Celebrating Cultures across the University of Birmingham
Navratri (meaning ‘nine nights’) is a Hindu festival celebrated every autumn. It is usually held at the end of September or the beginning of October, at harvest time. Navratri lasts for nine days and celebrates good triumphing over evil. During the festival, three goddesses are worshipped: Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati. The first three nights are … Continue reading “Navratri 17-25 October”
Simchat Torah or Simhat Torah is a Jewish holiday that celebrates and marks the conclusion of the annual cycle of public Torah readings, and the beginning of a new cycle. The main celebrations of Simchat Torah take place in the synagogue during evening and morning services. In Orthodox, as well as many conservative congregations, this is the only time of year … Continue reading “Simchat Torah 10-11 October”
The World Health Organisation recognises World Mental Health Day on 10 October every year. This year’s theme is ‘Mental Health for All’. ‘Tea and talk’ https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/get-involved/tea-and-talk is a great way to come together, especially during these difficult times. Have a virtual cuppa with friends, family and colleagues and raise awareness for the Mental … Continue reading “World Mental Health Day 10 October”
Giovanni Battista (or Giambattista) Piranesi, also known as simply Piranesi, was an Italian artist famous for his etchings of Rome and of fictitious and atmospheric “prisons” – Le Carceri d’Invenzione. His father was a stonemason. Giovanni was apprenticed under his uncle, Matteo Lucchesi, who was a leading architect in Magistrato delle Acque, the state organization responsible for engineering and restoring historical buildings. In … Continue reading “300th anniversary of the birth of Italian artist Giovanni Battista Piranesi”
Sukkot commemorates the years that the Jews spent in the desert on their way to the Promised Land, and celebrates the way in which God protected them under difficult desert conditions. Sukkot is also known as the Feast of Tabernacles, or the Feast of Booths. Sukkot is celebrated by, first of all, building a sukkah – a temporary little hut … Continue reading “Sukkot 2-9 October”
Yom Kippur, also known as the Day of Atonement, is the holiest day of the year in Judaism. Its central themes are atonement and repentance. Jews traditionally observe this holy day with a day-long fast and intensive prayer, often spending most of the day in synagogue services. The purpose of Yom Kippur is to effect individual … Continue reading “Yom Kippur – Day of Atonement”
Thomas Chatterton (20 November 1752 – 24 August 1770) was an English poet whose precocious talents ended in suicide at age 17. He was an influence on Romantic poets of the period including Shelley, Keats and Wordsworth. Although fatherless and raised in poverty, he was an exceptionally studious child, publishing mature work by the age of 11. … Continue reading “Thomas Chatterton anniversary”
Jasmin Kaur Athwal (Joint Honours Ancient History & Archaeology and History) undergraduate offers us five ways to get involved in the inaugural South Asia Heritage Month (SAHM) from the comfort of our own homes and tells us in their blog about forthcoming events, recommended reading and how to volunteer and get directly involved with SAHM. … Continue reading “5 ways to get involved in South Asia Heritage Month (18 July-17 August) – blog by Jasmin Athwal”
Black Country Day takes place on 14 July each year. Originally in March, the day was later moved to 14 July – the anniversary of the invention of the Newcomen steam engine. Black Country Day celebrates the area’s role in the Industrial Revolution. The Black Country dialect is well known by many as the oldest … Continue reading “Black Country Day”
Bastille Day is a holiday celebrating the storming of the Bastille – a military fortress and prison – on July 14, 1789, in a violent uprising that helped usher in the French Revolution. Besides holding gunpowder and other supplies valuable to revolutionaries, the Bastille also symbolized the callous tyranny of the French monarchy, especially King … Continue reading “Le 14 juillet”
