Worldwide events newspaper; 224 issue; 19 25 apr 2015

Birthday of the Sultan of Perak Malaysia - A p r 1 9

Sultan Azlan Muhibbuddin Shah Ibni Almarhum Sultan Yussuf Izzuddin Shah Ghafarullahu-lah, GCB, KSTJ (19 April 1928 – 28 May 2014) was the 34th Sultan of Perak and was the ninth Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia from 26 April 1989 to 25 April 1994. The child of a royal father and commoner mother, he grew up in Perak, Malaysia. During school he played field hockey, subsequently playing for the Perak team. He trained to be a lawyer in the United Kingdom. Upon returning to Malaysia, he soon became a judge and quickly rose through the legal ranks. In 1965, he became the youngest person appointed to the High Court of Malaya, and in 1982 he became the youngest ever Lord President of the Federal Court, the country's highest judicial rank.

After his uncle died in 1984, Azlan Shah became the Sultan of Perak. He became the Yang di-Pertuan Agong (elected king) of Malaysia in 1989, serving a five-year term before returning to his post as Sultan of Perak. In 2009, he exercised his royal authority to prevent the dissolution of the Perak parliament, sparking a constitutional crisis. Ultimately, the legal system ruled Sultan Azlan had acted properly.

During his career, Sultan Azlan Shah was awarded more than 3 dozen Malaysian and foreign honours. Dozens of buildings and other projects were named after him, including a genus of insects. He was known as the "Father of Malaysian Hockey" for furthering field hockey at home and abroad, and was the patron of dozens of organisations.

With his wife Tuanku Bainun Binti Mohd Ali, Sultan Azlan had five children.

Landing of the 33 Patriots Uruguay - A p r 1 9

Uruguay’s Landing of the 33 Patriots is an annual celebration on April 19 which commemorates the lives of Thirty-Three Orientals whose lives and bravery paved the way for the country’s independence on August 25, 1825.

Uruguay is located in the Southeastern part of South America. The majority of the country’s line of descent is European particularly Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese.

San Jacinto Day (Texas) U.S. - A p r 2 1

Remember the Alamo? Remember Goliad?

Well, every April 21, the State of Texas does. For these were the rallying cries that inspired a band of Texan rebels lead by Sam Houston to defeat two Mexican Army regiments at San Jacinto – the final and decisive battle in the Texas Revolution.

San Jacinto Day is an official holiday in Texas. It commemorates Texas’ independence from Mexico and is marked by a reenactment of the battle itself, which took place on 21 April 1836.

Most accounts agree that the Texas Revolution began in 1835, when Mexican President Antonio López de Santa Anna attempted to dissolve Mexico’s democratic government and assert autocratic authority over the nation. Thousands of Texan colonists responded by declaring independence and forming a new republican government. In 1836, Santa Anna led an invasion north to crush the insurrection.

Mexican forces scored important early successes. The Mexicans defeated and slaughtered Texan rebels at the Alamo, in present-day San Antonio. They then defeated, captured, and murdered the unarmed survivors of another group of Texan rebels at Goliad. About 350 unarmed Texan prisoners-of-war were executed in what later became known as the “Goliad Massacre.”

In the wake of these defeats, Sam Houston led a band of 900 remaining Texan soldiers on an apparent retreat. He successfully goaded Santa Anna – commanding 1,400 soldiers – to pursue. About three weeks after Goliad, Houston stopped to camp on a grassy field near a flooded marsh along the San Jacinto River. Santa Anna camped his soldiers about 1,000 yards away, in the swampy marshland. On April 21, while the Mexican soldiers rested in preparation for a final assault, Houston pre-empted them with an attack of his own. Santa Anna had failed to post sentinels, and Houston’s forces caught the Mexicans completely by surprise. The battle was over in only 18 minutes.

Shouting “Remember the Alamo!” and “Remember Goliad!” as they raided the Mexican camp, the inspired Texans decimated Santa Anna’s forces, killing about 700 and wounding another 208. The Texans also took 730 Mexican prisoners, while suffering less than 40 casualties of their own. Santa Anna escaped during the melee, but was promptly captured the next day.

The Battle of San Jacinto effectively ended Mexico’s control over Texas, paving the way for the independence and sovereignty of the “Lone Star State.” Although the battle didn’t result in Mexico officially recognizing Texan independence, it directly led to U.S. annexation of Texas. Texas annexation, in turn, sparked the Mexican-American War and the resulting westward territorial expansion of the United States. So, if Sam Houston’s forces had failed to win this crucial battle, world history could have taken a vastly different turn!

Contributed by: Alberto Rodriguez

Int’l Creativity and Innovation Day Worldwide - A p r 2 1

History The control of Uruguay was jostled between

Portuguese and the Spanish Empires. Both empires landed and took control on some portions of the country with Spain controlling parts of Soriano (Río Negro) in the early half of the 17th century (1669–71) and Montevideo in the 18th century and Portugal at Colonia del Sacramento in the latter half of 1700s.

Later, in the early 19th century, the region has become a battle ground between the military forces of Britain, Spain, and Portugal in their effort to exert influence and control in the region encompassing Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay.

José Gervasio Artigas became the country’s hero during a revolt he initiated against the government of Spain in the Battle of Las Piedras on May 18, 1811. Uruguay’s growing political stability towards republicanism made Portugal quite uneasy as it will mean losing stronghold on the areas where the latter exerts full influence. It launched an attack against the forces of Artigas, the Liga Federal (Federal League), in August 1816. Because of modern military machineries employed by Portugal in the Battle of Tacuarembó against Artigas’ forces, the latter was immediately defeated.

Five years later, Brazil occupied Uruguay and considered it as its province (Província Cisplatina). Resistance continued until Juan Antonio Lavalleja of Thirty-Three Orientals declared independence from foreign rule on August 25, 1825. The thirty-three self-exile forces led by Juan Antonio Llavaleja fought side-by-side with Artigas’ forces to liberate the country from the Brazil’s control.

The declaration of Uruguay’s independence was backed up by the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata (presentday Argentina).

A year-and-a-half war happened between Brazil and Argentina (500-day Argentina-Brazil War). It only ended when the Treaty of Montevideo was signed in 1828 allowing Uruguay to establish itself as an independent state. The Treaty of Montevideo was drafted by the United Kingdom. Two years later, Uruguay established and signed its first constitution (July 18, 1830). Even so, civil wars continued from 1839–1852 (Guerra Grande).

Celebrations

World Creativity and Innovation day is celebrated on April 21 across the world and the goal is to build capacity for everyone to be open to new ideas and to make new decisions that make the world a better place and make their place in the world better too, in ways that do not cause harm.

The day has been celebrated in over 46 countries since 2002.People in businesses, organizations, schools and communities take part in this day as they generate new ideas to create a brighter future.

World Creativity and Innovation Day was created for the purpose of awakening people’s imaginations to enrich their lives, both in business and as individuals. In 46 different countries the day is celebrated to promote unity through creativity. The day began in Canada in 2001 after it was reported that Canada was in a `creativity crisis’. As a result, Marci Segal, a believer in the importance of exercising creativity, called for a day for having fun and reviving innovation and creativity among the population, and in time across the world. The first celebration took place in April 2002, and by 2005 it had extended to a week, starting on 15 April, the birthday of Leonardo Da Vinci, and culminating in World Creativity and Innovation Day on 21 April.

The aim of this festival is to make the world a better place through creativity and innovative ideas. It is celebrated in different ways across the globe. The purpose to celebrate the unlimited potential of creativity; to raise awareness that all people by nature are creative; and to encourage people to use their creativity to improve their lives, their work, their community, and in so doing, prepare people to contribute to and be ready for the innovations to come.

The celebration of the Landing of the 33 Patriots coincides with the celebration of the country’s National Independence Day on August 25 so it’s not surprising that the kind of celebration is the same as the latter. Laying of wreath and speeches remembering and honoring those who led the revolt against the Brazilians are held on the holiday.

Uruguayan working class consider this day as a rest day.

Victory at Gir-n Cuba - A p r 1 9

On April 16th, 1961, Fifty years ago in Cuba, it was instituted this date like the Militiaman's Day. One day before, April 15, airplanes B-26, deceivingly colored with badges of the Cuban Air force, bombarded two military bases and a civil airport. At the burial of victims this cowardly attacks, the Commandant Cuban Armed forces Fidel Castro Ruz, proclaimed the socialist character of the Cuban Revolution, in front of a lot of workers and peasants that enarbolaban its rifles on high.

At the 01:30 hours of April 17th, began the mercenary landing of the denominated Brigade 2506, similar to the units of assault amphibian of United States, composed of about a thousand 500 strongly armed troops with tanks and campaign artillery, and thirty airplanes.

The Cuban troops were formed by combatants of the Rebellious Army and the Police National Revolutionary, but the vast majority of them were voluntary militiamen, with scarce if any military experience.

At the 17:30 hours of April 19, the invasion was completely defeated, although at a high cost: 176 deads, 300 wounded and 50 impared.

As expressed by General of Cuban Army Raúl Castro, President of the Councils of State and Ministries": Socialism didn't come to our world in silk diapers, but in the rude cotton of the uniforms of workers militias, peasants and student; and combatants of the Rebellious Army and the Police National Revolutionary.

There was not blessed water in their first baptism fire amid the combat against the enemies of the Nation, but patriots' blood, once again spilled in this Island by their brave children, in their lingering fight for the freedom, in their long road for the independence."

