Days of Awareness: September
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.
Childhood Cancer Awareness Month
Childhood Cancer Awareness Month is a time to unite in support of children facing cancer and their families. September is dedicated to raising awareness, sharing resources, and advocating for improved research, treatment, and support for children facing cancer.
Canadian landmarks will be lit up in gold across the country to honour the Gold Ribbon, the international symbol for childhood cancer awareness (click here for the complete list of landmarks).
- Toronto – CN Tower (September 2nd for the last 30 minutes of each hour)
- Niagara Falls – Niagara Falls (September 1st at 10:30 for 15 minutes – Live Cam HERE)
How to Get Involved:
- Check out https://www.childhoodcancer.ca/partner-with-us/ to learn more about how you can donate, plan a fundraiser, become a corporate sponsor or support this important cause in some other way.
National Read a Book Day – Sept 6th
National Read a Book Day is observed annually on September 6th by encouraging everyone to grab a book we might enjoy and spend the day reading.
Reading improves memory and concentration as well as reduces stress. Older adults who spend time reading show a slower cognitive decline and tend to participate in more mentally stimulating activities over their lifetime. Books are an inexpensive entertainment, educational tool and time machine too!
Ways to Get Involved:
- Visit your local library to obtain or renew a library card. Borrow a book from the library or download the Libby App and unlock access to thousands of free e-books, audiobooks and magazines.
- Share the experience! Read aloud either to children or to grandparents. Read to your pets or to your stuffed animals and plants.
World First Aid Day – Sept 13th
Held each year on the second Saturday of September, World First Aid Day is a global moment to raise awareness, strengthen community preparedness, and encourage people everywhere to learn essential life-saving skills. Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies around the world mark the occasion with local events, educational campaigns, and public engagement activities.
In 2025, the focus will be on the link between first aid and climate change. Under the slogan “Saving Lives in a Changing Climate,” this year’s campaign will spotlight how extreme weather and environmental shifts are shaping the way we prepare for and respond to emergencies.
Ways to Get Involved:
- Take a first aid or CPR class with the Canadian Red Cross. You can learn lifesaving skills for emergencies or spread the word – follow @RedCrossCanada to learn more and engage.
- Share Resources: Find and share valuable first aid tips. For example: First Aid for Sprains, Strains, and Fractures or Eight Essential First Aid Tips Every Runner Needs to Know
World Clean Up Day – Sept 20th
World Cleanup Day harnesses the power of everyday people to achieve incredible things by joining together. Its beauty lies in cooperation and collaboration: building bridges between disparate communities, and including all levels of society – from citizens to businesses, to government. Volunteers and partners worldwide come together to rid our planet of trash – cleaning up litter and mismanaged waste from our beaches, rivers, forests, and streets. World Cleanup Day is the biggest event organized by the global organization.
Ways to Get Involved:
- You can participate either as a cleanup organiser, or as a participant in an already-organised local event, or both! Check out the World Clean Up Day’s website for more information.
National Day Truth and Reconciliation – Sept 30th
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation honours Indigenous children who never returned home and Survivors of residential schools, including their families and communities. To commemorate this tragic and painful history, show your support and allyship by wearing an orange t-shirt on September 30th as a symbol of the culture, freedom, and self-esteem that was stripped away from Indigenous children for generations. #EveryChildMatters
Ways to Get Involved:
- Register for PPG member-exclusive onlines session on Tuesday, September 16: Member 101: Reconciliation in Action
- Learn about the story behind Orange Shirt Day: https://orangeshirtday.org/orange-shirt-day/
- Learn about the establishment and on-going work of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: https://nctr.ca/about/history-of-the-trc/truth-and-reconciliation-commission-of-canada/
If you have any questions about the Days of Awareness feature, please contact Charlotte Hung at charlotte.hung@trca.ca.