Constitution Day Norway - M a y 1 7
Norwegian Constitution Day is the National Day of Norway and is an official national holidayobserved on May 17 each year. Among Norwegians, the day is referred to simply as syttende mai or syttande mai (both meaning May Seventeenth), Nasjonaldagen (The National Day) or Grunnlovsdagen (The Constitution Day), although the latter is less frequent.
Holiday of Poetry Turkmenistan May 19
The next day the Turkmen commemorated Magtymguly, a spiritual leader and philosophical poet of Turkmenistan, who made significant efforts to secure independence and autonomy of the state in the 18th century. Magtymguly is considered to be the founder of the Turkmen poetry, literature and language. He influenced on the changes of the Turkmen poetic language making it closer to colloquial language. Magtymguly also replaced the traditional for the Turkmen literature Arab and Persian metric system with the syllabic system.
Historical background The Constitution of Norway was
signed at Eidsvoll on May 17 in the year 1814. The constitution declared Norway to be an independent nation. The celebration of this day began spontaneously among students and others from early on. However, Norway was at that time under Swedish rule (following theConvention of Moss in August 1814) and for some years the King of Sweden and Norway was reluctant to allow the celebrations. For a couple of years in the 1820s, King Karl Johan actually forbade it, as he thought the celebrations a kind of protest and disregard—even revolt—against Swedish sovereignty. The king's attitude changed slightly after the Battle of the Square in 1829, an incident which resulted in such a commotion that the king had to allow it. It was, however, not until 1833, that anyone ventured to hold a public address on behalf of the day. That year, official celebration was initiated by the monument of the late politician Christian Krogh, known to have stopped the king from gaining too much personal power. The address was held by Henrik Wergeland, thoroughly witnessed and accounted for by a Swedish spy, sent by the king himself. After 1864, the day became more established, and the first children's parade was launched inChristiania, in a parade consisting only of boys. This initiative was taken by Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson, although Wergeland made the first known children's parade at Eidsvoll around 1820. It was only in 1899 that girls were allowed to join in the parade for the first time. By historical coincidence, the Second World War ended in Norway nine days before that year's Constitution Day, on May 8, 1945, when the occupying German forces surrendered. Even if The Liberation Day is an official flag day in Norway, the day is not an official holiday and is not broadly celebrated. Instead a new and broader meaning has been added to the celebration of Norwegian Constitution Day on May 17. The day focused originally on the Norwegian constitution, but after 1905, the focus has been directed also towards the royal family.
History Pre-Columbian society in the wooded, fertile region
which is now Paraguay consisted of seminomadic tribes, who were recognized for their fierce warrior traditions. These indigenous tribes were members of five distinct language families, and 17 separate ethnolinguistic groups remain today. Children's parade in front of the Royal Palace, Europeans first arrived in the area in the early sixteenth century, and the settlement of Asunción was Oslo founded on 15 August 1537, by the Spanish explorer Juan de Salazar de Espinosa. The city eventually became the center of a Spanish colonial province, as well as the primary site of the Jesuit missions and settlements in South America in the eighteenth century. Jesuit Reductions were founded, and flourished in eastern Paraguay for about 150 years, until the expulsion of the Jesuits by the Spanish crown in 1767. Paraguay overthrew the local Spanish administration on 15 May 1811. Paraguay's first ruler was the dictator Jose Gaspar Rodriguez de Francia. He ruled Paraguay from 1814, until his death in 1840, with very little outside contact or influence, creating a utopian society based on Rousseau's Social Contract. After his death, Paraguay went through the very brief ownership of various military officers under a new junta, until the secretary Carlos Antonio Lopez, Francia's nephew, declared himself dictator. Lopez modernized Paraguay, and opened it up to foreign commerce. The relationship with Buenos Aires was limited to a non-aggression pact; Paraguayan independence from Argentina was declared in 1842. After Lopez's death, power was transferred to his eldest son, Francisco Solano López in 1862. Lopez's expansionist aims lead to the Paraguayan War in 1864. Paraguay fought against Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay, and was defeated in 1870 after five years of the bloodiest war in South America. According to William D. Rubinstein, "The normal estimate is that of a Paraguayan population of somewhere between 450,000 and 900,000, only 220,000 survived the war, of whom only 28,000 were adult males." Paraguay also suffered extensive territorial losses to Brazil and Argentina. The Chaco War was fought with Bolivia in the 1930s, and Bolivia was defeated. Paraguay re-established sovereignty over the region called the Chaco, but forfeited additional territorial gains as a price of peace. The official narrative of Paraguay's history is fraught with disputes among historians, educators and politicians. The "authentic" version of historical events, wars in particular, varies depending on whether it was written in Paraguay, Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil, Bolivia, Europe, or North America. Both the Colorado Party and Liberal Party maintain distinct official versions of Paraguayan history. During the pillaging of Asuncion (Saqueo de Asunción) in 1869, the Brazilian Imperial Army ransacked and relocated the Paraguayan National Archives to Rio de Janeiro where they have been kept in secrecy, making Paraguayan history in the Colonial and early National periods difficult to study. Between 1904 and 1954, Paraguay had thirty-one presidents, most of whom were removed from office by force. From 1954 to 1989, the country was ruled by Alfredo Stroessner and the Colorado party. The dictator oversaw an era of economic expansion, but at the cost of a poor human rights and environmental record (see "Political History"). Torture and death for political opponents was routine. After his overthrow, the Colorado continued to dominate national politics until 2008. Leftist former bishop Fernando Lugo achieved a historic victory in Paraguay's presidential election of April 2008, defeating the ruling party candidate, and ending 61 years of conservative rule. Lugo won with nearly 41% of the vote, compared to almost 31% for Blanca Ovelar of the Colorado party. The Lugo administration has highlighted the reduction of corruption and economic inequality as two major priorities.
Children's parades
A noteworthy aspect of the Norwegian Constitution Day is its very non-military nature. All over Norway, children's parades with an abundance of flags form the central elements of the celebration. Each elementary school district arranges its own parade with marching bands between schools. The parade takes the children through the community, often making stops at homes of senior citizens, war memorials, etc. The longest parade is in Oslo, where some 100,000 people travel to the city centre to participate in the main festivities. This is broad- The kindergarten part of a Children's parade. cast on TV every year, with comments on costumes, banners Also notice the use of the Gákti, the traditional etc., together with local reports from celebrations around the clothing of the Sami people. country. The massive Oslo parade includes some 100 schools, marching bands, and passes the royal palace where the royal family greet the people from the main balcony. Typically a school’s children parade will consist of some senior school children carrying the school’s official banner, followed by a handful of other older children carrying full size Norwegian flags, and the school’s marching band. After the band the rest of the school children follow with hand sized flags, often with the junior forms first, and often behind self made banners for each form or even individual class. Nearby kindergartens may also have been invited to join in. As the parade passes, bystanders often join in behind the official parade, and follow the parade back to the school. Depending on the community, the parade may make stops at particular sites along the route, such as a nursing home or war memorial. In Oslo the parade stops at the Royal Palace while Skaugum, the home of the crown prince, has been a traditional waypoint for parades in Asker. During the parade a marching band will play and the children will sing lyrics about the celebration of the National Day. The parade concludes with the stationary singing of the national anthem "Ja, vi elsker dette landet" (typically verses 1, 7 and 8), and the royal anthem "Kongesangen". In addition to flags, people typically wear red, white and blue ribbons. Although a long-standing tradition, it has lately become more popular for men, women, and children to wear traditional outfits, called bunad. The children also make a lot of noise shouting "Hurra!", singing, blowing whistles and shaking rattles. In addition to children's parades, there are parades for the public, where every citizen is welcome to join in. These are led by marching bands and often local boy scouts and girl guides, local choirs, etc. This takes place in the early morning or in the afternoon, before or after the school's parade. All parades begin or end with speeches. Both grown-ups and older children are invited to speak. After the parades, there are games for the children, and often a lot of icecream, pop, sweets and hotdogs are consumed.