The lapsed time has not oxidized those rifles risen by the humble people of Cuba. This is a long history of generational changeover which maintains alive its patriotic traditions and sustains the total certainty that any aggression intent against Cuban homeland, it will be victoriously rejected.

Contributed by: Roberto Pérez Betancourt

Day of The Indian Brazil - A p r 1 9

Indian Day (also known as Native Day; in Portuguese known as Dia do Índio), was created by the President Getulio Vargas by a decree law in 1943, and recalls the day (April 19) in 1940, in which several indigenous leaderships of the Americas decided to attend the First Inter-American Indian Congress, held in Mexico.

Nowadays most part of the cities does not celebrate the date, however it is very common for schoolchildren across Brazil to dress up like Natives and visit Museums to learn more about the first Brazilians. Indian Day (also known as Native Day; in Portuguese known as Dia do Índio), was created by the President Getulio Vargas by a decree law in 1943, and recalls the day (April 19) in 1940, in which several indigenous leaderships of the Americas decided to attend the First Inter-American Indian Congress, held in Mexico.

Nowadays most part of the cities does not celebrate the date, however it is very common for schoolchildren across Brazil to dress up like Natives and visit Museums to learn more about the first Brazilians. It is common to see celebrations in states with relatively huge indigenous population, such as Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Pará, Goiás, Rondônia and Amazonas.

Festivities The National Indian Festival is held yearly in Bertioga, São Paulo to celebrate the Indian Day. It is considered the

largest indigenous cultural event in the world, which takes place in April 19.

The festival is seen as an opportunity to learn about Brazilian indigenous peoples, since traveling to most tribal areas and reservations in Brazil is restricted and must be authorized by FUNAI, the National Indian Foundation. It is also seen as an opportunity for Native Brazilians to perform celebrations, such as indigenous rituals, body art, music, dance, food, crafts and sports.

It is common to see celebrations in states with relatively huge indigenous population, such as Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Pará, Goiás, Rondônia and Amazonas.

Independence Hero Tiradentes Brazil - A p r 2 1

Joaquim José da Silva Xavier, known as Tiradentes (August 16, 1746–-April 21, 1792), was a leading member of the Brazilian revolutionary movement known as the Inconfidência Mineirawhose aim was full independence from the Portuguese colonial power and to create a Brazilian republic. When the plan was discovered, Tiradentes was arrested, tried and publicly hanged. Since the 19th century he has been considered a national hero of Brazil and patron of the Polícia Militar de Minas Gerais (Minas Gerais Military Police).

Political ideas Living in a state rich in gold, Tiradentes used

Earth Day Worldwide - A p r 2 2

Earth Day is a day early each year on which events are held worldwide to increase awareness and appreciation of the Earth's natural environment. Earth Day is now coordinated globally by the Earth Day Network, and is celebrated in more than 175 countries every year. In 2009, the United Nations designated April 22 International Mother Earth Day. Earth Day is planned for April 22 in all years at least through 2015.

The name and concept of Earth Day was allegedly pioneered by John McConnell in 1969 at a UNESCO Conference in San Francisco. The first Proclamation of Earth Day was by San Francisco, the City of Saint Francis, patron saint of ecology. Earth Day was first observed in San Francisco and other cities on March 21, 1970, the first day of spring in the northern hemisphere. This day of nature's equipoise was later sanctioned in a Proclamation signed by Secretary General U Thant at the United Nations where it is observed each year. About the same time a separate Earth Day was founded by United States Senator Gaylord Nelson as an environmental teach-in first held on April 22, 1970. While this April 22 Earth Day was focused on the United States, an organization launched by Denis Hayes, who was the original national coordinator in 1970, took it international in 1990 and organized events in 141 nations. Numerous communities celebrate Earth Week, an entire week of activities focused on environmental issues.

National Sovereignty and Children's Day Turkey, T.R.N.C. - A p r 2 3

On April 23, 1920 the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TGNA) was inaugurated in Ankara. It was the first step toward the creation of the Republic of Turkey, the roots of which were laid during the Turkish National War of Liberation led by Mustafa Kemal-later to be given the name Atatürk (father of Turks).

The Turkish national liberation struggle began on May 19, 1919 and culminated in the liberation of Anatolia from foreign occupation, the international recognition of modern Turkey’s borders by the Treaty of Lausanne, and the founding of the Republic of Turkey on October 29, 1923. When the TGNA held its first session in 1920, virtually every corner of the Ottoman Empire was under the occupation of the Allied powers. Exasperated by the Ottoman government’s inability to fight the occupation, patriotic movements began springing up all around Anatolia.

The occupation of Izmir by invading Greek armies and the atrocities they committed against the Turkish population was the final outrage that sparked a nationwide resistance movement. This resistance soon turned into a war of independence under Mustafa Kemal, a young Ottoman military officer at the time. With the Allied occupation of Istanbul, and the dissolving of the Ottoman Parliament, Mustafa Kemal’s justification for opening the resistance movement’s new legislative body was created.

With the opening of the Assembly, Ankara became the center of the Turkish national struggle and was declared as the capital of the new Turkish Republic on October 13, 1923. On the opening day of the Assembly, Mustafa Kemal was elected as its first president. His opening speech includes clues of what he envisioned this Assembly to achieve. Stating that “there will not be any power above the assembly,” Atatürk set the stage for the founding of the Republic of Turkey to replace the Ottoman monarchy. The Assembly, as the representative body of the Turkish people, established a national army and defeated the Allied Powers. Under the visionary leadership of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, it created a secular, democratic Republic.

On April 23, 1929, upon Atatürk’s proposal, the Turkish Grand National Assembly decreed April 23 as a national holiday dedicated to children. Thus Turkey became the first country in the world that celebrates an official Children’s Day. Today this national holiday is celebrated in Turkey with children from all over the world in a spirit of peace and harmony.

Peppercorn Day Bermuda - A p r 2 3

The peppercorn Ceremony in Bermuda has a strange history and is now a traditional event held at the King's Square in St. George in late April. This event started in 1816 when Bermuda's capital was moved from St. George to Hamilton City. This is when the Old State House in St George where the parliamentary sessions used to be held, was handed over to Freemasons for a rent of only one Peppercorn. The old state house was built in 1620 and is the oldest stone building of the island. Since then the occasion is celebrated with a lot of pomp and grandeur.

Celebrations

the knowledge he acquired about minerals to enter the public service (he achieved the ranks of alferes, low in the hierarchy of the epoch), and he was sent to missions in cities along the road between Vila Rica (the capital of Minas Gerais) and Rio de Janeiro; this road was the "open vein" used to export most of the gold to Portugal.

Tiradentes soon noticed the exploitation to which Brazilians were subjected; he saw how much gold, and other valuable resources were being pillaged for export to Portugal.

His trips to Rio put him in contact with people who had lived in Europe and brought from there the libertarian ideas (the American colonies had become independent in 1776, and French Revolution would be in 1789, the cauldron of freedom hard boiling). In 1788, Tiradentes met José Alvares Maciel, son of the governor of Vila Rica, who had just returned from England; they could compare the British industrial progress with the Brazilian colonial poverty. They created a group of freedom aspirers, led by clerics and other Brazilians with some social presence, like Cláudio Manuel da Costa (staff of government and important writer), Tomás Antônio Gonzaga (staff of government) and Alvarenga Peixoto (eminent businessman); the group propagated their ideas among Brazilians.

At that time, Portugal was hungry for gold; however, the production of Brazilian mines was declining. The Brazilians were not meeting the yearly quota of gold that was requested by the crown, and there was pressure from Portugal to ensure all the due taxes were paid. The days of payment of taxes were calledderrama.

Influenced by the writings of Rousseau, and by the American Revolution, Tiradentes joined with a number of likeminded citizens in the Inconfidência Mineira. They wanted to found a republic with its capital at São João del Rei and to create a university. The proposed flag for the new republic waswhite with a green triangle surrounded by the Latin motto "Libertas quae sera tamen" (Freedom, even if it be late.). The flag later became the state flag of Minas Gerais, the only modification was the color of the triangle which was changed to red.

It's a grand event complete with 45 minutes of parade with full costumes. It starts with Bermuda Regiment gathering on King's Square for the pageantry. Bermuda's premier, St. George's mayor and other dignitaries arrive and join the occasion along with a large number of spectators. This is accompanied by town crier's bellowing and bell ringing.

The Governor and his wife arrive in a horse-drawn carriage and their grand entrance is marked by a 17-gun salute. His excellency then receives the military guard of honor while the Bermuda Regimental Band & Corps of Drums play. Finally the symbolic peppercorn is presented on a velvet cushion laid out on a silver platter.

If you are visiting the island in late April, don't miss this traditional event. You will get a great flavor of Bermuda's customs and traditions. Many who arrive at the occasion, combine the day with a walking tour of St. George or take a horse drawn carriage to go about this world heritage town.

The plan of Tiradentes was, in a day of derrama (when the sentiment of revolt among Brazilians would be stronger), to take the streets of Vila Rica and proclaim the Brazilian Republic. The movement, however, was denounced to the governor, who canceled the derrama scheduled for February of 1789 and ordered the imprisonment of the rebels.

The person who denounced the movement was Joaquim Silverio dos Reis; he was a participant of the movement, and betrayed the group in exchange for waiving of his due taxes.

Tiradentes fled to Rio, where he tried to reorganize the movement. Not knowing who had denounced the group, he went to meet Joaquim Silverio dos Reis in Rio; Tiradentes was arrested on May 10, 1789.

