Solstice (June)
2027-06-20 - 2027-06-23
Called Summer Solstice in the northern hemisphere, Winter Solstice in the southern, people have marked the June Solstice in some way or another for thousands of years. Many religions have seasonal holy days linked to this day. It is the day when the Northern Hemisphere has more daylight than at any other time of the year. In the Southern Hemisphere, the least daylight occurs this day in June. The precise date of the June Solstice varies from year to year, but usually it is between the 20th and 23rd of June. “Solstice” comes from two Latin words: “sol” (meaning sun) and “sistere,” (to cause to stand still). At noon in either hemisphere the sun will be high in the sky during summer, low during winter. On the day with the greatest number of daylight hours, the sun reaches its maximum elevation; we call this the Summer Solstice. Likewise, the day with the least daylight is the Winter Solstice. In the Northern Hemisphere, the June Solstice is officially the first day of summer, also called Midsummer because it comes roughly during the midst of the growing season in Europe.

World Humanist Day
2027-06-21
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Humanist_Day)World Humanist Day is a day to spread information and combat misinformation about humanism as a life-philosophy and a means to affect change in the world. This secular holiday dates back to the 1980s, when several local state chapters of the American Humanist Association (http://www.humanist.net/) (AHA) began celebrating World Humanist Day. Different chapters had different ideas as to when that day should be, however. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the AHA and then the International Humanist Ethical Union passed resolutions declaring the Summer Solstice to be World Humanist Day. The American Humanist Association (http://www.humanist.net/), the International Humanist and Ethical Union (http://www.iheu.org/), the Council for Secular Humanism (http://www.secularhumanism.org/), the Campus Freethought Alliance (http://www.campusfreethought.org/) and the Secular Student Alliance (http://www.secularstudents.org/) currently celebrate World Humanist Day. Use this secular holiday to educate the public in your area about humanism, and to gather and celebrate as a humanist community that continues to contribute to the progress and education of the world. A picnic, is a particularly good way to celebrate World Humanist Day. Read your favorite humanist texts aloud; spend time socializing with your fellow humanists in a relaxed, natural environment.

Torture Victims' Day
2027-06-26
In 1997, the United Nations General Assembly passed resolution 52/149, establishing June 26 as the United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Day_in_Support_of_Victims_of_Torture). The goal is the eradication of torture and the effective functioning of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (resolution 39/46, annex, 26 June 1987). This day gives us all an opportunity to stand united against cruelty, and remind the world that torture is a violation of basic human rights. Clearly the abolition of torture is a key issue to freethinkers and humanists, and too often the worst perpetrators of this atrocity are highly religious societies. But secular societies have been far from innocent of it. This is a cause where we can often join hands with our religious brothers and sisters. Take a moment on this day to visit the United Nations webpage (https://www.un.org/en/observances/torture-victims-day) for this secular holiday. “At a time when the legitimate aspirations of people in many regions of the world for greater freedom, dignity and a better life are too often met with violence and repression, I urge States to respect the fundamental rights of all people. Torture and other forms of cruel, degrading and inhuman treatment and punishment, wherever they occur and whatever the circumstances, can never be justified.” Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Message for the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, 2011

Chevalier de la Barre Day
2027-07-01
Mainly a French observance, Chevalier de la Barre Day is for all who opposes religious oppression, marking the execution of the Chevalier de la Barre for impiety. On July 1, 1766, church authorities tortured and killed young Jean-Francois de la Barre (the “Chevalier de la Barre” because he held the title of Chevalier or “knight”) for impiety. His reputed “crimes” included not doffing his hat at a religious procession, singing bawdy songs, and the possession of banned books by Voltaire, a famed writer of his day and a leading critic of the Catholic Church. An outraged Voltaire made the execution a cause célèbre, haunted by “this sentence so execrable, and at the same time so absurd, which is an eternal disgrace to France,” because a key piece of evidence used against La Barre was La Barre’s possession of Voltaire’s Philosophical Dictionary. The Chevalier and two young friends had been accused of defacing a crucifix in the French town of Abbeville. None saw this happen, but local clergy harassed and harrangued the villagers until a few, fearing excommunication, vaguely recalled three youths who had not removed their hats at a recent Catholic procession. They pointed out La Barre and his friends. Once charged, one of the youths fled to Holland, and one (only 15 years old) was simply fined. Only the 19 year old La Barre remained. A search of his home turned up three forbidden books. The courts and the church decided they had their ideal suspect. Mercilessly they tortured him, cut out his tongue, then decapitated him. Eventually they burned his body on a pyre along with his copy of Voltaire’s book. In 1905, a statue of Jean-Francois, Chevalier de la Barre was built in Montmartre, on the outskirts of Paris. In 1941, Nazi collaborationists removed it and melted down for munitions for the war effort – while leaving statues of saints and kings intact. In France, Chevalier de la Barre Day often features demonstrations in his memory. Today, freethinkers in France and the West experience great freedom in their lives, but in other cultures still torture and kill freethinkers and disidents for their beliefs. Chevalier de la Barre Day is therefore a day to remember all those men and women persecuted by religion, and to campaign for the rights of those persecuted today. For more information, see: Chevalier de la Barre (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean-Fran%C3%A7ois_de_la_Barre).

