Waffle Day-Sweden 25 March
Mother's Day-Syria-Egypt 21 March
Maryland Day-U.S. 25 March
Independence Day-Greece 25 March
March 25th is Annunciation Day of the Virgin Mary, also known as Våffeldagen or W affle Day in Sweden. Celebrated with family and friends, Swedes gather to eat fluffy heart-shaped waffles with whipped cream and berries. According to Radio Sweden, the holiday also marks the beginning of Spring for the country. This day was in some places more commonly known as "our-lady day", vårfrudagen, as in this dialect was pronounced as våfferdagen, easily related to våffeldagen. The Waffle day is an old tradition with its roots in the agricultural Sweden. The ingredients for waffles were simple, common, and inexpensive; water and some flour, for more luxury waffles eggs were added to the batter. Still not much was needed in order to make a dinner into a feast. Since the day is celebrated in spring time when the hens just start to lay eggs, fresh eggs were available again after a long winter. Ref: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/03/25/waffles-get-their-day_n_179006.html
The modern Mother's Day is celebrated on various days in many parts of the world, most commonly in March, April, or May as a day to honor mothers and motherhood. Mother's Day in most of Arab countries is celebrated on March 21. It was introduced in Egypt by Mostafa Amin in his daily column Fikrah ("idea"). The first celebration was held in Egypt in 1956, and it has since been copied by the other Arab countries.
Maryland Day is a legal holiday in the U.S. state of Maryland. It is observed on the anniversary of the March 25, 1634, landing of settlers in the Province of Maryland. On this day settlers from The Ark and The Dove first stepped foot onto Maryland soil, at St. Clement's Island in the Potomac River. The colony was granted toCæcilius Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltim ore tw o years prior by Charles I of England. In thanks giving for the s afe landing, Jesuit Father Andrew W hite celebrated mass for the colonists, perhaps for the first time ever in this part of the w orld. The landing c oincided with the Feast of the Annunciation, a holy day honoring Mary, and the start of the new year in England's legal calendar (prior to 1752). The holiday began in 1903, the date chosen by the state board of education to honor Maryland history. In 1916, the legislature authorized Maryland Day as a legal holiday (Chapter 633, Acts of 1916). Ref: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maryland_Day
The Greek War of Independence, also known as the Greek Revolution was a successful war of independence waged by the Greek revolutionaries between 1821 and 1830, with later assistance from several European powers, against the Ottoman Empire, who were assisted by their vassals, the Eyalet of Egypt and partly the Vilayet of Tunisia. Following the fall of the Byzantine Empire to the Ottoman Empire, most of Greece came under Ottoman rule. During this time, there we re fre que nt re vo lts by Gree ks at t empti ng to ga i n independence. In 1814, a secret organization called the Filiki Eteria was founded with the aim of liberating Greece. The Filiki Eteria planned to launch revolts in the Peloponnese, the Danubian Principalities and Constantinople. The first of these revolts began o n 6 March 1821 in the Danubia n Principalities, but it was soon put down by the Ottomans. The e v e nt s i n t he no rt h urge d t he Gre e ks i n t he Peloponnese in action and on 17 March 1821 the Maniots declared war on the Ottomans. By the end of the month, the Peloponnese was in open revolt against the Turks and by October 1821 the Greeks under Theodoros Kolokotronis had captured Tripolitsa. The Peloponnesian revolt was quickly followed by revolts in Crete, Macedonia and Central Greece, which would soon be suppressed. Meanwhile, the makeshift Greek navy was achieving success against the Ottoman na v y i n t he Ae ge a n Se a a nd pre v e nt e d Ot t o ma n re info rce me nt s f ro m arri v ing by s ea . Te nsi ons so o n developed among different Greek factions, leading to two consecutive civil wars. Meanwhile, the Ottoman Sultan negotiated with Mehmet Ali of Egypt, who agreed to send his sonIbrahim Pasha to Greece with an army to suppress the revolt in return for territorial gain. Ibrahim landed in the Peloponnese in February 1825 and had immediate success: by the end of 1825, most of the Peloponnese was under Egyptian control, and the city of Messolonghi-put under siege by t he Turks since April 18 25-fe ll in Apri l 1826. Although Ibrahim was defeated in Mani, he had succeeded in suppressing most of the revolt in the Peloponnese and Athens had been retaken. Following years of negotiation, three Great Powers , Russ ia, the Unite d Kingdom and France, decided to intervene in the conflict and each nation sent a navy to Greece. Follo wing news that combined Ottoman-Egyptian fleets were going to attack the Greek i s l a n d o f Hy dr a , t he a l li e d f le e t i n t e rc e p t e d t h e Ottoman-Egyptian fleet at Navarino. Following a week long standoff, a battle began which resulted in the destruction of the Ottoman-Egypti an fleet. W ith the help of a Frenc h expeditionary force, the Greeks drove the Turks out of the Peloponnese and proceeded to the captured part of Central Greece by 1828. As a result of years of negotiation, Greece was finally recognized as an independent nation in May 1832. The Revolution is celebrated on 25 March by the modern Greek state, which is a national day.