The trial lasted almost three years. Tiradentes assumed the entire responsibility for the movement. Ten members of the group were sentenced to death; all of them – except Tiradentes – had their sentences, by mercy of the Queen, commuted from death to degradation.

On April 21, 1792 (today the date of a national holiday in Brazil), Tiradentes was hanged in Rio de Janeiro, in the plaza today namedPraça Tiradentes. His body was quartered into several pieces. With his blood, a document was written declaring his memory infamous. His head was publicly displayed in Vila Rica and pieces of his body were exhibited in the cities between Vila Rica and Rio to terrorize the populace and those who had sympathized with Tiradentes' ideas of independence.

St George's Day is celebrated by the several nations, kingdoms, countries, and cities of which Saint George is the patron saint. St George's Day is celebrated on 23 April, the traditionally accepted date of Saint George's death in AD 303. For Eastern Orthodox Churches who use the Julian calendar, 23 April corresponds to 6 May on the Gregorian calendar.

As Easter often falls close to St George's Day, the church celebration of the feast may be moved from 23 April. In 2011 and 2014, the Anglican and Catholic calendars celebrate St George's Day on the first Monday after Easter Week (2 May and 28 April, respectively). Similarly, the Eastern Orthodox celebration of the feast moves accordingly to the first Monday after Easter or, as it is else called, to the Monday of Bright Week.

St George's Day is known as the Feast of Saint George by Palestinians and is celebrated in the Monastery of Saint George in al-Khader, near Bethlehem. It is also known as Georgemas.

Besides the 23 April feast, some Orthodox Churches have additional feasts dedicated to St George. The country of Georgia celebrates the feast St. George on 23 April and, more prominently, 10 November (Julian Calendar), which currently falls on 6 May and 23 November (Gregorian Calendar), respectively. The Russian Orthodox Church celebrates the dedication of the Church of St George in Kiev

by Yaroslav I the Wise in 1051 on 26 November (Julian Calendar), which currently falls on the Gregorian 9 December.

In the General Calendar of the Roman Rite the feast of Saint George is on 23 April. In the Tridentine Calendar it was given the rank of "Semidouble". In Pope Pius XII's 1955 calendar this rank is reduced to "Simple." In Pope John XXIII's 1960 calendar the celebration to just a "Commemoration." In Pope Paul VI's revision of the calendar, that came into force in 1969, it was given the equivalent rank of a "Memorial", of optional use. In some countries, such as England, the rank is higher.

St George's feast is ranked higher in England and in certain other regions. It is the second most important National Feast in Catalonia, where the day is known in Catalan as La Diada de Sant Jordi and it is traditional to give a rose and a book to a loved one.

UNESCO declared this day the International Day of the Book, since 23 April 1616 was the date of death of both the English playwright William Shakespeare (according to the Julian calendar) and the Spanish author Miguel de Cervantes (according to the Gregorian calendar).

Discovery, trial and execution

National hero He began to be considered a national hero by the republicans in the late 19th century, and after the republic was

proclaimed in Brazil in 1889 the anniversary of his death (April 21) became a national holiday.

As of now there is a city in the state of Minas Gerais bearing his name and major avenues and streets in countries like the Dominican Republic.

John Muir Day U.S. - A p r 2 1

John Muir was arguably the most influential ecologist of the 20th Century. Many consider him to be founder of the American environmental movement. The State of California has celebrated his birthday as a public holiday since 1989. Every April 21, schools throughout California are encouraged to organize activities and events that commemorate Muir’s achievements, philosophy, and teachings.

Although Muir was an immigrant from Scotland and didn’t even set-foot in California until the age of 29, it is fitting that California would choose to observe his birthday as a state holiday. After all, California was Muir’s adopted homeland, and the inspiration for his most important life’s-work: the preservation and protection of America’s natural wilderness.

Muir was an obstinate idealist, refusing to compromise on his commitment to serve as a protector of the environment – no matter how vociferous the opposition.

But Muir did not advocate violence. Instead, he used his wit to influence policy and behavior. He developed a name for himself as a respected scientist and outdoorsman, inspiring other Americans to study ecology and visit the great outdoors. Although he detested writing, he published 12 books and over 300 articles.

Muir’s tireless advocacy for wilderness preservation eventually led to the birth of America’s first real enviOne of his culminating ronmental movement. achievements was convincing the U.S. Congress to declare over 6,500 square kilometers of California territory as federally-protected lands. In 1890, America’s second, third, and fourth national parks were created, largely thanks to Muir’s efforts: Sequoia, King’s Canyon, and the world-famous Yosemite. Thirteen years later, Muir took President Theodore Roosevelt on a backcountry camping trip through Yosemite.

Hoping to convince the federal government to step-up enforcement of the national park protections, he showed the President first-hand the shortcomings of that enforcement – as well as the awesome natural beauty of the park itself.

The U.S. national park system has been called “America’s Best Idea,” and Muir deserves a great deal of credit for its inception. Today, the network maintains 58 parks spanning 210,000 square-km of territory, and receives tens of millions of visitors every year.

But Muir’s greatest legacy was arguably his message. Intensely spiritual, Muir believed that nature is the ultimate manifestation of God – and that to really know God, one has to experience the wilderness. Despite the increasing urbanization of a rapidly-industrializing United States, Muir’s philosophy gradually infected the American psyche. In short, Muir helped inspire millions of Americans to visit the country’s most spectacular natural treasures – not to extract their natural resources, but to tap the innate spiritual energy within themselves. In short, he convinced America that the real value in its natural beauty is not economic or material, but spiritual.

Contributed by: Alberto Rodriguez

Kartini Day Indonesia - A p r 2 1

Raden Ayu Kartini, (21 April 1879 – 17 September 1904), or sometimes known as Raden Ajeng Kartini, was a prominent Javanese and an Indonesian national heroine. Kartini is known as a pioneer in the area of women's rights for native Indonesians.

Biography Raden Ayu Kartini was born into an aristocratic Ja-

vanese family in a time when Java was still part of the Dutch colony, the Dutch East Indies. R.A. Kartini's father, Raden Mas Sosroningrat, became Regency Chief of Jepara, and her mother was Raden Mas' first wife, but not the most important one. At this time, polygamy was a common practice among the nobility.

She also wrote the Letters of a Javanese Princess.

R.A. Kartini's father, R.M. A.A. Sosroningrat, was originally the district chief of Mayong. Her mother was M.A. Ngasirah, the daughter of Kyai Haji Madirono, a teacher of religion in Teluwakur, Jepara, and Nyai Haji Siti Aminah. At that time, colonial regulations specified that a Regency Chief must marry a member of the nobility and because M.A. Ngasirah was not of sufficiently high nobility, her father married a second time to Raden Ajeng Woerjan (Moerjam), a direct descendant of the Raja of Madura. After this second marriage, R.A. Kartini's father was elevated to Regency Chief of Jepara, replacing his second wife's own father, R. A.A. Tjitrowikromo.

R.A. Kartini was the fifth child and second eldest daughter in a family of eleven, including half siblings.

She was born into a family with a strong intellectual tradition. Her grandfather, Pangeran Ario Tjondronegoro IV, became a Regency Chief at the age of 25 while R.A. Kartini's older brother R.M. Sosrokartono was an accomplished linguist.

R.A. Kartini's family allowed her to attend school until she was 12 years old. Here, among other subjects, she learnt to speak fluent Dutch, an unusual accomplishment for Javanese women at the time. After she turned 12 she was 'secluded' at home, a common practice among Javanese nobility, to prepare young girls for their marriage. During seclusion girls were not allowed to leave their parents' house until they were married, at which point authority over them was transferred to their husbands. R.A. Kartini's father was more lenient than some during his daughter's seclusion, giving her such privileges as embroidery lessons and occasional appearances in public for special events.

During her seclusion, Kartini continued to educate herself on her own. Because R.A. Kartini could speak Dutch, she acquired several Dutch pen friends. One of them, a girl by the name of Rosa Abendanon, became her very close friend. Books, newspapers and European magazines fed R.A. Kartini's interest in European feminist thinking, and fostered the desire to improve the conditions of indigenous women, who at that time had a very low social status.

Raden Adjeng Kartini's omnivorous reading included the Semarang newspaper De Locomotief, edited by Pieter Brooshooft, as well asleestrommel, a set of magazines circulated by bookshops to subscribers. She also read cultural and scientific magazines as well as the Dutch women's magazine De Hollandsche Lelie, to which she began to send contributions which were published. From her letters, it was clear that R.A. Kartini read everything with a great deal of attention and thoughtfulness. The books she had read before she was 20 includedMax Havelaar and Love Letters by Multatuli. She also read De Stille Kracht (The Hidden Force) by Louis Couperus, the works of Frederik van Eeden, Augusta de Witt, the Romantic-Feminist author Mrs. Goekoop de-Jong Van Beek and an anti-war novel

by Berta von Suttner, Die Waffen Nieder! (Lay Down Your Arms!). All were in Dutch.

R.A. Kartini's concerns were not only in the area of the emancipation of women, but also other problems of her society. R.A. Kartini saw that the struggle for women to obtain their freedom, autonomy and legal equality was just part of a wider movement.

Kartini's parents arranged her marriage to Raden Adipati Joyodiningrat, the Regency Chief of Rembang, who already had three wives. She was married on the 12 November 1903. This was against R.A. Kartini's wishes, but she acquiesced to appease her ailing father. Her husband understood R.A. Kartini's aims and allowed her to establish a school for women in the east porch of the Rembang Regency Office complex. R.A. Kartini's only son was born on September 13, 1904. A few days later on September 17, 1904, R.A. Kartini died at the age of 25. She was buried in Bulu Village, Rembang.

