Diversity and inclusion is at the top of the agenda for many senior leadership teams, and, rightly so. Studies have shown time and time again that an inclusive workplace where diverse colleagues are able to thrive and progress whilst feeling supported and welcomed can expect to see many benefits. Unfortunately the technology industry still struggles when it comes to diversity, with less than 10% of senior leaders in the UK being from ethnic minority groups. This underrepresentation is a key issue in driving the technology industry forward, as without diversity you do not have diversity of thought, meaning new ideas and innovations won’t happen. To serve the diverse population, we must strive for greater diversity and inclusion in the sector.

One way businesses can celebrate the diversity of their workforce and, in turn, become more inclusive, is to mark important dates in the calendar and arrange celebrations for them. Each year, Diversity in Tech puts together a calendar of important dates which employers should be aware of. We’ve included key dates in the inclusion calendar, as well as some of the most prominent religious dates. However, for an extensive calendar of religious holidays, please see Diversity Resources’ 2024 calendar.

2024 Diversity and Inclusion dates

 

January

• 1st – World Day of Peace
• 4th – World Braille Day
• 6th – Epiphany (Christian)
• 7th – Orthodox Christmas
• 13th – Lohri Maghi (Sikh)
• 17th – International Mentoring Day
• 21st – World Religion Day
• 25th – Mahayana New Year (Buddhist)
• 27th – Holocause Memorial Day

February

• LGBT History Month
• 1st – World Hijab Day
• 1st – Time to Talk Day
• 4th – World Cancer Day
• 5th – 11th – UK Race Equality Week
• 10th – Lunar New Year
• 11th – International Day of Women and Girls in Science
• 11th – Autism Sunday
• 14th – Vasant Panchami (Hindu)
• 15th – Nirvana Day (Buddhist)
• 18th – Maha Shivratri (Hindu)
• 18th – Lailat al Miraj (Islam)
• 20th – World Day of Social Justice
• 21st – Shrove Tuesday (Christian)
• 22nd – Ash Wednesday & Lent Starts (Christian)
• 23rd – International Stand up to Bullying Day

March

• 1st – International Wheelchair Day
• 1st – Zero Discrimination Day
• 3rd – World Hearing Day
• 8th – International Women’s Day
• 11th – Ramadan begins (Islam)
• 14th – Nanakshani – New Year (Sikh)
• 18th – 24th – Neurodiversity Celebration Week
• 18th – 24th – British Sign Language Week
• 20th – International Day of Happiness
• 21st – World Downs Syndrome Day
• 21st – International Day for the Elimination of Racism
• 24th – World Tuberculosis Day
• 24th – Purim (Judaism)
• 25th – 27th – Hola Mohalla (Sikh)
• 27th – 2nd Apr – World Autism Acceptance Week
• 29th – Good Friday (Christian)
• 30th – World Bipolar Day
• 31st – Easter Sunday (Christian)
• 31st – International Transgender Day of Visibility

April

• National Autism Awareness Month
• Stress Awareness Month
• 1st – Easter Monday (Christian)
• 2nd – World Autism Awareness Day
• 6th – International Asexuality Day
• 6th – Lalat al-Qadr (Islam)
• 7th – World Health Day
• 9th – Eid al-Fitr (Islam)
• 13th – Vaisakhi (Hindu, Sikh)
• 22nd – 30th – Passover (Judaism)
• 22nd – Earth Day
• 25th – International Girls in ICT Day
• 26th – Lesbian Visibility Day

May

• Mental Health Awareness Month
• 5th – International Family Equality Day
• 6th – 12th – Deaf Awareness Week
• 8th – National Staff Networks Day
• 16th – Global Accessibility Awareness Day
• 17th – International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia
• 21st – Cultural Diversity Day
• 24th –  Pansexual Visibility Day

June

• Pride Month
• Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Awareness Month
• Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month
• 1st – Global Day of Parents
• 1st – 7th – Volunteers Week
• 9th – Race Unity Day
• 10th – 16th – Carers Week
• 12th – 13th – Shavuot (Judaism)
• 15th – World Elder Abuse Awareness Day
• 16th – Neurodiversity Pride Day
• 16th – Guru Arjan Martyrdom (Sikh)
• 17th – 20th – Eid Al-Adha (Islam)
• 17th – 23rd – Refugee Week
• 18th – Autistic Pride Day
• 23rd – Women in Engineering Day
• 25th – Eid Al-Ghadir (Islam)

July

• Disability Pride Month
• 6th – Muharram – New Year (Islam)
• 14th – International Non-Binary Persons Day
• 15th – World Youth Skills Day
• 18th July – 17th August – South Asian Heritage Month
• 18th – Nelson Mandela Day

August

• 1st – 7th – World Breastfeeding Week
• 9th – International Day of the World’s Indigenous People
• 19th – World Humanitarian Day
• 23rd – International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition

September

• World Alzheimer’s Month
• 5th – International Day of Charity
• 10th – World Suicide Prevention Day
• 16th – Mawlid al-Nabi (Islam)
• 18th – International Equal Pay Day
• 19th – Youth Mental Health Day
• 20th – 25th – International Week of Happiness at Work
• 21st – UN International Day of Peace
• 21st – World Alzheimer’s Day
• 23rd – International Day of Sign Languages
• 23rd – Bi Visibility Day
• 23rd – 29th – National Inclusion Week

October

• Black History Month
• Down Syndrome Awareness Month
• World Blindness Awareness Month
• World Menopause Month
• Global Diversity Awareness Month
• ADHD Awareness Month
• 1st – International Day of Older Persons
• 3rd – 4th – Rosh Hashanah (Judaism)
• 9th – 15th – Baby Loss Awareness Week
• 10th – World Mental Health Day
• 10th – World Sight Day
• 11th – Coming Out Day
• 12th – Yom Kippur (Judaism)
• 12th – Dusherra (Hindu)
• 16th – International Pronouns Day
• 18th – World Menopause Day
• 18th – Pronouns Day
• 26th – Intersex Awareness Day

November

• Movember / Men’s Health Awareness Month
• Islamophobia Awareness Month
• 1st – National Stress Awareness Day
• 1st – Diwali (Hindu, Sikh and Jain)
• 10th – Remembrance Sunday
• 10th – 17th – Inter Faith Awareness Week
• 13th – World Kindness Day
• 13th – 19th – Transgender Awareness Week
• 14th – World Diabetes Day
• 16th Nov – 16th Dec – Disability History Month
• 16th – International Day for Tolerance
• 18th – Anti Bullying Week
• 19th – International Men’s Day
• 20th – Transgender Day of Remembrance
• 25th – International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women

December

• 1st – World AIDS Day
• 2nd – International Day for the Abolishment of Slavery
• 3rd – International Day of Persons with Disabilities
• 8th – Bodhi Da (Buddhist)
• 10th – Human Rights Day
• 25th – Christmas Day (Christian)
• 25th – 2nd Jan – Hannukah (Judaism)
• 26th – Boxing Day (Christian)

 

Download the full 2024 calendar for free here.