Events

To celebrate Mawlid, the birthday of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, Muslims often hold large street processions, decorate homes and mosques, distribute charity and food, and tell stories about the life of Muhammad.

Susan B. Anthony was a leader in the fight for women’s suffrage in the United States. Born in 1820, she published The Revolution, a weekly journal with the motto "Men, their rights, and nothing more; women, their rights, and nothing less."

Christine Silva, Senior Director, Research, Catalyst, will present findings from Catalyst’s research on the sponsorship of high potentials in the pipeline and will facilitate a panel discussion featuring Dean Johnson, President, Sodexo Canada, and Jim Muzyka, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Xerox Global Services. The series is sponsored by CIBC and this session will take place at its Toronto offices. For more information or to register, contact sponsorwomen@catalyst.org.

Julie S. Nugent, Senior Director, Research, and Chair, Catalyst Award Evaluation Committee, and Liz Mulligan-Ferry, Senior Associate, Research, discuss why sponsorship matters and how cutting-edge organizations support sponsors and protégés. They are joined by guest panelists, Eileen Taylor, Global Head of Diversity, Deutsche Bank AG, London, and Jeanetta Darno, AVP, Diversity & Inclusion, Nationwide, who will share their experiences with sponsorship programs. This event is complimentary to participants from Catalyst member organizations; others are charged a per registration fee of $150 USD. Register online.

Ash Wednesday, which occurs 40 days before Easter, commemorates the start of Lent, which Christians use as a period of reflection and religious contemplation.

Catalyst Western Region hosts a roundtable discussion for legal professionals from Dallas law firms and companies to highlight Catalyst’s research entitled The Myth of the Ideal Worker: Does Doing All The Right Things Really Get Women Ahead?. This event is sponsored by Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP and held at its Dallas office. Contact Martha Feeback for more details or to RSVP.

National Women’s History Month, established by the U.S. Congress in 1987, celebrates women’s historic achievements and honors women within families and communities.

Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited hosts the 4th annual International Women’s Day (IWD) Webcast entitled Empower. Invest. Accelerate. Embedding Diversity Into the Organizational Culture To Advance Women featuring distinguished business and government leaders from Asia, Europe, and the Americas. Register online.

Catalyst Canada presents a Catalyst Connects event in Vancouver featuring Kathryn Henry, Chief Information Officer, Lululemon, and Bev Park, President & CEO, TimberWest. The series brings high-potential women together with speakers considered to be role models and is sponsored by RBC and will take place at the Vancouver Art Gallery. Inquire at catalystconnects@catalyst.org.

International Women’s Day, sponsored by the United Nations since 1975, celebrates the economic, political, and social achievements of women past, present, and future.

Catalyst, in association with The Law Society and The National Association of Women Lawyers, hosts the International Women in Law Summit 2012 titled Setting the Agenda For Change in which Eleanor Tabi Haller-Jorden, General Manager, Catalyst Europe AG, and Brande Stellings, J.D., Vice President, Advisory Services, Professional Services Practice, presents a plenary session entitled Moving Up: Mechanisms That Support Women to Progress. This event is held at The Law Society in London, UK. Register online.

In recognition of Catalyst's 50th anniversary, the 2012 Catalyst Awards Conference, sponsored by The Coca-Cola Company and Walmart, will be held over two days at The Waldorf=Astoria in New York.

The 2012 Catalyst Awards Dinner and 50th Anniversary Celebration, sponsored by PepsiCo, Inc. and Shell Oil Company, will be held at The Waldorf=Astoria in New York.

Good Friday commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth, the founder of Christianity, and is treated as proof of Christ’s humanity. It occurs midway through the Triduum, the three-day period from the end of Lent on Holy Thursday to the Easter Vigil on the Saturday before Easter.

Passover commemorates the Jewish Exodus from Egypt and marks the beginning of the harvest season.

Easter commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the tomb, which is treated as proof of Christ's divinity, and is Christianity’s most important feast day.

Baisakhi is when Sikhs commemorate the founding of the Khalsa sect by Guru Gobind Singh in 1699. 

This day helps girls and boys learn the value of their education, discover the power and possibilities associated with a balanced work and family life, and share how they envision the future.

Asian Pacific American Heritage Month was permanently established by the U.S. Congress in 1992 to recognize, appreciate, and celebrate the contributions of people of Asian and Pacific Islander descent in the United States.

International Workers' Day, or May Day, commemorates the Haymarket Massacre in Chicago in 1886, when police fired on workers during a general strike for the eight-hour day. It is commonly celebrated with organized street demonstrations and marches by working people and their labor unions.

This holiday commemorates the Mexican army's unlikely victory over the French at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. In the United States, it has become celebration of the culture and experiences of Americans of Mexican ancestry.

Vesak is the most holy Buddhist festival of the year because it celebrates the birth, enlightenment, and death of the Buddha on the first full moon of May.

This month commemorates the Stonewall Riots of June 1969, which are commonly acknowledged as the beginning of the U.S. gay rights movement.

