Recognized in April

During April, BEPC recognizes the following:

April GENOCIDE AWARENESS MONTH A month that marks important anniversaries for past and contemporary genocides. Throughout the month, individuals, communities, and organizations join together to remember and honor victims and survivors of mass atrocities.

April ARAB AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH Celebrates the Arab American heritage and culture and pays tribute to the contributions of Arab Americans and Arabic-speaking Americans.

April NATIONAL POETRY MONTHIntroduced in 1996 by the Academy of American Poets as a way to increase awareness and appreciation of poetry in the United States.

April 2 PALM SUNDAY (Western Christian) Observed the Sunday before Easter to commemorate the entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem.

April 6 THERAVADA NEW YEAR (Buddhist) In Theravada countries the New Year is celebrated on the first full moon day in April.

April 6-13 PASSOVER/PESACH (Jewish) The eight-day “Feast of Unleavened Bread” celebrates Israel’s deliverance from Egyptian bondage.

April 7 GOOD FRIDAY (Western Christian) Commemorates the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ on the Friday before Easter. Known as Holy Friday in Eastern Orthodox Christianity.

April 9 EASTER (Western Christian) Known as Pascha in Eastern Christianity, it celebrates the resurrection of Jesus.

April 9 PALM SUNDAY (Eastern Orthodox Christian) Observed the Sunday before Pascha to commemorate the entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem.

April 13 HOLY THURSDAY (Eastern Orthodox Christian) Also known as Maundy Thursday, it is celebrated on the Thursday before Pascha commemorating the Last Supper, at which Jesus Christ and the Apostles were together for the last time before the Crucifixion.

April 14DAY OF SILENCEAnnual day of silent protest against the bullying of LGBT students and their supporters.

April 14 HOLY FRIDAY (Eastern Orthodox Christian) Commemorates the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ on the Friday before Pascha. Known as Good Friday in Western Christianity.

April 14 VAISAKHI (also spelled Baisakhi) (Sikh) The festival which celebrates the founding of the Sikh community as the Khalsa (community of the initiated). On this day, Sikhs gather and celebrate Vaisakhi at their local Gurdwaras (Sikh house of worship) by remembering this day as the birth of the Khalsa.

April 16 PASCHA (Eastern Orthodox Christian) Known as Easter in Western Christianity, it celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

April 17 PATRIOTS’ DAYState holiday in Maine and Massachusetts on the third Monday of April each year to commemorate the start of the American Revolution.

April 17 LAILAT AL-QADR (Islamic) Commemorates the night that the Qur'an was first revealed to the Prophet Muhammad. It is known as the “Night of Power.” Often set on the 27th day of Ramadan, Sunnis may observe it on the 21st, 23rd, 25th or 29th and Shīʿite (Shiite) observe it on the 19th, 21st or 23rd day of Ramadan.

April 18 YOM HASHOAH (Jewish)“Holocaust Remembrance Day” memorializes the heroic martyrdom of six million Jews who perished in the Nazi Holocaust.

April 21 EID AL-FITR (Islamic) The “Feast of the Breaking of the Fast” marks the end of Ramadan, the holy month of fasting from dawn until dusk.

April 21 - May 2 FESTIVAL OF RIDVÁN (Bahá’í) Annual festival commemorating the 12 days when Bahá’u’lláh, the prophet-founder of the Bahá’í Faith, resided in a garden called Ridván (Paradise) and publicly proclaimed his mission as God’s messenger for this age. The first (April 21), ninth (April 29), and twelfth (May 2) days are celebrated as holy days when Baha’is suspend work.

April 24 ARMENIAN MARTYRS’ DAY Memorializes the genocide of approximately 1.5 million Armenians between 1915 and 1923 in Turkey.