Día de Nacimiento de Benito Ju rez (Birthday of Benito Jurez)-Mexico 21-March Benito Juárez (Spanish pronunciation: (March 21, 1806 - July 18, 1872) born Benito Pablo Juárez García, was a Mexican lawyer and politician of Zapotec origin from Oaxaca who served five terms as president of Mexico: 1858-1861 as interim, 1861-1865, 1865-1867, 1867-1871 and 1871-1872. Benito Juárez was the first Mexican leader who did not have a military background, and also the first full-blooded indigenous national ever to serve as President of Mexico and to lead a country in the Western Hemisphere. He resisted the French occupation, overthrew the Empire, restored the Republic, and used liberal efforts to modernize the country.
Early life Juárez was born in the village of San Pablo Guelatao, Oaxaca on March 21, 1806, located in the mountain range now known as the "Sierra Juárez". His parents, Marcelino Juárez and Brígida García, were peasants who both died when he was three years old. Shortly after, his grandparents died as well, and his uncle then raised him. He described his parents as "indios de la raza primitiva del país," that is, "Indians of the original race of the country." He worked in the corn fields and as a shepherd until the age of 12, when he walked to the city of Oaxaca to attend school. At the time, he was illiterate and could not speak Spanish, only Zapotec. In the city, where his sister worked as a cook, he took a job as a domestic servant for Antonio Maza. A lay Franciscan, Antonio Salanueva, was impressed with young Benito's intelligence and thirst for learning, and arranged for his placement at the city's seminary. He studied there but decided to pursue law rather than the priesthood. He graduated from the seminary in 1827 and went on to gain a degree in law. In 1843 Benito married Margarita Maza.
Legacy Today Benito Juárez is remembered as being a progressive reformer dedicated to democracy, equal rights for his nation's indigenous peoples, lessening the great power that the Roman Catholic Church then held over Mexican politics, and the defence of national sovereignty. The period of his leadership is known in Mexican history as La Reforma (the reform), and constituted a liberal political and social revolution with major institutional consequences: the expropriation of church lands, bringing the army under civilian control, liquidation of peasant communal land holdings, the separation of church and state in public affairs, and also led to the almost-complete disenfranchisement of bishops, priests, nuns and lay brothers. La Reforma represented the triumph of Mexico's liberal, federalis t, anti-c lerical, and pro-capitalist forces over the c onservative, centralist, corporatist, and theocratic elements that sought to reconstitute a locally-run version of the old colonial system. It replaced a semi-feudal social system with a more market-driven one, but following Juárez's death, the lack of adequate democratic and institutional stability s oon led to a return to centralized autocracy and economic exploitation under the regime of Porfirio Díaz. The Porfiriato (Porfirist era), in turn, collapsed at the beginning of the Mexican Revolution. March 21 is a day set to commemorate Juárez. This date has bec ome a national holiday in Mexico, which has continued to grow in acceptance within Mexican culture.
People and Places named after Juárez 1- A great number of cities, towns, streets, institutions, and other things are named after Benito Juárez, including the former El Paso del Norte, now called Ciudad Juárez; see Juárez for a partial list. 2- Mexico City International Airport was formally named Benito Juárez in 2006. 3- The Italian dictator Benito Mussolini was named after Juárez. 4- Benito Juárez Marg is a major road in South Delhi near Dhaula Kuan. The famous Sri Venkateswara College is located on this road. Ref: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benito_Ju%C3%A1rez
Human Rights Day-South Africa's 21 March On this day in 1960 the police killed 69 people at Sharpeville w ho were participating in a protest against the pass laws. Many were shot in the back. The carnage made world headlines. Four days later the government banned black political organizations, many leaders were arrested or went into exile. During the Apartheid era there were human rights abuses by all sides; Human Rights Day is but one step to ensure that the people of South Africa are aware of their human rights and to ensure that such abuses never again occur.
Independence Day-Namibia 21 March By February 9, 1990, the Constituent Assembly had drafted and adopted a constitution. Independence Day on March 21, 1990, was attended by numerous int ern at ion al r ep res en tat ives , inc lu din g th e m a in p la yer s , t he U N Secretary-General Javier Pérez de Cuéllar and President of South Africa F W de Klerk, who jointly conferred formal independence on Namibia. Sam Nujoma was sworn in as the first President of Namibia watched by Nelson Mandela (who had been released from prison shortly beforehand) and representatives from 147 countries, including 20 heads of state. On March 1, 1994, the coastal enclave of Walvis Bay and 12 offshore islands were transferred to Namibia by South Africa. This followed three years of bilateral negotiations between the two governments and the establishment of a transitional Joint Administrative Authority (JAA) in November 1992 to administer the 780 km² (300 square mile) territory. The peaceful resolution of this territorial dispute was praised by the international community, as it fulfilled the provisions of the UNSCR 432 (1978), w h i c h d e c l a r e d W a l vi s B a y t o b e an i n t e g r a l p a r t o f N a m i b i a .
