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  • Home
  • About People and Culture
    • Our Structure
    • People and Culture Strategy
    • Key Contacts
    • New Staff Welcome
  • Employees
    • HR Hub
    • Pay, Reward and Benefits
    • Learning and Development
    • Development and Career Progression
    • International Staff Support
    • Wellbeing at Queen's
    • Managing Stress at Work
    • Annual, Family and Other Leave
    • Sickness Absence
    • Employee Experience and Engagement
    • Green Impact
  • Managers
    • Performance Management Toolkit
    • Sickness Absence
    • Leave Toolkit
    • Induction Toolkit
    • Recruitment and Selection
    • Employee Assistance Programme Manager Support
    • Occupational Health Service
    • Workplace Conduct
    • Job Evaluation
    • Redeployment
    • Leaving Employment
  • Work at Queen's
    • Recruitment and Selection
    • International Staff Support
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    • Fellowships at Queen's
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  • Diversity and Inclusion
    • Equality Legislation
    • Policies, Procedures and Guidance
    • Fair Employment Return Monitoring Data
    • Disability
    • Menopause
    • Fertility Treatment Leave
    • Celebrating Diversity
    • Faith, Religion and Belief
  • Annual, Family and Other Leave
    • Annual Leave
    • Work Life Balance Policies
    • Other Leave
    • Agile Working Toolkit
  • Legal Services and Employee Relations
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    • Learning Resources LinkedIn Learning
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  • Fellowships at Queen's
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  • Home
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  • Celebrating Diversity

Celebrating Diversity

Queen's University is committed to equality, and to promoting and celebrating equality and diversity in the workplace and on campus generally.

Equality was embedded in our 1908 Charter ‘to provide and maintain equality of opportunity to all persons’ and has been a guiding principle for more than 100 years. Equality, diversity and inclusion are central pillars of our new institutional strategy, Strategy 2030. 

Image shows two staff members enjoying the Pride Picnic Celebration. Staff members enjoy the 'Pride Picnic' event to celebrate Belfast Pride 2022.
Image shows Students' Union Officer and University staff member, accompanied by a representative from Yetunde's Kitchen, posing for a photograph at the Black History Month event. QSU Postgraduate Officer Jamie-Lukas Campbell and a student member of the African & Caribbean society are joined by a representative from Yetunde's Kitchen at our 2022 Black History Month event.
Students and staff gather outside Belfast City Hall to celebrate Belfast Mela. Students and staff gather outside Belfast City Hall to celebrate Belfast Mela.
Image shows a student with a disability reading a book in the library. Queen's is committed to providing an inclusive and accessible campus for all.

Queen’s Key Diversity / Recognition Days

We are committed to creating an inclusive study and work environment for all. This calendar of key diversity and recognition days has been developed to raise awareness of equality and inclusion, and to help Queen’s staff and students to recognise and celebrate a variety of occasions throughout the year, planning events and initiatives in an inclusive way. It includes some UN Days in addition to commonly recognised visibility and pride days.

The dates and themes listed for each month have been chosen to represent the diversity of our community at Queen's, but is not an exhaustive list – if you have any feedback or suggestions for occasions that should be marked in future calendars, please contact eqdiv@qub.ac.uk

  • January
    Date Inclusion / Awareness Day Protected Characteristic Information / Notes
    4 January World Braille Day Disability
    World Braille Day is annually celebrated on 4th January, the birthday of Braille inventor, Louis Braille. 
    22 January Lunar/ Chinese New Year Race/ Ethnicity
    The holiday marks start of the new year of China's traditional lunisolar calendar.
    27 January Holocaust Memorial Day Religion/ Cultural Belief
    Holocaust Memorial Day remembers the millions of people murdered in the Holocaust, under Nazi Persecution and in the subsequent genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur. 27 January also marks the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest Nazi death camp.
  • February
    Date Inclusion / Awareness Day Protected Characteristic Information/ Notes
    All month LGBT History Month Sexual Orientation
    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.
    6-12 February UK Race Equality Week Race/ Ethnicity
    Race Equality Week is an annual UK-wide movement uniting thousands of organisations and individuals to address the barriers to race equality in the workplace.
    11 February International
    Day of Women and Girls in Science
    Gender/ Age
    The International Day of Women and Girls in Science is an annual observance to promote the full and equal access and participation of females in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics fields.

