Diversity and Resilience in the Mind, the Body and the Environment

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The sighting of the crescent moon marks the beginning of Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar. Ramadan, a month of fasting, is observed by around 2 billion Muslims all over the world. During the month of Ramadan, most Muslims refrain from food and drink, smoking, and sexual activity from dawn to sunset.

Throughout Ramadan, student clubs are hosting events and activities, including iftars, prayers, and other celebrations to mark the month. See the details of all the events below.

Learn more about Ramadan.

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Featured UBC events

February 16 – March 7 | 6:00pm – 9:00pm

Ramadan: Taraweeh hosted by the UBC Muslim Student Association

Please join the UBC Muslim Students’ Association for Taraweeh from 6:00pm to 9:00pm at the Place Vanier Ballroom.

February 18 – 22 | 4:00pm – 6:30pm

Ramadan: Community Iftar hosted by UBC Muslim Student Association

Please join the UBC Muslim Students’ Association for Community Iftar from 4:00pm to 6:30pm at the Place Vanier Ballroom.

February 22 | 4:00pm – 7:00pm

Ramadan: Grand Iftar hosted by UBC Muslim Student Association

Please join the UBC Muslim Students’ Association for a Grand Iftar starting at 4:00pm at the Great Hall in the AMS Nest. Come together with the Muslim community for a beautiful evening of togetherness, reflection, and barakah. Share the joy of breaking fast side by side and enjoy a hearty iftar meal as we celebrate the spirit of Ramadan. Cost: $15 for early bird and $20 for regular tickets

February 23 – March 1 | 4:30pm – 7:00pm

Ramadan: Community Iftar hosted by UBC Muslim Student Association

Please join the UBC Muslim Students’ Association for Community Iftar from 4:30pm to 7:00pm at the Place Vanier Ballroom.

February 24 | 4:00pm – 8:00pm

Ramadan: Iftar for Somalia hosted by Islamic Relief at UBC

Please join Islamic Relief at UBC for an Iftar for Somalia from 4:00pm to 8:00pm at the Simon K. Y. Lee Global Lounge. Cost: $15

March 2 – March 7  | 5:00pm – 7:30pm

Ramadan: Community Iftar hosted by UBC Muslim Student Association

Please join the UBC Muslim Students’ Association for Community Iftar from 5:00pm to 7:30pm at the Place Vanier Ballroom.

March 3 | 4:30pm – 8:00pm

Ramadan: Iftar for Orphan Care hosted by Islamic Relief at UBC

Please join Islamic Relief at UBC for Iftar for Orphan Care from 4:30pm to 8:00pm at the Simon K. Y. Lee Global Lounge. Cost: $15

March 8 | 4:30pm – 8:30pm

Ramadan: Grand Iftar hosted by Islamic Relief at UBC

Please join Islamic Relief at UBC for a Grand Iftar on Sunday, March 8 from 4:30pm to 8:30pm at the Great Hall and Lower Atrium in the AMS Nest. Tickets are $30 for students (with valid ID) and $40 for general admission. The event will include a lecture, dinner and opportunities to donate to support those in need around the world.

March 8 – 15  | 6:00pm – 8:30pm

Ramadan: Community Iftar hosted by UBC Muslim Student Association

Please join the UBC Muslim Students’ Association for Community Iftar from 6:00pm to 8:30pm at the Place Vanier Ballroom.

March 8 – 19 | 7:00pm – 10:00pm

Ramadan: Taraweeh hosted by the UBC Muslim Student Association

Please join the UBC Muslim Students’ Association for Taraweeh from 7:00pm to 10:00pm at the Place Vanier Ballroom.

March 16 – 19  | 6:30pm – 8:30pm

Ramadan: Community Iftar hosted by UBC Muslim Student Association

Please join the UBC Muslim Students’ Association for Community Iftar from 6:30pm to 8:30pm at the Place Vanier Ballroom.

March 20 | 7:15am – 11:00am

Ramadan: Eid-al-Fitr Celebration hosted by UBC Muslim Student Association

Please join the UBC Muslim Students’ Association for an Eid-al-Fitr celebration from 7:15am to 11:00am at the Place Vanier Ballroom and field.

