Every year UK Disability History Month focuses on a different theme through the social model perspective Celebrating Our Achievements, Challenging Disabilism and Fighting for Equality.
2023 Theme: Disability, Children
and Youth
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World AIDS Day, designated on 1 December every year since 1988, is an international day dedicated to raising awareness of the AIDS pandemic caused by the spread of HIV infection and mourning those who have died of the disease.
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The focus of this day is on eradicating contemporary forms of slavery, such as trafficking in persons, sexual exploitation, the worst forms of child labour, forced marriage, and the forced recruitment of children for use in armed conflict.
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International Day of Persons with Disabilities is an observance promoted by the UN since 1992. The day 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.
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Human Rights Day is observed every year on 10 December – the day on which the United Nations General Assembly adopted, in 1948, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
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Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25th as a religious and cultural celebration by billions of people around the world.
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Veganuary is an annual challenge run by a UK non-profit organisation that promotes and educates about veganism by encouraging people to follow a vegan lifestyle for the month of January.
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Epiphany is a Christian feast day that celebrates the revelation of God incarnate as Jesus Christ. It commemorates the visit by the Wise Men to the infant Jesus to give him gifts. Traditionally it is known as Twelfth Night, when people take down their Christmas decorations.
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Holocaust Memorial Day is the day for everyone to remember the millions of people murdered in the Holocaust, under Nazi Persecution, and in the genocides which followed in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia, and Darfur.
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LGBT+ History Month is an annual month-long observance of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender history, and the history of the gay rights and related civil rights movements. The theme for 2025 is Activism and Social Change.
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World Hijab Day aims to foster religious tolerance and understanding by inviting women of all religions and backgrounds to wear and experience the hijab for the day. The observance recognises millions of Muslim women who choose to wear the hijab and live a life of modesty.
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Imbolc, also called Saint Brigid’s Day, is a Gaelic traditional festival. It marks the beginning of spring, and for Christians it is the feast day of Saint Brigid. It is held on 1 February, which is about halfway between the winter solstice and the spring equinox.
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In 2012, the UN General Assembly designated February 6th as the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation, with the aim to amplify and direct the efforts on the elimination of this practice. FGM is recognized internationally as a violation of the human rights of girls and women.
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The International Day of Women and Girls in Science recognizes the critical role women and girls play in science and technology.
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Highlighting the urgent need to take action to end the inequalities surrounding income, sex, age, health status, occupation, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, race, class, ethnicity and religion that continue to persist around the world.
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International Wheelchair Day is an annual day of events and activities which take place around the World when wheelchair users celebrate the positive impact a wheelchair has on their lives.
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IWD 2024 campaign theme: Count Her In: Accelerating Gender Equality Through Economic Empowerment
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World Down Syndrome Day (WDSD) is a global awareness day which has been officially observed by the United Nations since 2012. The 21st day of March was selected to signify the uniqueness of the triplication of the 21st chromosome which causes Down syndrome.
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The International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination is observed annually on the day the police in Sharpeville, South Africa, opened fire and killed 69 people at a peaceful demonstration against apartheid “pass laws” in 1960.
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On this day, tens of thousands of people across the globe come together to start conversations around epilepsy, raise awareness of the condition and fundraise to make a difference to the lives of people affected by epilepsy.
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The vision of World Bipolar Day (WBD) is to bring world awareness to bipolar disorders and to eliminate social stigma.
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International Transgender Day of Visibility is an annual event dedicated to celebrating transgender people and raising awareness of discrimination faced by transgender people worldwide, as well as a celebration of their contributions to society.
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Autism is a lifelong neurological condition that manifests during early childhood, irrespective of gender, race or socio-economic status. Appropriate support, accommodation and acceptance of this neurological variation allow those on the Spectrum to enjoy equal opportunity, and full and effective participation in society.
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World Health Day is a global health awareness day celebrated every year, under the sponsorship of the World Health Organization, as well as other related organizations. The date of 7 April marks the anniversary of the founding of WHO in 1948.
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A day to celebrate Romani culture and raise awareness of the issues facing Romani people.
Every year on April 11th, World Parkinson’s Day raises awareness for this progressive nervous system disorder. It’s also a day to help the general public understand the reality of this disease for those who have it.
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Stephen Lawrence Day was first celebrated in 2019 and takes place annually on 22 April, the date of Stephen’s death. The Day is marked officially in the British calendar as a celebration of Stephen’s life and legacy.
