Cultural Calendar

Nowruz (starts 20 March) is the national New Year festivity celebrated in Iran, Afghanistan, and the Kurdish regions of Iraq, Turkey and Syria, and throughout Central Asia. Described by 11th-century Persian astronomer and poet Omar Khayyam as “the renewal of the world”, Nowruz dates back thousands of years. It is not known exactly how far … Continue reading “Nowruz – Iranian New Year”

St. Patrick’s Day (17 March) observes of the death of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. The holiday has evolved into a celebration of Irish culture with parades, special foods, music, dancing and drinking. He was born to wealthy parents near the end of the fourth century and is believed to have died on … Continue reading “St Patricks’ Day”

Maha Shivaratri (11 March) is a Hindu festival celebrated annually in honour of the god Shiva. The festival celebrates the grand marriage of the lord of destruction, Shiva, with the goddess of fertility, love and beauty, Parvati, who is also known as Shakti (power). It is a major festival in Hinduism. This festival is solemn … Continue reading “Maha Shivaratri”

Top to bottom: Mary Seacole, Artemisia Gentilischi, Theodora, Elizabeth Fry Mary Seacole (1805-1881) In her late forties, Mary travelled from her home in Jamaica to Britain to offer her services as a nurse during the Crimean War (1853-56). Despite being turned down, Seacole refused to give up: a woman of mixed-race with a Jamaican mother … Continue reading “International Women’s Day 8 March – a dozen doyennes”

International Women’s Day (IWD) is celebrated on 8 March every year and is a focal point in the movement for women’s rights. This year’s theme is ‘Choose to Challenge’. 1909 – The earliest Women’s Day observance, called “National Woman’s Day,” was held in New York City organized by the Socialist Party of America. 1910 – In … Continue reading “International Women’s Day 8 March”

Maslenitsa (8-14 March) is an Eastern Slavic religious and folk holiday, which has retained a number of elements of Slavic mythology in its ritual, celebrated during the last week before Great Lent. It celebrates the end of winter chills and the start of spring, of warmth, of hope, of growth. It is mostly celebrated by … Continue reading “Maslenitsa”

Because books aren’t just for bedtime World Book Day was designated by UNESCO as a worldwide celebration of books and reading and is marked in over 100 countries around the globe on the first Thursday in March. This year’s theme is ‘Share a story’. It is the perfect opportunity for parents, teachers and children to … Continue reading “World Book Day 4 March”

Hinamatsuri, also called Doll’s Day or Girls’ Day, is a special day in Japan. It is celebrated on 3 March of each year, with platforms covered with a red carpet material which are used to display a set of ornamental dolls (雛人形, hina-ningyō) representing the Emperor and Empress, attendants, and musicians in traditional court dress of the Heian. … Continue reading “Hinamatsuri (Doll’s Day)”

The National Day of Wales is St. David’s Day and is always observed on 1 March, the traditional date of his death in 589 AD. Saint David (known as Dewi Sant in the Welsh language) was a Celtic monk born towards the end of the fifth century and was Archbishop of Wales. He spread the … Continue reading “Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Hapus!”