Holidays Around The World � April Holidays

Reunification Day

Noel — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 23:12:32 +0000

Reunification Day Date: April 30

Reunification Day is celebrated in Vietnam.

Reunification Day or Victory Day or Liberation Day is the occasion when Saigon was captured by the Viet Cong and the North Vietnamese troops on April 30,1967. This was the end of the Vietnam War. For the people living in exile it is remembered as the ’Fall of Saigon’. It is considered as a day of reflection by the exiled Vietnamese who were displaced in overseas communities. It also marked the reunification of Vietnam under the communist government. Black April is the name given to the week of April 30.

Reunification Day History

Senior General Van Tien Dung commanded the communist forces and they began their attack on April 29 on Saigon which was under General Nguyen Van Toan with heavy bombardment. By the next day many important points in the city had been captured by the Vietnam troops and their flag rose in the presidential palace. The city was named as Ho Chi Minh City. Preceding this all the American military and civilians in Saigon were evacuated. Thousands of Vietnam civilians were also evacuated with them. This resulted in ‘Operation Frequent Wind’ where the evacuation was carried out. Under this plan ships and helicopters were used to evacuate Americans and the Vietnamese. The main evacuation point was at Tan Son Nhut. By the evening about 4000 Vietnamese and 395 Americans were evacuated. Even at the end of March a lot of Americans started to leave the city. Flights were always fully booked. All through April evacuation was done at great speed.

South Vietnamese who wanted to leave the country made many arrangements. Payments were made in large amounts to obtain passports and exit visas and prices for seagoing vessels tripled. People were forced to sell their property at a very great loss or even abandon it.

The North Vietnamese troops marched towards Saigon and many of the major cities were captured by the end of March. They captured Hue on March 25 and Da Nang on 28th. South Vietnam did not manage to get any increase in the military aid from the United States thereby losing hopes for more American support. By April 27 more than 100,000 troops were in position around the city of Saigon. As more of South Vietnam was occupied by the North Vietnamese President Thieu was facing more opposition from the Senate.

Order was slowly restored in the country though communication with the outside world was cut. General Tran Van Tra was placed in charge of the city. About 200,000 South Vietnamese officers were sent to camps where torture and disease was widespread. One of the objectives of the new government was to reduce the population of the country. Within two years of the capture of Saigon more than one million people had left the country and the government wanted to increase this by another 500,000.

Reunification Day Traditions and Activities

Though the reunification of the nation actually occurred on July 2, 1976 although April 30 is known as Reunification Day. The anniversary is marked by festivals set around the date.

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Queen’s Birthday

Noel — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 23:05:00 +0000

Queen’s Birthday Date: April 30

Queen’s Birthday is celebrated in the Netherlands.

The Netherlands Queen’s birthday fall on 30 April or on 29th April, if the 30th is a Sunday and is a national holiday in Netherlands Antilles, Netherlands and Aruba. The day is considered as a symbol of national unity. It is also aimed at bringing about a feeling of togetherness.

Queen’s Birthday History

It started on the birthday of Princess Wilhelmina i.e., on 31 August 1885. She later became the Queen. It also happened to be the last day of vacation because of which it was very popular with children. After Queen Juliana ascended the throne it has been her birthday 30 April which has been celebrated as Queen’s Day.

Many citizens would congratulate her and present her with flowers or gifts while she stood on a dais. There was also a parade which has been broadcast right from the 1950s. Though the current Queen of Netherlands, Queen Beatrix’s birthday falls on 31 January, officially she celebrates it on 30 April as a tribute to her mother. Also Queen Beatrix’s birthday falls on January 31, which is not a very great time for outdoor festivities.

But Queen Beatrix, unlike her mother decided it would be better to go to the country and meet people rather than receive them at her residence. The Queen and her family visit two or three places. They are shown different traditional dances and old crafts of their country. In recent years she has visited places like Apeldoom, Makkum, Franeker and a lot of other places. A lot of activities take place on that day like concerts, games for children and solo music performances. In some cities even the eve of the Queen’s Day is celebrated, known as Queen’s Night.

Queen’s Birthday Traditions and Activities

As the Dutch royal family is known as the ‘House of Orange’, a festival called ‘oranjegekte’ meaning ‘orange craze’ is organized where everyone wears orange clothes. There are banners, food and drink- everything orange in colour. Another event which takes place is the ‘free market’ which starts at about six in the morning. People set up stalls on the road, in parks or even the sidewalks to sell old clothes, crafts, electronics and other stuff.

