Hellenic Heritage Month
March 25, 1821 marks the beginning of modern Greece, as Greeks declared their independence from the Ottoman Empire on that day, an anniversary that is celebrated every year as Greek Independence Day. More than 270,000 people of Hellenic descent live in Canada today and over half of them live here in Ontario.
Endometriosis Awareness Month
Twelve years ago, a small group of volunteers gathered at the CN Tower to watch it shine yellow in recognition of endometriosis. What started as a single moment of light has since grown into a nationwide movement. Over the years, The Endometriosis Network Canada and other community groups have proudly helped light up more than 85 landmarks from coast to coast, spreading awareness, hope, and solidarity for those living with endometriosis.
This year, we’re inviting community members to lead local requests. We’re making it easy with ready-to-use templates and a simple way to share confirmed lighting with us. You can help bring Light Up for Endo to your hometown and show those living with endometriosis that they’re seen, supported, and not alone. Visit endometriosisnetwork.com to lead a local request.
National Nutrition Month
Healthy eating matters, and is important at every age. It can help us feel good. It provides energy to power our bodies and minds to do the things that bring us joy and fulfilment. It provides essential nutrients to maintain our overall health. And, it helps prevent chronic diseases like heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
Health Canada continues to develop new tools and resources to promote healthy eating. For example, the food guide snapshot, which provides people with a quick glance of what a healthy meal should consist of, has been translated into more than 30 languages—including 9 indigenous languages. There are more than 100 recipes in the food guide kitchen, and the Department issues a monthly food guide newsletter that delivers healthy eating tips to more than 70,000 subscribers. This includes work to support the nutritional needs of vulnerable populations, to ensure that people with unique dietary needs have access to high-quality, safe and nutritious foods. Health Canada is also piloting the Food guide friendly initiative. This is a voluntary initiative that encourages publicly funded institutions to create healthier food environments by increasing the availability of nutritious foods and beverages and improving their appeal, with a current focus on post-secondary institutions and recreation settings.
6 Employee Appreciation Day
This day is meant for employers to give thanks or recognition to their employees. It was created by Dr. Bob Nelson, a founding member of Recognition Professionals International in 1995 and who helped thousands of companies create a Culture of Recognition in their organization with significant impacts on employee retention, performance and the ability to attract talent.
8 International Women’s Day
International Women’s Day has its roots in the international labour, socialist, and peace movements that were active early in the 20th century. IWD has been celebrated on March 8 since 1917 and is a national holiday in many countries in Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
Like Labour Day, International Women’s Day provides a focus for the necessary activism of the day. In 2008, the Canadian Labour Congress launched a year-long campaign on women’s economic equality. In 2000 and 2005, the World March of Women launched its global campaigns on IWD.
ETFO is committed to advancing gender equality. Read the ETFO equity statement and human rights statement. You can find more information on ETFO’s gender equity initiatives here.
8-14 Women of Aviation Week
Women Of Aviation Worldwide Week {WOAW} is a global aviation awareness week for girls of all ages observed to mark the anniversary of the world’s first female pilot licence (March 8, 1910). The week is a call to address gender imbalance in the air and space industry.
9-13 March Break
12 World Kidney Day
World Kidney Day (WKD) is a global health awareness campaign focusing on the importance of the kidneys and reducing the frequency and impact of kidney disease and its associated health problems worldwide. This holiday was intended to raise awareness about conditions of the kidney; although many are treatable, they are a secondary medical concern of the greater population.
13 World Sleep Day
The theme for this World Sleep Day is Sleep Well, Live Better.
World Sleep Day is an opportunity to promote sleep health alongside thousands of other sleep health professionals and advocates. When we all promote sleep health and #WorldSleepDay together, our combined effort is greater than the sum of its parts. Spread the word about sleep health on World Sleep Day, and help elevate the conversation around sleep!
A Call to Action: Prioritize Sleep Health!
