The Envoy

The City University of New York will designate Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha, Lunar New Year and Diwali as holidays on its official school calendar, CUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez announced on Feb. 14. 

Beginning in the Spring 2025 semester, students will have time off from school in observance of these holidays celebrated by different Asian diasporic groups, a move that aligns CUNY with other public schools across New York City for the first time.

“As one of the largest and most diverse public universities in the country, CUNY has a responsibility to represent and reflect its diverse religions and cultures,” said Chancellor Matos Rodríguez in university press release earlier this month.

CUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez announces the addition of new school holidays alongside CUNY Student Trustee and University Student Senate Chairperson Salimatou Doumbouya

About 50.6% of enrolled undergraduate and graduate students at Hunter in 2023 were of Asian descent, and many within the community are applauding the decision made by the chancellor and CUNY Board of Trustees.

Dr. Vivian Louie, director of the Asian American Studies Program and Center and professor of Urban Policy and Planning at Hunter, called the announcement of officially recognizing and observing the new CUNY holidays as “historic.”

“I am certain this will mean a great deal to our students who observe these traditions. Our entire university community will benefit as well,” Louie said.

Several student cultural and religious organizations at Hunter are also celebrating the landmark decision as meaningful to their ethnic backgrounds.

The decision “reflects a significant step forward in fostering inclusivity and recognition within CUNY, as Asian and Asian-American students make up a substantial portion of CUNY’s student population,” said Jasmine Xiao, treasurer of the Asian Student Union.

Lunar New Year, one of the holidays observed by Hunter’s Asian community, signifies the turn of the lunisolar calendar.

Caitlin Sankar, secretary of the Hindu Students Association, called Chancellor Matos Rodríguez’s announcement a “blessing” to her club’s members, as many of them celebrate Diwali, a five-day commemoration of spiritual goodness and knowledge over darkness and ignorance.

“Being able to have this holiday added to the CUNY calendar does not only allow us to celebrate the festival of light over darkness, but to stay religiously connected within our school environment and in our communities,” Sankar said.

The announcement comes at great significance for Undergraduate Student Government (USG) President Bassrou Juwara, who supported the addition of Eid holidays throughout his campaign and presidency at Hunter, which he says “is home to a significant Muslim population.”

Eid al-Fitr marks the end of the month-long observance of Ramadan, where Muslim people fast from dawn to sunset. Later in the year of the Islamic calendar, Eid al-Adha is celebrated to commemorate religious sacrifice.

“This announcement is the culmination of years of continued advocacy,” Juwara said.

“Your voices matter. As long as we persist in our advocacy efforts, we can achieve significant success.”