Russ The graduating class from the Norwegian equivalent of high
school - known as russ - has its own celebration on May 17, stay- Russ girls during the children's paing up all night and making the rounds through the community. The russ also have their own parades later in the day, usually rade in Trondheim. around 4 or 5 PM. In this parade, russ will parade through the street with their russcars carrying signs and pickets. They may parody various local and political aspects, although recently this has become less frequent. Russ parades have lately become smaller and smaller due to diligent police discouragement.
across the country Celebration In Oslo, children from all the city's schools gather to parade past the Royal Palace, where they and •
the Royal Family exchange waves and greetings. In the municipality of Asker, outside Oslo, the children gather outside the residence of the throne heir • at Skaugum Estate in the morning (giving the Prince and his family time to attend the parade in Oslo later in the day). Bergen has its own traditions for the parade, including comic troupes, various local organizations, a • children's parade, and the unique buekorps. In Trondheim, children from all the • city's schools parade the streets of Trondheim in the morning. Later in the afternoon, the "Citizens Parade" (Borgertoget) starts. This is a parade where firefighters, sports teams, students associations and other associations are represented. In addition to the children's parades the streets are filled with young and old, turning out in festive attire, and vendors selling ice cream, hot dogs, and lately, kebabs. Although May 17 is the National Day, it is an inclusive kind of nationalism. Therefore any foreigner who happens to be there on this day can expect to have a flag thrust into their hand and is welcome to join in with all activities.
Celebration abroad Syttende Mai is also celebrated in many Norwegian
The Royal Guard Norwegian Constitution Day parade.
immigrant communities throughout the world, with traditional foods, sometimes including lutefisk. In the United States and Canada, the local lodges of the Sons of Norway often play a central part in organizing the festivities. One major celebration occurs in Petersburg, Alaska also known as "Little Norway". The town is a Norwegian settlement and strongly retains its roots. The festival occurs the weekend closest to May 17 and includes a parade, Leikarring dancers, herring toss, Norwegian pastries such as lefse and even a pack of Vikings and Valkyries. Another major Syttende Mai celebration occurs in Stoughton, Wisconsin, which is the 2nd largest in the world, and the largest in the U.S. Festivities include canoe racing, two parades, an art fair, a 20-mile run that starts in Madison, Wisconsin, and a great deal of bratwurst consumption. The festival features the Stoughton High School Norwegian Dancers, a group that tours the country showcasing traditional ethnic dances of Scandinavia. Smaller Syttende Mai celebrations are held in Norwegian-heritage communities throughout western Wisconsin, Minnesota, and elsewhere in the Midwestern United States. Members of Norway's Parliament Storting travel to Chicago to attend a three-day celebration consisting of a concert, banquet and parade hosted by the Norwegian National League. Spring Grove, Minnesota also hosts a 3 day festival on the weekend nearest to Syttende Mai, while nearby Decorah, Iowa, the home of Nordic Fest and the Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum, also hosts a parade. Other large celebrations are held in the Ballard, Seattle, Washington neighborhood, Poulsbo, Washington, and Bay Ridge, Brooklyn.Epcot's Norwegian Pavilion in Florida, celebrates Constitution Day with numerous flags around the pavilion, as well as parades around the World Showcase Lagoon. The Norwegian community in London holds a May 17 celebration each year in Southwark Park. The celebration is attended by a large number of Norwegians abroad, and includes a small parade, a traditional mass in the church, and the selling of traditional Norwegian foods such as Solo and makrell i tomat, and a lot of Norwegian flags for Norwegians who have left theirs at home. The occasional Russ has also attended the parade. In Orkney, Scotland, 17. May is celebrated by the Orkney Norway Friendship Association in recognition of the islands' strong historic links with Norway. Stockholm, Sweden, has a big celebration with a parade starting at Engelbrektsplan and ending at Skansen, in which more than 10,000 participate every year. The event includes Stockholm's only dedicated 17. May marching band, Det Norske Korps. It is also common for Norwegians living abroad to gather and celebrate. In some countries, typically where the population of Norwegian expatriates is small, the Norwegian embassy or the diplomats' spouses arrange the event.
Henrik Wergeland
The poet Henrik Wergeland is credited with making Syttande/Syttende mai a celebratory day for the children rather than a day of patriotic pride. Actually, the day demonstrates that the children, i.e. the country's future, are the patriotic pride, if we follow Wergeland's thought. Flags and music dominate the day, and there are few military parades. To commemorate his contribution, the russ in Oslo place an oversized hat on his statue near the Norwegian parliament; the Jewish community place a wreath on his grave in the morning as a tribute to his efforts on their behalf.
Malcolm X Day U.S. - May 19
Malcolm X (May 19, 1925 – February 21, 1965), born Malcolm Little and also known as El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz was an African-American Muslim minister and human rights activist. To his admirers, he was a courageous advocate for the rights of African Americans, a man who indicted white America in the harshest terms for its crimes against black Americans. Detractors accused him of preaching racism, black supremacy, antisemitism, and violence. He has been called one of the greatest and most influential African Americans in history. Malcolm X's father died—killed by white supremacists, it was rumored—when he was young, and at least one of his uncles was lynched. When he was thirteen, his mother was placed in a mental hospital, and he was placed in a series of foster homes. In 1946, at age 20, he went to prison for breaking and entering. In prison, Malcolm X became a member of the Nation of Islam and after his parole in 1952 he quickly rose to become one of its leaders. For a dozen years Malcolm X was the public face of the controversial group, but disillusionment with Nation of Islam head Elijah Muhammad led him to leave the Nation in March 1964. After a period of travel in Africa and the Middle East, he returned to the United States, where he founded Muslim Mosque, Inc. and the Organization of AfroAmerican Unity. In February 1965, less than a year after leaving the Nation of Islam, he was assassinated by three members of the group. Malcolm X's expressed beliefs changed substantially over time. As a spokesman for the Nation of Islam he taught black supremacy and advocated separation of black and white Americans—in contrast to the civil rights movement's emphasis on integration. After breaking with the Nation of Islam in 1964—saying of his association with it, "I was a zombie then ... pointed in a certain direction and told to march"—and becoming a Sunni Muslim, he disavowed racism and expressed willingness to work with civil rights leaders, though still emphasizing black self-determination and self defense.
