February 2026 Observances
February brings a mix of observances, from celebrating love on Valentine’s Day to honoring the legacy and impact of Black History Month.
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List of Key Observances in February 2026
February 1-28 Black History Month is an opportunity to acknowledge, learn about and celebrate Black culture. February was chosen for this event as both Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln had birth dates in this month and were two key activists in ending slavery.
📅Looking for a Black History Month communications template to share with your team?
February 1-2 Tu Bishvat is a Jewish holiday occurring on the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Shevat. It is also called Rosh HaShanah La'Ilanot, literally "New Year of the Trees". In contemporary Israel, the day is celebrated as an ecological awareness day, and trees are planted in celebration.
February 2-3 Lailat al Bara'a is a major occasion in the Islamic calendar where Muslims pray and seek forgiveness for their wrongdoings. It is said to bring good fortune for the entire year and purify them of their sins.
February 4 World Cancer Day Observed to raise cancer awareness and to encourage prevention, detection and treatment. Cancer is the second-leading cause of death worldwide, and it affects everyone differently, as access to medical care and medications is not equitable. Understanding how cancer affects people of different identities is a great first step to understanding the discrepancies ground in the healthcare system.
February 11 International Day of Women and Girls in Science Celebrated every year on February 11th, the event aims to increase diversity in STEM fields by empowering and celebrating females who are trailblazing their way through scientific research and innovation.
February 15-16 Maha Shivratri is a Hindu festival where people stay awake all night, offering milk and flowers to Lord Shiva as a form of worship and meditation.
February 17 - March 19 Ramadan, the ninth month in the Islamic lunar calendar, is a sacred period of fasting, reflection, and spiritual rejuvenation, observed from dawn to sunset as Muslims globally seek closeness to the divine. Learn more about celebrating Ramadan in the workplace.
📅Looking for a Ramadan communications template to share with your team?
February 20 World Day of Social Justice Celebrated annually, this event is focused on inviting global citizens to rally around the pursuit of equity, the dismantling of barriers to inclusivity, and the ennoblement of human dignity for all.
📅 Looking for a World Day of Social Justice communications template to share with your team?
February 21 International Mother Language Day The purpose of this day, observed annually on February 21, is to bring awareness that languages and multilingualism advance inclusion and are an important aspect of the world's cultural diversity. 43% of the world's 6000s languages are endangered, and every two weeks a language disappears altogether.
February 18 - March 3 Losar is commemorated through ancient rites that depict the fight between good and evil. It is celebrated with people chanting and passing flaming torches around.