Inspired by R.A. Kartini's example, the Van Deventer family established the R.A. Kartini Foundation which built schools for women, 'Kartini's Schools' in Semarang in 1912, followed by other women's schools inSurabaya, Yogyakarta, Malang, Madiun, Cirebon and other areas.

In 1964, President Sukarno declared R.A. Kartini's birth date, 21 April, as 'Kartini Day' - an Indonesian national holiday. This decision has been criticised. It has been proposed that Kartini's Day should be celebrated in conjunction with Indonesian Mothers Day, on 22 December so that the choice Kartini with Joyodiningrat of R.A. Kartini as a national heroine would not overshadow other women who, unlike R.A. Kartini, took up arms to oppose the colonisers.

In contrast, those who recognise the significance of R.A. Kartini argue that not only was she a feminist who elevated the status of women in Indonesia, she was also a nationalist figure, with new ideas who struggled on behalf of her people, including her in the national struggle for independence.

Kindergarten Day Germany - A p r 2 1

This month Germans celebrate Kindergarten Day, in honor of Friedrich Froebel who was born on April 21, 1782 and who started the first Kindergarten in Germany in 1837. The school was built upon a series of innovative principles that used the innate curiosity and intrests of children to guide them to see what Froebel believed to be the harmonious, interconnectedness of all things -- through song and play (which was unheard of in earlier schools); daily lessons in drawing, design, and other artistic activities; and learning through active doing and close contacts with the natural world -- many of the kindergartens actually had real gardens attached to them that the children tended and in doing so, Froebel believed, cultivated their own inner lives.

By the 1840s, Froebel was even issuing stock in his enterprise, the Universal German Kindergarten, at around ten dollars a share. But the business never made him wealthy -- in fact, though the kindergarten idea spread throughout Germany in the mid19th century, it was fiercely resisted by the autocratic Prussian state, which esentially outlawed it in 1851 because it was believed that Kindergartens promoted democratic ideas that were dangerous to the rigid status quo. Froebel would die a year later, in 1852 -- some say of a broken heart.

As Norman Brosterman reports in his fascinating book, Inventing Kindergarten, by 1860, even the Prussian authorities relented and allowed this highly popular new form of schooling to continue. The first public American Kindergarten was opened in 1873 in St. Louis. By 1876, at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia, there was a model kindergarten for inspection on the grounds at Fairmont Park. One visitor, Mrs. Anna Wright, was so taken with what she saw that she bought a set of what were called Froebel's gifts -- the blocks and balls, sticks and geometric forms that all kindergartens were equipped with -- and took a course of instruction so that she could pass on what she had seen about Froebel's ideas of beautiful unity to her son, Frank Lloyd Wright. Cubism, the Bauhaus, Taliesin -- in fact, a good part of what we see and call "modern," as Brosterman points out -- is arguably attributable to Froebel and the visionary geometries of his children's garden.

National Tree Planting Day Kenya - A p r 2 1

Arbor Day (from the Latin arbor, meaning tree) is a holiday in which individuals and groups are encouraged to plant and care for trees. Today, many countries observe such a holiday. Though usually observed in the spring, the date varies, depending on climate and suitable planting season.

Kenya National Tree Planting Day is on April 21. Often people plant palm trees and coconut trees along the Indian Ocean that borders the East coast of Kenya.

Queen's Birthday (actual date) U.K., Falkland Islands - A p r 2 1

The Queen's Official Birthday, also known as "the Queen's Birthday" is the day on which the birthday of the monarch of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth Realms is officially celebrated rather than the actual day of the current monarch's birthday. The exact date of the celebration varies from country to country, and only marks the real birthday of the sovereign by coincidence (the current monarch, Elizabeth II, was born on 21 April 1926). Most Commonwealth Realms release a Birthday Honours List at this time.

It has been celebrated in the United Kingdom with the Queen's Birthday Parade (which includes Trooping the colour ceremonies) since 1748. In the UK there is no public holiday for it and King Edward VII (1901–10) moved it to the 1st, 2nd, or (rarely) 3rd Saturday in June in the hope of better weather. It might be said that the Monarch's official birthday is only this date as the Monarch declared it, and others have kept it, whereas the celebration of the Queen's birthday elsewhere is the name of a public holiday, sometimes renamed. It has been celebrated as an official public holiday, sharing sometimes with the celebration of other things, in several Commonwealth countries, usually Commonwealth realms, although it is also celebrated in Fiji, now a republic.

St. George's Day - Apr 23 Canada, Spain, U.K.

Castilla and Leon Day Spain - A p r 2 3

Castile and León Day (Spanish: Día de Castilla y León) is a holiday celebrated on April 23 in the autonomous community of Castile and León, a subdivision of Spain. The date is the anniversary of the Battle of Villalar, in which Castilian rebels called Comuneros were dealt a crushing defeat by the royalist forces of King Charles I in the Revolt of the Comuneros on April 23, 1521.

Commemoration of the Battle of Villalar was closely associated with liberal politics in Spain from the late 18th century until the 1970s, as conservatives generally sympathized with the royal government. With the demise of General Franco's government, the day has broadened to a more general celebration of Castilian nationalism rather than only liberal politics. The government of Castile and León established April 23 as an official holiday in 1986, although festivals have been held yearly since a decade earlier at Villalar.

April 23 is the same day as St. George's Day, with there being some crossover between the two holidays.

Origins The birth of the Battle of Villalar as a rallying symbol for

Spanish liberals dates back to the late 17th and early 18th centuries. León del Arroyal, an illustrious economist and protoliberal, stated that Villalar was "the last breath of Castilian freedom" in the latter half of the 18th century. The Castilian Comuneros received their first major recognition during the Trienio Liberal, the three years of liberal government from 1820-1823. Resistance fighter Juan Martín Díez "El Empecinado" organized an expedition to Villalar to search for the remains of Padilla, Bravo, and Maldonado, the executed leaders of the revolt. These events took its climax with a festival and celebration of the Comuneros Revolt in the plaza of Villalar on April 23, 1821. Members of left-leaning secret societies often referenced the revolt in their names, such as "Los Comuneros" or "Sons of The 2005 celebration in Villalar Padilla." They also employed the purple banner, the flag flown by the comuneros rebels. While dormant for a time after the Bourbon Restoration to the Spanish throne, occasional recognition of Villalar and the Comuneros came from some of the short-lived liberal governments of the period. For instance, President Francisco Pi y Margall of the First Spanish Republic stated that "Castile was among the first nations of Spain who lost their freedoms in Villalar under the first king of the House of Austria."

In the early years of the 20th century there were other attempts to celebrate at Villalar. Among them was a proposal

by José María Zorita Díez, a liberal deputy for Valladolid, who made a special request for funds to commemorate the Battle of Villalar. There were also various requests and preparations to celebrate the fourth centenary of the Battle in 1923; the city council of Palencia proposed in early 1923 that "on next April 23, all the representatives of Castile go to the fields of Villalar and swear upon the Castilian Holy Grail, at the scene of the Fall... On the same day and at the same time all the cities of Castile dedicate a minute of silence to the heroes of Villalar." Little came of these attempts to celebrate April 23, however.

History and official recognition

By the early 70s, much of the reputation of the Comuneros had been rehabilitated after generally positive portrayals by historians such as José Antonio Maravall, Juan Ignacio Gutiérrez Nieto, and Joseph Pérez. In 1976, a gathering of about 400 people met at Villalar. While they were violently dispersed by the Guardia Civil, the meeting the next year was far larger, with almost 20,000 attendees to celebrate the Battle and organize Castilian groups. The meetings continued on an unofficial basis until 1986, when the government of the then-recently recognized autonomous community of Castile and León granted its official stamp of approval.

On 22 April 1987, a sixteen years-old punk died in Villalar, during a fight between punks and heavys at the town.

The victim was stab-wounded twice. The killer was detained on April 27, and recognized the aggression. On late September that year, the aggressor hanged himself to death in Villanubla Prison, Valladolid, allegedly due to a depression episode.

Modern observance

The acts normally begin on the evening of April 22, with performances by musical groups and a zone of free camping for the night. On the morning of April 23, the main ceremonies take place alongside the monolith erected in tribute to the Comuneros. Each political party makes a floral offering to the monolith and gives a speech. Throughout the day, political activities and speeches alternate with dances, music concerts, sports, exhibitions, street theatre, and other Castilian-themed recreational activities.

The entity responsible for organizing the infrastructure needed for the celebration in modern times is the "Villalar Foundation of Castile and León."

World Book and Copyright Day Worldwide - A p r 2 3

World Book Day or World Book and Copyright Day (also known as International Day of the Book or World Book Days) is a yearly event on 23 April, organised by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), to promote reading, publishing and copyright.

In the United Kingdom, the day is recognised on the first Thursday in March. World Book Day was celebrated for the first time on 23 April 1995.

Date selection

The connection between 23 April and books was first made in 1923 by booksellers in Catalonia as a way to honour the author Miguel de Cervantes, who died on this date. In 1995 UNESCO decided that the World Book and Copyright Day would be celebrated on 23 April, as the date is also the anniversary of the death of William Shakespeare and Inca Garcilaso de la Vega, as well as that of the birth or death of several other prominent authors.

