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Religious Holidays:
• All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day (November 1 and 2): All Saints’ Day is observed in the Catholic and other Christian traditions as a solemn feast honoring all the saints, both the well-known and the countless faithful who lived lives of holiness without recognition. Souls’ Day is rooted in Catholic tradition and focused on praying for the departed who may still be on their journey to heaven.
• Jain New Year (November 7): 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.
• Solemnity of Christ the King (November 23): Celebrated by the Catholic Church and many Christian denominations, this feast day proclaims the authority of Christ over all creation.
• 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.
• Ascension of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá (November 28): This holy day is observed by members of the Bahá’í Faith in honor of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, the son of Bahá’u’lláh (the founder of the Bahá’í Faith), who passed away in 1921. Remembered as a model of service, humility, and compassion, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá was instrumental in spreading the Bahá’í teachings worldwide.
• First Day of Advent (November 30): Advent marks the beginning of the Christian liturgical year and the four-week season of preparation for Christmas.
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.
Cultural and Federal Holidays (Part 2/2):
• Transgender Day of Remembrance (November 20): The Transgender Day of Remembrance memorializes those who lost their lives to acts of anti-transgender violence. It raises public awareness about hate crimes directed at transgender and gender-diverse people and ensures that their lives are not forgotten. This is a day for expressing love and respect in the face of hatred or indifference. This day also helps raise awareness about issues the transgender and gender-diverse communities continue to face. UConn supports the transgender communities through the Rainbow Center, which provides spaces of refuge and community-building.
• Holodomor Memorial Day (November 22): 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. Holodomor Memorial Day is dedicated to remembering those who died, and, alongside the descendants of survivors, spreading awareness of this chapter in history.
• National Adoption Day (November 22): Launched in 1999, National Adoption Day is a collective, grassroots effort to raise awareness of the more than 100,000 children waiting to be adopted from foster care in the United States. To learn more, check out the National Adoption Day website.
• National Day of Mourning (November 27): 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 (UAINE) 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. Every year, as a part of this commemoration, UAINE holds an outdoor speak-out and march at Cole’s Hill in Plymouth, MA.
• Thanksgiving (November 27): Thanksgiving is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November each year. It is a day for expressing gratitude that, for many, is marked by family traditions, seeing loved ones, and kicking off the holiday season.
Cultural and Federal Holidays (Part 1/2):
• Día de los Muertos “Day of the Dead” (November 1-2): Día de los Muertos remembers ancestors and lost loved ones, through food, music, and gatherings—it is a joyful celebration of their lives, rather than the mourning of their deaths. Originating in Mexico, it is celebrated worldwide by those with Mexican heritage.
• National First-Generation Day (November 8): November 8th was selected to honor the anniversary of the signing of the Higher Education Act (HEA) of 1965, which increased federal funding and resources to help level the playing field for underserved communities. Since 2017, schools and universities across the country have dedicated this day to celebrating first-generation students, faculty, staff, and alumni. This day celebrates the accomplishments of students whose parents did not complete a four-year college degree.
• 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 was originally called Armistice Day, which celebrated the cessation of hostilities during World War I that went into effect on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. In 1954, this holiday was changed to “Veterans Day” to include veterans from all American wars. The Office of Veterans and Military Programs (VAMP) will be holding its annual Veterans Day Ceremony on Tuesday, November 11th at 11am on Founders Green. All are invited and encouraged to join.
• Native Women’s Equal Pay Day (November 18): In 2023, American Indian and Alaskan Native women earned just 52.4 cents for every dollar paid to White, non-Hispanic men of comparable skills and training. This day marks the day that Native women need to work until they made what White men made in the previous year. On Native Women’s Equal Pay Day, activists, organizers, educators, and community members raise awareness and support causes that address this ongoing inequity.