Indivisible Day
2027-07-04
In the state of Minnesota, former Governor Jess Ventura declared Independence Day to be Indivisible Day, a day in recognition of the separation of Church and State, and the vital role it has played in keeping our nation free and whole. For more information, see https://secularseasons.org/july/indivisible_day.html (https://secularseasons.org/july/indivisible_day.html).

World Population Day
2027-07-11
The Governing Council of the United Nations Development Programme established World Population Day (https://www.unfpa.org/swop-2014) in 1989, seeking to raise awareness of global population issues. The inspiration for this annual event was public interest in Five Billion Day, July 11, 1987, when the world’s population reached approximately five billion people. Visit the World Population Clock at https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/ (https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/).

World Friendship Day
2027-08-01 - 2027-08-07
World Friendship Day (http://www.friendshipday.org/) (or International Friendship Day) is the first Sunday of August, which of course floats, like the friendship in our lives, and can be any day from Aug 1 through Aug 7. We humans are social creatures. We recognize the value of friendship, the invisible thread connecting our hearts. In 1935 the US Congress proclaimed World Friendship Day as a time to celebrate this humanist sentiment. Since then other nations across the world have adopted the noble idea of Friendship Day, honoring it on the first Sunday of August every year, making it a true international celebration. How can you acknowledge Friendship Day? Call on your friends, invite them for food, embrace them, exchange cards and flowers, gift them with a friendship band or bracelet (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friendship_bracelet), or mark the day with programs celebrating human camaraderie. Note, some groups and nations celebrate Friendship at other times of the year, with different customs and different emphasis. For instance: – National Friendship Day is the first Sunday in August – Women’s Friendship Day, the third Sunday in August – International Friendship Month is February – Old Friends / New Friends Week is the third week of MayWhat is remarkably constant amid this diversity is idea of the celebration of our connections. Everywhere, people express love for their friends and cherish their presence in life. For more information on this secular holiday, click here (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friendship_day).

Ingersoll Day
2027-08-11
Ingersoll Day marks the birthday of Robert Green Ingersoll (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_G._Ingersoll), honoring the life and work of one of the most noted freethinkers in US history. Ingersoll was also the most successful orator in nineteenth century America, heard by more Americans than any human before the advent of motion pictures and radio. A leading political figure, he campaigned against slavery and for the rights of women and minorities. They called him the “Great Agnostic.” He attracted huge crowds to lectures that criticized religion and promoted freethought. Walt Whitman and Mark Twain greatly admired him. Celebrate Ingersoll Day with a visit to the Robert Green Ingersoll Birthplace Museum (http://www.secularhumanism.org/index.php?section=ingersoll&page=museum), or by reading excerpts from the Complete Works of Ingersoll (http://www.infidels.org/library/historical/robert_ingersoll/). (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_G._Ingersoll) “When I became convinced that the universe is natural, that all the ghosts and gods are myths, there entered into my brain, into my soul, into every drop of my blood the sense, the feeling, the joy of freedom. The walls of my prison crumbled and fell. The dungeon was flooded with light and all the bolts and bars and manacles became dust. I was no longer a servant, a serf, or a slave. There was for me no master in all the wide world, not even in infinite space. I was free — free to think, to express my thoughts — free to live my own ideal, free to live for myself and those I loved, free to use all my faculties, all my senses, free to spread imagination’s wings, free to investigate, to guess and dream and hope, free to judge and determine for myself . . . I was free! I stood erect and fearlessly, joyously faced all worlds.” — Robert Green Ingersoll, “Why I Am An Agnostic”