Cars are banned in some streets on this day and even public transportation as the streets are full of people. Children sell their old toys and clothes while others sell beverages, food or just about anything. Usually the prices are kept very low and all the unsold items are left on the street. Also people do not have to pay taxes for the goods sold. But there are some places like Jordaan where people have a sale where prices are very low just to meet other people and have a chat with them.

You can also see a variety of street performers everywhere in the city. In recent years open air concerts and other events have been held in public places such as Dam square and Museumplein attracting 500,000 to 800,000 visitors. To experience this holiday a lot of Dutch living abroad come home.

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Japan: Showa Day

Carol — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 16:25:18 +0000

Japan’s Showa Day: April 30

Showa Day is a public holiday in Japan.

Showa Day is celebrated in Japan to commemorate the birth date of Emperor Showa or Hirohito, the emperor of pre and post-World war II. Showa Day is a national holiday and part of the Golden Week which includes other notable Japanese holidays such as the Constitution Day (Kenpo kinenbi) on May 3, Greenery Day (Midori no hi) on May 4, and Children’s Day (Kodomo no hi) on May 5.

Showa is a posthumous name given to Emperor Hirohito after his death in 1989. Greenery Day was used to occupy the holiday on April 29th but was later scheduled on May 4.

History of Japan’s Showa Day

Before 1985, Emperor Hirohito’s birthday is celebrated on the 29th of April; however, upon his death in 1989, April 29 was designated as the Greenery Day, a day dedicated to nature and the environment. Emperor Hirohito is a lover of nature and an enthusiast in the field of marine biology. In fact, the Imperial Palace during his time has a laboratory dedicated to sea animals particularly to saltwater animal belonging to a class of sea animals known as Hydrozoans.

However, in 2007, a bill to put back Emperor’s Day to April 29 was passed. The bill however states that public celebration should encourage the public to reflect on the emperor’s troubled administration and Japan’s challenging recovery after the end of World War II.

Japan’s Showa Day: Traditions, Customs and Activities

The imperial palace and the government of Japan encourage the public to collectively reflect on the current condition of Japan and its future. It is also a time for Japan to commemorate the lives lost during World War II and acknowledge the efforts made when Japan is under economic and social recovery during the Showa the period.

Hotel accommodation rates and spike up during the Golden Week; this means that visiting tourists should request for reservation in advance to save on accommodation fees. As part of Japanese tradition, people visit Hirohito’s tomb in Hachiōji during the holiday.

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Barbados Celebrates Its Heroes on National Heroes’ Day

Noel — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 13:45:32 +0000

National Heroes’ Day: April 28

National Heroes’ Day is a public holiday in Barbados.

According the Barbados’ Order of National Heroes Act, those people that have “given outstanding service to Barbados”, “contributed to the improvement of the economic and social conditions of Barbados”, and demonstrated “visionary and pioneering leadership, extraordinary achievement and the attainment of the highest excellence” will be honored every year on April 28, a day set aside as National Heroes’ Day.

History of National Heroes’ Day in Barbados

The country of Barbados has been shaped by the vision and achievement of numerous people, and in 1998, the parliament wanted to recognize those people. In April of that year, Prime Minister Owen Arthur announced that April 28 would be celebrated as Barbados’ National Heroes’ Day. The day would serve as a means of both taking pride in post-independence nationhood and also recognizing the contributions that Barbadians have made. Arthur also announced that Trafalgar Square in Bridgetown would be renamed to National Heroes Square.

The April 28 date was chosen in honor of the birth of Sir Grantley Herbert Adams, one of the ten national heroes remembered every year. The current list of heroes remembered each year is:

Bussa (????-1816)
Sarah Ann Gill (1795-1866)
Samuel Jackman Prescod (1806-1871)
Dr. Charles Duncan O’Neal (1879-1936)
Clement Osbourne Payne (1904-1941)
Sir Grantley Herbert Adams (1898-1987)
Rt. Hon. Errol Walton Barrow (1920-1987)
Sir Hugh Worrell Springer (1913-1994)
Sir Frank Leslie Walcott (1916-1999)
Sir Garfield St. Aubyn Sobers (1936- )

Each of the ten received the title “Right Excellent” as part of the act. The act was amended in 2009 to confer extra privileges to living heroes. For more information about each of these heroes, visit Barbados’ Government Information Service.