Early years
Malcolm Little was born on May 19, 1925, in Omaha, Nebraska, the fourth of seven children to Earl Little and Louise Norton. His father was an outspoken Baptist lay speaker. He supported PanAfrican activist Marcus Garvey and was a local leader of the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA). Malcolm never forgot the values of black pride and self-reliance that his father and other UNIA leaders preached. Malcolm X later said that three of Earl Little's brothers, one of whom was lynched, died violently at the hands of white men. Because of Ku Klux Klan threats, the family relocated in 1926 to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and shortly thereafter to Lansing, Michigan. Earl Little, who was dark-skinned, was born in Reynolds, Georgia. He had three children from his first marriage: Ella, Mary, and Earl Jr.—and seven with his second wife, Louise: Wilfred, Hilda, Philbert, Malcolm, Reginald, Yvonne, and Wesley. Louise Norton Little was born in Grenada. Because her father was Scottish, she was so light-skinned that she could have passed for white. Malcolm inherited his light complexion from his mother and maternal grandfather. Initially he felt his light skin was a status symbol, but he later said he "hated every drop of that white rapist's blood that is in me." Malcolm X later remembered feeling that his father favored him because he was the lightestskinned child in the family; however, he thought his mother treated him harshly for the same reason. One of Malcolm's nicknames, "Red", derived from the tinge of his hair. According to one biographer, at birth he had "ash-blonde hair ... tinged with cinnamon", and at age four, "reddish-blonde hair". His hair darkened as he aged, yet he also resembled his paternal grandmother, whose hair "turned reddish in the summer sun." The issue of skin and hair color took on very significant implications later in Malcolm's life. In December 1924, Louise Little was threatened by klansmen while she was pregnant with Malcolm. She recalled that the klansmen warned the family to leave Omaha, because Earl Little's activities with UNIA were "spreading trouble". After they moved to Lansing, their house was burned in 1929; however, the family escaped without physical injury. On September 8, 1931, Earl Little was fatally struck by a streetcarin Lansing. Authorities ruled his death an accident. The police reported that Earl Little was conscious when they arrived on the scene, and he told them he had slipped and fallen under the streetcar's wheels. The black community in Lansing disputed the cause of death, believing there was circumstantial evidence of assault. His family had frequently been harassed by the Black Legion, a white supremacist group that his father accused of burning down their home in 1929. Some blacks believed the Black Legion was responsible for Earl Little's death. One of the adults at the funeral told eight-year-old Philbert Little that his father had been hit from behind and shoved under the streetcar. Though Earl Little had two life insurance policies, his family received death benefits solely from the smaller policy. The insurance company of the larger policy claimed that his father had committed suicide and refused to issue the benefit. The payout from the insurance policy was $1,000 (comparable to about $15,000 in 2010 dollars), and the probate court awarded Louise Little a monthly "widow's allowance" of $18. She rented space in the garden to raise more money, and her sons would hunt game for supper. In 1935 or 1936, Louise Little began dating an African-American man. A marriage proposal seemed a possibility, but the man disappeared from their lives when Louise became pregnant with his child in late 1937. In December 1938, Louise Little had a nervous breakdown and was declared legally insane. The Little siblings were split up and sent to different foster homes. The state formally committed Louise Little to the state mental hospital at Kalamazoo, Michigan, where she remained until Malcolm and his siblings secured her release 24 years later. Malcolm Little was one of the best students in his junior high school, but he dropped out after a white eighth-grade teacher told him that his aspirations of being a lawyer were "no realistic goal for a nigger." Years later, Malcolm X would laugh about the incident, but at the time it was humiliating. It made him feel that there was no place in the white world for a career-oriented black man, no matter how smart he was. After living with a series of foster parents, Malcolm moved to Boston in February 1941 to live with his older half-sister, Ella Little Collins.
of Islam Nation When Little was released from prison in 1952, he had more than a new religion. He also had a new name. In a De-
cember 1950 letter to his brother Philbert, Little signed his name as Malcolm X for the first time. In his autobiography, he explained why: "The Muslim's 'X' symbolized the true African family name that he never could know. For me, my 'X' replaced the white slave master name of 'Little' which some blue-eyed devil named Little had imposed upon my paternal forebears." Shortly after his release from prison, Malcolm X visited Elijah Muhammad in Chicago, Illinois. In June 1953, Malcolm X was named assistant minister of the Nation of Islam's Temple Number One in Detroit. Soon, he became a full-time minister. By late 1953, Malcolm X established Boston's Temple Number 11. In March 1954, he expanded Temple Number 12 inPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania. Two months later Malcolm X was selected to lead Temple Number Seven in Harlem, and he rapidly expanded its membership. The FBI had opened a file on Malcolm X in 1950 after he wrote a letter to President Trumanstating his opposition to the Korean War and declaring himself to be a communist. It began surveillance of him in 1953, and soon the FBI turned its attention from concerns about possible Communist Party association to Malcolm X's rapid ascent in the Nation of Islam. During 1955, Malcolm X continued his successful recruitment efforts on behalf of the organization. He established temples in Springfield, Massachusetts (Number 13); Hartford, Connecticut (Number 14); and Atlanta, Georgia (Number 15). Hundreds of African Americans were joining the Nation of Islam every month. Beside his skill as a speaker, Malcolm X had an impressive physical presence. He stood 6 feet 3 inches (1.91 m) tall and weighed about 180 pounds (82 kg). One writer described him as "powerfully built", and another as "mesmerizingly handsome ... and always spotlessly well-groomed".
Johnson Hinton incident:
Malcolm X first came to the attention of the general public after the police beating of a Nation of Islam member named Johnson Hinton. On April 26, 1957, two police officers were beating an African-American man with their nightsticks when three passersby who belonged to the Nation of Islam tried to intervene. They shouted: "You're not in Alabama or Georgia. This is New York!" One of the officers began to beat one of the passersby, Johnson Hinton. The blows were so severe, a surgeon later determined, that they caused brain contusions, subdural hemorrhaging, and scalp lacerations. All four men were arrested and taken to the police station. A woman who had seen the assault ran to the Nation of Islam's restaurant. Within a few hours, Malcolm X and a small group of Muslims went to the police station and demanded to see Hinton. The police captain initially said no Muslims were being held there, but as the crowd grew to about 500, he allowed Malcolm X to speak with Hinton. After a short talk, Malcolm X demanded that Hinton be taken to the hospital, so an ambulance was called and Hinton was taken to Harlem Hospital. Hinton was treated and released into the custody of the police, who returned him to the police station. By this point, about 4,000 people had gathered; the police realized there was the potential for a riot and called for backup. Malcolm X went back into the police station with an attorney and made bail arrangements for the other two Muslims. The police said Hinton could not go back to the hospital until he was arraigned the following day. Malcolm X realized things were at a stalemate. He stepped outside the station house and gave a hand signal. The Nation of Islam members in the crowd silently walked away. The rest of the crowd dispersed minutes later. One police officer told the editor of the New York Amsterdam News: "No one man should have that much power." The following month, the Bureau of Special Services and Investigation of the New York Police Department (NYPD) began its surveillance of Malcolm X. The NYPD's Chief Inspector asked for information from the police department in every city where Malcolm X had lived, and from the prisons where he had served his sentence. In October, when a grand jury declined to indict the officers who had beaten Hinton, Malcolm X wrote an angry telegram to the police commissioner. In response, undercover NYPD officers were placed inside the Nation of Islam.
Marriage and family:
Malcolm X met Betty Sanders in 1955. She had been invited to listen to his lecture, and she was very impressed by him. They met again at a dinner party. Soon Sanders was attending all of Malcolm X's lectures at Temple Number Seven. In mid 1956, she joined the Nation of Islam and changed her name to Betty X. Malcolm X and Betty X did not have a conventional courtship. One-on-one dates were contrary to the teachings of the Nation of Islam. Instead, the couple shared their "dates" with dozens, or even hundreds of other members. Malcolm X frequently took groups to visit New York's museums and libraries, and he always invited Betty X. Although they had never discussed the subject, Betty X suspected that Malcolm X was interested in marriage. On January 12, 1958, he called from Detroit and asked her to marry him, and they were married two days later in Lansing, Michigan. The couple had six daughters. Their names were Attallah, born in 1958 and named after Attila the Hun; Qubilah, born in 1960 and named after Kublai Khan; Ilyasah, born in 1962 and named after Elijah Muhammad; Gamilah Lumumba, born in 1964 and named afterPatrice Lumumba; and twins, Malikah and Malaak, born in 1965 after their father's assassination and named for him.
