Worldwide Events; Zarb-e-Jamhoor Newspaper; 111 issue; 17-23 Feb, 2013

Random Acts of Kindness Day U.S. - F e b 1 7

Random Acts of Kindness Day is the name of an unofficial holiday increasingly celebrated around the world by localities or organizations, or nationwide, in order to encourage acts of kindness. The original founder of Random Acts of Kindness Day is unknown. The holiday is celebrated annually in the United States on February 17 and in New Zealand on September 1. In New Zealand, RAK day began at a national level in 2005 by Josh de Jong, Marshall Gray, Megan Singleton and Reuben Gwyn. It is not a holiday, rather a national day where the entire country is challenged to do something kind to a friend or stranger for no reason at all.

Independence Day Gambia - F e b 1 8

The Republic of The Gambia, commonly referred to as The Gambia, or Gambia is a country in West Africa. Gambia is the smallest country on mainland Africa, surrounded by Senegal except for a short coastline on the Atlantic Ocean in the west.

The country is situated around the Gambia River, the nation's namesake, which flows through the country's centre and empties into the Atlantic Ocean. Its area is 11,295 km² with an estimated population of 1,700,000.

On 18 February 1965, Gambia gained independence from the United Kingdom and joined theCommonwealth of Nations. Banjul is Gambia's capital, but the largest conurbations areSerekunda and Brikama.

Gambia shares historical roots with many other West African nations in the slave trade, which was the key factor in the placing and keeping of a colony on the Gambia River, first by thePortuguese and later by the British. Since gaining independence in 1965, Gambia has enjoyed relative political stability, with the exception of a brief period of military rule in 1994.

Thanks to the fertile land of the country, the economy is dominated by farming, fishing, and tourism. About a third of the population lives below the international poverty line of US$1.25 a day.

History Arab traders provided The Gambia's first written accounts in the 9th and 10th centuries. During the 10th century,

Muslim merchants and scholars established communities in several West African commercial centres. Both groups established trans-Saharan trade routes, leading to a large trade in slaves, gold, ivory (exports) and manufactured goods, etc. (imports).

By the 11th century or the 12th century, the rulers of kingdoms such as Takrur (a monarchycentered on the Senegal River just to the north), ancient Ghana and Gao, had converted to Islam and had appointed Muslims who were literate in the Arabic language as courtesans. At the beginning of the 14th century, most of what is today called Gambia was part of the Mali Empire. The Portuguese reached this area by sea in the mid-15th century, and they began to dominate overseas trade.

In 1588, the claimant to the Portuguese throne, António, Prior of Crato, sold exclusive trade rights on the Gambia River to English merchants. Letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I confirmed the grant. In 1618, King James I of England granted a charter to an English company for trade with Gambia and the Gold Coast (now Ghana). Between 1651 and 1661 some parts of Gambia were under Courland's rule, and had been bought by Prince Jacob Kettler, who was a Pol- A map of James Island and Fort Gambia. ish-Lithuanian vassal.

During the late 17th century and throughout the 18th century, the British Empire and the French Empirestruggled continually for political and commercial supremacy in the regions of the Senegal River and the Gambia River. The British Empire occupied Gambia when an expedition led by Augustus Keppel landed there—following the Capture of Senegal in 1758. The 1783 First Treaty of Versailles gave Great Britain possession of the Gambia River, but the French retained a tiny enclave at Albreda on the river's north bank. This was finally ceded to the United Kingdom in 1856.

According to its current president Yahya Jammeh, Gambia "is one of the oldest and biggest countries in Africa that was reduced to a small snake by the British government – [which] sold all our lands to the French".

As many as three million slaves may have been taken from this general region during the three centuries that the transatlantic slave tradewas operated. It is not known how many slaves were taken by inter-tribal wars or Mexican traders before the transatlantic slave trade began. Most of those taken were sold by other Africans to Europeans; others were prisoners of inter-tribal wars; some were victims sold because of unpaid debts; and others were simply victims of kidnapping.

Traders initially sent slaves to Europe to work as servants until the market for labour expanded in the West Indies and North America in the 18th century. In 1807, the United Kingdom abolished the slave trade throughout its Empire.

It also tried, unsuccessfully, to end the slave trade in Gambia. Slave ships intercepted by the Royal Navy in the Atlantic were also returned to The Gambia, with Liberated Slaves released on MacCarthy Island far up the Gambia River where they were expected to establish new lives. The British established the military post of Bathurst (now Banjul) in 1816. In the ensuing years, Banjul was at times under the jurisdiction of the British Governor General in Sierra Leone. In 1888, Gambia became a separate colony.

An agreement with the French Republic in 1889 established the present boundaries of Gambia. Gambia became a British Crown Colonycalled British Gambia, divided for administrative purposes into the colony (city of Banjul and the surrounding area) and the protectorate (remainder of the territory). Gambia received its own executive and legislative councils in 1901, and it gradually progressed toward self-government. Slavery was finally abolished in 1906.

During World War II, Gambian troops fought with the Allies of World War II. Though these soldiers fought mostly in Burma, some died closer to home and there is a Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemetery in Fajara (close to Banjul). According to the current presidentYahya Jammeh, "when Germany was about to defeat Britain, not only were Gambians conscripted and forced to go and fight in Britain, but also..." Banjul contained as an airstrip for the U.S. Army Air Forces and a port of call for Allied naval convoys. President of the United States Franklin D. Roosevelt visited by air and stopped overnight in Banjul en route to and from the Casablanca Conference (1943) inMorocco, marking the first visit to the African continent by an American President.

After World War II, the pace of constitutional reform increased. Following general elections in 1962, the United Kingdom granted full internal self-governance in the following year. The Gambia achieved independence on February 18, 1965, as a constitutional monarchy within theBritish Commonwealth of Nations. Shortly thereafter, the national government held a referendum proposing that an elected president should replace The Gambian monarch (Queen Elizabeth II) as the head of state. This referendum failed to receive the two-thirds majority required to amend the constitution, but the results won widespread attention abroad as testimony to Gambia's observance of secret balloting, honest elections, civil rights, and liberties. On April 24, 1970, Gambia became a republic within the Commonwealth, following a second referendum. Prime Minister Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara became the Head of State.

The Gambia was led by President Dawda Jawara, who was re-elected five times. The relative stability of the Jawara era was shattered first by an attempted coup in 1981. The coup was led by Kukoi Samba Sanyang, who, on two occasions, had unsuccessfully sought election to Parliament. After a week of violence which left several hundred people dead, Jawara, in London when the attack began, appealed to Senegalfor help. Senegalese troops defeated the rebel force.

In the aftermath of this attempted coup, Senegal and Gambia signed a Treaty of Confederation in 1982. The goal of the Senegambia Confederation was to combine the armed forces of the two states and to unify their economies and currencies. After just a short stretch of years, Gambia permanently withdrew from this confederation in 1989.

In 1994, the Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council (AFPRC) deposed the Jawara government and banned opposition political activity. Lieutenant Yahya A.J.J. Jammeh, chairman of the AFPRC, became head of state. The AFPRC announced a transition plan for return to democratic civilian government. The Provisional Independent Electoral Commission (PIEC) was established in 1996 to conduct national elections. The PIEC was transformed to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) in 1997 and became responsible for registration of voters and conduct of elections and referendums. In late 2001 and early 2002, the Gambia completed a full cycle of presidential, legislative, and local elections, which foreign observers deemed free, fair, and transparent, albeit with some shortcomings. President Yahya Jammeh, who was elected to continue in the position he had assumed during the coup, took the oath of office again on 21 December 2001. Jammeh'sAlliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction (APRC) maintained its strong majority in the National Assembly, particularly after the main opposition United Democratic Party (UDP) boycotted the legislative elections.

National Democracy Day Nepal - F e b 1 9

National Democracy Day (Rashtriya Prajatantra Divas) is being held in Nepal every 19th of February in honor of the late King Prithvi Narayan Shah, The Great led the country in achieving freedom from the Rana regime. It is observed as a non-working day to all the offices of the government.

History

Before achieving its independence on the latter part of the 18th century, Nepal was diverse and divided into different independents states under different leaders and was then ruled by Bahadur San. However, the opportunistic Ranas saw this condition of Nepal as an opening to enter the Palace and place the government in their hands. Janga Bahadur Rana even became Prime Minister on 1947. During this administration, a lot of massacres and abusive acts were committed by the Ranas, shamming the whole Palace and the whole of Nepal. The People of Nepal experienced a life full of nightmares while under the ruling power of the Ranas. The royal family has taken away a lot of opportunities to the people of the nation while the members of their family were enjoying the extravagance and abundance that they had from the highest office. Anomalies such as corruption, discrimination and violent behaviors have ruled the country during this period of Nepali history. In the efforts of the people to free themselves from this kind of government, a lot of courageous souls have established groups to expel the Rana government and bring back the equality and fair treatment in the whole country. It is in this crucial time that the four martyrs of Nepal were made known which inspired the citizens even more to continue what they were fighting for. The power of the people continued to become stronger and intact. And after 104 years of struggle, Nepal finally triumphed over the Ranas on 1951. Since then, the Nepalese yearly commemorates the 19th of February as Democracy Day to reminisce all the people’s efforts that brought back good governance in the whole country.

TRADITIONS, CUSTOMS AND ACTIVITIES

Every year during Democracy Day, people of Nepal celebrate with worships and prayers to give respect and honor to the heroes of their Democracy. Most government organizations and independent groups hold several activities and rallies all over the country as well. Part of the tradition also is that the people illuminate their home and establishments with lights and hold fireworks displays during the night of the celebration.

Independence Day St. Lucia - F e b 2 2

Sa n Luc a s an s and coun y n he eas e n Ca bbean Sea on he bounda y w h he A an c Ocean Pa o he Lesse An es s oca ed no h no heas o he s and o Sa n V ncen no hwes o Ba bados and sou h o Ma n que cove s a and a ea o 620 km2 238 sq m and has an es ma ed popu a on o 173 765 2009 census s cap a s Cas es The s and na on has been he home o wo Nobe au ea es A hu Lew s and De ek Wa co s he na on w h he second mos such hono ees pe cap a a e he Fa oe s ands One o he W ndwa d s ands was named a e Sa n Lucy o Sy acuse by he F ench he s Eu opean co on ze s They s gned a ea y w h he na ve Ca b peop es n 1660 Eng and ook con o o he s and om 1663 o 1667 n ensu ng yea s was a wa w h F ance 14 mes and u e o he s and changed equen y 7 mes F ench and B sh each n 1814 he B sh ook de n ve con o o he s and Because sw ched so o en be ween B sh and F ench con o Sa n Luc a was a so known as he He en o he Wes nd es Sa n Luc a has a ega sys em based on B sh common aw The ud c a y s ndependen and conduc s gene a y a pub c a s The nanc a sec o has wea he ed he g oba nanc a c s s bu he eces s on has hu ou sm Rep esen a ve gove nmen came abou n 1924 w h un ve sa su age om 1953 F om 1958 o 1962 he s and was a membe o he Fede a on o he Wes nd es F na y on Feb ua y 22 1979 Sa n Luc a became an nde penden s a e o he Commonwea h o Na ons The s and na on ce eb a es h s eve y yea w h a pub c ho day s a so a membe o La F ancophon e

History

Eu opeans s anded on he s and n e he 1492 o 1502 du ng Spa n s ea y exp o a on o he Ca bbean The s and was s se ed by he F ench who s gned a ea y w h he oca Ca bs n 1660 L ke he Eng sh and Du ch he F ench began o deve op he s and o he cu va on o suga cane on ex ens ve p an a ons A e he seven yea wa be ween G ea B a n and he F ance Span sh coa on was b ough o an end by he ea y o Pa s 10 Feb ua y 1763 n wh ch he s gna o es ag eed o an exchange o co on a e o es When he B sh acqu ed he s and y ng o use he Ca bs as abou e s hey mpo ed ens aved A cans as wo ke s Many o he Ca bs d ed because o ack o mmun y o Eu as an d seases such as sma pox and meas es and as a esu o be ng ove wo ked and ma ea ed by he Eu opeans Ca bbean cond ons we e ha d and many s aves d ed as we The B sh con nued o mpo s aves un hey abo shed he ade due o he s ave and Ca b evo u ona y wa s aga ns hem By ha me peop e o e hn c A can and Ca b descen g ea y ou numbe ed hose o e hn c Eu opean back g ound The ea e Sa n Luc a was much con es ed by he wo Eu opean powe s un he B sh secu ed n 1814 was o ned he Wes nd es Fede a on 1958–62 when he co ony was pa o he B sh W ndwa d s ands co ony d sso ved n 1967 Sa n Luc a became one o he s x membe s o he Wes nd es Assoc a ed S a es w h n e na se gove nmen n 1979 ga ned u ndependence unde S John Comp on Comp on o he conse va ve Un ed Wo ke s pa y UWP was aga n p me m n s e om 1982 o 1996 when he was succeeded by Vaughn Lew s Kenny An hony o he Labou Pa y was p me m n s e om 1997 o 2006 when he UWP aga n ed by Comp on won con o o pa amen n May 2007 a e Comp on su e ed a se es o m n s okes F nance and Ex e na A a s M n s e S ephenson K ng became ac ng p me m n s e He became p me m n s e a e Comp on d ed n Sep embe 2007

People Power Day Philippines - F e b 2 2

The Peop e Powe Revo u on a so known as he EDSA Revo u on and he Ph pp ne Rev o u on o 1986 was a se es o popu a non v o en evo u ons and p aye u mass s ee demons a ons n he Ph pp nes ha oc cu ed n 1986 wh ch ma ked he es o a on o he coun y s democ acy became a sub sequen nsp a on o he Revo u ons o 1989 ha ended commun s d c a o sh ps n Eas e n Eu ope s some mes e e ed o as he Ye ow Revo u on due o he p esence o ye ow bbons du ng he a va o Ben gno Aqu no J These p o es s we e he cu m na on o a ong campa gn o c v es s ance by he peop e aga ns he 20 yea unn ng au ho a an e p ess ve eg me o hen p es den Fe d nand Ma cos and made news head nes as he evo u on ha su p sed he wo d The ma o y o he demons a ons ook p ace a Ep an o de os San os Avenue known mo e common y by s ac onym EDSA n Quezon C y Me o po an Man a and nvo ved ove 2 000 000 F p no c v ans as we as seve a po ca m a y and e g ous gu es such as Ca d na Ja me S n The p o es s ue ed by a es s ance and oppos on o yea s o co up gove nance by Ma cos occu ed om Feb ua y 22–25 1986 when Ma cos ed Ma acañang Pa ace o he Hawa and conceded o Co azon Aqu no as he eg ma e P es den o he Ph pp nes

and History Background Fe d nand Ma cos was e ec ed p es den n 1965 de ea ng ncumben D osdado Macapaga by a ve y s m ma g n