Ref: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Namibia#Independence
Elimination of Racial Discrimination-International 21 March The International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination is observed annually on 21 March. On that day, in 1960, police opened fire and killed 69 people at a peaceful demonstration in Sharpeville, South Africa, against the apartheid "pass laws". Proclaiming the Day in 1966, the General Assembly called on the international community to redouble its efforts to eliminate all forms of racial discrimination (resolution 2142 (XXI)). Since then, the apartheid system in South Africa has been dismantled. Racist laws and practices have been abolis hed in m any c ountries, and we have built an international framework for fighting racism, guided by the International Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. The Convention is now nearing universal ratification, yet still, in all regions, too many individuals, c ommunities and societies suffer from the injustice and stigma that racism brings. The first article of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights affirms that "all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights". The International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination reminds us of our collective responsibility for promoting and protecting this ideal. Re f: h tt p: // w w w . un .o rg /e n/ even ts /r ac ia ld is cr im in at io nd ay/
World Down Syndrome Day 21 March World Down Syndrome Day (W DSD), is on 21 March. On this day, Down syndrome organizations throughout the world organize and participate in events to rais e public awareness of Down syndrome. Down syndrome w as first determ ined a c hromos omal disorder in 1959 by French pediatrician and geneticist, Jérôme Lejeune. Down syndrome is a very real and important subject because people with Down syndrome are constantly affecting peoples lives in many mays. One in every 733 babies is born with Down syndrome. In the United states, alone, there are more than 400,000 people living with Down syndrome. The date was selected by Down Syndrome International (DSI) to signify the uniqueness of Down syndrome in the triplication (trisomy) of the 21st chromosome and is used synonymously with Down syndrome. The original idea was propos ed by Stylianos E. Antonarak is , a m edical genetic is t of the University of Geneva Medical School, and enthusiastically adopted by ART21, a patient group for the Lemanic region of Switzerland. The first events were organized on 21 March 2006 in Geneva. The inaugural WDSD was launched on 21 March 2006 in Singapore, with events organized by the Down Syndrome Association. Ref: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Down_Syndrome_Day
Emancipation Day-Puerto Rico 22 March Emanc ipation Day is celebrated in m any form er British c olonies i n the Caribbean and areas of the United States on various dates in observation of the emancipation of slaves of African origin. It is also observed in other areas in regard to the abolition of serfdom or other forms of servitude.
Caribbean The Slavery Abolition Act 1833 ended slavery in the British Empire on August 1, 1834. Emancipation Day is widely observed in the British West Indies during the first week of August. In many Caribbean countries the Emancipation Day celebration is a part of Carnival, as the Caribbean Carnival takes place at this time. ..Carnaval in Trinidad and Tobago takes place in Feb. or March according to Ash Wednesday, not near August.
Puerto Rico The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico celebrates Emancipation Day, an official holiday, on March 22. Ref: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emancipation_Day
Commercialization Nine years after the first official Mother's Day, commercialization of the U.S. holiday became so rampant that Anna Jarvis herself became a major opponent of w hat the holiday had become and spent all her inheritance and the rest of her life fighting what she saw as an abuse of the celebration. Later commercial and other exploitations of the use of Mother's Day infuriated Anna and she made her criticisms explicitly known throughout her time. She criticized the practice of purchasing greeting cards, which she saw as a sign of being too lazy to write a personal letter. She was arrested in 1948 for disturbing the peace while protesting against the commercialization of Mother's Day, and she finally said that she "wished she would have never started the day because it became so out of control.
Arab League Day 22 March Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Yemen celebrate the founding of the Arab League every year on 22nd March. The Arab League or (League of Arab States) was founded on 22 March 1945 to "co-ordinate economic affairs, including commercial relations; communications; cultural affairs; nationality, passports, and visas; social affairs; and health affairs." Member states (which include Morocco) are not permitted to resort to force against each other. The idea of a league of arab natiions was originally conceived and promoted by Britain in 1942, in an attempt to make them allies in the war against Germany. During September and October 1944, official representatives from Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, North Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Transjordan and Palestine met in Alexandria, Egypt, and agreed to form the League of Arab States, which was founded on 22nd March 1945. Its main goals were defined as: "to serve the common good of all Arab countries, ensure better conditions for all Arab countries, guarantee the future of all Arab countries and fulfil the hopes and expectations of all Arab countries". The founder nations were Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Syria and Yemen. Since then they have been joined by Algeria, Bahrain, Comoros, Djibouti, Kuwait, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Somalia, Sudan, Tunisia and the United Arab Emirates. Eritrea is an "observer" at Arab League meetings. The League has been involved in restructuring the school curriculum in schools in Arab countries, preserving Arabic manuscripts, as well as translations of foreign works into Arabic. It has helped to fight crime, such as drug trafficking, worked on improving the work situation of labourers and the social situation of women, and promoted the welfare of children. It has also been instrumental in creating an Arab postal union and a union for wireless communication and telecommunication and has been active in settling some disputes between Arab states. Since 1950 the League has had a joint defence program. All Arab League members are also members of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference. Ref: http://www.whichday.com/articles/index.php?article=463
Republic Day-Pakistan 23 March History Pakistan had obtained its independence from the British Raj the 14th of August 1947. 23 March was originally supposed to commemorate the adoption of the first constitution of Pakistan and thus the declaration of Pakistan as a republic. Later on when General Ayub Khan abrogated the constitution and declared Martial Law. The Martial Law regime, in order to justify celebrating the national day, changed it to commemorate the 1940 landmark, during which All-India Muslim League passed the Lahore Resolution which later cemented the formation of a new nation in the sub-continent as Pakistan, even though it did not mention Pakistan at all. The Lahore Resolution was passed on 23 March 1940, although the Muslim League annual conference was held from 22 - 24 March 1940.