14 Pi Day / International Day of Mathematics
The International Day of Mathematics (IDM) is a worldwide celebration. Each year on March 14 all countries will be invited to participate through activities for both students and the general public in schools, museums, libraries and other spaces. Learn more
15 International Day Against Police Brutality
The International Day Against Police Brutality occurs on March 15. It first began in 1997 as an initiative of the Montreal-based Collective Opposed to Police Brutality and the Black Flag group in Switzerland. A march is held yearly in Montreal.
16-20 Neurodiversity Celebration Week
Neurodiversity Celebration Week is a worldwide initiative that challenges stereotypes and misconceptions about neurological differences. It aims to transform how neurodivergent individuals are perceived and supported by providing schools, universities, organizations, and others around the world with the opportunity to recognize the many skills and talents of neurodivergent individuals, while creating more inclusive and equitable cultures that celebrate differences and empower every individual. Learn more.
17 St. Patrick’s Day
St. Patrick’s Day—observed every March 17—is packed with parades, good luck charms, and all things green. The event started as a religious holiday, but over time it’s become a celebration of Irish culture.
20 International Francophonie Day
The International Day of La Francophonie is celebrated on March 20. The date was chosen to celebrate the creation of the Organisation internationale of la Francophonie (OIF) [International Organisation of La Francophonie] formerly known as the Agency for Cultural and Technical Co-operation, at the Niamey Conference in Niger on March 20, 1970.
This day is meant to celebrate the importance of the French language along with the cultural diversity that exists within the French-speaking communities around the world.
Discover more about what Canada is doing internationally for La Francophonie
20 Spring Equinox
An equinox in astronomy is that point in time (not a whole day) when the Sun is directly above the Earth’s equator, occurring around March 20 and September 23 each year. The 2026 spring (vernal) equinox in the Northern Hemisphere occurs on March 20 at 9:46am CST.
20 International Day of Happiness
The United Nations General Assembly calls for “a more inclusive, equitable and balanced approach to economic growth that promotes the happiness and well-being of all peoples.”
Governments and international organizations should invest in conditions that support happiness by upholding human rights and incorporating well-being and environmental dimensions into policy frameworks, such as the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. The effectiveness of governments in upholding peace and social order, as well as in the fields of taxation, legal institutions and delivery of public services, strongly correlates with average life satisfaction.
20 World Sparrow Day
World Sparrow Day is a day designated to raise awareness of the house sparrow and then other common birds to urban environments, and of threats to their populations, observed on 20 March.
20 Two-Spirit and Indigenous LGBTQQIA+ Awareness Celebration Day
Since 2021, the Two-Spirit team at CBRC has been advocating for the creation and recognition of an annual Two-Spirit and Indigenous LGBTQQIA+ Celebration and Awareness Day, to be held each March in alignment with spring equinox.
The goal of the recurring awareness day will be the centering and celebration of the radiance and diversity of Two-Spirit identities, expression, and experience across Turtle Island. Indigenous-led organizations across so-called Canada are invited to join us in the proclamation of spring equinox as Two-Spirit and Indigenous LGBTQQIA+ Celebration and Awareness Day by hosting local events, demonstrations, and celebrations in solidarity with satellite events happening across the country.
21 International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
The International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination is observed annually on the day the police in Sharpeville, South Africa, opened fire and killed 69 people at a peaceful demonstration against apartheid “pass laws” in 1960. In 1979, the General Assembly adopted a programme of activities to be undertaken during the second half of the Decade for Action to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination. On that occasion, the General Assembly decided that a week of solidarity with the peoples struggling against racism and racial discrimination, beginning on 21 March, would be organized annually in all States.
21 International Day of Forests
The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 21 March the International Day of Forests (IDF) in 2012. The Day celebrates and raises awareness of the importance of all types of forests. On each International Day of Forests, countries are encouraged to undertake local, national and international efforts to organize activities involving forests and trees, such as tree planting campaigns.
