Alamo Day-USA 6-March The Alamo, originally known as Mission San Antonio de Valero, is a former Roman Catholic mission and fortress compound, site of the Battle of the Alamo in 1836, and now a museum, in San Antonio, T e x a s . The compound, which originally comprised a sanctuary and surrounding buildings, was built by the Spanish Empire in the 18th century for the education of local Native Americans after their conversion to Christianity. In 1793, the mission was secularized and soon abandoned. Ten years later, it became a fortress housing the Mexican Army group the Second Flying Company of San Carlos de Pa r r as , w h o l i kel y g a ve t he mi s s i on th e n a m e "Al a m o ". Mexican soldiers held the mission until December 1835, when General Martin Perfecto de Cos surrendered it to the Texian Army following the siege of Bexar. A relatively small number of Texian soldiers then occupied the compound. T exian General Sam Houston believed the Texians did not have the manpower to hold the fort and ordered Colonel James Bowie to destroy it. Bowie chose to disregard those orders and instead worked with Colonel James C. Neill to fortify the mission. On February 23, Mexican General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna led a large force of Mexican soldiers into San Antonio de Bexar and promptly initiated a siege. The siege ended on March 6, when the Mexican army attacked the Alamo; by the end of the Battle of the Alamo all or almost all of the defenders were killed. W hen the Mexican army retreated from Texas at the end of the Texas Revolution, they tore down many of th e Ala m o w al l s a nd b u r ne d s o m e o f t h e b u i l d i n gs . For the next five years, the Alamo was periodically used to garrison soldiers, both Texian and Mexican, but was ultimately abandoned. In 1849, several years after T exas was annexed to the United States, the US Army began renting the facility for use as a quartermaster's depot. The US Army abandoned the mission in 1876 after nearby Fort Sam Houston was established. The Alamo chapel was sold to the state of Texas, which conducted occasional tours but made no effort to restore it. The remaining buildings were sold to a mercantile company which operated them as a wholesale g r o c e r y s t o r e . After forming in 1892, the Daughters of the Republic of Texas (DRT) began trying to preserve the Alamo. In 1905, Adina Emilia de Zavala and Clara Driscoll successfully convinced the legislature to purchase the buildings and to name the DRT permanent custodians of the site. For the next six years, de Zavala and Driscoll quarrelled over how to best restore the mission, culminating in a court case to decide which of their competing DRT chapters controlled the Alamo. As a result of the feud, Texas governor Oscar B. Colquitt briefly took the complex under state control and began restorations in 1912; the site was given back to the DRT later that year. The legislature took steps in 1988 and again in 1994 to transfer control of the Alamo to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department but the attempt failed after then-governor George W. Bush vowed to veto any bill removing the D R T ' s a u t h o r i t y .
Revolution Day-Syria
8-March Instability and foreign relations: independence to 1967 Although rapid economic development followed the declaration of independence, Syrian politics from independence through the late 1960s were marked by upheaval. Between 1946 and 1956, Syria had 20 different cabinets and drafted four separate constitutions. It was during this period that many Syrian Jews, who faced growing discrimination, emigrated from the country. In 1948, Syria was involved in the Arab-Israeli W ar, aligning with the other local Arab nations who were attempting to prevent the establishment of Israel. The Syrian army was pressed out of most of the Palestine area, but fortified their strongholds on the Golan Heights and managed to keep their old borders and some additional territory (this was converted into "supposed" demilitarized zones under UN supervision ; the status of these territories have proved a stumbling-block for Syrian-Is raeli negotiations). The humiliating defeat suffered by the army was one of several trigger factors for Col. Husni al-Za'im's seizure of power in 1949, in what has been described as the first military overthrow of the Arab world. since the start of the Second W orld W ar. This was soon followed by another overthrow, by Col. Sami al-Hinnawi, who was then himself quickly de p o s e d b y C o l. A d i b S h i s h ak l i , al l wi t hi n t h e s a me y e a r . After exercising influence behind the scenes for some time, dominating the ravaged parliamentary scene, Shishakli launched a second overthrow in 1951, entrenching his rule and eventually abolishing multipartyism altogether. Only when president Shishakli was himself overthrown in a 1954 overthrow, was the parliamentary system restored, but it was fundamentally undermined by continued political maneuvering supported by co mpeting fac tions in the milita ry. By this time, civilian politics had been largely gutted of meaning, and power was increasingly concentrated in the military and security establishment, which had now proven itself to be the only force capable of seizing and - perhaps - keeping power. Parliamentary institutions remained weak and ineffectual, dominated by competing parties representing the landowning elites and various Sunni urban notables, while economy and politics were mismanaged, and