Barbados’ National Heroes’ Day Traditions, Customs and Activities

Schools are particularly involved every year with spreading awareness of Barbados’ national heroes to the youth. Special historical presentations, re-enactments, and games are typical fare for Barbados’ youth.

Additionally, sports are typical on the island on this day. Games like hockey, soccer, and even chess are to be found. In April and May of 2009, Barbados had its first Heroes Day Cup, a chess tournament celebrating the people and history of the game, with festivities tied directly into the National Heroes’ Day festivities.

In the heart of Bridgetown, many celebrations take place at Heroes Square. Food, music, and fireworks are to be found, with many stalls giving others the opportunity to discover more about Barbados’ culture and the people that have shaped it over the years.

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Afghanistan Victory Day

Noel — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 06:00:04 +0000

Victory Day Date: April 28

Victory Day is celebrated in Afghanistan.
It is the day all Afghans remember as the day of liberation from the oppressive regime that had so far ruled them, which fell due to the withdrawal of the Soviet Union’s army that had so far supported it. It was on this day in the year 1992 that the regime of Najibullah came to an end. More about the importance and what it means to the people of Afghanistan, can be understood only if we look at the history before that fateful day.

Victory Day History

The Marxist People’s Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA) came into power after the Saur revolution which put an end to monarchy in Afghanistan only to create a new problem. The reforms that this government bought on were on lines of communism which was not well received by the people. Since cancellation of farmer debts and abolition of land usury would have helped the farmers but the more powerful landlords and tribe leaders resented them. Also these changes affected the traditions of Islam. This caused dissent among the people and a resistance was formed against the government known as the Mujahedeen resistance.

The Cold War between the United States and Soviet Union was also in full swing at that time. Since the policies of the Afghanistan government was in tune with communism the Soviet Union supported them. The United States and various other countries supported the Mujahedeen resistance causing a raging civil war inside the country. This was a serious blow to the government and they requested military help from the Soviet Union which responded in favor and on December 7, 1979 it invaded Afghanistan. The invasion was complete on December 28, 1979 with the assassination of President Hafizullah Amin. The resistance grew both in support and in strength with heavy inflow from foreign aids.

Finally the Soviets were driven out with heavy causalities on their side due to the guerrilla warfare the Mujahedeen followed. The troops withdrew from the afghan territory in phases and left the country in 1989. Even then the civil war remained in a stalemate. The puppet regime that the Russians had set up was largely ineffective and weakened the PDPA’s divisions. But the party maintained its hold on power until April, 1992 when the Mujahedeen were able to depose it and set up a new governing body.

The results of the civil war affected the citizens the most. It was this war that resulted in the formation of groups like Al-Qaeda which have become terrorist groups. The Afghan casualties of this war exceed a million and it left the country in ruins. The people were very relieved as and when the war had come to an end. This war had resulted in the liberation from a communist government only to leave the country in ruins. Hence April 28 marks the culmination of numerous sacrifices and a period of history that saw the violent victimization of millions of Afghans, the destruction of the country’s economic foundation and the displacement of more than a third of the country’s population, the Afghanistan Victory day.

Victory Day Traditions and Activities.

Victory Day is also known as:

Sawr Revolution Day
Liberation Day

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Slovenia’s Resistance Day

Carol — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 16:31:25 +0000

Day of Uprising: April 27

Day of Uprisingis a public holiday in Slovenia.

The Day of Uprising or Resistance Day (Slovenia, dan upora proti okupatorju) is a holiday in Slovenia to commemorate the establishment of Slovenia’s Liberation Front to fight the occupying forces of nearby European countries such as the Germany, Italy, and Hungary.

The holiday is celebrated on the 27th of April every year. It is formerly known as Liberation Front Day and a considered a work-free day.

History of Slovenia’s Day of Uprising

Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia, saw the birth of Liberation Front of the Slovenian People or the Anti-Imperialist Front on April 26, 1941 that was created to free the Slovenians from foreign occupation. This massive movement is driven by the some of the most notable Slovenians writers and literary critics during the protest such as Ferdo Kozakand and Josip Vidmar; the Communist Party of Slovenia, the dissident or breakaway group of Slovene Sokols, and some Christian Socialists.

A quick civil war broke out in Spring of 1942 between the Liberation Front of the Slovenian People and the Slovene Home Guard which are anti-communist militia in the province of Ljubljana sponsored by the Axis powers. The former took over some portions of territories in Slovenia and contributed, to a large extend, the fall of Nazi Germany, and partly, the fascist Italy.