Du ng h s me Ma cos was ve y ac ve n he n a on o pub c wo ks p o ec s and he n ens ca on o ax co ec ons Ma cos and h s gove nmen c a med ha hey bu mo e oads han a h s p edecesso s comb ned and mo e schoo s han any p ev ous adm n s a on Am ds cha ges o vo e buy ng and a audu en e ec on Ma cos was e e ec ed n 1969 h s me de ea ng Se g o Osmeña J Ma cos s second e m o he p es dency howeve was ma ed by a ega ons o w desp ead g a and co up on The nc eas ng d spa y o wea h be ween he ve y wea hy and he ve y poo wh ch made up he ma o y o he coun y s popu a on ed o he se o c me and c v un es a ound he coun y These ac o s nc ud ng he o ma on o he New Peop e s A my an a med evo ha ca ed o he ed s bu on o wea h and and e o m n he Ph pp nes and a b oody Mus m sepa a s movemen n he sou he n s and o M ndanao ed by he Mo o Na ona L be a on F on con bu ed o he ap d se o c v d scon en and un es n he Ph pp nes Ma cos was ba ed om unn ng o a h d e m as p es den n 1973 so on Sep embe 23 1972 by v ue o a p es den a p oc ama on No 1081 he dec a ed ma a aw c ng s ng c v d sobed ence as us ca on Th ough h s dec ee Ma cos se zed eme gency powe s g v ng h m u con o o he Ph pp ne m a y and he au ho y o supp ess he eedom o speech he eedom o he p ess and many o he c v be es Ma cos a so d sso ved he Ph pp ne Cong ess and shu down med a es ab shmen s c ca o he Ma cos gove nmen Ma cos a so o de ed he mmed a e a es o h s po ca opponen s and c cs Among hose a es ed we e Sena e P es den Jov o Sa onga Sena o Jose D okno and Sena o Ben gno Aqu no J he s aunches o h s c cs and he man who was g oomed by he oppos on o bea Ma cos n he 1973 e ec ons Ma cos wou d a so abo sh he Ph pp nes 1935 cons u on and ep ace w h a pa amen a y s y e gove nmen he Ba asang Pambansa a ong w h a new cons u on w en by h m W h p ac ca y a o h s po ca opponen s a es ed and n ex e Ma cos p e emp ve dec a a on o ma a aw n 1972 and he a ca on o h s new cons u on h ough po ca coe c on enab ed h m o e ec ve y eg m ze h s gove nmen and ho d on o powe o ano he 14 yea s beyond h s s wo e ms as p es den A a pe od when he Co d Wa was s a po ca ea y Ma cos s d c a o sh p ensu ed he po ca suppo o he Un ed S a es by Ma cos p om se o s amp ou commun sm n he Ph pp nes and by assu ng he Un ed S a es o s con nued use o m a y and nava bases n he Ph pp nes Th oughou h s p es dency Fe d nand Ma cos had se up a eg me n he Ph pp nes ha wou d g ve h m u ma e powe ove he m a y and he na ona easu y as we as se up a pe sona y cu Fo ow ng h s dec a a on o ma a aw on Sep embe 21 1972 Ma cos mmed a e y began o embezz e money om he gove nmen and o de he m a y o k any po ca compe on aga ns h m As a esu he Ph pp ne economy began o umb e g ea y and he na on os s com pe ve edge n Sou heas As a He a so o de ed many s o es ho e s schoo s un ve s es and o he pub c p aces o p ace h s P es den a p c u e p om nen y o o he w se he ac es we e shu down The med a equen y eu og zed Ma cos h ough pub c se v ce announcemen s and news epo s Even b boa d adve semen s ac oss he coun y we e ep aced w h h s p opaganda messages on us y ng h s eg me s ac ons Ma cos a so o de ed he shu down and akeove s o bus nesses n he coun y hen pu hese bus nesses e he unde he gove nmen con o o unde he con o o Ma cos c on es Seve a g oups o peop e howeve even w h n he gove nmen consp ed h oughou he e m o he Ma cos eg me o ove h ow h m They we e ed by he popu a pub c gu e nca ce a ed oppos on sena o Ben gno N noy Aqu no J who Ma cos accused as ean ng o a e w ng so u on Wh e ga n ng popu a y amongs he F p no peop e o h s s ance aga ns Ma cos Aqu no was even ua y o ced o seek ex e n he Un ed S a es o hea h and sa e y easons Howeve n 1983 N noy Aqu no announced o h s p ans o e u n o he Ph pp nes as a cha enge o Ma cos s gove nmen W h n he m a y and he po ce d s u s oned un o o ce s s en y conveyed he g evances Th s ed o he o ma on o he Re o m he A med Fo ces Movemen RAM So d e o he F p no Peop e SFP and Young O ce s Un on YOU RAM wh ch was ead by g adua es o he Ph pp ne M a y Academy C ass o 71 L Co G ngo Honasan L Co V c o Ba ac and L Co Edua do Kapunan ound an a y and men o n he De ense Sec e a y Juan Ponce En e

Birthday of King Harald V Norway - F e b 2 1

Harald V (born 21 February 1937) is the king of Norway.

He succeeded to the throne of Norway upon the death of his father Olav V on 17 January 1991. The son of the thenCrown Prince Olav and of Princess Märtha of Sweden, Harald was born at the Crown Prince Residence at Skaugum, Akershus, Norway. A member of the House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, originally from Northern Germany, Harald became the first Norwegian-born prince since Olav IV, who was born in 1370. Harald V is the formal head of the Church of Norway and the Norwegian Armed Forces. He has two children, Crown Prince Haakon and Princess Märtha Louise. His grandchildren are Maud Angelica (2003), Leah Isadora (2005), Tallulah (2008), Emma Princess Ingrid Alexandra (2004), and Prince Sverre Magnus (2005). Harald has two older sisters: Princess Ragnhild of Norway, Mrs. Lorentzen, (Ragnhild Alexandra, born Oslo, 9 June 1930), who lives in Brazil, and Princess Astrid of Norway, Mrs. Ferner, (Astrid Maud Ingeborg, born Oslo, 12 February 1932), who lives in Oslo.

He is 8th in line in the line of succession to the headship of the House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg.

He is the great-grandson of Edward VII of the United Kingdom, and 68th in line to the British throne. He is a paternal second cousin to Elizabeth II and the late Princess Margaret and also a maternal first cousin to Baudouin of Belgium and his successor Albert II of Belgium.

Childhood and education Prince Harald was born in

Skaugum. The young prince was baptised in the Royal Chapel in the Royal Palace in Oslo on 31 March by Bishop Johan Lunde. In 1940 the entire royal family had to flee their homes because of the German invasion. The dramatic journey northbound was marked by the Germans' repeated attempts to kill the King through bombing. It was deemed safer for the family to split up. The King and Crown Prince Olav would remain in Norway and the Crown Princess was to make her way to Sweden with the three children. The latter party reached Sweden on the night of 10 April, but although Crown Princess Märtha was Swedish-born, they encountered problems at the border station. According to Princess Astrid and others who were present, they were admitted only after the driver threatened to ram the border gate. Another account does not describe the escape so dramatically. However when the King and Crown Prince inquired of Swedish foreign minister Christian Günther whether they could sleep one night in Sweden without being interned, they were denied. Prince Harald spent the following days in Sälen before relocating to Prince Carl Bernadotte's home in Frötuna on 16 April. On 26 April the group moved to Drottningholm in Stockholm. Accounts tell us that King Gustaf V had an amicable relationship with his Norwegian guests, but the topic of the war in Norway was not to be raised. However, influential Swedish politicians including Minster of Justice Westman wanted the Crown Princess and Prince Harald to be sent back to Norway so he could be proclaimed King by the Germans. After the King and Crown Prince had to leave Norway on 7 June they felt Sweden might not be the best place for the rest of the family. They started planning for them to be relocated to the USA. On 17 August the Crown Princess and her children left for the USA from Petsamo, Finland, aboard the ship American Legion. Harald and his mother and sisters lived in Washington, D.C., during the war, while his father, Prince Olav, and his grandfather, King Haakon, stayed in London with the Norwegian government-in-exile. One of the notable events he remembers from that time is standing behind Franklin D. Roosevelt when he was sworn in for his fourth term on the South Portico of the White House in 1945. Such childhood experiences are reflected in a trace of an American accent when he speaks English. The Doris Kearns Goodwin book No Ordinary Time: Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt and the Home Front in World War II contains a picture of the King (Then Prince) playing with FDR's dog, Fala, on the North Lawn of the White House in 1944. Prince Harald visited Norwegian servicemen on training in the United States. The prince also visited outside America, travelling north to visit Norwegians training in Canada's "Little Norway" in Ontario, Canada. He attended The White Hall Country School from 1943. Prince Harald returned to Norway along with his family at the war's end in 1945. In the autumn of 1945 he was enrolled in third grade of Smestad skole as the first royal to attend a public school. In 1955 he graduated from Oslo katedralskole and in the autumn of that year, Harald began studies at the University of Oslo. Later he attended the Cavalry Officers' Candidate School at Trandum, followed by enrollment at the Norwegian Military Academy, from which he graduated in 1959. In 1960, Harald entered Balliol College, Oxford where he studied history, economics and politics. He was a keen rower during his student days at Oxford. In 1960 he also made his first official journey abroad, visiting the United States in connection with the fiftieth anniversary of the American Scandinavian Foundation.

life Adult The Crown Prince

of served as Norway deputy of the King from the day he was 18 years of age. Crown Prince Harald attended Council of State for the first time on 27 September 1957 and took the oath to the Constitution of Norway on 21 February 1958. In the same year, he also served as regent in the King's absence for the first time. Harald married a commoner, Sonja Harat Oslo aldsen, Domkirke in Oslo on 29 August 1968, a marriage that sparked much pub- 15 February: The King and Queen are presented with the Governlic controversy. The couple have two children, ment's gift for their 75th anniversaries: a series of exhibitions entiPrincess Märtha Louise tled and His Royal Highness Crown Prince Haakon, heir to the Norwegian throne. The King heads the government meetings at Oslo Palace every Friday (Council of State). He also has weekly meetings with the Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister. He receives foreign envoys, and opens parliament every September. According to the Norwegian constitution, he appoints his government. Since 1884 parliamentarism has been in place in Norway, so the government has to have support from Parliament. The King appoints the leader of the parliamentary block with majority as prime minister. When the parliamentary situation is unclear the king relies on the advice of the president of Parliament and the sitting prime minister. He travels extensively throughout Norway and makes official state visits to other countries. An avid sailor, Harald represented Norway in the yachting events of Olympic Games in Tokyo in 1964 and in Mexico City in 1968 and the Munich 1972. The Crown Prince carried the Norwegian flag at the opening parade of the 1964 Summer Olympics. In 1994, both the King and Crown Prince Haakon played roles during the opening ceremony of the Lillehammer Olympics. The King declared opened the games, while the Crown Prince lit the cauldron, paying tribute to both the King and his grandfather as Olympians. The King has also represented Norway at opening ceremonies of Olympic Games, among them Torino and Beijing. However, he wasn't present in Vancouver, the Crown Prince attended instead. With his sailing crew he won World Championship bronze, silver and gold medals, in 1988, 1982, and 1987, respectively. In July 2005, the King and his crew aboard the royal sailboat Fram XV won the gold medal at the European Championships in Sweden. In the 2007 World Championship the King obtained a sixth place. Twice during recent years King Harald has been absent as ruler owing to hospitalization and convalescence: in December 2003 to mid-April 2004 due to urinary bladder cancer, and in April to early June 2005 due to aortic stenosis (for details see "The King's health", below). Crown Prince Haakon served as the country's regent on both occasions.

Positions as King of Norway and honorary titles As King of Norway:

The King is the nominal head of the Church of Norway.

He is a Four-star General, an Admiral and formally the Supreme Commander of the Norwegian Armed Forces.

The infantry battalion His Majesty the King's Guard are considered the King's and the Royal Family's bodyguards, they guard the Royal residences, including the Royal Palace and the Crown Prince Residence at Skaugum, as well as the Royal Mausoleum at Akershus Castle.

Honorary tles:

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History Fo 96 yea s B une was a p o ec o a e o B

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Celebrations On Feb ua y 23 2010 B une w

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Republic Day Guyana - F e b 2 3

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Origin The Jaycees o L nden had s nce Guyana became ndependen

n 1966 been o gan z ng an ndependence Ca n va n Mackenz e When Guyana became a Repub c n Feb ua y 1970 hey o med a Jaycees Repub c Ce eb a ons Comm ee Bas Bu che was se ec ed as Cha man bu due o h s be ng se ec ed o ou Aus a a w h he Wes nd es C cke Team J m B ackman was appo n ed as he Depu y o ca y on A b oad based comm ee nc ud ng esou ce pe sonne such as Wo dswo h McAnd ew A hu Seymou and Ad an Thompson began he o gan za on o he Ca n va ac v es The sea ch o a name o ep ace Ca n va began and was sugges ed by Bas Bu che ha an Ame nd an name be chosen Th s was ag eed o and seve a nd v dua s nc ud ng M A an F ed kou an Ame nd an we e con ac ed M F ed kou he d d scuss ons w h h s g and a he who exp a ned a ype o Fes va ha was he d by Ame nd ans wheneve hey ga he o ce eb a e a spec a even Th s even he sa d was ke Mus e Many o Mash meh n Ame nd an and sounded n A awak ke Mash aman S eps we e aken o con m h s Ad an Thompson conc uded ha s nce no one cou d have con med o den ed ha he A awak wo d o Fes va was Mash aman hen he Fes va cou d be ca ed Mash aman On 23 Feb ua y 1970 he Fes va ca ed Mash a man was a huge success w h peop e d awn om a Reg ons o Guyana o L nden we com ng Guyana s s a us as a epub c w h ove h ee days o o c and un A e w ness ng he mass ve c owds g e and eve o compe on M Dav d S ngh a Gove nmen O c a he d d scuss on w h he Jaycees Comm ee abou b ng ng he even o Geo ge own he na on s cap a App ova was a so g ven by he hen P es den Fo bes Bu nham o Mash o be a Na ona Even o he Repub c ce eb a on Mash ac v es we e o a ed n L nden Be b ce and Geo ge own bu due o sponso sh p he Cos ume Bands con es ema ned n Geo ge own

Celebration W h Guyana be ng as a ge as

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29 January: King Harald attends the consecration of Atle Sommer-

Norway - Grand Master of the Royal Norwegian Order of St Olav Grand Cross with collar of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav Norway - Grand Master of the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit - Grand Cross Norway - St Olav's medal Norway - Defence Service Medal with Laurel Branch Norway - The Royal House Centenary Medal Norway - Haakon VIIs Commemorative Medal 1. October 1957 Norway - Haakon VIIs Jubilee Medal 1905–1955 Norway - Haakon VIIs Centenary Medal Norway - Olav Vs Commemorative Medal of 30. January 1991 Norway - Olav Vs Jubilee Medal Norway - Olav Vs Centenary Medal Norway - Defence Service Medal with three stars Norway - Army National Service Medal with three stars Norway - Krigsdeltakerforbundet Badge of Honour Norway - Norwegian Red Cross Badge of Honour Norway - Norwegian Reserve Officers Federal Badge of Honour Norway - The Naval Society Medal of Merit in gold Norway - Norwegian Shooting Society Badge of Honour Norway - The Norwegian Confederation of Sports Centenary Medal Norway - Norwegian Shooting Society Commemorative Medal in gold Norway - Oslo Military Society Badge of Honour in Gold United Kingdom - Knight of the Order of the Garter Commonwealth realms - Royal Victorian Chain Commonwealth realms - Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order United Kingdom - Honorary Freedom of Newcastle upon Tyne 14 - 15 January: King Harald Denmark - Grand Commander of the Order of the Dannebrog and Queen Sonja attend the Denmark - Knight with Collar of the Elephant 40th anniversary of Queen MarFinland - Commander Grand Cross of the Order of the White Rose grethe as Regent of Denmark.

