Purpose
A calendar marking awareness dates in the year and providing you with practical advice, guidance and resources to discuss them with your students.
Designed for
Teachers and safeguarding leads in schools and colleges responsible for protecting their students from radicalisation*
Keep updated
*When using the resources in this calendar you should ensure that the content is suitable for the age of your students, that you're confident in engaging in difficult classroom discussions, and that it is appropriate to your learners. An accessible version of this calendar is available as a PDF.
September 2024
Click our logo in the top right corner of any page in the calendar to access our website, newsletter and social media channels!
WHOLE MONTH
East and South East Asian (ESEA) Heritage Month
September is East and South East Asian (ESEA) heritage month. It was founded by besea.n (Britain’s East and Southeast Asian Network) and encourages the celebration and recognition of East and South East Asian people, communities, heritage, culture and history. As well as discussing East and South East Asian heritage with your learners, you may also want to use the opportunity of ESEA heritage month to discuss our fundamental British values (FBVs) with your learners, in particular mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs.
RESOURCE HUB
11TH SEPTEMBER
ANNIVERSARY OF 9/11
Teaching about the events and aftermath of 9/11 can be challenging for a number of reasons. Research by Since 9/11 has shown that both teachers and students have varying degrees of knowledge about 9/11. Many of the issues are complex and some are controversial, all of which adds to the potential demands made on teachers.
Take a look at the hub below for some resources suggestions that can help you to start conversations with and teach your learners about the events of 9/11.
RESOURCE HUB
15TH SEPTEMBER
INTERNATIONAL DAY OF DEMOCRACY
The International Day of Democracy is celebrated around the world on 15 September each year. It was established through a resolution passed by the UN General Assembly in 2007, encouraging governments to strengthen and consolidate democracy.
This year's theme for the International Day of Democracy, “Empowering the next generation,” focuses on young people's essential role in advancing democracy and ensuring that their voices are included in the decisions that have a profound impact on their world.
RESOURCE HUB
Let’s Discuss: FBVs
October 2024
WHOLE MONTH
BLACK HISTORY MONTH
October is Black History Month - a time dedicated to celebrating and recognising the contributions of Black people to British society, as well as an opportunity to learn and broaden understanding of Black culture. It’s a great opportunity to teach young people about the efforts of Black people and communities, civil rights movements and equality as well as a chance to further their understanding of our fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs.
The theme of Black History Month 2024 is 'Reclaiming Narratives' to recognise and focus on correcting narratives of Black history and culture.
RESOURCE HUB
7TH OCTOBER
ONE YEAR SINCE THE 7TH OCTOBER ATTACK IN ISRAEL
October 7th marks one year since the terrorist attack by Hamas in Israel and the subsequent escalation in conflict between Israel and Hamas. The attack caused grave concern around the world, particularly in education settings and amongst young people.
Following the events of 7th October 2023, Educate Against Hate published a
blog post to help education settings with holding sensitive classroom discussions,
the post includes signposting to reputable organisations that can support schools
to teach about this sensitive topic in a balanced way, avoiding antisemitic,
anti-Muslim and/or other discriminatory narratives.
RESOURCE HUB
Talking about ongoing conflicts blog
12TH-19TH OCTOBER
NATIONAL HATE CRIME AWARENESS WEEK
National Hate Crime Awareness Week aims to promote action against
hate crime and encourages the likes of Government, Police,
Councils, voluntary sectors, businesses, and communities to
work together to tackle hate crime in the UK.
Hate crime refers to incidents or criminal offences whereby the victim believes it to be motivated by prejudice against their race, religion, sexual orientation, disability, or an incident or criminal offence motivated by prejudice against a person who is transgender. Hate crimes can be in the form of physical or verbal abuse, or in the form of the incitement of hatred whereby someone has the intent of encouraging hate.
Throughout the week, you may want to use the opportunity to teach your pupils about our fundamental British values, in particular, mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs.
RESOURCE HUB
November 2024
11TH NOV
REMEMBRANCE DAY
Remembrance Day is a national opportunity to remember the service and sacrifice of all those that have defended our freedoms in the face of division and conflict. We remember the Armed Forces, and their families, from Britain and the Commonwealth, the vital role played by the emergency services and those who have lost their lives as a result of conflict or terrorism.
No Love for Hate poster
10TH-17TH NOV
INTER FAITH WEEK
Building good relationships and working partnerships between people of different faiths and beliefs is part of the year-round work of many people and organisations across the UK.
