Holidays Around The World � april calendars

Reunification Day

Noel — Sat, 30 Apr 2011 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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The Ninth Day of Ridván Festival Celebrated by Followers of Bahá’í

Noel — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 10:00:27 +0000

Ninth Day of Ridván Festival: April 29

Ninth Day of Ridván Festival is a religious observance for the followers of Bahá’í.

The Ninth Day of Ridván Festival is celebrated on April 29, and the festival continues until May 2. The first day, the ninth day, and the last day are all non-working days according to the Bahá’í faith. The ninth day celebrates the arrival of the family of Bahá’u'lláh to the Garden of Ridván.

History of the Ninth Day of Ridván Festival

Ridván means “paradise”, and the festival got its name from the Garden of Ridván, over the Tigris River outside Baghdad. This is where Bahá’u'lláh, founder of the Bahá’í faith, remained for 12 days from April 21 to May 2, 1863 after he was forced to leave Baghdad by the Ottoman Empire.

During these 12 days, Bahá’u'lláh received many visitors who came to help him and his family prepare for the journey to Constantinople. In the presence of his sons, Bahá’u'lláh announced his messianic mission, telling all that he was “he whom God shall make manifest”, the messianic figure repeatedly mentioned by the Báb. Before him many others had claimed to be the messiahs of the Bahá’í faith, but only Bahá’u'lláh’s claim was successful, and his followers became known as the Bahá’ís.

The family of Bahá’u'lláh was not able to join him until the ninth day because the Tigris River had risen due to the rains, and travel to the Garden of Ridván was difficult. On the 12th day, they all left Ridván and started their journey to Constantinople. The 12 days of Bahá’u'lláh in the Garden of Ridván are now celebrated as the Ridván Festival—also known as The Most Great Festival and King of Festivals—and it is the most holy festival of the Bahá’í faith.

Ninth Day of Ridván Festival Traditions, Customs and Activities

The Ninth Day of Ridván celebrates the arrival of Bahá’u'lláh’s family to the Garden of Ridván. Bahá’u'lláh declared the Festival of Ridván as the most holy for Bahá’is, and he gave specific instructions that the first, ninth, and twelfth days be holy days for the entire Baha’i community. These three days are non-working days, and classes are suspended as the Baha’i community gathers to celebrate their faith.

The First Day of Ridván Festival is also the administrative day when the elections of local and national Spiritual Assemblies occur as part of the festivities. There are no prescribed ways to celebrate the first day of Ridván. Buildings may be decorated with white and bright colors, representing an outdoor canopy like the one that Bahá’u'lláh stayed in. During the celebrations there are readings that recount the arrival of Bahá’u'lláh’s family to the Garden of Ridván.

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Afghanistan Victory Day

Noel — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 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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Barbados Celebrates Its Heroes on National Heroes’ Day

Noel — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 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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Malawi Freedom Day

Noel — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 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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Anzac Day Solemnly Observed in Australia and New Zealand

Noel — Sun, 24 Apr 2011 10:00:35 +0000

Anzac Day: April 25

Anzac Day is a national holiday in Australia and New Zealand.

The acronym ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, and April 25 is the day that Australia and New Zealand remember the Anzac members who fought during World War I at Gallipoli in Turkey. More recently it commemorates all members who have served in military operation for both countries.

History of Anzac Day in Australia and New Zealand

Australia and New Zealand, as part of the Commonwealth of Nations, became part of the Allied forces during World War I. In 1915, under a plan designed by Winston Churchill to take back Istanbul, capital of the Ottoman Empire and an ally of Germany, the Anzac army joined the Allied expedition on their way to capture the Gallipoli Peninsula. They landed in Gallipoli on April 25 and were received by the fierce Turkish forces. The battle for Gallipoli went on for eight months, with both sides suffering heavy casualties and enduring great hardships. By the end of the war, more than 8,700 Australians and 2,700 New Zealanders died.

Even if the campaign to take Gallipoli was unsuccessful, it created what has been called the Anzac legend, or Anzac spirit, that today marks both the Australian and New Zealand identity. It suggests that Australian and New Zealand soldiers share many of the same qualities as brothers in arms.

The Gallipoli campaign is often described as the birth of both nations, Australia and New Zealand. In 1916, April 25 was officially named as Anzac Day, and a wide variety of ceremonies were held nationwide in both countries. In London, 2,000 soldiers marched through the streets dubbed as The Knights of Gallipoli. During the 1920s, Anzac Day became a memorial day for the deceased.