World Cleanup Day
2027-09-15 - 2027-09-21
In the United States, World Cleanup Day (https://www.worldcleanupday.us/) (WCD) is the third Saturday of September, which due to calendar vageries can drift from Sept 15 to Sept 21. But eco-groups urge us to think of all of September as World Cleanup Month. And that’s a great idea. The idea of WCD began in the small country of Estonia in 2008, when 50,000 people united to clean up the entire country in just five hours. On that day, a bottom-up civic movement was born. It spread virally around the globe, capturing the hearts off people worldwide, who followed suit with the same ambitious ‘one country, one-day’ formula. By 2018 it had united 18 million people across 157 countries and territories. Today the simple idea is a global movement with millions of volunteers and charismatic leaders. The simple act of cleaning has bound together people and groups that would otherwise never unite to work towards the same goal. Civil society, governments and global corporations, women in Saudi Arabia, people defying war in Yemen and Syria, Muslims, Jews, Hindus and Christians, men and women, children. Why? Because every human has a place they call Home, be it a mansion, a street, a hut or a cardboard box. Then there are the cities, countries, and regions we call home; the planet we call home. When the Estonians successfully cleaned their home in 5 hours, the world took notice. The simplicity of the idea and the ‘let’s do it’ attitude took off and the rest, as they say, is history. After all, anyone can pick up trash. But World Cleanup Day has become much more than that. Daycares, schools, companies, government officials – the old, the young, the rich, the poor, the able and less able – everyone has contributed. Because they can. Because they wanted to be involved in making their home a better place. Because they were given an opportunity to help. Because they belong to a community, and the community belongs to us. How can you help? Go to https://www.worldcleanupday.us (https://www.worldcleanupday.us/) or https://www.worldcleanupday.org/ (https://www.worldcleanupday.org/), find your local contacts, register for a Cleanup, and rise early that day to help to beautify your parks, trails, beaches, mountains, and open spaces. The world will be better for it, and you will be a better person.

Ask An Atheist Day
2027-09-15 - 2027-09-21
National Ask an Atheist Day (https://www.wheniscalendars.com/national-ask-an-atheist-day/) is a movible secular holiday that occurs twice each year — first on the 3rd Thursday of April (which can be anywhere from April 15 to April 21), then on the 3rd Thursday of September (from Sept 15 to Sep 21). As if atheists don’t have enough to do already. “NAaA Day” is an opportunity for secular groups across the country to dispell stereotypes about atheism and to encourage constructive, courteous dialogue between believers and nonbelievers. And it is an opportunity for the general public—particularly people of faith—to approach non-theists and ask questions about secular life. Please don’t be afraid to spark up a discussion with us, we won’t bite. Most don’t, anyway. The first event was in February of 2011, when members of the Secular Student Alliance (https://secularstudents.org/) (SSA) at the University of Illinois set up a table with a sign that said “Ask an Atheist.” The next month an article appeared in the Friendly Atheist website (https://friendlyatheist.patheos.com/), written by a “Guest Contributor” (probably an SSA member), saying the event was a smashing success and the Illinois group hoped to take the day nationally. “The SSA is ready to help,” it added. Since then NAaA Day has occured across the nation each April since, and soon in September as well. For those interested, it helps to know a bit about atheism. Of course the point is to ask atheists questions, but here is some background. Generally, atheists have no belief in deities, which is not quite the same as a positive belief that no deity exists. The prefix “a” just means “without.” Atheism has no set ideology—atheists may be humanists, rationalists, unitarian universalists, postmodernists, secularists, among other things. Historically, Greek and Roman philosophers and writers such as Epicurus, Democritus, and Lucretius had an influence on what would become atheism. The term didn’t appear until the sixteenth century, a time when freethought and skepticism began to flourish. Some that lived during the Age of Enlightenment were the first to identify themselves as atheists. The supremacy of human reason was an facit of the French Revolution, and it was at this time that atheism first became used politically. Science also began to lock horns with orthodox religion during the second half of the nineteenth century. Today it is challenging to estimate how many atheists are in the world. A 2015 poll claimed about 11% of the world’s population are atheists, and a 2012 poll claimed the number to be 13% (both WIN/Gallup International polls). A BBC poll from 2004 put the number at 8%. Europe and Asia seem to have the largest number of atheists. In 2015, 61% of Chinese citizens identified as atheists. How to observe the day. If you call yourself an atheist, you can celebrate the day in a variety of ways. For example, set up a table where believers and others can come up to you and ask you questions about atheism, secular living, and your beliefs (or nonbeliefs). You can email (mailto:organizers@secularstudents.org) the SSA for supplies for your table, such as brochures, stickers (https://secularstudents.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/AAAD-stickers-768×632.jpg), posters, and flyers. You could also wear the stickers and put flyers up on campus (flyers could be put up before the day as well). You could organize an “ask an atheist” panel event, or go on a radio station and have an “ask an atheist” segment where listeners are able to call in and ask you questions about atheism. When posting on social media, use the hashtag #askanatheist. For more about the day and how to participate, take a look at the Ask An Atheist Day Activity Guide (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XJObSWsJnmFY29WDsCGmMeJzCGax0QfQ/view). But what if you aren’t an atheist? Celebrate NAaA Day by asking an atheist about atheism! The day is meant to be filled with respectful dialogue, so make sure to participate in such a way, no matter if you are an atheist or the person asking questions.