Having a special week provides a focal point, helping to open inter faith activity up to a wider audience so that more and more people are made aware of the importance of this vital work and are able to participate in it.
RESOURCE HUB
11TH-15TH NOV
ANTI-BULLYING WEEK
Anti-Bullying Week 2024 is coordinated in England, Wales and Northern Ireland by the Anti-Bullying Alliance. This year it has the theme 'Choose Respect' and will take place from Monday 11th to Friday 15th November.
The week will be kicked off with Odd Socks Day on the 11th, where
adults and children wear odd socks to celebrate what makes us unique.
RESOURCE HUB
Video for Anti-Bullying Week 2024 from the Anti-Bullying Alliance
RESOURCE HUB
20TH NOV
INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN’S DAY
World Childrens Day is celebrated on November 20th every year to promote international togetherness, awareness among children worldwide, and improving children's welfare. It offers everyone the opportunity to advocate, promote and celebrate children's rights and help to shape a brighter future for young people.
December 2024
Throughout December and in the run up to the end of term, you might want to take some time to look at some of the below resources that we have on Educate Against Hate that can help you to teach your learners about a range of skills and topics.
CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS
In the resource hub on the right, you’ll find content from Educate Against Hate that encourages your learners to develop their critical thinking skills when engaging with online content and the news. The first aims to help young people evaluate the validity of information online and the second help pupils understand why it is important to have reliable information about
the news from a variety of sources.
RESOURCE HUB
CONSPIRACY THEORIES
For learning about conspiracy theories, the resources on the right focus on teaching
learners about what they are, their influence, and the concerns that may be surrounding
conspiracy theories. The first resource is aimed for teachers of KS2 learners and the second is aimed at
teachers of KS3 and KS4 learners.
RESOURCE HUB
It’s important that learners are able to spot the difference between fact and opinion and understand where to go to find reliable information in the news.
DEBATE AND DISCUSSION
The Tough Options Programme includes three classroom lessons on identity, violent extremism and digital resilience intended for use within upper KS2 classrooms, while Can Sharing Stories Tackle Extremism? includes a range of activities and media to develop student’s understanding of extremism, how it develops and how it might be tackled.
RESOURCE HUB
25TH-26TH DEC
CHRISTMAS DAY (25TH) & BOXING DAY (26TH)
Encouraging healthy debates and discussions can help young people in understanding our fundamental British values of mutual respect and tolerance of those of different faiths and beliefs.
UK BANK HOLIDAYS
January 2025
Click our logo in the top right corner of any page in the calendar to access our website, newsletter and social media channels!
1ST JAN
UK BANK HOLIDAY
NEW YEAR’S DAY
19TH JAN
WORLD RELIGION DAY
Building good relationships and working partnerships between people of different faiths and beliefs is
part of the year-round work of many people and organisations across the UK. Having a special
week provides a focal point, helping to open inter faith activity up to a wider audience so that more
and more people are made aware of the importance of this vital work and are
able to participate in it.
RESOURCE HUB
Let’s Discuss: Extreme Right-Wing
27TH JAN
HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL DAY
27th January marks the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest Nazi death camp. The Holocaust threatened the fabric of civilisation, and genocide must still be resisted every day. Our world often feels fragile and vulnerable and we cannot be complacent. Even in the UK, prejudice and the language of hatred must be challenged by us all.
RESOURCE HUB
February 2025
RESOURCE HUB | ||
11TH FEB
SAFER INTERNET DAY
Safer Internet Day aims to encourage young people to act safely, responsibly, and positively in the online space and when using technology. Safer Internet Day is an opportunity to teach young people about ways in which they can stay safe online and provide them with the chance to have conversations about their online activity and any concerns they might have about the online world.
Learners are at risk of accessing inappropriate and harmful extremist content online, and the internet and social media have made spreading divisive and hateful narratives easier.
The development of strong media literacy skills helps learners to
become critical users of the online space, through recognising
extremist behaviour; understanding the persuasive techniques
used by extremist groups and individuals online; acknowledging
where online activity is criminal, and knowing where to go to access
trusted support.