Armenian Genocide Memorial Day Armenia - Apr 24

Genocide Remembrance Day (Armenian: Եղեռնի զոհերի հիշատակի օր) or Genocide Memorial day, is a national holiday in Armenia and is observed by Armenians in dispersed communities around the world on April 24. It is held annually to commemorate the victims of the Armenian Genocide from 1915 to 1923. In Yerevan, the capital of Armenia, hundreds of thousands of people walk to the Tsitsernakaberd Genocide Memorial to lay flowers at the eternal flame.

The date 24 April commemorates the Armenian notables deported from the Ottoman capital in 1915, of hundreds of Armenian intellectuals and community leaders, most of whom would be executed, which was a precursor to the ensuing events.

Monuments country • Montebello Genocide Memorial

• • •

Tsitsernakaberd Genocide Memorial Marseille Genocide Memorial List of Armenian Genocide memorials

National Concord Day Niger - Apr 24

Anzac Day Int’l - Apr 25

Anzac Day is a national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand, commemorated by both countries on 25 April every year to honour the members of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) who fought at Gallipoli in the Ottoman Empire during World War I. It now more broadly commemorates all those who died and served in military operations for their countries. Anzac Day is also observed in the Cook Islands, Niue, and Tonga.

It is no longer observed as a national holiday in Samoa.

History

Anzac Day marks the anniversary of the first major military action fought by Australian and New Zealand forces during the First World War. The acronym ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, whose soldiers were known as Anzacs. Anzac Day remains one of the most important national occasions of both Australia and New Zealand, a rare instance of two sovereign countries not only sharing the same remembrance day, but making reference to both countries in its name. When war broke out in 1914, Australia and New Zealand had been dominions of the British Empire for thirteen and seven years respectively.

Gallipoli campaign:

In 1915, Australian and New Zealander soldiers formed part of an Allied expedition that set out to capture the Gallipoli Peninsula, according to a plan

by Winston Churchill to open the way to the Black Sea for the Allied navies.

The objective was to capture Constantinople, the capital of the Ottoman Empire, which was an ally of Germany during the war. The ANZAC force landed at Gallipoli on 25 April, meeting fierce resistance from the Ottoman Army commanded by Mustafa Kemal (later known as Atatürk). What had been planned as a bold strike to knock the Ottomans out of the war quickly became a stalemate, and the campaign dragged on for eight months. At the An Australian veteran on end of 1915, the Allied forces were evacuated after both sides had suffered Anzac Day. heavy casualties and endured great hardships. The Allied casualties included 21,255 from the United Kingdom, an estimated 10,000 dead soldiers from France, 8,709 from Australia, 2,721 from New Zealand, and 1,358 from British India. News of the landing at Gallipoli made a profound impact on Australians and New Zealanders at home and 25 April quickly became the day on which they remembered the sacrifice of those who had died in war.

Though the Gallipoli campaign failed to achieve its military objectives of capturing Constantinople and knocking the Ottoman Empire out of the war, the actions of the Australian and New Zealander troops during the campaign bequeathed an intangible but powerful legacy. The creation of what became known as an "Anzac legend" became an important part of the national identity in both countries. This has shaped the way their citizens have viewed both their past and their understanding of the present.

Foundations of Anzac Day:

On 30 April 1915, when the first news of the landing reached New Zealand, a half-day holiday was declared and impromptu services were held. The following year a public holiday was gazetted (officially declared) on 5 April and services to commemorate were organised by the returned servicemen.

The date 25 April was officially named Anzac Day in 1916; in that year it was marked by a wide variety of ceremonies and services in Australia and New Zealand, including a commemorative march through London involving Australian and New Zealand troops. Australian Great War battalion and brigade war diaries show that on this first Anzac Day at Manly, Brisbane, Australia, anniversary, units including those on the front line, made efforts to solemnise the memory of those who were killed 1922 this day twelve months previously. A common format found in the war diaries by Australian and New Zealand soldiers for the day commenced with a dawn requiem mass, followed mid-morning with a commemorative service, and after lunch organised sports activities with the proceeds of any gambling going to Battalion funds. This occurred in Egypt as well.

The small New Zealand community of Tinui, near Masterton in the Wairarapa, was apparently the first place in New Zealand to have an Anzac Day service, when the then vicar led an expedition to place a large wooden cross on the Tinui Taipos (a 1,200 ft (370 m) high large hill/mountain, behind the village) in April 1916 to commemorate the dead. A service was held on 25 April of that year. In 2006 the 90th anniversary of the event was commemorated with a full 21gun salute fired at the service by soldiers from the Waiouru Army Camp.

In London, over 2,000 Australian and New Zealand troops marched through the streets of the city. A London newspaper headline dubbed them "The Knights of Gallipoli". Marches were held all over Australia in 1916; wounded soldiers from Gallipoli attended the Sydney march in convoys of cars, accompanied by nurses. Over 2,000 people attended the service in Rotorua. For the remaining years of the war, Anzac Day was used as an occasion for patriotic rallies and recruiting campaigns, and parades of serving members of the AIF were held in most cities. From 1916 onwards, in both Australia and New Zealand, Anzac memorials were held on or about 25 April, mainly organised by returned servicemen and school children in cooperation with local authorities.

Anzac Day was gazetted as a public holiday in New Zealand in 1920, through the Anzac Day Act, after lobbying by the New Zealand Returned Soldiers’ Association, the RSA. In Australia at the 1921 State Premiers' Conference, it was decided that Anzac Day would be observed on 25 April each year. However, it was not observed uniformly in all the states.

During the 1920s, Anzac Day became established as a National Day of Commemoration for the 60,000 Australians and 18,000 New Zealanders who died during the war. The first year in which all the Australian states observed some form of public holiday together on Anzac Day was 1927. By the mid-1930s, all the rituals now associated with the day—dawn vigils, marches, memorial services, reunions, sly two-up games—became part of Australian Anzac Day culture. New Zealand commemorations also adopted many of these rituals, with the dawn service being introduced from Australia in 1939.

Anzac Day since World War II:

With the coming of the Second World War, Anzac Day became a day on which to commemorate the lives of Australians and New Zealanders lost in that war as well and in subsequent years. The meaning of the day has been further broadened to include those killed in all the military operations in which the countries have been involved.

Anzac Day was first commemorated at the Australian War Memorial in 1942, but, due to government orders preventing large public gatherings in case of Japanese air attack, it was a small affair and was neither a march nor a memorial service. Anzac Day has been annually commemorated at the Australian War Memorial ever since.

In New Zealand, Anzac Day saw a surge in popularity immediately after World War II. However this was short-lived, and by the 1950s many New Zealanders had become antagonistic or indifferent towards the day. Much of this was linked to the legal ban on commerce on Flags on the cenotaph in WellingAnzac Day, and the banning by many local authorities of sports events ton for the 2007 Dawn Service. and other entertainment on the day. Annoyance was particularly pro- From left to right, the flags of New nounced in 1953 and 1959, when Anzac Day fell on a Saturday. There Zealand, the United Kingdom and was widespread public debate on the issue, with some people calling Australia for the public holiday to be moved to the nearest Sunday or abolished altogether. In 1966 a new Anzac Day Act was passed, allowing sport and entertainment in the afternoon.

From the 1960s, but especially in the 1970s and 1980s, Anzac Day became increasingly controversial in both Australia and New Zealand. The day was used by anti-Vietnam War protesters to agitate against that war and war in general, and ceremonies were later targeted by feminists, anti-nuclear campaigners, Maori activists and others. From about the late 1980s, however, there was an international resurgence of interest in World War I and its commemorations.

Anzac Day attendances rose in Australia and New Zealand, with young people taking a particular interest. Protests and controversy became much rarer.

Australians and New Zealanders recognise 25 April as a ceremonial occasion to reflect on the cost of war and to remember those who fought and lost their lives for their country. Commemorative services are held at dawn, the time of the original landing, mainly at war memorials in cities and towns across both nations and the sites of some of Australia and New Zealand's more-recognised battles and greatest losses, such as Villers-Bretonneux in France and Gallipoli in Turkey.

One of the traditions of Anzac Day is the 'gunfire breakfast' (coffee with rum added) which occurs shortly after many dawn ceremonies, and recalls the 'breakfast' taken by many soldiers before facing battle. Later in the day, ex-servicemen and ex-servicewomen meet and join in marches through the major cities and many smaller centres.

Dawn service:

After the First World War, returned soldiers sought the comradeship they felt in those quiet, peaceful moments before dawn. With symbolic links to the dawn landing at Gallipoli, a dawn stand-to or dawn ceremony became a common form of Anzac Day remembrance during the 1920s.

The first official dawn service was held at the Sydney Cenotaph in 1927. Dawn services were originally very simple and followed the operational ritual; in many cases they were restricted to veterans only. The daytime ceremony was for families and other well-wishers and the dawn service was for returned soldiers to remember and reflect among the comrades with whom they shared a special bond.

A large commemoration march in Wagga Before dawn the gathered veterans would be ordered to "stand-to" and two minutes of silence would follow. At the Wagga, New South Wales (April 2008) start of this time a lone bugler would play "The Last Post" and then concluded the service with "Reveille". In more recent times the families and young people have been encouraged to take part in dawn services, and services in Australian capital cities have seen some of the largest turnouts ever. Reflecting this change, the ceremonies have become more elaborate, incorporating hymns, readings, pipers and rifle volleys. Others, though, have retained the simple format of the dawn stand-to, familiar to so many soldiers.