little done to better the role of Syria's peasant majority. This, as well as the influence of Nasserism and other anti-colonial ideologies, created fertile ground for various Arab nationalist, Syrian nationalist and socialist movements, who represented disaffected elements of society, notably including the religious minorit ies, and demanded radical reform. During the Suez Crisis of 1956, after the invasion of the Sinai Peninsula by Israeli troops, and the intervention of British and French troops, martial law was declared in Syria. The November 1956 attacks on Iraqi pipelines were in retaliation for Iraq's acceptance into the Baghdad Pact. In early 1957 Iraq advised Egypt and Syria against a conceivable takeover of J o r d a n . In November 1956 Syria signed a pact with the Soviet Union, providing a foothold for Communist influence within the government in exchange for planes, tanks, and other military equipment being sent to Syria. With this increase in the strength of Syrian military technology worried Turkey, as it seemed feasible that Syria might attempt to retake Iskenderun, a matter of dispute between Syria and Turkey. On the other hand, Syria and the U.S.S.R. accused Turkey of massing its troops at the Syrian border. During this standoff, Communists gained more control over the Syrian government and military. Only heated debates in the United Nations (of which Syria was an original member) lessened the threat of war. Syria's political instability during the years after the 1954 overthow, the parallelism of Syrian and Egyptian policies, and the appeal of Egyptian President Gamal Abdal Nasser's leadership in the wake of the Suez crisis created support in Syria for union with Egypt. On 1 February 1958, Syrian President Shukri al-Quwatli and Nasser announced the merging of the two countries, creating the United Arab Republic, and all Syrian political parties, as well as the Communists therein, ceased overt activities. The union was not a success, however. Following a military overthrow led by Abd al-Karim al-Nahlawi on 28 September 1961, Syria seceded, reestablishing itself as the Syrian Arab Republic. Instability characterized the next 18 months, with various overthorws culminating on 8 March 1963, in the installation by leftist Syrian Army officers of the National Council of the Revolutionary Command (NCRC), a group of military and civilian officials who assumed control of all executive and legislative authority. The takeover was engineered by members of the Arab Socialist Resurrection Party (Baath Party), which had been active in Syria and other Arab countries since the late 1940s. The new cabinet was d o m i n a t e d b y B a a t h m e m b e r s . The Baath takeover in Syria followed a Baath overthrow in Iraq the previous month. The new Syrian Government explored the possibility of federation with Egypt and with Baath-controlled Iraq. An agreement was concluded in Cairo on 17 April 1963, for a referendum on unity to be held in September 1963. However, serious disagreements among the parties soon developed, and the tripartite federation failed to materialize. Thereafter, the Baath government in Syria and Iraq began to work for bilateral unity. These plans floundered in November 1963, when the Baath government in Iraq was overthrown. In May 1964, President Amin Hafiz of the NCRC promulgated a provisional constitution providing for a National Council of the Revolution (NCR), an appointed legislature composed of representatives of mass organizations-labour, peasant, and professional unions-a presidential council, in which executive power was vested, and a cabinet. On 23 February 1966, a group of army officers carried out a successful, intra-party overthrow, imprisoned President Hafiz, dissolved the cabinet and the NCR, abrogated the provisional constitution, and designated a regionalist, civilian Baath government on 1 March. The leaders of the overthrow described it as a "rectification" of Baath Party principles.
Independence Day-Ghana 6-March Ghana officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south. The word Ghana means "Warrior King" and is derived from the ancient G h a n a E m p i r e . Ghana was inhabited in pre-colonial times by a number of ancient predominantly Akan kingdoms, including the Akwamu on the eastern coast, the inland Ashanti Empire and various Fante and non-Akan states, like the Ga and Ewe, along the coast and inland. The Mande-Gur speaking groups in the north of the country established several Islamized states, i n particu lar those of Dagbon and Gonja, and we re the middle-men in trade between other larger sahelian Muslim states (such as Mali and Songhai) and the early Akan kingdoms, especially in the gold and salt trade. Trade with European states flourished after contact with the Portuguese in the 15th century, and the British established the Gold C o a s t C r o w n c o l o n y i n 1 8 7 4 . The Gold Coast achieved independence from the United Kingdom in 1957, becoming the first sub-Saharan African nation to do so, and the name Ghana was chosen for the new nation to reflect the ancient Empire of Ghana, which once extended throughout much of west Africa. Ghana is a member of the South Atlantic Peace and Cooperation Zone, the Commonwealth of Nations, the Economic Community of West African States, the African Union, and an associate member of La Francophonie. Ghana is the second largest producer of cocoa in the world and is home to Lake Volta, the largest artificial lake in the world by surface area.