Iceland - Grand cross with Collar of the Order of the Falcon Here they arrive for the gala Sweden - Knight with Collar of the Order of the Seraphim Sweden - Gustaf Vs 90th Anniversary Medal banquet at Christiansborg Sweden - HM King Carl XVI Gustaf 50th Anniversary Medal Austria - Decoration of Honour for Merit Belgium - Grand Cross of the Order of Leopold Brazil - Grand Collar of the Order of the Southern Cross Bulgaria - Grand Cross of the Order of Stara Planina Estonia - The Collar of the Cross of Terra Mariana France - Grand Cross of the Légion d'honneur Germany - Grand Cross 1. class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany Greece - Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Redeemer Greece - The Royal House of Greece Centenary Medal Hungary - Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Merit of the Hungarian Republic IOC - The Golden Olympic order Italy - Grand Cross with Collar of the Italian Order of Merit Japan - Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of the Chrysanthemum Jordan - Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of al-Hussein bin Ali Yugoslavia - Order of the Yugoslav Great Star Latvia - Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of the Three Stars Lithuania - Grand Cross of the Order of Vytautas the Great Luxembourg - Grand Cross of the Order of Adolph of Nassau Luxembourg - Grand Cross of the Order of the Gold Lion of the House of Nassau Luxembourg - Medal to commemorate the wedding of Grand Duke Jean and Grand Duchess Josephine-Charlotte Netherlands - Grand Cross of the Order of the Netherlands Lion Netherlands Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown Netherlands - The Order of the Golden Ark Netherlands - Medal to commemorate the enthronement of Queen Beatrix Poland - Grand Cross of the Order of the White Eagle Portugal - Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of St. James of the Sword Portugal - Grand Cross of the Order of Aviz Portugal - Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Infante Dom Henrique Romania - Grand Cross of the Order of the Star of Romania Spain - 1,192nd Knight and Collar of the Order of the Golden Fleece in 1995 Spain - Grand Cross Collar of the Order of Charles III South Africa - Grand Cross of the Order of Good Hope Thailand - Knight Grand Cordon of the Order Chula Chom Klao (First Class) Ireland - Freedom of the City of Cork.

A 230 000 km² area in Antarctica is named Prince Harald Coast in his honour.

In 2007 King Harald was awarded the Holmenkollen medal with Simon Ammann, Frode Estil, Odd-Bjørn Hjelmeset, and his wife Queen Sonja.

HealthOn 1 December 2003, King Harald was announced to be suffering from bladder cancer. A successful

operation took place on 8 December at Norway's National Hospital, Rikshospitalet, in Oslo: his bladder was removed and a new one constructed. The King was then on sick leave from all official duties.

Crown Prince Haakon was Norway's regent during King Harald's illness and convalescence. The King resumed his duties on 13 April 2004.

The King was once known to be a chain-smoker, but quit that habit entirely when he was diagnosed with cancer.

On 1 April 2005 Harald underwent successful heart surgery, an aortic valve replacement, correcting his aortic stenosis. It had been known for some time that he had this condition; however, until early 2005 it had only been of a moderate degree. During the three-hour operation atRikshospitalet the doc tors also performed a coronary bypass procedure on the King. On 10 April it was announced that the King had also undergone a pericardiocentesis to treat a complication of surgery, a pericardial effusion (an accumulation of fluid around the heart).

After the two operations in the spring of 2005, King Harald remained on sick leave for almost two months, Crown Prince Haakon again substituting as the country's regent. The King returned to work on 7 June, a date which carried particular significance in 2005, with Norway celebrating the centennial of the dissolution of the 1814–1905 union with Sweden. The King recuperated well enough to win the European Championships in ocean sailing just three months after his latest operation.

Following advice from his personal physician, King Harald finally decided in late 2005 to scale down his official duties, primarily effected by taking Wednesdays off and trying to keep weekends free as much as possible. However, he planned to continue attending weekend sports events of interest, and to lead Friday Cabinet meetings and carry out other constitutional duties.

Patronages The Royal Norwegian Society of Sciences and Letters

The National Rifle Association of Norway The Norwegian Association of UN Veterans The Norwegian Reserve Officers’ Federation Norges Militære Kameratforeningers Forbund ("The Norwegian Federation of Military Associations") The Norse Federation The Norway-America Association Det Nasjonale Aldershjem for Sjømenn ("The Norwegian Seamen’s Retirement Home") Norsk Anchorite Klubb ("The Norwegian Anchorite Club") The Norwegian Association of Hunters and Anglers The Norwegian Bible Society The Norwegian Seamen’s Church – Church of Norway Abroad The Offshore Northern Seas Foundation The Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra The Norwegian Academy of Technological Sciences Bergen International Festival The Norwegian Cancer Society Lions Clubs International – Norway Nasjonalforeningen for folkehelsen ("The National Association for Public Health") The Norwegian Olympic Committee and Confederation of Sports The Norwegian Choir Association The Norwegian Forestry Society Friends of the Earth Norway/Norwegian Society for the Conservation of Nature Ridderrennet ("The Knights’ Race", a Norwegian skiing event for the blind and mobility impaired) The Norwegian Society for Sea Rescue The Sons of Norway Foundation The American-Scandinavian Foundation The Anglo-Norse Society The Norwegian Lutheran Memorial Church, Minneapolis, Minnesota Skogfjorden, the Norwegian language program of Concordia Language Villages, Bemidji, Minnesota Oslo Militære Samfund

How it started

National Day - F e b 2 3 Brunei Darussalam

ti-

Other honours:

Th nk ng Day was s c ea ed n 1926 a he ou h G Gu de G Scou n e na ona Con e ence he d a G Scou s o he USA s Camp Ed h Macy now ca ed Ed h Macy Con e ence Cen e Con e ence a endees dec ded ha he e shou d be a spec a day o G Scou s and G Gu des om a ound he wo d o h nk o each o he and g ve hanks and app ec a on o he s s e G Scou s The de ega es chose Feb ua y 22 as he da e o Th nk ng Day because was he mu ua b hday o Lo d Baden Powe ounde o he Boy Scou movemen and h s w e O ave who se ved as Wo d Ch e Gu de To emphas ze he g oba aspec o Th nk ng Day membe s a he 30 h Wo d Con e ence he d n e and n 1999 changed he name om Th nk ng Day o Wo d Th nk ng Day

Patrilineal descent Harald's patriline is the line from which he is descended father to son.

Patrilineal descent is the principle behind membership in royal houses, as it can be traced back through the generations - which means that if Harald V were to choose an historically accurate house name it would be Oldenburg, as all his male-line ancestors have been of that house.

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Issue

George Washington (February 22, 1732 – December 14, 1799) was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander in chief of the Continental Army in 1775–1783, and he presided over the writing of the Constitution in 1787. As the unanimous choice to serve as the first President of the United States (1789–1797), he developed the forms and rituals of government that have been used ever since, such as using a cabinet system and delivering an inaugural address. As President, he built a strong, well-financed national government that avoided war, suppressed rebellion and won acceptance among Americans of all types, and Washington is now known as the "Father of his country".

In Colonial Virginia, Washington was born into the provincial gentry in a wealthy, well connected family that owned tobacco plantations using slave labor. He was home schooled by his father and older brother, but both died young, and he became attached to the powerful Fairfax clan, who promoted his career as a surveyor and soldier. Strong, brave, eager for combat and a natural leader, young Washington quickly became a senior officer of the colonial forces, 1754–58, during the first stages of the French and Indian War. Indeed, his rash actions helped precipitate the war. Washington's experience, his military bearing, his leadership of the Patriot cause in Virginia, and his political base in the largest colony made him the obvious choice of the Second Continental Congress in 1775 as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army to fight the British in the American Revolution. He forced the British out of Boston in 1776, but was defeated and nearly captured later that year when he lost New York City. After crossing the Delaware River in the dead of winter, he defeated the enemy in two battles, retook New Jersey, and restored momentum to the Patriot cause. Because of his strategy, Revolutionary forces captured two major British armies at Saratoga in 1777 and Yorktown in 1781. Negotiating with Congress, governors, and French allies, he held together a tenuous army and a fragile nation amid the threats of disintegration and invasion. Historians give the commander in chief high marks for his selection and supervision of his generals, his encouragement of morale, his coordination with the state governors and state militia units, his relations with Congress, and his attention to supplies, logistics, and training. In battle, however, Washington was repeatedly outmaneuvered by British generals with larger armies. Washington is given full credit for the strategies that forced the British evacuation of Boston in 1776 and the surrender at Yorktown in 1781. After victory had been finalized in 1783, Washington resigned rather than seize power, and returned to his plantation at Mount Vernon, proving his opposition to dictatorship and his commitment to republican government.

Washington presided over the Constitutional Convention that drafted the United States Constitution in 1787 because of his dissatisfaction with the weaknesses of Articles of Confederation that had time and again impeded the war effort. Washington became the first President of the United States in 1789. He attempted to bring rival factions together to unify the nation. He supported Alexander Hamilton's programs to pay off all state and national debt, implement an effective tax system, and create a national bank, despite opposition from Thomas Jefferson. Washington proclaimed the U.S. neutral in the wars raging in Europe after 1793. He avoided war with Britain and guaranteed a decade of peace and profitable trade by securing the Jay Treaty in 1795, despite intense opposition from the Jeffersonians. Although never officially joining the Federalist Party, he supported its programs.

Washington's "Farewell Address" was an influential primer on republican virtue and a stern warning against partisanship, sectionalism, and involvement in foreign wars.

Washington had a vision of a great and powerful nation that would be built on republican lines using federal power. He sought to use the national government to improve the infrastructure, open the western lands, create a national university, promote commerce, found a capital city (later named Washington, D.C.), reduce regional tensions and promote a spirit of nationalism. "The name of American," he said, must override any local attachments. At his death, Washington was hailed as "first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen".

The Federalists made him the symbol of their party, but for many years the Jeffersonians continued to distrust his influence and delayed building the Washington Monument. As the leader of the first successful revolution against a colonial empire in world history, Washington became an international icon for liberation and nationalism. His symbolism especially resonated in France and Latin America. Historical scholars consistently rank him as one of the two or three greatest presidents.

Early life (1732–1753)

The first child of Augustine Washington (1694–1743) and his second wife, Mary Ball Washington (1708–1789), George Washington was born on their Pope's Creek Estate near present-day Colonial Beach in Westmoreland County, Virginia. According to the Julian calendar (which was in effect at the time), Washington was born on February 11, 1731 (O.S.); according to the Gregorian calendar, which was adopted in Britain and its colonies in 1752, he was born on February 22, 1732.[Note 1] Washington's ancestors were from Sulgrave, England; his great-grandfather, John Washington, had immigrated to Virginia in 1657.George's father Augustine was a slave-owning tobacco planter who later tried his hand in iron-mining ventures. In George's youth, the Washingtons were moderately prosperous members of the Virginia gentry, of "middling rank" rather than one of the leading families.

Washington was the first-born child from his father's marriage to Mary Ball Washington. Six of his siblings reached maturity including two older half-brothers, Lawrence and Augustine, from his father's first marriage to Jane Butler Washington and four full-siblings, Samuel, Elizabeth (Betty), John Augustine and Charles. Three siblings died before becoming adults: his full-sister Mildred died when she was about one, his half-brother Butler died while an infant and his half-sister Jane died at the age of 12 when George was about 2. George's father died when George was 11 years old, after which George's half-brother Lawrence became a surrogate father and role model. William Fairfax, Lawrence's father-in-law and cousin of Virginia's largest landowner, Thomas, Lord Fairfax, was also a formative influence. Washington Th s 1772 pa n ng by Pea e o spent much of his boyhood at Ferry Farm in Stafford County near Fredericksburg. Lawrence he Washington inherited another family property from his father, a plantation on the Potomac Wash ng on as co one o River which he later named Mount Vernon. George inherited Ferry Farm upon his father's V rg n a Reg men s he ear death, and eventually acquired Mount Vernon after Lawrence's death. known por ra es The death of his father prevented Washington from crossing the Atlantic to receive an education at England's Appleby School, as his older brothers had done. He attended school in Fredericksburg until age 15. Talk of securing an appointment in the Royal Navy was dropped when his mother learned how hard that would be on him. Thanks to Lawrence's connection to the powerful Fairfax family, at age 17 George was appointed official surveyor for Culpeper County in 1749, a well-paid position which enabled him to purchase land in the Shenandoah Valley, the first of his many land acquisitions in western Virginia. Thanks also to Lawrence's involvement in the Ohio Company, a land investment company funded by Virginia investors, and Lawrence's position as commander of the Virginia militia, George came to the notice of the new lieutenant governor of Virginia, Robert Dinwiddie. Washington was hard to miss: at about six feet two inches (188 cm; estimates of his height vary), he towered over most of his contemporaries.

In 1751, Washington traveled to Barbados with Lawrence, who was suffering from tuberculosis, with the hope that the climate would be beneficial to Lawrence's health. Washington contracted smallpox during the trip, which left his face slightly scarred, but immunized him against future exposures to the dreaded disease. Lawrence's health did not improve: he returned to Mount Vernon, where he died in 1752. Lawrence's position as Adjutant General (militia leader) of Virginia was divided into four offices after his death.

Washington was appointed by Governor Dinwiddie as one of the four district adjutants in February 1753, with the rank of major in the Virginia militia. Washington also joined the Freemasons in Fredericksburg at this time.

French and Indian War (1754– 1758) In 1753, the French began expanding their military control into the "Ohio Country", a ter-

ritory also claimed by the British colonies of Virginia and Pennsylvania. These competing claims led to a war in the colonies called the French and Indian War (1754–62), and con- Wash ng on en arged he house tributed to the start of the global Seven Years' War (1756–63). Washington was at the center of its beginning. The Ohio Company was one vehicle through which British in- a Moun Vernon a er h s marvestors planned to expand into the territory, opening new settlements and building trading r age posts for the Indian trade. Governor Dinwiddie received orders from the British government to warn the French of British claims, and sent Major Washington in late 1753 to deliver a letter informing the French of those claims and asking them to leave. Washington also met with Tanacharison (also called "Half-King") and other Iroquois leaders allied to Virginia at Logstown to secure their support in case of conflict with the French; Washington and Tanacharison became friends and allies. Washington delivered the letter to the local French commander, who politely refused to leave.

