Religious Holidays: November holds several significant religious holidays for members of the UConn Community:
🔹Diwali (October 31 – November 1): Diwali is the festival of lights, a major festival celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, and some Buddhists. Although Diwali is a five-day celebration, the height of celebrations typically occurs on the third day – November 12th this year – which is the darkest day of the lunar month.
🔹All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day (November 1 and 2): These Christian holidays memorialize those who have died. All Saints’ Day commemorates all those who have reached heaven. Traditions vary by location and denomination, but it is celebrated by both Catholics and Protestants.
🔹Jain New Year (November 2): Jains mark the New Year on the first day of the Hindu Month of Kartika, following the commencement of their Diwali celebration. This holiday marks the day that their founder, Mahavira, achieved moksha (salvation) in passing from his earthly life.
🔹Martyrdom of Guru Bahadur (November 24): This Sikh holiday commemorates the martyrdom of Guru Bahadur, the ninth Sikh Guru, who sacrificed his life to protect people—including people from faiths other than his own—from religious persecution.
We welcome the celebration of each of these holidays on our campuses and encourage support for those requiring accommodations. You can find information and guidance about academic accommodations for religious observations on the Provost Office’s webpage.
To see more information about resources and events happening this month and throughout the semester, please visit our events page at www.diversity.uconn.edu/events. ODI writes these letters in collaboration with our partners across the UConn system. If we inadvertently omitted a cultural or religious holiday, please let us know by emailing us at diversity@uconn.edu.
Religious Holidays: November holds several significant religious holidays for members of the UConn Community:
🔹Diwali (October 31 – November 1): Diwali is the festival of lights, a major festival celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, and some Buddhists. Although Diwali is a five-day celebration, the height of celebrations typically occurs on the third day – November 12th this year – which is the darkest day of the lunar month.
🔹All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day (November 1 and 2): These Christian holidays memorialize those who have died. All Saints’ Day commemorates all those who have reached heaven. Traditions vary by location and denomination, but it is celebrated by both Catholics and Protestants.
🔹Jain New Year (November 2): Jains mark the New Year on the first day of the Hindu Month of Kartika, following the commencement of their Diwali celebration. This holiday marks the day that their founder, Mahavira, achieved moksha (salvation) in passing from his earthly life.
🔹Martyrdom of Guru Bahadur (November 24): This Sikh holiday commemorates the martyrdom of Guru Bahadur, the ninth Sikh Guru, who sacrificed his life to protect people—including people from faiths other than his own—from religious persecution.
We welcome the celebration of each of these holidays on our campuses and encourage support for those requiring accommodations. You can find information and guidance about academic accommodations for religious observations on the Provost Office’s webpage.
To see more information about resources and events happening this month and throughout the semester, please visit our events page at www.diversity.uconn.edu/events. ODI writes these letters in collaboration with our partners across the UConn system. If we inadvertently omitted a cultural or religious holiday, please let us know by emailing us at diversity@uconn.edu.
Federal and Cultural Holidays:
▶ Día de los Muertos (“Day of the Dead”) (November 1-2): Día de los Muertos remembers lost loved ones, as well as ancestors, through food, music, and gatherings—it is a joyful celebration of their lives, rather than the mourning of their deaths.
▶ National First-Generation Day (November 8): Since 2017, schools and universities across the country have dedicated this day to celebrating first-generation students, faculty, staff, and alumni.
▶ World Freedom Day (November 9): World Freedom Day is a federal holiday that commemorates the fall of the Berlin Wall. Established in 2001 by President George W. Bush, it celebrates freedom within democracy.
▶ Veterans Day (November 11): Veterans Day pays tribute to all those who served in the United States Armed forces. It is separate from Memorial Day (the last Monday of May), which commemorates those who died while serving in the US military, and Armed Forces Day (the third Saturday in May), which honors those currently serving in the US military.
▶ Transgender Day of Remembrance (November 20): The Transgender Day of Remembrance memorializes those who lost their lives to acts of anti-transgender violence.
▶ Holodomor Memorial Day (November 23): Holodomor Memorial Day is commemorated each year on the fourth Saturday of November as a Day of Remembrance to remember the millions of Ukrainians who were starved to death in Ukraine in 1932 and 1933, many of whom were children.
▶ National Day of Mourning (November 28): The National Day of Mourning, which takes place on the fourth Thursday of November every year, was established in 1970 by the United American Indians of New England as a day to honor and mourn Native and Indigenous people lost to genocide and colonialism, as well as to commemorate Native and Indigenous resilience and resistance.
