








Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Calendar 2025
The University has a diverse community, something we regard as a great asset. We strive to create a welcoming environment where all identities are respected, and anyone can participate in and contribute to our activities.
Monthly News - April 2025
Focus on Pascha – Orthodox Easter
The Orthodox Church forms the second largest Christian Church and is religiously, historically, and culturally prominent across Eastern Europe and Western Asia. Orthodox Christians live across many parts of the world. The Orthodox Church, like other Christian Churches, observes Easter as a celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus. Both Easter and Orthodox Easter are celebrated on different dates each year and typically these are different to each other. Occasionally the two events coincide, as they have this year.
When Churches moved to using the Gregorian calendar, Easter was established as the first Sunday after the full moon on or after the spring equinox. The Orthodox Church follows the Julian Calendar and Orthodox Easter follows the first full moon after the Jewish celebration of Passover.
Orthodox Christians fast and pray regularly during the forty days of the Great Lent which ends eight days before Orthodox Easter and continue fasting throughout Holy Week, following Palm Sunday.
What this means to me:
Χριστός ἀνέστη (Christos Anesti) means "Christ is Risen!". Greeks, Cypriots, and Eastern Orthodox Christians all over the world celebrate the biggest occasion in the Eastern Orthodox calendar.
On Easter Saturday evening, we join the crowd of people in their Sunday best making their way to the local church. Many carry candles, lit from the holy flame, signifying the light that is to be taken into their homes. The service comes to its climax when the priest announces, “Christ is risen!” and then the mood changes as everyone echoes the cry (“Christos Anesti!”) and hugs and kisses are exchanged, some are more welcome than others
Once at home, it’s time for a traditional soup (Avgolemono) before going to bed looking forward to Easter Sunday….where the barbequed lamb (Souvla) easter pastries (Tsourekia, Koulourakia, Flaounes) and the overeating commences….starting with the competition, over breakfast, of cracking the red-painted hard boiled eggs which symbolise the breaking of Christ’s tomb and his resurrection from the dead (no freezing of the eggs beforehand is allowed)
Panayiotis, I.T. Services Manager

Monthly Calendar
Our EDI calendar can help create an inclusive work and study environment, it can also inspire students, staff and visitors to take part in key celebrations and/or remembrance events.
The calendar highlights faith days observed or celebrated, key diversity days, awareness raising dates and public holidays.
It also focuses on the six main religions as identified in the Census of England and Wales; Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism and Sikhism, All other religions and beliefs not included on the calendar are equally as valued and considered across our work.
Please note: The dates in the calendar were correct at the time of publication in January 2025.
To provide feedback on the calendar, please contact [email protected]
January 2025
- All month - Dry January
- All month - Mentoring Month
- 1 - New Year's Day/Hogmany
- 4 - World Braille Day
- 5 - Twelfth Night
- 6 - Epiphany
- 6 - Birthday of Guru Gobind Singh
- 7 - Orthodox Christmas Day
- 12 - 13 - Tu B’Shvat
- 13 - Maghi - Lohri
- 14 - Orthodox Christian New Year
- 14 - Makar Sankranti
- 14 - Mahayana Buddhist New Year
- 20 - Martin Luthur King Junior Day
- 20 - Blue Monday
- 24 - World Day for African and Afrodescendant Culture
- 25 - Burns Night
- 27 - Holocaust Memorial Day
- 26 (expected) - Al-Isra’ wal-Mi’raj
- 29 - Lunar New Year
February 2025
- 1 - World Hijab Day
- 1 - Dignity Action Day
- 1 - Imbolc
- 2 - Candlemas
- 2 - Vasant Panchami
- 3 - 9 - Sexual Abuse and Sexual Violence Week
- 3 - 9 - Children's Mental Health Week
- 3 - 9 - Race Equality Week
- 3 - 9 - Tinnitus Awareness Week
- 4 - World Cancer Day
- 6 - Time to Talk Day
- 10 - International Epilepsy Day