Governor Dinwiddie sent Washington back to the Ohio Country to protect an Ohio Company group building a fort at present-day Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania but before he reached the area, a French force drove out the company's crew and began construction of Fort Duquesne. A small detachment of French troops led by Joseph Coulon de Jumonville, was discovered by Tanacharison and a few warriors east of present-day Uniontown, Pennsylvania. Along with their Mingo allies, Washington and some of his militia unit then ambushed the French. What exactly happened during and after the battle is a matter of some controversy, but the immediate outcome was that Jumonville was injured in the initial attack and then was killed...whether tomahawked by Tanacharison in cold blood or somehow shot by another onlooker with a musket as the injured man sat with Washington is not completely clear. The French responded by attacking and capturing Washington at Fort Necessity in July 1754. However, he was allowed to return with his troops to Virginia. Historian Joseph Ellis concludes that the episode demonstrated Washington's bravery, initiative, inexperience and impetuosity. These events had international consequences; the French accused Washington of assassinating Jumonville, who they claimed was on a diplomatic mission. Both France and Britain were ready to fight for control of the region and both sent troops to North America in 1755; war was formally declared in 1756.

Braddock disaster 1755:

In 1755, Washington was the senior American aide to British General Edward Braddock on the ill-fated Monongahela expedition. This was the largest British expedition to the colonies, and was intended to expel the French from the Ohio Country. The French and their Indian allies ambushed Braddock, who was mortally wounded in the Battle of the Monongahela. After suffering devastating casualties, the British retreated in disarray; however, Washington rode back and forth across the battlefield, rallying the remnants of the British and Virginian forces to an organized retreat.

Commander of Virginia Regiment:

Governor Dinwiddie rewarded Washington in 1755 with a commission as "Colonel of the Virginia Regiment and Commander in Chief of all forces now raised in the defense of His Majesty's Colony" and gave him the task of defending Virginia's frontier. The Virginia Reg- Forens c recons ruc on o iment was the first full-time American military unit in the colonies (as opposed to parttime militias and the British regular units). Washington was ordered to "act defensively Wash ng on a age 45 or offensively" as he thought best. In command of a thousand soldiers, Washington was a disciplinarian who emphasized training. He led his men in brutal campaigns against the Indians in the west; in 10 months units of his regiment fought 20 battles, and lost a third of its men. Washington's strenuous efforts meant that Virginia's frontier population suffered less than that of other colonies; Ellis concludes "it was his only unqualified success" in the war.

In 1758, Washington participated in the Forbes expedition to capture Fort Duquesne. He was embarrassed by a friendly fire episode in which his unit and another British unit thought the other was the French enemy and opened fire, with 14 dead and 26 wounded in the mishap. Washington was not involved in any other major fighting on the expedition, and the British scored a major strategic victory, gaining control of the Ohio Valley, when the French abandoned the fort. Following the expedition, Washington retired from his Virginia Regiment commission in December, 1758. He did not return to military life until the outbreak of the revolution in 1775.

Lessons learned:

Although Washington never gained the commission in the British army he yearned for, in these years the young man gained valuable military, political, and leadership skills. He closely observed British military tactics, gaining a keen insight into their strengths and weaknesses that proved invaluable during the Revolution. He demonstrated his toughness and courage in the most difficult situations, including disasters and retreats. He developed a command presence—given his size, strength, stamina, and bravery in battle, he appeared to soldiers to be a natural leader and they followed him without question. Washington learned to organize, train, drill, and discipline his companies and regiments. From his observations, readings and conversations with professional officers, he learned the basics of battlefield tactics, as well as a good understanding of problems of organization and logistics. He gained an understanding of overall strategy, especially in locating strategic geographical points. Historian Ron Chernow is of the opinion that his frustrations in dealing with government officials during this conflict led him to advocate the advantages of a strong national government and a vigorous executive agency that could get results; other historians tend to ascribe Washington's position on government to his later American Revolutionary War service.[Note 2] He developed a very negative idea of the value of militia, who seemed too unreliable, too undisciplined, and too short-term compared to regulars. On the other hand, his experience was limited to command of at most 1000 men, and came only in remote frontier conditions that were far removed from the urban situations he faced during the Revolution at Boston, New York, Trenton and Philadelphia.

Between the wars: Mount Vernon (1759–1774) Wash ng on ra On January 6, 1759, Washington married the wealthy widow Martha Dandridge Custis.

In the British Army, the feldt, the new Bishop of the bishopric of Borg (Photo: Linn Cathrin King was the final Olsen / Scanpx) Colonel-in-Chief of the Green Howards. It remains to be seen whether there will continue to be an active association between the 2nd Battalion, Yorkshire Regiment (Green Howards) and the Norwegian Royal Family. He is also an honorary Colonel in the British Royal Marines.

The King is a Knight of the Garter, and is The Grand Master of the Order of St. Olav. He is also a Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order, and a recipient of the Royal Victorian Chain as well as numerous other orders of chivalry.

The King is patron of the Anglo-Norse Society in London, together with Queen Elizabeth II. He is also patron of the Norwegian-American Foundation (Norge-Amerika Foreningen) and the Norse Federation(Nordmanns-Forbundet) in the United States.

He received the honorary degree Doctor of Civil Law from Oxford University in 2006 (as did his father, King Olav, in 1937, and his grandfather, King Haakon, in 1943). The King has earlier been appointed an honorary doctor of law by the University of Strathclyde (1985) in 26 January: King Harald attends the Norwegian championships in Scotland and

by Nordic diciplines at Voss Waseda University (2001) in Japan (2001). He is also an honorary fellow at Balliol College, Oxford.

King Harald V is Honorary President of the Offshore Racing Congress and also the Co-President of Honour of the International Sailing Federation with the King Constantine II of Greece.

He holds the degree of Prince of the Holy Roman Empire due to his old German ancestry.

World Thinking Day Worldwide - F e b 2 2

George Washington's Birthday U.S. - F e b 2 2

Egilmar I of Lerigau, dates unknown Egilmar II of Lerigau, d. 1142 Christian I of Oldenburg, d. 1167 Moritz of Oldenburg, d. 1209 Christian II of Oldenburg, d. 1233 John I, Count of Oldenburg, d. 1275 Christian III, Count of Oldenburg, d. 1285 John II, Count of Oldenburg, d. 1314 Conrad I, Count of Oldenburg, 1300–1347 Christian V, Count of Oldenburg, 1340–1423 Dietrich, Count of Oldenburg, 1398–1440 Christian I of Denmark, 1426–1481 Frederick I of Denmark, 1471–1533 Christian III of Denmark, 1503–1559 John II, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg, 1545–1622 Alexander, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg, 1573–1627 August Philipp, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Beck, 1612–1675 Frederick Louis, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Beck, 1653–1728 Peter August, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Beck, 1696–1775 Prince Karl Anton August of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Beck, 1727–1759 Friedrich Karl Ludwig, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Beck, 1757–1816 Friedrich Wilhelm, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, 1785–1831 Christian IX of Denmark, 1818–1906 Frederick VIII of Denmark, 1843–1912 Haakon VII of Norway, 1872–1957 Olav V of Norway, 1903–1991 Harald V of Norway, b. 1937 Her Highness Princess Märtha Louise, born on 22 September 1971. She was married to Ari Behn, born on 30 September 1972, on 24 May 2002. They have 3 daughters: Maud Angelica Behn, born 29 April 2003 Leah Isadora Behn, born 8 April 2005 Emma Tallulah Behn, born 29 September 2008 His Royal Highness Crown Prince Haakon Magnus, born on 20 July 1973. He married Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby, born 19 August 1973, on 25 August 2001. She has a son from a previous relationship, Marius Borg Høiby, born 13 January 1997. They have 2 children: Her Royal Highness Princess Ingrid Alexandra, born 21 January 2004, Hereditary Princess of Norway His Highness Prince Sverre Magnus, born 3 December 2005

Mother Language Day Worldwide - F e b 2 1

International Mother Language Day is an observance held annually on 21 February worldwide to promote awareness of linguistic and cultural diversity and multilingualism. It was first announced by UNESCO on 17 November 1999. Its observance was also formally recognized by the United Nations General Assembly in its resolution establishing 2008 as the International Year of Languages.

International Mother Language Day originated as the international recognition of Language Movement Day, which has been commemorated in Bangladesh (formerly East Pakistan) since 1952, when a number of students including the students of the University of Dhaka were killed by the Pakistani police in Dhaka during Bengali Language Movement protests.

History On 21 March 1948, Mohammed Ali Jinnah, the

Governor general of Pakistan, declared that Urdu would be the only official language for both West and East Pakistan. The people of Shaheed Minar, or the Martyr's monument, located East Pakistan (now Bangladesh), having at Dhaka University Campus, Bangladesh, commother language Bangla, started to protest memorates the sacrifice for Bangla Language on 21 against this. On 21 February 1952, (8th Fal- February 1952 gun 1358 in the Bangla calendar), students in the present day capital city of Dhaka called for a provincial strike. The government invoked a limited curfew to prevent this and the protests were tamed down so as to not break the curfew. The Pakistani police fired on the students despite these peaceful protests and a number of students were killed. Four of them were Abdus Salam, Rafiq Uddin Ahmed, Abul Barkat and Abdul Jabbar.

International observances The Linguapax Prize is presented annually on International Mother Language Day.

UNESCO sets the theme for each International Mother Language Day and holds related events at its headquarters in Paris on or around 21 February each year.

In 2008, the International Year of Languages was formally launched on International Mother Language Day.

y ng h s roops

he Ba e o Pr nce on Surviving letters suggest that he may have been in love at the time with Sally Fairfax, the a wife of a friend. Nevertheless, George and Martha made a compatible marriage, because Martha was intelligent, gracious, and experienced in managing a slave plantation. Together the two raised her two children from her previous marriage, John Parke Custis and Martha Parke Custis, affectionately called "Jackie" and "Patsy" by the family. Later the Washingtons raised two of Mrs. Washington's grandchildren, Eleanor Parke Custis and George Washington Parke Custis. George and Martha never had any children together — his earlier bout with smallpox in 1751 may have made him sterile. Washington proudly may not have been able to admit to his own sterility while privately he grieved over not having his own children. The newly wed couple moved to Mount Vernon, near Alexandria, where he took up the life of a planter and political figure.

Washington's marriage to Martha greatly increased his property holdings and social standing, and made him one of Virginia's wealthiest men.

He acquired one-third of the 18,000 acre (73 km²) Custis estate upon his marriage, worth approximately $100,000, and managed the remainder on behalf of Martha's children, for whom he sincerely cared. He frequently bought additional land in his own name and was granted land in what is now West Virginia as a bounty for his service in the French and Indian War. By 1775, Washington had doubled the size of Mount Vernon to 6,500 acres (26 km2), and had increased the slave population there to more than 100 persons. As a respected military hero and large landowner, he held local office and was elected to the Virginia provincial legislature, the House of Burgesses, beginning in 1758.

Washington lived an aristocratic lifestyle—fox hunting was a favorite leisure activity. He also enjoyed going to dances and parties, in addition to the theater, races, and cock fights. Washington also was known to play cards, backgammon, and billiards. Like most Virginia planters, he imported luxuries and other goods from England and paid for them by exporting his tobacco crop. Extravagant spending and the unpredictability of the tobacco market meant that many Virginia planters of Washington's day were losing money. (Thomas Jefferson, for example, would die deeply in debt.)

Washington began to pull himself out of debt by diversifying his business interests and paying more attention to his affairs. By 1766, he had switched Mount Vernon's primary cash crop from tobacco to wheat, a crop that could be sold in America, and diversified operations to include flour milling, fishing, horse breeding, spinning, and weaving. Patsy Custis's death in 1773 from epilepsy enabled Washington to pay off his British creditors, since half of her inheritance passed to him.

A successful planter, he was a leader in the social elite in Virginia. From 1768 to 1775, he invited some 2000 guests to his Mount Vernon estate, mostly those he considered "people of rank." As for people not of high social status, his advice was to "treat them civilly" but "keep them at a proper distance, for they will grow upon familiarity, in proportion as you sink in authority.". In 1769 he became more politically active, presenting the Virginia Assembly with legislation to ban the importation of goods from Great Britain.

In 1754 Lieutenant Governor Dinwiddie had promised land bounties to the soldiers and Dep c on by John Trumbu o officers who volunteered to serve during the French and Indian War. Washington tried for years to get the lands promised to him and his men. Governor Norborne Berkeley fi- Wash ng on res gn ng h s comnally fulfilled that promise in 1769-1770, with Washington subsequently receiving title to m ss on as commander- n-ch e 23,200 acres near where the Kanawha River flows into the Ohio River, in what is now western West Virginia.

American Revolution (1775–1787)

Although he expressed opposition to the 1765 Stamp Act, the first direct tax on the colonies, he did not take a leading role in the growing colonial resistance until protests of the Townshend Acts(enacted in 1767) became widespread. In May 1769, Washington introduced a proposal, drafted by his friend George Mason, calling for Virginia to boycott English goods until the Acts were repealed. Parliament repealed the Townshend Acts in 1770. However, Washington regarded the passage of the Intolerable Acts in 1774 as "an Invasion of our Rights and Privileges".

In July 1774, he chaired the meeting at which the "Fairfax Resolves" were adopted, which called for the convening of a Continental Congress, among other things. In August, Washington attended the First Virginia Convention, where he was selected as a delegate to the First Continental Congress.

Commander in chief:

After the Battles of Lexington and Concord near Boston in April 1775, the colonies went to war. Washington appeared at the Second Continental Congress in a military uniform, signaling that he was prepared for war. Washington had the prestige, military experience, charisma and military bearing of a military leader and was known as a strong patriot. Virginia, the largest colony, deserved recognition, and New England—where the fighting began—realized it needed Southern support. Washington did not explicitly seek the office of commander and said that he was not equal to it, but there was no serious competition. Congress created the Continental Army on June 14, 1775. Nominated by John Adams of Massachusetts, Washington was then appointed Major General and Commander-in-chief.

Washington had three roles during the war. In 1775-77, and again in 1781 he led his men against the main British forces. Although he lost many of his battles, he never surrendered his army during the war, and he continued to fight the British relentlessly until the war's end. He plotted the overall strategy of the war, in cooperation with Congress.

Second, he was charged with organizing and training the army. He recruited regulars and assigned General von Steuben, a German professional, to train them. He was not in charge of supplies, which were always short, but kept pressuring Congress and the states to provide essentials. Washington had the major voice in selecting generals for command, and in planning their basic strategy. His achievements were mixed, as some of his favorites (like John Sullivan) never mastered the art of command. Eventually he found capable officers, like General Nathaniel Greene, and his chief-of-staff Alexander Hamilton. The American officers never equaled their opponents in tactics and maneuver, and consequently they lost most of the pitched battles. The great successes, at Boston (1776), Saratoga (1777) and Yorktown (1781), came from trapping the British far from base with much larger numbers of troops.

Third, and most important, Washington was the embodiment of armed resistance to the Crown—the representative man of the Revolution. His enormous stature and political skills kept Congress, the army, the French, the militias, and the states all pointed toward a common goal. By voluntarily stepping down and disbanding his army when the war was won, he permanently established the principle of civilian supremacy in military affairs. And yet his constant reiteration of the point that well-disciplined professional soldiers counted for twice as much as erratic amateurs helped overcome the ideological distrust of a standing army.

