November 2024 - Intercultural calendar

The calendar provides an overview of public holidays, traditional and religious holidays and international commemoration days without intending to be exhaustive.

1 November: All Saints' Day (Catholic, public holiday) - Christianity

The day to honour all saints of the church was established when the Pantheon in Rome was consecrated and an anniversary to honour all the saints was fixed for 1 November.

2 November: All Souls' Day (Catholic) - Christianity

The day is closely associated with All Saints' Day. The day commemorates the faithful departed and those baptised and believed to be in purgatory. It is a day of remembrance and intercession for the dead.

2 November: The Birth of the Báb - Bahá'i

On this day the Bahá'is commemorate the birth of the herald of the Bahá’i faith, who was born in 1819 in Shiraz/Iran. Bahá'is celebrate the birth of the Báb with social gatherings that begin with prayers and devotional readings.

3 November: The Birth of Bahá’u’lláh - Bahá'i

On this day the Bahá'is celebrate the birth of the founder of their faith who was born in 1817 in Tehran/Iran as son of a wealthy government minister. Bahá'is usually observe the holy day with community gatherings where prayers are shared and the birth of Bahá’u’lláh is celebrated.

11 November: Saint Martin's Day (Catholic) - Christianity

The feast day of Martin of Tours, who gave half his cloak to a beggar according to legend. Customs include children going by the doors with paper lanterns and candles and singing songs. The food traditionally eaten on this day is goose.

15 November: Birthday of Guru Nanak - Sikhism

Sikhs celebrate Guru Nanak's birthday with a reading of the Sikh holy scriptures, the Guru Granth Sahib, continuously from beginning to end over 48 hours. Musical recitation of hymns and lectures are followed by langar, a vegetarian meal from the free kitchen.

15 November: Saint Leopold's Day (Catholic) - Christianity

The day commemorates Leopold III, Margrave of Austria, the founder of the monasteries of Klosterneuburg, Heiligenkreuz and Klein-Mariazell. Leopold is the patron saint of Lower Austria, Upper Austria and Vienna. There is the tradition of "Fasslrutschen", sliding over a huge barrel in the monastery wine cellar in Klosterneuburg. It is an old tradition dating back to the time when the barrel held the wine the monastery received as a tithe.

20 November: Penance Day (Protestant) - Christianity

A Protestant holiday for reflection and prayer for the remission of sins.

20 November: World Children's Day - international

World Children's Day was first established in 1954 with the aim of pointing out and promoting the need for the best interests of the child and, in this regard, cohesion. On 20 November 1989, the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, including all children in the world, with the rights to survival, development, protection and participation. The day is celebrated all over the world with numerous activities. Events, games, festivals and symbols are used to draw attention to the rights of children. Cities and organisations light up their landmarks such as city halls, schools and other buildings in blue. A blue handprint is also a symbol that is widely used to draw attention to children's rights.

24 November: Sunday in commemoration of the dead (Protestant) - Christianity

The Sunday in commemoration of the dead (also called Eternity Sunday) is basically the Protestant version of All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day. It is a day for people to visit cemeteries and decorate graves.

25 November: International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women - international

The International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women is a day of activism and a day to raise awareness to end violence against women and girls.