- 14 - Saint Valentines Day
- 15 - Parinirvana
- 16 - 22 - Aromantic Spectrum Awareness Week
- 20 - World Day of Social Justice
- 24 - 2 Mar - Eating Disorders Awareness Week
- 26 - 27 - Maha Shivaratri
- 28 - Rare Disease Day
- 28 (expected) - Ramadan starts
- 28 - 2 Mar - National Student Pride
March 2025
-
All month - Brain Tumour Awareness Month
-
All month - Women's History Month
-
1 - Zero Discrimination Day
-
1 - Saint David’s Day
-
3 - World Hearing Day
-
3 - Great Lent begins
-
3 - 9 - LGBT Adoption & Fostering Week
-
4 - Shrove Tuesday
-
5 - Ash Wednesday, start of Lent
-
8 - International Women’s Day
-
12 - Young Carers Action Day
-
13 - Ta’anit Esther (The Fast of Esther)
-
13 - University Mental Health Day
-
13 - 14 - Purim
-
13 - 14 (expected) - Lailat al Bara’ah
-
14 - Holi
-
16 - Disabled Access Day
-
17 - Saint Patrick’s Day
-
17 - 23 - Neurodiversity Celebration Week
-
19 - Saint Joseph’s Day
-
20 - International Day of Happiness
-
20 - Ostara/Spring Equinox
-
21 - International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
-
21 - World Down Syndrome Day
-
22 - World Water Day
-
25 - The Annunciation of the Lord to the Blessed Virgin Mary
-
26 - Purple Day
-
26 (expected) - Laylat al Qadr (Night of Power)
-
30 - World Bipolar Day
-
30 - Mothering Sunday
-
30 - Daylight Saving Time starts (clock change)
-
30 - Ugadi (Hindi New Year)
-
30 (expected) - Ramadan ends
-
31 (expected) - Eid ul Fitr
-
31 - International Transgender Day of Visibility
April 2025
- All month - Stress Awareness Month
- All month - Functional Neurological Disorder Month
- 2 - World Autism Awareness Day
- 2 - 8 - Autism Acceptance Week
- 6 - Rama Navami
- 7 - World Health Day
- 11 - World Parkinson's Day
- 12 - 20 - Passover
- 13 - Palm Sunday
- 13 - Passion Sunday
- 14 - Baisakhi (Vaisakhi)
- 16 - World Voice Day
- 17 - Maundy Thursday
- 18 - Good Friday/ Orthodox Good Friday
- 20 - Easter Sunday
- 20 - Pascha - Orthodox Easter
- 21 - Easter Monday
- 21 - 27 - Lesbian Visibility Week
- 22 - Stephen Lawrence Day
- 22 - 28 - Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Week (UK)
- 23 - St. George’s Day
- 28 - Birthday of Guru Angad Dev
- 30 - International Guide Dog Day
May 2025
- All month - Stroke Awareness Month
- 1 - Beltane
- 4 - International Family Equality Day
- 5 - 11 - Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week
- 6 - 12 - Deaf Awareness Week
- 10 - Exeter Pride
- 12 - Wesak (Buddha Day)
- 12 - 18 - ME Awareness Week
- 12 - 18 - Mental Health Awareness Week
- 12 - 25 - Foster Care Fortnight
- 14 - National Day for Staff Networks
- 15 - International Day of Families
- 15 - Global Accessibility Awareness Day
- 15 - 16 - Lag B’Omer
- 15 - 15 June - Tourette's Awareness Mont
- 17 - International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia
- 18 - World AIDS Vaccine Awareness Day
- 18 - National Children’s Day
- 19 - 25 - Dementia Action Week
- 24 - 25 - Birmingham Pride
- 28 - Menstrual Hygiene Day
- 29 - Ascension Day
- 29 - Orthodox Ascension Day
- 30 - World MS Day
June 2025
- All month - Pride Month
- All month - Gypsy, Roma, Traveller History Month
- 1 - 3 - Shavuot
- 2 - 8 - Volunteers week
- 2 - 8 - Child Safety Week
- 6 (expected) - Eid ul Adha
- 8 - Pentecost / Whit Sunday
- 8 - Orthodox Pentecost / Whit Sunday
- 8 - 14 - National Growing for Wellbeing Week
- 9 - Whit Monday
- 9 - Orthodox Whit Monday
- 9 - 15 - Carers Week
- 9 - 15 - Men’s Health Week
- 9 - 15 - Loneliness Awareness Week
- 10 - 16 - Diabetes Week
- 12 - Pulse Night of Remembrance
- 12 - Bristol Pride Day
- 15 - Trinity Sunday
- 15 - Father’s Day
- 16 - Guru Arjan Dev Martyrdom
- 16 - 22 - Refugee Week
- 16 - 22 - Learning Disabilities Week
- 18 - Autistic Pride Day
- 19 - Corpus Christi
- 21 - Summer Solstice
- 21 - World Humanist Day
- 22 - Windrush Day
- 22 - 28 - Deaf Blind Awareness Week
- 24 - Pansexual and Panromantic Awareness and Visibility Day
- 24 - 30 - World Wellbeing Week
- 25 (expected) - Al-Hijra / Muharram
- 28 - Stonewall Riots Anniversary
- 28 - 13 July - Bristol Pride
- TBC - Sheffield Pride
July 2025
- All month - Disability Pride Month
- 5 - London Pride
- 5 - 6 (expected) - Bourne Free Pride Festival
