Celebrating Diversity

Queen's University is committed to equality, and to promoting and celebrating equality and diversity in the workplace and on campus generally.

Equality was embedded in our 1908 Charter ‘to provide and maintain equality of opportunity to all persons’ and has been a guiding principle for more than 100 years. Equality, diversity and inclusion are central pillars of our new institutional strategy, Strategy 2030.

Queen’s Key Diversity / Recognition Days

We are committed to creating an inclusive study and work environment for all. This calendar of key diversity and recognition days has been developed to raise awareness of equality and inclusion, and to help Queen’s staff and students to recognise and celebrate a variety of occasions throughout the year, planning events and initiatives in an inclusive way. It includes some UN Days in addition to commonly recognised visibility and pride days.

The dates and themes listed for each month have been chosen to represent the diversity of our community at Queen's, but is not an exhaustive list – if you have any feedback or suggestions for occasions that should be marked in future calendars, please contact [email protected]

January 2025

Date	Diversity/ Recognition Day	Protected Characteristic	Information / Notes
4 January	World Braille Day	Disability	World Braille Day is annually celebrated on 4th January, the birthday of Braille inventor, Louis Braille.
27 January	Holocaust Memorial Day	Religion/ Cultural Belief	Holocaust Memorial Day remembers the millions of people murdered in the Holocaust, under Nazi Persecution and in the subsequent genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur. 27 January also marks the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest Nazi death camp.
29 January	Lunar/Chinese New Year	Race / Ethnicity	The holiday marks start of the new year of China's traditional lunisolar calendar.

February 2025

Date	Diversity/ Recognition Day	Protected Characteristic	Information/ Notes
All month	LGBT History Month	Sexual Orientation	LGBT History Month is an annual month-long observance of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender history, and the history of the gay rights and related civil rights movements.
3-9 February	UK Race Equality Week	Race/ Ethnicity	Race Equality Week is an annual UK-wide movement uniting thousands of organisations and individuals to address the barriers to race equality in the workplace.
4 February	World Cancer Day	All	World Cancer Day is an international day marked annually to raise awareness of cancer and to encourage its prevention, detection, and treatment.
11 February	International Day of Women and Girls in Science	Gender/ Age	The International Day of Women and Girls in Science is an annual observance to promote the full and equal access and participation of females in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics fields.
28 February	International Stand Up to Bullying Day	All	Observed twice a year in February and November, aims to create empathy and end bullying and harassment.
28 February – 30 March	Ramadan Month / Eid	Religion/Cultural Belief	Ramadan, Arabic Ramadan, in Islam, is the ninth month of the Muslim calendar and the holy month of fasting. The end of the Ramadan fast is celebrated as Eid al-Fitr, the “Feast of Fast-Breaking,”

March 2025

Date	Diversity/ Recognition Day	Protected Characteristic	Information/ Notes
tbc	University Wellbeing Week	Disability	University Mental Health Week brings together university communities to make mental health a university-wide priority and create ongoing year round change to the future of student mental health.
8 March	International Women's Day	Gender	International Women's Day is 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
14 March	Holi	Race / Ethnicity	Holi is a festival of colours celebrated in spring season. It is an ancient Hindu religious festival and also sometimes called as festival of love. It is primarily celebrated in India, Nepal, and other regions of the world primarily among the people of Indian origin. The festival is celebrated on the last full moon day of the lunar month Phalguna (February/March).
17 March	St Patrick's Day	Religion/Cultural Belief	Saint Patrick's Day, or the Feast of Saint Patrick, is a cultural and religious celebration held on 17 March, the traditional death date of Saint Patrick, the foremost patron saint of Ireland
30 March	End of Ramadan / Eid Al Fitr	Religion/Cultural Belief	Islamic event marking the close of Ramadan. It is a festival of thanksgiving to Allah for enjoying the month of Ramadan. It involves wearing the finest clothing, saying prayers and fostering understanding with other religions.
31 March	International Transgender Day of Visibility	Gender	International Transgender Day of Visibility celebrates trans and non-binary people and raises awareness of discrimination faced by trans people worldwide.

April 2025

Date	Diversity/ Recognition Day	Protected Characteristic	Information / Notes
2 April	World Autism Awareness Day	Disability	World Autism Awareness Day encourages people to take measures to raise awareness about people with ASD throughout the world.
14 April	Vaisakhi / Baisakhi	Religion/Cultural Belief	Vaisakhi, also called Baisakhi, is the festival which celebrates the founding of the Sikh community, the Khalsa, in 1699. Vaisakhi is a spring festival which happens on the 13 or 14 April every year. It was originally a harvest festival in the Punjab until it became Sikhism's most important festival.
20 April	Easter	Religion/Cultural Belief	Easter is a Christian festival and cultural holiday commemorating the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, described in the New Testament.

May 2025

Date	Diversity/ Recognition Day	Protected Characteristic	Information / Notes
15 May	International Day of Families	Dependants	Observed on the 15th May every year and reflects the importance the international community attaches to families.
17 May	IDAHO: International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia	Sexual Orientation	Observed on 17th May and aims to coordinate international events that raise awareness of LGBT rights violations and stimulate interest in LGBT rights work worldwide.
12 - 18 May	Mental Health Awareness Week	Disability	Mental Health Awareness Week is an annual event to raise awareness of mental health, and promote good mental health.

June 2025

Date	Diversity/ Recognition Day	Protected Characteristic	Information/ Notes
All month	Pride Month (June)	Sexual Orientation	Every year, during the month of June, the LGBT community recognises and celebrates the influence LGBT people have had around the world, and provides an opportunity to peacefully protest and raise political awareness of current issues facing the community.
9 June	Carers Week	Dependants	Carers Week is an annual campaign to raise awareness of caring, highlight the challenges unpaid carers face and recognise the contribution they make to families and communities throughout the UK.

July 2025

Date	Diversity/ Recognition Day	Protected Characteristic	Information/ Notes
12 July	Orange Fest	Cultural Belief
TBC	Belfast Pride	Sexual Orientation	Belfast Pride is the biggest LGBT+ Festival on the island of Ireland and includes a number events, including the Pride parade in Belfast City Centre.

August 2025

Date	Diversity/ Recognition Day	Protected Characteristic	Information/ Notes
tbc	Belfast Mela	Race/ Ethnicity/ Religion	Belfast Mela is one of Northern Ireland’s largest arts festivals bringing together music, dance, arts and food from across the world to celebrate the city’s proud cultural diversity.

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