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 May dates to observe, reflect, celebrate or promote throughout the university community. The complete calendar is available on the website, http://hrehp.dal.ca/Calendar/.
 
Jun 4

Shavuot - JU
Shavuot, also spelled Shavuos Ashkenazi “[Feast of] Weeks”, is a Jewish holiday that occurs on the sixth day of the Hebrew month of Sivan (corresponding to late May/early June). It marks the conclusion of the Counting of the Omer and the day the Torah was given at Mount Sinai. It is one of the three Biblical pilgrimage festivals (shalosh regalim) mandated by the Torah. This counting of days and weeks expresses anticipation and desire for the Giving of the Torah. At Passover, the Jewish people were freed from being slaves to Pharaoh; at Shavuot they accepted the Torah and became a nation committed to serving God.
 
Jun 8
 
Pentecost (CH)
Also known as Whitsunday in some western churches, is the commemoration of the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples of Jesus following his ascension (Acts 2:1-11). It comes fifty days after Easter.
 
June 12-15
 
Halifax Greek Fest
A weekend of authentic Greek entertainment and delicious food! The oldest and largest cultural festival in Halifax, NS. Join us for a weekend of authentic entertainment, delicious food and a few new memories along the way. Join us for.... Live Greek Music, Greek Dancing, Wine Tastings, Waterfront Patio Kafenio, Kids Olympics, Church Tour.
Win a Trip to Greece and other fantastic prizes - All the Greek food you can eat!
http://www.greekfest.org/
 
June 14

Lailat al Miraj (IS)
Mohammad ascends to heaven where he speaks to God, who gives Muhammad instructions to take back to the faithful regarding the details of prayer. According to traditions, the journey is associated with the Lailat al Mi'raj, as one of the most significant events in the Islamic calendar.

June 15

Father’s Day
The idea for creating a day for children to honour their fathers began in Spokane, Washington. Sonora Dodd thought of the idea for Father's Day while listening to a Mother's Day sermon in 1909. Sonora was raised by her father after her mother died. She wanted him to know how special he was to her and to acknowledge his parental sacrifice. She thought that he was a courageous, selfless and loving man and he was born in June. In 1926 a National Father's Day Committee was formed in New York City. Father's Day was recognized by a Joint Resolution of Congress in 1956. In 1972 President Richard Nixon established a permanent national observance of Father's Day to be held on the third Sunday in June.

Trinity Sunday
Trinity Sunday is a celebration of the Christian understanding of God in Three Persons (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). It comes one week after Pentecost. (Western Churches)

June 15-22

Nova Scotia Multicultural Festival
The Festival honors participating artists, performers and the cultural groups they represent through display of their arts, skills, and knowledge. It also seeks to increase awareness of the rich variety of Nova Scotia’s historic, cultural and ethnic traditions... This year the Nova Scotia Multicultural Festival marks the 30th anniversary with seven days of festival events celebrating cultural diversity…

The mission is to create an event for people of all ages, cultures and backgrounds to come together building a community by bridging economic and societal divisions; cultivate inclusion and tolerance; and provide affordable experiences celebrating families in a welcoming, safe and a relaxed community environment.

June 16

Martyrdom Day of Guru Arjan Dev Ji (SI)
Guru Arjan Dev Ji (Born in Amritsar, Punjab, India on 15 April 1563 - 30 May 1606 Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan) was the fifth of the Ten Gurus of Sikhism and became Guru on 1 September 1581 following in the footsteps of Guru Ram Das. Some of his accomplishments include: Huge number of hymns in the Guru Granth Sahib (over 2000), compiled and installed for the first time the holy Sikh Book(Adi Granth), enhanced the Structure of Sikh Society by introducing the Masund system, and was the first Sikh Guru to be martyred.

June 19

Trinity Sunday
Trinity Sunday is a celebration of the Christian understanding of God in Three Persons (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). It comes one week after Pentecost. (Western Churches)

All Saints Day
Honors Christian saints throughout the ages. (Eastern Churches)

June 20

World Refugee Day (UN)
For years, many countries and regions have been holding their own Refugee days and even weeks. One of the most widespread is Africa Refugee Day which is an expression of UN solidarity with Africa, which hosts the most refugees, and which traditionally has shown them great generosity.

June 21

Litha (Wicca/Pagan)
(Also called Midsummer’s Eve) celebrates the consummation of the sacred marriage in which the energy of the god is poured out in the service of life. His sacrifice, resulting in his total immolation by the end of the season, sets the standard of self-giving in service to the goddess. Litha comes on the June solstice

National Aboriginal Day (Canada)
First proclaimed by the Governor General of Canada on June 13, 1996, June 21st every year has become a day in Canadian calendar that presents Aboriginal peoples with a great opportunity to express great pride for their rich diverse cultures with their families, neighbours, friends and visitors. National Aboriginal Day is a fun filled day for the whole family and an opportunity to learn more about Aboriginal people and their contribution to make Canada the great nation that it has become.

June 24

Rahmat (BA)
The sixth month of the Baha’I year

St. Jean Baptiste Day/Fete Nationale des Québécois
Every year, on the 24th of June, all Québécois get together with friends and family to celebrate their Fête Nationale (National Holiday).  The event originated more than 2000 years ago, in pre-Christian Europe, as the pagan celebration of the summer solstice. It was originally held on the 21st, but with the arrival of Christianity, it transformed into Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day, and moved to the 24th. Both celebrated the symbol of light; the sun of the summer solstice and Saint-Jean-Baptiste who opens the way for the light of Jesus-Christ. The ancients used to light a great bonfire on the evening of the 24th to honour the sun, a tradition that continued into the Middle Ages.  Today, the holiday has lost its religious meaning but has kept its traditional name.

June 27

Multiculturalism Day (Canada)
On November 13, 2002, the Government of Canada, by Royal Proclamation, designated June 27 of each year as Canadian Multiculturalism Day.  Multiculturalism Day, celebrates diversity; our commitment to democracy, equality, and mutual respect; and the contributions of various multicultural groups and communities to Canadian society.

June 28 –July

Ramadan begins - Islam
Ramadan the ninth month of the Islamic Hijri calendar, the most spiritually-beneficial month of the Islamic year is considered the most venerated and blessed. Prayers, fasting, charity, and self-accountability are especially stressed at this time. It is the month in which the prophet of Islam (Mohammed) received the first verse of the Q’uran. The fourth pillar of Islam, which is fasting, is practiced during the month of Ramadan. The word Ramadan is derived from an Arabic word for intense heat and sun-scorched ground. Religious observances associated with Ramadan are kept throughout the month. Daily fasting for all able, adult Muslims during the whole month of Ramadan is prescribed, beginning with the sighting of the new moon. The most holy night during the Ramadan, Laylat al-Qadr (Night of Power) has more blessing than a thousand months.

June 29 – July 3

Ghambar Maidyoshem (ZO)
Ghambar Maidyoshem celebrates the creation of water, the sowing of the summer crop and the harvesting of grain.