Restoration of Lithuania's Statehood 11-March The Act of February 16 proclaimed the re-establishment (atstatyti) of the Lithuanian state, making it the successor to the Lithuanian historical state, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. In this respect the Council deviated from the resolution adopted by the Vilnius Conference which called for establishment (sudaryti) of a Lithuanian state. However, it was made clear that the new state would be quite different from the old Duchy: it was to be organized only in ethnic Lithuanian lands and was to be governed by democratic principles, as opposed to the multi-ethnic Duchy that had been ruled by aristocracy. The termination of the ties binding Lithuania to other states was addressed to Germany, Russia, and Poland, all of which had their own plans for the country. Even though not addressed directly, the Act renounced any attempt to resurrect the former Polish-Lithuanian u n i o n . The Act of February 16, 1918, is the legal basis for the existence of present-day Lithuania, both during the interwar period and since 1990. The Act became one of the key elements during the restoration of Lithuania's independence from the Soviet Union in 1990. A paragraph in the Act of the Re-Establishment of the State of Lithuania, delivered on M a r c h 1 1 , 1 9 9 0 , s t a t e d : The Act of Independence of 16 February 1918 of the Council of Lithuania and the Constituent Assembly (Seimas) decree of 15 May 1920 on the re-established democratic State of Lithuania never lost their legal effect and comprise the constitutional foundation of the State of Lithuania. This formulation emphasized the continuity of the two legal Acts. The Act of February 16, 1918 and its successor, the Act of March 11, 1990, are regarded as two of the most important developments of Lithuanian society i n t h e 2 0 t h c e n t u r y . February 16 in Lithuania is now an official holiday. On this day various ceremonies are hosted all across Lithuania, but the main commemoration is held in the House of Signatories in Vilnius where the Act was signed in 1918. During this observance the Flag of Lithuania is hoisted, and Lithuanian cultural activists and politicians deliver speeches from its balcony to the people gathered below. Special masses in churches and cathedrals are also delivered. Honoring the Act's legacy, the President of Lithuania hosts a reception for the signatories of the Act of March 11, 1 9 9 0 , i n t h e P r e s i d e n t i a l P a l a c e . In 1992, an award was established in honor of Jonas Basanavi?ius, who led the Council of Lithuania when the Act of February 16 was signed. The Jonas Basanavi?ius Prize is bestowed for distinguished work within the previous five years in the fields of ethnic and cultural studies. The prize is awarded in the House of Signato ries, in homage to its history .
Girl Scout Day-USA 12-March Girl Scouting in the United States of America began on March 12, 1912 when Juliette "Daisy" Gordon Low organized the first Girl Scout troop meeting of 18 girls in Savannah, Georgia. It has since grown 3.7 million members Low, who had met Baden-Powell in London while she was living in the United Kingdom, dreamed of giving the United States and the world "something for all the girls." She envisioned an organization that would bring girls out of their sheltered home environments to serve their communities, experience the out-of-doors, and give them the opportunity to develop "self-reliance and resourcefulness." Unlike other organizations, from its inception, Girl Scouts has been organized and run exlusively by w o m e n , f o r g i r l s a n d w o m e n . The organization's original name was the Girl Guides of America. In 1913, it was changed to the Girl Scouts of the United States and the organization was incorporated in 1915. The name was finally changed to the Girl Scouts of the United States of America in 1947, and was given a congressional charter on March 16, 1950. The GSUSA started with 18 members - within months, members were hiking through the woods in their knee-length blue uniforms, playing basketball on a curtained-off court, and going on camping trips. By 1920, there were nearly 70,000 members, and by 1930 over 200,000. In 2005 there were over 3.7 million Girl Scouts - 2.8 million girl members and 954,000 adult members - in the United States. More than 50 million American women have participated in the Girl Scouts. Through its membership in the WAGGGS, GSUSA is part of a worldwide scouting family of over 10 million girls and adults in 145 countries. The names and ages of the levels - and the larger structure of the program - have evolved significantly. Troops were initially fairly independent before joining together into small councils, which have r e c e n t l y me r g e d i n t o l a r g e r c o u n c i l s . The Juliette Gordon Low Birthplace, located in Savannah, Georgia in the former Gordon family home, became the National Girl Scout program center in 1956. It provides tours to thousands of Girl Scouts yearly. Upon Low's death in 1927, she willed her carriage house, which would eventually become The Girl Scout First Headquarters, to the local Savannah Girl Scouts for continued use. The first National Headquarters was in Washington, D.C., but it was moved to New York City in the spring of 1916 and has remained there ever since. The aim of the Girl Scouts is that girls will develop to their full potential by pursuing four goals: developing their full potential; relating to others with increasing understanding, skill, and respect; developing a meaningful set of values to guide their actions and to provide for sound decision-making; and contributing to the improvement of s oc iety .