The Hate That Hate Produced:
After a 1959 television broadcast in New York City about the Nation of Islam, The Hate That Hate Produced, Malcolm X became known to white Americans. Representatives of the print media, radio, and television frequently asked him for comments on issues. By the late 1950s, Malcolm X had acquired a new name, Malcolm Shabazz or Malik elShabazz, although he was still widely referred to as Malcolm X. In September 1960, Fidel Castro arrived in New York to attend the meeting of the United Nations General Assembly. He and his entourage stayed at the Hotel Theresa in Harlem. Malcolm X was a prominent member of a Harlembased welcoming committee made up of community leaders who met with Castro. Castro was so impressed by Malcolm X that he requested a private meeting with him. At the end of their two-hour meeting, Castro invited Malcolm X to visit him in Cuba. During the General Assembly meeting, Malcolm X was also invited to many official embassy functions sponsored by African nations, where he met heads of state and other leaders, including Gamal Abdel Nasser of Egypt, Ahmed Sékou Touré of Guinea, and Kenneth Kaunda of the Zambian African National Congress. From his adoption of the Nation of Islam in 1952 until he broke with it in 1964, Malcolm X promoted the Nation's teachings, including that black people are the original people of the world, that white people are "devils", that blacks are superior to whites, and that the demise of the white race is imminent. While the civil rights movement fought against racial segregation, Malcolm X advocated the completeseparation of African Americans from white people. He proposed the establishment of a separate country for black people as an interim measure until African Americans could return to Africa. Malcolm X also rejected the civil rights movement's strategy of nonviolence, and instead advocated that black people use any necessary means of self-defense to protect themselves. Malcolm X's speeches had a powerful effect on his audiences, generally African Americans who lived in the Northern and Western cities, who were tired of being told to wait for freedom, justice, equality and respect. Many blacks felt that he articulated their complaints better than the civil rights movement did. Malcolm X has been widely considered the second most influential leader of the Nation of Islam after Elijah Muhammad. He was largely credited with the group's dramatic increase in membership between the early 1950s and early 1960s (from 500 to 25,000 by one author's estimate, or from 1,200 to 50,000 or 75,000 by another's). He inspired the boxer Cassius Clay (later known as Muhammad Ali) to join the Nation of Islam. (though like Malcolm X himself, Ali later left the group to become a Sunni Muslim). Many white people, and even some blacks, were alarmed by Malcolm X and the things he said. He and the Nation of Islam were described as hatemongers, black supremacists, violence-seekers, and a threat to improved race relations. Civil rights organizations denounced Malcolm X and the Nation as irresponsible extremists whose views were not representative of African Americans. Malcolm X was accused of being antisemitic. Malcolm X was equally critical of the civil rights movement. He described its leaders as "stooges" for the white establishment, and he once described Martin Luther King, Jr. as a "chump". He criticized the 1963 March on Washington, which he called "the farce on Washington". He said he did not know why black people were excited over a demonstration "run by whites in front of a statue of a president who has been dead for a hundred years and who didn't like us when he was alive".
Youth & Sports Day Turkey - May 19
participation Military The Royal Guard performs on the main street of the capital city, Oslo. During the parade, the Guard display their
drill and musical skills. The marching band of the Royal Guard also attend the children's parade in central Oslo together with the schools' own marching bands, their black uniforms and impeccable drill being a very popular part of the Oslo parade. Forsvarets Musikkorps Vestlandet (Norwegian Armed Forces' Music Corps Western Norway), followed by parts of the military defence is participating the parade of Bergen.
An inclusive holiday The former Norwegian president of parliament Jo Benkow noted that the day has increasingly become a celebration
of Norway's growing ethnic diversity. Several factors have probably contributed to the inclusive nature of the celebration: • The central position of the children’s parade, including all lower level school children, and therefore also their parents in the celebration. The celebration is focused around local schools and their children’s parade. • The children’s parade reaches outwards, trying to cover as many roads as possible in the local com• munity. The low focus on elected government during the celebration. In the capital, for example, the children’s • parade passes the left side of the parliament building, and the president of parliament is allowed to wave to the passing parade from a small balcony, but the main focus of the parade is the Royal Castle and the Royal Family. It must also be noted that the office of president of parliament is mainly ceremonial and administrative, often awarded in the later part of a political career. The prime minister and the rest of the ruling government on the other hand have no official duties during the celebrations. The virtual lack of any military-centred celebration. • One can add that the day should be regarded as an expression of thankfulness, on behalf of the old values freedom, equality and brotherhood, the ideological basis for the constitution, and also on behalf of the circumstances that led up to the constitution. The aspect of "thanksgiving" in the national celebrations of Norway is easily forgotten in the long span of years from 1814.
Día das Letras Galegas Spain - M a y 1 7
Galician Literature Day (Galician: Día das Letras Galegas, Spanish: Día de las Letras Gallegas) is a public holiday observed in Galicia, Spain. Introduced by the Royal Galician Academy in 1963 it is a celebration of the Galician language and its literature. This celebration has taken place on May 17 since 1963. In the year 1991 was declared as a public holiday in al lGalicia. The first celebration took place in 1963 to commemorate the centenary of Cantares gallegos, the first work written in the Galician language by Rosalía de Castro (1837– 1885), who later became one of the most important poets in the history of Galicia. Cantares gallegos was first published on May 17, 1863. Since 1963, each Galician Literature Day has been dedicated to a different writer in the Galician language. This writer must be dead, and is chosen by the Real Academia Galega (Royal Galician Academy). There is only one precedent of a "shared" Day: in 1998, the day was dedicated to Martín Codax, Xohán de Cangas and Mendinho, together with the authors of the medieval songs (cantigas).
Battle of Las Peidras Uruguay - M a y 1 8
The Battle of Las Piedras was fought on May 18, 1811 as part of the Uruguayan struggle for independence.
Backgroud
In 1810, the May Revolution had forced the Spanish to abandon Buenos Aires, but they held on to the Banda Oriental (present-day Uruguay), as Spain moved the headquarters of the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata to Montevideo. At the beginning of April 1811, the revolutionary José Gervasio Artigas returned to the Banda Oriental with approximately 180 men provided by the Government of Buenos Aires. On April 11, he issued the Mercedes Proclamation, assuming control of the revolution. The Governor of Montevideo and new Viceroy of Río de la Plata, Francisco Javier de Elío, appointed frigatecaptain José Posadas at the head of the forces loyal to Spain. Posadas installed his headquarters at San Isidro Labrador de Las Piedras near Montevideo, to provoke a decisive battle against the revolutionaries. Meanwhile, José Artigas was camped near Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe with an army of a thousand men. The army of Posadas counted 1230 men, of which some 200 would defect to Artigas in the midst of battle. The battle was fought on May 18 at Las Piedras and resulted in a total victory for the revolutionaries. José Posadas capitulated. It was at this occasion that Artigas pronounced his famous sentence "Curad a los heridos, clemencia para los vencidos" (Cure the injured, mercy to the vanquished), an unusual decision in those times, referring to the Spanish wounded and prisoners. One of the casualties on the revolutionary side was Manuel Artigas, nephew of José Artigas. Both armies fought in the name of King Ferdinand VII of Spain.
Importance of the battle
Some historians consider the victory in the Battle of Las Piedras as crucial for the survival of the revolution in Uruguay and Argentina, after the defeats of General Manuel Belgrano in Paraguay and Paraná. After the battle, the Royalists only remained in control of Colonia del Sacramento and Montevideo, which was finally taken by Carlos María de Alvear on June 20, 1814. The day of the battle, May 18, is now an official holiday in Uruguay.
Flag Day Haiti - M a y 1 8
The flag of Haiti consists of two horizontal bars, blue over red, defaced by a white panel bearing the Haitian coat of arms. The coat of arms depicts a trophy of weapons ready to defend freedom and a royal palm for independence. The palm is topped by the Cap of Liberty. The motto is on a white scroll reading L'Union Fait La Force ("Unity Makes Strength.")
