Eid-al-Adha

(Islam) - Eid al-Adha is the latter of the two official holidays which are celebrated within Islam (the other being Eid al-Fitr). It honours the willingness of Ibrahim (Abraham) to sacrifice his son Ismail (Ishmael) as an act of obedience to Allah's command. The festival also marks the end of the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca. Many Muslims make a special effort to wear new clothes, attend a prayer service in a mosque and listen to a sermon.

Organ Donation Week

An opportunity for the organ donation and transplant community to promote organ donation nationally and locally, while highlighting the importance of organ donation and celebrating life-saving ones.

International Literacy Day

Focus attention on literacy needs worldwide.

Hijra

Islamic New Year. The Hijra is the migration or journey of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and his followers from Mecca to Yathrib, which he later renamed Medina.

Ganesh Chaturthi

Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated with great devotion in India. People bring home murtis (statues) of Lord Ganesha and celebrate the festival by worshiping the Lord in a special way for a day and a half, 3 days, 5 days, 7 days, or 11 days depending on the family tradition and commitment of each individual.

International Day of Peace

A day of global ceasefire and non-violence

– www.un.org/en/events/peaceday

Harvest Festival (Thanksgiving Festival)

The occasion in the autumn when people go to chapel or church to thank God for food, especially food that has been collected during harvest.

Navaratri

A substantial Hindu festival observed for 9 nights and 10 days. During Navratri, nine forms of Goddess Durga are worshiped.

Dusshera

According to the Hindu calendar, this festival is celebrated on the tenth day of the month Ashwin every year.

World Food Day

The world produces enough food for everyone, yet every 5 seconds a child dies of hunger or malnutrition.

Diwali

Every year people from all communities celebrate this festival to welcome a new ray of hope in their lives, when it is believed that all negative forces have been removed from home and life. Before Diwali, people will clean their home and paint it with attractive colours.

Anti-bullying week

Encourage schools to tackle bullying and create safe learning environments.

BBC Children in Need

Christmas Day

The holiday commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ.

Boxing Day

The day after Christmas Day. Traditionally, it was a day when employers distributed money, food, clothing, or valuables to their employees. In modern times, it is an important day for sporting events and the start of the post-Holiday sales.