January Inclusion calendar

Bank holiday in England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland (ROI).

World Braille Day is an international day that celebrates awareness of the importance of braille as a means of communication in the full realisation of the human rights for blind and visually impaired people. The date for the event was chosen by the United Nations General Assembly via a proclamation in November 2018, and marks the birthday of Louis Braille, creator of this writing system. The first World Braille Day was celebrated on 4 January 2019.

Epiphany is a Christian holiday primarily commemorating the Magi’s visit to the baby Jesus and the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist. Eastern traditions, which usually call the holiday Theophany, focus on Jesus’ baptism, seen as the manifestation of Christ as both fully human and fully divine. Western traditions focus on the Magi’s visit, seen as the first manifestation of Christ as saviour of Gentiles as well as Jews.

Epiphany is among the church’s oldest and most important feasts.

The festival of Lohri, which is celebrated primarily by Sikhs and Hindus all across India, marks the end of the winter season and is traditionally believed to welcome the sun to the northern hemisphere. Observed a night before Makar Sankranti, this occasion involves a Puja Parikrama around the bonfire with prasad. This festival is celebrated with great pomp and show, especially in the north Indian region.

One of the first Hindu festivals of the year, it’s essentially termed as the festival of the farmers / a harvest festival, where farmers can thank the Supreme Being. Lohri is a way to spread the joy of seeing the sparkling pearls of rabi crops, celebrated through traditional folk songs, dance and food. Linked to the Bikrami calendar, the date of this festival remains more or less the same every year. This year, the celebrations will begin on 13 January.

Makar Sankranti is celebrated as a significant festival in India. Makar means "Capricorn" and the movement of the sun into Makara Raashi (or the Zodiac of Capricorn) is called Makar Sankranti.

Pongal festival is named after the ceremonial "Pongal", which means "to boil, overflow" and refers to the traditional dish prepared from the new harvest of rice boiled in milk with jaggery (raw sugar).

Mahayana Buddhism is the largest branch or sub-division of the Buddhist religion. Compared to the faith’s other forms like the Theravada, Mahayana Buddhists believe that enlightenment can be achieved during an individual’s single or current lifetime. Additionally, not only monks and nuns have the opportunity to achieve it, but also ordinary Buddhists. The goal is for everyone is to become bodhisattvas through service and helping others as well as to achieve nirvana.

Thaipusam is a time for Hindus of all castes and cultures to say thank you and show their appreciation to one of their Gods, Lord Murugan, a son of Shiva. The festival of Thaipusam was brought to Malaysia in the 1800s, when Indian immigrants started to work on the Malaysian rubber estates and the government offices.

World Religion Day is celebrated every January on the third Sunday of the month. Its aim is to promote understanding and peace between all religions, encouraging people to learn about other faiths and their followers. The first such day was observed in 1950.

Martin Luther King Day is a federal US holiday held on the third Monday of January. It celebrates the life and achievements of Martin Luther King Jr., an influential American civil rights leader. He is most well-known for his campaigns to end racial segregation on public transport and for racial equality in the United States.

The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is an ecumenical Christian observance in the Christian calendar that is celebrated internationally.

Timkat celebrates the baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan. This festival is best known for its ritual reenactment of baptism (similar to such reenactments performed by numerous Christian the Holy Land when they visit the Jordan).

The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 24 January as International Day of Education, in celebration of the role of education for peace and development.

Without inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong opportunities for all, countries will not succeed in achieving gender equality and breaking the cycle of poverty that is leaving millions of children, youths and adults behind.

Burns Night is celebrated annually in Scotland on or around January 25. It commemorates the life of the bard (poet) Robert Burns, who was born on 25 January 1759. The day also celebrates Burns' contribution to Scottish culture. His best known work is Auld Lang Syne.

Holocaust Memorial Day is a day for everyone to remember the millions of people murdered in the Holocaust, under Nazi Persecution, and also in the genocides which followed in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur.

The Birthday of Guru Har Rai is a day to remember the peaceful mind and endeavours of Guru Har Rai, and also a day for forgiveness, as the Guru taught his disciples to forgive all those who would venture against them.