May 2022

Mental Health Awareness Month

This month focuses on mental health awareness – at London Met, we encourage our staff and students to take care of their mental health. We have many services, sports and activities that can help support your everyday lifestyle.

Get involved

Why not join one of the Students' Union sports teams or one of our wellbeing classes at London Met? You can also get involved by seeking advice from our Disabilities and Dyslexia Service (DDS).

Key dates in May 2022

Eid al Fitr – potential date depending on moon.

Potentially ending after 30 days – Based on the Lunar Calendar.

Eid al-Fitr marks the end of Ramadan, the Muslim holy month of fasting, and is celebrated during the first three days of Shawwal, the tenth month of the Islamic calendar.

Ramadan – potentially ending after 30 days (also based on the Lunar Calendar).

 

Birthday of Guru Arjan Dev – The Martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev is a special holiday declared to reminisce about the sacrifice that Guru Arjan made for the Sikh people.

Bank Holiday – England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland.

Akshaya Tritiya – Hindu, Jain. The occasion of Akshay Tritiya is of unique importance as it is considered that the course of destiny transforms on this day, making the occasion greatly propitious. On this day, worship of gods, especially Lord Vishnu, is performed as the most important ritual.

Eid al Fitr (potental date based on lunar calendar) – Islam.

International Firefighters' Day (IFFD) is a time where the world can recognise and honour the sacrifices that firefighters make to ensure that their communities and environment are as safe as possible. It is also a day in which current and past firefighters can be thanked for their contributions.

Deaf Awareness Week is an annual event that takes place this year in the week starting 4 May 2022. The event focus is to raise awareness of deafness and hearing loss. It aims to celebrate exceptional individuals, and showcase what you can do to champion inclusivity and be more deaf friendly.

World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day is an annual celebration of the principles of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. World Red Cross Red Crescent Day is celebrated on 8 May each year. 

Asexual Visibility Day – Ace Awareness Week. Ace is an umbrella term to encompass anyone who fits within the spectrum of asexuality. An asexual person is someone who experiences little to no sexual attraction and/or sexual desire. 

International Nurses Day is an international day observed around the world on 12 May of each year, the anniversary of Florence Nightingale's birth, to mark the contributions that nurses make to society.

The event, established in 1974 by the International Council of Nurses (ICN), also serves to highlight the important role nurses fulfil in health care.

Nightingale became an important figure in nursing in the 1850s during the Crimean War. At that time she was stationed at the Barrack Hospital at Scutari (Üsküdar; now a district of Istanbul), where she headed a group of nurses that cared for injured British soldiers. When she first arrived at the hospital, she was struck by the desperate condition of the facilities, and as a result she imposed strict standards of care and ensured that the wards were kept clean and well stocked with food and medical supplies. Nightingale’s experiences at Scutari led her to campaign for reform in health care and nursing, and in 1860 she opened the Nightingale School of Nursing at St. Thomas’ Hospital in London.

Mental Health Awareness Week.

Vesak is one of the most important Buddhist festivals. It is also known as Wesak or Buddha Day. It is a celebration of Buddha's birthday and, for some Buddhists, marks his enlightenment (when he discovered life's meaning). It is also a time to reflect on his teachings and what it means to be Buddhist.

The International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia is observed on May 17 and aims to coordinate international events that raise awareness of LGBT rights violations and stimulate interest in LGBT rights work worldwide. By 2016, the commemorations had taken place in 132 countries.

Why do we need an International Day against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia?

Lag BaOmer, also Lag B'Omer, is a Jewish religious holiday celebrated on the 33rd day of the Counting of the Omer, which occurs on the eighteenth day of the Hebrew month of Iyar.

During Global Accessibility Awareness Day we raise awareness of online accessibility and ensuring that University resources are accessible.

 

The International Day for Biological Diversity is a United Nations–sanctioned international day for the promotion of biodiversity issues. The International Day for Biological Diversity falls within the scope of the UN Post-2015 Development Agenda's Sustainable Development Goals.

Birthday of Guru Amar Das is a religious observance for the Sikhism followers. Sikhs celebrate the birthday of Guru Amar Das on 23 May – he was the third of the ten Sikh Gurus. He was a late bloomer and only became Guru in is seventies, but still had a great influence in Sikhism.

Ascension Day is the Thursday forty days after Easter, on which Christ's Ascension is celebrated in the Christian Church.

Jerusalem Day is an Israeli national holiday commemorating the reunification of Jerusalem and the establishment of Israeli control over the Old City in the aftermath of the June 1967 Six-Day War. The day is officially marked by state ceremonies and memorial services. 

More about our inclusion calendar

This is not an exhaustive list; please complete our inclusion calendar form if you'd like us to add your event or if there is anything missing from our dates.

This calendar is managed by the Centre for Equity and Inclusion and the Inclusive Calendar Stakeholders (ICS). The ICS group meets every month to discuss the month of events ahead, enhancement of the process and the calendar. 

 

If you have any questions, please feel free to email us at equity@londonmet.ac.uk