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”
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”
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”
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”
Festa della Repubblica is celebrated on 2 June each year and the day commemorates the institutional referendum held in 1946, in which the Italian people were called to the polls to decide on the form of government, following the end of the Second World War and the fall of Fascism. The referendum of 1946 resulted … Continue reading “Festa della Repubblica celebrations”
Hello. I hope everyone is coping well with the current situation. First of all, Eid Mubarak to my fellow Muslims. Today, I will tell you how I celebrated Eid this Sunday!!! This year’s celebration was different than usual, the reason being Covid-19. When I was living in Germany, on Eid my family and I would … Continue reading “LCAHM UG Haby Cisse tells us how she celebrated Eid under lockdown”
Modern Languages student Sophia Akbari tells us how Eid-al-fitr is celebrated in Islam As the end of Ramadan draws closer, Muslims all over the world will celebrate Eid-al-Fitr, one of the religion’s main festivals. Eid-al-Fitr translates to ‘the feast of breaking the fast’. The fast, during the time of Ramadan, represents one of the five … Continue reading “Modern Languages student Sophia Akbari tells us how Eid-al-Fitr is celebrated”
During these strange and challenging times, observing the Holy Month of Ramadan may look very different for our Muslim friends and colleagues. A member of the Law School Academic Faculty here at Birmingham shares her thoughts and feelings on how she is coping under the Coronavirus lockdown and provides some support and inspiration for others. … Continue reading “Ramadan Reflections by Dr Rehana Parveen”