Talk Like A Pirate Day
2027-09-19
Avast ye lubbers. International Talk Like a Pirate Day (http://talklikeapirate.com) is a day to show your Piratude. Created in 1995 by John Baur and Mark Summers, promulgated to worldwide popularity by humorist Dave Barry in a syndicated column, this is a secular holiday we can celebrate in many ways: garb like pirates, talk like pirates, swill grog like pirates, stagger and fall down like pirates. What’s grog? Never mind, just find some and knock it back. Then haul your keel, shiver your timbers, and do wha’ ever else seem right and proper, ’cause this be a day to celebrate. More info ahoy, here (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Talk_Like_a_Pirate_Day). (http://www.talklikeapirate.com/) Other Piratey links: How to Talk like a Pirate, instructions here (http://www.yarr.org.uk/talk/). Translate text into Pirate Talk here (http://funtranslations.com/pirate). Google’s Pirate Search engine is here (http://www.google.com/webhp?hl=xx-pirate).

Equinox (September)
2027-09-22 - 2027-09-23
The September Equinox is one of two days in the calendar year when day almost equal the night hours. In the northern hemisphere it is also the first day of Autumn or Fall (Gregorian calendar), called the Autumnal Equinox. (In the southern hemisphere it is the first day of Spring.) The Autumnal Equinox marks when green things begin to shed, when growth which was young in the spring has reached maturity. Animals prepare for winter, tree leaves turn colors, and the air takes a chill. In most cultures this a time for harvest and taking stock of life’s fragility. It is a time when people begin noticing the waning hours of daylight in anticipation of the winter. Since this time of year is one of the most temperate, it is also a good time to reflect on the meaning of life. In every culture the Autumnal Equinox signals the return of weather that favors slowing down, introspection, and conservation. Many cultures celebrate the harvest as a means to defeat the starvation brought on by winter. It is also a time closely associated with the dead. Though the dead do not return to life nor walk the earth this time of the year, it is well to remember or memorialize those who are no longer with us. For freethinkers the Autumnal Equinox is a great time to celebrate the lives of those who contributed to the freethought movement. It is also a perfect day to contemplate your own thoughts on the meaning you invest in life, and share those thoughts with others.

Banned Book Week
2027-09-23 - 2027-09-30
(http://www.bannedbooksweek.org/) September’s end marks Banned Books Week, a celebration of the Freedom to Read, established by the American Library Association in 1981 in response to growing attempts to ban books in public libraries across the country. First observed in 1982, we celebrate it each year during the last week starting in September, to remind our fellow citizens not to take for granted their freedom to read the written word. Every year bookstores and libraries across the United States celebrate Banned Books Week with displays of and readings from books that have been banned or threatened throughout history. Such works range from the Bible and Thomas Paine’s The Age of Reason to Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and J.K Rowling’s Harry Potter series, and has included books on atheism, science, tolerance, social issues, love and sex, and philosophy. Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Thomas Paine, Voltaire, Aristophanes, Margaret Sanger, Mary Shelley, Ambrose Bierce, Charles Darwin, George Eliot, Mark Twain and John Locke were all victims of censorship during their lifetimes and still face censorship in some sections of the world today. Banned Books Week stands as a reminder that freedom is precious, that without constant diligence and defiance we can loose it, even in the United States. If anything this should motivate freethinkers everywhere to read banned books, discuss them, and protect the rights of all Americans to read what they want, when they want, in libraries across the country. Banned Books Week sponsors include the … American Booksellers Association (http://www.bookweb.org/), American Booksellers Foundation of Free Expression (http://www.abffe.org/), American Library Association (http://www.ala.org/) (ALA), Association of American Publishers (http://www.publishers.org/), American Society of Journalists and Authors (http://www.asja.org/index9.php), and National Association of College Stores (http://www.csref.org/). It is endorsed by the Library of Congress Center for the Book (http://www.loc.gov/loc/cfbook/).

Blasphemy Day
2027-09-30
Secularists and freethinkers worldwide celebrate International Blasphemy Day (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blasphemy_Day) or “Blasphemy Rights Day” to mark the anniversary of when images of Muhammad appeared in the Denmark newspaper Jyllands-Posten in 2005. Conservative Muslims reacted to the drawings with worldwide protests, riots, embassy burnings and death threats. Formally founded in 2009 by Ronald Lindsay, Directory of the Center of Inquiry in Ahmherst, New York, and promoted by the Campaign for Free Expression (http://www.centerforinquiry.net/campaign_for_free_expression), this secular holiday now stands as a platform for individuals freely to express criticisms of religion and religious establishments. As Ronald Lindsay said in a television interview: “… religious beliefs should be subject to examination and criticism just as political beliefs are, but we have a taboo on religion.” “… we’re against restrictions on speech based purely on the possibility that some people might be offended,” he also said; “Because if you go down that path there’s no end to it.” Participants have celebrated Blasphemy Day in various ways: with speeches, art exhibitions, feasts, poetry, music and song, and by taking the Blasphemy Challenge (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rational_Response_Squad#The_Blasphemy_Challenge). Use your imagination. Unlike most holidays, this one even has its own Facebook page. Visit it here (http://www.facebook.com/blasphemyday).

