Today@Dal

Each year the Dalhousie 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 December dates to observe, reflect, celebrate or promote throughout the university community. The complete calendar is available on the website, http://hrehp.dal.ca/Calendar/

Reminder: The Jewish calendar date begins at sundown of the night beforehand. Thus all holiday observances begin at sundown on the secular dates listed, with the following day being the first full day of the holiday.

December 1
World Aids Day (UN)
This is an opportunity for people worldwide to unite in the fight against HIV and AIDS. On December 1 every year, the world comes together to commemorate World AIDS Day. The theme for World AIDS Day has been determined by the World AIDS Campaign since 1997

Rosa Parks Day
Rosa Louise McCauley Parks was an African American civil rights activist whom the U.S. Congress later called 'Mother of the Modern-Day Civil Rights Movement'. On December 1, 1955 in Montgomery, Alabama, Parks refused to obey bus driver James Blake's order that she give up her seat to make room for a white passenger. Her action was not the first of its kind: Irene Morgan, in 1946, and Sarah Louise Keys, in 1955, had won rulings before the Supreme Court and the Interstate Commerce Commission respectively in the area of interstate bus travel. But unlike these previous individual actions of civil disobedience, Parks' action sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott. This movement turned Parks into an international icon of resistance to racial segregation and launched boycott leader Martin Luther King, Jr., to national prominence in the civil rights movement. Parks eventually received honours ranging from the 1979 Spingarn Medal to a posthumous statue in the United States Capitol's National Statuary Hall.

December 3
International Day of Persons with Disabilities (UN)
The annual observance of the International Day of Disabled Persons, December 3, aims to promote an understanding of disability issues and mobilize support for the dignity, rights and well-being of persons with disabilities. It also seeks to increase awareness of gains to be derived from the integration of persons with disabilities in every aspect of political, social, economic and cultural life. The theme of the Day is based on the goal of full and equal enjoyment of human rights and participation in society by persons with disabilities, established by the World Programme of Action concerning Disabled Persons, adopted by the General Assembly in 1982.

December 6
Maunajiyaras (JA)
Maunajiyaras is a day of fasting, silence and meditation on the five holy beings; monks, teachers, religious leaders, Arihants (Jinas, enlightened masters) and Siddhas (liberated souls). This day is also regarded as the anniversary of the birth of many of the Tirthankaras or Pathfinders.

National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence against Women
Established in 1991 by the Parliament of Canada, this day marks the anniversary of the murders in 1989 of 14 young women at l'Ecole Polytechnique de Montreal. They died because they were women. As well as commemorating the 14 young women whose lives ended in an act of gender-based violence that shocked the nation, December 6 represents an opportunity for Canadians to reflect on the phenomenon of violence against women in our society. It is also an opportunity to consider the women and girls for whom violence is a daily reality, and to remember those who have died as a result of gender-based violence. And finally, it is a day on which communities can consider concrete actions to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls.

Local Events
The Nova Scotia Advisory Council on the Status of Women has organized an afternoon vigil at Province House (Foyer) that will take place on December 6 from 11 - 11:30 a.m. This service will be followed by a reception with a light lunch, dance, music, and spoken word at City Hall (Halifax Room) from 12-1:30pm.If you would like to honour a woman or girl affected by violence, please bring a photo, prayer or message to hang on the Tree of Remembrance. Please RSVP to Amanda Colley, 902.424.8664.

On the Dalhousie Campus, the Engineering Society have organized a purple ribbon campaign. On Thursday December 6, there will be a Remembrance Candlelight Ceremony in the Alumni Lounge at 6:30 pm to commemorate the Ecole Polytechnique massacre on December 6, 1989. DALENG would like to invite everyone to join us for this quiet and thought-provoking ceremony. Upon arrival to the alumni lounge, you will be given a candle to light at the end of the ceremony, which will be approximately 20 minutes. The ceremony is non-denominational and open to the Halifax community. Please note that during this time, travel through the alumni lounge hallway is expected to be quiet and respectful. In Architecture, there will be a gathering after classes and ceremonial lighting of Ceramic Lanterns, made at NSCAD, in memory of the students killed and a recitation of the names of the original victims.

The King's Feminist Collective will be hosting an evening vigil from 8:30  -  9 p.m. at the King's Chapel. There will be a reception held in the Senior Common Room (on the King's Campus). During the day the King's Feminist Collective and the SoHo (DWC) will be giving out ribbons and providing programming to students.

Halifax Explosion Memorial Day
The Halifax Explosion occurred on Thursday, December 6, 1917, when the city of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, was devastated by the huge detonation of a French cargo ship, fully loaded with wartime explosives that had accidentally collided with a ship set for Belgium in 'The Narrows' section of the Halifax Harbour. Approximately 2,000 people (mostly Canadians) were killed by debris, fires, or collapsed buildings and it is estimated that over 9,000 people were injured. This is still one of the world's largest man-made, conventional explosions to date.