The Liberation Front of the Slovenian People was renamed Socialist Alliance of the Working People of Slovenia at the wake of the Second World War.

Slovenia’s Day of Uprising: Traditions, Customs and Activities

During the holiday, events such as public speeches from surviving Slovenian guerillas and political groups gather at the Monument of Freedom, created by Jakob Savinek (1922-1961) to commemorate this momentous event which liberated the country from foreign rule during World War II.

Speeches signify stories about how Slovenes were united during the occupation and how the establishment of liberation army helped Slovenia gain its independence from the three occupying European powers.

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Commemorating South Africa’s First Multiracial Election

Carol — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 16:29:49 +0000

South Africa’s Freedom Day: April 27

Freedom Day is a public holiday in South Africa.

The people of South Africa commemorate Freedom Day every 27th of April where the first election was held after the apartheid system was abolished in the country. Before this was instituted non-white constituent of South Africa had limited rights, under the apartheid law, to vote for their chosen political candidates.

Apartheid was later abolished following the general election that took place in 1994 instituting the, what was then known, as the first universal adult suffrage in South African nation.

History of South Africa’s Freedom Day

Under the supervision of Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), South Africa conducted its first major and nationwide election in 1994 after the fall of the Apartheid policy. Freedom Day marks the first multiracial election on April 27, 1994 which gave way for Nelson Mandela to presidency. Mandela was the head of the African National Congress, a political party which won the majority of seats in the government during the first fully representative democratic election in 1994.

Mandela is an anti-apartheid activist who campaigned for the abolition of apartheid, a legal racial discrimination system in South Africa. He was put in prison in charges of political sabotage and other crimes against the apartheid policy and languished in prison for 27 years. In the day of his release in February 11, 1990, he worked his way to once again campaign for a fully represented democratic national election in South Africa and give way for all non-white constituents to vote for their chosen candidates.

It was noted that 19,726,579 voted during the first national election. A tripartite Government of National Unity was later established to work on the total abolition of Apartheid system in South Africa and cure some of the detrimental social issues plaguing the country.

South Africa’s Freedom Day: Traditions, Customs and Activities

During Freedom Day, a reenactment of the release of Nelson Mandela is usually held in front of Victor Verster, the place where Mandela spent the last day of his prison sentence.

Speeches and musical concerts are also held commemorating the eventful day which led to the release of Mandela and first multiracial election that happened in South Africa in 1994.

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Togo Marks Independence Day

Carol — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 16:26:58 +0000

Independence Day: April 27

Independence Day is a public holiday in Togo.

Togo marks April 27 the anniversary of its independence from France on April 27, 1960. The country was once a protectorate of Germany until the fall of the Germans against the invading French and British military forces. The country came under UN Trusteeship Territories under the mandate of France until its full independence on 1960.

History of Togo’s Independence Day

Togo was once an unfortunate victim of slave trade stating at the turn of the 16th century. One of the various tribes representing Togo that were badly hit during that time were the Mina’s thereby Togo earning the title “The Slave Coast.” With sound economic programs in the region, Togo became Germany’s model possession. It only ended after Germany’s fall in World War I.

The United Nations placed Togo under the care of France and Britain at the end of First World War in 1914. These mandates accorded to the above countries were later translated to UN Trust Territories after the abolition of League of Nations which originally gave France and Britain the authority to administer the land.

The country was divided into two regions: British administrative region and the French administrative region. Under a popular referendum, the British Togoland elected to join the present-day Ghana. Meanwhile, the French Togoland managed itself to become independent under the auspices of French Union.

Sylvanus Olympio was instrumental in Togo’s march to independence in 1960. He served Togo’s highest political post from 1958 until his untimely death in 1963 due to assassination. Nicolas Grunitzky later became an appointed president following Olympio’s death but was later replaced by Eyadema Gnassingbe through a bloodless military coup and serving as the country’s president from 1967 until 2005.

Togo’s Independence Day: Traditions, Customs and Activities

Togolese people celebrate Independence Day with usual march parade and speeches from president about the current condition of the country and how it stands compared with countries across Africa and the rest of the world. As with all other holidays in Togo, Independence day is a work-free day.

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Sierra Leone Wins Independence

Carol — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 16:16:10 +0000

Independence Day: April 27

Independence Day is a public holiday in Sierra Leone.

