Category: Diversity Insights

We’re already well into the second quarter of 2023 and most companies should be ramping up their diversity and inclusion efforts. If you’re part of the diversity and inclusion team for your company, here are some global DEI trends you should keep an eye out for this year. 2023 will continue to build on and improve what you worked on this past year by maximizing employee involvement and pushing you to create an even more cohesive DEI strategy.

Continuous DEI training

Too many companies look at DEI training as a checkbox. Some will host a once-a-year DEI workshop that every employee must attend. Others do even less. They mandate everyone do an online diversity training when they onboard, and then never again.

DEI is a dialogue that your employees must continuously engage in. If you’re not constantly talking and changing your message depending on what’s presently affecting company culture or the world, you can’t expect to create sustainable change.

Going forward, companies will cease to host one-off training and instead try to integrate DEI training more regularly. This will create a real culture surrounding diversity and inclusion.

Encouraging everyone to get involved in DEI

In the past, there’s been a lot of emphasis on encouraging people of color to lead conversations surrounding DEI. As they have more lived experiences on the topic, it makes sense to many that they would be the ones to lead discussions.

However, 2023 will see a trend toward encouraging everyone, regardless of their social indicators, to get involved with DEI. Talented leaders of all backgrounds can help develop data-driven DEI strategies. Everyone should advocate for a diverse and inclusive environment.

This year will take an “all-hands-on-deck” approach while still welcoming individuals from underrepresented backgrounds to help as much as they’re willing and able to.

Constructing a clear diversity and inclusion strategy

Many companies and organizations recognize that DEI is important, but they don’t know where to start. Sometimes, their DEI programs begin with a bit of a piecemeal approach. Someone suggests getting some diversity days on the calendar, or there may be a speaker or two that does a workshop annually. There’s not much thought behind it. The events related to diversity, equity, and inclusion just kind of happen.

However, DEI can suffer when it’s done haphazardly. The best programs are implemented thoughtfully. If you’re on the DEI leadership team, consider the following as you begin to create a cohesive plan for 2023:

1. Key performance indicators about hiring, retention, advancement, etc. of diversity talent
2. Clear responsibilities for diversity events and goals
3. Expectations about how to implement your diversity strategy
4. The tools and resources needed to bring your outlined DEI strategy to life

Final Thoughts

The new year is ushering in a new face for diversity, equity, and inclusion. This year, companies will focus on implementing a tangible diversity strategy and making everyone feel as though they can contribute. If you need a place to start, a diversity calendar is always a strong way to integrate consistent talking points regarding DEI into your company culture.

DEI is on your agenda, but you’re wondering where to start? Explore our article on How to Create a Diversity and Inclusion Council

And make sensitivity a part of your workplace, 365 days a year, with a Diversity and Inclusion Calendar

Buddhism is a religion and philosophical tradition followed by millions of people across the globe. Originating in the Indian subcontinent, it is now shared across a rich variety of cultures throughout different lands. As such, holidays fall on varying dates in different places. This guide will give a succinct but comprehensive overview of the major holidays in key countries, as well as some of the minor holidays and observances.

Below is our Buddhist holy days 2024 calendar which includes Buddhist observances, Buddhist religious holidays and Buddhist festivals.

New Year’s Celebrations in Buddhist Cultures

The New Year is celebrated differently among different Buddhist communities, but to many, it is a sacred time. Celebrants often ritualistically clean and sweep their homes, energetically renewing the space. Like other cultures that follow the lunar calendar, many Buddhist traditions recognize the new year during the spring. Some Buddhist cultures observe the New Year in January, similar to western cultures. Japan is a notable example; New Year’s is observed 1st of January ever since the Japanese calendar was westernized in 1868.

Vesak

Vesak (a.k.a. Wesak, Buddha Jayanti, Buddha Purnima, Buddha Day, or Buddha’s Birthday) is the most sacred day to Buddhists around the world. The holiday commemorates the birth, enlightenment and death of Gautama Buddha. Traditions include the ritual cleansing of the Buddha, eating vegetarian food, meditation, and observing the Eight Precepts.

Vesak falls on different dates in different regions, often based on varying lunisolar calendars, usually on or around the full moon. It always occurs during the Buddhist / Hindu month of Vaisakha, which roughly corresponds to April to May in the Gregorian calendar.

Mahayana Buddhism and some other cultures celebrate just the birth of the Buddha during Vesak. They observe his enlightenment and death separately, as Bodhi Day and Pariniravana Day, respectively.

January 1-3  –  Shōgatsu (Japanese New Year)

The Japanese New Year, Shōgatsu, is one of the most important holidays in Japan. It runs for 3 days and involves sacred rituals and specially prepared meals. Temples ring their bells 108 times, a sacred Buddhist number.

February 8th or 15th – Parinirvana Day

Parinirvana Day (a.k.a. Niravana Day, Nibbāna Day) is a holiday in Mahayana Buddhism that commemorates the death of the Buddha. It is observed throughout East Asia, the Philippines and Vietnam, with differing dates.

February 16 – Māgha Pūjā / Sangha Day

One of the most important Buddhist festivals, celebrating a gathering of monks. Many spiritual and social practices are observed throughout many Southeast Asian countries.

January 18th – Mahayana Buddhist New Year

March 3–5  –  Losar (Tibetan New Year)

The Tibetan New Year, known as Losar, is celebrated during several days around the end of winter. Losar often occurs close to the Chinese New Year, but the traditions are distinctly Tibetan and predate Chinese influence. Losar is a jubilant festival involving prayer flags and wheels, singing, dancing, meals and gifts.

