Diversity and inclusion calendar
Explore the events that take place during the year to promote and celebrate equality, diversity and inclusion of students and staff at Kingston University.
Diversity and inclusion calendar 2024/25
Celebrating equality, diversity and inclusion at Kingston University
Kingston University is committed to creating an equal and inclusive environment where you can feel valued for who you are. We celebrate individual diversity and challenge inequality.
Students and staff at Kingston University come from a wide range of backgrounds and cultures. This inclusion calendar features key equality and diversity events, as well as religious festivals, to reflect our vibrant community. Special dates and events have been chosen to represent diversity – it is not an exhaustive list. Religious festivals are highlighted so that students can ask for reasonable study adjustments to meet their religious commitments.
Please note when using the calendar:
- This calendar represents the University academic year and therefore runs in order from September 2024 to August 2025.
- Many religious holy days begin at sundown on the day before the date given, especially if they are Jewish or Islamic.
- Students and staff from faith groups whose holy days are not included here may still be able to apply for adjustments.
- Links to My Kingston and StaffSpace are internal and are available for students and staff only.
Browse the inclusion calendar by month
Kingston University celebrates Women's History Month and International Women's Day (IWD) by sharing inspirational stories and the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women across the institution. Each one of us can help create a gender equal world.
In March we also mark University Mental Health Day, a day for the nation to talk about student mental health and making it a priority in higher education institutions.
Special dates and events in March 2025
- 1 March – Zero Discrimination Day
- 1 March – Saint David's Day (Christian)
- 1 to 31 March – Women's History Month
- 3 to 8 March – National Carers Week
- 3 March - World Hearing Day
- 4 March – Shrove Tuesday (Christian)
- 8 March – International Women's Day
- 9 to 15 March – MS Awareness Week
- 13 March – Young Carer's Action Day
- 13 March – University Mental Health Day
- 13 to 14 March – Purim (Jewish)14 to 16 March – Hola Mohalla (Sikh)
- 17 March – Saint Patrick's Day (Christian)
- 17 to 23 March - Neurodiversity Celebration Week
- 20 March – Norooz (New Year Persian/Zoroastrian)
- 20 March – International Day of Happiness
- 20 March – Naw-Rúz (New Year, Bahá'i)
- 21 March – International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
- 26 March – Khordad Sal (Birth of Prophet Zarathustra, Zoroastrian)
- 30 March – Mothering Sunday
- 31 March – International Transgender Day of Visibility
- 31 March to 6 April – World Autism Acceptance Week
Dates eligible for reasonable adjustments in March 2025
- 14 to 16 March – Holla Mohalla (Sikh)
- 30 March – Eid-ul-Fitr (Muslim)
Climate awareness and Communities
Sustainability and climate awareness are of increasing importance at Kingston. There are intrinsic links between the environment, climate action and inclusion. Since the 1800s, human actions have been the primary cause of climate change, with the Global North being responsible for 92% of all excess global emissions*.
Changes in global temperatures and the subsequent increase in climate events cause the displacement of millions of people, flooding and famine, and are impacting economically poor and politically powerless communities.
April allows us to reflect and act on climate awareness and its effect on communities by marking Earth Day on 22 April.
Read about the history of Earth Day and this year's campaign theme, Our Power, Our Planet.
*Source: Jason Hicke and Our World in Data
Special dates and events in April 2025
- 1 to 30 April – National Autism Awareness Month
- 1 to 30 April – Stress Awareness Month
- 2 April – World Autism Awareness Day
- 6 April – International Asexuality Day
- 7 April – World Health Day
- 8 April – International Romani Day
- 9 April – International Day of Pink (Anti-bullying)
- 10 April – Mahavir Jayanti (Jain)
- 12 April – Hanuman Jayanti (Hindu)
- 17 April – Yom HaShoah (Shoah/Holocaust Remembrance Day, Judaism) *tbc
- 18 April – Birthday of Guru Angad Dev (Sikh)
- 21 April – First Day of Ridvan (Bahá'i)
- 22 April – Earth Day
- 22 April – Stephen Lawrence Day
- 22 to 28 April – Lesbian Visibility Week
- 23 April – Saint George's Day (Christian)
- 25 April – Lesbian Visibility Day
- 28 April – World Day for Health & Safety at Work
- 29 April – Ninth Day of Ridvan (Baha'i)
- 30 April – Akshaya Tritiya (Hindu, Jain
Dates eligible for reasonable adjustments in April 2025
- 12 to 20 April – Passover (Jewish)
- 14 April – Birth of the Khalsa (Vaisakhi, Sikh)
- 18 April – Good Friday (Christian)
- 18 April – Big Friday (Eastern and Greek Orthodox)
- 20 April – Easter Sunday (Eastern and Greek Orthodox) (Christian)
Celebrate Cultural Diversity
Kingston celebrates its diverse community all year round through the Cultural Diversity event programme and various awareness days and months highlighted in the Inclusion Calendar.