Australia’s and New Zealand’s Anzac Day Traditions, Customs and Activities

Australians and New Zealanders celebrate April 25 as a ceremonial occasion to reflect on the futility of war and to remember those who fought and lost their lives for their country. The day starts with dawn services; these are held at war memorials across Australia and New Zealand. Before dawn veterans will gather and will stand for two minutes of silence, remembering the landing at dawn in Gallipoli.

The “Last Post”, a bugle call used at Commonwealth military funerals and ceremonies, is played, commemorating those who have fallen in war. The service ends with the “Reveille”, another bugle call chiefly used to wake military personnel at sunrise.

One of the traditions of Anzac Day is the “gunfire breakfast”, coffee with rum added, which occurs shortly after many dawn ceremonies. The practice is done to honor the troops that took this sort of “breakfast” before facing battle. Later in the day, veterans meet and join in marches throughout the major cities.

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Portugal Commemorates Liberty Day

Noel — Sun, 24 Apr 2011 10:00:17 +0000

Liberty Day: April 25

Liberty Day is a public holiday in Portugal.

Liberty Day is celebrated in Portugal to remember the famous Carnation Revolution that took place on April 25, 1974. Often referred to simply as 25 de Abril, the day is a remembrance of the oppression that led to the revolution and is a renewal of the country’s democratic values and ideals of liberty, equality, justice, solidarity, and fraternity.

History of Liberty Day in Portugal

Beginning in 1926, the Portuguese people were ruled under a military dictatorship. Several liberties were taken away by the government, and no political parties were accepted in the country. In 1974, a movement led by military captains undertook a revolution that ended with the surrender of Marcelo Caetano’s government.

Led by a group of captains including General Antonio Spínola and General Costa Gomes, the revolution had its pretext in a movement started by military officials. They were not in agreement with a new law about their promotions, and they had a deep desire to end the war that Portugal had with its African colonies. The coup of Caetano’s government was successful due to the lack of motivation of the military forces to continue under such a government, one that kept on sending its military to territories in Africa.

The wars in Africa had been raging for 13 years, and few saw a resolution to the disputes. The Captains Movement took to organizing itself, hiding from the opposing government forces inside military organizations. The main events of the Carnation Revolution took place in the military headquarters of Carmo in Lisbon, where the revolutionaries managed to complete a victorious coup without shooting a single bullet. Thanks to the timely occupation of public communication centers and the mobilization of underground resistance groups available at the time, the rebels were able to mobilize the people to support them in the streets on that same day.

Its triumph allowed political parties to take back the republic power, marking the Portuguese Second Republic. The Carnation Revolution also led to quick and sometimes messy negotiations to release the Portuguese colonies around the world as well as the demobilization of Portuguese armies in those territories.

Portugal’s Liberty Day Traditions, Customs and Activities

The revolution had a deep impact on Portuguese life, with many people who lived through the revolution participating in ceremonies. On this day, it is common to wear carnations on the lapel. Carnations became the symbol of the revolution when during the day of the revolution, a daily flower vendor decided to give carnations away rather than sell them as a way to show support for the revolution. While marching through the streets, the military put the carnations in their guns barrels as a symbol of their peaceful intentions towards the people.

The celebrations start early in the dawn from the Carmo Headquarters, where the Republic’s president and prime minister meet to officially start the celebrations. In the Parliament a solemn session is held on this day with interventions from all the political parties and their representatives, followed by a speech from the Parliament’s president, and finally the Republic’s president takes the stand to deliver his speech.

Foreign presidents from Portuguese ex-colonies usually join the session and have a lunch in the president’s official residence. During the day, there are several stages set in all public plazas in the country, where there are political speeches and musical concerts. In Lisbon, Portugal’s capital, there is a military parade in the afternoon along Liberty Avenue.

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Armenian Genocide Memorial Day Commemorated in Armenia

Noel — Sat, 23 Apr 2011 10:00:37 +0000

Armenian Genocide Memorial Day: April 24

Armenian Genocide Memorial Day is a public holiday in Armenia.

Armenia remembers the Armenian Genocide in April 24, 1915. This is recalled by Armenians as the Great Calamity, and it was systematic and deliberate genocide from the Ottoman Empire towards Armenians during and after World War I, resulting in one and a half million deaths.

History of Armenian Genocide Memorial Day in Armenia

Armenia became part of the Ottoman Empire under the rule of Selim II from 1524 to 1574. As a minority of Christians in a Muslim Empire, Armenians were discriminated against and guaranteed limited freedoms. Great Britain, France, and Russia pressured the Ottoman government to improve the treatment of minorities. Even though there were some efforts to change the situation, laws were ineffective and Armenians remained as second-class citizens.