Independence Day-Mauritius 12-March Mauritius Mauritian Creole: Moris; French: Maurice, pronounced: officially the Republic of Mauritius (Mauritian Creole: Republik Moris; French: République de Maurice) is an island nation off the southeast coast of the African continent in the southwest Indian Ocean, about 900 kilometres (560 mi) east of Madagascar. In addition to the island of Mauritius, the Republic includes the islands of Cargados Carajos, Rodrigues and the Agalega Islands. Mauritius Island is part of the Mascarene Islands, with the French island of Réunion 200 km (120 mi) to the southwest and the is l a n d of R o d r ig u e s 5 70 k m ( 3 5 0 mi ) t o t he n o r t he a s t . The British took control during the Napoleonic W ars and Mauritius became independent from the UK in 1968. Mauritius's area is 2040 km2 with Port Louis for capital. It is a parliamentary republic and is a member of the Southern African Development Community, the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, the African Union, La Francophonie and the Commonwealth of Nations. Mauritius has an upper middle income e c o n o m y . The main languages spoken in Mauritius are Mauritian Creole, French and English. English is the only official language but the lingua franca is Mauritian Creole and the newspapers and television programmes are usually in French. Rodriguan Creole and Mauritian Bhojpuri are minority languages and, in the case of Rodriguan creole, spoken in certain parts of the country only. The country is composed of several ethnicities, including Indian, African, Chinese and French. The first European expl o re rs fou nd n o i nd i ge ne o us pe o pl e l i vi n g o n t h e i sl a nd . The island of Mauritius is renowned for having been the only known home of the dodo. This bird was an easy prey to settlers due to its weight and inability to fly, and became extinct less than eighty years after the i n i t i a l E u r o p e a n c o l o n i z a t i o n .
History The island was known to Swahili, Arab, and Malay sailors as early as the 10th century and was originally named Dina Harobi by the Arabs. The Portuguese sailors first visited it in 1507 and established a visiting base leaving the island uninhabited. Five ships of the Dutch Second Fleet were blown off course during a cyclone while on their way to the Spice Islands and landed on the island in 1598, naming it in honor of Prince Maurice of Nassau, the Stadtholder of the N e t h e r l a n d s . In 1638, the Dutch established the first permanent settlement. Because of tough climatic conditions including cyclones and the deterioration of the settlement, the Dutch abandoned the island after nearly a century in 1710. France, which already controlled the neighboring Île Bourbon (now Réunion), took control of Mauritius in 1715 and later renamed it Île de France (Isle of France). Under French rule, the island developed a prosperous economy based o n s u g a r p r o d u c t i o n . In the Napoleonic Wars (1803-1815) the British set out to gain control of the island. Despite winning the Battle of Grand Port, Napoleon's only naval victory over the British, the French surrendered to a British invasion at Cap Malheureux three months later. They formally surrendered on 3 December 1810, on terms allowing settlers to keep their land and property and to us e the French language and law of France in criminal and civil matters. Under British rule, the island's name reverted to the original one. Mauritius then went on to become in de p en de n t in 1 96 8 It be ca m e a re pu b li c in 1 9 92 .