Celebrations The celebrations regarding the holiday include a full military and civilian parade in the capital, Islamabad. These are presided by the President of Pakistan and are held early in the morning. After the parade, the President confers national awards and medals on the awardees at the Presidency. Wreaths are also laid at the ma u s o l e o u ms of M uh amma d Iq b al a nd M uh ammad A li Jin na h .
World Meteorological 23 March Each year, on 23 March, the World Meteorological Organization, its 189 Members and the worldwide meteorological community celebrate World Meteorological Day around a chosen theme. This day commemorates the entry into force, on that date in 1950, of the WMO Convention creating the Organization. Subsequently, in 1951, WMO was designated a specialized agency of the United Nations System. This year, the theme is "Climate for you". Ref: http://www.wmo.int/worldmetday/
Commemoration Day of victims of the Communist Terror - Latvia 25 March On this day in 1949 (see also June 14), the Soviet occupation regime deported over 43 000 people from Latvia to Siberia. They were mainly prosperous peasants, intellectuals and others that Moscow viewed as hostile to communism and Soviet rule in Latvia. In the coming years the homes and farms of these deported Latvians were taken over by Soviet citizens brought in from other Soviet republics and collectivized. Ref: http://www.li.lv/index.php?Itemid=420&id=18&option=com_content&task=view
Anniversary of the Arengo - San Marino 25 March San Marino, a landlocked country inside Italy in Europe, celebrates the Anniversary of the Arengo yearly on the 25th of March. The holiday commemorates the birth of San Marino's parliament duly elected by the people in the year 1906.
Lady Day-U.K. 25 March In the Christian calendar, Lady Day is the traditional name of the Feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin (25 March) and the first of the four traditional Irish and English quarter days. The "Lady" was the Virgin Mary. The term derives from Middle English, when some nouns lost their genitive inflections. "Lady" would later gain an-s genitive ending, and therefore the name means "Lady's day."
Non-religious significance In England, Lady Day was New Year's Day up to 1752 when, following the m ove from the Julian Calendar to the Gregorian Calendar, 1 January became the start of the year. A vestige of this remains in the United Kingdom's tax year, which starts on 6 April, i.e. Lady Day adjusted for the lost days of the calendar change (until this change Lady Day had been used as the start of the legal year). (The liturgical and calendar years should be distinguished. It appears that in England and Wales, from at least the late 14th Century, New Year's Day was celebrated on 1 January as part of Yule.) As a year-end and quarter day that conveniently did not fall within or between the seasons for ploughing and harvesting, Lady Day was a traditional day on whic h year-long contracts between landowners and tenant farmers would begin and end in England and nearby lands (although there were regional variations). Farmers' time of "entry" into new farms and onto new fields was often this day. As a result, farming families who were changing farms would travel from the old farm to the new one on Lady Day. After the calendar change, "Old Lady Day" (6 April), the former date of the Annunc iation, largely assumed this role. The date is significant in some of the works of Thomas Hardy, e.g., Tess of the D'Urbervilles and Far From the Madding Crowd. The logic of using Lady Day as the start of the year is that it roughly coincides w ith Equinox (when the length of day and night is equal); many ancient cultures still use this time as the start of the new year, for example, the Iranian new year. In some traditions it also reckons years A.D. from the moment of theAnnunciation, which is considered to take place at the moment of the conception of Jesus at the Annunciation rather than at the moment of his birth at Christmas. In Sweden, tradition holds that on March 25, one eats waffles. In Swedish, 'Our Lady' translates to 'Vår Fru'. This has later been contracted into 'Vårfru', and then, through language drift, into 'våffel', the Swedish word for waffle. Ref: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lady_Day
Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalaniana`ole Day (Hawaii)-U.S. 26 March Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalaniana'ole Pi'ikoi (1871-1922) was a prince of the reigning House of Kal?kaua when the Kingdom of Hawai?i was overthrown by international businessmen in 1893. He later went on to become a politician in the Territory of Hawaii as delegate to the United States Congress, and as such is the first native Hawaiian and only person ever elected to that body who was born a royal.
Early life
Greeks under Ottoman rule
Kalaniana'ole was born March 26, 1871 in Koloa on the island of Kaua'i. Like many ali'i (Hawaiian nobility) his genealogy was complex, but he was an heir of Kaumuali'i, the last ruling chief of Kaua'i. His was named after his grandfather Kuhio Kalaniana'ole a High Chief of Hilo, and his paternal grandfather Jonah Pi'ikoi High Chief of Kaua'i. Like many Hawaiian nobles in the nineteenth-century he attended the exclusive private Royal School and Punahou School in Honolulu on the island ofO'ahu. In the 1870s, a French school teacher at St. Alban's College, now 'Iola ni Sc ho ol , c om m en te d on ho w you ng J ona h Ku hio Kalaniana'ole's eyes twinkled merrily and how he kept a perpetual smile. "He is so cute, just like the pictures of the little cupid," teacher Pierre Jones said. The nickname, "Prince Cupid," stuck with Prince Kuhio for the rest of his life. After completing his basic education he also traveled abroad for further study. He studied for four years at Saint Matthew's School, a private Episcopal military school in San Mateo, California, and at the Royal Agricultural College in England before graduating from a business school in England. He was described as being an excellent marksman and athlete at sports such as football and bicycling.