Freethought Day
2027-10-12
Freethought Day (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freethought_Day), or “Freethought Coming-Out Day,” is a day to give closeted freethinkers a platform from which to declare themselves. The formal calendar holiday is October 12, but many groups plan celebrations for the closest weekend. Some recognize the week as Freethought Week, or the entire month of October as Freethought Month. In this time, newly declared freethinkers can garner strength and support from fellow “declared” freethinkers. Why October 12? Because on the day in 1692, Colonial Massachusetts Governor William Phips wrote to the Privy Council of the British monarchs to take a stand against the legal use of “spectral evidence,” that is, evidence of a non-objective nature, such as “feelings” and visions. His decision that evidence should be objective and verifiable essentially brought an end to the Salem Witch Trials, saving scores of lives. (Click here (http://salem.lib.virginia.edu/n163.html) to read Phips’s two letters.) In the modern United States, discrimination, hatred and bias against freethinkers continues. The freethought community, unlike the gay and lesbian community, lacks a powerful voice and activist population for ending such treatment. Reactions often stem from a misunderstanding of what it is to be a freethinker, or that freethought is a mindset often set in motion in childhood, like sexual preference, not something to change on a whim or with the right “religion.” Others should not to try to change it with bullying, ridicule or intimidation. Freethinkers must be allowed to declare themselves openly. The intent of Freethought Day is to change this situation for the better of all freethinkers, especially the young. Today’s world sees the emergence of younger and younger freethinkers who are often alone and isolated in their communities. The Secular Student Alliance (http://www.secularstudents.org/) and the Campus Freethought Alliance (http://www.centerforinquiry.net/oncampus/) attempt through their projects to give voice to college and university freethinkers in the US and across the globe, while programs such as Camp Quest (http://www.edwinkagin.com/campquest/), the country’s first secular humanist summer camp, and the SSA’s High School Program (https://www.secularstudents.org/node/171) provide young freethinkers with a place to gain a sense of community and understand that there is a proud and illustrious history to their philosophy. However these programs are few, and without a united voice and a united commitment to change this situation, they may not be enough. Every freethinker in every community should feel comfortable with his or her ideals, and part of that is a connection to like-minded individuals. Freethought Day gives our friends a chance to understand who we freethinkers are, what we believe, that freethought exists in every community, and that they should not view freethought with fear, but with respect as a positive, compassionate way to live life.

International Skeptics Day
2027-10-13
International Skeptics Day is like a party for your brain, where doubt is the guest of honor! This special day lands on October 13th each year, inviting everyone to question the usual and embrace some healthy skepticism. But there’s a twist. This day also gets celebrated on January 13th and sometimes even on the first Friday-the-13th of the year, making it a triple treat for those who love to question everything. The day’s roots stretch way back, touching on historical figures like Pyrrho of Elis and William of Ockham, who taught us the importance of questioning our beliefs and the knowledge we take for granted. The essence of International Skeptics Day is not just about doubting for the sake of it but encouraging a spirit of inquiry and critical thinking. Imagine a world where everyone accepted things at face value. There’s not much room for progress, right? That’s where this day steps in, urging us to question the established, seek evidence, and maybe even play devil’s advocate at the next group hangout. Remember that the essence of skepticism is not about being negative, but about keeping an open mind, and not just accepting things on someone’s word. It’s about looking for evidence, asking questions, and not taking “because I said so” for an answer.

Carl Sagan Day
2027-11-09
Carl Sagan Day (http://www.carlsaganday.com/) marks the birthday of the great Carl Sagan, and is a celebration to honor his memory. Carl Sagan was Professor of Astronomy and Space Science and Director of the Laboratory for Planetary Studies at Cornell University, an outspoken skeptic, humanist and freethinker, and a Pulitzer Prize winning science author. But for the most part the public remembers him as the creator of the Cosmos (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosmos:_A_Personal_Voyage) television series. This Emmy and Peabody award-winning PBS series transformed educational television when it first aired in 1980. Thirty years later it still seems fresh, and has gone on to affect the hearts and minds of over a billion people in sixty countries. His magnum opus was his final book, The Demon-Haunted World (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Demon-Haunted_World), published in 1995, the year before his untimely death. Few other science writers (perhaps only Isaac Asimov) were able to reach and teach so many nonscientists in such a meaningful way. So in 2009, the Center for Inquiry (http://www.centerforinquiry.net/carlsaganday) inaugurated Carl Sagan Day as a secular holiday. Each year we will continue to celebrate Dr. Sagan, remember him and his work, and revel in the wondrous cosmos he helped us understand.