Victory at Boston:

Washington assumed command of the Continental Army in the field at Cambridge, Massachusetts in July 1775, during the ongoing siege of Boston. Realizing his army's desperate shortage of gunpowder, Washington asked for new sources.

American troops raided British arsenals, including some in the Caribbean, and some manufacturing was attempted. They obtained a barely adequate supply (about 2.5 million pounds) by the end of 1776, mostly from France. Washington reorganized the army during the long standoff, and forced the British to withdraw by putting artillery on Dorchester Heights overlooking the city. The British evacuated Boston in March 1776 and Washington moved his army to New York City.

Although highly disparaging toward most of the Patriots, British newspapers routinely praised Washington's personal character and qualities as a military commander. These articles were bold, as Washington was enemy general who commanded an army in a cause that many Britons believed would ruin the empire.

Defeat at New York City and Fabian tactics:

In August 1776, British General William Howe launched a massive naval and land Forens c recrea on o Wash ng on a campaign designed to seize New York. The Continental Army under Washington he me o h s rs naugura on as engaged the enemy for the first time as an army of the newly independent United States at the Battle of Long Island, the largest battle of the entire war. The Amer- pres den icans were badly outnumbered, many men deserted, and Washington was badly beaten. Subsequently, Washington was forced to retreat across the East River at night. He did so without loss of life or materiel. Washington retreated north from the city to avoid encirclement, enabling Howe to take the offensive and capture Fort Washington on November 16 with high Continental casualties. Washington then retreated across New Jersey; the future of the Continental Army was in doubt due to expiring enlistments and the string of losses. On the night of December 25, 1776, Washington staged a comeback with a surprise attack on a Hessian outpost in western New Jersey. He led his army across the Delaware River to capture nearly 1,000 Hessians in Trenton, New Jersey. Washington followed up his victory at Trenton with another over British regulars at Princeton in early January. The British retreated back to New York City and its environs, which they held until the peace treaty of 1783. Washington's victories wrecked the British carrot-and-stick strategy of showing overwhelming force then offering generous terms. The Americans would not negotiate for anything short of independence. These victories alone were not enough to ensure ultimate Patriot victory, however, since many soldiers did not reenlist or deserted during the harsh winter. Washington and Congress reorganized the army with increased rewards for staying and punishment for desertion, which raised troop numbers effectively for subsequent battles.

Historians debate whether or not Washington preferred a Fabian strategy to harass the British, with quick shark attacks followed by a retreat so the larger British army could not catch him, or whether he preferred to fight major battles. While his southern commander Greene in 178081 did use Fabian tactics, Washington, only did so in fall 1776 to spring 1777, after losing New York City and seeing much of his army melt away. Trenton and Princeton were Fabian examples. By summer 1777, however, Washington had rebuilt his strength and his confidence and stopped using raids and went for large-scale confrontations, as at Brandywine, Germantown, Monmouth and Yorktown.

1777 campaigns:

In the late summer of 1777 the British under John Burgoyne sent a major invasion army south fromQuebec, with the intention of splitting off rebellious New England. General Howe in New York took his army south to Philadelphia instead of going up the Hudson River to join with Burgoyne near Albany. It was a major strategic mistake for the British, and Washington rushed to Philadelphia to engage Howe, while closely following the action in upstate New York. In pitched battles that were too complex for his relatively inexperienced men, Washington was defeated.

At the Battle of Brandywine on September 11, 1777, Howe outmaneuvered Washington, and marched into the American capital at Philadelphia unopposed on September 26. Washington's army unsuccessfully attacked the British garrison at Germantown in early October. Meanwhile, Burgoyne, out of reach from help from Howe, was trapped and forced to surrender his entire army at Saratoga, New York. It was a major turning point militarily and diplomatically. France responded to Burgoyne's defeat by entering the war, openly allying with America and turning the Revolutionary War into a major worldwide war. Washington's loss of Philadelphia prompted some members of Congress to discuss removing Washington from command. This attempt failed after Washington's supporters rallied behind him.

Valley Forge:

Washington's army of 11,000 went into winter quarters at Valley Forge north of Philadelphia in December 1777. Over the next six months, the deaths in camp numbered in the thousands (the majority being from disease), with historians' death toll estimates ranging from 2000 to 2500 to over 3000 men. The next spring, however, the army emerged from Valley Forge in good order, thanks in part to a full-scale training program supervised by Baron von Steuben, a veteran of the Prussian general staff. The British evacuated Philadelphia to New York in 1778, shadowed

by Washington. Washington attacked them at Monmouth, fighting to an effective draw in one of the war's largest battles. Afterwards, the British continued to head towards New York, and Washington moved his army outside of New York.

Victory at Yorktown:

In the summer of 1779 at Washington's direction, General John Sullivan carried out a scorched earth campaign that destroyed at least 40Iroquois villages throughout present-day central and upstate New York; the Indians were British allies who had been raiding American settlements on the frontier. In July 1780, 5,000 veteran French troops led by General Comte Donatien de Rochambeau arrived at Newport, Rhode Island to aid in the war effort. The Continental Army having been funded by $20,000 in French gold, Washington delivered the final blow to the British in 1781, after a French naval victory allowed American and French forces to trap a British army in Virginia. The surrender at Yorktown on October 17, 1781, marked the end of major fighting in continental North America.

Demobilization:

Washington could not know that after Yorktown the British would not reopen hostilities. They still had 26,000 troops occupying New York City, Charleston and Savannah, together with a powerful fleet. The French army and navy departed, so the Americans were on their own in 1782-83. The treasury was empty, and the unpaid soldiers were growing restive, almost to the point of mutiny or possible coup d'état. Washington dispelled unrest among officers by squelching the Newburgh Conspiracy in March 1783, and Congress came up with the promise of a five years bonus.

By the Treaty of Paris (signed that September), Great Britain recognized the independence of the United States. Washington disbanded his army and, on November 2, gave an eloquent farewell address to his soldiers.

On November 25, the British evacuated New York City, and Washington and the governor took possession. At Fraunces Tavern on December 4, Washington formally bade his officers farewell and on December 23, 1783, he resigned his commission as commander-in-chief. Historian Gordon Wood concludes that the greatest act in his life was his resignation as commander of the armies—an act that stunned aristocratic Europe. King George III called Washington "the greatest character of the age" because of this.

1787: Constitutional Conven- Eques r an s a ue (1860 C ark M s) nWash ng on C rc e Wash ng on tion Washington's retirement to Mount Vernon was short-lived. He made an exploratory DC

trip to the western frontier in 1784, was persuaded to attend the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in the summer of 1787, and was unanimously elected president of the Convention. He participated little in the debates (though he did vote for or against the various articles), but his high prestige maintained collegiality and kept the delegates at their labors.

The delegates designed the presidency with Washington in mind, and allowed him to define the office once elected. After the Convention, his support convinced many to vote for ratification; the new Constitution was ratified by all thirteen states.

Presidency (1789–1797)

The Electoral College elected Washington unanimously as the first president in 1789, and again in the 1792 election; he remains the only president to have received 100 percent of the electoral votes. John Adams, who received the next highest vote total, was elected Vice President.

At his inauguration, Washington took the oath of office as the first President of the United States of America on April 30, 1789, at Federal Hall in New York City.

The 1st United States Congress voted to pay Washington a salary of $25,000 a year—a large sum in 1789. Washington, already wealthy, declined the salary, since he valued his image as a selfless public servant. At the urging of Congress, however, he ultimately accepted the payment, to avoid setting a precedent whereby the presidency would be perceived as limited only to independently wealthy individuals who could serve without any salary. The president, aware that everything he did set a precedent, attended carefully to the pomp and ceremony of office, making sure that the titles and trappings were suitably republican and never emulated European royal courts. To that end, he preferred the title "Mr. President" to the more majestic names suggested.

Washington proved an able administrator. An excellent delegator and judge of talent and character, he talked regularly with department heads and listened to their advice before making a final decision. In handling routine tasks, he was "systematic, orderly, energetic, solicitous of the opinion of others but decisive, intent upon general goals and the consistency of particular actions with them."

Washington reluctantly served a second term. He refused to run for a third, establishing the customary policy of a maximum of two terms for a president.

Domestic issues:

Washington was not a member of any political party and hoped that they would not be formed, fearing conflict that would undermine republicanism. His closest advisors formed two factions, setting the framework for the future First Party System. Secretary of Treasury Alexander Hamilton had bold plans to establish the national credit and build a financially powerful nation, and formed the basis of the Federalist Party.

Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson, founder of the Jeffersonian Republicans, strenuously opposed Hamilton's agenda, but Washington typically favored Hamilton over Jefferson, and it was Hamilton's agenda that went into effect.

The Residence Act of 1790, which Washington signed, authorized the President to select the specific location of the permanent seat of the government, which would be located along the Potomac River. The Act authorized the President to appoint three commissioners to survey and acquire property for this seat. Washington personally oversaw this effort throughout his term in office. In 1791, the commissioners named the permanent seat of government "The City of Washington in the Territory of Columbia" to honor Washington. In 1800, the Territory of Columbia became the District of Columbia when the federal government moved to the site according to the provisions of the Residence Act. In 1791, Congress imposed an excise tax on distilled spirits, which led to protests in frontier districts, especially Pennsylvania. By 1794, after Washington ordered the protesters to appear in U.S. district court, the protests turned into full-scale defiance of federal authority known as the Whiskey Rebellion. The federal army was too small to be used, so Washington invoked the Militia Act of 1792 to summon the militias of Pennsylvania, Virginia, and several other states. The governors sent the troops and Washington took command, marching into the rebellious districts.

The rebels dispersed and there was no fighting, as Washington's forceful action proved the new government could protect itself. These events marked the first time under the new constitution that the federal government used strong military force to exert authority over the states and citizens.

Foreign affairs:

In 1791, shortly after the Haitian Revolution broke out, Washington's administration, at French request, agreed to send money, arms, and provisions to the French colony of Saint-Domingue (present-day Haiti) to assist distressed colonists. This aid formed part of the US repayment of Revolutionary War loans, and eventually amounted to about $400,000.

In spring 1793 a major war broke out between conservative Britain and its allies and revolutionary France, launching an era of large-scale warfare that engulfed Europe until 1815. Washington, with cabinet approval, proclaimed American neutrality. The revolutionary government of France sent diplomat Edmond-Charles Genêt, called "Citizen Genêt," to America. Genêt was welcomed with great enthusiasm and propagandized the case for France in the French war against Britain, and for this purpose promoted a network of new Democratic Societies in major cities. He issued French letters of marque and reprisal to French ships manned by American sailors so they could capture British merchant ships. Washington demanded the French government recall Genêt, and denounced the societies.

Hamilton and Washington designed the Jay Treaty to normalize trade relations with Britain, remove them from western forts, and resolve financial debts left over from the Revolution. John Jay negotiated and signed the treaty on November 19, 1794. The Jeffersonians supported France and strongly attacked the treaty. Washington's strong support mobilized public opinion and proved decisive in securing ratification in the Senate by the necessary two-thirds majority. The British agreed to depart from their forts around the Great Lakes, subsequently the U.S.Canadian boundary had to be re-adjusted, numerous pre-Revolutionary debts were liquidated, and the British opened their West Indies colonies to American trade. Most importantly, the treaty delayed war with Britain and instead brought a decade of prosperous trade with Britain. The treaty angered the French and became a central issue in many political debates.

Farewell Address:

Washington's Farewell Address (issued as a public letter in 1796) was one of the most influential statements of republicanism. Drafted primarily

by Washington himself, with help from Hamilton, it gives advice on the necessity and importance of national union, the value of the Constitution and the rule of law, the evils of political parties, and the proper virtues of a republican people. He called morality "a necessary spring of popular government". He said, "Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education on minds of peculiar structure, reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle."

Washington's public political address warned against foreign influence in domestic affairs and American meddling in European affairs. He warned against bitter partisanship in domestic politics and called for men to move beyond partisanship and serve the common good. He warned against "permanent alliances with any portion of the foreign world", saying the United States must concentrate primarily on American interests. He counseled friendship and commerce with all nations, but warned against involvement in European wars and entering into longterm "entangling" alliances. The address quickly set American values regarding foreign affairs.

Retirement (1797–1799)

After retiring from the presidency in March 1797, Washington returned to Mount Vernon with a profound sense of relief. He devoted much time to farming and other business interests, including his distillery which produced its first batch of spirits in February 1797. As Chernow (2010) explains, his farm operations were at best marginally profitable. The lands out west yielded little income because they were under attack by Indians and the squatters living there refused to pay him rents. However most Americans assumed he was truly rich because of the wellknown "glorified façade of wealth and grandeur" at Mount Vernon. Historians estimate his estate was worth about $1 million in 1799 dollars, m w equivalent to ab W w mm P A m C mm m O w w F H U S Am w D m H P Am m m m H mm H m m

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HUNGARY Defender of the Fatherland Day Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Ukraine - F e b 2 3

Hungarian PRT’s final aid distribution in Afghanistan

H unga r y ha s a c hie v e d a lm os t e v e r y t hing: PM Vik t or Or bá n

Defender of the Fatherland Day is a holiday observed in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and several other former republics of the Soviet Union. It is celebrated on February 23.

History The holiday marks the date in 1918 during the Russian Civil War when the first mass draft into the Red Army occurred

in Petrograd and Moscow. It was originally known as Red Army Day. In 1949, it was renamed Soviet Army and Navy Day. Following the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, the holiday was given its current name.

Celebrations

Officially, as the name suggests, the holiday celebrates people who are serving or were serving the Russian Armed Forces (both men and women), but unofficially, nationally it has also more recently come to include the celebration of men as a whole, and to act as a counterpart of International Women's Day on March 8. The holiday is celebrated with parades and processions in honor of veterans, and women also give small gifts to the Russian men in their lives, especially husbands (or boyfriends), fathers and sons. As a part of the workplace culture, women often give gifts to their male co-workers. Consequently, in colloquial usage, the holiday is often referred to as Men's Day.

Variations

In Tajikistan, the holiday is known as Tajik National Army Day. In Chechnya and Ingushetia this holiday is celebrated with mixed feelings, because February 23, 1944 is the date of the mass deportations of Chechens and Ingush to Central Asia. (See also, Operation Lentil, Population transfer in the Soviet Union) The entire holiday is extremely controversial for Chechens and Ingush because of the date.

Peru is interested in Hungary's crisis management experience: Enikő Győri (Online 14 Feb) Minister of State of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Enikő Győri discussed the issue of a sustainable social system and Hungarian experiences with relation to economic crisis management during her talks in Peru, and was informed by her partners that the government in Lima would be ready to fund scholarships for the study of Peruvian students in Hungary.

On Wednesday, Enikő Győri held talks with José Beraún Aranibar, Peru's Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs and with Peruvian Vice-Minister of Foreign Trade Carlos Posada Ugaz about drawing relations between the two countries closer. Her partners were especially interested in the system of family taxation, as well solutions for empowering small and medium enterprises in Hungary.

