The Mid-Autumn Festival is a popular lunar harvest festival celebrated by Chinese and Vietnamese people. The festival is for lunar worship and moon watching. A description of the festival first appeared in Rites of Zhou, a written collection of rituals of the Western Zhou Dynasty from 3,000 years ago.

The festival is held on the 15th day of the eighth month in the Chinese calendar, which is in September or early October in the Gregorian calendar. It is celebrated traditionally by eating ‘Mooncakes’ – small pastries, filled with rich red bean or lotus seed paste and surrounded by a thin crust. Mooncakes are usually eaten in small wedges accompanied by Chinese tea.

Black History Month runs throughout October with a series of events, promotion, seminars and celebrations across the UK.

It is said that a key factor in setting October as Black History Month is as it falls at the beginning of a new academic year and can instil pride and identity into young black learners. October is also a period of tolerance and reconciliation in African culture.

See here for listings on what’s on in London during Black History Month: http://www.blackhistorymonth.org.uk/#/black-history-listings/4568893148

“Shana Tova!”, roughly translated as “Good year!” can be used as a greeting to mark the beginning of Rosh Hashanah.

Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish new year festival, which lasts for two days. Customs include sounding the shofar (horn of a ram) and eating symbolic foods, such as apples and honey, to symbolize a sweet new year and the Hallah (or Challah) round loaf to symbolise a circle of life and of the year.

The Alternative Parenting Show takes place tomorrow (15th Sept) in Covent Garden, London. 

It gives valuable information to same-sex and heterosexual couples and single men and women on how to make the dream of having a family a reality.

Topic areas include legal provisions, surrogacy, fertility, co-parenting and fostering and adoption. See their web page for more information: http://www.alternativeparenting.co.uk/

Time to Change’s children and young people campaign launches in the West Midlands on 17 September.

Have a look at their website where young people share their tips for talking about mental health. The blogs are also a really intersting read: http://www.time-to-change.org.uk/youngpeople

On 5 September 2012 the House of Commons approved the Order containing exceptions from the ban on age discrimination in the provision of services, which had been debated the day before in Committee.

The ban will affect public and private organisations and means that treating people differently because of their age when providing goods, facilities or services will be unlawful unless it is covered by an exception or can be justified.

The first World Alzheimers Month will take place during September 2012 with awareness raising events taking place worldwide.

Named after neurologist Alois Alzheimer, the disease causes progressive damage on the brain. The theme for World Alzheimer’s Month 2012 is ‘Dementia: Living together’. Activities will focus on reducining the stigma which is associated with dementia and making communities more dementia-friendly. Activities during the month will include educational seminars, workshops and social events for people with dementia and their carers.

The Alzheimer’s Society has organised mutiple ‘Memory Walks’ to raise money towards the work of the Alzheimer’s Society in that specific area. For more information see their website http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/.

The London 2012 Paralympic Games have begun in earnest and the University of Greenwich is playing a role at the heart of the action.

The Games, which include four days of equestrianism at Royal Greenwich Park, will see university staff and students involved from the start, helping the event live up to its billing as one of the most spectacular and inspirational sporting occasions to take place in the UK.

As an official host venue for the Olympics and Paralympics, the university continues to be at the centre of the sporting action this summer, with the Students’ Union providing facilities to support equestrian, running and shooting events in Royal Greenwich Park.

Eid-ul-Fitr celebrations are taking place all over the world during 19 – 21 August as Muslims celebrate the end of Ramadan – the Islamic holy month of fasting.

Eid al-Fitr is a time of great merriment and thanks-giving. Muslims celebrate by gathering with friends and family, preparing food, giving gifts and putting up lights and decorations in their homes. A common greeting during this holiday is “Eid Mubarak”, which can be translated as, “Have a blessed Eid!” or “may you enjoy a blessed festival”

The Guardian has compiled some beautiful images of Eid celebrations across the world:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/gallery/2012/aug/19/eid-al-fitr-religion-in-pictures#/?picture=394920309&index=0

Wojdan Ali Seraj Abdulrahim Shahrkhani was one of just two women competing for Saudi Arabia at the games, the first time the country has sent female athletes at all.

She was only able to compete in judo after a compromise between Olympic organizers, the international judo federation and Saudi officials that cleared the way for her to wear a modified hijab. Judo officials had said a headscarf could be dangerous because the sport includes choke-holds and aggressive grabbing techniques.

For Sarah Attar, the first woman from Saudi Arabia to compete in track and field at the Olympics, the principle was more important than the performance.

“This is such a huge honor and an amazing experience, just to be representing the women,” Attar said. “I know that this can make a huge difference.”

The 19-year-old Attar ran 800m in 2min 44.95sec but to her, the time wasn’t the point. Her mother is American and her father is Saudi. Attar wanted to represent Saudi Arabia at the Olympics as a way of inspiring women.

“For women in Saudi Arabia, I think this can really spark something to get more involved in sports, to become more athletic,” she said. “Maybe in the next Olympics, we can have a very strong team to come.”

This year, under pressure from the International Olympic Committee, Saudi Arabia broke its practice of fielding male-only teams by entering Wojdan Ali Seraj Abdulrahim Shahrkhani in judo and Attar in track and field. Saudi Arabia is one of three Islamic countries, along with Qatar and Brunei, that brought female athletes for the first time, making this the first Olympics in which every national team includes a woman.

For more information on this and the games, see http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2012/.