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Each year the AV¾ãÀÖ²¿ Office of Human Rights, Equity & Harassment Prevention (HREHP) develops a mosaic calendar of religious holidays and cultural dates for faculty, staff and students.

See below for a sample of dates to observe, reflect, celebrate or promote throughout the university community.

All Jewish and Islamic Holidays begin at sundown on the evening before the first date shown.

Link to Important Dates for the Academic Year:


January 1

New Year’s Day/Jour de I’An

Gantan-sai – (New Year’s Day) (SH) is New Year’s Day in Japan and the whole 3-day festival is called Oshogatsu. It is the most important festival of the year and the traditional belief is that whatever happens to you at this time sets the scene for the rest of the year. For this reason there is a tradition whereby everyone must begin the year by laughing so there is a great deal of hilarity as the clock strikes midnight. The day before houses must be cleaned thoroughly.

DAL: 1st President’s Advisor on Women 1990

January 5

Birthday of Guru Gobind Singh (SI)

The 10th and final Sikh master, he created the Khalsa, the "brotherhood of the Pure," and declared the Scriptures, the Adi 'Granth, to be the Sikh’s Guru from that time on.

Fast of Tevet 10 (JU)

This fast begins at dawn. There are no additional constraints beyond fasting from food and water.

January 6

Classes resume.

Epiphany (G) (N/O)

A Christian festival held on January 6 in honor of the coming of the three kings to the infant Jesus Christ

January 7

Christmas Day (O)

Many Orthodox Christians in Canada celebrate Christmas Day on or near January 7 in the Gregorian calendar. This date works to be December 25 in the Julian calendar, which pre-dates the Gregorian calendar. It is a time to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, who is believed to be the son of God.

January 13

Maghi (SI)

Maghi is the occasion when Sikhs commemorate the sacrifice of forty Sikhs, who fought for Guru Gobindh Singh Ji

January 14

Makar Sankranti (HI)

Marks the change from a decrease to an increase of the sun

Seijin-no-hi (Coming of Age Day)-(SH)

Is the Japanese coming-of-age ceremony. It is held annually on Coming-of-Age Day, the second Monday in January. Festivities include ceremonies held at local and prefectural offices and parties amongst family and friends to celebrate passage into adulthood

January 14

Mawlid al-Nabiy (IS)

Mawlid an-Nabi is a special holiday for many in the Muslim faith. It is celebrated to mark the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad, who entered the world in 570. It is celebrated on the 12th day of Rabi al-Awwal (Sunnis) 17th (Shi’as), the fifth month of the Islamic Calendar. On this day Muslims celebrate by focusing on the life and teachings of Muhammad. They sing songs and say special prayers. A special part of this remembrance is on how he forgave even his most bitter enemies. As with other holidays, Muslims also give to the poor.

January 15

Tu B'Shevat (JU)

Tu Bishvat (or Tu B'Shevat) is a minor Jewish holiday in the Hebrew month of Shivat, usually sometime in late January or early February that marks the "New Year of the Trees") Tu Bishvat is one of four "New Year’s" mentioned in the Mishnah. Customs include planting trees and eating dried fruits and nuts, especially figs, dates, raisins, carob and almonds

Last day to add/drop Winter Term classes

January 16-19

Mahayana New Year (BU)

One of the major schools of Buddhism, traditionally active in much of Nepal, Tibet, and East Asia and emphasizing compassion and the possibility of universal salvation

January 17-March 9

Exciting Art Exhibition at AV¾ãÀÖ²¿ Art Gallery

Featuring some of the finest Contemporary Realist Artists in Nova Scotia, this exhibition is being co-curated by Tom Smart and Peter Dykhuis. Opening on January 17 2014, this show will run until March 9 2014. Come and have a look at why this mode of art resonates so deeply in the hearts and minds of Nova Scotians.

plans2104@eastlink.ca

January 19

World Religion Day (BA)

The aim of World Religion Day, held on the third Sunday in January every year, is to promote inter-faith understanding and harmony. Through a variety of events held around the globe, followers of every religion are encouraged to acknowledge the similarities that different faiths have.

January 20

Martin Luther King Day (USA)

Born on January 15, 1929, Martin Luther King Jr. grew to become one of the greatest Social Activists the world has ever known. At 35, he became the youngest person to win the Nobel Peace prize. He was assassinated on April 4, 1968 while making a speech from the balcony of his hotel room in Memphis, Tennessee. His birthday became a National Holiday by an act of the United Stated Congress in 1983 King was the chief spokesman of the nonviolent civil rights movement, which successfully protested racial discrimination in federal and state law. He was assassinated in 1968.

January 18 – 25

Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

January 25

Robbie Burns Day

Robbie Burns was a poet and a lyricist. He is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland, and is celebrated worldwide. He is regarded as a pioneer of the Romantic Movement and after his death became a great source of inspiration to the founders of both liberalism and socialism

January 27

International Day of Commemoration in the memory of the victims of the Holocaust (UN)

On January 27 each year, the United Nations (UN) remembers the Holocaust that affected many people of Jewish origin during World War II. This day is called the International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust. The day also commemorates when the Soviet troops liberated the Nazi concentration and death camp Auschwitz-Birkenau in Poland on January 27, 1945. It is hoped that through remembering these events, people will remember the Holocaust and prevent genocide and will develop educational programmes to instill the memory of the tragedy in future generations to prevent genocide from occurring again.

January 31

Chinese New Year (BU DA CON)

This is the year of the horse. Chinese New Year is the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays. In China, it is known as "Spring Festival," the literal translation of the Chinese name  (Pinyin: Chūnjié), since the spring season in Chinese calendar starts with lichun, the first solar term in a Chinese calendar year. It marks the end of the winter season, analogous to the Western Carnival. The festival begins on the first day of the first month; pinyin: Zhēngyuè in the traditional Chinese calendar and ends with Lantern Festival which is on the 15th day. Chinese New Year's Eve, a day where Chinese families gather for their annual reunion dinner, is known as Chúxī or "Eve of the Passing Year." Because the Chinese calendar is lunisolar, the Chinese New Year is often referred to as the "Lunar New Year".