It was also mentioned that

there is no economic crisis in Peru, “together with other countries of Latin America, the country has recovered, its macro-economic indicators are good, they do not reflect the problems in Europe”, because state debt is low, budget deficit is not rampant and unemployment is also being kept at bay.

The experiences of social policy are interesting for Peru because the Government in Budapest is not implementing the change model of affluent, WesternEuropean countries, but is instead endeavouring to operate a modest, tailor-made, sustainable social system – she added.

A few years ago, Hungary was forced to close its diplomatic missions in Latin America; this decision is being reviewed now and – as Enikő Győri revealed – “we are considering where to reopen missions in relation to available resources”.

As a first step a travelling ambassador will be appointed, who is going to visit Peru several times a year.

The Hungarian politician was invited by the Spanish group of the European People’s Party to speak at the conference organized by the Robert Schuman Foundation and the St. Ignatius of Loyola University of Lima.

On Thursday, Enikő Győri is meeting with the Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bolivia in La Paz and also hopes to visit Előd Tóásó, a citizen of Hungary who was arrested by Bolivian Special Forces in 2009, in prison. As Győri revealed, she primarily wished to gather information about the intentions of the authorities. “It is not my objective to interfere in a criminal case” – she said, also highlighting that she wished to ensure that the human rights of this Hungarian citizen were being respected.

State secretary Németh opened exhibiton in Brussels on Serbian church art (Online 14 Feb) Zsolt Németh, Parliamentary State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, opened the exhibition entitled ‘Serbian Church Art in Hungary’ at the Hungarian Cultural Institute in Brussels on Wednesday.

Cultural Minister of Serbia Bratislav Petkovic, President of the Provincial Government of Vojvodina Bojan Pajtic, and Head of the „Matica Srpska” Art Gallery in Novi Sad Tijana Palkovl-

jevic, also spoke at the event. On the Hungarian side, Ambassador Károly Grúber, Representative to the Political and Security Committee in Brussels, and György Schöpflin, Member of European Parliament, participated at the opening.

The Hungarian State Secretary pointed out that the exhibition was a great example for European cultural diversity, and stressed the role of culture in binding various peoples and na-

tions. He underlined the importance of Hungarian-Serbian reconciliation and claimed that the heritage of Greek orthodoxy was part of Europe’s Christian tradition.

The town of Szentendre – 20 kilometers north of Budapest – is the most important reservoir of Serbian church art in Hungary. The 39 art works of the exhibition were renovated by the experts of „Matica Srpska” Art Gallery in Novi Sad in 2010-2011.

Vo l v o a n d R á b a b u s c o m p a n i e s sign cooperation agreement

Photo: Károly Árvai (Online 14 Feb) Swedish Volvo Bus Corporation and Hungary's Rába Vehicles Holding signed a strategic cooperation agreement in

ation provides an opportunity for the Hungarian car industry’s SMEs to participate as suppliers and also results in new workplaces

will initiate the gradual building of a supplier chain, which will be coordinated by Rába. The company will realise the necessary produc-

(Online 11 Feb) "Last week’s agreement on the European Union’s budget for the next seven-year period is the single biggest success from Hungary’s point of view since the country joined the EU in 2004", Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said in his pre-agenda speech at the opening of the spring session of the Parliament on 11 February. The Prime Minister stressed that Hungary had achieved almost everything it possibly could have from last week's agreement.

In spite of the smaller European budget, Hungary has managed to secure 712 000 forints per capita of EU funding in the upcoming financial period as opposed 660 000 during the previous cycle, he said, adding that Hungary had received a “bigger slice of a smaller cake”. Viktor Orbán said, the 7 080 billion forints allocated to Hungary between 2014 and 2020 represent 3.6 per cent of the gross national income. Hungary has never before received such a large amount of funding per capita, he added.

(Online 14 Feb) The HDF Provincial Reconstruction Team (HUN PRT) recently distributed humanitarian aid packages for the last time in Baghlan Province,

handed over to the Women’s Affairs Office 200 packages and the last boxes of donation collected by the residents of Kakasd, Hungary. In what followed,

Karasoy Poin, Vakill Nadjimudin, Aral Hola, Navabob and Neinmam.

This has been the last humanitarian aid distribution in the life of the Hungarian

Afghanistan. The Hungarian troops will soon finish their development projects and their six-and-a-halfyear mission abroad.

During the last few days the 13th rotation of the HUN PRT distributed altogether 650 food packages which included flour, sugar, tea and cooking-oil. They

they distributed 200 aid packages and blankets among the people in need who had been listed by the provincial shura.

The Hungarian soldiers took the rest of the donation to the poor and needy families listed by the shura leaders in six other nearby regions – Karasoy Bolla,

Provincial Reconstruction Team. Before long, the contingent will completely finish its development projects and return home.

The Hungarian soldiers have been assisting the development of Baghlan Province for more than six (Online 15 Feb) Hungary’s and a half years. recent dollar-based bond issue has proven that the country is capable of standing on its own feet, without the assistance of the International Monetary Fund, tankers. They supervised Prime Minister Viktor Orbán the fuel transfer and took said on public Kossuth out two Afghan terrorists Rádió’s morning show “180 who, after infiltrating into minutes”. the camp, had been snip- The issuance is also a sign ing at soldiers from a build- of confidence in the Hungaring. ian economy, which inThe HDF Kabul Interna- vestors regard as tional Airport Force Protec- predictable, since a governtion Contingent is ment bond which is overresponsible for the defence subscribed six times cannot and undisturbed operation be called “junk” by any of Afghanistan’s busiest air- means, he stressed. port. The international air- With regard to public debt, port, “the gateway to he said Hungary is among Afghanistan”, receives and those five European Union dispatches both civil and member states that is able military aircraft. The so- to reduce its debt continually called mixed-use airport – and he once again made it which is located six kilome- clear that debt reduction ters to the north of the city center – is the most important aerodrome of the country, with annual passenger numbers of over two million. It is currently (Online 15 Feb) Since the operated under NATO Government entered office, ISAF command, and the al- the most intensive anti-corlied forces here perform ruption series of measures their service duties in six- over the last 20 years has been introduced in Hungary. month periods.

The role of the Hungarian As the latest step in this Defence Forces in process, the Government Afghanistan has been has included within an actransforming continuously tion plan its commitments to since the autumn of 2012. acts within the international Based on a governmental framework of the Open Govdecision, the Hungarian ernment Partnership. It has Defence Forces assumed also laid down regulations force protection tasks at the on the system to prevent Kabul International Airport corruption in the public sphere and for a reception in the autumn of 2012. enforcing interests.

The aim of the Open Government Partnership, the international initiative, which was launched in 2011, is to strengthen the commitment mitted to helping of participating States to Afghanistan in the future, more transparent operation of state organisations. Interhe added.

Németh also noted that national experience has NATO head Anders Fogh shown that an increase in Rasmussen would visit transparency in public adHungary in summer and ministration provokes inthat the organisation’s creased competitiveness in chiefs of staff were sched- a given country’s economy uled to meet in Budapest in and society, and an increase in citizens’ trust in public adSeptember.

Németh told Deputy Secre- ministration. In 2011, the tary General of NATO that Government decided that Hungary would maintain Hungary should join the inithe current level of defense tiative as part of its anti-corspending in 2013-14, and ruption programme. would increase it by an an- With adoption of the action nual 0.1 percentage point in the following years, raising it to 1.4 per cent of total spending in the medium term.

(Online 14 Feb) The 20th Fishing Hunting and Arms International Exhibition was opened today by Deputy Prime Minister and President of the Hungarian Society for the Protection of ened for partners who Hunting Zsolt Semjén. The share parentage of a child. event was attended by MinThe new Code strengthens ister of Rural Development public safety with more re- Sándor Fazekas, Ukranian alistic provisions, and regulates formal relations between private individuals, economic players and consumers.

The changes are based on (Online 14 Feb) Hungarian the experiences of court farmers could expect an adpractice, which means that ditional HUF 480-500 billion current practice is favoured in direct subsidies during the – thus interpretation of the EU’s next seven-year finew regulations will be nancing period, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said on made easier.

In addition to all this, the Thursday, following talks new Civil Code provides a with the President of the Nabase which is in harmony tional Association of Hunwith the chapter of the Fun- garian Farmers’ Societies damental Law entitled (Magosz).

‘Freedom and Responsibil- The Prime Minister said that ity’, and in line with Euro- in the previous period, Hunpean Union obligations for garian farmers were entitled the regulation of everyday to less subsidies than their legal matters. It is capable competitors, but in the wake of modernising the regula- of recent negotiations with tion in civil law of personal the European Union, they and property rights and no longer have reason to rematters of family law.

easier time when it received the order to provide mission-specific training for its soldiers to be deployed in Afghanistan. A threemonth mission rehearsal training (MRT) was enough for the contingent to reach its “full operational capability” (FOC).

During the training, the soldiers acquired the task system which is necessary for carrying out force protection duties, and they were introduced to the social and cultural traditions that characterize the people of Afghanistan, the brigadiergeneral stressed.

On the two-day culmination exercise, the members of the contingent modeled situations which may arise while performing guard duties at KAIA. They did this to make sure that everybody exactly knows their own tasks in the area of operations.

Acting in line with the main incident list (MIL) of the exercise, a Quick Reaction Force (QRF) deployed to the airport where it eliminated an infiltrating armed group. At the entry control point, the members of the QRF checked the Afghan civilian patients – who were arriving to receive treatment in the French hospital at the airport – and the fuel

Photo: Károly Árvai Budapest on Tuesday. The agreement was concluded in Parliament by Volvo’s European Vice-President and Head of Business Development Stefan Guttman and Rába's President and Chief Executive István Pintér.

In his speech at the event, State Secretary Péter Szijjártó said that the agreement paves the way for the production of premium standard, modern buses in Hungary using state-of-the-art technology and while fully offsetting imported content.

Hungary has become one of the hubs of Europe’s car manufacturing: in addition to the present agreement, the latest expansion of Audi will soon be completed in Győr, Opel is making further investments in Szentgotthárd and as a result of expansion by Mercedes, Kecskemét has become a car production centre.

State Secretary Szijjártó pointed out that the cooper-

both at Rába and at Hungarian suppliers. He added that the cooperation strengthens Hungary’s position on foreign markets as brings a major increase in exports, while it also facilitates achieving another economic policy goal, namely Rába quickly becoming a regional multinational manufacturer.

Swedish Minister of Trade Ewa Björling said Hungary will benefit from the agreement. She pointed out that commercial relations are expanding continually: Swedish exports to Hungary have almost doubled in the past 10 years whereas imports from Hungary have tripled. Both countries would like improve competitiveness and the cooperation of these two successful firms will contribute to this.

In addition to Rába products, the contracting parties will support the products of other Hungarian firms and

tion capacity by improving existing infrastructure, István Pintér said. The contract specifies that Volvo imports will be offset entirely through the purchase of Hungarian goods, which will contribute to the expansion of Rába’s activities.

He also noted that the two companies have been cooperating for more than two decades, as the Győrbased firm supplies Volvo with chassis components to support the production of its premium trucks.

Stefan Guttman explained that the contract bears great importance for Volvo as it affords them the opportunity to enter the Hungarian market. Existing relations must be strengthened, and trade and industrial cooperation must be intensified, he said.

Both firms produce highquality goods which could be further developed within the framework of the agreement.

Hungary seeks greater role in EU c o o p e r a t i o n w i t h A f r i c a : Ta k á c s (Online 14 Feb) Hungary wants to play a larger role in the European Union’s assistance programmes in Africa, especially in the Sub-Saharan region, Deputy State Secretary for Global Affairs Szabolcs Takács told MTI February 13, 2013.

Speaking after a meeting of EU ministers in charge of international development in Dublin, the Deputy State Secretary said that Hungary was committed to contributing to the development ob-

jectives of the United Nations and of the EU, which is in line with the country’s policy of global opening. “Africa is not just conflicts,” he pointed out, arguing that mining and agricultural capacities, coupled with appropriate technologies, could facilitate large-scale development, a process to which Hungary could contribute. The Government wants to map Hungarian businesses interested in African opportunities, and

revive its diplomatic ties in the Sub-Saharan region, Deputy State Secretary Takács highlighted. He explained that Hungary’s diplomatic presence in Africa had diminished after the political regime change of 1989/90, with a shift of focus to Euro-Atlantic ties.

Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, and South Africa could be key-partners for Hungary, the he stated.

Tatabanya is one of the most attractive investment locations in Hungary: Péter Szijjártó (Online 13 Feb) In 2012, overall local tax revenue in the Western-Hungarian city of Tatabánya exceeded 5.2 billion forints, which is an 18% rise compared to 2011 and an increase on pre-crisis figures, Mayor Csaba Schmidt informed participants at a reception for "large taxpayers".

Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and External

Economic Relations Péter Szijjártó said at the event that the crisis brought about a competition of allianceforging. He pointed out that although small and medium-sized enterprises provide jobs for 75% of those in employment, they receive only 20% of the overall export performance, and so four further trade houses will be set up with a

view to enhancing the sector's participation on foreign markets.

The Secretary of State added that the Government would continue to conclude strategic agreements in future, of which 12 have already been signed with various large corporations, and their number could reach 40 by the end of the second quarter of 2013.

H igh de m a nd f or H unga r y ’s r e c e nt ly is s ue d int e r na t iona l bonds (Online 13 Feb) Hungary issued international bonds worth USD 3.25 billion on Tuesday, which were nearly four times oversubscribed as they have received bids worth USD 12 billion. Hungary’s currency has strengthened as a result of the issuance.

Thanks to the successful issue, this year's international bond programme has been more than half completed, András László Borbély, deputy head of the Government’s Debt Management Agency (ÁKK), said.

László András Borbély pointed out that out of the bonds, USD 2 billion of 10year and USD 1.25 billion of 5-year notes were issued.

The ten-year bonds, bearing interest of 5.4 per cent, attracted most investor attention.

He said the issue was converted into Euros worth 2.5 billion, and according to the

issuance plan, foreign currency debt worth EUR 5.1 billion will expire in 2013, the majority of which is going to be repaid through the issuing of Eurobonds worth EUR 4-4.5 billion. The ÁKK opted for a dollar denominated issue due to demand by US investment funds for higher risk, higher yield papers, he added.

He also stated that representatives of the ÁKK and the Ministry for National Economy had participated in a total of 38 sessions aiming at preparing the issuances within the framework of a seven-day series of meetings with investors.

Nicholas Spiro of Spiro Sovereign Strategy stated that the exceptionally favourable market conditions were one of the major factors in the strong demand shown by investors. The other factor was that sensitivity regarding Hungary's talks with the IMF on financial aid had

softened significantly before the dollar issue.

This was indicated by the fact that Hungary was also able to draw in considerable resources with its forint-denominated government security issues, and that the foreign ownership ratio on the bonds market is one of the highest among emerging markets, he said.

Foreign Minister János Martonyi also spoke about the recent bond issuance in an interview and mentioned that despite certain credit rating agencies’ negative forecasts, Hungary was able to issue such a high volume of bonds and investors are more than willing to purchase them with such a yield. This demonstrates that the rating agencies are not necessarily accurate with regard to deteriorating investor confidence.

