Special Days and Weeks

February

• 2nd World Wetlands Day:  http://www.environment.gov.au/water/wetlands/world-wetlands-day

• 9th - Safer Internet Day: https://www.saferinternetday.org/
• 13th - Anniversary of the Apology to the Stolen Generations:  http://www.australia.gov.au/about-australia/australian-story/sorry-day-stolen-generations
• 14th - Anniversary of change to decimal currency in Australia from Pounds Shillings and pence in 1964    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZTeWLA1LAs

http://museum.rba.gov.au/exhibitions/the-decimal-revolution/

19th/2/2017- 75th anniversary of the bombing of Darwin on 19th February, which began 24 months of attacks on Australian soil by the Japanese in 1942-3. Many Australians do not know that World War 2 came to our shores, but others believe that this meant that the Japanese intended to invade Australia. This has since been discounted. See the following websites: http://www.naa.gov.au/collection/fact-sheets/fs195.aspx; http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-02-19/darwin-bombing-75th-anniversary-commemorations/8284088 (Note that Japanese dignitaries were invited to the ceremony)

March

• 3rd March 2016: World Wild Life Day: https://twitter.com/WildlifeDay
• 3rd March 2016 : World Wildlife Day: http://www.wildlifeday.org/
• 5th - 9th March Queensland School Library Week: http://www.qsla.org.au/qslw/

• 8th March 2017- International Women's Day  to remind us to look beyond our shores at stereotyping, violence and discrimination in different settings globally.  https://www.internationalwomensday.com/Theme; https://unwomen.org.au/campaign/international-womens-day-2017/?gclid=Cj0KEQiA88TFBRDYrOPKuvfY2pIBEiQA97Z8MWqkWeUZT2Td8kTTNxlGOmiXz8RD-xems5uT6xx-2zMaAkHp8P8HAQ – “Empower a woman, empower a nation”

• 16th March 2017: National Close the Gap Day – Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples are dying 10–17 years younger than other Australians.Oxfam has curriculum-aligned resources for schools: https://www.oxfam.org.au/close-the-gap-student-kit/– register your activity online, plus there is an Instagram student photo competition.  
• 17th March 2016 St Patricks Day:  http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/australia/st-patrick-day
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• 17th March 2017: National Day of Action against bullying and violence : The Bullying No Way resources include short whiteboard animations: https://bullyingnoway.gov.au/ and an interactive story for young children.
  
• 18th March 2016- Earth Hour: 
• 21st March 2016 - Harmony Day: http://www.harmony.gov.au/
• 22nd March - World Water Day:  http://www.unwater.org/worldwaterday/home/en/
• 21st March 2017: Harmony Day - SEAQ's compiled  Harmony Day resources: Harmony Day. Other Harmony Day resources and online registration of activities: http://www.harmony.gov.au/resources/. After discussions about moving the date of Australia Day, it seems that cultural respect is somewhat absent and Australia will not have harmony until some unfinished business with indigenous people is resolved.
• 25th March 2016 - Good Friday:  http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/australia/good-friday
• 27th March 2016 - Easter Sunday : http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/australia/easter-sunday
• 27th March 2016 -Last Sunday in March -  Neighbour Day  : http://www.neighbourday.org/

April

• Earth Day: April 22nd: http://www.earthday.org/earth-day/
• 25th April 2016 - Anzac Day:  http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/australia/anzac-day
• 25th April- SEAQ Anzac Day Page: Anzac Day and Remembrance Day Resources

May

• 2nd May 2016 QLD - Labour Day:  http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/australia/labour-day
• May 5th 2016 - Isra and Mi'raj:  http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/australia/isra-miraj
• Mothers' Day: http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/australia/mother-day
• 22nd May : International Biodiversity Day:https://www.cbd.int/idb/2016/default.shtml
• 26th - Sorry Day and Stolen Generations:   http://www.nsdc.org.au/stolen-generations-history/
• 27th May 2017 will celebrate the significance of the 50th anniversary of the 1967 Federal referendum which, among other things, allowed for indigenous people to be counted in the national census. The historic vote passed with a YES vote of more than 90 per cent. Please see https://www.creativespirits.info/aboriginalculture/history/australian-1967-referendum and http://www.naa.gov.au/collection/fact-sheets/fs150.aspx. This information can be part of any history lessons dealing with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as well as civics understanding about referenda and how laws are made. It can be incorporated into other special days during the year (as outlined below) or activities for all of these days could be amalgamated into one very special day 
  
• 27th May to 3rd June. Reconciliation Week:  https://www.reconciliation.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/NRW2014_27-May-Referendum_FactS.pdf.

June

• 27th May to 3rd June : National Reconciliation Week:  http://www.reconciliation.org.au/nrw/what-is-nrw/
  
• 3rd June Mabo Day: http://www.aboriginalheritage.org/news/2013/mabo-day/
• 5th World Environment Day:  http://www.wed2016.com/content/what-is-wed
• 6th Queensland Day:  http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/australia/queensland-day
• 6th - Foundation Day Western Australia:  http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/australia/foundation-day

• 8th World Oceans Day: http://www.worldoceansday.org/about   

• June 18-24 -  Refugee Week  aims to raise awareness about the issues affecting refugees, and to celebrate the positive contributions refugees have made to Australian society. The content and teaching materials in our new Refugees Resource Package will support teachers in exploring these themes with upper primary and secondary students."
  

