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It seems like every time you log onto social media, there’s a notification that it’s another special awareness day. Sometimes it feels like it’s been #NationalPuppyDay for the third time in a year. There’s an awareness day for everything from Ice Cream Sundays to rare diagnoses. But oddly enough, it can be difficult to find a full list of these special dates.
We decided to round up all the inclusive, diversity and disability-focused special awareness days for 2023. While this is by no means an exhaustive list, we wanted to create a document that was easy to use and had a little bit of something for everyone. Are there any special days you will be celebrating this year?
These days are important moments to draw attention to issues that affect our communities, like Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (Red Dress Day), celebrate the historic milestones of groups of people facing adversity, or to bring attention to disabilities or exceptionalities that may need more funding, support, or understanding. We will try to share as many of these dates as we can on our social channels to help bring attention to each.
Dry January
4th – World Braille Day
23rd – Family Literacy Day
29th - National Day of Remembrance of the Quebec City Mosque Attack and Action Against Islamophobia
Black History Month
Heart & Stroke Month
4th - World Cancer Day
6th - White Cane Week
11th - World Day of the Sick & 211 Day (Non-emergency services information)
13th - Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Week
15th - International Childhood Cancer Day & World Day of Social Justice
22nd - Pink Shirt Day (Stand Up Against Bullying)
27th - Anosmia Awareness Day
28th - Rare Disease Awareness Day
Endometriosis Awareness Month
Epilepsy Month
Essential Tremor Month
Self-Injury Awareness Month
Trisomy Awareness Month
Social Work Month
1st - International Wheelchair Day, Self-Injury Awareness Day, & International Women's Day
4th - Brain Injury Awareness Day
21st - World Down Syndrome Day, World Social Work Day, & International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
24th - World Tuberculosis Day
26th - Purple Day for Epilepsy
27th - Amniotic Fluid Embolism (AFE) Awareness Day
31st - Day of Trans Visibility
World Autism Month (yes, you will see another Autism Month…there are two, but we acknowledge both)
2nd - World Autism Day, World Health Day
16th - Volunteer Week
24th - World Meningitis Day
Asian Heritage Month
National Asthma Awareness Month
Community Living Month
Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month
Huntington’s Disease Awareness Month
Lupus Awareness Month
MS Awareness Month
Speech and Hearing Awareness Month
Vision Health Month
1st - Mental Health Week
3rd - World Asthma Day
5th - Red Dress Day (Remembering and Honouring MMIWG)
6th - National Day to End Bullying
7th - National Child and Youth Mental Health Day
12th - International Nurses Day
15th - International Day of Families
17th - International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia
18th – Global Accessibility Awareness Day
29th - AccessAbility Week
Pride Month
Indigenous History Month
Brain Injury Awareness Month
Deaf-Blind Awareness Month
ALS Awareness Month
International Men’s Health Month
1st - Global Day of Parents
14th - World Blood Donor Day
15th - World Elder Abuse Awareness Day & Autistic Pride Day
20th - World Refugee Day
21st - National Indigenous Peoples Day
31st - Overdose Awareness Day
World Alzheimer’s Awareness Month
9th - International FASD Awareness Day & World Suicide Prevention Day
21st - World Alzheimer’s Day, International Day of Peace
23rd - International Day of Sign languages
30th - National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (Orange Shirt Day)
Community Support Month
Learning Disabilities Month
Invisible Disabilities Week
Autism Awareness Month
Disability Employment Awareness Month
2nd - National Family Week
6th - World Cerebral Palsy Day
10th - World Mental Health Day
11th - International Day of the Girl
12th - World Sight Day
15th - White Cane Safety Day & Canadian Down syndrome Awareness Week
18th - Persons Day
22nd - Canadian Down syndrome Week
24th - Child Care Worker and ECE Appreciation Day
27th - Dress Purple Day (Children's Aid Societies)
29th - World Stroke Day
Indigenous Disability Awareness Month
8th - National Aboriginal Veterans Day
14th - World Diabetes Day & Trans Day of Remembrance
25th - International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women
1st - World Aids Day
3rd - International Day of Persons with Disabilities
5th - International Volunteer Day
6th - National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women
*If we come across any new dates or others we missed, we will continue to add to this list throughout the year.