Prince of the Kalakaua Dynasty After the rule of the House of Kamehameha ended with the death of King Kamehameha V in 1872, and King Liholiho died in 1874, the House of Kal?kauaascended to the throne of the Kingdom of Hawai'i. He became an orphan after his father died in 1880 and mother in 1884. Kalaniana'ole was adopted by King David Kal?kaua's wife, Queen Kapi'olani, who was his maternal aunt. This practice was called h?nai, a traditional form of adoption widely used in ancient Hawaiiwhich made Kalaniana'ole a royal princ e. W hen Kal?k aua c am e to power Kalaniana'ole was appointed to the royal Cabinet administering the Department of the Interior. After Kal?kaua's death in 1891, Lili'uokalani became queen, and she continued to favour Kalaniana'ole. However, in 1893 the overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii put in power first a Provisional Government of Hawaii, and then a republic with no role for monarchs. Lili'uokalani continued to hope she could be restored to the throne, while American businessmen lobbied for annexation.
HISTORY
Post-Overthrow Activities
San Marino with its small size and backed up by poor economic programs back in the end of the 19th and the early 20th century led the country to extreme deplorable economic conditions. The country suffered mostly from competition with its neighboring countries and cities outside its borders such as Italy. The effect of stern economic competition resulted to extreme unemployment among the citizens of San Marino and its eventual diaspora. The largest migration of families happened at the end of the 19th century where families chose to migrate to the US, Urugay, and Argentina (Americas), and other nearby countries such as Greece, Germany and Austria. However, the huge and detrimental human emigration from San Marino slowed down in the 1970s. Today, more than 15,000 Sammarinese spread across the globe. One of the most significant events in the political and social structure of San Marino took place on March 25, 1906; it is when the Arengo, the original rulers of San Marino which dates back from the 13th century were summoned and reunited in San Marino. The return of the Arengos was soon followed by the birth of a new parliament that changed country's political landscape forever. The election that took place on June 10, 1906 was the first political elections ever took place in San Marino since the Arengos ruled the land.
In 1895, at the age of twenty four, he participated in a rebellion against the Republic of Hawai'i. The rebels proved no match for the Republic troops and police, and shortly after hostilities began, all those involved in the rebellion were routed and captured. Kuhio was sentenced to a year in prison while others were charged with treason and sentenced with execution. Death sentences were commuted to imprisonment. Kuhio served his full term. Daily visits of his fiancee, Elizabeth Kahanu Ka'auwai encouraged him in his most dark times. They married October 8, 1896. In 1898, the United States of America annexed Hawaii and the Territory of Hawaii was formed. After her own heir apparent, Princess Victoria Ka'iulani, died at the age of 23 in 1899, Lili'uokalani made Kalaniana'ole and his brother Prince David Kaw?nanakoa (1868-1908) heirs to the throne. His other older brother Prince Edward Keli'iahonui Kaw?nanakoa had died in 1887. Kuhio and his wife left Hawai'i upon his release and traveled widely in Europe, where they were treated as visiting royalty. He traveled to Africa from 1899 to 1902 where he joined the British Army to fight in the Second Boer War.
TRADITIONS, CUSTOMS AND ACTIVITIES During the holidays, major cities and towns in San Marino holds military parade. This date is also very important among the corps because this is the same day when review is done among its members (Feast of the Militias day). The government also holds a ceremonial hoisting of flag followed by speeches from the Captains Regent, the heads of state. Since this is one of San Marino's national holiday, the employed take this time as a time-off from regular work duties and spent resting inside the house or visiting local tourist's attractions with their families. Ref: http://aglobalworld.com/holidays-around-the-world/san-marinos-arengo/
World Day for Water 22 March World Water Day is observed on March 22 since 1993 when the United Nations General Assembly declared March 22 as World Day for Water. This day was first formally proposed in Agenda 21 of the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Observance began in 1993 and has grown significantly ever since. The UN and its m ember nations devote this day to im plementing UN recommendations and promoting concrete activities within their countries regarding the world's water resources. Each year, one of various UN agencies involved in water issues takes the lead in promoting and coordinating international activities for World Water Day. Since its inception in 2003, UN-W ater has been res ponsible for s electing the theme, messages and lead UN agency for the World Day for Water. In addition to the UN member states, a number of NGOs promoting clean water and sustainable aquatic habitats have used World Day for Water as a time to focus public attention on the critical water issues of our era. Every three years since 1997, for instance, the World Water Council has drawn thousands to participate in its World Water Forum during the week of World Day for Water. Participating agencies and NGOs have highlighted issues such as a billion people being without access to safe water for drinking and the role of gender in family access to safe water. In 2003, 2006 and 2009, the UN World Water Development Report was launched on the occasion of the World Water Day. The fourth Report is expected to be released around March 22, 2012.