Typical modern dawn services follow a pattern that is now familiar to generations of Australians, containing the following features: introduction, hymn, prayer, an address, laying of wreaths, recitation, the playing of "The Last Post", a minute of silence, "Reveille", and the playing of both New Zealand and Australian national anthems. At the Australian War Memorial, following events such as the Anzac Day and Remembrance Day services, families often place artificial red poppies beside the names of relatives on the Memorial's Roll of Honour. In Australia, sprigs of rosemary are often worn on lapels and in New Zealand poppies have taken on this role.

Commemoration:

In Australia and New Zealand, Anzac Day commemoration features solemn "Dawn Services", a tradition started in Albany, Western Australia on 25 April 1923 and now held at war memorials around both countries, accompanied by thoughts of those lost at war to the ceremonial sounds of The Last Post on the bugle. The fourth stanza of Laurence Binyon's poem For the Fallen (known as the "Ode of Remembrance") is often recited. [edit] Australia Anzac Day is a national public holiday and is considered by many Australians to be one of the most solemn days of the year. Marches by veterans from all past wars, as well as current serving members of the Australian Defence Force and Reserves, with allied veterans as well as the Australian Defence Force Cadets and Australian Air League and supported by members of Scouts Australia, Guides Australia, and other uniformed service groups, are held in cities and towns nationwide. The Anzac Day Parade from each state capital is televised live with commentary. These events are generally followed by social gatherings of veterans, hosted either in a public house or in an RSL club, often including a traditional Australian gambling game called two-up, which was an extremely popular pastime with ANZAC soldiers.

The importance of this tradition is demonstrated by the fact that though most Australian states have laws forbidding gambling outside of designated licensed venues, on Anzac Day it is legal to play "two-up".

Despite federation being proclaimed in Australia in 1901, many[who?] argue the "national identity" of Australia was largely forged during the violent conflict of World War I, and the most iconic event in the war for most Australians was the landing at Gallipoli. Dr. Paul Skrebels of the University of South Australia has noted that Anzac Day has continued to grow in popularity; even the threat of a terrorist attack at the Gallipoli site in 2004 did not deter some 15,000 Australians from making the pilgrimage to Turkey to commemorate the fallen ANZAC troops.

Although commemoration events are always held on 25 April, most states and territories currently observe a substitute public holiday on the following Monday when Anzac Day falls on a Sunday. When Anzac Day falls on Easter Monday, such as in 2011, the Easter Monday holiday is transferred to Tuesday. This followed a 2008 meeting of the Council for the Australian Federation in which the states and territories made an in principle agreement to work towards making this a universal practice. However in 2009, the Legislative Council of Tasmania rejected a bill amendment that would have enabled the substitute holiday in that state.

Australian postage stamps:

Australia Post has issued stamps over the years to commemorate Anzac Day, the first being in 1935 for the 20th anniversary of the Gallipoli landings.

The full list of issued stamps is as follows: • 1935 20th Anniversary (2 values) 2d Red and 1/- Black featuring the London Cenotaph.

• 1965 50th Anniversary (3 values) 5d Khaki, 8d Blue and 2/3 Maroon featuring Simpson and his donkey.

• 1990 75th Anniversary (5 values) 41¢ x 2, 65¢, $1, and $1.10 all featuring various Anzac themes.

• 2000 ANZAC legends (4 values) 45¢ x 4 featuring Walter Parker, Roy Longmore, Alec Campbell and the Anzac medal.

• In 1955, the then current 3½d Purple Nursing commemorative stamp was privately overprinted with the words "ANZAC 1915-1955 40 YEARS LEST WE FORGET" and a value ranging from 1d to £1 was also added which was the fundraising amount in addition to the legal cost of stamp of which the denomination was 3½d. Eight values were issued and were intended to raise funds for the Anzac commemorations. It is believed these stamps were authorised by the secretary of a leading Melbourne RSL club.

Australian Football:

During many wars, Australian rules football matches have been played overseas in places like northern Africa, Vietnam, and Iraq as a celebration of Australian culture and as a bonding exercise between soldiers. In 1975, the VFL/AFL first commemorated Anzac Day and the Anzac spirit with a match of Australian rules football between Essendon and Carlton in a one-off match in front of a large crowd of 77,770 at VFL Park, Waverley, with Essendon coming out winners.

The modern-day tradition began in 1995 and is played every year between traditional AFL rivals Collingwood and Essendon at the MCG. This annual blockbuster is often considered the biggest match of the AFL season outside of the finals, sometimes drawing bigger crowds than all but the Grand Final, and often selling out in advance; a record crowd of 94,825 people attended the inaugural match in 1995. The Anzac Medal is awarded to the player in the match who best exemplifies the Anzac Spirit – skill, courage, self-sacrifice, teamwork and fair play.

Rugby League Football:

Beginning in 1997, the ANZAC Test, a rugby league test match, has commemorated Anzac Day, though it is typically played a week prior to Anzac Day. The match is always played between the Australian and New Zealand national teams, and has drawn attendances between 20,000–45,000 in the past.

Domestically, matches have been played on Anzac Day since 1926 (with occasional exceptions). Since 2002, the National Rugby League (NRL) has followed the lead of the Australian Football League, hosting a match between traditional rivals St George Illawarra Dragons and the Sydney Roosters each year to commemorate Anzac Day in the Club ANZAC Game, although these two sides had previously met on ANZAC day several times as early as the 1970s.

New Zealand

New Zealand's Commemoration of Anzac Day is similar. The number of New Zealanders attending Anzac Day events in New Zealand, and at Gallipoli, is increasing. For some, the day serves as a reminder of the futility of war. For most New Zealanders though, the day is an occasion on which to formally pay tribute and to remember.[] Dawn Parades and other memorials nationwide are typically attended by the New Zealand Defence Force, the New Zealand Cadet Forces, members of the New Zealand Police, New Zealand Fire Service, Order of St John Ambulance Service (Youth and Adult Volunteers) as well as Scouting New Zealand, GirlGuiding New Zealand and other uniformed community service groups including in most places the local Pipe Band to lead or accompany the parade march, and sometimes a Brass Band to accompany the hymns.

Anzac Day now promotes a sense of unity, perhaps more effectively than any other day on the national calendar.

People whose politics, beliefs and aspirations are widely different can nevertheless share a genuine sorrow at the loss of so many lives in war.

Paper poppies are widely distributed by the Returned Services Association and worn as symbols of remembrance.

This tradition follows that of the wearing of poppies on Remembrance Sunday in other Commonwealth countries.

The day is a public holiday in New Zealand. Shops are prohibited from opening before 1pm as per the Anzac Day Act 1966. A prior Act passed in 1949 prevents the holiday from being "Mondayised" (moved to the 26th or 27th should the 25th fall on a weekend), although this has drawn criticism from trade unionists and Labour Party politicians.

Turkey In Turkey the name "ANZAC Cove" was officially recognised by the Turkish government on Anzac Day in 1985. In

1934, Kemal Atatürk delivered the following words to the first Australians, New Zealanders and British to visit the Gallipoli battlefields. This was later inscribed on a monolith at Ari Burnu Cemetery (ANZAC Beach) which was unveiled in 1985. The words also appear on the Kemal Atatürk Memorial, Canberra, and the Atatürk Memorial in Wellington, New Zealand: "Those heroes that shed their blood And lost their lives.

You are now lying in the soil of a friendly country.

Therefore rest in peace.

There is no difference between the Johnnies And the Mehmets to us where they lie side by side Here in this country of ours.

You, the mothers, Who sent their sons from far away countries Wipe away your tears, Your sons are now lying in our bosom And are in peace After having lost their lives on this land they have Become our sons as well."

In 1990, to mark the 75th anniversary of the Gallipoli landing, Government officials from Australia and New Zealand (including Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke and New Zealand Governor-General Paul Reeves) as well as most of the last surviving Gallipoli veterans, and many Australian and New Zealand tourists travelled to Turkey for a special Dawn Service at Gallipoli. The Anzac Day Gallipoli Dawn Service has since attracted upwards of 15,000 people. Until 1999, the Gallipoli Dawn Service was held at the Ari Burnu War Cemetery at Anzac Cove, but the growing numbers of people attending resulted in the construction of a more spacious site on North Beach, known as the "Anzac Commemorative Site" in time for the year 2000 service.

In 2005, criticism surrounded the daybreak service at Anzac Cove after the screening of a rock concert-style commemoration of popular musical artists, with the site being left strewn with rubbish.

Other overseas ceremonies

• In Kanchanaburi, Thailand, a dawn service is held at Hellfire Pass, a rock cutting dug by allied Prisoners of War and Asian labourers for the Thai-Burma Railway. This cutting is where the greatest number of lives were lost during railway construction. The dawn service is followed by a "gunfire breakfast" (coffee with a shot (or two) of rum) recalling the 'breakfast' taken by many soldiers before facing battle. At 11am a second ceremony is held at the main POW cemetery in the city of Kanchanaburi, where 6,982 POWs are buried, mostly British, Australian, Dutch and Canadians. Over the years, both services have been attended by some Anzac ex-POWs and their families travelling from Australia, as well as ambassadors from the Australian and New Zealand consulates, the Kanchanaburi Provincial Governor, and others. The closest Saturday to Anzac Day also sees the ex-POWs attend an Australian Rules football match between the Thailand Tigers AFL club and a team invited from neighbouring Asian countries.

• In the Cook Islands, Niue and Tonga Anzac Day is also commemorated to honour their soldiers who participated in the campaign.