▶ Thanksgiving (November 28): Thanksgiving is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November each year.
▶ Native Women’s Equal Pay Day (November 30): On average, Native and Indigenous Women make 55 cents for every dollar made by white men of comparable skills and training (according to 2021 census data).
Federal and Cultural Holidays:
▶ Día de los Muertos (“Day of the Dead”) (November 1-2): Día de los Muertos remembers lost loved ones, as well as ancestors, through food, music, and gatherings—it is a joyful celebration of their lives, rather than the mourning of their deaths.
▶ National First-Generation Day (November 8): Since 2017, schools and universities across the country have dedicated this day to celebrating first-generation students, faculty, staff, and alumni.
▶ World Freedom Day (November 9): World Freedom Day is a federal holiday that commemorates the fall of the Berlin Wall. Established in 2001 by President George W. Bush, it celebrates freedom within democracy.
▶ Veterans Day (November 11): Veterans Day pays tribute to all those who served in the United States Armed forces. It is separate from Memorial Day (the last Monday of May), which commemorates those who died while serving in the US military, and Armed Forces Day (the third Saturday in May), which honors those currently serving in the US military.
▶ Transgender Day of Remembrance (November 20): The Transgender Day of Remembrance memorializes those who lost their lives to acts of anti-transgender violence.
▶ Holodomor Memorial Day (November 23): Holodomor Memorial Day is commemorated each year on the fourth Saturday of November as a Day of Remembrance to remember the millions of Ukrainians who were starved to death in Ukraine in 1932 and 1933, many of whom were children.
▶ National Day of Mourning (November 28): The National Day of Mourning, which takes place on the fourth Thursday of November every year, was established in 1970 by the United American Indians of New England as a day to honor and mourn Native and Indigenous people lost to genocide and colonialism, as well as to commemorate Native and Indigenous resilience and resistance.
▶ Thanksgiving (November 28): Thanksgiving is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November each year.
▶ Native Women’s Equal Pay Day (November 30): On average, Native and Indigenous Women make 55 cents for every dollar made by white men of comparable skills and training (according to 2021 census data).
The Office for Diversity and Inclusion and the Provost’s Office would like to take this opportunity to remind you of several celebrations, commemorations, and moments of raising awareness for members of our community during the month of November:
Heritage Month Celebrations:
🌟 Native and Indigenous Heritage Month: November is Native American Heritage month (also known as “National American Indian Heritage Month” and “Native American and Alaskan Native Heritage Month”). First recognized by President George H.W. Bush in 1990 and commemorated by every president since, this month honors the cultures, histories, and legacies of America’s first inhabitants and the Tribal nations that continue to thrive here today. It celebrates the traditions, languages, and stories of hundreds of Native nations and works to ensure that their histories and contributions endure. This month also acknowledges the painful history Native and Indigenous Peoples in the United States have faced, one marked by unjust federal policies and state-sanctioned campaigns of violence, displacement, assimilation, and terror. It recognizes that the effects of this history are still felt today, as evidenced by the disproportionate effect the pandemic has had on Native and Indigenous communities and serves as a call to action to address persistent inequities.
We invite the entire UConn community to join us in commemorating Native American Heritage Month through the following events featured on the NACP website.
The Office for Diversity and Inclusion and the Provost’s Office would like to take this opportunity to remind you of several celebrations, commemorations, and moments of raising awareness for members of our community during the month of November:
Heritage Month Celebrations:
🌟 Native and Indigenous Heritage Month: November is Native American Heritage month (also known as “National American Indian Heritage Month” and “Native American and Alaskan Native Heritage Month”). First recognized by President George H.W. Bush in 1990 and commemorated by every president since, this month honors the cultures, histories, and legacies of America’s first inhabitants and the Tribal nations that continue to thrive here today. It celebrates the traditions, languages, and stories of hundreds of Native nations and works to ensure that their histories and contributions endure. This month also acknowledges the painful history Native and Indigenous Peoples in the United States have faced, one marked by unjust federal policies and state-sanctioned campaigns of violence, displacement, assimilation, and terror. It recognizes that the effects of this history are still felt today, as evidenced by the disproportionate effect the pandemic has had on Native and Indigenous communities and serves as a call to action to address persistent inequities.
We invite the entire UConn community to join us in commemorating Native American Heritage Month through the following events featured on the NACP website.