January 2026 Heritage Celebrations

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To the UConn Community:

The Office of Inclusion and Civil Rights and the Provost’s Office would like to remind you of several celebrations, commemorations, and moments of raising awareness for members of our community during the month of January:

Heritage Month Celebrations:

Muslim Heritage Month: In 2025, Governor Ned Lamont of Connecticut made a proclamation to officially recognize each January as Muslim Heritage Month. It is a time to honor and celebrate the rich history, diverse traditions, and significant contributions of the Muslim community to our society, recognizing their role in shaping our cultural, social, and economic landscape. This month provides the opportunity to educate the broader community about the history and contributions of Muslims, combat misinformation and stereotypes, and promote mutual understanding, respect, and collaboration among people of all faiths and backgrounds. During this month we honor the resilience and perseverance of the Muslim community in overcoming challenges and discrimination, and we stand together to affirm our commitment to combating hate, bigotry, and prejudice in all its forms. Read details about the proclamation.

Cultural and Federal Holidays:

New Year’s Day (January 1): This day celebrating new beginnings was first marked as a federal holiday in 1870, along with Independence Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.

World Braille Day (January 4): Celebrated on January 4th each year, World Braille Day honors the legacy and contributions of Louis Braille, the inventor of Braille. This day also raises awareness about the importance of Braille as a tactile reading and writing system for individuals who are blind or visually impaired. It also serves as a reminder of the significance of accessibility and inclusion in education and information dissemination. To celebrate you can get involved in various activities and initiatives to support Braille literacy and inclusion such as supporting Braille organizations, spreading awareness, advocating for accessibility, and learning Braille. 

National Human Trafficking Awareness Day (January 11): Every January 11, the United States government recognizes National Human Trafficking Awareness Day. On January 11, 2011, President Barack Obama issued a Presidential Proclamation designating January as National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month. Though slavery in the United States was officially abolished by the Thirteenth Amendment in 1865, the injustice of slavery still exists through sex trafficking, forced labor, involuntary servitude, forced marriage, and debt bondage.

According to the National Human Trafficking Hotline, there were more than 30,000 reports of human trafficking involving over 8,000 individual victims and survivors in 2024. Evidence suggests that people of color and LGBTQIA+ people are among the most vulnerable to trafficking, as are victims and survivors of domestic violence; victims and survivors of sexual abuse; those in unstable living conditions; runaways or those involved in the juvenile justice or foster care system; undocumented migrants; those facing poverty or economic need; and those addicted to drugs or alcohol.

For more information or to report suspected human trafficking:

    • Visit the Connecticut Department of Children and Families for Connecticut-specific resources and information
    • Call the Federal Government at 1-866-347-2423
    • Call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or text “HELP” or “INFO” to BeFree (233733). 

World Religion Day (January 18): This day is observed on the third Sunday in January and invites us to reflect on the importance of mutual respect, understanding, and harmony across religious and faith traditions. With more than 4,200 religions practiced around the world, this day encourages unity without erasing difference, recognizing that our varied beliefs can coexist and enrich our shared human experience. World Religion Day calls us to move beyond historical divisions and toward peaceful understanding, dialogue, and respect among all faiths.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (January 19): Since 1983, the third Monday of January has been set aside to honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. No figure is more closely associated with the American struggle for civil rights than Dr. King, an influential leader who is best known for his work on racial equity and ending racial segregation in the United States. On this day we honor his life and his achievements, and we reflect on the work that still needs to be done to promote racial equity. Observing this holiday provides an opportunity for all of us at UConn to reflect on Dr. King’s life and legacy. We invite you to reflect on the importance of standing up for racial, social, and economic justice for all. From Dr. King, we learned that we can only reach our potential for justice when we address the needs of those who have been excluded from it historically, especially racially oppressed people. We recognize that we cannot truly have justice as long as there are groups for whom justice is denied.

UConn celebrates the work of Dr. King through the Office for Inclusion and Civil Rights’ Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Living Legacy Convocation. This year’s convocation will feature musical performances, spoken word, and poetry from exceptional Connecticut and UConn talent at the Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts on January 30th, at 6:30pm. The 2026 MLK Legacy Award recipients will also be honored at this event. This event is open to the public and free tickets can be reserved at Jorgensen’s beginning January 5. Special thanks to co-sponsors: Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts and the Provost Office.