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The day honours the sacrifice of firefighters who have lost their lives in the line of duty, acknowledging the courage and dedication of generations of firefighters, including those who serve our communities today
Sprinklers are the most effective way to ensure that fires are suppressed or even extinguished before the fire service can arrive.
They save lives and reduce injuries, protect firefighters who attend incidents and reduce the amount of damage to both property and the environment from fire.
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The International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia is observed on May 17th and aims to coordinate international events that raise awareness of LGBT rights violations and stimulate interest in LGBT rights work worldwide. The date was chosen to commemorate the decision to remove homosexuality from the International Classification of Diseases of the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1990.
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Pan Visibility Day is on May 24th and is a day to celebrate and recognize those who identify as pansexual.
June is chosen as the designated LGBT+ Pride month to honour the 1969 Stonewall riots. Pride promotes equal justice and equal opportunity for LGBT+ people across the world. Events take place in towns and cities in the UK across all of the summer months and include parades, picnics, parties, workshops, symposia and concerts.
In 2012, the UN General Assembly proclaimed 1 June as the Global Day of Parents, to be observed annually in honour of parents throughout the world.
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Volunteers Week takes place 1-7 June every year. It’s a chance to recognise the fantastic contribution volunteers make to our communities and say thank you.
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Every June since 2008, people from across the UK have celebrated Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month. Through celebration, education and raising awareness, Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month helps to tackle prejudice, challenge myths and to amplify the voices of Gypsies, Roma and Travellers in wider society.
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WOW (Women of the World) Rotherham Festival will inspire women, girls and non-binary people to share their stories, hopes and aspirations through a series of talks and performances.
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NFCC’s public awareness campaign will focus on the main risks of fire in the home and appropriate home detection and behaviours to help mitigate these risks.
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Autistic Pride Day is a pride celebration for autistic people held on June 18 each year. Autistic pride recognises the importance of pride for autistic people and its role in bringing about positive changes in the broader society.
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World Refugee Day is an international day designated by the United Nations to honour refugees around the globe. It falls each year on June 20 and celebrates the strength and courage of people who have been forced to flee their home country to escape conflict or persecution. World Refugee Day is an occasion to build empathy and understanding for their plight and to recognize their resilience in rebuilding their lives.
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Windrush Day was introduced in June 2018 on the 70th anniversary of the Windrush migration. The HMT Empire Windrush arrived in Britain on 22 June 1948.
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International Non-Binary People’s Day is observed each year on 14 July and is aimed at raising awareness and organising around the issues faced by non-binary people around the world.
Non-binary is an umbrella term for people whose gender identity doesn’t sit comfortably with ‘man’ or ‘woman’. Non-binary identities are varied and can include people who identify with some aspects of binary identities, while others reject them entirely.
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South Asian Heritage Month runs from 18th July to 17th August every year. It seeks to raise the profile of British South Asian heritage and history in the UK through education, arts, culture and commemoration, with the goal of helping people to better understand the diversity of present-day Britain and improve social cohesion across the country. It had its inaugural year in 2020.
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Sandall Park hosts the first annual Doncaster Multicultural Festival. The event is a collaboration between The Friends of Sandall Park, Voluntary Action Doncaster and The Inclusion Fairness Forum. A fun family festival that celebrates the communities and the diverse cultures of Doncaster
World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) is a global network of individuals and organisations dedicated to the protection, promotion and support of breastfeeding worldwide. Annually, WABA coordinates and organises the World Breastfeeding Week (WBW) between Aug 1-7.
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International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition, is an international day celebrated August 23 of each year, the day designated by UNESCO to memorialize the transatlantic slave trade.
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The International Day for People of African Descent was celebrated for the first time on 31 August 2021. Through this Observance the United Nations aims to promote the extraordinary contributions of the African diaspora around the world and to eliminate all forms of discrimination against people of African descent.
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Emergency Services Day (also known as 999 Day) is a national day across the UK. The day promotes the work of the emergency services, promotes using the emergency services responsibly, educates the public about basic lifesaving skills, and promotes the many career and volunteering opportunities available.
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World Suicide Prevention Day is an awareness day observed on 10 September every year, in order to provide worldwide commitment and action to prevent suicides, with various activities around the world since 2003.
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An opportunity for Fire and Rescue Services to make small and medium sized businesses aware of their fire safety responsibilities in the workplace, and a chance to let them know that there is help and advice available for them all year round.
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World Afro Day is a global day of change, education and celebration of Afro hair; endorsed by the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human rights. Aims include working with families, schools and authorities to tackle discrimination against Afro hair.
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