Local Events
Halifax Explosion Memorial Service
Thursday, December 6, 2012 8:50 a.m. to 9:20 a.m. Fort Needham Bell Tower
3372 Devonshire Ave, Halifax For more information, please phone 490-6394.

December 8 - 16
Hanukkah/Chanukah (JU)
Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights, is an eight-day Jewish holiday commemorating the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem at the time of the Maccabean Revolt of the 2nd century BCE. Hanukkah is observed for eight nights, starting on the 25th day of Kislev according to the Hebrew calendar.

Local Event Menorah Lighting in Celebration of Chanukah
Celebrate Chanukah with the lighting of the Menorah in Grand Parade. Reception to follow official lighting ceremony in Halifax Hall. All are welcome to attend. Tuesday, December 10, 2012
6 p.m. Lighting
7 p.m. Reception in Halifax Hall, Halifax City Hall For more information call 422-4222.

December 10
International Human Rights Day (UN)
On December 10, 1948, members of the United Nations gathered in Paris to adopt the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Each year since then December 10 marks International Human Rights Day, the anniversary of the day that the United Nations adopted and proclaimed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This unprecedented act was to ensure that the inherent dignity of every person is valued and protected.

Local Events
Partners for Human Rights, the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission and Millwood High School, will be joining to celebrate International Human Rights Day. This year's theme is: "Voice it! Change it!" The event will be held at Millwood High School in Sackville on Monday, December 10, 2012 from 8 a.m. until 12 p.m. The public is invited, and young people are welcomed through their schools to join in. The day begins with a continental harmony breakfast. This inspirational event will bring messages of support and capacity building to our community, and will feature youth and local entertainment from Millwood High School and surrounding schools. We believe using members of our community to support the event will help young people see and interact with role models they can access and emulate. Contact Ann Divine at 424-7356 or divineao@gov.ns.ca.

December 12
Masa'il (BA)
Masa'il - the 15th month of the Baha'i Calendar begins

December 22
Yule (WICCA)

Yule, which marks the New Year in the Anglo-Saxon and northern traditions of Wicca, is the celebration of the birth of the God of the Winter-born King, symbolized by the rebirth of the life-generating and life-sustaining sun. It is a time for ritually shedding the impurities of the past year, and for contemplating avenues of spiritual development in the year ahead.

Tohji-taisai (SH)
The Grand Ceremony of the December Solstice celebrates the joy of the ending of the yin period of the sun, when it declines in strength, and the beginning of its growing power of yang period. The sun is of central importance in Japan, expressing the presence of Amaterasu Omikami, the Kami of the Sun.

December 25
Christmas (CH, W, E-New Calendar)
Christmas is an annual holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus. It refers to both the day commemorating the birth, and also the Christmastide season which that day inaugurates, concluding with the Feast of the Epiphany. The date of the celebration is traditional, and is not considered to be Jesus' actual date of birth. Christmas festivities often combine the observation of the Nativity with various cultural customs, many of which have been influenced by earlier winter festivals. Although nominally a Christian holiday, it is also observed as a cultural holiday by many non-Christians.

December 26
Death Anniversary of Zarathustra (ZO)
The anniversary of the death of Zarathustra, the founder of Zoroastrianism, once the dominant religion of Persia, was killed just three hundred miles to the northwest in Balkh, Afghanistan.

Boxing Day/Lendemain de Noel
Boxing Day is a public holiday in the United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand and Australia, as well as many other members of the Commonwealth of Nations. It is based on the tradition of giving gifts to the less fortunate members of society. It is usually celebrated on December 26, the day after Christmas Day, but its associated public holiday can be moved to the next weekday if December 26 is a Saturday or Sunday.

December 26  -  January 1
Kwanzaa (B/AC)
The Kwanzaa celebration is based on African harvest traditions. Kwanzaa means first fruits in Swahili. The celebration starts on December 26 and lasts for seven days. Created by Dr. Karenga in 1966, Kwanzaa is a celebration of family, community and culture. The seven-day celebration is based on seven basic values of African culture. The seven principles, in Swahili, are Umoja (unity), Kujichagulia (self-determination), Ujima (collective work), Ujamaa (cooperative economics), Nia (purpose), Kuumba (creativity), and Imani (faith). Although the holiday is designed for the African-American community, Kwanzaa is an American holiday for all.

December 29
Wounded Knee 1890 (US) - (AB)
The battle of Wounded Knee Massacre, also known as The Battle at Wounded Knee Creek, was the last major armed conflict between the Oglala Lakota and the United States, subsequently described as a 'massacre' by General Nelson A. Miles in a letter to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs.


December 31
Sharaf (BA)
Sharaf (Honour) the 16th month of the Baha'i Calendar begins.

December 31  -  January 4
Ghambar Maidyarem (ZO)
This celebrates the creation of animals. Zoroastrians are encouraged to remember their practice of the equitable sharing of food during this observance.