History
During his leadership of the Haitian Revolution, Toussaint Louverture usually portrayed himself as a legitimate agent of a French administration. As such, his forces typically flew the Revolutionary French Tricolore — vertical bands of blue, white, and red. The first purely Haitian flag was adopted on May 18, 1803, on the last day of the Congress of Arcahaie, about fifty miles north of Port-au-Prince. Haitian lore holds that the newly-appointed revolutionary leader Jean-Jacques Dessalines created the flag by taking a French tricolor and ripping out the white center, which he discarded. He then asked Catherine Flon, his god-daughter, to sew the remaining bands together. The white pale removed, the blue was taken to represent Haiti's black citizens and the red the gens de couleur. The story is widely known in Haiti: the anniversary of the date is celebrated as the Haitian Flag Day and images of Catherine Flon have appeared on Haitian currency and stamps. Following his proclamation as Emperor Jacques I, Dessalines promulgated a new constitution on May 20, 1805. In it, the colors of the flag were altered to black and red. This flag being subsequently adopted by Henri Christophe, the republicans under Alexandre Pétion returned to the colors blue and red, subsequently turning them horizontal and adding the newly adopted Haitian coat of arms. During the period of the Haitian Empire of Faustin I, his coat of arms was used on the flag and for official functions, but it was subsequently abandoned upon his removal from office. Between 1964 and 1986, the family dictatorships of François "Papa Doc" and Jean-Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier returned to Dessalines' black and red design. They included the national coat of arms, but altered the flags in its trophy to black as well. Because the coat of arms is only used for national and military flags, whereas the civil flag consists solely of the two unaugmented horizontal bands, it was discovered at the1936 Berlin Summer Olympics that Haiti and Liechtenstein were using the same flag. This led to the addition of a crown to the design of the flag of Liechtenstein.
Museum Day Worldwide - M a y 1 8
International Museum Day (IMD) is a celebration that held every year on or around 18 May, coordinated by the International Council of Museums (ICOM). The event highlights a specific theme that changes every year and that is at the heart of the international museum community’s preoccupations. The International Museum Day provides the opportunity for museum professionals to meet the public and alert them as to the challenges that museums face. Indeed, following the definition of museums provided by ICOM, a museum is a non-profit, permanent institution in the service of society and its development, open to the public, which acquires, conserves, researches, communicates and exhibits the tangible and intangible heritage of humanity and its environment for the purposes of education, study and enjoyment. International Museum Day therefore serves as a platform to raise public awareness on the role museums play in the development of society today, on an international level.
History Each year, all museums in the world are invited to
participate in IMD to promote the role of museums around in the world, creating unique, enjoyable and free activities around a theme discussed within the ICOM community for this special day. Since its creation in 1977, International Museum Day has gained increasing attention. In 2009, International Museum Day attracted the participation of 20,000 museums hosting events in more than 90 countries. In 2010, 98 countries participated in the celebration, with 100 in 2011, and 30,000 museums in 129 countries in 2012. In 2011, the official IMD poster was translated into 37 languages. In 2012, this number jumped by one to 38.
Revival & Unity Day Turkmenistan - M a y 1 8
In Turkmenistan Revival and Unity day on May 18 celebrates Magtymguly’s poetry. In the history of the Turkmenistan people as the bright symbol of the realm of a free and prosperous state that came true. This dream was inspired by Magtymguly’s poems.
History
Turkmenistan adopted the Constitution on this day, and celebrates the attribute of the statehood embodying the values of the Turkmenistan nation.
Celebrations Celebrations include many
expositions arranged at museums, exhibition halls and libraries in the Turkmenistan capital with the assistance of the ministry of culture and TV and radio broadcasting. Turkmen artists open the ceremony and celebrations by performing a huge concert. Part of these expositions celebrates Magtymguly, who with his outstanding poetry projected the concerns and desires or ordinary Turkmenistan people turning them into heroes through his work. Not only was he a great poet but an equally impressive singer, philosopher and humanist which has been depicted through paintings at the expositions. The expositions for revival and unity day are to express the activity of Turkmenistan in the world, and promote the Turkmen leader’s policy of peace that has won Turkmenistan high recognition. Turkmen artists enjoy this opportunity to display their work in the expositions from sculptors, painters, writers, carpet makers, jewellery makers and poems of Magtymgulys are displayed. Timed for Revival and Unity day the president of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdymukhammeda has signed an act of pardon to release 1710 people from jail. This amnesty is applied to those that in the opinion of authorities ‘truly repent’ and are ready to start an honourable life. This is the 2nd Amnesty this year, the first pardon was passed in February to coincide with State Flag Day.
Ho Chi Minh's Birthday Vietnam - May 19
Hồ Chí Minh (Vietnamese pronunciation 19 May 1890 – 2 September 1969), born Nguyễn Sinh Cung and also known as Nguyễn Tất Thành and Nguyễn Ái Quốc, was a Vietnamese Marxist-Leninist revolutionary leader who was prime minister (1945–1955) and president (1945–1969) of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam). He was a key figure in the foundation of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam in 1945, as well as the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) and the Viet Cong (NLF or VC) during the Vietnam War. He led the Việt Minh independence movement from 1941 onward, establishing the communist-governed Democratic Republic of Vietnam in 1945 and defeating the French Union in 1954 at Điện Biên Phủ. He officially stepped down from power in 1955 due to health problems, but remained a highly visible figurehead and inspiration for Vietnamese fighting for his cause – a united, independent Vietnam – until his death. After the war, Saigon, the capital of Republic of Vietnam, was renamed Hồ Chí Minh City in his honor.
Early Life Nguyễn Sinh Cung was born in 1890 in the village of Hoàng Trù, his mother's
hometown. From 1895, he grew up in his father's hometown of Kim Liên, Nam Đàn, Nghệ An Province. He had three siblings: his sister Bạch Liên (or Nguyễn Thị Thanh), a clerk in the French Army; his brother Nguyễn Sinh Khiêm (or Nguyễn Tất Đạt), a geomancer and traditional herbalist; and another brother (Nguyễn Sinh Nhuận) who died in his infancy. As a young child, Nguyễn studied with his father before more formal classes with a scholar named Vuong Thuc Do. Nguyễn quickly mastered Chinese writing, a requisite for any serious study of Confucianism, while honing his colloquial Vietnamese writing. In addition to his studious endeavors, he was fond of adventure, and loved to fly kites and go fishing. Following Confucian tradition, at the age of 10, his father gave him a new name: Nguyễn Tất Thành (“Nguyễn the Accomplished”). Nguyễn’s father, Nguyễn Sinh Sắc, was a Confucian scholar and teacher, and later an imperial magistrate in the small remote district of Binh Khe (Qui Nhơn). He was demoted for abuse of power after an influential local figure died several days after receiving 100 strokes of the cane as punishment for an infraction. In deference to his father, Nguyễn received a French education, attended lycée in Huế, the alma mater of his later disciples, Phạm Văn Đồng and Võ Nguyên Giáp. He later left his studies and chose to teach at Dục Thanh school in Phan Thiết.
19 May the Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day (Turkish: 19 Mayıs Atatürk'ü Anma ve Gençlik ve Spor Bayramı) or simply Youth Day (Gençlik Bayramı), is an annual Turkish national holiday celebrated on May 19 to commemorate Mustafa Kemal's landing at Samsun on May 19, 1919, which is regarded as the beginning of the Turkish War of Independence in the official historiography.
History
Gymnastics Festival:
The first "Gymnastics Festival" (İdman Bayramı) was held at the sport meadow of Kadıköy İttihad Sports (Union Club until 1915) by Erkek Muallim Mektebi (Teachers' College for Boys) with personal enterprise of Selim Sirri Bey (Tarcan), who was the Inspector of the Ministry of Education of the Ottoman Empire at the time. According to some sources, it was held on May 12, 1916, as to Faik Reşit Unat, in May 1916, as to Selim Sırrı Tarcan himself, in April 29, 1916. Selim Sirri Bey had brought a score of the Swedish folk music titled Tre trallande jäntor("Three carolling girls") and collected by Felix Körling. This folk music became "Dağ Başını Duman Almış" marşı with Turkish lyrics written by Ali Ulvi Bey (Elöve) in 1917 and sung in this festival for the first time.