Catalyst Europe AG hosts its inaugural CEO Summit, Leadership Matters: Talent, Quotas, and the New Workplace at the Swiss Re Centre for Global Dialogue, Rüschlikon/Zurich, Switzerland, and is sponsored by Swiss Re Ltd. (Lead Sponsor), AXA, Deutsche Bank AG, and Royal Dutch Shell plc. Contact europeinfo@catalyst.org for inquiries.

Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. Today it commemorates African-American freedom and emphasizes education and achievement.

This day, which was first celebrated in 1996, honors the cultures and contributions of the First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples of Canada.

The Stonewall riots of 1969 were a series of spontaneous, violent demonstrations against a police raid of the Stonewall Inn, a gay club in Greenwich Village in New York, NY. They are frequently cited as the start of the gay rights movement in the United States.

Ramadan, the most sacred holiday of the Muslim year, is a month for worship, reading the Qur'an, charitable acts, and the purification of individual behavior.

Janmashtami celebrates the birth of Krishna and is one of the most widely celebrated Hindu festivals. At midnight, Krishna’s birth is enacted and worshipers rock the infant in his cradle. 

This three-day holiday marks the end of the fasting of Ramadan. Muslims break their fast, give charity to those in need, and celebrate with family and friends the completion of a month of blessings and joy.

Women's Equality Day commemorates the passage in 1920 of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which gave women full voting rights.

Labor Day, which was first celebrated in New York in 1882, celebrates the contributions U.S. women and men workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of the country. 

Labour Day was made an official holiday in Canada in 1894 by Prime Minister John Thompson; it celebrates the economic and social contributions of the country’s women and men workers. 

National Hispanic Heritage Month celebrates the histories, cultures, and contributions of Americans whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America.

Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish new year, is a day of memorial and the day of judgment, in which God judges each person individually and makes a decree for the following year.

This day, which marks the 1949 founding of the American Business Women's Association, celebrates the achievements of employed women in the United States.

Yom Kippur, or the Jewish day of atonement, is the most solemn day of the year. On this day, Jews fast, deprive themselves of pleasures, and repent from the sins of the previous year.

Proclaimed in 1992 by the Government of Canada, Canadian Women's History Month provides an opportunity to learn about the important contributions of women and girls to society and commemorates the Persons Case, which in 1929, determined that women were persons under the law.

This annual celebration recognizes the accomplishments of working women and men with disabilities and increases awareness about the importance of ensuring that Americans with disabilities can achieve full participation in the workforce. 

National Coming Out Day is an internationally observed day for raising awareness, coming out, and discussing lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) issues.

In the United Kingdom, National Coming Out Day is celebrated on October 12 as a day for raising awareness, coming out, and discussing lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) issues.

On October 18, 1929, the British Privy Council declared that five women from Alberta, known as the Famous Five, were persons under the law, overturning the Supreme Court of Canada.

This week provides an opportunity to call attention to women entrepreneurs, facilitate discussions on the needs of working women, share information about successful workplace policies, and raise awareness of the resources available for working women in their communities.

The purpose of National Native American Heritage Month is to recognize the original peoples of the United States and honor their many accomplishments, contributions, and sacrifices in all aspects of U.S. society.

The Catalyst Canada Honours are awarded to individuals for their commitment and achievements toward the advancement of women in Canadian business. The champions will be recognized at a dinner held at The Fairmont Royal York in Toronto and chaired by Bill Downe, President and Chief Executive Officer, BMO Financial Group. Enquire at canadahonours@catalyst.org.

Diwali is a five-day Hindu festival that is often referred to as the Festival of Lights. During this time, candles and lamps are lit as a greeting to Laksmi, goddess of wealth. 

Thanksgiving was first celebrated in 1621 at Plymouth Plantation after the first harvest, which the pilgrims were able to accomplish through the help and charity of the local Native Americans. It is a beloved holiday embraced by Americans of all races and ethnicities, who usually celebrate with a large meal with family and friends.

The birthday of the first Sikh guru, Guru Nanak. Sikhs believe that all subsequent Gurus possessed Guru Nanak's divinity and religious authority.

Bodhi Day honors the enlightenment of Siddhartha Gautama, who became the Buddha. To Buddhists, it is a day of remembrance, prayer, and meditation.

Chanukah, also known as the Festival of Lights, is an eight-day Jewish holiday that commemorates the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem after a group of Jewish warriors defeated the occupying Greek armies.

For Christians, Christmas celebrates the nativity of Jesus, who was born in a manger in Bethlehem to the Virgin Mary, who was assisted by her husband Joseph. 

Kwanzaa is an African-American cultural festival created in 1966 by Maulana Ron Karenga, a political activist, and based on seven principles of African-American culture: Umoja (unity), Kujichagulia (self-determination), Ujima (collective work and responsibility), Ujamaa (cooperative economics), Nia (purpose), Kuumba (creativity), and Imani (faith).

Please check our Speakers Bureau Calendar of Engagements for speaking engagements by Catalyst experts.