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October Multicultural Celebrations Calendar
National Disability Employment Awareness Month
By Emily SugiyamaBy presidential proclamation in 1988, October has been designated to enhance public awareness of those with disabilities and encourage their full integration into the work force.
Oct 1 Eid al-Fitr (eyed-al-fiteer) (The Feast of Breaking the Fast) - Islamic—This holiday, which marks the end of Ramadan, begins at the sighting of the first lunar crescent following the new moon and is the time for breaking the fast. This is a three-day festival of feasting, buying and wearing new clothes, and celebrations. Oct 1 Rosh Hashanah (New Year) - Jewish—Second day of observance. Oct 1 National Day - People's Republic of China—This marks the anniversary of the victory of the Communist Party led by Mao Zedong over the Nationalist forces led by Chiang Kai-shek and the declaration of the People's Republic of China in 1949. This holiday is celebrated on October 1 and 2. Oct 3 German Unity Day - Germany—After World War II, Germany was divided between West Germany, under a democratic government, and East Germany, under a Communist government. With the collapse of the Berlin Wall in November 1989, the final reunification of Germany under a democratic government took place on this day in 1990. Oct 6 German American Heritage Day - United States—German American Heritage Day was first proclaimed by president Ronald Reagan on October 6, 1983 to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the arrival in the American colonies of thirteen German families who established the first German settlement in the New World, a community on the northern outskirts of Philadelphia later known as Germantown. It was made an official day of commemoration four years later in 1987. Oct 9 Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) - Jewish—The ten days from Rosh Hashanah to Yom Kippur are known as the Days of Awe or the Days of Repentance. During this time Jews are to remind themselves of their sins and seek forgiveness for their wrongdoings. Oct 9 Han'gul Day - South Korea—This commemorates the creation of the alphabet of 29 phonetic symbols called han'gul by King Sejonb between 1443 and 1446. Korean is one of the Ural-Altaic family of languages. Oct 10 National Coming Out Day/March on Washington (1987) - On October 11, the largest gay and lesbian gathering of its time-some estimate as many as 200,000-600,00 people-took place to protest anti-gay discrimination and demand a stronger federal government response to the AIDS crisis. Oct 13 Columbus Day - United States—This is the day set aside for observing the anniversary of the landing of Christopher Columbus in the New World. Columbus Day is a national holiday that has come to be especially important to Italian Americans. At annual Italian American get-togethers, there are speeches by celebrities, and citizens of Italian heritage are honored for their rich contributions to community life. Oct 24 United Nations Day - United Nations—This day commemorates the founding of the United Nations in 1945. Oct 26 National Day - Austria—This commemorates Austria's regaining full sovereignty in 1955 after its occupation by the United States and the Soviet Union at the end of World War II. Oct 28 Diwali (dee-wahl-ee) - Hindu—This is one of the most important festivals of the year for Hindus. It lasts for five days and combines a number of festivals to celebrate different gods and goddesses and events in their lives as described by Hindu tradition. Oct 31 Reformation Day - Protestant—This day commemorates the Protestant Reformation, the movement that led to the establishment of the Protestant denominations of Christianity. Reformation Day is the anniversary of the act that began the movement in 1517--Martin Luther's nailing of the manuscript of his 95 theses to the door of the palace church in Wittenberg, Germany. These statements denounced a number of practices then common in the Roman Catholic Church, including the selling of "indulgences," or documents granting the forgiveness of sins. This is a public holiday in Protestant parts of Germany. Sources:
- Multicultural Resources Calendar, Diversity Resources, Inc. 2008
- World Diversity Calendar, 2008
- 2007 Working Parent & Child Multicultural Calendar. Creative Cultural Communications, Toronto, Ontario, 2007.
Also see our Heritage Month Page
Submit your events through our Submission Zone.
Read more:
- See, "Countering Slurs and Discrimination." By Liz Winfield.
- Take a look at, "A global view of disability: Fourth in a series of articles on culture and disabilities." By Mary Dickson.
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