Culture | International Office Blog

Happy Vesak, wishing you a peaceful and joyful day

Happy Vesak Day: An insight into the history of Buddhism and the Vesak celebration

Monday 12 May marks this year’s Vesak celebration for those in the Buddhist community. Vesak is a time for bringing happiness to others and paying homage to the religious figure Buddha. What is Vesak? Vesak has many names, and is most commonly referred to as Wesak, Buddha Jayanti, Buddha Purnima, Buddha Day and even Buddha’s…

Cinco de Mayo, 5th May 2025, University of Brighton

Celebrating the vibrant festivities of Cinco de Mayo

Cinco de Mayo, meaning ‘fifth of May,’ is a Mexican holiday commemorating the Battle of Puebla where the Mexican army triumphed over the French. What is Cinco de Mayo? Cinco de Mayo is an annual Mexican holiday celebrated on 5 May. While its origins come from the Mexican victory over the French in the Battle…

Celebrating the Jewish holiday of Passover this spring

Passover, or Pesach in Hebrew, is a widely celebrated holiday in the Jewish religion. This year Passover starts on the evening of Saturday 12 April and ends on Sunday 20 April. What is Passover? Passover celebrates the story of the Exodus when the Jewish people, led by Moses, escaped slavery in Egypt. Passover is observed…

Eid Mubarak, Wishing you a blessed Eid filled with love and happiness

Eid al-Fitr, marking the end of Ramadan 2025

As Ramadan comes to an end, the evening of 30 March 2025 marks the start of Eid al-Fitr. Eid al-Fitr is celebrated by Muslims worldwide and it marks the end of the month-long dawn-to-dusk fasting during Ramadan. What is Eid al-Fitr? Eid al-Fitr translates into the festival of the breaking of the fast and is…

What to do in Brighton over the Easter break

As the Easter break approaches and the days are getting lighter, it’s the perfect time to embrace the warmer temperatures and explore the city. We’ve put together a guide to making the most of Brighton in the spring. Easter is the public holiday, primarily celebrated by Christians, that marks the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Easter…

Nowruz Mubarak, wishing you happiness, prosperity in the new year

Persian New Year: Learn about Nowruz and how to celebrate

Nowruz translates to ‘New Day’ in Farsi and marks the Iranian/Persian New Year. This year Nowruz falls on 20 March. Nowruz represents the start of spring and new beginnings. It’s celebrated across countries in the Middle East and Central Asia. What is Nowruz? Celebrated by more than three million people each year, Nowruz begins on…

Happy Holi, wishing you a colourful and joyous Holi this spring

Celebrate the spring festival of Holi with joy and colour

14 March marks this year’s Holi celebrations for the Hindu community, commemorating the festival of colours and the return of spring. What is Holi? Holi, also known as the festival of colours, is a public holiday celebrated by Hindu communities in India and other South Asian countries around the world. While there are religious aspects…

Red and gold graphic wishing a happy luna new year with a golden snake on a red background

A year of transformation and growth: Celebrating the wood snake for Chinese New Year 2025

29 January marks the start of Chinese New Year. This year marks the end of the Year of the Dragon and the start of the Year of the Snake, which is set to bring wisdom, renewal and transformation. What is Chinese New Year? Sometimes referred to as the Spring festival or simply the Lunar New…

Happy Hanukkah featuring the Menorah and the Star of David

Celebrating the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah this December

The eight day Jewish holiday known as Hanukkah begins on 25 December 2024 and ends on 2 January 2025. During this time, the Jewish community take time to reflect and participate in traditional foods, games and gifting. What is Hanukkah? Hanukkah (or Chanukah) means ‘dedication’ in Hebrew and is an eight day long celebration, usually…

International Students’ Day 2024: What studying in the UK means to me

This Sunday is International Students’ Day, which is celebrated every year on the 17 November. International students at universities around the world celebrate this day and many share their thoughts on the power and importance of higher education. Ketan Srivastva, a Physical Education undergraduate student here at the University of Brighton, shares what International Students’…