triumph of good over evil. Festival participants worship God in the form of the universal mother, commonly referred to as Durga, Devi, or Shakti, and the event marks the start of fall. Birth of Báb is a Bahá’í holiday celebrating the birth of the prophet Báb. International Pronouns Day seeks to make respecting, sharing, and educating about personal pronouns commonplace. Each year it is held on the third Wednesday of October. Sikh Holy Day is the day Sikhs celebrate Sri Guru Granth Sahib, their spiritual guide. The Double Ninth Festival is a day for families to visit the graves of their ancestors to pay their respects, as well as a time for people to climb mountains, eat Chongyang cake, and drink chrysanthemum wine or tea. Vijayadashami is an important Hindu festival celebrated in Telangana. Vijayadashami, a festival that symbolizes the victory of good over evil, is celebrated with traditional fervor, devotion and gaiety across Telangana. Mawlid Al-Nabi is the observance of the birthday of Islam’s founder, the prophet Muhammad. It’s celebrated during the month of Rabiulawal, the third month of the Muslim calendar. Shi’a Muslims celebrate it five days later than Sunni Muslims. All Hallows’ Eve, or Halloween, is a celebration observed in a number of countries on the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Hallows’ Day. It begins the three-day observance of Allhallowtide, the time in the liturgical year dedicated to remembering the dead, including saints (hallows), martyrs, and all the faithful departed. Samhain is a Gaelic festival on 1 November marking the end of the harvest season and beginning of winter or "darker half" of the year.
October is Global Diversity Awareness Month, a month to celebrate and increase awareness about the diversity of cultures and ethnicities as well as the positive impact diversity can have on society. LGBTQ+ History Month is a US observance that started in 1994 to recognize lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer history and the history of the gay rights movement. National Disability Employment Awareness Month was launched in 1945 when Congress declared the first week in October as “National Employ the Physically Handicapped Week.” In 1998, the week was extended to a month and renamed. The annual event draws attention to employment barriers that still need to be addressed. Hispanic Heritage Month is observed from September 15th to October 15th. This month corresponds with Mexican Independence Day, which is celebrated on September 16th and recognizes the revolution in 1810 that ended the Spanish dictatorship. St. Francis Day is a feast day for St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals and the environment. It’s celebrated by many Catholic denominations. Shemini Atzeret is a Jewish holiday also known as The Eighth (Day) of Assembly. It takes place the day after the Sukkot festival, where gratitude for the fall harvest is deeply internalized. Simchat Torah is a Jewish holiday that marks the end of the weekly readings of the Torah. The Torah is read from chapter one of Genesis to Deuteronomy 34 and then back to chapter one again in acknowledgment of the words of the Torah being a never-ending cycle. Canadian Thanksgiving is a chance for people to give thanks for a good harvest and other fortunes in the past year. World Mental Health Day was first celebrated in 1993 to increase public awareness about the importance of mental health, mental health services, and mental health workers worldwide.
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