- 13 - Fast of the 17th of Tammuz
- 14 - International Non-Binary Day
- 17 - Anniversary of same sex marriage being legalised in UK (The Marriage (Same sex Couples) Act 2013 was passed)
- 18 - 17 Aug - South Asian Heritage Month
- 20 - Asalha Puja (Dharma Day)
- 20 - Leeds Pride
- 21 - 22 - Northern Pride (Newcastle)
- 24 - Samaritans Awareness Day
- 25 - National Schizophrenia Awareness Day
- 26 - Nottingham Pride
- 26 - Norwich Pride
- 27 - Liverpool Pride
- 28 - World Hepatitis Day
August 2025
- 1 - Lammas/Lughnassadh
- 1-7 - World Breastfeeding Week
- 2-3 - Fast of Tisha B'av
- 3 - 9 - International Assistance Dog Week
- 6 - Transfiguration
- 9 - Raksha Bandhan
- 12 - International Youth Day
- 15 - Assumption of Mary
- 16 - Chester Pride
- 16 - Krishna Janmashtami
- 22 - 25 - Manchester Pride Festival
- 23 - 24 - Southampton Pride
- 27 - Ganesh Chaturthi
- TBC - UK Black Pride
September 2025
- All month - World Alzheimer's Month
- All month - East and South East Asian Month
- 1 - 7 - Migraine awareness Week
- 5 (expected) - Mawlid un Nabi
- 5 - International Day of Charity
- 10 - World Suicide Prevention Day
- 13 - World Sepsis Day
- 14 - Holy Cross Day
- 15 - International Day of Democracy
- 15 - World Afro Day
- 15 - 21 - National Inclusion Week
- 19 - Youth Mental Health Day
- 21 - International Day of Peace
- 21 - World Alzheimer's Day
- 22 - Autumn Equinox (season)
- 22 - 24 - Rosh Hashana Jewish New Year
- 22 - 30 - Navaratri
- 23 - Bi Visibility Day
- 23 - International day of sign languages
- 23 - 29 - Organ Donation Week
- 25 - Fast of Gedaliah
- 26 - World’s Biggest Coffee Morning with MacMillan
- 29 - World Heart Day
- TBC - Pride in Surrey
October 2025
- All month - ADHD Awareness Month
- All month - Breast Cancer Awareness Month
- All month - Black History Month
- 1 - International Day of Older Persons
- 1 - 2 - Yom Kippur
- 2 - International Day of Non Violence
- 2 - Dussehra
- 3 - 7 - International Stress Awareness Week
- 4 - Feast of St. Francis of Assisi
- 6 - 10 - International Week of Happiness at Work
- 6 - 10 - National Work-Life Week
- 6 - 13 - Dyslexia Awareness Week
- 6 - 13 - Sukkot
- 7 - 5 Nov - Kathina
- 8 - World Dyslexia Awareness Day
- 8 - Birthday of Guru Ram Das
- 9 - World Sight Day
- 9 - 15 - Baby Loss Awareness Week
- 10 - World Mental Health Day
- 11 - National Coming Out Day
- 12 - 13 - Hoshana Rabbah
- 13 - 14 - Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah
- 15 - International Pronouns Day
- 17 - International Day for the Eradication of Poverty
- 18 - Anti-Slavery Day
- 18 - World Menopause Day
- 20 - Diwali
- 21 - Bandhi Chhor Divas
- 20 - 26 - Asexual Awareness Week
- 22 - International Stammering Awareness Day
- 26 - Intersex Awareness Day
- 26 - Daylight Saving Time Ends (clock change)
- 29 - World Stroke Day
- 31 - Halloween/Samhain
November 2025
- All month - Movember
- 1 - All Saints Day
- 2 - All Souls’ Day
- 3 - 7 - International Stress Awareness Week
- 4 - Purple Tuesday
- 5 - National Stress Awareness Day
- 5 - Guy Fawkes Day
- 5 - International Stress Awareness Day
- 5 - Birthday of Guru Nanak Dev
- 8 - Intersex Day of Remembrance
- 9 - Remembrance Sunday
- 11 - Armistice Day
- 13 - World Kindness Day
- 13 - 19 - Transgender Awareness Week
- 14 - World Diabetes Day
- 14 - 20 Dec - Disability History Month
- 19 - International Men's Day
- 20 - Universal Children’s Day
- 20 - Transgender Day of Remembrance
- 21 - The feast of the Entrance into the Temple of the Theotokos
- 24 - Martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur
- 25 - International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women
- 30 - Saint Andrew’s Day
- 30 - First Sunday of Advent
December 2025
- 1 - World AIDS Day
- 2 - International Day for the Abolition of Slavery
- 3 - International Day of Disabled Persons
- 5 - International Volunteer Day
- 6 - Saint Nicholas’s Day
- 8 - Feast of the Immaculate Conception
- 10 - Human Rights Day
- 14 - 22 - Chanukah (Hanukkah)
- 18 - International Migrants Day
- 20 - International Human Solidarity Day
- 21 - Winter Solstice (Yule)
- 24 - Christmas Eve
- 25 - Christmas Day
- 26 - Boxing Day
- 26 - Saint Stephen’s Day
- 31 - New Year’s Eve