Each May, we acknowledge UNESCO's Cultural Diversity Day, and the need for intercultural dialogue, peace and united sustainable development.
Browse the Cultural Diversity event programme on My Kingston.
Special dates and events in May 2025
- 1 May – Beltane, Samhain (Wicca/Pagan Northern and Southern hemispheres)
- 1 to 31 May – Mental Health Awareness Month
- 3 May – Twelfth Day of Ridvan (Bahá'i)
- 6 to 12 May – Deaf Awareness Week
- 8 May – World Red Cross Red Crescent Day
- 12 May – International Nurses Day
- 12 to 18 May – Mental Health Awareness Week
- 15 May – International Day of Families
- 15 May – Global Accessibility Awareness Day
- 17 May – International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia
- 19 May – World Inflammatory Bowl Disease Day
- 19 May – Agender Pride
- 21 May – World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development
- 22 May – Declaration of the Báb (Bahá'i)
- 25 May – George Floyd Anniversary
- 29 May – Ascension of Baha'u'llah (Bahá'i)
- 29 May – Ascension of Jesus (Christian)
- 30 May – World MS Day
Dates eligible for reasonable adjustments in May 2025
- 23 May – Wesak/Vesak, Buddha Day (Buddhist)
KU Cares
In June, we focus on KU Cares support for students. The KU Cares team provides a comprehensive package of support for students who have experience of local authority care, are estranged from their families and asylum seekers with Sanctuary Scholarships.
This month Kingston marks Refugee Week, which spotlights the contributions, creativity and resilience of refugees and people seeking sanctuary. Last year we ran various events around the theme of 'Our Home', as a feeling or state of mind, building community and the intersection of the climate crisis and migration.
Special dates and events in June 2025
- 1 to 30 June – LGBT+ Pride Month
- 1 to 30 June – Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month
- 1 June – Global Day of Parents
- 7 June – UK Black Pride
- 9 to 13 June – Loneliness Awareness Week *tbc
- 9 to 15 June – Men's Health Awareness Week
- 15 June – Father's Day
- 15 to 21 June – Refugee Week
- 16 to 22 June – Learning Disability Week
- 20 June – World Refugee Day
- 21 June – World Humanist Day
- 21 June – Summer Solstice/Litha (Wicca/Pagan Northern and Southern hemispheres)
- 22 June – UK Windrush Day
- 27 June to 31 June – Deafblind Awareness Week
- 28 June – London Pride
Dates eligible for reasonable adjustments in June 2025
- 1 to 3 June – Shavuot (Jewish)
- 6 June – Eid-ul-Adha (Muslim)
- 16 June – Martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev (Sikh)
Diversify your networks
In line with the UN International Day of Friendship taking place on 30 July, this month we encourage you to join a network or society that you are passionate about. Several active societies provided by Kingston Students’ Union relate to culture, faith, academia, arts, activities, liberation and campaigns.
July also marks South Asian Heritage Month, a time for our KU community to reflect on identity, community, gender, faith and family. SAHM seeks to commemorate, mark and celebrate South Asian cultures, histories and communities.
Make a friend in a new network or society.
Special dates and events in July 2025
- 8 July – Ashura (Muslim)
- 9 July – Martyrdom of the Báb (Bahá'i)
- 13 July – Disability Awareness Day
- 14 July – International Non-Binary People's Day
- 14 to 18 July – Non-Binary Awareness Week
- 16 July – International Drag Day
- 18 July – Nelson Mandela International Day
- 18 July to 17 August – South Asian Heritage Month
- 23 July – Birthday of Emperor Haile Selassie (Rastafari)
- 27 July – Al-Hijra/Muharram, New Year (Muslim)
Dates eligible for reasonable adjustments in July 2025
- 5 July – Ashura (Muslim)
Feel safe and respected
The University does not tolerate any form of harassment, bullying or sexual misconduct and takes all allegations extremely seriously. If you witness or experience unwanted behaviour let the university know via Report+Support, either anonymously or with contact details to enable a member of staff to support you.
You can also talk to someone confidentially about the options available to you via the Harassment Contact Scheme. Keep yourself and others safe on campus and access the right support if you need it.
Special dates and events in August 2025
- 1 to 31 August – Health and Safety Month
- 1 August – Lughnasadh, Imbolc (Wicca/Pagan Northern and Southern hemispheres)
- 2 to 3 August – Tish'a B'ay (Judaism)
- 3 August – International Day of Friendship
- 6 August – Feast of Transfiguration of our Lord (Christian)
- 6 August – Transfiguration of the Lord (Orthodox Christian)
- 9 August – Raksha Bandhan (Hindu)
- 12 August – International Youth Day
- 15 August – Dormition of the Theotokos (Orthodox Christian)
Dates eligible for reasonable adjustments in August 2025
- 15 August – Krishna Janmashtami (Hindu)