March 2025
The Love & Lies of Rukhsana Ali by Sabina Khan
Noughts & Crosses by Malorie Blackman
The Boy at the Back of the Class by
Onali Rauf
Where? by
Jordan Collins
Home Fire by
Kamila Shamsie
6TH MAR
WORLD BOOK DAY
The aim of World Book Day is to promote and encourage reading for pleasure,
however it's also a good opportunity for you to read a book with your class that celebrates tolerance and diversity. Well-known examples include: The Boy at the Back of the Class by Onali Rauf and Noughts and Crosses by Malorie Blackman. Click on the covers to the right to explore more about some of our book suggestions for World Book Day 2025.
8TH MAR
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY
International Women's Day is celebrated globally on March 8th every year and is a day
dedicated to celebrating women and their contributions to all aspects of life, while also an
opportunity to bring attention to and advocate for issues and rights such as gender equality,
reproductive rights, and violence and abuse against women.
The theme of IWD 2025 is yet to be announced but you can find out more information as and when it becomes available here.
RESOURCE HUB | ||
21ST MAR
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 United Nations 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 organised annually in all States.
April 2025
18TH APR
UK BANK HOLIDAY
GOOD FRIDAY
Global Acts of Unity interactive presentation full of resources
21ST APR
UK BANK HOLIDAY
EASTER MONDAY
22ND APR
STEPHEN LAWRENCE DAY
The Stephen Lawrence Day Foundation was founded
after Stephen Lawrence, an 18-year-old boy from
London was murdered in an unprovoked racist attack
on 22nd April 1993.
Stephen Lawrence Day aims to bring people,
communities and organisations together to
not only honour Stephen, but also to stand up
to the discrimination that occurs in daily life.
The Stephen Lawrence Day Foundation work in classrooms, encouraging young people to strive for greatness despite barriers they may face; support and create new connections within communities; and help to provide marginalised young people with access to career opportunities across a range of sectors and industries.
You may want to make use of Stephen Lawrence Day as an opportunity to discuss hate crime and discrimination with your learners, and teach them about our fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect and tolerance of other faiths and beliefs.
RESOURCE HUB
The Stephen Lawrence Day website
May 2025
Click our logo in the top right corner of any page in the calendar to access our website, newsletter and social media channels!
5TH MAY
UK BANK HOLIDAY
EARLY MAY BANK HOLIDAY
22ND MAY
MANCHESTER ARENA ATTACK ANNIVERSARY
On 22nd May 2017, Islamist extremist Salman Abedi carried out an attack at the Manchester Arena, following an Ariana Grande concert. As a result of the bombing, 22 people lost their lives, over 100 were injured, and there was extensive damage to the building itself.
Starting conversations with your learners about Islamist extremism and incidents like the Manchester Arena Attack can be difficult and require a sensitive approach. To assist with this, we've created our Let's Discuss: Islamist Extremism resource which aims to provide support to teachers in starting dialogue in the classroom around Islamist extremism and the process of radicalisation.
Additionally, Chris Upton, the headteacher of the youngest victim of
the Manchester Arena Attack, kindly wrote a blog for the Educate
Against Hate website about the impact of the attack on his school
and the journey they went on following the incident and the loss of a
pupil.
RESOURCE HUB
Let’s Discuss: Islamist Extremism
26TH MAY
UK BANK HOLIDAY
SPRING BANK HOLIDAY
June 2025
RESOURCE HUB | ||
WHOLE MONTH
PRIDE MONTH
LGBTQ+ Pride Month is a dedicated time to celebrate lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) pride, as well as everyone within this community who isn’t represented by the acronym. Pride Month began after the Stonewall riots, a series of gay liberation protests in 1969. At the point at which schools consider it appropriate to teach their pupils about LGBTQ+, they should ensure that this content is fully integrated into their programmes of study for this area of the curriculum rather than delivered as a standalone unit or lesson. Schools are free to determine how they do this, and the Department for Education expect all pupils to have been taught LGBTQ+ content at a timely point as part of their RHSE of the curriculum.
3RD JUNE
ANNIVERSARY OF THE LONDON BRIDGE ATTACK
In 2017, three Islamic terrorists drove a van into pedestrians on London Bridge and then went on to the Borough Market area where they stabbed a number of people outside of pubs and restaurants. The attack resulted in eight deaths and forty-eight injured.