• In Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea there is a dawn service at the Bomana War Cemetery.[] Bomana is the location of thousands of graves of Australian and New Zealand Servicemen who were killed during the New Guinea campaign of World War II. • In Newfoundland, Canada, the Gallipoli offensive is commemorated each year on 25 April by the Royal Newfoundland Regiment who hold a march from Government House through the streets of St. John's ending at the National War Memorial. Members of both the Australian and New Zealand armed forces are invited each year to participate in the march and wreath laying ceremonies. Other Canadian communities also mark Anzac Day; Calgary has had a Cenotaph Service annually at Central Park with participation from the local military.

• In London, England, a dawn service is held, alternating between the Australian War Memorial, and the more recently constructed New Zealand War Memorial, both of which are at Hyde Park Corner. The day is also marked by a parade and wreath-laying at Whitehall, which is attended by official representatives and veterans associations of Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and other countries.[] • In France in the towns of Le Quesnoy and Longueval and in the town of Villers-Bretonneux (on the next closest weekend) because on 25 April 1918, the village of Villers-Bretonneux was liberated by the Anzacs. The Australian Government holds an annual dawn service at the Australian National Memorial just outside the small town of Villers-Bretonneux.

• In French Polynesia, Anzac Day has been commemorated with an official ceremony held in Papeete since 2006. The 2009 ceremony was attended by French Polynesia President Oscar Temaru, who praised the "courage and liberty" of Australian and New Zealand soldiers in a statement.

• In Germany, Anzac Day is commemorated in Berlin, at the Commonwealth Kriegsgräber, Charlottenburg.

(Commonwealth War Graves).

• In Hong Kong, a simple dawn commemorative service is held at The Cenotaph (Hong Kong) in Central, with a member of the Hong Kong Police Band playing "The Last Post" and "Reveille" from the balcony of the nearby Hong Kong Club.

• In Indonesia, Anzac Day is commemorated in Jakarta, Balikpapan, Bangka Island, Bandung, Denpasar and Surabaya.[] In Kiribati, Anzac Day is commemorated at the Coast Watchers Memorial on the islet of Betio, Tarawa, • hosted by the New Zealand and Australian High Commissions.

In Israel Anzac Day is commemorated at the Commonwealth War cemetery on Mount Scopus in • Jerusalem.[] In Hodogaya a suburb of Yokohama, Japan, there is a small service held in the Commonwealth War • Graves cemetery.[] In the United States, Anzac Day is commemorated at the Los Angeles National Cemetery in Westwood, • California. The New Zealand and Australian Consulates-General rotate hosting the service. The largest expatriate community of New Zealanders and Australians are in Southern California, hence this location. In New York a small midmorning tribute to Anzac Day is held in the roof garden in the British Empire Building in Rockefeller Plaza, 620 5th Avenue, overlooking St. Patrick's Cathedral, on the Sunday nearest 25 April; it is an annual tradition that has been held at this locale since 1950. In Washington DC, Australian and New Zealand servicemen and women observe Anzac Day at a dawn service at the Korean War Veterans Memorial on 25 April each year. In Hawaii the Marine Corps hosts an Anzac Day ceremony at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, known as "The Punchbowl", where several dignitaries from many countries including Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and the U.S. attend to commemorate the memory of all who have fallen for their country. In Santa Barbara, CA, Anzac Day is remembered by the expatriate Australian and New Zealand communities. In the absence of an official World War I remembrance, several dignitaries from many countries including Australia, New Zealand and the U.S. attend an 11.11am morning service held at the Elings Park Veteran’s Memorial Walk on 25 April of each year. Two-up and a sausage sizzle follows the event.[] • In Ireland, Anzac Day is remembered by the expatriate New Zealand and Australian communities. In the absence of an official World War I remembrance, and in honour of Irish soldiers who fought and perished in the Dardanelles and elsewhere, Anzac Day commemorations are also attended by members of veterans groups and historical societies, including the Royal Dublin Fusiliers, O.N.E.T., the Royal British Legion, UN Veterans, and more. Since the mid-1980s, an evening service has been organised by the New Zealand-Ireland Association, which currently takes place in St Ann's Church, Dawson St, Dublin 2. For the 90th anniversary in 2005, a daylight service was held for the first time in the re-furbished Grangegorman Military Cemetery, Dublin 7. A Turkish Hazel tree, planted by the Ambassadors of Australia, New Zealand and Turkey, commemorates this occasion. It can be found to the south of the limestone Memorial Wall. Since this date, a dawn service has been held at this location. At the Ballance House in County Antrim, the official New Zealand centre in Northern Ireland, a midday Anzac reception and act of remembrance takes place. An Anzac Tea Dance is held every year by the Dun Laoghaire branch of the RBL.[] • In Tetbury, Gloucestershire, England, a parade is held on the nearest Sunday to Anzac Day. The service is held in a graveyard with several war graves of service men from Australia and New Zealand. Veterans and cadets from the local ATC squadron attend. In 2009, Filton cadets provides a band.[] • A service of remembrance to commemorate Anzac Day and Gallipoli is held at the National Memorial Arboretum. This commences with a service in the chapel followed by wreath laying at the Gallipoli memorial.

Criticism and protests

Anzac Day has been criticised by a number of Australians and New Zealanders. One early controversy occurred in 1960 with the publication of Alan Seymour's classic play, The One Day of the Year, which dramatised the growing social divide in Australia and the questioning of old values. In the play, Anzac Day is critiqued by the central character, Hughie, as a day of drunken debauchery by returned soldiers and as a day when questions of what it means to be loyal to a nation or Empire must be raised. The play was scheduled to be performed at the inaugural Adelaide Festival of Arts, but after complaints from the Returned Services League, the governors of the Festival refused permission for this to occur.

Anzac Day has also been marked by protests against contemporary wars; for instance, protests against the Vietnam War were common Anzac Day occurrences during the 1960s and 1970s. In the 1980s, Australian feminists used the annual Anzac Day march to protest against rape and violence in war and were banned from marching. There were also Anzac Day protests in New Zealand, mostly in the 1970s and 1980s. In 1967, two members of the left-wing Progressive Youth Movement in Christchurch staged a minor protest at the Anzac Day ceremony, laying a wreath protesting against the Vietnam War. They were subsequently convicted of disorderly conduct, but that was not the last time that the parade was used as a vehicle for protest. In 1978, a women's group laid a wreath dedicated to all the women raped and killed during war, and movements for feminism, gay rights, and peace used the occasion to draw attention to their respective causes at various times during the 1980s. More recently, protest groups have expressed concern about New Zealand's involvement in 18 United Nations missions including Afghanistan, Solomon Islands and East Timor.

Following Australia's involvement in the Vietnam War, interest in Anzac Day reached its lowest point. On 26 April 1975, The Australian newspaper covered the passing of Anzac Day in a single story. Anzac Day now draws record crowds, with an increasing number of those attending being young Australians, many of whom attend ceremonies swathed in Australian flags, wearing green and gold T-shirts and beanies and with Australian flag tattoos imprinted on their skin.

This phenomenon has been perceived by some as a reflection of younger generations of Australians wanting to honour the sacrifices made by the previous generations. However, critics contend that the revived interest in Anzac day is a result of the efforts of former Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, to encourage a greater feeling of national pride in the Australian populace, involving an "uncritical and self-serving embrace of the Anzac spirit". Although the Anzac revival was well under way before Howard came to office, his critics claim the Prime Minister encouraged this phenomenon through his willingness to emphasise the Anzac tradition and its significance in contemporary Australia.

Some critics have suggested that the revival in public interest in Anzac Day amongst the young is tempered by the fact that these younger Australians have not themselves experienced war. For decades, there have been concerns that the participation of young people in Anzac Day events has injected a carnival element into what is traditionally a solemn occasion. This was highlighted by a rock concert-style performance at Anzac Cove in 2005 where people drank and slept between headstones. After the event the site was left strewn with rubbish.

In October 2008, former Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating stated that he believes it is misguided for people to gather each year at Anzac Cove to commemorate the landing at Gallipoli, because it is "utter and complete nonsense" to suggest that the nation was "born again or even, redeemed there." former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd rejected Keating's views, saying the Gallipoli campaign is "part of our national consciousness, it's part of our national psyche, it's part of our national identity, and I, for one, as Prime Minister of the country, am absolutely proud of it."

Other criticisms have revolved around a perceived overzealousness in Australian attachment to the event, at the expense of remembrance of the contribution of New Zealand. John Howard shunned the New Zealand Anzac service at Gallipoli in 2005, preferring instead to spend his morning at a barbecue on the beach with Australian soldiers. In 2009, New Zealand historians noted that some Australian children were unaware that New Zealand was a part of Anzac.

Liberation Day Italy - Apr 25

National Day of Concorde ((French)Journée nationale de la Concorde, Fête nationale de la Concorde) is a national holiday in Niger, celebrated every 24 April since 1995.

History

Concord Day marks the anniversary of the signing of the 24 April 1995 Peace Accord between the Government of Niger and the Organisation of Armed Resistance (Organization de Resistance Armee, ORA) at the Congressional Palace in Niamey (Palais des Congrès de à Niamey).

While this accord was only signed by some armed groups, and sporatic fighting continued until 1999, this marked the beginning of the end of the 1990 rebellion in the north and east of the country carried out by elements of Tuareg, Toubou, and other communities. The final peace agreement was celebrated with a "Flame of Peace" in which weapons were burned in Agadez on 25 September 2000. This date is also commemorated each year in some communities.