H unga r y a t t e nds Eur ope 's la r ge s t int e r na t iona l or ga nic f ood f a ir (Online 13 Feb) Deputy Secretary of State Katalin Tóth is representing the Ministry of Rural Development at BioFach, one of Europe's largest international organic food and agriculture trade fairs held from February 13-16 in Nuremberg.

Romania, the event's guest of honour, is also organising a meeting of agriculture ministers entitled "Organic Farming - Horizons 2020", at which Katalin Tóth will also be present. The main topic of the conference is the creation of an environmentally friendly, dynami-

cally developing agriculture sector.

Hungary is participating at the international trade fair with a 100 square metre stand, where 13 Hungarian businesses will present their high quality organic products. Foods on show at the Hungarian stand include apples, apple juice, dried apple products, pears, asparagus, canned products, conserves, medicinal plants, herbal teas, teas, grain coffee, margarine, Neapolitan wafers, flours, pasta, milk substitutes, savoury spelt snacks, and

wine. Wines from this years Hungarian winner of a Mundus Vini grand gold medal at the BioFach fair, the Gajdos Winery, will also be available for tasting.

Most businesses involved in organic faming in Hungary as small-sized family enterprises, the reinforcement and successful operation of which may be significantly boosted by export markets.

For this reason, appearing on the Nuremberg BioFach trade fair, which attracts visitors from over 130 countries, is a great opportunity.

Hungary is not affected by the horsemeat scandal (Online 13 Feb) According to the information we have available, frozen products similar to those found to contain horsemeat in a few Western European countries have not entered Hungary.

The National Food Chain Safety Office (NFCSO) is continuously monitoring the data on food and feed published on the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF). The system has so far not indicated that any products labelled as containing beef but in fact containing horsemeat have been shipped to Hungary.

The British authorities informed other EU member states that certain frozen products (lasagne) from the Sweden-based Findus food company contained horsemeat. The rapid alert system currently had no official

information as to the exact origin of the meat in question.

In accordance with regulations on secondary food monitoring, business must file a report on all foods that enter the country from abroad. It is on the basis of this that the food chain monitoring authority can order an immediate targeted investigation if necessary.

In reaction to the case, the NFCSO has been holding spot checks throughout the country to monitor the products in question, and the office's laboratories are ready to complete investigations designed to establish what animal the meat used in foods originates from.

Eating horsemeat may be a risk to consumer health in this vase, if the animal received medical treatment prior to being slaughtered

(for example antibiotics or anti-inflammatory medication), and the compulsory waiting period was not kept to. At certified slaughterhouses, pre-slaughter monitoring and the documentation that comes with the animal guarantee that this cannot happen.

The NFCSO's monitoring system ensures that all foods are free from ingredients that are contaminated with pharmaceutical residues through regular sampling and laboratory testing.

The use of horsemeat in products that are labelled as containing beef constitutes the deliberate deception of consumers and is considered fraud.

The NFCSO will be keeping the public continuously updated on new developments and information in the case.

When speaking about the importance of enlargement, Németh said NATO’s reputation largely hinged on whether the organisation could go on with its open doors programme and he trusted that next year's NATO summit would give the green light for further enlargement.

The talks touched upon NATO’s cooperation with Ukraine and Russia.

Németh welcomed the revival of the NATO–Russia Council and the agreement with Ukraine to deepen cooperation.

Németh said the international community must not abandon Afghanistan after troops withdraw from its territory. Hungary is com-

codification committee did not support.

The Code will come into effect on 15 March 2014: a date which Mr. Répássy said could not have been better chosen, since it is the anniversary of the 1848 Citizens’ Revolution.

An exceptional change is that the Civil Code contains legislation on the family, and lists as basic principles the protection of marriage, the family, young children and equal rights for partners. Rights within partnerships which are not formally marriages have not suffered in any way; the rights of such partners have rather been extended, as if they commit to the raising of children, they have rights to housing and maintenance.

The legal regulation of such partnerships has not changed – indeed the legal recognition of partnership relationships has strength-

ument from Előd Tóásó listing the violations of his rights while imprisoned in Bolivia.

The Hungarian Minister of State pointed out that it was the sovereign right of Hungary to pay particular attention to that the human rights of Hungarian citizens were respected. She added that Hungary „will resort to all means of facilitating international pressure” to protect the rights of Mr Tóásó.

Last October, Minister of Public Administration and Justice Tibor Navracsics wrote to senior Bolivian officials, asking them to en-

sure that Tóásó, who is accused of terrorism and has been detained for more than three years without trial, can stand trial with legal defence.

Bolivia’s special forces cracked down on what was believed to be a terrorist unit in Santa Cruz April 16, 2009. Bolivian–Hungarian Eduardo Rózsa-Flores, ethnic Hungarian from Romania Árpád Magyarosi and the Irish Michael Dwyer were killed in the attack. Mr Tóásó was arrested and has been kept in detention under suspicion of an armed uprising and terrorism since then.

Hungary maintains common EU position on Iran (Online 15 Feb) Hungary's position on Iran has not changed: the international community should be given the chance to make sure that the Iranian nuclear programme serves peaceful purposes, the Hungarian Foreign Ministry stated on Thursday.

In response to a report by the Iranian state news agency Fars that Hungarian Ambassador Gyula Pethő said Hungary would be prepared to advance cooperation in all sectors, the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs declared in a statement that Hungary's ambassador made a courtesy call to the Iranian par-

liament, which the Iranian news agency covered "with its own interpretation."

Hungary maintains the position on Iran shared by the European Union and other Western countries. Hungary insists that Iran should observe all international conventions concerning the use of nuclear energy and all UN Security Council and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) resolutions pertaining to Iran, the ministry said.

It should be noted that Hungary, which now delegates one of the ViceChairmen to the Board of Governors, served as coauthor to the resolution

condemning Iran, issued by the Board of Governors of the IAEA in September.

Hungary supports and fully implements the UN Security Council's sanctions against Iran.

Hungary supports diplomatic solutions to all problems and is therefore keeping "diplomatic channels" open, including diplomatic representation at ambassadorial level, the ministry said.

Hungary continues to maintain ties in areas unaffected by the sanctions, such as education and the trade of non-embargoed commodities, the ministry said.

Hungary to contribute to the EU mission in Mali (Online 15 Feb) Hungary will contribute ten trainers to the mission of the European Union (EU) in Mali, Minister of Defence Csaba Hende said at a press conference held in the morning of Thursday, February 14.

Minister Hende explained that the French and EU-led operations had already been high on the agenda of the informal meeting of EU defence ministers in Dublin on Tuesday and Wednesday. Based on the discussions with the French partners and the partners within the European Union, Hungary – contrary to previous plans – will not send any troops to participate in the French-led Operation Serval, but rather will contribute ten trainers to the

mission.

The Hungarian government may make a decision on the related proposal as early as next week. The mentor team – which is composed of six snipers, three medical specialists and one liaison officer – may travel to Mali around March.

Acting at the request of the President of Mali, France launched a military operation in the Western African country on January 11 to halt the advance of Islamist militias which are in control of the northern part of Mali.

The objectives of the operation are to defend the statehood, territorial integrity and sovereignty of Mali, and to prevent the country from becoming the

center of international terrorist groups in the region.

The UN Security Council unanimously supported the military action.

On February 6, French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told the commercial radio Europe 1 that the 4000 French troops deployed in Mali “was the maximum” and their number “would not be increased”. He added that their withdrawal would begin “relatively quickly in a few weeks”. Speaking in a governmental session held on the same day, Head of State Francois Hollande reaffirmed that the troop withdrawal would begin in March.

Hungary Statement regarding North Korea’s nuclear test (Online 12 Feb) Hungary learnt with dismay that the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea detonated yet another nuclear test device on 12 February 2013 despite repeated calls for restraint by the international community.

This move is the latest blatant manifestation of North Korea’s irresponsible behaviour that poses serious threat to regional and international peace and security. The country’s reckless action is a harsh violation of its international obligations,

including the provisions of UN Security Council Resolutions 1718, 1874 and 2087 which prohibit the country to develop or test nuclear weapons. Hungary reiterates its call on the DPRK to refrain from such provocative actions, to abandon immediately its nuclear weapons program and to engage in constructive dialogues aimed at improving the security situation on the Korean Peninsula, including particularly the re-launch of the Six Party Talks. We also

urge the DPRK to join the international non-proliferation efforts and to sign the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty at the earliest. In this context, Hungary fully associates itself with the Declaration by Catherine Ashton, High Representative of the European Union earlier today. We welcome that the EU remains seized of the matter and urge the Union to consider further restrictive measures to curtail the ability of North Korea to conduct such actions in the future.

PM calls new Opel investment in Szentgotthárd unprecedented

ence.

János Takács, Regional Chief Administrative Officer of Electrolux Central-Eastern Europe Holding and Managing Director of Electrolux Hungary, underlined the presence of the Ministry for National Economy as the institution aptly representing “green” values for the society. As the Managing Director added, over the past four years in the Hungarian plant of Electrolux energy consumption was reduced by 25 percent. Current refrigerator models consume 70 percent less energy than those 15 years ago, and the 55-70 percent of vacuum cleaners are made of recycled plastics.

Ericsson develops “smart” networks and it has a research institution in Hungary for that end, Roland Jakab, Deputy Chief Executive of Ericsson Hungary said. Broad-band technology enables the incorporation of consumers’ convenient features into networks and thus the reduction of energy consumption, he added.

Ewa Björling called attention to the case study which would present the Stockholm Royal Seaport project to the audience of the conference: a former 236hectare industrial area has been converted into an environmentally friendly residential quarter.

Photo: Csaba Pelsőczy (Online 12 Feb) German car manufacturer Opel is expanding its unit in Szentgotthárd.

The project is worth EUR 130 million, which will create 160 new jobs and increase production space by 1600 square meters, announced Opel’s Deputy

continues to be one of the most important strategic partners of the Hungarian economy.

In September 2012, Opel inaugurated a flexible engine factory worth EUR 500 million in Szentgotthárd, which will create 800 jobs by 2015. In addi-

ment’s economic policy, namely, the reduction of public debt and the budget deficit, Hungary’s trade surplus, which is the second biggest in Europe after Germany, the current account balance, which is in order at present and the improve-

Hungarian economic policy is based on financial stability and reforms (Online 12 Feb) The two pillars of Hungary’s economic policy are financial stability and reforms, Minister of State at the Ministry for National Economy Zoltán Cséfalvay said at a conference.

At the Hungarian Business Leaders Forum (HBLF) the Minister of State said that stability measures, reforms and the abrogation of the excessive deficit procedure will enable Hungary to resume the “success story” of the 1990s, characterized by a small, open and export-oriented economy.

Some signs of that are already appearing as Hungary was ranked as 9th on the latest Globalization Index of Ernst&Young; Zoltán

Cséfalvay stressed adding that Hungarian exports constitute a significant portion of GDP, while the share of products of high added value within total exported goods is close to 20 percent.

By introducing stability measures the Government intended to share the burdens and risks of the crisis. Among reforms he highlighted the public administration reform which aimed for economies of scale by the transformation of county and district administration; the labour market reform establishing flexible labour market regulation and institutional reforms such as the new Fiscal Council.

The already completed

taxation reform assists the improvement of competitiveness by reducing taxes on incomes and increasing those on consumption, said Zoltán Cséfalvay.

The Minister of State added that general government debt has been on a downward path since 2012, central budget deficit was below 3 percent in 2012 and may be around 2.7 percent according to EU methodology. He also stressed that there will be no “election time budget” in 2014, because “this Government will preserve the achievement of a below 3 percent deficit also in the future”.

information campaigns. Another part of the action plan is the introduction in the public sphere of a guidance system for integrity aimed at preventing corruption.

In March 2012, the Government adopted the anti-corruption programme for public administration, which was an important step in the fight against corruption. The main goal of the programme is to strengthen the State’s ability to resist corruption, and that public administration, state administration and government bodies should be able to defend themselves robustly against corruption. In the interest of this, last year, the Ministry of Public Administration and Justice announced that it was developing a simple consultation system that was understandable to all, and which provides the deadlines for individual measures, and the development of their specialist content. The Ministry is committed to the renewal of the legal environment for the fight against corruption and is thus continuing the consultation process with organisations in civil society.

Minister of Agriculture Mykola Prysyazhnyuk and a number of members of the diplomatic corps.

A significant moment of the event involved Eszter Csonka-Takács, Head of the UNESCO National Commission's Sub-Committee on Intellectual and Cultural Heritage, awarding UN-

ESCO’s certificate to the President of the Hungarian Falconers Club, verifying that Hungarian falconry has been included in UNESCO's intangible cultural heritage list. Furthermore, the Hungaricum Committee also added Hungarian falconry to its Hungaricum list in January 2013.

gard themselves as being at a disadvantage. The talks were attended by Minister for Rural Development Sándor Fazekas and temporary head of the Hungarian Chamber of Agriculture Balázs Győrffy.

Viktor Orbán said the Government had fulfilled its mandate given by Magosz, that is, to ensure support for Hungarian farmers will not be reduced in any way.

There was a risk of reduction since EU budget plans had originally included lowering subsidies, but a French-Polish-RomanianHungarian alliance suc-

ceeded in combating the decision.

What all this means for Hungary is that the budget for direct subsidies will be HUF 480-500 billion more in the next seven years than it was in the previous period, the Prime Minister explained.

Hungary’s financial disadvantages have therefore come to end, and it now depends on the talent of Hungarian farmers, the weather, good agricultural governance and effective representation of interests if we shall succeed in the European competition.

Hungary is the 26th most innovative country in the world

(Online 14 Feb) According to Bloomberg’s latest innovation ranking, Hungary is placed as the 26th most innovative world-wide. Regarding manufacturing industry performance, Hun-

gary is ranked as the 16th as a result of the high share of value added as percentage of GDP in this sector (high proportion in the economy) as well as the significant share of high-tech

products within manufacturing exports. In addition, as far as R&D expenditures in the percentage of GDP concerned, among the regional peers Hungary is ahead of Poland and Slovakia.

Ta s k F o r c e f o r n a t i o n a l i t y affairs set up (Online 14 Feb) A task force for nationality affairs was set up on Thursday in Budapest at the Government’s initiative with the involvement of civil organisatios. The task force will assist the Government in the future with legislative proposals and policy advice and will also help the Government to draft its national minority policy concept.

The sub-committee began its operation under the auspices of the Human Rights Task Force coordinated by the Office of the Minister of State for Social Relations at the Ministry of Public Administration and Justice, and its founding meeting was attended by the representatives of Roma, German and Croatian organisations, academic and arts associations

and organisations operating legal aid services, in addition to government officials.

The president of the body, Csaba Latorcai, Deputy State Secretary for Minority and Civil Social Relations at the Ministry for Human Resources requested the attendees to keep track of the practical enforcement of nationality rights and to make proposals if and when necessary.

The Deputy State Secretary said that the Government intends to draft its national minority policy strategy by the end of the year. Amongst its most important priorities, the strategy aims to slow down the process of assimilation and to support the autonomy of nationalities, inter alia.