April 13-15 – Songkran (Thai New Year)

The Thai New Year, Songkran, is an exuberant festival noteworthy for ritualistic “water fights” that symbolizes washing away misdeeds, and ceremonies such as cleansing Buddha statues with water.

In addition to this list of Buddhist holy days, you can also explore our 2024 Interfaith Calendar which includes religious holidays and religious festivals.

April 16 – Theravada Buddhist New Year

May 8  –  Vesak (China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Korea, the Philippines)

May 15/16  –  Vesak (India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Indonesia, Singapore)

June 14/15  –  Parinirvana Day (Bhutan)

July 13 – Asalha Puja / Dharma Day

Asalha Puja (a.k.a. Asadha Puja, Asanha Bucha, Dhamma Day, Dharma Day) is one of the most important holidays in Theravada Buddhism. It commemorates the Buddha’s first sermon. Celebrations usually occur in Thailand, Laos, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Cambodia, and Indonesia, as well as other areas with Theravada Buddhist culture.  Asalha Puja’s date varies by year, as it is tied to the full moon in the month of Ashadha. Related celebrations of Guru Purnima occur on this day as well.

August 12 – Ghost Festival / Ullambana / Bon

A holiday honoring ancestors, with particular focus on filial piety. In Japan, the holiday is known as Bon. In Chinese culture, this holiday is known as Ghost Day (Yulanpen in Buddhism, and Zhongyuan in Taoism).

October 9  –  Kathina

A festival in Theravada Buddhism that commemorates the end of the rainy season. A related holiday, Pavarana, is celebrated in some cultures around the same time (Oct 10th this year).

December 8 – Bodhi Day / Rōhatsu / Laba

In Mahayana Buddhism, Bodhi Day specifically commemorates the enlightenment (Nibbāna) of the Buddha. In Japanese Zen, the holiday is known as Rōhatsu. In China, the holiday is known as the Laba Festival.

Other Holidays & Observances

March 21 – Celebration of the Birthday of Guan Yin / Kuan Yin ; Birthday of Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara

July 6 – Celebration of the Birthday of the Dalai Lama (Tibet)

Tibetan Buddhists celebrate the birthday of the 14th Dalai Lama, considered a living bodhisattva, often observing spiritual practices and festivals of Tibetan culture.

November 9 – Loy Krathong / Loi Krathong (Thailand)

A Thai festival occurring on the night of the full moon in the 12th month of the Thai calendar. Rituals involve setting a small vessel made of leaves afloat on a river.

November 15 – Lhabab Düchen (Tibet, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos)

A celebration of the Buddha’s return to earth to share his teachings.

For all religious holidays, see our interactive DEI Calendar for all 200+ religious events.

For more diversity topics, see our Diversity Calendar 2024.

“Why Don’t We Just Google Diversity Calendar?”

We recently had a follow-up meeting with a major company in the healthcare industry. Our contact, who is eager to subscribe, told us management questioned the need for our subscription Diversity Calendar. “Why don’t we just Google it?” they asked.

Great question. Google is a fantastic product, but here’s why relying on Google for your inclusive scheduling is a bad idea.

1) What will you Google? First, you need to know what to Google. How will your team know – for example – that Eid al-Fitr is important, and when to Google it? We’re the world’s leading Diversity Calendar experts: we collate nearly 2,000 different events, and then create a custom calendar for you.

2) Fact errors, wrong dates and more – Let’s say you Google “Diversity Calendar.” Google is a great product, but free blog posts are not, and you get what you pay for. Recently, I Googled the event below. The date is wrong (it’s September 22, not August). Bloggers tend to plagiarize each other, so when one free blog post has the wrong date, so do others. If your senior management doesn’t mind embarrassing themselves with your female employees, this free blog post will do fine. This free website also had all the dates for the Easter cycle wrong; Easter happens to be the most important event in the world’s #1 religion.

3) What Do You Say? Let’s say you find out the correct date for say, Yom Kippur. Now what? What is Yom Kippur? And what will you say to your Jewish colleagues or customers? Here’s a hint: don’t say happy Yom Kippur, unless you wish to embarrass yourself and your associates.

4. And more fact errors – Another website is very popular and ranks well, sometimes #1 in Google. Yet it’s full of mistakes. Below you’ll see the same event, listed two different ways, on two different dates, and both dates are wrong.

This expert blogger – and #1 Google hit – does not realize that Muslim and Islamic are the same thing, and has no clue that Hijri is the Muslim lunar calendar system. Islam is the world’s 2nd largest religion. If your senior leadership doesn’t mind wishing Muslims a Happy New Year roughly 11 or 21 days late (or both!), there’s no need for our product.

Conclusion

Amazon recently subscribed to our Diversity Calendar for all 1.5 million employees. Their subscription cost is high, much higher than yours. They could easily afford to hire an entire department to do this work. But they rely on us, because we are the world’s #1 experts on this topic.

If your leadership team has an abundance of time, they know what to Google, can afford spending all day Googling various diversity events, and don’t mind getting dates/facts/greetings wrong, great. You’ll save some money, perhaps equal to the cost of typical business lunch for your leadership. #Winning.

But if  your leadership team has higher priority work, and is interested in accuracy and saying the right thing at the right time, to people of different religion and cultures, we’re here to help. Enjoy a free trial of our Diversity Calendar suite.