Partners in Project Green shares Days of Awareness each month to spread awareness and start conversations. These days may have a social, historical, religious or sustainable significance. Please note, these are just a small sampling of important days to acknowledge and we encourage you to discover others!
Contact: Hershil Sheth – hershil.sheth@trca.ca.
Welcome to the month of May, a time when spring is well underway in this part of the northern hemisphere. This month was named after the Greek goddess Maia, one of the Pleiades and a companion of Artemis, goddess of the hunt. The Greek goddess became abridged with the Roman goddess Maia Majesta, a goddess of fertility and spring.
Flower/Budding Moon: The 5th Moon of the Anishinaabe Peoples
There are 13 full cycles of the moon phases within a year as the Earth travels around the sun. The Anishinaabe peoples of this land have used a turtle carapace as a calendar. Each large section of the turtle’s back shell represents a complete moon cycle and the corresponding activities or significance it holds.
May is known as the Flower Moon or Budding Moon, depending on the dialect or community. This signifies a time when plant life usually comes alive with new flowers, blossoms, leaves and new growth.
Asian Heritage Month
Since the 1990s, Canada has acknowledged Asian Heritage month, a time of learning, recognition and celebration. In 2001, Canadian Senator Vivienne Poy proposed to make the designation official. The Government of Canada signed official declarations to make this honourary month official in May of 2002.
Learn more about the history and significant events of the different Asian heritages through the Government of Canada.
May you join in the events and opportunities to celebrate the contributions of the diverse Asian communities that are found across Canada!
National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls– May 5th
In 2010, Métis artist Jamie Black began an art installment called the REDress Project as a way to call attention to the issue of missing or murdered Indigenous women, girls, and two-spirit people across Canada. It has grown into a National movement where Indigenous communities and allies come together for reflection, mourning, healing, listening, and cultural reconnection.
International Day for Biological Diversity– May 22
The planet needs biodiversity. The complex network of a wide variety of living organisms is essential for ecosystem health and makes our world the rich, diverse, fascinating place that it is.
As a day designated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the International Day for Biological Diversity acts as a day of awareness and action.
People around the world are coming together on May 22nd with solutions to conserve natural spaces, restore species populations, and inspire changes in human activity.
World Turtle Day– May 23
Turtles are an ancient reptile species that have been on this planet since the Jurassic period. Most species live between 30-40 years with some living to be 100 years or more!
Today, we have 8 species of turtles that live in Ontario, 3 of which are listed as endangered and 1 listed as threatened. Major factors in turtle population decline include loss of habitat, collisions with vehicles, and illegal collection for the food and pet trade business.
Turtles live in a variety of aquatic habitats including lakes, ponds, and marshes. Keep your eye out for turtles basking on rocks and logs on a sunny day at some of TRCA’s Conservation Parks!