Participants of the meeting

also discussed the implications of the changed nationality franchise, the introduction of the preferential quota and the fact that the given national minority may elect a representative if the relevant census data confirms that the community in question is indeed present in the locality.

With reference to this, the Deputy State Secretary announced that the Central Statistical Office pledged to publish the latest nationality data on the basis of the last census by the end of March which will identify the communities where nationality elections may be held in 2014.

The next meeting of the task force for nationality affairs will be held at the end of April or beginning of May.

H unga r ia n s a t e llit e f unc t ions f a ultle s s ly (Online 14 Feb) Masat 1, the small satellite developed

by Hungarian researchers, which was orbited on 13 February last year, has been operating perfectly and has broken all records in its category, the audience was informed at a press conference organized to celebrate its 1st “birthday”.

The satellite has orbited the Earth five thousand times over the past year, sending over 5 million data reports from space and making more than 150 recordings, some of which were presented at the event.

As a consequence of the success of Masat 1, the Budapest University of Technology and Economics in cooperation with industrial partners began to draw up possible follow-up options, Project Manager Gyula Horváth said.

Together with eight other satellites aboard the Vega expendable launch system of the European Space Agency (ESA), Masat 1 set off on 13 February last year from the Kourou Space Center (French Guyana).

The cube-shaped satellite sized 10x10x10cm with a weight of less than one kilogram was completed as a result of a five-year development project.

The route of the space object revolving on an elliptical orbit with initially a minimum and a maximum distance from Earth of 300km and 1450km, respectively, has modified over the past year: it is now 200km closer to

Earth and thus, according to calculations, it may keep orbiting in space and sending data for as much as another two years. On the first anniversary of orbiting the satellite the primary electric circuit boards are still functioning in every redundant sub system of the construction, therefore chances for long-term faultless operation are good, explained the expert.

On the satellite there is 640×480 pixel camera which has shot more than 150 pictures since 8 March 2012. By the assistance of the camera developers also made unique 3D space photos above the Southern part of Africa which can be observed with glasses fitted with red- and cyanide-hued lenses.

Another novelty is the socalled mosaic picture consisting of seven overlapping photos which the satellite shot as a series of pictures of a certain location of Earth. This method enabled making a picture of a large territory of the Earth with much greater definition than that of a camera. The picture shows the Southern part of Africa with Zambia’s Lake Kariba as one characteristic identification point.

Having been encouraged by domestic and international success, the Budapest University of Technology and Economics in cooperation with industrial partners began to draw up possible follow-up options over the past six months. As Dean of

the Department for Control Engineering and Information Technology László Vajta stressed that the university made it a priority to establish a network of co-operation with the Government and enterprises. As he said, it could work as a catalyst resulting in more jobs for a large number of highly skilled professionals which would in turn serve the interests of companies and help retain professionals in Hungary.

Minister of State Zoltán Cséfalvay added that it has been one of Hungarian R&D policy’s priorities to assist the cooperation between universities and enterprises.

“This project has been a crucial experience for our R&D policy which highlighted the importance of strengthening support options which stimulate co-operation between universities and enterprises,” he said.

The Masat 1 development team was awarded in 2012 the Millennium Award by the Hungarian Intellectual Property Office and the Pro Urbe Award from the Municipality of Budapest. To honour the development, the Hungarian Post issued commemorative stamps and the National Bank of Hungary a commemorative coin. On 16 February 2012 the construction was bestowed the MO72 ranking which means that Masat 1 is the 72nd satellite launched among the world’s amateur radio satellites already in space.

Informal council meeting of development ministers (Online 13 Feb) EU ministers responsible for international development cooperation held talks at an informal meeting in Dublin on 11-12 February regarding the global development and sustainability agenda following 2015, when the Millennium Development Goals’ deadline expires.

Hungary was represented at the meeting by Deputy State Secretary for Global Affairs Szabolcs Takács, who was in favour of an integrated

approach to link the post2015 development agenda and the Rio+20 summit’s Sustainable Development Goals. Accordingly, he stressed the need to bring the relevant processes of the United Nations to convergence. He also emphasized that access to water and the sustainable management of water resources must be put high on the global agenda for the period after 2015.

The informal meeting dis-

cussed linking relief, rehabilitation and development for the region of the Horn of Africa and beyond, as well as the ways and possibilities of disbursing EU development aid to Mali, currently put on hold. The ministers reflected on the agreement reached by the European Council on the EU’s next multiannual financial framework, with relation to implications on foreign policy and development cooperation.

The international press's view of Hungary has improved

Swedish-Hungarian conference on connecting modern technologies and energy efficiency (Online 12 Feb) How can intelligent technological solutions contribute to saving energy, cutting expenses or the sustainable development of a city? – asked Swedish Trade Minister Ewa Björling at the press conference as the motto of an event organized in Budapest by the Embassy of Sweden, Business Sweden and the Ministry for National Economy.

From the EU funds for the period 2014-2020 Hungary will create – among others – intelligent, energy-efficient systems in cities and in that domestic innovations will be given a role to play, Minister of State Zoltán Cséfalvay said at the press confer-

plan, Hungary is further strengthening its commitment to Open Government, which is a direct consequence also of the Fundamental Law. The new Fundamental Law states that in Hungary there should be balanced, transparent, sustainable budgetary policy, and that everybody has the right to gain knowledge and access to information of public interest. Following agreement between the Ministry of Public Administration and Justice and civil society organisations, the action plan was compiled on the basis of recommendations from those organisations. The Government has committed itself to publishing budgetary data, and the improvement of intelligibility of such information. The Government is reviewing the law on public procurement and experience gained from the regulatory system related to national and local budgetary support.

The action plan also includes the dissemination of knowledge on corruption prevention and integrity and so training for employees in state bodies has begun, together with review of academic literature and public

H unga r ia n f a r m e r s to r e c e iv e H U F 5 0 0 billion m or e in s ubs idie s

Enikő Győri visits imprisoned Hungarian in Bolivia (Online 15 Feb) On the sidelines of talks in La Paz February 14, 2013, Minister of State Enikő Győri visited Előd Tóásó, a Hungarian national imprisoned in Bolivia.

During her talks, Győri urged that Tóásó should be released from pre-trial detention. „In all circumstances, Hungary finds it important that defendants should be prosecuted within a reasonable period of time, free of political influence, through a straightforward procedure and in line with international agreements,” Győri said.

Enikő Győri received a doc-

the procedure likely to be lifted this summer.

Regarding the European Union’s Multiannual Financial Framework for 20142020, the Prime Minister said that over the past two years Hungary has adopted reforms which have established confidence in the country was therefore able to enforce its interests in Brussels.

The Prime Minister also commented on recent developments regarding the person in charge of education policy. He said that the on-going reorganisation of public education, vocational training and higher education is an enormous task, and so splitting the position of Secretary of State for Education into higher and public education is justified.

Official UNESCO recognition of Hungarian falconry as cultural heritage

A dopt ion of t he ne w C iv il C ode is of his t or ic s ignif ic a nc e : R é pá s s y (Online 13 Feb) The adoption by Parliament on Monday of the new Civil Code is seen by the Minister of State for Justice to be of historic significance.

At his press conference on Tuesday, Róbert Répássy said that the Civil Code approved on Monday – which was the subject of a decade of preparatory work and six months of parliamentary debate – is the first such Hungarian code to be adopted democratically.

The Minister of State said that the significance of the Civil Code – which was prepared with the participation of more than two dozen legal experts, and which contains around ten thousand provisions – is that it asserts rights to freedom and strengthens the right to individual self-determination. He noted that the Cabinet had not made any proposed amendments which the chairman of the

must continued in order to ensure job creation and economic growth. According to the Prime Minister, the most important task for 2013 is to put the Hungarian economy back on a growing path. He noted that the European crisis had also had a negative impact on Hungarian GDP. He said that the economy shows good results in five areas, which are public debt, the budget deficit, Hungary’s trade surplus, the current account balance, and the employment rate.

The missing factor is economic growth, which has to be boosted.

In connection with the excessive deficit procedure, Viktor Orbán said that Hungary has so far been able to comply with its budget undertakings and he considers

The Government decides on new anti-corruption measures

St a t e Se c r e t a r y Zs olt N é m e t h m e t N ATO D e put y Se c r e t a r y - Ge ne r a l (Online 14 Feb) State Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Zsolt Németh met Alexander Vershbow, Deputy Secretary-General of NATO February 14, 2013.

Speaking to Hungarian News Agency MTI after the talks, Németh stressed Hungary’s commitment to contributing to stability in the Western Balkans. Montenegro and Macedonia are in line to join NATO in the next round of enlargement, which could take place next year, he said. Hungary will retain its presence in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Kosovo and encourages its allies “to keep in focus the importance of completing stability in the Balkans”.

ment and job creation. The Prime Minister emphasised that Central-European cooperation and comradeship has been a key factor in enforcing the common interests of the region.

Following the head of government’s pre-agenda speech, members of parliament addressed interpellations touching upon a number of current political issues. In response to a question on the state’s acquisition of the E.ON natural gas business, Viktor Orbán pointed out that previous discussions on Hungary’s energy dependency had been held between Russia and Germany, while, he said, it is apparent that Hungarians should discuss and decide about such crucial questions as the price of energy in Hungary. Concerning voices questioning the positive outcome of EU negotiations, he said that Hungary’s success is that of the whole nation, including the opposition, therefore it should be treated as a fact, irrespectively of political affiliation.

Recent international bond issue shows that Hungary can stand on its own two feet

The s oldie r s a r e r e a dy t o c ha nge t he gua r ds in A fgha nis t a n (Online 14 Feb) The second rotation of the HDF Kabul International Airport Force Protection Contingent (HDF KAIA FPC) has finished its pre-deployment training. The two-day culmination exercise (CULEX) of the training was conducted on February 12–13 in Hódmezővásárhely.

The members of the second rotation of the HDF Kabul International Airport Force Protection Contingent demonstrated their readiness on a 48-hour culmination exercise. Most soldiers of the around 230strong contingent are drawn from the Hódmezővásárhely-based 62nd Infantry Battalion of the HDF 5th ‘Bocskai István’ Infantry Brigade.

Following the culmination exercise, Brig.-Gen. Dr. Gábor Böröndi, the commander of the unit told us that the members of the contingent had started their pre-deployment training in last March with a NATO CREVAL (Combat Readiness Evaluation) exercise.

During this exercise, the battalion was checked for more than 1300 Performance Measures (PMs) relating to the forms of conventional combat activities. Therefore, the battalion already had a much

The Prime Minister underlined that Central Hungary could no longer be counted as a lagging region, while EU funding for other regions has not shrunk, even though the original budget plan included such a proposal. The previously contested possibility of implementing VAT refunds will be retained and the proportion of EU funding for projects will be increased from 75 per cent to 85 per cent. These developments will result in savings of an annual 210 billion forints in the Hungarian budget, he said. Agricultural subsidies have not been affected by the EU budget cut, partly thanks to the efforts of the "French-Polish-RomanianHungarian axis".

"What has been achieved is an opportunity, a financing framework that Hungary may access and utilise,” the Prime Minister stated. However, this requires much work to be done at home, and the necessary programmes must be developed. The most important task is to channel around 60 per cent of community support to economic develop-

Photo: Csaba Pelsőczy President Joachim Koschnicke at the press briefing, which was held jointly with Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. The Prime Minister called the investment project unprecedented.

In the wake of the project, 80 new machines will be installed and more than 100 000 engines will be produced annually; Opel’s total investment in Hungary since 1990 therefore amounts to some EUR 1.4 billion, Joachim Koschnicke highlighted. He added that Opel

tion, it is planning to open a new diesel engine plant in the near future.

At the press briefing held in the Parliament building, the Prime Minister said that it is unprecedented that only six months after a large-scale investment such as Opel’s engine plant, an agreement is concluded on a new project. This means Opel regards Hungary’s economy as predictable.

Viktor Orbán listed five important results of the Govern-

ment of the employment rate.

He stated that the Government’s task for 2013 is to ensure economic growth, which will necessitate sustainably productive investments like Opel’s.

Government Spokesperson András Giró-Szász noted at the event that since the present Government came to power in 2010, more than EUR 5 billion of German capital has been invested in Hungary.

(Online 13 Feb) According to Deputy Secretary of State for International Communications Ferenc Kumin, the image of Hungary in the international press has improved recently and attention is instead centred around how Hungary has managed to achieve such positive changes.

A report by the Nézőpont Intézet's Media Workshop entitled "Hungary in the world press - 2012" was published on Wednesday in Budapest.

Ferenc Kumin also took part at the event, stressing that increasing numbers of positive reports are being published about Hungary.

He said that opinions are especially positive in Central Europe, and expressly in Poland.

The content of articles always depends on what happens to be the agenda of the day in politics, he continued. Symbolic issues, and topics that are easily interpreted abroad are usually at the forefront, and there is continued high interest in Hungary. For instance, there are a similar number of requests for interviews with the Prime Minister as there were a year ago, but the issues of interest have changed: today, people are more interested in how we managed to achieve such positive changes in Hungary, he said. Our experience shows that articles with a negative tone are usually prepared with little or no background research, while reports that

are actually produced on site paint a more detailed picture. Negative writings are usually published in the form of personal opinions, but the writers of such articles are generally interested in writing critical pieces in any case, he added. Mr. Kumin also spoke of the fact that the Government does its best to provide regular information in foreign languages to those f oreign journalists who regularly write about Hungary, and also try to make the best use of opportunities in the public media. Published articles often contain tangible errors, which are always "put right" as soon as possible, concentrating only on the mistakes themselves, without influencing the author's opinion.

We would like to invite as many foreign journalists to Hungary as possible, he noted, so that they may report on the basis of their own experiences.

Head of the Media Workshop Zsolt Antal explained that during the course of their study, they had examined articles on news about Hungary from forty sources of media in seven countries, examining the topic and tone of 3659 articles on the country. The study concluded that Hungary is the most often commented topic in the United States of America, where a total of 840 articles on Hungary were published last year, and that is also where the most favourable articles are published

about the country. The German and British press published 746 and 656 articles on Hungary, respectively.

Zsolt Antal added that the Bloomberg and Reuters press agencies had written the most about Hungary.

46.5 percent of last years' articles were unfavourable, 47.7 were neutral and 5.8 percent were written in a favourable tone, he stated.

In his opinion, international interest in Hungary was intensive, but with the exception of a well-defined jump, the proportion of negative articles in the international press declined continuously during the second half of 2012.

With regard to the topics of articles, he emphasised that the international press wrote the most articles on measures introduced by the Hungarian Government, and the state of the Hungarian economy was also of interest, as was Hungary's relationship with the EU. Mr. Antal stressed that the most articles on Hungary were published last January, more than 700, which is a result of the previous period. At the time, the Fundamental Law, the excessive deficit procedure, the negotiations with the IMF and EU and the Peace March were the main topics, he reminded those present, noting that the number of articles later levelled out at around 300, which is a "normal and balanced" state and shows that the situation has become consolidated.