Sierra Leone, a country in West Africa, celebrates independence from foreign rule on April 27, 1961 after 150 years in the hands of Great Britain. The Duke of Kent was present when the British conferred independence to Sierra Leone.

History of Sierra Leone’s Independence Day

Until 1961, Sierra Leone has been a British Colony for more than 150 years. The history of the establishment of Sierra Leone is traced to a program called Black Poor that aims to resolve the slave trade plaguing Africa. Notable philanthropists in England spearheaded the plans of making Sierra Leone as a home for impoverished black in London and to eventually end the horrors of slave trade.

The philanthropists started the transfer of slaves from England to Sierra Leone in 1787. But the unfavorable living conditions made the new settlers suffer from diseases, pestilence, and harsh weather. This continued until the first half of the 19th century with hundreds and thousands of slaves are freed almost every year. The majority of the freed slaves stayed in Sierra Leone and considered it as a home.

Sierra Leone Company was established for the purpose of creating a hub for ex-slaves coming from Nova Scotia, England, and African Americans who served the British Crown during the American Revolution.

The British Parliament in 1807 signed a law making slave trade illegal. This has further intensified the influx of freed slaves from all parts of England and America to Sierra Leone. The constitution in 1954 allowed the election of members of the Legislative Councils in Sierra Leone until free election was allowed in 1954. The House of Representatives was later established in 1957.

The first prime minister was elected a year after and in 1960, the march to independence was sought in London with representatives headed by Milton Margai. Sierra Leone then became an independent nation in April 27, 1961.

Sierra Leone’s Independence Day: Traditions, Customs and Activities

Independence Day is festive event in Sierra Leone’s holiday calendar. During the holiday, the street is decorated with bunting bearing the flag’s national colors. Military parade in Freetown is a common event with contingents from schools and social organizations. Political speeches also abound during the holiday. Independence is a bank holiday in Sierra Leone; therefore, it is work-free.

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Malawi Freedom Day

Noel — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 11:00:33 +0000

Freedom Date: April 27

Freedom Day is celebrated in Malawi as a public holiday.

Freedom means the sense of equality and liberation from control. For most countries freedom meant release from colonial rule of the western countries, But for Africans it meant something else, freedom from apartheid.

Apartheid –
A way of segregation of races, (i.e.) Negroes and the whites. For nearly a century it had been just a practice in South Africa but later on it became official in 1948. With the inception of a new legislation the people were segregated into racial groups based on the colour of their skin and were also forcibly removed from their residences. Services like education, medical care that were provided were of extremely inferior compared to that provided for the whites ,not to mention even the permission to visit public places were severely controlled.

Freedom Date History

The legislation enforcing apartheid had various rules and acts which forbade inter-racial marriages, racial identification (i.e.) which was to have an identification card specifying the racial group the person belongs to. This suppression eventually led to various rebel groups and the formation of African National Congress. During the administration of P. W. Botha who became the prime minister in 1978 and led the white supremacist government various acts that would enable the whites to enforce their wills where passed. Severe actions were taken against the rebel leaders and most of them were executed. Whipping was made a legal punishment for almost all kinds of offences.

Nelson Mandela the great leader was imprisoned on grounds of political offences. Emergency was declared which enabled Botha to make rules without having them made as decrees. Eventually nature took its toll on Botha who suffered a stroke in 1989. F. W. de Klerk succeeded him as the new prime minister of South Africa. During the emergency rule of Botha and the civil war that had ensued the economy and trade had suffered great losses. In an attempt to make things alright and to end the civil war he called for negotiations with ANC.

Mandela was released from imprisonment after 26 years and the talks ensued. The Bisho massacre which had 29 people murdered and more than 200 people injured ensured that talks would go smoothly between Mandela and de Klerk to put an end to racial violence. De Klerk had arranged a meeting comprising of all whites and it was decided that apartheid would be abolished when the matter was put to vote. The abolishment issue had 67% of the whites supporting the cause. Finally Apartheid was abolished and the elections which had parties of different races competing were held. Until then only the whites were allowed to participate in Elections.

The 1994 elections were hailed by the international community and the African National Congress led by Nelson Mandela acquired power with overwhelming majority, thus ending the suffering of millions of blacks in South Africa. This Victory was celebrated not only as the end of apartheid but as the victory of humanity. The day of this revolutionary election April 27, 1994 is celebrated as the day of independence and freedom of South Africa, The Freedom Day of South Africa.

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