Cultural Dates of Significance
January
1 | Ganjitsu (Japan) Liberation Day – Cuba National Day – Sudan New Year's Day Ganta-sai-Shinto Independence Day - Haiti, Sudan |
4 | Independence Day - Myanmar World Braille Day |
5 | Guru Gobind Singh’s birthday festival (Sikh) Twelfth Night (Christian) |
6 | Theophany - Orthodox Epiphany - Christian Christmas Day (Armenian Orthodox Christian) Three Kings Day (Christian) |
7 | Christmas Day (Orthodox Christian) |
13 | Seijin no hi (Coming of Age Day) - Shinto |
14 | Maghi - Sikh Makar Sankranti - Hindu |
22 | Independence Day - Ukraine |
25 | Robert Burns Day - Scotland |
25 | Chinese New Year (Observance) |
26 | Australia Day |
27 | Australia Day Public holiday in lieu of 26 Jan (Sun) International Holocaust Remembrance Day(UN) |
31 | National Day - Nauru |
February
2 | Groundhog Day - USA World Wetlands Day |
4 | Independence Day - Sri Lanka World Cancer Day (UN) |
6 | Waitangi Day - New Zealand |
7 | Independence Day - Grenada |
9 | St Maroun’s Feast Day (Maronite Christian) |
11 | National Day - Iran |
13 | World Radio Day (UN) |
14 | St Valentine’s Day |
15 | National Day – Serbia Nirvana Day (Buddhist- Mahayana tradition) |
16 | Independence Day - Lithuania |
17 | Discovery Day - Lord Howe Island (1788) Independence Day - Kosovo |
18 | Independence Day – Republic of the Gambia |
20 | World Day of Social Justice (UN) |
21 | International Mother Language Day (UN) |
22 | National Day - Saint Lucia |
23 | National Day - Brunei Darussalam National Day - Guyana |
24 | Independence Day - Estonia |
25 | National Day - Kuwait |
27 | Independence Day - Dominican Republic |
March
1 | First day of autumn St David’s Day - Wales |
3 | Liberation Day - Bulgaria World Wildlife Day (UN) |
6 | Foundation Day Norfolk Island Independence Day – Ghana |
8 | International Women’s Day (UN) United Nations Day for Women's Rights and International Peace (UN) |
| 11 | Lithuanian Restoration of Independence Day |
12 | National Day - Mauritius Purim (Jewish) |
14 | New Year’s Day (Sikh) Pi Day (Mathematics) |
15 | Ides of March |
16 | National Day of Action against Bullying and Violence (NDA) |
17 | St Patrick’s Day - Ireland |
19 | St Joseph’s Feast Day (Maronite) |
20 | French Language Day (UN) Independence Day - Tunisia International Day of Happiness (UN) |
21 | International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (UN) |
22 | World Water Day (UN) |
23 | Pakistan Day - Pakistan |
23 | World Meteorological Day (UN) |
24 | World Tuberculosis Day (UN) |
25 | Independence Day – Greece |
26 | Independence Day - Bangladesh |
April
1 | April Fools’ Day |
4 | Independence Day – Senegal |
6 | International Day of Sport for Development and Peace (UN) |
7 | World Health Day (UN) |
8 | Hana Matsuri (Buddhist – Japan) |
10 | Good Friday |
12 | Easter Sunday International Day of Human Space Flight (UN) |
13 | Easter Monday International Turban Day (Sikh) |
14 | Baisakhi /Vaisakhi* (Sikh) |
16 | Queen’s birthday - Denmark |
17 | Independence Day - Syria |
18 | Independence Day - Zimbabwe World Heritage Day (UN) |
20 | Chinese Language Day (UN) |
22 | International Mother Earth Day (UN) |
23 | English Language Day (UN) National Sovereignty and Children’s Day – Turkey Spanish Language Day (UN) St George’s Day – England |
25 | ANZAC Day (public holiday) |
26 | Union Day – Tanzania |
27 | Freedom Day - South Africa Independence Day - Sierra Leone King’s birthday - Netherlands National Day – Togo |
29 | International Jazz Day (UNESCO) |
May
1 | International Labour Day May Day (Northern Hemisphere) National Day - Marshall Islands |
3 | Constitution Day – Poland World Press Freedom Day (UN) |
4 | International Firefighters’ Day |
5 | Kodomo no Hi/ Children’s Day (Japan and Korea) |
8 | World Red Crescent Day World Red Cross Day |
9 | Europe Day - European Union |
10 | World Lupus Day |
12 | International Nurses Day |
14 | National Day – Paraguay |
15 | International Day of Families (UN) |
17 | Constitution Day – Norway International Day Against Homophobia |
18 | International Museum Day |
21 | World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development (UN) |
22 | International Day for Biological Diversity(UN) |
22 | Unification Day – Yemen |
24 | Declaration of the Báb (Baha’i) Independence Day – Eritrea |
25 | Africa Day - African Union Independence Day – Jordan National Day – Argentina |
26 | National Day – Georgia National Reconciliation Week National Sorry Day |
27 | National Reconciliation Week |
28 | National Reconciliation Week National Day - Azerbaijan, Ethiopia |