International Women's Days 8-March International Women's Day (IWD), originally called International Working Women's Day is marked on the 8th of March every year. It is a major day of global celebration of women. In different regions the focus of the celebrations ranges from general celebration of respect, appreciation and love towards women to a celebration for w o m e n ' s e c o n o m i c , p o l i t i c a l a n d s o c i a l a c h i e v e m e n t s . Started as a Socialist political event, the holiday blended in the culture of many countries, primarily Eastern Europe, Russia, and the former Soviet bloc. In many regions, the day lost its political flavour, and became simply an occasion for men to express their love for women in a way somewhat similar to a mixture of Mother's Day and St Valentine's Day. In other regions, however, the original political and human rights theme designated by the United Nations runs strong, and political and social a w a r e ne s s o f t he s t r u g gl e s o f w o me n w o r ld w i d e a r e br o ug h t o ut a n d e xa mi n e d i n a h o p e f u l ma n n e r . The first IWD was observed on 19 March 1911 in Germany following a declaration by the Socialist Party of America. The idea of having an international women's day was first put forward at the turn of the 20th century amid rapid world industrialization and economic expansion that led to protests over working conditions In 1910, Second International held the first international women's conference in Copenhagen (in the labour-movement building located at Jagtvej 69, which until recently housed Ungdomshuset). An 'International Women's Day' was established. It was suggested by the important German Socialist Clara Zetkin, although no date was specified. The following year, 1911, IWD was marked by over a million people in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland, on March 19. In the West, International Women's Day was first observed as a popular event after 1977 when the united Nations General Assembly invited member states to proclaim March 8 as the UN Day f o r W o m e n ' s R i g h t s a n d I n t e r n a t i o n a l P e a c e . De mo n s t r a t i o n s ma r ki n g I n t e r n a t i o n a l W o me n ' s D a y i n R u s s i a p r o v e d t o b e t h e f i r s t s t a g e o f t h e R u s s i a n R e v o l u t i o n o f 1 9 1 7 . Following the October Revolution, the Bolshevik Alexandra Kollontai persuaded Lenin to make it an official holiday in the Soviet Union, and it was established, but was a working day until 1965. On May 8, 1965 by the decree of the USSR Presidium of the Supreme Soviet International Women's Day was declared a non working day in the USSR "in commemoration of the outstanding merits of Soviet women in communistic construction, in the defense of their Fatherland during the Great Patriotic War, in their heroism and selflessness at the front and in the rear, and also marking the great contribution of women to strengthening friendship between peoples, and the struggle for peac e. But s ti ll, w o me n ' s day mus t be c elebrated as are other holiday s ."
Foundation Day-Norfolk Island 6-March
Baron Bliss Day-Belize 9-March
Each year on 6 March, Norfolk Island celebrate "Foundation Day", the day in 1788 when Lt Philip Gidley King landed on Norfolk Island to establish the first European settlement on the Island, lea vi ng Por t Jack so n 1 5 F eb 1 78 8 a boa rd th e Su pp ly .
Henry Edward Ernest Victor Bliss, commonly known as Baron Bliss (16 February 1869 - 9 March 1926), was a British-born traveller who willed some two million U.S. dollars to a trust fund for the benefit of the citizens of what was then the c o lo ny o f B r i t i s h Ho ndur a s , no w B e li z e . The Bliss Institute (a performing arts centre that was previously a museum, research centre and library in Belize City) was part of the bene fits from this endowment, as were the city's Bliss Lighthouse (where Bliss's tomb is located), the Bliss School of Nursing and various other medical facilities around the c o u n t r y . Be li ze c e le br a t e s B a r o n Bl i s s D a y e a c h Ma rc h 9 i n hi s h o n o ur . Bliss's early personal history as well as the origin of his "Baron" title is uncertain. He styled himself "Fourth Baron Bliss of the Kingdom of Portugal"; there is some speculation that the original Portuguese title was Barão de Barreto. He was born into a wealthy Suffolk family and was rumoured to have been disi nherited for keeping a hansom cab waiting. He subsequently made a substantial fortune speculating in petroleum shares. Unfortunately, he contracted polio and decided to travel the world in a luxury yacht. After spells in the Bahamas, Trinidad and Jamaica, he arrived in Belize harbour, where he found a climate which suited him. He was extremely fond of the local people, and despite the fact that because of his physical infirmity he never set foot on Belizean soil, he bequeathed the bulk of hi s f o r t u n e f o r t h e b e n e f i t o f t h e p e o pl e o f B r i t i s h Ho n d u r a s .
Harriet Tubman Day-USA 10-March Harriet Tubman (born Araminta Ross; c. March 1822 - March 10, 1913) was an African-American abolitionist, humanitarian, and Union spy during the American Civil W ar. After escaping from slavery, into which she was born, she made thirteen missions to rescue more than 70 slaves using the network of antislavery activists and safe houses known as the Underground Railroad. She later helped John Brown recruit men for his raid on Harpers Ferry, and in the post-war era struggled for women's suffrage. As a child in Dorchester County, Maryland, Tubman was beaten by various masters to whom she was hired out. Early in her life, she suffered a head wound when hit by a heavy metal weight. The injury caused disabling seizures, headaches, and powerful visionary and dream activity, which occurred throughout her entire life. A devout Christian, Tubman ascribed the visions and vivid dreams to revelations from God. In 1849, Tubman escaped to Philadelphia, then immediately returned to Maryland to rescue her family. Slowly, one group at a time, she brought relatives out of the state, and eventually guided dozens of other slaves to freedom. Traveling by night, Tubman (or "Moses", as she was called) "never lost a passenger". Large rewards were offered for the return of many of the fugitive slaves, but no one then knew that Tubman was the one helping them. When the Southern-dominated Congress passed the Fugitive Slave Law of 1850, requiring law officials in free states to aid efforts to recapture slaves, she helped guide fugitives farther n o r t h i n t o C a n a d a , wh e r e s l a v e r y w a s p r o h i b i t e d . When the American Civil W ar began, Tubman worked for the Union Army, first as a cook and nurse, and then as an armed scout and spy. The first woman to lead an armed expedition in the war, she guided the Combahee River Raid, which liberated more than 700 slaves in South Carolina. After the war, she retired to the family home in Auburn, New York, where she cared for her aging parents. She became active in the women's suffrage movement in New York until illness overtook her. Near the end of her life, she lived in a home for elderly African-Americans which she had helped found years earlier.