Celebrations

The Concorde Festival also celebrates of the 2009 agreement to end a renewed Tuareg based insurgency, as well as cross cultural tolerance, peace, and social justice, in this diverse nation.

Niger's National Day of Concorde is celebrated with street parties, educational and cultural events, speeches by the President of Niger and other leaders, and events designed to instill in youth love of nation and cross cultural peace.

The National Day of Concorde is a Public Holiday in Niger, in which businesses and government offices close.

Armed Forces Day North Korea - A p r 2 5

The Korean People's Army (KPA; Chosŏn'gŭl: 조 선 인 민 군 ;Chosŏn inmin'gun) constitutes the military forces of North Korea.Kim Jong-un is the Supreme Commander of the Korean People's Army and Chairman of the National Defence Commission. The KPA consists of five branches, Ground Force, the Navy, the Air Force, the Strategic Rocket Forces, and the Special Operation Force. Also, the WorkerPeasant Red Guards come under control of the KPA. In 1971, Kim Il-sung directed that "Military Foundation Day" be changed from 8 February to 25 April, the nominal day of establishment of his anti-Japanese guerrilla army in 1932, to recognize the supposedly indigenous Korean origins of the KPA and obscure its Soviet origin. An active arms industry had been developed to produce long-range missiles such as the Rodong-1.

The KPA faces its primary adversaries, the Republic of Korea Armed Forces and United States Forces Korea, across the Korean Demilitarized Zone, as it has since the Armistice Agreement of July 1953. As of 2013, with 9,495,000 active, reserve, and paramilitary personnel, it is the largest military organization on earth. This number represents nearly 40% of the population, and is the numeric equivalent of the entire population between ages 20 and 45.

Flag Day Faroe Islands - Apr 25

The flag of the Faroe Islands is an offset cross, which represents Christianity; following, as with other Nordic flags, the tradition set by Dannebrog. The flag is called Merkið, which means "the banner" or "the mark". It resembles the flags of neighbouring Norway and Iceland.

History The modern Faroese flag

was devised in 1919 by Jens Oliver Lisberg and others while they were studying in Copenhagen. The first time Merkið was raised in the Faroe Islands was on 22 June that year in Famjin on the occasion of a wedding.

On 25 April, 1940, the British occupation government approved the flag for use by Faroese vessels. 25 April is still celebrated as Flaggdagur and it is a national holiday. With the Home Rule Act of 23 March, 1948, the flag was recognized by the Danish Government as the national flag of the Faroes. The original copy of the flag is displayed in the church of Fámjin in Suðuroy.

Italy's Liberation Day (Festa della Liberazione), also known as theAnniversary of the Liberation (Anniversario della liberazione d'Italia), Anniversary of the Resistance (anniversario della Resistenza), or simplyApril 25 is a national Italian holiday commemorating the end of the second world war and the end of Nazi occupation of the country.

History

The date was chosen by convention, as it corresponds to the day Milan and Turin were liberated, on April 25, 1945. This was also the day when the National Liberation Committee of Upper Italy (CLNAI) officially proclaimed the insurgency in a radio announcement, announcing the seizure of power by the CLNAI and the death sentence for all fascists (including Benito Mussolini, who was shot three days later).

By May 1, all of northern Italy was liberated, including Bologna (April 21),Genoa (April 23), and Venice (April 28). The liberation put an end to twenty years of fascist dictatorship and five years of war. It symbolically represents the beginning of the historical journey which led to the referendum of June 2, 1946, when Italians opted for an end to the monarchy and the creation of the Italian Republic, which was followed by the adoption of the republic's Constitution of Italy in 1947.

Institutionalization of the date

The actual date was chosen in 1946, and in most Italian cities, marches and parades are organised to commemorate the event. On April 22, 1946, the Disposizioni in materia di ricorrenze festive ("Provisions on festive occasions") decree created the national holiday. The bill states that A celebrazione della totale liberazione del territorio italiano, il 25 aprile 1946 è dichiarato festa nazionale ("In celebration of the total liberation of the Italian territory, April 25, 1946 is declared a national holiday"). On May 27, 1949, bill 260 made the anniversary a permanent, annual national holiday.

Liberty Day Portugal - Apr 25

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

History

Beginning in 1926, the Portuguese people were ruled under a military dictatorship.

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

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

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

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

Celebrations

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

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

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

National Flag Day Swaziland - A p r 2 5

Swaziland, a landlocked country in Southern Africa, dedicates April 25th as a celebration on the date when Swaziland’s Flag was raised and British Flag was brought down after it obtained independence from Great Britain in 1968. This holiday is known as National Flag Day.

History At the dawn of the 20th century and at the start of Anglo

Boer War, Swaziland became a British protectorate although British rule in the country already started in the early 19th century.

Great Britain already signed an agreement recognizing the independence of the country in 1881. It did not materialize though because of a conflict of land and mineral rights use with that of the Transvaals’ (South African Republic, Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek, or ZAR). It is important to note that the country was placed under ZAR’s administration in the late 20th century and ended only when the Anglo Boer war started.

The start of Swaziland’s quest to independence started in 1960s when Britain officially announced the creation of Swaziland constitution which laid the foundation for its eventual independence. From there, the legislative Council and the Executive Council were formed as stated in the initial declaration despite of the opposition from Swazi National Council.

The Legislative Council of Swaziland was established on September 9, 1964. Numerous ratifications and changes in the original constitution followed including the provision to the creation of the House of Assembly and Senate. Official declaration to Swaziland’s independence was made on September 6, 1968. Elections followed a year after.

Celebrations

Some of the popular activities in National Flag Day include the hoisting of flags in major cities and towns in Swaziland including Lobamba and Mbabane. Organized parade and speeches made by local government officials abound during the celebration. Since this is a public holiday, government offices are closed.

Sinai Liberation Day Egypt - A p r 2 5

In 1982, the Israeli occupiers of the Sinai began to return the land part by part to Egypt as agreed on in the Camp David agreement (1978) and later in the peace treaty between Egypt and Israel (1979).

The liberation of Sinai was completed in 1988 when President Mubarak hoisted the Egyptian flag in Taba, the last part of Sinai that was released.

Egypt worked towards the liberation of its occupied territories since 1967 using all means, through military action in October 1973, through political action and diplomacy in 1974, 1975, 1978 and 1979.

The liberation of Sinai is celebrated annually in the form of festivals on and around April 25th. As this period is not that long ago and has left many tracks in their lives, this day is celebrated by all Egyptians.

Sinai peninsula, in fact, occupies a distinctive position on the Egypt's map, as it locates the north eastern part of Egypt. From the east, it is bordered by el-Aqaba Gulf, and by Suez Canal from the west. The whole Sinai coast's length is about 870 Km, i.e, 30% of the total of Egypt's coasts (2400 Km).

Sinai's area, however, constitutes 6% of Egypt's area, about 61.000 Km square. It is deemed to be the land of minerals and wealth, as it harbours great deal of minerals and oilfields, cool, iron, cement, black and white sand, and exotic herbs.

The historical significance of Sinai could be simply ascribed to its unique spot, as it is the eastern gate of Egypt. Sinai has witnessed many wars for defending Egypt; the war between Ramses II and the Hittites, but also attested the oldest Qadsh peace treaty concluded in 1270 B.C. The prophet's land and the cradle of divine messages is, also, Sinai, via which the Father of the prophets, "Ibrahim" had crossed. Furthermore, Sinai was the place in which Moses had spoken to God from Mount El-Tour.

This holy land, in addition, had witnessed the Youssef's cross to Egypt , and the passing of the sacred family while in the Coptic time.

Islamic conquest to Egypt, however, has been realized at the hands of Amr Ibn Al-As through Sinai.

Sinai was and will remain the strategic spot for defending the homeland of Egypt, it has witnessed many severe wars; 1956, 1967 and 1973 wars.

The Egyptian diplomacy, as a matter of fact, played an important role in regaining Sinai, when President Sadat's initiative came to demonstrate the Egyptian desire to bring about peace. In November 1977, he visited Israel, then came Camp David's meetings to yield the 1979 peace accord between Egypt and Israel.

By virtue of such accord Israel withdrew from Sinai, but little Taba was claimed to be belonged to Israel. Egypt, never gave up but resorted to the international arbitration, which announced on September 29, 1988 that Taba, the cherished piece of Egypt's soil, is an Egyptian land.

World Penguin Day Worldwide - A p r 2 5

Penguin Day began many years ago when someone at NWC (Naval Weapons Center in Ridgecrest, California) became aware of the migration habits of the Antarctic penguin, the harvest cycle of California strawberries, and the shipping data of worldwide chocolate exporters.

On April 25th of every year, the formally-clad penguins of the Antarctic continent begin an incredible northward migration. Penguins are unique in that they are the only migratory birds that don't fly (they swim). They are also unique in that unlike, say, the Crested Egret, apparently penguins don't take migration all that seriously. In fact, the penguin's migratory habits are an embarrassment to most instinctively compulsive species. They start their migration in that same wonderfully grand fashion that, say, the Canadian Geese do. On cue, in synchronicity with some mysterious call of Nature, penguins of great number and varied breeds all dive into that "wild blue under" and head North.

Curiously, they only swim about a hundred miles or so from the ice shelf (or whatever) and, after enjoying an extended "krill break", they all shrug (as only penguins can) and seem to lose interest in migrating. After bobbing about for a while like millions of undecided, leaderless penguins (which they are), they all head back South and are home by suppertime.