Mustafa Kemal's landing at Samsun:
Fahrî Yâver-i Hazret-i Şehriyâri Mirliva Mustafa Kemal Pasha was assigned as the inspector of the Ninth Army Troops Inspectorate on April 30, 1919 and left Constantinople (Istanbul) with his staffs aboard steamer SS Bandırma for Samsun. After landing at Samsun on May 19, Mustafa Kemal and his staffs left there on May 24 for transferring their headquarters to the village of Karageçmiş in Havza district. According to Hamza Eroğlu, they sang "Dağ Başını Duman Almış" when they were marching from Samsun to Havza, according to Şevket Süreyya Aydemir, they sang this marching song also after leaving Havza to go to Amasya.
Atatürk's later years:
According to İsmet Bozdağ, his best friend Şükrü Kaya, who was the Minister of the Interior at the time, told him that: On May 19, 1936, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk made conversation with his close friends; Şükrü Kaya, Ruşen Eşref Ünaydın, Kılıç Ali, Salih Bozok, Mehmet Seydan, Nuri Conker in the Dolmabahçe Palace. Atatürk asked them "Do you know what today is?" They replied, "the third day of the occupation of Izmir", "Ankara meeting", "Ismet Pasha telegraphed from Lausanne", "Golden Horn Conference", "Turco-British negotiations over Iraq", "Progressive Republican Party was banned" ... even Atatürk's close friends couldn't remember Mustafa Kemal's landing at Samsun. Atatürk said "Let them in hell. So...this is something that, this is the liberation of country. Still they cannot find. Since after all Şükrü Kaya said "Is this day when you left Istanbul?", Atatürk said "You came closer...the day we landed at Samsun." And then Atatürk said "Actually this is the festival that you'll celebrate." Next year, "May 19" was celebrated with Şükrü Kaya's arrangement. Until then, "May 19" wasn't given any special meaning, besides his expression "Gentlemen, I landed at Samsun on the nineteenth day of May of year 1919. This was the general state of affairs:" in Nutuk. With the Law No. 3466 dated June 20, 1938, "May 19" was officialized as the Festival of Youth and Sports. "Dağ Başını Duman Almış" marşı was announced as Gençlik ve Spor Bayramı Marşı (March of the Festival of Youth and Sports, Gençlik Marşı).
Naval Glories Day (Battle of Iquique) Chile - M a y 2 1
The Battle of Iquique (Spanish: Batalla de Iquique or Combate Naval de Iquique) was a confrontation that occurred on May 21, 1879, during the naval stage of the War of the Pacific, a conflict between Chile and Peru and Bolivia. The battle took place off the then-Peruvian port of Iquique. The Peruvian ironclad Huáscar, commanded by Miguel Grau Seminario, sank the Esmeralda, a Chilean wooden corvette captained by Arturo Prat Chacón, after four hours of combat.
Background The Bolivian government had threatened to confiscate and
to sell the Antofagasta Nitrate & Railway Company, a mining enterprise with Chilean and British investors, by a decree on February 1, 1879. In response, the Chilean government sent a small military force which disembarked and seized control of the port of Antofagasta on February 14. This event made Bolivian President Hilarión Daza declare war on Chile, and also forced Peru to honor a secret 1873 treaty with Bolivia. Although Peru tried to negotiate and to stop the imminent conflict, Chile, knowing of this pact, declared war on both Peru and Bolivia on April 5. Another small Chilean force took control of the city of Calama after its victory in the Battle of Topater on March 23. From the beginning of the conflict, both sides clearly knew that control of the sea was the key to obtaining victory. Whichever country controlled the sea could freely transport troops and land them at any strategic point. So, during the first year of the war, Chilean strategy focused on destroying the Peruvian Navy. In order to achieve this goal, the Chilean naval commander, Juan Williams Rebolledo, planned to sail north with his entire fleet, trying to engage the Peruvian Navy at Callao and achieve domination of the sea once and for all. The main ships of the Chilean Navy were sent towards the Peruvian port of Callao. Two old, wooden ships, the corvette Esmeralda and the schooner Covadonga, commanded by Captains Arturo Prat and Carlos Condell respectively, were left blockading the Peruvian port of Iquique.[citation needed] However, as the Chilean Navy steamed north towards Callao, two ironclad ships of the Peruvian Navy steamed south from Callao, unseen. These ships were the monitor Huáscar and the armored frigate Independencia, commanded by Rear Admiral Miguel Grau (then a Captain), the commanding officer of the Peruvian Navy and Captain Juan Guillermo More.
Forces in combat:
The wooden corvette Esmeralda was constructed on 1854 in Henry Pitcher's shipyard, arriving at Valparaíso in 1856. This vessel was named Esmeralda after the frigate of the same name captured by Lord Cochrane at El Callao in 1820. The Esmeralda displaced 854 tons, and was armed with twenty 32-pounder cannon and two 12-pounder cannon. In 1868, this was replaced with twelve 40-pounder rifled cannon and four 40-pounder Whitworth cannon. The Peruvian ironclad Huáscar was built in 1865 in the Laird Brothers' shipyard. The Huáscar displaced 1,180 tons, and was armed with two cannons of 300 lbs., two cannons of 40 lbs, one cannon of 12 lbs and one Gatling machine gun. This ship could reach a speed of 11 knots.
World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development Worldwide - M a y 2 1
The World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development is a United Nations–sanctioned international holiday for the promotion of diversity issues. It is currently held on May 21. The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed this holiday due to UNESCO's Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity in November 2001. It was proclaimed by UN Resolution 57/249. Diversity Day, officially known as "The World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development", is an opportunity to help communities understand the value of cultural diversity and learn how to live together in harmony. It was adopted in the wake of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.
Defence Forces Day Hungary - M a y 2 1
Almost all countries of the world commemorate their defence forces symbolized the sovereignty and self-defence capability of the nation. In the last decades, in Hungary, members of the defence forces were celebrated in several ways. In 1940 a governing order declared 28 June as the Day of Defence. According to this regulation the Day of Defence was “the celebration of armed forces”, the ceremonial display of the military spirit and the internal power of the army in front of the nation. Since the 50’s until 1991, 29 September was the Armed Forces Day and National Defence Day. Since 1992, 21 May is the Day of the Hungarian National Defence, this is the day of battle of Castle Buda in 1849, when the Hungarian Army lead by General Artúr Görgey recaptured the capital from the troops lead by Austrian General Hentzi. (The Battle of Buda (Hungarian: "Buda ostroma”) was a battle at Buda, Kingdom of Hungary during the Hungarian Revolution of 1848-49 . It was part of the Spring Campaign between 4 and 21 May 1849 and ended up with Hungarian victory.) From the memorials we have learned that the successful reoccupation of the Buda Castle was the ’crown’ of the glorious Spring Campaign, and the General Görgey had proven his excellent capabilities, when he managed to turn the poorly equipped Hungarian forces into an army within a short time. This battle was the last step to make clear for the Habsburg Emperor that the Hungarians want to be independent. This victory could symbolize the freedom of the country and would have provided a good discussion basis for the expected peace talks. Remembering for this unprecedented battle and victory, since 1992 we remember the heroes who lined up as soldiers under the tricolor of the nation on 21st May 1849, and faced death bravely, singing the national anthem while attacking the strongholds of the enemy. First and foremost, this day is the day of remembrance, a celebration in honor of the predecessors who had defended their homeland heroically. Nevertheless, it also has to be mentioned that Hungarian soldiers – be it a contracted soldier, a professional serviceman, regardless of the location they are serving at, both within the boundaries of the country, and in an international mission – deserve all our respect.