Arbor Day-China-Taiwan 12-March China celebrates Arbor Day, or Tree Planting Day, on March 12. The day commemorates the passing of Dr. Sun Yat-sen, China's democratic revolution forerunner, who died on March 12, 1925. Over the past two decades, many people have participated in tree-planting since the country designated March 12 as Tree Planting Day in 1979. China launched its national voluntary tree-planting c ampaign in the early 1980s . According to a 1981 NPC (National People's Congress, China's top legislature) resolution, all able-bodied Chinese citizens older than age 11 have an obligation to plant three to five trees every y e a r . Fo r di ffe r en t t yp e s of c l ima te s a nd s u it ab l e ti mes fo r tree-planting?many provinces and cities in China have a local Arbor Day, Arbor W eek and Arbor Month.
Moshoeshoe's Day-Lesotho 12-March Mo s ho e sh o e (c . 1 78 6 -M a r ch 1 1, 1 8 70 ) wa s b or n a t Menkhoaneng in the Northern part of present-day Lesotho. He was the first son of Mokhachane, a minor chief of the Bakoteli lineage- a branch of the Koena (crocodile) clan. In his early childhood, he helped his father gain power over some other smaller clans. At the age of 34 Moshoeshoe formed his own clan and became a chief. He and his followers settled at the B u t h a - B u t h e M o u n t a i n .
King Moshoeshoe was the son of Mokhachane, a minor chief of the Bamokoteli sub-clan. He was born at Menkhoaneng in Leribe, Lesotho as Lepoqo. During his youth, he was very brave and once organised a cattle raid against Ramonaheng and captured several herds. As was the tradition, he composed a poem praising himself where, amongst the words he used to refer to himself, said he was "like a razor which has shave d al l Ramonaheng's beards", referring to his successful raid. In Sesotho language, a razor makes a "shoe...shoe..." sound, and after that he was affectionately called Moshoeshoe: "the shaver". He also referred himself as the person of Kali, thus showed that he was a descendant of the Great Kali or Monaheng who is said to be the ancestor of most Bakoena people in Lesotho with the exception of the senior BaMolibeli. Moshoeshoe and his followers, mostly the Bakoena BaMokoteli, some Bafokeng from his maternal side and other relations as well as some clans including the Amazizi, established his village at Butha-Buthe, where his settlement coincided with the growth of Shaka and what came to be called the Lifaqane. Moshoeshoe's reign coincided with the growth in power of the well-known Zulu chief, Shaka. During the early 19th century Shaka raided many smaller clans along the eastern coast of Southern Africa, incorporating parts of them into his steadily growing Zulu chiefdom. Various small clans were forced to flee the Zulu chief. An era of great wars of calamity followed, known as the Mfecane/lifaqane. It was marked by aggression against the Sotho people by the invading Nguni clans. The attacks also forced Moshoeshoe to move his settlement to the Qiloane plateau. The name was later changed to Thaba Bosiu or "mountain of the night" because it was believed to be growing during the night and shrinking during day. It proved to be an impassable stronghold a g a i n s t e n e m i e s .
Crown Princess' Nameday-Sweden 12-March Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden, Duchess of Västergötland (Swedish: Victoria, Sveriges kronprinsessa, hertiginna av Västergötland, Victoria Ingrid Alice Désirée; born 14 July 1977) is the heiress-apparent to the Swedish throne. If she ascends to the throne as expected, she will be Sweden's fourth queen regnant (a ft er M ar ga r et , Ch ri st in a a nd Ulr ik a E le on or a) .
The Crown Princess Victoria Funds The Crown Princess Victoria Fund was set up in 1997 and is run as a part of Radiohjälpen, the fundraising branch of Sveriges Television and Sveriges Radio. The fund's aim is to provide support for leisure and recreational activities for children and young people with functional disabilities or chronic illnesses.
