By Sheri Selway and Chrissy Chrzan

November is Hindu Heritage Month.  November 1, 2022 marked the first Hindu Heritage month.  Canada has over 800,000 Canadians of Hindu heritage. Our diversity helps us build a strong and equitable country. So, this is the month to celebrate and honour the richness of the Hindu culture and the contributions to Canada.

November 5 – 11 is Veteran’s Week, ending with November 11 Remembrance Day. On that day, at 11:00 we stop what we are doing and spend 2 minutes of silence.  The 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month signifies the date and time World War I ended.

November 20 is World Children’s Day (United Nations) and National Child Day (Canada).  The United Nations adopted the Convention of Rights of the Child on November 20, 1989.  Basically, the Right’s of the Child are a) to be respected without discrimination, b) to have decisions made in their best interests, c) to have the things they need to survive and develop and d) to have their voices heard.  

Canada History Week is November 20 – 26.  It was created to help our population learn about the events that shaped Canada.

Since 1999, November 20 has also been Transgender Day of Remembrance. On this day we remember and honour, all those transgender, non-binary, and two-spirit who were victims or hate and violence and it gives us the chance to again, learn that hate has no place in Canada.

November 25 is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and in Canada November 25 – December 10 marks the 16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence. December 10 is Human Rights Day.

We are all aware of the War in Ukraine, the Russian-Ukrainian War, which began in February of 2014.  Holodomor Day, November 23, is the recognition of genocide by starvation inflicted on the Ukrainian people by Stalin 1932-1933.  Canada is home to the second largest Ukrainian population in the world, who have had to leave their homeland of Ukraine.

The United Nations recognizes another 21 Commemorative Day as they work toward “Peace, dignity and equality on a healthy planet.”  List of International Days and Weeks | United Nations

A full description of Canada’s Commemorative Days can be found here. Important and commemorative days – Canada.ca

And remember that on November 3rd we turn our clocks back one hour!