Contributed by: Attila Szántó
National Unity Day Yemen - M a y 2 2
Yemen holds annual celebration to commemorate the anniversary of the unity of South and North Yemen to form the Republic of Yemen on May 22. The National Unity Day in Yemen is a day where the country’s president talks about the plans laid out to address some of the pressing economic issues the country currently faces.
History
The present day Republic of Yemen is formed by the unification of two Arab states located in the Arab Peninsula: The Yemen Arab Republic (North Yemen) and the People’s Democratic Republic of Yemen (South Yemen). North Yemen was formed after the cessation of existence of the Ottoman Empire; South Yemen, on the other hand, was a previous British colony. The latter gained its independence from its colonial master after a violent struggle for independence in 1967. The plan of a unified Yemen was conceptualized in 1972. Numerous attempts failed in 1979 due to regional conflicts but unity plans eventually came to commence in 1988. The unification led to a joint mineral extraction exploration along the two countries’ undefined border and allows the citizens of both regions to enjoy unrestricted travel access on both lands. Ali Abdullah Saleh (North Yemen) and Ali Salim al-Baidh (South Yemen) spearheaded the unity and approved the unity constitution in 1988 so that in May 22, 1990 a unity government was finally declared.
Celebrations
During the celebration, the president of Republic of Yemen delivers speech and conduct military ceremony that commemorate the unification of the two Arab states in the Arabian Peninsula, Southwest Asia. It is during this national holiday where the president delivers national speech focusing on the government’s effort towards economic development, peace, and the challenges the country faces after the unification in 1990. A formal celebration usually happens in the capital, Sana’a.
Biological Diversity Day Worldwide - May 22
The United Nations proclaimed May 22 The International Day for Biological Diversity (IDB) to increase understanding and awareness of biodiversity issues. When first created by the Second Committee of the UN General Assembly in late 1993, 29 December (the date of entry into force of the Convention of Biological Diversity), was designated The International Day for Biological Diversity. In December 2000, the UN General Assembly adopted 22 May as IDB, to commemorate the adoption of the text of the Convention on 22 May 1992 by the Nairobi Final Act of the Conference for the Adoption of the Agreed Text of the Convention on Biological Diversity. This was partly done because it was difficult for many countries to plan and carry out suitable celebrations for the date of 29 December, given the number of holidays that coincide around that time of year.
Labour Day Jamaica - May 23
Before 1961, May 24 was celebrated in Jamaica as Empire Day in honour of the birthday of Queen Victoria and her emancipation of slaves in Jamaica. As its name suggests, the day was used to celebrate the British Empire, complete with flag-raising ceremonies and the singing of patriotic songs. In 1961, Jamaican Chief Minister Norman Washington Manley proposed the replacement of Empire Day with Labour Day, a celebration in commemoration of May 23, 1938, when Alexander Bustamante led a labour rebellion leading to Jamaican independence. Until May 23, 1971, Jamaican Prime Minister Michael Manley promoted Labour Day as a showcase for the importance of labour to the development of Jamaica, and a day of voluntary community participation to beneficial projects. Since then, Labour Day has been not only a public holiday but also a day of mass community involvement around the country.
World Turtle Day Worldwide - May 23
The purpose of World Turtle Day, May 23, sponsored yearly since 2000 by American Tortoise Rescue, is to bring attention to, and increase knowledge of and respect for, turtles and tortoises, and encourage human action to help them survive and thrive. Turtle Day is celebrated worldwide in a variety of ways, from dressing up as turtles or wearing green summer dresses, to saving turtles caught on highways, to research activities.
Promoting organizations
Founded in 1990, American Tortoise Rescue is the founding sponsor of World Turtle Day. American Tortoise Rescue (ATR) is certified by state and federal agencies as a nonprofit 501(c)(3)corporation to provide for the protection of all species of tortoise and turtle. Foundlings that cannot be adopted because of ill health remain in the care of American Tortoise Rescue for the remainder of their lives. Featured in Chase’s Book of Annual Events Chase's Book of Annual Events, the day was created as an annual observance to help people celebrate and protect turtles and tortoises and their disappearing habitats around the world. Susan Tellem and Marshall Thompson, founders of the rescue American Tortoise Rescue advocate humane treatment of all animals, including reptiles. Since 1990, ATR has placed about 3,000 tortoises and turtles in caring homes. ATR assists law enforcement when undersize or endangered turtles are confiscated and provides helpful information and referrals to persons with sick, neglected or abandoned turtles. World Turtle Day was started to increase respect and knowledge for the world’s oldest creatures. These gentle animals have been around for about 200 million years, yet they are rapidly disappearing as a result of the exotic food industry, habitat destruction and the cruel pet trade. Adults and children can do a few small things that can help to save turtles and tortoises for the next generation. Never buy a turtle or tortoise from a pet shop as it increases demand from the wild. Never remove turtles or tortoises from the wild unless they are sick or injured. If a tortoise is crossing a busy street, pick it up and send it in the same direction it was going – if you try to make it go back, it will turn right around again. Write letters to legislators asking them to keep sensitive habitat preserved or closed to off road vehicles, and to prevent off shore drilling that can lead to more endangered sea turtle deaths. Report cruelty or illegal sales of turtles and tortoises to your local animal control shelter.• Report the sale of any turtle or tortoise of any kind less than four inches. This is illegal everywhere in the U.S. In 2011, Jagex Games Studios hosted a number of events within their MMORPG, RuneScape, to celebrate World Turtle Day.
Atatürk's birthday
Atatürk was born in 1881. But his birth date is not known. In one of his speeches, he declared that he feels his birthday is May 19.
Independence Day East Timor - M a y 2 0
The Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, commonly known as East Timor is a sovereign state in Southeast Asia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor, the nearby islands of Atauro and Jaco, and Oecusse, an exclave on the northwestern side of the island, within Indonesian West Timor. The small country of 15,410 km² (5,400 sq mi) is located about 640 km (400 mi) northwest of Darwin, Australia. East Timor was colonized by Portugal in the 16th century, and was known as Portuguese Timor until Portugal's decolonization of the country. In late 1975, East Timor declared its independence, but later that year was inand occupied by vaded Indonesia and was declared Indonesia's 27th province the following year. In 1999, following the United Nations-sponsored act of self-determination, Indonesia relinquished control of the territory and East Timor became the first new sovereign state of the 21st century on May 20, 2002. East Timor is one of only two predominantly Roman Catholic countries in Asia, the other being the Philippines. East Timor has a lower-middle-income economy. It continues to suffer the aftereffects of a decades-long independence struggle against Indonesia, which damaged infrastructure and displaced thousands of civilians. It is placed 120th by Human Development Index(HDI).