Commonwealth Day-Tuvalu 11-March Commonwealth Day is the annual celebration of the Commonwealth of Nations held on the second Monday in March, and marked by a multi-faith service in Westminster Abbey, normally attended by Queen Elizabeth II, Head of the Commonwealth, with the Commonwealth Secretary-General and Commonwealth High Commiss io ners i n Lo ndon. The Quee n de li vers a n address to t he Commonwealth, broadcast throughout the world. Also, in the year before the quadrennial Commonwealth Games, the Queen starts the Queen's Baton Relay on Commonwealth Day at Buckingham Palace, handing the baton to t he first relay runner to start a journey that will end at the Opening Ceremony of the u p c o m i n g G a m e s . While it has a certain official status, Commonwealth Day is not a public holiday in most Commonwealth co untries and there is litt le public aware ness of it.
History Clementina Trenholme introduced Empire Day in Canadian schools, first in Hamilton, Ontario, in 1 898, on the last school day before 24 May , Queen Victoria's birthday. It was celebrated more each year and then instituted in the United Kingdom in 1904 by Lord Meath. A typical Empire Day in Hamilton schools occupied the entire day and included inspirational speeches by trustees and so ngs s uc h a s The Ma ple L e af F o re v e r a nd J us t Be f ore the Bat t le . After the death in 1901 of Queen Victoria, her birthday, 24 May, was made an annual commemoration under the name Empire Day. This day was celebrated by lighting fireworks in back-gardens or attending community bonfires. It gave the Queen's people a chance to show their pride in being part of the British Empire. In 1958 Empire Day was renamed Commonwealth Day, in accordance with the new po st-colonial relations hip between the nations of the former empire. The National Council in Canada of the Royal Commonwealth Society expressed in a 1973 letter to Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau that Commonwealth Day should be observed on the same day throughout all countries of the Commonwealth. They asked that this notion be included on the agenda of Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting to be held in Ottawa that year. The item e ventually appeared on the agenda of the 1975 meeting, and it was agre ed that the Commonwealth Secretariat select a date, preferably one without previous historical connotations. At the meeting of officials in Canberra in 1976, the Ca na di a n pro po s a l o f t he s e c o nd Mo nda y i n M a rc h wa s a do pt e d .
Youth Day-Zambia 12,13-March Youth Day is a public holiday in Zambia Zambia marks its annual celebration of Youth Day on the 12th of March. During the holiday, sporting events, tree-planting activities, and yout h-related law i mp l e me n t a t i o n mi g h t t a k e p l a c e d u r i n g t h e c e l e b r a t i o n . Zambia, whose capital is Lusaka, is one of the landlocked countries in the Southern portion of Africa. It shares borders with the following African countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo (north), Tanzania (north-east), Malawi (east), Angola (west), and Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana, Mozambique, and (south). Zambia has a very young population where 60%-65% of its population falls below the age of 21. The young population, however, is threatened by the spread of HIV.
History The institution of Youth Day in Zambia coincides with the observance of the International Youth Day although Zambia celebrates it fa r earlier than the celebration of the latter. Zambia, having one of the highest numbers of youth population across Africa, recognizes that its political efforts in reducing poverty also points out the increasing marginalization of this endangered sector of the Z a m b i a n s o c i e t y . Youth Day in Zambia is an important political and social machinery; it helps the government reflect on how its effort is helping the youth curb the increasing problems it faces today. Zambia also uses this day to measure the youth's contribution to society and how it can help them become more successful in their e n d e a v o u r .
Traditions, Customs and Activities Zambia celebrates Youth Day with usual street march where the youth participates in socio-civic action and sports activities which improves and enjoys their youth. Youth-oriented organizations such as the Grass Root Soccer organize yearly parades to spread awareness on legal, health, and economic issue s which c o n c e r n s t h e y o u t h . The local government, in partnership with non-governmental organizations (NGO) organize sporting events to which the youth can participate. Local leaders may deliver speeches recognizing the role of the youth in nation-building. Other activities such as tree-planting may also take place depending on the activities t h e y o r g a ni z a t i o n p la n ne d f o r t h e d a y . On the part of the government, this is the time when special laws that benefit the y o u t h a r e p a s s e d a n d i n s t i t u t e d .
Renovation Day-Gabon 12-March Gabon celebrates Renovation Day, also known as National Day, to commemorate the anniversary of the establishment of the Gabonese Democratic Party in the s a m e d a y i n y e a r 1 9 6 8 . Gabon is a country located in the western African continent and bordered by the following African neighbouring countries: Cameroon (north), Equatorial Guinea (northwest), Republic of the Congo (southeast), and Gulf of Guinea (west). Its capital is Libreville. It gained independence from European rule (France) on A u g u s t 1 7 , 1 9 6 0 .