• 18th - Napolen Defeated at Waterloo-  1815:  http://www.historychannel.com.au/classroom/day-in-history/?day=18&month=6

July

• 2-9th 2017- Naidoc Week:  has the theme of Our Languages Matter and “aims to emphasise and celebrate the unique and essential role that Indigenous languages play in cultural identity”. http://www.naidoc.org.au/2017-national-naidoc-theme.
  http://www.naidoc.org.au/celebrating-naidoc-week 
• 4th 1776- United States Declares Independence:  http://www.historychannel.com.au/classroom/day-in-history/?day=4&month=7
• 14th - 1789: Bastille Stormed  in France - Bastille Day:    http://www.historychannel.com.au/classroom/day-in-history/196/bastille-stormed
• 29th July 2016 - Schools Tree Day:  http://treeday.planetark.org/schools/ 
  
• 30th July : International Day of Friendship:  http://www.un.org/en/events/friendshipday/
  
• 30th July :International Friendship Day books to read:  http://readingaustralia.com.au/2016/06/10-books-read-international-friendship-day/
• 31st National Tree Day http://treeday.planetark.org/

August  

• 4th August 2015: Aboriginal and Islander Children's Day:  http://splash.abc.net.au/res/nl/20150729/Primary_news/Primary_news_20150729.html
  
• 11-20th August 2017 Brisbane Agricultural Show EKKA https://www.ekka.com.au/ekka-info   seaq's EKKA page
• 19th August - International Orangutan Day 19 August and resources to acknowledge issues related to survival of orangutans. Cool Australia Sustainable Palm Oil Unit   http://www.worldorangutanevents.org/international-orangutan-day.php
• 19th August - World Humanitarian Day http://www.un.org/en/events/humanitarianday/
• 24th - 30th August 2015: Keep Australia Beautiful Week: http://kab.org.au/keep-australia-beautiful-week/
  
• World Water Week 27 August - 1st September World Water Week
• Literacy and Numeracy Week: https://www.literacyandnumeracy.gov.au/
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September

• 1st National Wattle Day. Wattle is our national floral emblem. It is a symbol that comes directly from our land;http://www.wattleday.asn.au/
• 15th September 2017 : International Day of Democracy. the theme of this year’s International Day of Democracy is  on the critical need to strengthen democratic institutions to promote peace and stability.  http://www.un.org/en/events/democracyday/
• 3rd: National Flag Day.  http://www.australianflag.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Curriculum-Commonwealth-Govt-from-2002-Teachers-Notes-OUR-NATIONAL-FLAG-SINCE-1901-John-Vaughan.pdf
• 1st - 30th: National Biodiversity Month - aims to promote the importance of protecting, conserving and improving biodiversity both within Australia and across the world.. http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/biodiversity-month
  
• 7th : Threatened Species Day. http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/threatened. About 84 per cent of plants, 83 per cent of mammals, and 45 per cent of birds are only found in Australia.
• 10th RUOK? Day. http://yourstruly.org.au/#/story
  
• 11th September to 17th September 2016 :Environweek:  http://www.enviroweek.org/
  
• 13th: Sustainable House Day - looking for inspiration, ideas and the key to sustainable living. http://sustainablehouseday.com/
  
• 18th: World Water Monitoring Day. http://www.monitorwater.org/ World Water Monitoring Challenge: – this is an international educational and outreach program that builds public awareness and involvement in protecting water resources around the world by engaging citizens to conduct basic monitoring of their local water bodies.
  
• 18th-20th: Clean Up the World Weekend. http://www.cleanuptheworld.org/en/  Clean Up the World engages an estimated 35 million volunteers in 130 countries each year, making it one of the largest community based environmental campaigns in the world.
• 17th: Australian Citizenship Day. Australian citizenship is more than a legal status. It is our common bond that represents our shared democratic beliefs and gives us a sense of belonging and pride in our achievements as a nation.  http://www.border.gov.au/Trav/Citi/Curr/Even/Australian-citizenship-day
• 21st: International Day of Peace. 2015 Theme: “Partnerships for Peace — Dignity for All”: http://internationaldayofpeace.org/
  
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October

• 3rd 2016 Queens Birthday Holiday  http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/australia/queens-birthday
• 1-7th - Be Kind to Animals Week:1-7th October http://bekindtoanimalsweek.org.au/
  
• 3rd October 2016 World Habitat Day:  http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/un/world-habitat-day
• 5th October 2015 Labour Day Queensland:   http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/australia/labour-day
• 4th - World Animal Day: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Animal_Day
  
• 16th - World Food Day http://www.fao.org/world-food-day/background/en/
  
• 11th -17th Anti-Poverty Week:  http://www.antipovertyweek.org.au/about/about-anti-poverty-week
  
•  18-24th October - National Water Week:  http://www.awa.asn.au/nationalwaterweek/
• 24th October - 1st November - Childrens Week:   http://www.childrensweek.com.au/celebrate
• 2oth October 2016 - Diwali : http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/australia/diwali

November

• 11th - Armistice Day: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armistice_Day
• 9th -15th November- National Recycling Week:  http://recyclingweek.planetark.org/about/
• 11th - Rembrance Day:  https://www.awm.gov.au/commemoration/remembrance/
•  Seaq's Remembrance Day Resources:  http://www.seaq.org.au/Remembrance-Day
  
• 24th Thanksgiving:http://www.theholidayspot.com/thanksgiving/ 
  
• 31st - Walk Together - annual national celebration of Australia’s diversity, designed as a tangible expression of the welcoming, fair and compassionate society we’re committed to building:  https://walktogether.welcometoaustralia.org.au/