Are you in a UBC department or student group planning a Ramadan event?

Please connect with us to have your event considered for this page info.events@ubc.ca.

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See what’s happening

February is Black History Month. While we should celebrate Black history and excellence every day, this is an opportunity for a focused, intentional and elevated reflection and recognition of Black history and achievement – and the many historical and contemporary contributions of Black Canadians, Black British Columbians and Black students, faculty and staff at UBC.

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Featured UBC Events

January 30-31, 2026

UBC Black Student Leadership Summit

The Summit will bring together Black students from UBC Vancouver and UBC Okanagan for a two-day experience focused on leadership, learning, and connection. Students will have an opportunity to strengthen leadership skills and experiences, build a lasting network of Black student leaders, mentors, and peers, and explore the unique dimensions of Black leadership at UBC.

February 1–29, 2026

Lighting the Ladner clock tower and University Commons

To raise visibility of and recognize Black History Month, the Ladner Clock Tower and University Commons outside of the AMS Nest will be lit up in red, yellow and green.

February 3, 10 & 24, 2026

Black History and the History of Black Studies Speaker Series

The Institute for Gender, Race, Sexuality, and Social Justice and the UBC Black Caucus invite you to a speaker series on Black History and the History of Black Studies every Tuesday in February, ending on February 24, 2026.

Events include “Africa and the Pan-African History of Black Studies with Dr. Jemima Pierre,” “‘To Be in a Rage, Almost all the Time’: Foundations and Legacies of Black Studies with Dr. Crystal Sheffield,” and “Diasporic Grooves: Funk Music and Global Black Sonic Movement/s with Dr. Scot Brown.”

Black Excellence in STEM Speaker Series: How to Build Cool Things, Break the Rules and Stay Audacious with Coralie Tcheune

Coralie received her BASC in Biomedical Engineering from UBC and is currently a MD Candidate in the Faculty of Medicine. She bridges her passion for patient-centric medicine with my enthusiasm for creating technology. She is naturally drawn to a space of innovation and challenge where she can foster her fascination with robotics, medicine, software, and neurotech. In 2023, she received the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council’s Undergraduate Student Research Award. This allowed her to intern as a research assistant in UBC’s Molecular Mechatronics Lab where she fabricated soft, capacitive pressure sensors and integrate them into a robotic hand.

The series is made possible by the UBC Strategic Equity and Anti-Racism Enhancement Fund.

February 5, 2026

Black Futures, Ananse Tales: Diasporic Storytelling in Motion

MOA welcomes Akofena Afro-Theatre Society for a vibrant, immersive performance rooted in Anansesem—the Spider Tales storytelling tradition of the Akan peoples of Ghana and, the diasporic communities of the Caribbean and the Americas. Drawing on the legendary trickster Kweku Ananse, this one-of-a-kind experience weaves together theatre, music, dance, and oral narrative to explore how stories travel, transform, and sustain communities across generations and diasporas.

Audiences are invited into a world charged with humour, wisdom, resistance, and creative energy, as artists reinterpret classic Ananse tales through bold contemporary lenses. Centring Black artistry and innovation, this performance honours ancestral knowledge while imagining liberated Black futures.

February 7, 2026

Ballaké Sissoko and Derek Gripper

Two master musicians—one from Mali, the other from South Africa—come together in a spellbinding conversation between kora and guitar.

In 2024, Sissoko and Gripper released a self-titled album that was praised as a “mesmerizing collection of seven instrumental tracks reflecting spontaneity and mastery.” (All About Jazz) By combining their talents, the duo offers a meeting of string and spirit: lyrical, boundless, and utterly transportive.

Black Excellence in STEM Speaker Series: Swimming to UBC Like a Fish with Dr. Rashid Sumaila

Dr. Rashid Sumaila is a Professor and Canada Research Chair (Tier 1) in Interdisciplinary Ocean and Fisheries Economics at UBC’s Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries and the School of Public Policy and Global Affairs.

His research examines how economics can be used to protect marine ecosystems, with a focus on fisheries subsidies, marine protected areas, illegal fishing, climate change, marine plastic pollution, and oil spills. Through this work, Dr. Sumaila bridges science, economics, and policy to address some of the most urgent environmental challenges facing our oceans.