World Day for Water, Previous Years 2010: Clean Water for a Healthy World 2009: Transboundary Waters 2007: Coping With Water Scarcity 2006: Water and Culture 2005: Water for Life 2005-2015 2004: Water and Disasters 2003: Water for Future 2002: Water for Development 2001: Water for Health 2000: Water for the 21st Century 1999: Everyone Lives Downstream 1998: Groundwater - The Invisible Resource 1997: The World's Water: Is there enough? 1996: Water for Thirsty Cities 1995: Women and Water 1994: Caring for our Water Resources is Everybody's Business Ref: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Water_Day
Background The Fall of Constantinople in 1453 and the subsequent fall of the successor states of the Byzantine Empire marked the end of Byzant ine sovereignt y. After that , the Ot toman Empire ruled the Balkans and Anatolia, although there were some exceptions. Orthodox Christians were granted some political rights under Ottoman rule, but they were considered inferior subjects. The majority of Greeks were called rayas by the Turks, a name that referred to the large mass of non-Muslim subjects in the Ottoman ruling class. Meanwhile, Greek intellectuals and humanists, who had migrated west before or during the Ottoman invasions, such as Demetrius Chalcocondyles and Leonardos Philaras, began to call for the liberation of their homeland. However, Greece was to remain under Ottoman rule for several more centuries. In the 18th and 19th century, as revolutionary nationalism grew across Europe-including the Balkans (due, in large part, to the inf luence o f the French Rev olut ion)-the Ot to man Empire's power declined and Greek nationalism began to assert itself, with the Greek cause beginning to draw support not only from the large Greek merchant diaspora in both W e st e rn Euro pe and Rus s ia but als o fro m W e s te rn Euro pe a n Phi lhe lle n e s . Th i s Gre e k mo v e me nt f o r independence was not only the first movement of national character in Eastern Europe, but also the first one in a non-Christian environment, like the Ottoman Empire.
From prince to American statesman Kuhio eventually returned from his self-imposed exile to take part in politics in post-annexation Hawai'i. He became active in the Home Rule Party of Hawaii, which represented native Hawaiians and continued to fight for Hawaiian independence. A much smaller Democratic party, led by his brother David Kaw?nanakoa, was less radical and also less powerful. The Republicans represented business interests including people who had originally overthrown the Monarchy. In 1901 Kuhio switched parties and joined the Republicans. He was disillusioned with the lack of progress made by the Home Rule Party, and its control by "radicals". The Republicans eagerly accepted him into the fold. By endorsing the heir to the throne of the Hawaiian kingdom they gained significant support in local communities, and Kuhio was given a strong leadership position. Kuhio was elected delegate to the U.S. Congress in a lands lide victory for the Republicans , and helped es tablis h a Republican hold on the legislature. He served from March 4, 1903 until his death, wining a total of ten elections. During this time he instituted local government at the county level, creating the county system still used today in Hawai'i. He staffed the civil service positions that resulted with Hawaiian appointees. This move combined the political patronage system of nineteenth century American politics with the traditional Hawaiian chiefly role of benificiently delegating authority to trusted retainers In 1903, Kuhio reorganized the Royal Order of Kamehameha I, which held the first observance of the Kamehameha Dayholiday in 1904. He was a founder of the first Hawaiian Civic Club on December 7, 1918. He helped organize a centenary celebration of the death of Kamehameha I in 1919. In 1919 Kuhio introduced in Congress the first-ever Hawaii Statehood Act. It would be another 40 years before seeing fruition. During this period the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act of 1921 was signed by President W arren Harding. Despite Kuhio's wishes, the Act contained high blood-quantum requirements, and leased land instead of granting it fee-simple, creating a perpetual government institution. This act and the others that followed continue to be controversial in contemporary Hawaiian politics, and have been used to justify more recent legislation like the Akaka Bill. He served on the first Hawaiian Homes Commission starting on September 16, 1921. Kuhio died on January 7, 1922. His body was interred near his royal family at the Royal Mausoleum known as Mauna 'Ala in Nu'uanu on the island of O'ahu. He is memorialized by streets, beaches, the Prince Kuhio Plaza Shopping Center, and the Prince Kuhio Federal Building named in his honor. Prince Kuhio Day on March 26 is a state holiday that honors Kuhio's birth. Ref: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonah_K%C5%ABhi%C5%8D_Kalaniana%CA%BBole
The Greek Revolution was not an isolated event; numerous failed atte mpts a t regai ning independe nce too k plac e throughout the history of the Ottoman era. Throughout the 17th century there was great resistance to the Ottomans in the Morea and elsewhere, as evidenced by revolts led by Di o ny s i us t he Phi lo s o phe r. Af t e r t he Mo re a n W a r, Peloponnese came under Venetian rule for 30 years, and remained in turmoil from then on and throughout the 17th century, as the bands of the klephts multiplied. The first great uprising was the Russian-sponsored Orlov Revolt of the 1770s, which was crushed by the Ottomans after having limited success. After the crushing of the uprising, Muslim Albani ans ravaged many regio ns in mainland Greece. However, the Maniots continually resisted Ottoman rule, and defeated several Ottoman incursions into their region, the most famous of which was the invasion of 1770. During the Second Russo-Turkish War, the Greek community of Trieste financed a small fleet under Lambros Katsonis, which was a nuisance for the Ottoman navy; during the war klephts and armatoloi rose once again. At the same time, a number of Greeks enjoyed a privileged position in the Ottoman state as members of the Ottoman bureaucracy. Greeks controlled the affairs of the Orthodox Church through the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, as the higher clergy of the Orthodox Church was mostly of Greek origin. Thus, as a result of the Ottoman millet system, the predominantly Greek hierarchy of the Pat riarc hate enjo yed cont rol over the Empire's Orthodox subjects (the Rum milleti). The Greek Orthodox Church played a pivotal role in the preservation of national identity, the development of Greek society and the resurgence of Greek