Church/State Separation Week
2027-11-24 - 2027-11-28
Many freethinkers have adopted the week of Thanksgiving (~November 24) as Church/State Separation Week, to offer concerned and active citizens an opportunity to educate others about the importance of a clear division between Church and State. The hope is that this secular holiday will rally us and provide a platform to celebrate one of this nation’s finest contributions to civilization. Secularist societies such asAmericans United for the Separation of Church and State (http://www.au.org/), the Institute for First Amendment Studies (http://www.ifas.org/), the Freedom From Religion Foundation (http://www.ffrf.org/), the American Atheists (http://www.atheists.org/) and the Institute for the Secularization of Islamic Society (http://www.secularislam.org/), as well as others united for a secular government, have supported this celebration. In humanist circles, some also celebrate November 24 as Evolution Day (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evolution_Day), marking as it does the anniversary of the first publication of The Origin of Species (Nov 24, 1859). For the most, however, the focus is on church/state separation this week. Carles Darwin has his own secular holiday (see: February 12).

International Human Rights Day
2027-12-10
“IHUD (https://www.un.org/en/observances/human-rights-day)” is a way to promote, defend, and remember the basic human rights every person in every country has as a result of being born into this world. The basic document that outlines these rights is known as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, as adopted by the United Nations in 1948. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights came about as a result of the atrocities of World War II. As the United Nations came into being its charter gave human rights a new international legal status, and the need to codify human rights as a means to prevent similar atrocities took shape. It created a Commission on Human Rights, which spent three years drafting the declaration with the help of such members as Eleanor Roosevelt, John P. Humphrey, Charles Malik and Rene Cassin. The declaration was adopted without dissent on December 10, 1948, and has grown in stature and respect over the years since its adoption as it continues to assert the human dignity and worth of every human being on the planet. Since its adoption countries around the world have celebrated the anniversary, but it has only been since the 50th anniversary celebrations in 1998 that the holiday has gained in popularity. Eleanor Roosevelt once said that the fate of human rights lies in the hands of everyone in every community. Freethinkers know the importance of this statement. It can often be a challenge for many of them to be given the same rights and opportunities as others in their own communities, much less in the world. They, of all people, understand the importance of keeping human rights the center of focus and attention in the world at large. Celebrating International Human Rights Day is a way to show how everyone, religious or not, is connected in ways that run deeper than the nature of belief. International Human Rights Day Press Kit & Resources (https://www.un.org/en/observances/human-rights-day/resources).

Bill of Rights Day
2027-12-15
Bill of Rights Day (https://constitutioncenter.org/learn/civic-calendar/bill-of-rights-day) (by Presidential Proclamation): Now, Therefore, I, Franklin D. Roosevelt, President of the United States of America, do hereby designate December 15, 1941, as Bill of Rights Day. And I call upon the officials of the Government, and upon the people of the United States, to observe the day by displaying the flag of the United States on public buildings and by meeting together for such prayers and such ceremonies as may seem to them appropriate. To view the official proclamation, see: https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/proclamation-2524-bill-rights-day (https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/proclamation-2524-bill-rights-day) The first 10 amendments to the United States Constitution make up the Bill of Rights. Passed by Congress on September 25, 1789, these rights place limits on government power. Did you know …? – The bill was introduced by James Madison. He later became the 4th President of the United States. – The Bill of Rights initially had 12 proposed amendments. One concerned the number of constituents for each Representative. The other addressed compensation of Congressman. Neither were ratified. – In 1992, compensation of Congressman was ratified 203 years later and is now the 27th amendment. – The Bill of Rights is displayed in The Rotunda of the National Archives Building in Washington, DC. – There were 14 copies of the Bill of Rights, one for each of the 13 states to sign and one for the federal archives. Only 12 copies survive today.HOW TO OBSERVE: Display the flag of the United States at home and on public buildings. Read the Bill of Rights. See if you can pass a quiz (https://ncc.polldaddy.com/s/can-you-pass-a-basic-10-question-quiz-on-bill-of-rights) about the Bill of Rights. Use #BillOfRightsDay to post on social media.

Solstice (December)
2027-12-20 - 2027-12-23
December Solstice is the real Reason for the Season. Called Winter Solstice in the northern hemisphere, Summer Solstice in the southern, people have marked this astronomical event for thousands of years. Many religions have seasonal holy days or celebrations linked to the December Solstice. It is the day the Northern Hemisphere has less daylight than at any other time of the year (we call it the shortest day), and the Southern Hemisphere has more daylight occurs than any other time (the longest day). The precise date of the December Solstice varies from year to year, but it will occur between the 20th and 23rd of December. “Solstice” derives from two Latin words: sol (meaning sun) and sistere (to cause to stand still). At noon in either hemisphere the sun will be low in the sky during the winter season, high in the sky during summer. The day with the least daylight is the Winter Solstice, where sun has the lowest elevation. So in the Northern Hemisphere, the December Solstice is officially the first day of winter, sometimes called Midwinter. To the ancients, this day marked a key point in the cycle of life. For modern astronomy enthusiasts, it offers an opportunity to celebrate what we have learned about the cosmos, and allows us to revel in the excitement of space exploration and the complexity of the universe.

