Partners in Project Green shares Days of Awareness each month to spread awareness and start conversations. These days may have a social, historical, or sustainable significance worthy of our attention. These are just a small sampling of important days to acknowledge or remember. If we missed any days of importance that should be included, please share them with us.
Contact: Hershil Sheth – hershil.sheth@trca.ca.
Emancipation Day – August 1
August 1st marks the actual day in 1834 that the Slavery Abolition Act of 1833 came into effect across the British Empire which granted freedom to thousands of enslaved individuals throughout the British Empire and designated as Emancipation Day. This day celebrates the strength and perseverance of Black communities in Canada. Canadians are invited to reflect, educate, and engage in the ongoing fight against both anti-Black and anti-Indigenous racism and discrimination.
- You can commemorate this day virtually through CBC’s FreeUp! Emancipation Day 2023 special which will be streamed for free August 1, 2023, on CBC Gem, and broadcast on CBC TV at 8 p.m (EST).
- In Toronto, the entire month of August is recognized as Emancipation Month and there are different events that you can participate in.
International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples – August 9
The International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples marks the day of the first meeting of the United Nations (UN) Working Group on Indigenous Populations in 1982. On this day, people from around the world are encouraged to spread the UN’s message on the protection and promotion of the rights of indigenous peoples.
This year’s theme is: Indigenous Youth as Agents of Change for Self-determination.
- Climate Action and the Green Transition
- Mobilizing for Justice
- Intergenerational connections
You can commemorate this day by attending the virtual event, Indigenous Youth as Agents of Change for Self-determination, on August 9, 2023 from 9:00-10:30am EST. Link to register: https://tinyurl.com/Indigenous23
World Humanitarian Day, #NoMatterWhat – August 19
World Humanitarian Day (WHD) was designated in memory of the August 19, 2003 bomb attack on the Canal Hotel in Baghdad, Iraq, killing 22 people. 20 years on, the work has grown in scale and complexity.
Each year, WHD focuses on a theme, bringing together partners from across the humanitarian system to advocate for the survival, well-being and dignity of people affected by crises, and for the safety and security of aid workers. – More information on the 2023 WHD campaign will become available here from August 7th onwards.
National Flight of the Monarch Day – August 19
Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) is proud to present National Flight of the Monarch Day, a nationwide event to recognize the iconic Monarch butterfly. On Saturday August 19, 2023, communities and organizations across Canada will come together for a day of summer fun to celebrate one of North America’s most cherished insects!
Check out these resources:
International Overdose Awareness Day – August 31
International Overdose Awareness Day (IOAD) is the world’s largest annual campaign to end overdose, remember without stigma those who have died from overdose, and acknowledge the grief of the family and friends left behind.
2023 theme is “Recognizing those people who go unseen”, in honour of the people whose lives have been altered by overdose. They are the family and friends grieving the loss of a loved one; workers in healthcare and support services extending strength and compassion; or spontaneous first responders who selflessly assume the role of lifesaver.
Check out some Canadian resources here: https://www.camh.ca/en/camh-news-and-stories/camh-library-resources-for-international-overdose-awareness-day-august-31 .
You can access a list of supervised consumption sites in Canada, where people suffering from addiction will be able to bring their drugs to be tested to ensure they are safe, and/or consume on site and people and medical supplies can assist if an overdose or tainted supply occurs.