29 | National Reconciliation Week International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers (UN) |
30 | National Reconciliation Week |
31 | National Reconciliation Week |
31 | World No Tobacco Day (WHO) |
June
1 | National Reconciliation Week First day of winter Global Day of Parents (UN) Independence Day – Samoa |
2 | National Reconciliation Week |
2 | Republic Day – Italy |
4 | International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression (UN) |
5 | Constitution Day – Denmark World Environment Day (UN) |
6 | National Day – Sweden Russian Language Day (UN) |
8 | Queen’s birthday - Australia Bounty Day - Norfolk Island World Oceans Day (UN) |
10 | Portugal Day – Portugal |
12 | Independence Day - Philippines National Day - Russian Federation World Day Against Child Labour (UN) |
14 | World Blood Donor Day (WHO) |
16 | Guru Arjan’s Martyrdom (Sikh) International Day of the African Child |
17 | National Day – Iceland National Refugee Week: With courage let us all combine World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought (UN) |
18 | National Refugee Week: With courage let us all combine National Day – Seychelles |
19 | National Refugee Week: With courage let us all combine |
20 | National Refugee Week: With courage let us all combine World Refugee Day (UN) |
21 | National Refugee Week: With courage let us all combine |
22 | National Refugee Week: With courage let us all combine |
23 | National Refugee Week: With courage let us all combine |
23 | International Olympic Day National Day – Luxembourg |
25 | Day of the Seafarer (UN) |
25 | Independence Day - Mozambique National Day - Croatia National Day - Slovenia (Statehood Day) |
26 | National Day – Madagascar |
27 | Independence Day – Djibouti |
30 | Independence Day - Democratic Republic of Congo |
July
1 | Canada Day – Canada International Tartan Day National Day – Burundi Republic Day – Somalia |
3 | National Day – Belarus |
4 | Independence Day - USA |
5 | National Day - Cape Verdi |
6 | Dalai Lama’s birthday National Day - Comoros (Independence Day) National Day – Malawi |
7 | National Day - Solomon Islands |
9 | Independence Day - South Sudan |
10 | Independence Day – Bahamas |
11 | Independence Day - Mongolia World Population Day (UN) |
12 | Malala Day (UN) National Day – Kiribati |
13 | National Day – Montenegro (Sovereignty or Statehood Day) |
14 | Bastille Day – France Republic Day – Iraq |
15 | World Youth Skills Day (UN) |
18 | Nelson Mandela International Day (UN) |
20 | National Day – Colombia |
21 | National Day- Belgium |
23 | National Day – Egypt |
26 | National Day – Liberia National Day – Maldives |
28 | Independence Day – Peru |
30 | Independence Day – Vanuatu International Day of Friendship (UN) Throne Day – Morocco |
August
1 | Horses’ birthday Wattle Day – NSW |
4 | Constitution Day - Cook Islands National Aboriginal and Islander Children’s Day |
6 | Hiroshima Day (Japan) |
7 | National Day - Bolivia, Jamaica |
9 | National Day - Cote d’Ivôire International Day of the World’s Indigenous People (UN) |
10 | National Day - Singapore |
11 | National Day – Ecuador |
12 | National Day – Chad |
13 | International Youth Day (UN) |
15 | International Left-Handers Day Independence Day – India National Day - Republic of Congo National Day – Liechtenstein Raksha Bandhan (Hindu) |
17 | Independence Day – Indonesia National Day – Gabon |
18 | Vietnam Veterans’ Day - Battle of Long Tan |
19 | Independence Day – Afghanistan World Humanitarian Day (UN) |
20 | Foundation Day – Hungary National Day – Nepal |
23 | International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition (UNESCO) |
24 | National Day – Ukraine |
25 | Independence Day – Uruguay |
27 | National Day - Republic of Moldova |
29 | International Day against Nuclear Tests (UN) |
31 | National Day- Kyrgyzstan (Independence Day of the Kyrgyz Republic) National Day- Malaysia (Hari Merdeka) National Day- Trinidad and Tobago (Independence Day) |
September
1 | Constitution Day - Slovak Republic First day of spring National Day – Uzbekistan (Independence Day) National Wattle Day |
2 | National Day – Vietnam |
3 | Australian National Flag Day National Foundation Day - San Marino (The Feast of St Marinus and Republic Day) |
5 | International Day of Charity (UN) |
6 | Father's Day National Day – Swaziland (Independence Day, Smhlolo Day) |
7 | Independence Day – Brazil Threatened Species Day |
8 | Independence Day - Republic of Macedonia International Literacy Day (UN) World First Aid Day |
9 | National Day - Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea) National Day – Tajikistan (Independence Day) |
