Winter 2025 Dates of Significance

In the Gregorian calendar, New Year's Day is the first day of the year.

Held every year on 24 January, World Day for African and Afrodescendant Culture celebrates the many vibrant cultures of the African continent and African Diasporas around the world, reinforcing UNESCO’s mandate to promote respect for cultural diversity and human creativity around the globe.

Within Islam, Isra and Mi'raj, celebrated on the 27th day of the 7th month of the Muslim calendar, refers to a miraculous nighttime journey undertaken by the Prophet Muhammad, in two legs. First from Mecca to Jerusalem, and then from Jerusalem to the heavens.

On January 27, 1945, the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp – where more than one million people were sent to gas chambers and to their agonizing deaths during the Holocaust – was liberated. In 2005, that day was designated as the annual International Day of Commemoration in memory of the victims of the Holocaust.

Lunar New Year is the first new moon of a lunar calendar or lunisolar calendar year, whose months are moon cycles.

On January 29, 2017, a gunman entered the Islamic Cultural Centre of Quebec City, opened fire and killed six men and seriously injured 19 others. In 2021, the federal government designated January 29 as the National Day of Remembrance of the Quebec City Mosque Attack and Action Against Islamophobia, to honour the victims and to express solidarity with the survivors of this tragedy. 

Every February, people across Canada participate in Black History Month events and festivities that honour the legacy of Black people in Canada and their communities.

 

Keyano Black History Month 2024 

Groundhog Day is a popular North American tradition observed in the United States and Canada on February 2 of every year starting in the 16th century.

It derives from the Pennsylvania Dutch superstition that if a groundhog emerges from its burrow on this day and sees its shadow, it will retreat to its den and winter will go on for six more weeks; if it does not see its shadow, spring will arrive early. This is often due to the weather being cloudy or clear allowing for the groundhog to actually have a shadow or not.

International Development Week (IDW) aims to draw attention to international development and shine a spotlight on Canadians’ contributions to eradicating poverty and to a more peaceful, inclusive and prosperous world.

Family Day was originally created to give people time to spend with their families but it also provides a day off between New Years Day and Good Friday as they are approximately three months apart.

Pink Shirt Day is an annual observation that takes place on the last Wednesday of February and this year, it falls on February 28. People wear pink shirts to signify the stand against bullying.

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting, prayer, reflection, and community.

Alberta Francophone month of March provides an opportunity to highlight the vibrancy and energy the Francophonie brings to Alberta.

Ash Wednesday is a holy day of prayer and fasting in many Western Christian denominations. It is preceded by Shrove Tuesday and marks the first day of Lent, the six weeks of penitence before Easter.

International Women's Day is a global holiday celebrated annually on March 8 as a focal point in the women's rights movement, bringing attention to issues such as gender equality, reproductive rights, and violence and abuse against women.

Keyano International Women's Day 2024

Daylight saving time, also referred to as daylight savings time, daylight time, or summer time, is the practice of advancing clocks during warmer months so that darkness falls at a later clock time.

Saint Patrick's Day, or the Feast of Saint Patrick, is a religious and cultural holiday held on 17 March, the traditional death date of Saint Patrick, the foremost patron saint of Ireland

Two-Spirit Celebration and Awareness Day is a homecoming – an opportunity to recognize the strength and tremendous progress made by the Two-Spirit and Indigenous LGBTQIA+ community over the years.

Guided by the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination recognizes that the injustices and prejudices fueled by racial discrimination take place every day. Observed annually on March 21, it commemorates the day police in Sharpeville, South Africa, opened fire and killed 69 people at a peaceful demonstration against apartheid "pass laws" in 1960.

Canada has designated March 31 National Indigenous Languages Day. Meant to encourage public awareness of endangered languages, it is also an opportunity for conversations about language loss, revival, protection, and revitalization.

International Transgender Day of Visibility is an annual event occurring on March 31 dedicated to celebrating transgender people and raising awareness of discrimination faced by transgender people worldwide, as well as a celebration of their contributions to society.

April marks Genocide Remembrance, Condemnation and Prevention Month. During this time, Canadians will take a moment to remember the victims of genocide, honour the courage and resilience of all survivors and their descendants, and reflect on how we can prevent future atrocities from occurring.

World Autism Awareness Day is a day to come together to raise awareness about autism, a condition that many Canadians live with. Autism affects how the brain functions, and those on the Autism spectrum have unique strengths and differences in how they communicate, interact with others, and see the world.

World Health Day is celebrated annually and each year draws attention to a specific health topic of concern to people all over the world. The date of 7 April marks the anniversary of the founding of WHO in 1948.

In recognition of the importance of outdoor recreation to the people of Alberta, the second weekend of April in each year shall be known as “Alberta Get Outdoors Weekend”.

Vaisakhi is an ancient harvest festival celebrated in the Punjab region by all Punjabis regardless of their religion. For people of Punjab, especially the Sikhs, Vaisakhi is a very significant day. Vaisakhi is also celebrated as Sikh New Year based on Hindu Solar calendar.

For the Sikh community, Vaisakhi is not only a harvest festival but also a religious festival. Sikhs celebrate Vaisakhi as the day of the formation of the Khalsa (the pure one).

The Night of Power, is, in Islamic belief, the night when Muslims believe the Quran was first sent down from Heaven to the world and also the night when the first verses of the Quran were revealed to the Islamic prophet Muhammad; it is described to be better than a thousand months of worshipping.

Good Friday is a Christian holiday commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus and his death at Calvary.

Easter Monday is the second day of Easter and a public holiday in some countries. In Western Christianity it marks the second day of the Octave of Easter; in Eastern Christianity it marks the second day of Bright Week.

National Volunteer Week (NVW) is a time to celebrate and thank Canada’s 24 million volunteers.