    24 February

    International
    Stand Up to Bullying Day

    All
    Observed twice a year in February and November, aims to create empathy and end bullying and harassment.
  • March
    Date Inclusion / Awareness Day Protected Characteristic Information/
    Notes 

    Thursday 2 March – Thursday 9 March

    #QUBeWell University Wellbeing Week

    Disability

    University Mental Health Week brings together university communities to make mental health a university-wide priority and create ongoing year round change to the future of student mental health.

    8 March

    International Women's Day

    Gender

    International Women's Day is celebrated annually on March 8 as a focal point in the women's rights movement, bringing attention to issues such as gender equality, reproductive rights, and violence and abuse against women

    Holi

    Race / Ethnicity

    Holi is a festival of colours celebrated in spring season. It is an ancient Hindu religious festival and also sometimes called as festival of love.

    It is primarily celebrated in India, Nepal, and other regions of the world primarily among the people of Indian origin. The festival is celebrated on the last full moon day of the lunar month Phalguna (February/March).

    17 March

    St Patrick's Day

    Religion/Cultural Belief

    Saint Patrick's Day, or the Feast of Saint Patrick, is a cultural and religious celebration held on 17 March, the traditional death date of Saint Patrick, the foremost patron saint of Ireland

    31 March

    International Transgender Day of Visibility

    Gender

    International Transgender Day of Visibility celebrates trans and non-binary people and raises awareness of discrimination faced by trans people worldwide.

    22 March - 21 April

    Ramadan Month / Eid

    Religion/Cultural Belief

    Ramadan, Arabic Ramadan, in Islam, the ninth month of the Muslim calendar and the holy month of fasting.
    The end of the Ramadan fast is celebrated as Eid al-Fitr, the “Feast of Fast-Breaking,”

  • April
    Date Inclusion / Awareness Day Protected Characteristic Information / Notes

    2 April

    World Autism Awareness Day

    Disability

    World Autism Awareness Day encourages people to take measures to raise awareness about people with ASD throughout the world.

    14 April

    Vaisakhi / Baisakhi

    Religion/Cultural Belief

    Vaisakhi, also called Baisakhi, is the festival which celebrates the founding of the Sikh community, the Khalsa, in 1699. Vaisakhi is a spring festival which happens on the 13 or 14 April every year.

    It was originally a harvest festival in the Punjab until it became Sikhism's most important festival.

     9 April

    Easter

    Religion/Cultural Belief

    Easter is a Christian festival and cultural holiday commemorating the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, described in the New Testament.

    21 April

    End of Ramadan / Eid Al Fitr

    Religion/Cultural Belief

    Islamic event marking the close of Ramadan. It is a festival of thanksgiving to Allah for enjoying the month of Ramadan. It involves wearing finest clothing, saying prayers and fostering understanding with other religions.

  • May
    Date Inclusion / Awareness Day Protected Characteristic Information / Notes

    15 May

    International Day of Families

    Dependants

    Observed on the 15th May every year and reflects the importance the international community attaches to families.

    17 May

    IDAHO: International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia

    Sexual Orientation

    Observed on 17th May and aims to coordinate international events that raise awareness of LGBT rights violations and stimulate interest in LGBT rights work worldwide.

    15 - 21 May

    Mental Health Awareness Week

    Disability

    Mental Health Awareness Week is an annual event to raise awareness of mental health, and promote good mental health.

