The purpose of this circular is to highlight the Government's commitment to accommodate the culturally diverse nature of the public sector workforce.

Chief Executives are asked to distribute the attached list of Days of Religious Significance for Multicultural NSW for the Year 2004. The Community Relations Commission of New South Wales has provided this information.

Chief Executives are also asked to remind managers and supervisors to be sensitive and accommodating of the needs of employees in accessing their leave entitlements and flexible work hours for the purposes of observing religious duties. Further details are contained in Chapter 6, Section 13 of the Personnel Handbook (March 2003 Electronic edition) website

C Gellatly
Director-General

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DAYS OF RELIGIOUS SIGNIFICANCE FOR MULTICULTURAL NEW SOUTH WALES FOR THE YEAR 2004

JANUARY
5 Birth anniversary of Guru Gobing Sikh
6 Christmas Armenian Christian
6 Epiphany Orthodox Christian
7 Christmas Orthodox Christian
22 Lunar new year, Chinese New Year, Tet Chinese, Vietnamese, Buddhist
28 Jan - 4 March Pilgrimage to Mecca Islam

FEBRUARY 
1 Eid al-Adha (festival of sacrifice) Islam
18 Maha Shivaratri Hindu
19 St. Vartan's Day Armenian Christian
21 Islamic new year Islam
23 Lent commences Orthodox Christian

MARCH 
2 - 20 Period of fasting Baha'i
2 Ashura Islam
5 Dhamma Day Buddhist (Theravada)
7 Purim (begins sunset 6th) Jewish
21 Naw Ruz Baha'i
25 Annunciation of the Virgin Mary Orthodox Christian

APRIL 
6 - 13 Pesach or Passover (begins sunset 5th) Jewish
8 Holy Thursday Orthodox Christian
9 Good Friday Christian, incl. Armenian & Orthodox Christian
11 Easter Christian, incl. Armenian & Orthodox Christian
13 New year (Sonkran) Buddhist (Theravada)
14 Vaisakhi Sikh
21 First day of Ridvan Baha'i
29 Ninth day of Ridvan Baha'i

MAY 
2 Twelfth day of Ridvan Baha'i
2 Birth of the Prophet Muhammad Islam
20 Ascension of Jesus Orthodox Christian
23 Declaration of the Bab Baha'i
26 Birth of Buddha Buddhist (Mahayana)
26 - 27 Shavuot (begins sunset 25th) Jewish
29 Ascension of Baha'u'llah Baha'i
30 Pentecost Orthodox Christian
31 Feast of the Holy Spirit Orthodox Christian

JUNE 
4 Vesak Day - birth, enlightenment and passing away of the Buddha Buddhist (Theravada)

JULY 
9 Martyrdom of the Bab Baha'i
27 Tisha B'av Jewish
30 Asalha Puja Buddhist (Theravada)

AUGUST
6 Transfiguration of Christ Orthodox Christian
15 Dormition of the Virgin Mary Orthodox Christian

SEPTEMBER
6 Krishna Jayanthi or birth of Lord Krishna Hindu
12 Isra and Miraj Islam
16 - 17 Rosh Hashanah (new year - begins sunset 15th) Jewish
18 Ganesh Chaturthi Hindu
25 Yom Kippur (begins sunset 24th) Jewish
30 Succot (begins sunset 29th) Jewish

OCTOBER
1 Succot Jewish
7 - 8 Shemini Atzeret, Simchat Torah (begins sunset 6th) Jewish
14 - 22 Navaratri Hindu
15 Ramadan commences (period of fasting) Islam
20 Birth of the Bab Baha'i
23 Vijaya Dashami Hindu

NOVEMBER
12 Diwali Hindu
12 Birth of Baha'u'llah Baha'i
13 Eid al-Fitr (celebration of completion of Ramadan) Islam
26 Birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Devi Ji Sikh

DECEMBER 
8 - 15 Chanukah (begins sunset 7th) Jewish
25 Christmas Christian

Note: the Islamic days may adjust one or two days either side of the dates above.