HumanLight
2027-12-23
HumanLight (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HumanLight) is a holiday to celebrate the humanist values of tolerance, compassion, empathy, honesty, free inquiry, reason and rationality, and more. The event began in New Jersey in 2001, established by by Joe Fox and Gary Brill of the New Jersey Humanist Network (http://www.njhn.org/). The event provides an excellent alternative to Christmas celebrations. Joe & Gary described it as follows: “The very first HumanLight celebration was held in New Jersey on December 23, 2001 at a gala event attended by close to 100 people. HumanLight is December 23rd, and should always be celebrated on or around this date. This date was chosen for several reasons. A critical objective was to be part of the peak celebration time of the holiday season, yet to have a distinct date of our own that did not coincide exactly (and thus interfere) with other holidays such as the Winter Solstice, Christmas, or Kwanzaa. We liked December 23rd because it was close to the shortest day of the year, a natural event of note, as well as very close to vacation days that typically lead to family gatherings. We wanted Humanists at family gatherings and other holiday social events to be able to say “Happy Holidays” and mean it; to have a positive, constructive way to start a conversation in which they could explain to loved ones what Humanism is about. ” (http://humanlight.org/)

Religious Freedom Day
2028-01-16
National Religious Freedom Day (http://religiousfreedomday.com/) is in the truest sense both a religious and a secular holiday. It marks the anniversary of the passage of the Virginia Statute of Religious Freedom (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginia_Statute_for_Religious_Freedom), the 1786 colonial statute that disestablished the Anglican Church in Virginia and set the foundation for Separation of Church and State. Thomas Jefferson marked this statute as one of his greatest achievements. Among other things it declared the following: – “that to compel a man to furnish contributions of money for the propagation of opinions which he disbelieves is sinful and tyrannical, – “that our civil rights have no dependence on our religious opinions any more than our opinions in physics or geometry, – “that no man shall be compelled to frequent or support any religious worship, place, or ministry whatsoever, nor shall be enforced, restrained, molested, or burthened in his body or goods, nor shall otherwise suffer on account of his religious opinions or belief, but that all men shall be free to profess, and by argument to maintain, their opinions in matters of Religion, and that the same shall in no wise diminish, enlarge or affect their civil capacities.”Congress first marked Religious Freedom Day in 1993. It is a day to reflect on the hard-won separation of civic and religious life, and to refresh our resolve to inform fellow citizen about liberty of conscience in matters of faith, a liberty which must include both freedom of and from religion. Because otherwise, it is no freedom at all.

Thomas Paine Day
2028-01-29
Thomas Paine Day, also called Freethinkers Day, promotes appreciation of freethought through the life and works of American patriot Thomas Paine. Paine (1737-1809) was a courageous freethinker whose life and work inspired great social and political advancement across world. Raised in England, Paine played a vital role in the American and French Revolutions. His books and pamphlets, including The Age of Reason, The Rights of Man, and Common Sense, gained a mass audience for the liberating philosophy of the Enlightenment. Paine arrived in America in 1774 at Benjamin Franklin’s request. On January 10, 1776, he published Common Sense (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0452009219/darwindayprogram), a remarkable and powerful republican pamphlet which had an immediate success. He served in the Revolutionary War under General Greene and later in official positions appointed by congress and in the Pennsylvania legislature. In his later publication, Age of Reason (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1883011035/darwindayprogram), Paine expressed that “all religions are in their nature mild and benign” when not associated with political systems. Paine was the quintessential Deist of the 18th century. Between March 1791 and February 1792 he published numerous editions of his Rights of Man (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0451528891/darwindayprogram), in which he defended the French Revolution. The words of Thomas Paine inspired many to strive for political, economic and social advancement. He was among the first to call for an end to slavery and the establishment of human rights around the world. In the 1990s, the Truth Seeker magazine began celebrating Freethinkers Day on Thomas Paine’s birthday in order to educate the public on the importance of Thomas Paine in the history of freedom. Its poetic description of the day, on this webpage (http://ts.eworldinc.com/), is worthy to repeat: This day honors Thomas Paine and is on his birthday, January 29. This is a global holiday and is simply celebrated by giving and displaying a White Rose with Thorns. The simple beauty and purity, the fragility and yet not without the danger of drawing blood by a thorn prick, makes this an excellent icon for those Freethinkers who want to reflect on Freedom and promote the ideas of personal liberty as expressed by Paine in The Declaration of Independence, This is a holiday that celebrates the concept of Freedom by honoring the man who declared our Independence by giving us Common Sense and The Declaration. We owe a great debt of gratitude to Thomas Paine. So you are welcome to celebrate with us. Just remember a White Rose with Thorns. Also in the 1990s, the Thomas Paine Foundation began celebrating the birthday of Thomas Paine on January 29th, a Thomas Paine Day proclamation on June 8 and other Paine theme events during the year.