National Day of Racial Healing (January 20): The National Day of Racial Healing recognizes that racial healing lies at the heart of racial equity. In 2022, UConn was selected as one of the Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation (TRHT) Initiative campus sites. According to the TRHT framework, racial healing enables community, organizational, and systems transformation by restoring individuals and communities to wholeness; repairing the damage caused by racism; facilitating trust; building authentic relationships; and bridging divides. 

On January 20,, 2026, OICR will host a virtual event in honor of National Day of Racial Healing: On Moral Wounds and the Urgency of Cultivating Moral Imagination, featuring Dr. Mays Imad from 12:00pm – 1:00pm. View RSVP form.

International Day of Education (January 24): was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2018 to recognize education as a fundamental human right and a powerful driver of peace, equity, and sustainable development worldwide. Observed each year on January 24, the day calls attention to education’s essential role in shaping inclusive societies and expanding opportunity for individuals and communities alike.

Despite global progress, significant challenges remain. An estimated 244 million children and youth worldwide are out of school, and more than 617 million young people lack basic literacy and numeracy skills. Additionally, hundreds of millions of adults remain illiterate, and millions of girls continue to be denied access to education. Without sustained action, the United Nations warns that by 2030, hundreds of millions of young people may leave school without the skills needed to secure meaningful employment.

Organized by UNESCO in collaboration with global education partners, International Day of Education urges governments, institutions, communities, and individuals to protect and advance education as a shared responsibility. The day invites reflection, dialogue, and action–whether through awareness efforts, community programs, or renewed commitments to ensuring equitable, inclusive, and high-quality education for all.

Holocaust Memorial Day (January 27): This day marks the anniversary of the 1945 liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration and extermination camps. In 2005, the United Nations General Assembly designated this date as International Holocaust Remembrance Day to honor the victims of the Holocaust and to reaffirm a global commitment to remembrance and education. At Auschwitz-Birkenau alone, an estimated 1.1 million people were murdered, including approximately one million Jewish people. These atrocities were part of a broader, systematic campaign of genocide carried out by the Nazi regime, which resulted in the murder of six million Jewish people—nearly two-thirds of the world’s Jewish population at the time—along with millions of others targeted for persecution. On January 27, we remember the victims, honor the survivors, and reaffirm our responsibility to confront antisemitism, hatred, and genocide in all forms. Remembrance is not only an act of memory, but a commitment to vigilance, so that such violence is never repeated.

OICR believes that the first step to stopping this violence from happening again is to stand against antisemitism in all forms. We encourage all members of the UConn community to confront antisemitism, racism, and discrimination, to actively speak out and denounce it, and to create a caring community that celebrates diversity. For more resources on confronting antisemitism, please check out:

OICR and the Provost’s Office are committed to combating antisemitism in our campus spaces. We are currently engaged in two long-term programs to combat antisemitism: a Campus Climate Initiative in partnership with Hillel and the Academic Engagement Network. These two projects are helping UConn build the infrastructure needed to eliminate antisemitism and other forms of identity-based harassment and violence, including expanding partnerships across the university system. We continue to participate in the Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation (TRHT) Campus Center Initiative, which will help build the infrastructure for addressing identity-based bias and creating space for members of our community to process and heal from hateful incidents.

Religious Holidays:

Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (January 1): This Catholic holiday is a major feast honoring Mary’s role as the mother of Jesus. It serves as a Holy Day of Obligation for Catholics and is linked to the Church’s World Day of Peace. This day highlights Mary’s faith, her obedience to God’s will, and the divine-human nature of Jesus, emphasizing her unique motherhood. 

Oshōgatsu (January 1): The Japanese New Year is known as Japan’s most important holiday and is marked by a rich set of customs and traditions. Rooted primarily in Shinto and Buddhist practices, these rituals are intended to welcome good fortune, health, and renewal in the year ahead. From thorough year-end cleaning to symbolic foods, decorations, and visits to shrines, Oshōgatsu is both a celebration and a moment of reflection.