  • June
    Date Inclusion / Awareness Day Protected
    Characteristic
    Information/
    Notes 
    All month Pride Month (June) Sexual Orientation
    Every year, during the month of June, the LGBT community recognises and celebrates the influence LGBT people have had around the world, and provides an opportunity to peacefully protest and raise political awareness of current issues facing the community.
    TBC Carers Week (6-12 June 2022) Dependants
    Carers Week is an annual campaign to raise awareness of caring, highlight the challenges unpaid carers face and recognise the contribution they make to families and communities throughout the UK.
  • July
    Date Inclusion / Awareness Day Protected
    Characteristic
    Information/
    Notes 
    TBC Belfast Pride Sexual Orientation
    Belfast Pride is the biggest LGBT+ Festival on the island of Ireland and includes a number events, including the Pride parade in Belfast City Centre.
  • August
    Date Inclusion / Awareness Day Protected
    Characteristic
    Information/
    Notes 
    20-28 August Belfast Mela Race/ Ethnicity/ Religion
    Belfast Mela is one of Northern Ireland’s largest arts festivals bringing together music, dance, arts and food from across the world to celebrate the city’s proud cultural diversity.
  • September
    Date Inclusion / Awareness Day Protected
    Characteristic
    Information/
    Notes 
    23 September Bi Visibility Day Sexual Orientation
    Marked each year since 1999, Bi Visibility Day raises bi awareness and challenges bisexual & biromantic erasure.
    25 September International Day of Sign Languages, World Deaf Day Disability
    The UN General Assembly has proclaimed 23 September as the International Day of Sign Languages in order to raise awareness of the importance of sign language in the full realization of the human rights of people who are deaf.
  • October
    Date Inclusion / Awareness Day Protected
    Characteristic
    Information/
    Notes 
    All month Black History Month Race/ Ethnicity

    October marks Black History Month, the annual commemoration of the history, achievements and contributions of black people in the UK.

    1 October International Day of Older Persons Age

    International Day of Older persons acknowledges and celebrates the 900+ million people aged over 60 around the world.

    10 October World Mental Health Day All/ Disability

    World Mental Health Day is marked every year on October 10 to raise awareness about mental health around the world and to promote efforts to support those experiencing mental health issues.

    18 October World Menopause Day Gender/ Age/ Disability

    World Menopause Day is held every year on the 18th October. The purpose of the day is to raise awareness of the menopause and the support options available for improving health and wellbeing.

    24 October Diwali Religion/ Ethnicity/ Cultural Belief

    Hindu celebration - a five day festival of lights marking the end of the Hindu year.  First day is observed as a holiday by many Hindu people. 

  • November
    Date Inclusion/ Awareness Day Protected Characteristic Information/ Notes

    18 November

    International Stand Up to Bullying Day

    All

    Observed twice a year in February and November, aims to create empathy and end bullying and harassment.

    19 November

    International Men's Day

    Gender

     

  • December
    Date Inclusion/ Awareness Day Protected Characteristic Information/ Notes

    3 December

    International Day of Persons with a Disability

    Disability

    The International Day of Disabled Persons aims to promote the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities in all spheres of society.

    19 December

    Hannukah (begins)

    Religion/ Ethnicity / Cultural Belief

    Hanukkah is observed for eight nights and days, starting on the 25th day of Kislev according to the Hebrew calendar.

     

    Rainbow Laces Day

    Sexual Orientation

    Rainbow Laces is a positive campaign that celebrates LGBT people and helps to start conversations about how we can improve LGBT inclusion across sports so that they become everyone’s game.

     8 December

    40 year anniversary of the Homosexual Offences (Northern Ireland) Order 1982

    Sexual Orientation

    2022 marks the 40 year anniversary of the Homosexual Offences (Northern Ireland) Order 1982 which decriminalized homosexual acts between consenting adults in NI.

    21 December

    Winter Solstice (Dongzhi Festival)

    Religion/Cultural Belief 

    Dongzhi literally means 'Winter's Arrival'. It is one of the 24 solar terms of China's traditional solar calendar. It has long been celebrated on (China's) Winter Solstice when the night is longest, and the day is shortest in the Northern Hemisphere.

     25 December

    Christmas

    Religion/Cultural Belief 

    Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among Christians.

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