RESOURCE HUB | ||
16TH-22ND JUN
WORLD REFUGEE DAY (20TH) AND REFUGEE WEEK
World Refugee Day occurs on June 20th every year and is an opportunity to honour those who have been forced to flee their homes in seek of safety and support. World Refugee Day takes place within Refugee Week and is a celebrative festival that focuses on the contributions of refugees to arts and culture. The event allows individuals from varying backgrounds to come together in the name of arts, culture, sport and education to build connections and learn more about the challenges that refugees face and their reasons for needing to leave their homes.
RESOURCE HUB | ||
19TH JUN
ANNIVERSARY OF THE FINSBURY PARK ATTACK
The Finsbury Park attack in 2017 resulted in the death of one man and injuries to eleven other people. Darren Osborne was a right-wing extremist who intentionally drove a van into a crowd of worshippers outside the Muslim Welfare House. Osborne was arrested days later and currently serves a lifetime sentence in prison.
This was an Islamophobic attack and you might want to use the anniversary as an opportunity to talk to your learners about our fundamental British values (FBVs), particularly mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs, as well as holding
conversations and teaching them around extreme right-wing terrorism.
RESOURCE HUB | ||
Let’s Discuss: Extreme Right-Wing
20TH JUN
ANNIVERSARY OF THE READING ATTACK
On 20th June 2020, 3 men died and a further 3 people were
injured after Khairi Saadallah attacked them with a knife in
Forbury Park in Reading. Saadallah was an Islamist extremist
and was arrested shortly after the attack.
This year marks 5 years since the attack and you may want to
use this opportunity to not only remember the victims of the
attack but also to talk to your learners about Islamist extremism
and supporting them in building up their resilience to extremism
and radicalisation. This can be a difficult and daunting task but
our Let’s Discuss pack has been designed to support you in
having conversations with young people on challenging topics
such as extremism with videos, classroom activities and lesson
plans.
RESOURCE HUB | ||
20TH-22ND JUN
THE GREAT GET TOGETHER
Jo Cox MP was murdered on 16th June 2016 by a right-wing
extremist. In honour of Jo, The Great Get Together takes place every year on the weekend closest to her birthday, encouraging communities to come together to bring to life Jo's message that “We have far more in common than that which divides us”. The weekend-long honour encourages messages of unity, cohesion, and community, emphasising the need and desire for a fair and inclusive world.
RESOURCE HUB | ||
22ND JUN
WINDRUSH DAY
Windrush Day is a chance to remember and celebrate the arrival of Afro-Caribbean immigrants into Britain after the Second World War. Windrush Day aims to encourage understanding and empathy with the challenges and discrimination that Black communities faced upon their arrival into Britain.
July 2025
RESOURCE HUB | ||
7TH JUL
7/7 LONDON ATTACKS ANNIVERSARY
2025 marks 20 years since July 7th attack on London's transport network where four Islamist extremist suicide bombers targeted three underground stations and one bus. As a result, over 50 people lost their lives and over 700 were injured.
Discussing incidents like the 7/7 attacks with young people can be challenging. To support teachers in opening up this kind of dialogue in the classroom, we've created our Let's Discuss: Islamist Extremism resource which aims to provide support to teachers in starting conversations in the classroom around Islamist extremism and the process of radicalisation.
On Educate Against Hate, you'll also find the Miriam's Vision resource which is a collection of lesson plans based on Miriam Hyman’s story, a victim of the 7/7 attacks, for teachers of 11-14 year olds.
RESOURCE HUB | ||
11TH JUL
SREBRENICA MEMORIAL DAY
The Srebrenica Massacre took place during the Bosnian War in July 1995 whereby 8,000 Bosnian Muslims were murdered by the Army of Republika Srpska in the Bosnian town of Srebrenica. It was the first attack of this scale on European land since the end of the Second World War.
Remembering Srebrenica is a charity that not only encourages us to remember the victims of the Srebrenica Massacre, but also pushes towards the development of a cohesive society free from hatred and discrimination. In line with this, Remembering Srebrenica have produced educational resources for both primary and secondary schools that aim to teach learners about the events of the Bosnian War and Srebrenica, while also highlighting our differences and the importance of acceptance to work towards cohesion.
MALALA YOUSAFZAI
RESOURCE HUB | ||
12TH JULY
MALALA DAY
Malala Yousafzai advocates for the education of women and received the Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts. At the age of 17, Yousafzai and two other girls were shot by a Taliban gunman in an assassination attempt where she was targetted for her activism.
Malala Day is celebrated to bring focus to all of Yousafzai's efforts and legacy in advocating for the rights and education of girls and women.