DEI holidays to celebrate in March

Get ready to celebrate! 

Electives is excited to provide your organization with the necessary resources to honor the holidays that are important to your diverse workforce, helping you create an inclusive, high-performance culture. March is packed with meaningful holidays, and we’ve compiled a list of them below. Let's make this month one to remember!

Download our DEI holidays calendar

This blog post was updated on April 8, 2024 and now features dates for March 2025.

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Month-long celebrations in March

Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month

March is an opportunity to recognize the positive contributions people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) make in society every day. Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month also serves to raise awareness about the challenges facing those with IDD, to foster understanding and to encourage inclusivity.

Gender Equality Month

Gender Equality Month aims to raise awareness against gender bias in society. It’s also a month dedicated to celebrating the social, academic, political and cultural contributions of women. Here are some ways to celebrate.

Women’s History Month

Women’s History Month commemorates the vital role women have played in American history. From science to politics, March gives us a chance to reflect on the trailblazing women who led the way for change.

Bring live learning to your team for Women's History Month

Irish-American Heritage Month

First celebrated in 1991, Irish-American Heritage Month honors the achievements and contributions of Irish immigrants and their descendants living in the U.S.

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Additional March DEI holidays

March 1

Zero Discrimination Day

Zero Discrimination Day is helping to create a global movement to end all forms of discrimination. It’s a day to celebrate the right of every human to live a full and productive life with dignity, free from discrimination.

Learn how to foster belonging in your organization

International Women of Color Day

International Women of Color Day brings intentional recognition to honor women of color and recognizes those working for justice, equality, reparations and a sustainable world ending the discrimination that women of color/indigenous women have endured.

Ramadan*

This month-long holy month is a time for reflection, contemplation and celebration. Fasting is a key part of this observance – from dawn to dusk. Ramadan begins the evening of March 1 and ends the evening of March 30, 202.

March 7

Employee Appreciation Day

The first Friday of March is Employee Appreciation Day. While this should by no means be limited to one day a year, Employee Appreciation Day is an opportunity to intentionally show your team that you appreciate them.

Global Day of Unplugging

Is your phone glued to your hand at all times? Do hear your Slack or Teams notifications going off, even when you’re not near your computer? Could be time to take a step back and do a short digital detox. The Global Day of Unplugging is a 24-hour period to intentionally spend time disconnecting from technology and reconnecting with yourself and others.

March 8

International Women’s Day

International Women’s Day is a global celebration of the social, cultural, political and economic achievements of women. The 2024 theme is DigitALL — an opportunity to explore how technology and education can help empower women and girls worldwide.

March 10

Daylight Savings Time

Sadly, the Sunshine Protection Act has yet to pass. This means many Americans will lose an hour of sleep at 2:00 AM on Sunday, March 10. Not every state observes the time change, but there’s a chance many of your team members may still be groggy come Monday.

March 11*

Ramadan

This month-long holy month is a time for reflection, contemplation and celebration. Fasting is a key part of this observance – from dawn to dusk. Ramadan begins the evening of March 11 and ends the evening of April 8, 2024.

March 12

Women’s Equal Pay Day

According to the National Committee on Pay Equity, the date of Women’s Equal Pay Day “symbolizes how far into the year women must work to earn what men earned in the previous year.” On average, women 83 cents for every dollar earned by a man in the U.S. For women of color, this gap widens significantly to 55-63% of what men in the U.S. earn.

March 15*

Holi

This Hindu festival celebrates spring, love and new life. Holi marks the end of winter and beginning of spring. It also celebrates the Hindu god Krishna and the legend of Holika and Prahlad.

March 17

St. Patrick’s Day

St. Patrick’s Day celebrates the foremost patron saint of Ireland and the culture of the Irish in general. Parades, festivals and céilithe mark the day. In the U.S., you’ll often see people wearing green or sporting shamrocks.

March 20

International Day of Happiness

In 2011, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution which recognized happiness as a “fundamental human goal” and called for “a more inclusive, equitable and balanced approach to economic growth that promotes the happiness and well-being of all peoples.” Then, in 2012, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution decreeing March 20 as the International Day of Happiness. Since then, many organizations and nonprofits use this day to recognize that progress includes increasing human happiness and wellbeing, not just stimulating economies.

Build a thriving company culture where employees are happy

March 29

Good Friday

The Friday before Easter is the annual Christian holiday to observe the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. In many denominations, Good Friday is observed as a day of repentance, fasting and sorrow.

March 31

International Transgender Day of Visibility

International Transgender Day of Visibility raises awareness about transgender people, their lives and their contributions to society. It also brings attention to the discrimination, poverty and violence the transgender community faces every day. In fact, more than one in four transgender people report having lost a job due to transphobia and bias.

*Indicates a holiday that begins at sundown the day prior.

Download our DEI holidays calendar

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