• Orthodox New Year

    The start of the new year under the Julian calendar. (Orthodox Christianity)

  • Martin Luther King Jr. Day

    An American federal holiday marking the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr. It falls on the third Monday of January, close to King's actual birthday on January 15. (United States)

  • Pongal

    January is Tamil Heritage Month! This week, the Tamil community in Canada and around the world will be celebrating an important four-day harvest festival known as Pongal. The SSMLIP wishes a happy and prosperous Pongal to all who celebrate!

  • Timkat

    Timkat is the Orthodox Tewahedo celebration of Epiphany. It is celebrated on January 19th, corresponding to the 11th day of Terr in the Ethiopian calendar. Timkat celebrates the baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan. This festival is best known for its ritual reenactment of baptism.

  • Lincoln Alexander Day

    A day commemorating The Honourable Lincoln Alexander, who was a pioneer in the fight for racial equity in Canada as the first Black Member of Parliament in the House of Commons, the first Black federal Minister, and the first Black Chair of the Worker’s Compensation Board of Ontario. (Canada)

  • World Day for African and Afrodescendant Culture

    Happy World Day for African and Afrodescendant Culture! Established in 2019 by UNESCO, this day is dedicated to embracing the vibrant cultures as well as the rich and diverse shared heritage of African and Afroescendent people around the world. May we continue to listen, celebrate, and educate ourselves towards uplifting and amplifying the voices, cultures, […]

  • Thaipusam

    A Hindu festival celebrated by the Tamil community in India and by the Tamil diaspora worldwide. The festival celebrates the victory of good over evil, light over darkness, and wisdom over ignorance. (Hinduism)

  • Vasant Panchami

    A Hindu festival that highlights the coming of spring, and is dedicated to the Hindu Goddess Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge, wisdom, learning, and art. (Hinduism)

  • International Holocaust Remembrance Day

    Designated by the United Nations (UN), this day marks the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau and commemorates the six million Jewish victims of the Holocaust and millions of other victims of Nazism. (International)

  • National Day of Remembrance and Action Against Islamophobia

    A day commemorating the Islamophobic attack that took place at the Grand Mosque in Quebec City, which took the lives of six people and seriously injured 19 others. The Government of Canada established this commemorative day in 2021 to honour the victims and express solidarity with the survivors of this tragedy. (Canada)

  • Black History Month

    Today marks the first day of Black History Month in Canada! Black History Month is a special opportunity for us to acknowledge the achievements, contributions, and resilience of Black people throughout Canadian history. The government of Canada declared this year's theme as: "Black Excellence: A Heritage to Celebrate; A Future to Build". While it is […]

  • World Hijab Day

    Founded by Nazma Khan, World Hijab Day recognizes the millions of Muslim women who choose to wear the hijab and was created to foster religious tolerance and understanding by inviting women (non-Hijabi Muslims/non-Muslims) to experience the hijab for one day. (International)