15 | Independence Day - Honduras Independence Day – Nicaragua Independence Day - Costa Rica Independence Day - El Salvador Independence Day – Guatemala International Day of Democracy (UN) |
16 | Independence Day - Papua New Guinea Independence Day – Mexico International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer (UN) |
17 | Australian Citizenship Day |
18 | National Day – Chile (Independence Day) Graduation ceremonies finish |
19 | Independence Day - Saint Kitts and Nevis |
21 | Independence Day – Malta International Day of Peace (UN) National Day – Armenia (Republic Day, Independence Day) National Day – Belize (Independence Day) |
22 | Independence Day – Mali |
23 | National Day - Saudi Arabia |
24 | Independence Day - Guinea-Bissau |
27 | World Tourism Day (UN) |
28 | Confucius’ birthday |
30 | National Day – Botswana (Botswana Day) |
October
1 | Independence Day – Tuvalu, Guinea National Day – China, Nigeria, Palau, Cyprus |
2 | Independence Day – Guinea International Day of Non-Violence (UN) Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday |
3 | National Foundation Day - Republic of Korea (South Korea) |
5 | Labour Day, public holiday |
4 | Independence Day – Lesotho World Animal Day |
5 | Labour Day New South Wales World Teachers’ Day (UNESCO) |
9 | Independence Day – Uganda Navaratri* Hindu World Post Day (UN) |
10 | Navaratri* Hindu National Day - Republic of China (Taiwan) National Day – Fiji (Fiji Day) World Mental Health Day (WHO) |
11 | Navaratri* Hindu |
12 | Independence Day - Equatorial Guinea National Day – Spain (Fiesta Nacional de España) Hispanic Day (Día dela Hispanidad) Navaratri* Hindu |
13 | Navaratri* Hindu |
14 | Navaratri* Hindu |
15 | Navaratri* Hindu International White Cane Day |
16 | World Food Day (FAO) Navaratri* Hindu |
17 | International Day for the Eradication of Poverty Navaratri* Hindu |
19 | National Day – Niue |
20 | Installation of Scriptures as Guru Granth (Sikh) |
24 | Independence Day – Zambia United Nations Day |
26 | National Day – Austria |
27 | National Day - Saint Vincent and the Grenadines National Day – Turkmenistan International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust |
28 | National Day - Czech Republic |
29 | National Day – Turkey |
31 | Hallowe’en World Cities Day (UN) |
November
1 | All Saints’ Day (Christian) Anniversary Day – Algeria (Revolution Day) National Day - Antigua and Barbuda (Independence Day) |
2 | All Souls’ Day (Christian) |
3 | Independence Day – Dominica National Day - Federated States of Micronesia, Panama National Day - Panama |
4 | National Day – Tonga |
5 | Guy Fawkes’ Day (UK) |
6 | Kindness Day (Australia) |
9 | Independence Day – Cambodia World Freedom Day |
10 | World Science Day for Peace and Development (UNESCO) |
11 | National Day – Angola |
13 | World Kindness Day |
16 | World Diabetes Day (UN) Independence Day - Kazakhstan International Day of Tolerance (UN) |
17 | International Students Day |
18 | Independence Day – Latvia National Day – Oman |
19 | International Men’s Day National Day – Monaco |
20 | Universal Children’s Day (UN) |
21 | World Television Day |
22 | Independence Day – Lebanon |
24 | Guru Teg Bahadur’s martyrdom (Sikh) |
25 | Independence Day – Suriname Statehood Day - Bosnia and Herzegovina |
28 | National Day - Albania National Day – Mauritania |
29 | Thanksgiving Day - Norfolk Island |
30 | National Day - Barbados St Andrew’s Day – Scotland |
December
1 | First day of summer National Day - Central African Republic, Romania World AIDS Day |
2 | National Day - Lao PDR, United Arab Emirates Inernational Day for the Abolition of Slavery |
3 | International Day of Persons with Disabilities (UN) International Volunteer Day (UN) The King’s birthday anniversary – Thailand |
4 | World Soil Day (UN) |
5 | Independence Day – Finland World Soil Day (UN) |
6 | St Nicholas’ Day Independence Day - Finland |
8 | Bodhi Day* (Buddhist) |
10 | Human Rights Day (UN) |
11 | International Mountain Day (UN) |
13 | National Day - Burkina Faso (Proclamation of Independence / the Republic) |
16 | Jamhuri Day – Kenya Independence Day – Kazakhstan National Day – Bahrain |
17 | National Day – Bhutan |
18 | Arabic Language Day (UN) International Migrants Day (UN) National Day - Qatar |
19 | National Day – Niger, Qatar International Human Solidarity Day (UN) |
20 | Emperor’s birthday - Japan |
24 | Christmas Eve National Day – Libya |
25 | Christmas Day Imbolc - Pagan |
26 | Boxing Day |
28 | New Year's Eve |
| 29 | Independence Day - Mongolia |