nationalism. From the 18th century and onwa rds , me mbe rs o f pro mi ne nt Gre e k f a mi lie s i n Constantinople, known as Phanariotes (after the Phanar district of the city) gained considerable control over Ottoman foreign policy and eventually over the bureaucracy as a whole. Due to economic developments taking place both within and outside the Ottoman empire, the 18th century witnessed the ascence of two merchant groups to prosperity: Albanian sailors of several Aegean islands, like Hydra and Andros, became affluent maritime merchants and Rumeli muleteers of Slav, Greek and predominantly Vlach origins turned f ro m mule te e rs and pe ddlers t o inde pende nt merchants and bankers after the treaty of Passarowitz. As commerce expanded in the Balkans, Greek became the a re a 's 'li ngu a f ra n c a ' a nd c o nt i ne n t a l me r c ha nt s homogenized through a process of assimilation to the Greek 'high culture' by the end of the century. They generated the wealth necessary to found schools, libraries and pay for young Gre eks to s tudy a t the unive rsi ties o f W es tern Europe. It was there that they came into contact with the radical ideas of the European Enlightenment, the French Re vo lut io n and ro ma nt i c nat i onali sm. Educ at e d a nd influential members of the large Greek diaspora, such as Adamantios Korais and Anthimos Gazis, tried to transmit these ideas back to the Greeks, with the double aim of ra i s i ng t he i r e duc a t i o na l le v e l a nd s i mult a ne o us ly strengthening their national identity. This was achieved through the dissemination of books, pamphlets and other writings in Greek, in a process that has been described as the modern Greek Enlightenment. The most influential of the Greek writers and intellectuals was Rigas Feraios. Deeply influenced by the French Revolution, Rigas was the first who co nc e iv e d a nd organi ze d a co mpre he nsi v e nat i onal mo v e me nt a i mi ng a t t h e li b e r a t i o n o f a l l Ba l ka n nations-including the Turks of the region-and the creation of a "Balkan Republic". Arrested by Austrian officials in Trieste in 179 7, he was handed over to Ottoman officia ls and transported to Belgrade along with his co-conspirators. All of them were strangled to death and their bodies were dumped in the Danube, in June 1798. Rigas' death ultimately fanned the flames of Greek nationalism; his nationalist poem, the Thourios (wa r-so ng), wa s translate d into a number of Western European and later Balkan languages and served as a rallying cry for Greeks against Ottoman rule: For how long, o brave young men, shall we live in fastnesses, Alone, like lions, on the ridges in the mountains? Shall we dwell in caves, looking out on branches, Fleeing from the world on account of bitter serfdom? Abandoning brothers, sisters, parents, homeland Friends, children, and all of our kin? Better one hour of free life, Than forty years of slavery and prison.
Klephts and armatoloi
In times of militarily weak central authority, the Balkan countryside became infested by groups of bandits that struck at Muslims and Christians alike, called "klephts" in Greece, the equivalent of the hajduks. Defying Ottoman rule, the klephts were highly admired and held a significant place in popular lore. Responding to the klep hts' attacks, the Ottomans recruited the ablest amongst these groups, contr acti ng Chr istia n mili tias , known a s "armatol oi" to s ecure endangered areas, especially mountain passes. The area under their control was called an "armatolik", the oldest known being established in Agrafa during the reign of Murad II (r. 1421-1451). The distinction between klephts and armatoloi was not clear, as the latter would often turn into klephts to extort more benefits from the authorities, while, conversely, another klepht group would be appointed to the armatolik to confront their predecessors. Nevertheless, klephts and armatoloi formed a provincial elite, though not a social class, whose members would muster under a common goal. As the armatoloi's position gradually turned into a hereditary one, some captains took care of theirarmatolik as their personal property. A great deal of power was placed in their hands and they integrated in the network of clientelist relationships that formed the Ottoman administration. Some managed to establish exclusive control in theirarmatolik, forcing the Porte to try repeatedly, though unsuccessfully, to eliminate them. By the time of the War of Independence powerful armatoloi could be traced in Ru me l i, T h es s al y, E p ir u s a n d so u th er n M ac e do n ia . T o t he revolutionary leader and writer Yannis Makriyannis, klephts and armatoloi-being the only available major military force on the side of the Greeks-played such a crucial role in the Greek revolution that he re f e r re d t o t h em a s t h e " ye a s t o f liberty". cont..........Filiki Eteria
Filiki Eteria Feraios' martyrdom was to inspire three young Greek merchants, Nikolaos Skoufas, Manolis Xanthos, and Athanasios Tsakalov. Influenced by the Italian Carbonari and profiting from their own experience as members of Freemasonic organisations, they founded in 1814 the secret Filiki Eteria ("Friendly Society") in Odessa, an important center of the Greek mercantile diaspora. With the support of wealthy Greek exile communities in Britain and the United States and with the aid of sympathizers in Western Europe, they planned the rebellion. The society's basic objective was a revival of the Byzantine Empire, with Constantinople as the capital, not the formation of a national state. In early 1820, Ioannis Kapodistrias, an official from the Ionian Islands who had become the joint foreign minister of Tsar Alexander I, was approached by the Society in order to be named leader but declined the offer; the Filikoi (members of Filiki Eteria) then turned to Alexander Ypsilantis, a Phanariote serving in the Russian army as general and adjutant to Alexander, who accepted. The Filiki Eteria expanded rapidly and was soon able to recruit members in all areas of the Greek world and among all elements of the Greek society. In 1821, the Ottoman Empire mainly faced war against Persia and more particularly the revolt by Ali Pasha in Epirus, which had forced the vali (governor) of the Morea, Hursid Pasha, and other local pashas to leave their provinces and campaign against the rebel force. At the same time, the Great Powers, allied in the "Concert of Europe" in opposition to revolutions in the aftermath of Napoleon I of France, were preoccupied with revolts in Italy and Spain. It was in this context that the Greeks judged the time ripe for their own revolt. The plan originally involved uprisings in three places, the Peloponnese, the Danubian Principalities and Constantinople.
