Explore Our May 2026 EDIB Calendar

The May 2026 Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging (EDIB) Calendar is here! This isn’t just a calendar; it’s a gentle guide that helps us notice, honour and celebrate cultural events, religious holidays, heritage months, and awareness observances that shape our communities. We encourage you to print it, post it in communal spaces, share it with the people you support, and keep a copy nearby as a gentle reminder of the many stories that make us who we are.

This month’s featured image shows a diverse group of people with different disabilities and assistive devices, highlighting the many ways people navigate the world. National AccessAbility Week (NAAW) reminds us to celebrate these contributions, challenge barriers, and build communities where everyone can participate and belong.

At Karis Disability Services, we believe belonging means uplifting every story. We encourage you to recognize each other’s strengths, creativity, and perspectives, and to keep building communities where every person is valued, supported, and empowered to thrive.

Download the May 2026 Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging (EDIB) Calendar

In May we celebrate and remember:

• Ontario Community Living Month: The Community Living movement strives to promote authentic community inclusion for people who have an intellectual disability and their families in Ontario. We envision a society where people who have an intellectual disability belong and have equal rights, respect, acceptance, a sense of self-worth, and opportunities for growth.
• Asian, Dutch, Polish & Jewish Heritage Month: An opportunity for us to learn more about the diverse culture and history of Asian, Dutch, Polish, and Jewish communities in Canada, as well as to acknowledge the many achievements and contributions of people of Asian, Dutch, Polish, and Jewish origins who, throughout our history, have done so much to make Canada the country we know and love.
• Mental Health Awareness Month: A time for fostering understanding, promoting resilience, and raising awareness about the importance of mental well-being for all Canadians. This year’s theme is “Come Together, Canada,” focusing on connection and community support for mental health.
• Red Dress Day on May 5: A day to honour and bring awareness to the thousands of Indigenous women, girls and two-spirit people who have been subject to disproportionate violence in Canada. Red Dress Day was inspired by Métis artist Jaime Black’s REDress Project installation, in which she hung empty, red dresses to represent the missing and murdered women. Red dresses have become symbolic of the crisis as a result of her installation.
• Mother’s Day on May 10: A celebration honouring the mother of the family or individual, as well as motherhood, maternal bonds, and the influence of mothers in society.
• Nakba Day on May 15: Commemorates the mass displacement of approximately 750,000 Palestinians following the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948. The day is marked with marches, cultural events, and calls for international solidarity, symbolizing grief, resistance, and the hope of return.
• International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia on May 17: Created in 2004 to draw the attention to the violence and discrimination experienced by lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex people and all other people with diverse sexual orientations, gender identities or expressions, and sex characteristics.
• Victoria Day on May 18: Celebrated in honour of the birth of Queen Victoria, the first sovereign of Canada, post-Confederation. Victoria Day is a federal statutory holiday, as well as a holiday in six of Canada’s ten provinces and all three of its territories. The holiday has always been a distinctly Canadian observance and continues to be celebrated across the country.
• World Day of Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development on May 21: A day to educate people on the importance of cultural diversity and to raise awareness of the related issues faced in today’s society.
• Shavout on May 22: a Jewish observance of the giving of the Torah, the biblical laws of Judaism, from God to the nation of Israel.
• Pentecost on May 24: Annual Christian festival commemorating the descent of the Holy Spirit on the disciples of Jesus after his ascension from earth to heaven on Ascension Day. It always falls on the seventh Sunday after Easter and Christians celebrate the Holy Spirit, which has been given to purify and empower.
• National AccessAbility Week – May 24 to 30: A week to celebrate the valuable contributions and accomplishments of Canadians with disabilities and to recognize the need to promote a culture of inclusion to combat the ongoing discrimination against persons with disabilities.
• Eid al-Adha on May 27: Also known as the Feast of Sacrifice, this holiday is symbolic of the lessons of sacrifice, devotion, and willingness as told by the story of Prophet Ibrahim. As one of the most important holidays in Islam, every year, Muslims celebrate by gathering with family and loved ones to pray, showing gratitude for life’s blessings, sharing festive meals, and providing food to those in need.
• Red Shirt Day of Action for AccessAbility and Inclusion on May 28: A day when people across Canada come together and wear red to create a visible display of solidarity. These red shirts show support for people with disabilities and their families, celebrate the achievements of Canadians who experience disabilities, and to pledge their commitment to help create a fully accessible and inclusive society. Red Shirt Day was first celebrated in 2019.