22 World Water Day
On World Water Day 2026, let’s explore the critical relationship between water, women, and gender equality.
Key messages for World Water Day 2026
- The global water crisis affects everyone – but not equally. Where people lack the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation, inequalities flourish, with women and girls bearing the brunt. It’s time to centre women and girls in water solutions.
- Women must shape the future of water. Water services must withstand climate change and meet everyone’s needs. We need a transformative, rights-based approach to solving the water crisis, where women’s voices, leadership and agency are fully recognized.
- Where water flows, equality grows. When women and girls have equal voice in water decisions, services become more inclusive, sustainable and effective. We must invest in women’s leadership to make water a force for a healthier, more prosperous, gender-equal future that will benefit us all.
25 International Day of Remembrance for the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade
The International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade is a time for reflection. But it is also a time for education. Despite myths to the contrary, enslaved Africans enriched the Americas not just through their labour but also through a transfer of vital skills and knowledge. In addition, rather than accepting their fate, they engaged in powerful acts of resistance. The United Nations works to highlight such stories through its Outreach Programme on the Transatlantic Slave Trade and Slavery, which is managed by the Department of Global Communications, and the Routes of Enslaved Peoples Project, which is run by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
25 Greek Independence Day
Greek Independence Day, celebrated annually on March 25, is a major national holiday in Greece and Cyprus marking the start of the 1821 War of Independence against the Ottoman Empire. It honors the struggle for freedom, featuring military parades, school marches, and the traditional consumption of fried cod with garlic sauce
26 Purple Day
Purple Day is an international grassroots effort dedicated to increasing awareness about epilepsy worldwide. On March 26th annually, people in countries around the world are invited to wear purple and host events in support of epilepsy awareness. Last year, people in more than 85 countries on all continents participated in Purple Day! Canada is the only country in the world who officially recognizes March 26th as Purple Day through the Purple Day Act implemented on June 28, 2012.
28 Earth Hour
Since 2007, supporters around the world have been switching off for Earth Hour each year from 8:30-9:30pm local time. Now, let’s go beyond the switch off – and GIVE an hour for Earth too.
Anyone, anywhere can take part by spending 60 minutes doing something – anything – positive for our planet. You can reconnect with nature, learn more about the environment, help restore our planet, or inspire others to take action. As long as we each use one hour to make meaningful impact, we can create the Biggest Hour for Earth together! Make an impact by doing something – anything – positive for our planet. Whether you’re into food, fitness, the arts, or the outdoors, anyone, anywhere can Give an hour to care for our planet. Explore activity ideas
31 International Transgender Day of Visibility
International TDOV was created in 2010 by trans advocate Rachel Crandall. Crandall, the head of Transgender Michigan, created TDOV in response to the overwhelming majority of media stories about transgender people being focused on violence. She hoped to create a day where people could celebrate the lives of transgender people, while simultaneously acknowledging that due to discrimination, not every trans person can or wants to be visible.
Each year on March 31, the world observes Transgender Day of Visibility (TDOV) to raise awareness about transgender people. It is a day to celebrate the lives and contributions of trans people, while also drawing attention to the disproportionate levels of poverty, discrimination, and violence the community faces compared to cisgender (non-transgender) people.
31 National Indigenous Languages Day
National Indigenous Languages Day is an opportunity to honour the rich linguistic heritage of First Nations, Inuit and Métis across Canada. This day is a profound reminder of the importance of Indigenous languages and the critical role they play in preserving the history, culture and identity of Indigenous communities.
Indigenous languages are the living expression of a people’s connection to their ancestors, their land and their way of life. They encapsulate the wisdom of generations and are central to the social fabric of Indigenous communities. Despite the challenges these languages have faced—stemming from historical government policies, residential schools and ongoing systemic barriers—they continue to be a source of strength and renewal for Indigenous Peoples. Learn more.