History
It is believed that descendants from at least three waves of migration still live in East Timor. The first were related to the principal Australoid indigenous groups of New Guineaand Australia, and arrived before 40,000 years ago. Around 3000 BC, Austronesians migrated to Timor, and are thought to be associated with the development of agriculture on the island. Thirdly, proto-Malays arrived from south China and north Indochina. Before colonialism Timor was included in Chinese and Indian trading networks, being in the 14th century an exporter of aromatic sandalwood, slaves, honey and wax. Early European explorers report that the island had a number of small chiefdoms or princedoms in the early 16th century. The Portuguese established outposts in Timor and Maluku. Effective European occupation of a small part of the territory began in 1769, when the city of Dili was founded and the colony of Portuguese Timor declared.A definitive border between the Dutch colonised western half of the island and the Portuguese colonised eastern half of the island was established by the Hague Treaty of 1914, and it remains the international boundary between the successor states East Timor and Indonesia. For the Portuguese, East Timor remained little more than a neglected trading post until the late nineteenth century, with minimal investment in infrastructure, health, and education. Sandalwood remained the main export crop with coffee exports becoming significant in the mid-nineteenth century. In places where Portuguese rule was asserted, it tended to be brutal and exploitative. At the beginning of the twentieth century, a faltering home economy prompted the Portuguese to extract greater wealth from its colonies, which was met with Timorese resistance. During World War II, the Japanese occupied Dili, and the mountainous interior became the scene of a guerrilla campaign, known as the Battle of Timor. Waged by Allied forces and Timorese volunteers against the Japanese, the struggle resulted in the deaths of between 40,000 and 70,000 Timorese. Following the end of the war, Portuguese control was reinstated. The decolonisation process instigated by the 1974 Portuguese revolution saw Portugal effectively abandon the colony of East Timor. A civil war between supporters of East Timorese political parties, Fretilin and the UDT, broke out in 1975 as UDT attempted a coup which Fretilin resisted with the help of local Portuguese military. Independence was unilaterally declared on November 28, 1975. The Indonesian government was fearful of an independent communist state within the Indonesian archipelago, and at the height of the Cold War, Western governments were supportive of Indonesia's position. The Indonesian military launched a full-scale invasion of East Timor in December 1975. Indonesia declared East Timor as its 27th province on July 17, 1976. The UN Security Council opposed the invasion and the territory's nominal status in the UN remained "non-self-governing territory under Portuguese administration." Indonesia's occupation of East Timor was marked by violence and brutality. A detailed statistical report prepared for the Commission for Reception, Truth and Reconciliation in East Timor cited a minimum bound of 102,800 conflictrelated deaths in the period 1974–1999, namely, approximately 18,600 killings and 84,200 'excess' deaths from hunger and illness. The East Timorese guerrilla force, Falintil, fought a campaign against the Indonesian forces from 1975–1999. The 1991 Dili Massacre was a turning point for the independence cause internationally, and an East Timor solidarity movement grew in Portugal, Australia, and the United States. Following the resignation of Indonesian President Suharto, a UN-sponsored agreement between Indonesia and Portugal allowed for UN-supervised popular referendum in August 1999. The resulting clear vote for independence was met with a punitive campaign of violenceby Timorese pro-integration militia with the support of elements of the Indonesian military (main article 1999 referendum). An Australian-led international peacekeeping force, INTERFET, was sent (with Indonesian permission) until order was restored. The administration of East Timor was taken over by the UN through the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET) in October 1999. The INTERFET deployment ended in February 2000 with the transfer of military command to the UN. East Timorese independence was formalised on May 20, 2002 with Xanana Gusmão sworn in as the country's first President. East Timor became a member of the UN on September 27, 2002. In June 2006, Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri resigned as Prime Minister, and José Ramos-Horta was appointed as his successor.The following year, Gusmão declined another presidential term and in the build-up to the April 2007 presidential elections there were renewed outbreaks of violence. José Ramos-Horta was elected President in the May 2007 election. Ramos-Horta was critically injured in an attempted assassination in February 2008. Prime Minister Gusmão also faced gunfire separately but escaped unharmed. Australian reinforcements were immediately sent to help keep order. In 2006, the United Nations sent in security forces to restore order when unrest and factional fighting forced 15 percent of the population (155,000 people) to flee their homes. In March 2011, the UN handed-off operational control of the police force to the East Timor authorities, but more than 1,200 UN police officers still patrol on the street. After the 2012 presidential election, the missions are scheduled to end.
PHOTO NEWS
National Day Cameroon - M a y 2 0
The National Day of Cameroon is celebrated every year on 20th May. Cameroon does not have a single date of independence. This day commemorates the ending of the federal government of erstwhile Cameroon and creation of a unitary state by Ahmadou Ahidjo, the first ever President of Cameroon.
History French Cameroun, which was a United Na-
Displaced Sunni people, who fled the violence in the city of Ramadi, arrive at the outskirts of Baghdad, April 17, 2015. REUTERS/Stringer
tions Trust Territory, gained its independence on 1st January 1960. On 1st October 1961 the Southern Cameroons, which were held by the British, became a federated state with Cameroon from a Trusteeship administered by the British. The national government opted to choose 20th May as the National Day in order to mark the abolition of the federal government system and formation of a unitary state by the first President of Cameroon, Ahmadou Ahidjo. In 1972 the Union Nationale Camerounaise, led by Ahmadou Ahidjo, adopted the constitution of the United Republic of Cameroon. The constitution was later amended under Paul Biya's leadership and Cameroon received its present name.
Celebrations On the National Day parades are held with participation by the public officers. Party loyalists also take part in the
festivities, dressed in commemorative clothing and party insignia. Dance troupes and school children also take part in the programs. The students union of Cameroon stage Annual National Week programs. These are basically awareness programs. Several other important events are also held on this day across Cameroon such as socio educative discussions, civilian marches, torch light processions and unity tournaments. The unity tournaments feature cultural activities and sports events that help with national unity. Football, goal ball, volleyball and cross country unity races are held as part of these tournaments. The event is celebrated in an ornate way at the Cameroonian embassies in different countries. The celebrations are attended by diplomatic officers and government officers along with other high profile guests like businessmen. The Embassies also organize programs at schools and other important institutions. Official dinners are held to mark the most important day in Cameroon's history. The dinners feature the best dishes from both Cameroon and the particular country. The cultural splendor of both countries is also highlighted with fashion shows that feature traditional attire. The national anthem of Cameroon is always performed at these events by members of the Cameroonian community in that particular country. Consequently speeches are given by the Cameroonian ambassador emphasizing on the relations Cameroon shares with the country in question.
Robots carry trays of food at a restaurant in Jinhua, Zhejiang province, China, May 17, 2015. The restaurant, which opened on Monday has two robots delivering food for customers. REUTERS/Stringer
Independence Day Montenegro - M a y 2 1
An independence referendum was held in Montenegro on 21 May 2006. It was approved by 55.5% of voters, narrowly passing the 5 5 % threshold. By 23 May, preliminary referendum results were recognized by all five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, indicating widespread international recognition of Montenegro once independence would be formally declared. On 31 May the referendum commission officially confirmed the results of the referendum, verifying that 55.5% of the population of Montenegrin voters had voted in favor of independence. Because voters met the controversial threshold requirement of 55% approval set by the European Union, the referendum was incorporated into a declaration of independence during a special parliamentary session on 31 May. The Assembly of the Republic of Montenegro made a formal Declaration of Independence on Saturday 3 June. In response to the announcement, the government of Serbia declared itself the legal and political successor of Serbia and Montenegro, and that the government and parliament of Serbia itself would soon adopt a new constitution. The European Union, the United States, the People's Republic of China and Russia all expressed their intentions to respect the referendum results.
Activists protest the Shell Oil Company's drilling rig Polar Pioneer which is parked at Terminal 5 at the Port of Seattle, Washington May 16, 2015. Hundreds of activists in kayaks and small boats fanned out on a Seattle bay to protest plans by Royal Dutch Shell to resume oil exploration in the Arctic and keep two of its drilling rigs stored in the city's port. REUTERS/Jason Redmond
National Maritime Day - US May 22
National Maritime Day is a United States holiday created to recognize the maritime industry. It is observed on May 22, the date that the American steamship Savannah set sail from Savannah, Georgia on the first ever transoceanic voyage under steam power. The holiday was created by the United States Congress on May 20, 1933.
Mark Marczyk and Marichka Kudriavtseva participate in the "hora" during their Ukrainian-themed public wedding at Dufferin Grove Park in Toronto, Canada May 17, 2015. The couple had met during the uprising in Kiev's Maidan square in January 2014. Kudriavtseva, from Ukraine, and Marczyk, from Canada, wanted to have a public wedding in a Toronto park and invited the general public over social media to celebrate with them. REUTERS/Mark Blinch