The series is made possible by the UBC Strategic Equity and Anti-Racism Enhancement Fund.

Black Excellence in STEM Speaker Series: How Learning Works: Living Sober in a Time of Excess with Dr. Kemi Ola

Dr. Ola describes herself as a storyteller and a community builder which was prominently shaped by her parents and reflected in her work as an educator and researcher at UBC.

She teaches introductory programming and data visualization, supporting students as they build confidence and fluency in computing. As a researcher, her work focuses on removing barriers to learning, developing support structures that address common misconceptions, and examining the socio-emotional factors that influence learning.

The series is made possible by the UBC Strategic Equity and Anti-Racism Enhancement Fund.

Black Excellence in STEM Speaker Series: Microbiome of ‘Success’: Cultivating Resilience from Roots to Ecosystems with Dr. Zelalem Taye

Dr. Taye leads an interdisciplinary research group studying agricultural, forest, and urban ecosystems, with a focus on ecosystem productivity, sustainability, and resilience under global change.

His team collaborates closely with experts in soil science, plant science, plant pathology, plant breeding, computer science, and statistics, among other fields. Their work combines wet-lab and field research with computational and data-driven approaches to better understand and support climate-resilient ecosystems.

The series is made possible by the UBC Strategic Equity and Anti-Racism Enhancement Fund.

Black Career Fair

The Black Career Fair is designed with you in mind, Black upper-year undergraduates and graduate students who are ready to explore meaningful career pathways. While the fair is tailored to support students further along in their academic journey, first and second-year students are also welcome to attend, explore, and begin building their networks early.

Connect with employers offering various opportunities that support your growth as an emerging professional. Come network, ask questions, and discover opportunities that align with your goals.

Are you in a UBC department or student group planning a Black History Month event?
Please connect with us to have your event considered for this page info.events@ubc.ca.

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UBC Okanagan Events

Looking for UBC Okanagan Black History Month events or resources?
Visit https://events.ok.ubc.ca/black-history-month/

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Featured Community Events

February 2026

Black History Month Events, BC Black History Awareness Society

Join the BC Black History Awareness Society for public events that recognize and celebrate the achievements and contributions of historical and contemporary people of African descent.

Are you community group planning a Black History Month event?
Please connect with us to have your event considered for this page info.events@ubc.ca.

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Of Interest

• Anti-Racism and Inclusive Excellence at UBC
• UBC’s Inclusion Action Plan

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Illustrations: blackillustrations.com

January 29 marks the National Day of Remembrance of the Quebec City Mosque Attack and Action Against Islamophobia. This date was designated by the Canadian government to honour the survivors and victims of the hate-motivated attack that took place at the Islamic Cultural Centre in Sainte-Foy, Quebec in 2017. Six men were killed and 19 others were injured at their place of worship. January 29 serves as an important reminder of the need to stand up against Islamophobia and all forms of racism and hate. 

In solidarity with the survivors of this attack and in remembrance of the victims, the Green Square Campaign seeks to honour those who lost their lives. The green square symbolizes the green carpets in the Mosque where the victims last stood. All are encouraged to wear a green square to stand against Islamophobia.

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Featured events

January 29, 2026

Lighting the Ladner clock tower

The Ladner clock tower at UBC Vancouver will light up green to commemorate the National Day of Remembrance of the Quebec City Mosque Attack and Action Against Islamophobia.

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Access resources

• Introduction to Anti-Arab and Anti-Muslim Discrimination (PDF)
• Introduction to UBC’s Human Rights Obligations & Discrimination Policy
 (PDF)
• Resources on Combatting Islamophobia 
• Green Square Campaign 
• UBC Thaqalayn Muslim Association Chaplain
• Muslim Students’ Association Chaplain

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Find community

• UBC Thaqalayn Muslim Association
• Muslim Students’ Association
• Black Muslim Collective (Instagram) 
• Islamic Relief @ UBC 

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Are you in a UBC department or student group planning a National Day of Remembrance of the Quebec City Mosque Attack and Action Against Islamophobia event?

Please connect with us to have your event considered for this page info.events@ubc.ca.

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