Independence Day-Tunisia, 20-March The processes of the Tunisian Independence occurred from 1952 to 1956 between France and a independentist movement under Habib Bourguiba Bourguiba became the first President of the new nation after negotiations with France that led to the independence.
The way to Tunisian independence
The first independence movement was formed by The Young Tunisian Party in 1907. By 1920, the Destour, a Tunisian political party, had formed a powerful base that was supported by the Bey. Their following lasted until 1934, when Neo Destour was formed, and brought about by a new generation of young nationalists striving for independence. With a new energized independence movement, the stage was set for a new leader, Habib Bourguiba. With the threat of independence, the French immediately banned Neo Destour and sent Bourguiba to a variety of French prisons in France where he spent the next 20 years of his life. World War II brought about a halt in Tunisia's bid for independence, but helped win Bourguiba a transfer from a French prison to an Axis one in Rome. The Nazis attempted to pressure Bourguiba into helping the Axis powers with his influence over the Tunisian independence fighters in pushing back the Allied invasion of North Africa. He refused and was released from prison in 1943 when the Nazi campaign was finally defeated at El Alamein in Egypt. Upon his return to Tunisia, Bourguiba proposed a concept of gradual independence to free Tunisia from the French which was supported by fellow Tunisians. As a means of forcing the French to leave, the Neo Destour returned to planting bombs and committing terrorist attacks on colonial facilities. As a result, from 1952 to 1954, Bourguiba was imprisoned for the attacks, further fueling the fire between Tunisian Independence and French Rule. In June 1954, new French Prime Minister Pierre Mendes came to power and immediately instituted a withdrawal policy from Tunisia to lessen the violent backlashes occurring in the colonies. France still retained control of the Tunisia's foreign affairs, and gradually the nations returned to the same arrangement of 1881. By November 1955, France granted Morocco independence; which hel ped pave the way for Tunisia's independence. March 20, 1956, Tunisia achieved independence from France proposed by Habib Bourguiba. France, Tunisia, and Western Powers remained in good relations; which helps to bring the country economic aid to this day.
Philhellenism Because of the Greek origin of so much of the West's classical heritage, there was tremendous sympathy for the Greek cause throughout Europe. Many wealthy Americans and Western European aristocrats, such as the renowned poet Lord Byron and later the physician Samuel Howe, took up arms to join the Greek revolutionaries. Many more also financed the revolution. The Scottish historian and philhellene Thomas Gordontook part in the revolutionary struggle and later wrote the first histories of the Greek revolution in English. According to Albert Boime, "The philhellenes willingly overlooked many of the contradictory stories about Greek atrocities, because they had nowhere else to deposit their libertarian impulses." In Europe, the Greek revolt aroused widespread sympathy among the public, although at first it was met with lukewarm and negative reception from the Great Powers. Some historians argue that Ottoman atrocities were given wide coverage in Europe, while Christian atrocities tended to be suppressed or played down. One of these Ottoman massacres inspired Eugène Delacroix's famous painting Massacre of Chios; other philhellenic works by Delacroix were inspired by various Byron poems. Byron, the most celebrated philhellene of all, lent his name, prestige and wealth to the cause. He spent time in Albania and Greece, organizing funds and supplies (including the provision of several ships), but died from fever at Messolonghi in 1824. Byron's death helped to create an even stronger European sympathy for the Greek cause. His poetry, along with Delacroix's art, helped arouse European public opinion in favor of the Greek revolutionaries to the point of no return, and led Western powers to intervene directly. Philhellenism made a notable contribution to romanticism, enabling the younger generation of artistic and literary intellectuals to expand the classical repertoire by treating modern Greek history as an extension of ancient history; the idea of a regeneration of the spirit of ancient Greece permeated the rhetoric of the Greek cause's supporters. Classicists and romantics of that period envisioned the casting out of the Turks as the prelude to the revival of the Golden Age.
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