Gorilla Suit Day!
2028-01-31
From the sublime to the ridiculous. Close on the heels of Thomas Paine day comes National Gorilla Suit Day (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gorilla_suit#National_Gorilla_Suit_Day), a pseudo-holiday invented by famed Mad Magazine cartoonist Don Martin (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Martin_(cartoonist)). The effluvium of controversy continues to surround this secular celebration: to some it is a blatant conspiracy of gorilla suit manufacturers to promote their wares, others see it as one of America’s more important and venerable holidays. It origins lie in a 1963 comic strip. Don Martin aficionados later evolved the tradition that “NGSD” falls on the last day of January each year. Whatever your opinion of NGSD, few deny the cartooning genius of Don Martin. Art historian Charles Taylor described Martin’s unique style of art and wit: His people are big-nosed schmoes with sleepy eyes, puffs of wiry hair, and what appear to be life preservers under the waistline of their clothes. Their hands make delicate little mincing gestures and their strangely thin, elongated feet take a 90-degree turn at the toes as they step forward. Whether they’re average Joes or headhunters, Martin’s people share the same physique: a tottering tower of obloids. Martin puts the bodies of these characters through every kind of permutation, treating them as much like gadgets as the squirting flowers and joy buzzers that populate his gags: glass eyes pop out from a pat on the back; heads are steamrollered into manhole-cover shapes. All of this accompanied by a Dadaist panoply of sound effects found nowhere else: shtoink! shklorp! fwoba-dap! It’s unlikely Samuel Beckett was aware of Don Martin, but had he been he might have recognized a kindred spirit. (https://www.lambiek.net/artists/m/martin_don.htm)

Darwin Day
2028-02-12
Darwin Day (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darwin_Day) celebrates the life and work of Charles Darwin, a secular holiday widely celebrated within the global community with participation from all sectors of society. Even mainline churches have participated, celebrating the day as Evolution Sunday or Evolution Weekend (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clergy_Letter_Project#Evolution_Weekend_and_related_activities) (see the Clergy Letter Project (https://www.theclergyletterproject.org/) for details). Under any of these names, this day celebrates the wonder and beauty of both science and humanity, and serve to recognize and celebrate the achievements of a man who cast a bright, explanatory light on reality, our self-knowledge, and on the world of which we are part. Charles Darwin contributed to our understanding at the deepest level, forever changed how we see ourselves within this vast, impersonal universe, and brought us a paradigm shift of seismic proportions. He symbolizes the brave, human enterprise of science in confronting the mystery of existence. His life and work exemplify the spirit of wonder, curiosity and adventure along with the excitement that the quest for knowledge and understanding can provide. The Darwin Day Program (http://www.darwinday.org/), an educational non-profit organization, encourages interested groups and individuals throughout the world to participate in the annual celebration of Darwin Day by coordinating events and activities in their area on or around February 12. The program also offers a year-round educational outreach project to help in reaching the goal of improving the public’s understanding of science and foster an appreciation for our shared humanity. Darwin Day, Evolution Sunday and Evolution Weekend encourage us to come together to champion science and humanity throughout our global community. They let us celebrate the astonishing engagement of our common intelligence with the wonder and excitement of life in the universe. If you agree, visit the National Darwin Day (http://www.darwinday.org/) site and sign the petition calling for national recognition of this day. Then, visit Epic of Evolution (http://epicofevolution.com/) for a great adventure.

International Women's Day
2028-03-08
International Women’s Day (http://www.internationalwomensday.com/) (IWD), an international celebration, honors the social, economical, and political achievements made by women everywhere. This secular holiday dates back to the early 1900’s, a time of turbulent growth in the industrialized world that saw growing demands for women to have the right to vote. Among other relevant historical events, it commemorates the “Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire”, on March 25, 1911 in New York City, where over 140 women lost their lives. Born from the socialist and labor movements, International Women’s Day has grown to become a global day of recognition and celebration across developed and developing countries alike. Promoted by the United Nations since 1975, International Women’s Day is, in the words of the UN, “a day when women are recognized for their achievements without regard to divisions, whether national, ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economic or political. It is an occasion for looking back on past struggles and accomplishments, and more importantly, for looking ahead to the untapped potential and opportunities that await future generations of women.” For decades, IWD has increased in strength annually. Women’s organizations and governments around the world have celebrated IWD annually on the 8th of March by holding large-scale events that honor women’s progress and highlight areas where women’s rights still need to be advanced. IWD is an occasion that can be celebrated by all community groups that believe women’s rights are human rights. Each year on March 8, hundreds of International Women’s Day events occur all around the world. IWD events range from small random informal gatherings to large-scale highly organized events. All celebrate women’s advancement and highlight the need for continued vigilance and action. The day is about honoring all women and their accomplishments, this can done by taking part in a large organized activity or by simply honoring the women in one’s life with flowers, a small gift, or even a thank you.