In November 1914, the Ottoman Empire entered World War I. The Ottoman Empire then tried to recover lost territories from the Russians, but they lost and were forced to return to Constantinople as losers. This defeat was then blamed on Armenians that supported the Russians. War Minister Enver Pasha, humiliated by the defeat, ordered all Armenian units in the Ottoman forces to be sent to an unarmed labor battalion. This was the beginning of the logistical preparation for the Armenian Genocide.

From 1915 to 1917, several Armenian cities were surrounded under false pretexts of rebellion. The population was killed and property was seized. Political propaganda showed Armenian intellectuals as a threat to the Empire and was used to justify the killing of 250 Armenian intellectual and community leaders on April 24, 1915. Under an approved law, the Tehcir Law, the Ottoman Empire legalized the confiscation of properties from Armenians.

Armenians were taken from their homes and forced to march for hundreds of miles without food or water into the Syrian town of Deir ez-Dor and the surrounding desert, later to be killed. Studies have unraveled a long list of concentration camps, and witnesses have recounted atrocities from the Ottoman armies against Armenians. It is the most studied genocide after the Holocaust.

Armenia’s Armenian Genocide Memorial Day Traditions, Customs and Activities

On this day Armenians all over the world recall the memories of the Armenian Genocide. They gather around the many memorials that have been erected across 25 countries to commemorate the event. Armenians still struggle to have the Armenian Genocide recognized internationally by Turkey, and this day is a day to put more political effort into its recognition.

In Yerevan, capital of Armenia, hundreds of thousands of people gather at the Tsitsernakaberd Genocide Memorial to lay flowers in memory of Armenians killed during the genocide. The 250 Armenian notables that were killed on April 24 and the hundreds of other intellectuals and community leaders killed during the event are considered martyrs by most Armenians.

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Earth Day is Commemorated Around the World

Noel — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 10:00:13 +0000

Earth Day: April 22

Earth Day is a festive day in many parts of the world.

Among the wide variety of holidays and events that are celebrated worldwide, there are a few that assume a higher degree of importance and relevance to the common man. One such event that is celebrated in countries all over the world is Earth Day. This day had its roots in the United States then moved on and spread throughout many countries around the world. Earth Day is now considered the largest secular holiday around the world, celebrated by more than half billion people.

The 40th anniversary of Earth Day is set to be observed on April 22, 2010. Additionally, the Earth Day Network is planning “a global day of celebration” on April 25 with events being planned in 40 different cities around the world.

History of Earth Day

Earth Day has its origins in a September 1969 proposal by United States Senator Gaylord Nelson to organize a protest about environmental concerns that had been building among many U.S. citizens.

In an effort to give the protest more symbolic appeal, a new symbol was conceived. The symbol had in its core the ideals of Environment and Organism, adopting an “E” and “O” into its design. The symbol was later incorporated into a flag by designers at Look magazine.

Working together with Julian Koenig, an advertising executive, Nelson suggested the use of the name “Earth Day” for the protest. The first Earth Day celebrated in the U.S. was held on April 22, 1970, and more than 20 million people took part, making the event a grand success.

As Earth day grew in importance annually, many of the ecologically concerned began to voice their views, and in the Americas, several of the top universities and colleges housing some of the top brains around the world began taking keen interest in debating environmental issues.

Earth Day Traditions, Customs and Activities

Earth Days to date have been instrumental in letting focus groups shine attention on some overlooked yet key aspects of humanity’s impact on the Earth. The typical celebrations involve people displaying large banners about particular environmental issues and large demonstrations that try to get the government’s attention about sustainable living. Earth Day has also been noted for the fact that it has brought people together from different corners of the world and has practically eradicated boundaries among the environmentally conscious.

Earth Day has received its fair share of criticism. Detractors claim that the celebrations and activities during the day do more damage to the environment than good. Others say that the event marginalizes the push for environmental sustainability, therefore making the commemoration moot.

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The First Day of Ridván Festival Celebrated by Followers of Bahá’í

Noel — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 10:00:04 +0000

First Day of Ridván Festival: April 21

First Day of Ridván Festival is a religious observance for the followers of Bahá’í.

The First Day of Ridván Festival is celebrated on April 21, and the festival continues until May 2. The first day, the ninth day, and the last day are all non-working days according to the Bahá’í faith.

History of the First Day of Ridván Festival

First Day of Ridván Festival Traditions, Customs and Activities

The First Day of Ridván celebrates the arrival of Bahá’u'lláh to the Garden of Ridván. Bahá’u'lláh declared the Festival of Ridván as the most holy for Bahá’is, and he gave specific instructions that the first, ninth, and twelfth days be holy days for the entire Baha’i community. These three days are non-working days, and classes are suspended as the Baha’i community gathers to celebrate their faith.

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