Mahayana New Year (January 3): Mahayana New Year, also known as Vesak, is a traditional Buddhist holiday that commemorates the birth, enlightenment, and passing of the Buddha. It is a time to reflect on the past year, and to look forward to the new one with hope and positivity. This holiday is normally celebrated on the Full Moon of the first month – in many countries following the Gregorian calendar. 

Birthday of Guru Gobind Singh Sahib (January 5): This day is celebrated as the birth anniversary of the tenth Guru, who instituted the Five Ks and established the Order of the Khalsa on Vaisakhi (Baisakhi). On his birthday, historical lectures are conducted, and poems are recited in praise of the Guru. Special dishes that are unique to this occasion are prepared and served during the festivities.

Epiphany | Theophany | Three Kings Day (January 6): Epiphany is a Christian feast day celebrating the revelation of Jesus Christ as God incarnate. In Western Christian traditions, this feast commemorates the visit of Three Wise Men to Bethlehem. Epiphany is the twelfth day of Christmas, and the night before is commonly referred to as Twelfth Night. In Eastern Christian traditions, this feast is known as Theophany and commemorates the revelation of Christ’s divinity through his baptism and his first miracle.

In Latin American countries, this day is commemorated as Three Kings Day, El Día de Reyes or El Dia de los Tres Reyes Magos. In addition to gift-giving and parades on this day, this day is often marked with Rosca de Reyes, a cake that signifies a king’s crown. Inside this cake is a small plastic figurine representing the baby Jesus; whoever finds it is obligated to host the upcoming Día de la Candelaria(Candlemas Day) on February 2nd.

Orthodox Christmas (January 7): Orthodox Christmas, also known as “Old Christmas,” is celebrated on January 7 in accordance with the Julian calendar. Christmas is celebrated on this day by practitioners of Orthodox faiths, especially in Central and Eastern Europe, including Greece, Russia, Serbia, and Ukraine, as well as in communities in Egypt, Ethiopia, and elsewhere. Traditions vary by location and culture, but Old Christmas is typically seen as a time for peace, unity, reflection, and healing. 

Lohri (January 13): A Sikh and Hindu festival that is observed as a festival of light and harvest. The bonfire is the center piece of this celebration. 

Makar Sankranti (January 14): Makar Sankranti, often called “Uttarayana,” “Makar,” or “Sankranti,” is a Hindu observance and festival that celebrates the sun’s journey from the Southern to the Northern hemisphere. Dedicated to the sun deity, Surya, Makar marks a new beginning. Makar is a day for thanking Mother Earth or nature as the winter starts to recede to spring; participants spread good will, peace, and prosperity by giving each other presents, especially sweets. Makar is typically observed on January 14 but is observed on January 15 during leap years. 

For Sikhs, Makar Sankranti is also known as Maghi, which commemorates the martyrdom of the Chali Mukte (Forty Liberated Ones), who sacrificed their lives in battle to defend Guru Gobind Singh Ji against imperial forces. This is a day for holy baths in rivers, especially sacred waters, believed to cleanse sins and celebrated with prayers, community gatherings, and traditional food. 

Orthodox New Year (January 14): Orthodox New Year, also known as “Old New Year,” is celebrated on the first day of the Julian calendar, falling on January 14 of the Gregorian calendar. This day is celebrated by practitioners of Orthodox faiths, especially in Russia, Serbia, North Macedonia, and other Eastern European countries, though it is not a public holiday in those countries. Celebrations vary by location, but typical traditions involve a festive dinner, music, dancing, and meditation about personal New Year’s resolutions.

Isra and Mi’raj (January 15-16): Isra and Mi’raj are two parts of a night journey that Muslims believe the Prophet Muhammad took in a single night around 621 AD. First from Mecca to Jerusalem, and then from Jerusalem to the heavens. These events are considered to be a miraculous occurrence and a sign of the Prophet’s connection to Allah. 

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. OICR 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. 

If you would like to receive our OICR Weekly Digest, where you can receive regular updates about upcoming events, programs, and opportunities, subscribe to the OICR Weekly Digest.

 

Sincerely,

Jeff and Pamir

 

Jeffrey F. Hines, M.D.

Vice President, Office for Inclusion and Civil Rights, UConn and UConn Health

 

Pamir Alpay, Ph.D.

Interim Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs