RTTUZYUW RUEWMCS0094 1161814-UUUU--RUCRNAD ZNR UUUUU R 261814Z APR 14 PSN 273691K28 FM CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1// TO NAVADMIN INFO CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1// BT UNCLAS//N05750// NAVADMIN 094/14 MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N1/APR// SUBJ/2014 DIVERSITY HERITAGE CELEBRATIONS AND NATIONAL OBSERVANCES// RMKS/1. This NAVADMIN announces the remaining Diversity Heritage Celebrations and National Observances for calendar year 2014. 2. All commands are strongly encouraged to increase their knowledge and awareness of Diversity Heritage Celebrations and National Observances by supporting programs, exhibits, publications, and participating in military and community events throughout the year. 3. List of Diversity Heritage Celebrations and National Observances: a. Days of Remembrance/Holocaust Remembrance Day Theme: Confronting the Holocaust: American Responses Dates: 27 April-4 May 2014/28 April 2014 The Holocaust was the state-sponsored systematic annihilation of European Jews by Nazi Germany and its collaborators. Between 1933 and 1945, more than six million Jews were murdered while Poles, Soviet prisoners of war, gypsies, Jehovah's Witnesses, political dissidents, the physically and mentally disabled, and homosexuals suffered grievous persecution under Nazi tyranny. Established by Congress in 1980 as the nation's annual commemoration of the Holocaust, the Days of Remembrance includes the observance of "Yom Hashoah," or Holocaust Remembrance Day. b. Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Theme: I Am Beyond Dates: 1-31 May 2014 Directed by Congress in 1977 and established by presidential proclamation in 1978, Asian/Pacific American Heritage Week was first observed the week of 4 May 1979. In 1990, President George H. W. Bush expanded the observance to encompass the month of May; and in 1992, Congress passed a law permanently designating May as Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month. The month of May is significant for this observance as it commemorates the arrival date of the first Japanese immigrants to the United States on 7 May 1843 and the significant contributions from Chinese pioneers completing the first Transcontinental Railroad on 10 May 1869. c. Women's Equality Day Theme: Celebrating Women's Right to Vote Dates: 26 August 2014 Women's Equality Day commemorates the struggle of women to gain the right to vote. The movement for women's rights was launched on a national level in 1848 at what is now known as The Seneca Falls Convention, which originally advertised itself as a "Women's Rights Convention." Voting rights advocates Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott, also known as "suffragists," along with Susan B. Anthony and other activists, formed organizations that raised public awareness and lobbied the government to grant voting rights to women making the right to vote a centerpiece of the women's rights movement. It would take 72 years after the suffrage movement began for these groups to emerge victorious with the ratification of the 19th Amendment tothe U.S. Constitution on 18 August 1920, which prohibited any U.S. citizen from being denied the right to vote on the basis of sex. On Election Day that same year, more than eight million women across the nation voted for the first time. In 1971, to honor and commemorate this historic event, Congresswoman Bella Abzug (D-NY) introduced, and Congress signed, a resolution to designate 26 August as Women's Equality Day recognizing the anniversary of suffrage and of women's continued efforts toward equal rights. d. Navy Suicide Prevention Month Theme: "Every Sailor, Every Day" Dates: 1 - 30 September 2014 Since 1974, the American Association of Suicidology has recognized the week of September 10th as National Suicide Prevention Week. Since 2012 the Department of Defense has expanded this effort, devoting the entire month of September to promoting sustainable community-wide approaches to suicide prevention education and awareness. Navy uses Suicide Prevention Month as a launch-pad for continuous engagement throughout the year, providing Sailors, leaders, commands and families with the tools to effectively navigate through stressful times while supporting help-seeking behavior. This year's theme, "Every Sailor, Every Day," reinforces this ongoing approach by encouraging all members of the Navy community to reach out to another and take meaningful actions to promote cohesion, build trust, and help fellow shipmates thrive in the face of adversity, not just survive. Supporting resources and communications will be available in September at www.suicide.navy.mil to support commanders and unit Suicide Prevention Coordinators tailoring local initiatives. We are stronger together. e. Hispanic Heritage Month Theme: Please visit www.hispanicheritagemonth.org for updates. Dates: 15 September-15 October 2014 Each year, Americans observe National Hispanic Heritage Month from 15 September to 15 October, by celebrating the histories, cultures, and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America. The observation started in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon Johnson and was expanded by President Ronald Reagan in 1988 to cover a 30-day period. It was enacted into law on 17 August 1988, by the approval of Public Law 100-402. f. National Prisoner of War (POW)/Missing in Action (MIA) Recognition Day Theme: Please visit www.dtic.mil/dpmo for updates Date: 19 September 2014 The President of the United States issues an annual proclamation commemorating this national day of observance. Americans are to offer remembrance, honor, and reverence to those who were a POW and to over 33,000 Sailors who remain MIA from our nation's wars. It is also a day we remember the families of POW/MIA and the sacrifices they have endured. g. National American Indian Heritage Month Theme:Please visit www.nativeamericanheritagemonth.org for updates. Dates: 1-30 November 2014 Native American Heritage Month first began with the establishment of American Indian Day by the governor of New York in May 1916. Later, several additional states enacted celebrations during the fourth Friday in September, but the celebration did not gain official national recognition until President George H. W. Bush approved a joint resolution designating November 1990 as "National American Indian Heritage Month." Similar proclamations under different names, including "Native American Heritage Month" and "National American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month," have been issued each year since 1994. 4. Department of Defense themes are promulgated by the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute (DEOMI). More information, guidance, and resources on Diversity Heritage Celebrations and National Observances can be found on the DEOMI website at http://www.deomi.org/SpecialObservance/. 5. Articles, presentations, and other supporting information can be found at the Naval History Command's website at http://www.history.navy.mil/. 6. Additional information on diversity observances can also be found at the Navy Diversity and Inclusion website at http://www.public.navy.mil/bupers- npc/support/21st_Century_Sailor/diversity/Pages/DiversityObservances.aspx. 7. Points of contact are LCDR Raul A. Rojas,(703) 604-5082, raul.rojas(at)navy.mil and Ms. Shirley Copeland,(703) 604-5080, shirley.copeland(at)navy.mil. 8. This message will be canceled for record purposes on 31 December 2014. 9. Released by Vice Admiral W. F. Moran, N1.// BT #7507 NNNN UNCLASSIFIED//