History Gabon's politics is largely influenced by France. In 1910, Gabon was joined in a colonial and intergovernmental association called French Equatorial Africa. It continued to be part of the four ember terri tories of the federation until its dissolution in 1959. Even after the election of the first president of Gabon in 1961 (Léon M'ba), the French's influence in the African country continued to exist. The interest of French in the region surfaced during the attempted deposition to the then president M'ba in 1964. Hours after the planned military coup against M'ba's government, France sent in its military forces to keep M'bas' hold to the seat of power. M'ba continued to rule Gabon until his death in 1967. His vice president, Omar Bongo Ondimba, took over and became the second president of t h e c o un t r y a nd r ul e d t h e c o u nt ry u nt i l hi s d e a t h i n 2 0 0 9 . During Bongo's presidency, he established Gabonese Democratic Party (PDG) in 1968. It was the only country allowed to exist until changes to Gabon's political system was made in 1990 where other political parties were instituted (multi-party s y s t e m ) .
Traditions, Customs and Activities During the holiday, students and members of socio-civic organizations in Gabon join in people parade wearing uniform clothing or are dressed in traditional Gabonese clothing called 'pagnes.' Village women and men may also dress in uniform with their fellow villagers usually with prints from their sponsors (usually stores or name of s po ns or pri va te c ompa ni es ). Parades end up in town plazas where party is held. Traditional and modern Gabonese music are played along with some popular international dance music. Also, it is not surprising to see people playing traditional musical instruments d u r i n g t h e c e l e b r a t i o n .
Decoration Day-Liberia
8-March Wednesday, March 11 is Decoration Day in Liberia. On Decoration Day Liberians clean and decorate the graves of their ancestors. Also called Memorial Day, Decoration Day combines two different themes. Remembering the deeds done and the ends accomplished, and, in decoration and appreciation, Liberians express gratitude for the sacrifices of past generations. There is also rejoicing in t he pi o ne e ri ng a n d h o pe o f whi c h L i be ri a ns c o nt i nue t o pro g re s s . "There is a time to mourn and a time to dance". This is a passage in Ecclesiastes. It is a passage Liberians often cite, where safety and security is sought with the hunger of the famine-stricken. Liberia's 14-year civil war ended in 2003, leaving at least 250,000 dead in a country of 3 million. Today, 14,000 U.N. peacekeepers patrol, and the government is trying to revive the ruined economy, rebuild roads, and restore electri city. Thi s is supposed to be Liberi a's time to hea l. On Decoration Day, people will troop to the graveyards to clean and paint the tombs, sometimes adding inscriptions from the Bible or drawing the hand of Jesus. So many people have lost loved ones that today is a very important day for them; and h o l d s m u c h m e a n i n g i n t h e c o u n t r y .
Applications can be addressed to the fund year round and the use of grants can cover everything from compensations to assistants at recr eat i onal t ri ps to l eis ure ac ti v it i es s uch as ho rs ebac k ri d in g, s k ii ng, w heel chair f l oor bal l, c amp s and out ing s. Every summer, Sveriges Television carries out fundraising drives for the fund via messages on television, these are especially concentrated around the Swedish national holiday on 6 June and the Crown Princess's birthday, Victoriadagen, on 14 July. On the Crown Princess's birthday, when a long televised entertainment program is aired from Borgholm where the people and the Royal Family celebrate Victoria, the pub l i c is al s o ab l e t o c al l in and d onat e money at t he s am e t i m e as t hey c om p ete f or p r i z es . The Crown Princess Victoria Fund's means mainly derive from donations by the public, but large companies such as Arla Foods, Swedbank and AB Svenska Returpack are constant sponsor partners. Additional support comes from The Association of Swedish Bakers & Confectioners who every year arrange a national "princess cake week" during which the participating cafés and bakeries give 2,50 SEK per sold princess pastry and 10 SEK per sold princess cake to the fund. The result of this fund-raising drive is usually presented to Victoria herself on her name day on 12 March every year; in 2007, the total amount was 200,000 SEK. Congratulatory and memorial cards are also issued by Radiohjälpen benefitting the fund, a simple way to pay respects and do a good deed in one act. In 2006, The Crown Princess V i c t o r i a F u n d r a i s e d a t o t a l o f 5 , 5 m i l l i o n S E K . Every year Victoria visits one or several clubs or projects that have been granted money. These visits are not announced via the official royal diary but kept private, instead Sveriges Television often accompanies her and airs short programs from these visits at some time during the year.